No Pictures !!!

I was at the meeting last night and was going to take a picture of the block of the month, which turned out to be 4 different sets of 12 red work and my camera batteries were out of jucie. So no pictures. But I promice I will have pictures of the workshop tomorrow.....I am charging up more batteries as I write this posting.

I did not win anything at Quilto......I would be one spot away from winning and some one else's spot would be called and they'd win. Oh well......I really don't need more fat quarters.

Tonight I have to rewire the foot pedal to my Singer 301a. I have noticed that when I use my machine the foot pedal get hot. I went into the local repair shop and asked him what the problem could be and he told me it will burn a hole in the carpet if I don't replace the pedal. So $20.00 later I bought a new pedal and now have to take the other apart and wire up the new one. I happen to own quite a few sewing machines......my Elna, fancy machine, does lots of stiches and I really love it but don't like to take it to workshops unless I'm going to need to use the stiches.....its heavy. I have two featherweights, one pre-war and one post-war. But the machine I love the most is my Singer 301a. Weights a couple of pounds more then the featherweights, but its more powerful and you can drop the feed dogs with a screw under the bed. I have a black 301a and I just love to sew on it. Pictures on Monday......I will even take one of my 301a.

It's Been Hot !!!!

Yes....its been very hot here in certral California. Sunday was 115, and I attended an out side wedding at 5:30 in the afternoon. Needless to say it was the hottest wedding I've ever attended. We Californians are use to the weather being hot in July but this hot spell has been humid and we're not use to that kind of weather. It usually cools off at night but no at 11:00 p.m. the temp. would be 90. I hate to sleep with the air conditioner on. Today I walked outside and it finally felt cool....who would believe that the high 90's could feel cool.

Lots of livestock have died because of the heat. Our dairymen have lost many cows that could not take the hot weather because it did not cool off at night. Milk production has suffered also, the cows do not eat because of the heat and if they don't eat they don't produce as much milk.

Tonight is my Manteca quilt guild meeting. We are playing Quilto.....the quilters version of Bingo. Should be fun, it takes one fat quarter to buy a Quilto card. So there will be lots of fat quarters to win and the last game of the night will be black out to win what is left of the fat quarters. I will take my camera and take pictures to share and I'll try to get pictures of the block of the month. As people turn in their block the chairman of the block of the month usually pins them on the wall. Maybe I'll win...keep my fingers crossed.

On Saturday the guild is hosting a free sew or philanthropy sew. Bring your sewing machine down to the library and work on what ever you want. I'm going to work on philanthropy quilts. Our guild makes lots of quilts for children....lap sized quilts. I'm going to work on little quilts for premature babies. You talk a FQ of flannel fabric and sew it to another piece of flannel, make sure and leave an opening, turn the blanket and top stich so you sew up the opening. I've been buying flannel to make these little blankets with so now I will be able to get lots done. I again will take my camera and take pictues of all the ladies sewing.

Block of the Month For July.....Done

I finished stiching the block of the month for July. This block took more time to do because of the hand work.... then sewing one with my sewing machine. I used the back stich....just because its easy to do and I like the way it looks. I confess that I do like chickens and would be very happy to win these blocks. I think the person who does the block of the month took the images from a day of a week dish towel set.

The Only Picture I Took of A Quilt

At the quilt show on Saturday I only took a picture of one quilt. This quilt was quite different from all the other quilts. Its was made by a quilter who's last name was Tree. You understand why......when you see the quilt.

My taste in quilts is changing, I don't like just any quilt, I'm leaning towards more modern designs. Quilts that are different, bright colors, a quilt you don't see every day. This quilt is large a queen or king with lots of trees.....all different, no boarders on the quilt. I'll bet it looks good on the quilters bed.

Happy Monday

Another Monday morning and here in California we are looking at a week of over 100 degree weather. The trip to Ironstone winery on Saturday was nice and the weather was cooler then expected. My friends and I all had a good time shoping the vendors, looking at quilts and enjoying the beautiful grounds at the winery. This picture shows the entrance to the quilt show and the table selling tickets to get in. The landscapeing around the winery is very beautiful. The picture on the right is taken from the room that has the quilts in it and is the highest point on the winery. We all had lots of fun at the quilt show....I didn't spend too much money at the vendors but had fun doing it. After we were done at the quilt show we drove back into Murphys and are lunch at a wonderful resturant downtown. A wonderful way to spend a Saturday.

Done

The ring bearer pillow is finally done. Finished the beading last night. Now I have to drop it off at T's house so she can finish it up. I really like the way it turned out......working with only white and silver wasn't so bad after all.

Quilt Show at Ironstone Winery

On Saturday two friends and I are going to Murphy's to Ironstone Vineyards to attend the Independence Hall Quilters, Mountain Heirloom Quilt Faire XXVIIII. Last year was the first year the quilter had their quilt show at the winery and we attended. The day was very warm as days in the California foothills in summer can be. What we love about this quilt show is the ladys of this guild go to garage sales and buy old plates and cups and stuff....then they bake goodies and arrange the goodies on the old plates and in cups and sell them. It's so cool...not only are you buying delicious goodies but you get a neat old plate too. Last year vendors (which is the first reason we go to quilt shows, to buy quilting stuff) were outside on cement that was in the sun all day and before noon it was way too hot to be out there.......I felt very sorry for those vendors. I hope they have come up with a better place to put them this year.

I'm taking my camera this year and will take lots of pictures. Since starting this blog I'm using my digital camera much more then I use too......which is a good thing. I will post the pictures on Monday so you can all enjoy this quilt show in the beautiful California foothills. The weather man is saying that the temp on Saturday will be 101 degrees.....I hope they are wrong!

Works in Progress

Been working on the ring bearer pillow for the wedding on the 23rd. I love to do silk ribbon embroidery, I love working with different colors for flowers and greens for leaves. However this bride did not want any color, just white and silver. The J is what the last name of the groom starts with so I used a J that we liked and used a copier to make it biger. I traced the J on tissue paper and then embroidered it on the satain with a gray floss. I think its turning out better then I figured it would.

Quilt Show Meeting

Last night my quilt guild in Manteca held the first quilt show meeting. Only 8 months till the quilt show. I do believe this is the earlest quilt show meeting since I've been a member. But it is good, we got lots done and input and our ideas is what the quilt show chair was looking for. By the way the quilt show chair for 2007 is one of our only male members!! His wife has been co-chair so he know's what its all about and the work involved. As is true with many quilt guilds the same people do the work and do the same jobs at the quilt show every year so putting it on is rather easy.

Coming into work this morning there was lots of smoke in the air from the fire in Del Puerto Canon. I hope they put it out soom as the smoke really messes up the valley air. I'm afriad that this year is going to be a bad year for fires since all the rain we received this spring made all the grass and brush grow.

On Tuesday night I drive into Manteca and attend a small stiching group that meets in the library. Sometimes we lug in our sewing machines and work on projects but mostly we do hand work. As the farmers market is going on on Tuesday night in the park behind the library and parking is hard to find I've been doing hand work. The block of the month for July is a red work block and I've been working on that. But tonight I will be working on the ring bearer pillow for my good friend T's daughter's wedding. I'll try and take a picture of it and post tomorrow.

Sick 4th of July

Guess who got sick on the 4th of July? Little old me! First dear daughter N got up that morning saying I'm sick.....then later when I attended a party went to the bathroom and threw up. Didn't feel like eating should have known I was sick! So I spent the rest of the 4th of July on the couch sick...missed fireworks and all the good food at the party. It was just a 24 hour bug and now am feeling back to normal.....what ever that is.

Here is the web site for the pattern and source for the flower petals used in the wallhanging I showed you in the post last week. The web site is www.bellanonnaquilt.com. The name of the designer is Bella Nonna Design Studio, 608 South Jefferson, Kennewick, WA 99336. The pattern is called Hydrangea Tapestry #130.

Happy 4th of July

Thank God it's Friday! Looking forward to a long weekend as I'm taking a vacation day on Monday to get four days off. I have a first birthday party for a special little girl on Sunday and a big 4th party on Tuesday. Yea!!

Today I am sharing with you a picture of a wall hanging I finished last month. Took a class at a local quilt shop and finished this in one day. Was I happy.....no UFO to add to my long list. Hydrangas are a very beautiful flower and this wall hanging was fun to do You sew the background first, quilt it and then bind the quilt. The last thing you do is with a hot glue gun, you glue the petals on....it was fun and you get a great three d effect. It hangs in my office. The second picture give you a view of the detail of the flower close up. Enjoy.

Forgot Camera

I know I wrote that I would have a post yesterday and pictures from the workshop but I forgot to bring my camera. But I remembered today so if I can upload the pictures you will see my sewing caddy. Had lots of fun at the workshop, the sewing caddy was very easy to make and I was finished by noon. We set up at 8:30 and start the workshop at 9:00. It was a small workshop.....only six of us, so we had lots of attention from the teacher.

The felt is for needles and pins. Lots of room in the two pockets for thread, floss or what ever. The pocket at the bottom holds sissors and a transfer pen, I guess the small pocket on the bottom pocket is for a thimble. The whole thing rolls up and is tied by a ribbon.

I can see me making more for presents for quilting friends.

Happy Friday!

Well I didn't win the block of the month T did!! Won't she be surprised when she returns from her weekend trip. She makes lots of quilts for charity (Shriners Hospital) and I'm sure she will use the blocks for her charity quilts.

I'm taking a workshop on Saturday, we're going to be making a sewing caddy. Should be fun and the air conditioner at the library where we have the workshops keeps you very cool. The caddy takes 1/4 yard of pre-quilted fabric and I allready have some in my stash......I think I picked it up to make a purse and of course it's still in my stash. Just have to find two FQ to go with it, some ribbon, felt and I'll be set to go. I will take my camera and take pictures....just have to charge up the batteries tonight. Have a good weekend....see you on Monday.

Hot Thursday

The temp today is supose to get to 105! It's going to be over 100 for the rest of the week....or whats let of it.

I worked on my block of the month last night (sorry no picture) and now I know why T's block didn't work out. I followed the instructions but had extra fabric when I sewed the strips onto the main part of the block. So I just left it on and who ever win's the block can take it apart if they want. T's block was unfixable as I think she cut off her extra fabric and I needed it if I took the block apart. She sewed her block together in the wrong order, from right to left not left to right the way it looked on the directions. Oh well.....live and learn.....if the other blocks look like mine I don't want to win them......and now that I have said that I have cursed myself and will win. More on this subject tomorrow.

Summer Solstice

Today is the first day of summer, the summer solsitice, the longest day of the year. Once this day is over we begin the long journey to winter solsitice in December. So, enjoy the day, spend the evening outside watching the sun set on the first day of summer.

Tonight I have to sew the block of the month quilt block for Thursday's membership meeting at Manteca Quilters. Why do I wait till the very last day to do it? I don't know, but the block is pre-cut and all I have to do is sew it together. I'll try and take a picture and post it tomorrow if I can figure out how to do it. I'm still new at this blogging stuff. Maybe I'll get lucky and win all the blocks.....giving me another unfinished project. But first I have to sew my block and fix my friends T's block, she is unable to attend the meeting and mailed me her block, unfinished. I think she had problems trying to figure out how to sew the strips around the block. Hope I have better luck.

June is Dairy Month

Did you know that June is Dairy Month? Yes.....time to make sure you get dairy in your diet. Milk does a body good and keeps bones strong. Last September I broke my colavicle, the bone that connectes the breastbone with the shoulder blade. My Dr. told me to make sure and get more dairy in my diet to help the bone heal. I did and now my shoulder is on its way to a full recovery.


Summer has finally arrived here in northern California. The temp is on its way to 100 degrees. The weather here is dry and hot in the summer and the forecast for Saturday is 107!

I have a blog!!!!

Wow.....I did it! I now have a blog! What to say.....I am now at a loss for words. More later.