Expired!

My driver's license expired in August...

I never look at my driver's license.... nor does anyone else!   I'm a grandmother after all...

While going thru a pile of papers Monday evening, I found the notice to renew my driver's license...

Tuesday afternoon, I had the staff meeting / baby shower.  Wednesday afternoon, I had a dr's appt.... so... yesterday afternoon, I made a bee-line from work to the DMV!

 

I was able to renew my driver's license even though I didn't know what that triangle-laying-on-its-side sign was...

...I live in the sticks and we don't have none of them around here!

The DMV office closes at 4:30 and I was sure I'd be the last person seen for the day.... but OH NO!  Three cars... count 'em... three cars pulled in when I was leaving at 4:23 pm.

 

At least, I don't have to worry about renewing my license again for eight years!   However, you'd think that the folks at DMV would want to check me more often now...

A Visit by the Quilt Police

A group of quilters were at a retreat when the quilt police showed up and issued citations...

Quilting:  It's all about the fun!

Ladies... Start Your Engines!

Today is my sister Carol's 54th birthday and so I thought I would celebrate by having our QAL kick off!

True, some of us have been playing around some with a block or two... but now... it's OFFICIAL!   Wooo hooo!

Time to get those rotary cutters cutting and those sewing machines cleaned, oiled and ready to go!

Our Jacob's Ladder QAL Flickr group is up and running... so be sure to stop by, say "Hi!" and post photos of your progress!

If you'd like to grab a JL QAL button, please feel free to do so... you'll find the code on the right side bar!

Remember... the QAL isn't a race... we're all winners because we'll all end up with a beautiful quilt!  I'm planning on one or two blocks per week.

The holidays are approaching and, when you get busy, no guilties are allowed.  And, if you don't feel like sewing one week.... two weeks.... no problem.  Both you and your machine are allowed time off for good behavior!

Civil War Block 39: Hovering Hawks

This week's Civil War block is Hovering Hawks and Barbara Brackman explains the history of "jayhawks" in relationship to the War.

I had a "close encounter" with a red-tailed hawk around dusk on the way home from work.  Mr. Hawk was enjoying his dinner on the side of the road and was not best pleased that this big strange thing was bearing down on his meal.

Mr. Hawk reared up on it's legs, wings spread, and beak open, giving me notice that I was an unwelcomed guest.  I kept driving...   if I had stopped, Mr. Hawk could have easily pecked at the door handle standing on the ground... maybe even the side mirror.

A pretty fierce looking bird...

...I'm not messing with this one's dinner!

Easy (?) Lemoyne Star

John'aLee posted links to star quilt block patterns and I thought I'd give the Easy Lemoyne Star block a try.

Maybe a zillion tiny HSTs are easier than the diamond-shapes and Y-seams... but I don't see how.    Janet O. of The Rogue Quilter told me that "easy Lemoyne Star" is an oxymoron and I have to agree!

Next time I need a Lemoyne Star, I'm doing the traditional method.   *lol*

Also completed a variation on the North Star block for block #5...

All five blocks will go out in the mail to John'aLee on Monday!

Another Star Block

I used Barbara Brackman's instructions to make a North Star block to send to John'aLee of The Scrappy Appleyard...

I plan to get these blocks in the mail on Monday.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I enjoy the monthly Friday Night Sew In with Heidi and Bobbi and this month... I won the give-away!  The cool book and neat note cards arrived in yesterday's mail...

I am so excited!   

I'd be even more excited if I could learn to take less fuzzy photos...

Ohio Star Variations

John'aLee of The Scrappy Appleyard has asked for donations of 8.5" (or 12.5") star quilt blocks; please read my previous post for the story and more information.

Yesterday afternoon, I spent a little time in my red and blue scrap bins and made two Ohio Stars...

After a long day at work, that was sufficient for one session... I'll made a couple more stars this evening.

Big Blocks

Big block quilts have their place... particularly when you need a baby quilt quickly.  Last spring, one coworker announced the pending arrival of a new addition to her family and, when everyone started back to work in August, I found out that coworker #2 is expecting in December.

Hmmm...  the joint baby shower is next Tuesday.  I made coworker #1 a baby quilt during the summer. 

I don't think a gift certificate for diapers is going to cut it for coworker #2... do you?

During our shop hop last Saturday, I found some Amy Butler 1/2 yd cuts on the bargain table and picked up one of each for the baby quilt.

Cut out and sewed the big blocks one afternoon... then quilted and bound (by machine) the next afternoon!

Now I just need to wrap the quilts up and I'll be ready to go!   Gotta love those big block quilts...

Stars for a Soldier

John'aLee of The Scrappy Appleyard has posted a request for 8.5" star quilt blocks.  Her DD's fiance, Chris, was killed in Afghanistan shortly before he was due to return home.  Chris was buried just days before what would have been his and Tory's wedding day.

John'aLee would like to make quilts for her daughter Tory, Chris' mom, his two brothers, and his best friend who was in Afghanistan and with Chris when he was shot and killed.  John'aLee is asking for stars in muted reds, blues, and white... similar to those in the fabric lines by Minick and Simpson for Moda.  Minick and Simpson fabric lines include Clermont Farms, Wiscasset, and American Banner Rose.

If you would like to participate but are hesitant because of a lack of a star block pattern that measures 8.5", I would like to suggest one of the Barbara Brackman Civil War BOW star blocks for which instructions are provided:

• Ohio Star
• Barbara Fritchie Star
• New England Star
• Missouri Star
• North Star

John'aLee is asking that, if at all possible to have the blocks to her by end of October. You may send them to:

The Scrappy Appleyard

3218 Knobview Drive

Nashville, TN 37214

If you'd like to read the story of Tory and Chris, visit John'aLee's blog:  The Scrappy Appleyard.  You'll need to read back several posts...  so very touching and sad.

I'm planning to make a couple of star blocks in Chris' memory... 

...and to honor others who are protecting our freedoms.

Civil War Block 38: Ohio Star

This week's block is the Ohio Star and I knew immediately which fabric I wanted to use for the center.  My Blog-land Angel sent me a gorgeous piece of red floral and I pulled it right out!

I chose smaller floral prints for the other two fabrics but thought the big swirling leaves looked cool in the back ground!

There are only 14 more blocks left... Barbara Brackman's Civil War BOW will be completed at the end of this year.  Assembling the quilt top is scheduled for January...  I'm looking forward to it!

Saturday Shop Hop and Sewing Circle

What a fun day!  Cynthia of Sea of Glass arrived in goodly time Saturday morning and we met my friend Deborah for lunch at Sweet Basil's in Southern Pines... then, off to shop hop the two local quilt shops!

We each found several things we couldn't leave in the shops and I was particularly pleased to find what I thought would be the perfect sashing fabric for the Civil War quilt I'm working on.

Photo from Aztec Rose

The fabric is Beekman Place by Timeless Treasures, a dark burgundy background with dark blue, tan, ecru, green all over large pattern.

Shown below with several of the completed Civil War blocks.

After returning home, Cynthia began cutting out and sewing together several Jacob's Ladder blocks for the Jacob's Ladder QAL.

Cynthia is fortunate to have family members who quilted and brought a quilt made by her grandmother to share with us.  Cynthia has sewn in the past but this will be her first quilt... 

You'd never know it tho... Cynthia sewed and pressed like a pro!

Saturday was chilly and over cast with mizzly, misty rain all day... so homemade soup made for a lovely supper.  All in all, a wonderful day...

Friday Night Sew In Report

A long week of long days doesn't make for a lot of "bright-eyed and bushy-tailed" come Friday evening... but I did get some sewing done before I was just too tired...

I got one 4-block unit and four 2-block units sewn together.  The blocks are on a double bed so you can get some idea just how big this quilt is going to be.  

It's going to be a fun day... a couple of friends and I are going to do a little local shop hopping...

...and have lunch out... then return here for an afternoon of sewing!  

Good company, good food, and fabric therapy!   What could be better?

Spoolblocks

Yesterday's guest blogger at Stash Manicure was Gmama Jane of Grandmama's Stories who told about klosjes or spoolblocks.

 Photo courtesy of Valentina of The Netherlands

When I saw the photo, I immediately thought, "My good friend Roos makes klosjes... 

Photo courtesy of Roos of Quiltwerk in Uitvoering

...she even posted a tutorial to show me how to make my own spoolblock!"

 

Photo courtesy of Roos of Quiltwerk in Uitvoering

Roos also sent me my very own spoolblock kit with the pattern... and I'm embarrassed to say that, other than cutting out fabric for a spoolblock, I haven't sewn together a spoolblock yet!

"Well," I thought, "I'm going to take my spoolblock kit to work and by jingo... I'm gonna make me a spoolblock during lunch!"

And I did...

...well, almost...  I still have to sew on the last white piece... but I got started!  And with Roos' tutorial to guide me, it wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be.

I had dinner with my friend Deborah after work and showed her my partially sewn spoolblock... and now she wants to make spoolblocks too!

Photo courtesy of Roos of Quiltwerk in Uitvoering

We're going to be having a spoolblock party on this side of the big pond... and it's all the fault of Roos!