A Quilting Retreat

Wow I can't believe it's the middle of April!  How time flies.  I've been busy with my website designer on my Website.  It should be launched in a few weeks.  I never knew how much goes into the design.  Michelle is a superwoman with all her knowledge.

We've gotten our tree trimming done and just in time.  The blooms are spectacular.

This is one of our apple trees.

I've had to thin the rhubarb as it had already started to bolt. I hope I get lots for pies, coffeecake, freezing and canning.


I can taste it now.

I spent last weekend at the Tualatin Valley Quilt Guild Retreat.  I thoroughly enjoyed the scenery, food, camaraderie and quilting.  Our long weekend was held at Tilikum Christian Camp outside of Newberg in Yamhill County.  I snapped a couple of pictures of some of the gals....

There were 37 quilters.  We took up two floors.  We had a white elephant exchange which was great.  The competition for a couple of the gifts was extreme.

In the mornings I stepped outside and just enjoy the dawn.  Across the highway from the retreat was a farm.  The roosters were crowing from dawn till dusk.  You can't see the farm from the video, but the scenery is wonderful.

I've got bread in the oven so I need to get it out.  Hope everyone has a great weekend.  Our weather is suppose to be beautiful.

Celtic Soltice Mystery Revealed and My Design Wall

The Mystery wasn't to be revealed until last Friday, but Bonnie couldn't wait.  I had just finished up all my clues and was looking forward to no sewing until Friday.  Well the group on Facebook couldn't resist showing how some of their tops were going to look.  So I gave in and put a few up on my Design Wall to take a picture.  Here's mine:

Some of the quilters are turning every other Birds in the Air block.  I kinda like the look so I'm going to turn some of mine and see how I like the look on my quilt.

Only the chevrons in the block are turned to make the new block.  I'll have to put more blocks up and get a bigger effect in order to decide.

Check out the other Celtic Soltice Mystery Designs and what other have on their Design Wall

The Blue Heron and Celtic Soltice and Miscellany

Christmas is over and we are awaiting the New Year.  I've been slowly recovering from my foot surgery.  I'm not having to rely on crutches or my knee wheeler.  I still have some swelling and need to keep it elevated.  I'm seeing the doctor on the 5th and I want him to see some progress.  My boot hopefully will come off around the 17th, then I'll be able to drive.  I'm just not use to relying on others for help.  I guess this is a lesson on humility.  I'm learning.

Sunday the chickens were free ranging and making a ruckus in the front yard. I went out there and I think they were worried about this:

This picture is a little blurry because I blew it up to see it.

Here's one as it was flying off

Pretty aren't they?

Celtic Soltice.  What can I say.  We are on Clue 5 of possibly 6-8 clues.  We're not sure, Bonnie's not spilling the beans. After all, she says it's a mystery. I have all of Clues 1,3,4, and 5 completed. I'm still working on Clue 2.

I've been using my Scrappy Triple Irish Chain as my Leader and Ender.  I like the idea of a Leader and Ender and eventually that becomes your main project.  I am working on my sister's quilt and have to put the borders on and sew the appliques on. I should be able to get that done by July, when I see her.

Here's the border design.  I cut them out on day a few months ago when we had a power outage.   This one is from the Fons and Porter magazine.

 Last of all but definately not least.  I won this Japanese clone on ebay last night.  I just not sure which Singer model it is a clone of.  I need to find out so I can get a manual and learn some about it.  I'm excited to get it.  I did send the Seller a link on how to package a machine for shipping.  She's mailed a couple but I just wanted to make sure this arrives in one piece.

This post is being linked to Celtic Soltice Mystery and Judy's Design Wall.  Check out the links to see what others are doing.

Part 4 CS Mystery

This Mystery has been slow going for me.  I have to elevate my foot often and it seems that I only last about 30 minutes at a time standing or sitting.  I've finished step 1 and 2 and have about half of step 3 and 4 completed.  I'm enjoying the Mystery so far and surprised to hear that we will be putting some of it together soon.

Christmas Eve is tomorrow and my family celebrates the Eve.  We will have our traditional pound cake with a bean in it ( from my paternal grandmothers side), goulash and lefse from my maternal grandmother's side.  I enjoy the traditions, it makes me feel close to my family, those here, out of state and not here.

I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a great New Year.

This post is being linked to CS Mystery and Judy's Design Wall.  Go check out what everyone is doing with their Mystery or on their Design Walls.

Celtic Soltice Step 3

It's been a week since my foot surgery and I am slowly getting around.  I have been having to use an rolling office chair and now a knee walker.  I am horrible on crutches.

Step 2 Chevrons are still in the making.  I have 20 completed.  I think they are turning out great.

Step 3 Pinwheels are coming along, although I have only finished 6.  This is an exciting mystery.  I can't
wait until I can stand on my own and get to cutting, ironing, and sewing.

I am using the pinwheels and my scrappy Irish Chain as my L&E.  I think I'm liking this method of quilting 2 quilts at once.

This post is being linked to Celtic Soltice Mystery and Judy's Design Wall. Go and check out what everyone else is doing!

Celtice Solstice Step 2

We received our instructions for Step 2 of our Mystery Quilt on Friday.  Thursday I spent having a bunion removed from my foot.  I was able to get a couple of my fat quarters in to my bedroom and since I didn't have access to my rotary cutter or sewing machine, I marked and cut a couple of my pieces.  I marked my quarter  and hand sewed a couple of blocks.  I see where one is flipped. I can fix that when I can stand and move a round a little.  I've  never done any hand sewing except for binding so this was an experience.  I'm not sure how to start or stop.  So I started in from the corner and backtracked.  Then in the end I retraced a couple of  stitches.  I didn't tied off.  I hope this is good.

I linked this post to Bonnie Hunter's mystery quilt and to Judy's Design Wall.

Don't forget, I can start receiving your quilts in mid January. See my special on the left column of my blog.  Now let's see what everyone is doing.

Celtic Solstice Mystery, Wk 1

I picked my fabrics, joined the Celtic Solstice FB group, printed my first clue and here I am!  I decided to make the Small size quilt.  I have all the orange backgrounds cut for a large, but I want to make some progress with this mystery.  I will probably use the pieces for the large as my leader and ender later on.  Now my leader and ender is my scrappy Irish Chain.  I have used mostly my stash for this mystery, only purchasing a couple of fat quarters in orange.  I have a great stash, that will most like last me a lifetime. Pictures?  Okay,

It's not to late to start.  Go to Bonnie Hunter's blog and choose the Celtic Solstice tab.  The mystery will only be up until June.  The facebook page is private but you probably can ask to join.  

My Leader and Ender project is the scrappy Irish Chain.  It comes from Bonnie's book.

Irish chain project

Order any of her books directly from her site and I've heard she autographs each one.

Go see what others participating in the Mystery are doing.  I have also linked this post up with Judy at Patchwork Times Design wall

Saturday Musings

I went hunting with Doug today. Actually I rode with him to Lakeside Oregon, dropped him off early this morning. Now I'm having breakfast and headed to the fabric store. Yes I brought my  sewing machine, camera, and kindle.  I brought a #quilting project with me to work in. It's a quilted hotpad. If it turns out they may be for our Iams Family Reunion white elephant event.   Life is good. 

It's cloudy by the lake so I haven't taken any pictures. Maybe I'll be able to get some at my friends place later today.   

Just a photo from my library. I just find it so boring to read a post without some color. 

Get 'R Done October 2013

My list last month was light.

 Quilt Carpenter's Star - Not Done

Doug's Quilt - Not Done, Close

I was getting ready to work on Doug's quilt and found that the back was smaller than the top.  I had to order fabric to get it done.  Well with the thanks of Bonnie's Quilt Cam last night, I was able to get three borders on the back and the fourth is cut and ready to go.  That is getting done this morning.


I'm not showing this again until I have a finished bound quilt ready to give to my son.

October's Get 'R Done list:

Quilt Carpenter's Star
Finish Doug's quilt, enlarge backing, quilt, bind

If there is any time left, I will work on

Sew applique on Arin's quilt borders.

Please join me in seeing what other quilters are doing.  This post is being linked to Judy's Get 'R Done

I Can't Believe It's Sunday Already

I've been busy.  This morning I had my normal routine of reading my favorite blogs and of course new posts on Facebook.  I found a recipe for Cinnamon Twists by Recipe Girl.  I decided to make them.  Instead of using buttermilk, which I never have, I thought I would substitute with milk.  When I looked, I didn't have any of that either.  Ok, so I thought I had some dry milk but I didn't have the directions for making it.  It usually turns out to weak.  So I looked in my pantry and I had condensed milk. So into the condensed milk I added a tablespoon of lemon.  That's what my research said to do for buttermilk.  Is this what I've been making all along?  Buttermilk?  I thought I was just making sour milk.  Anyway.  I didn't take pictures of all the steps.  These are the twists just before putting them into the oven.

I misread the instructions and baked mine for 20 minutes.  Too long.  12-15 was the ideal and it would have been just right.

So they are a little brown, but I went ahead and glazed them.  My son came in just as I was finished and he and Doug ate one pan.  They must not have been too bad.  These were very easy to make.  The instructions call for using a pizza cutter for making the strips.  I love my pizza cutter.  I use it for a lot of things besides cutting pizza.

While the dough was rising, we hurried and gathered out onions that were already dug and drying.  The rain was suppose to come in around noon and we didn't want to ruin our crop.

This was all we got but that will be enough for us.  Last year we had tons.  We gave away lots and still ended up tossing some.

I've been in my sewing room most of the day in between chores.  I've been working on a quilt for a couple of weeks, not nonstop, I still have a day job.  All the blocks are done and I'm in the process of putting together the rows.  Yesterday, I printed out some applique which I will use in the border.  I ordered some ric-rack for the vines.  I hope it turns out.  

I hope to have a picture of the rows completed for my blog on Monday.  Check back to see it.  I am just loving the secondary pattern.  I sound redundant but I love it and am fascinated by it.

That's all for now.

My Design Wall- 9/9/2013

Wow.  I've been fascinated by this pattern.  I just kept making more and more blocks to see more of the secondary pattern.  I love it.  I think Liz Porter's quilt was out of repro 30's fabric.  This is batiks.  I've been trying to only use my stash and so far with the exception of larger yardages, I have been able to make quilts for the last couple of years with it.

Since this photo was taken, I only have two blocks to go and the top is done except sewing the rows together.

I'm going to have to take a break from this and finish one of my Get'rDone projects done.

This post is being linked to Judy's Design Wall

Get 'R Done September

September already?  My Get 'R Done August list I knew would be sketchy.  I got one quilt quilted.  That's all.  I had a lot of company and was out of town some of it.

This is Tina's first quilt.  I quilted leaves or hearts on it.  She will be using it as a lap quilt for her couch.

September's list will be August's list of tying my son's jean quilt and quilting my Carpenter's Star quilt.

This post is being linked to Judy's Get it Done Challenge

Get 'er Done - August 2013

Get 'er Done for August will be skimpy this month.  I am on vacation in Montana and will be on vacation into the second week of August when my daughter and grandkids will be in Oregon with me the following week.

I am going to attempt to quilt my friend's jean quilt so it can travel back with my daughter.

Tie my son's jean and crown royal quilt.

And if time allows, I want to quilt my Carpenter's Star.

This post is being linked to Judy's Patchwork Quilting  Check the link out to see what others are doing.

I don't have any pictues of the tops this week so here's a beautiful butterfly I photographed on my patio a while back.

Have a great day!

Last Week in My Quilt Studio

I have been working on finishing some projects before my daughter and her children come to visit this summer.  Jessee's quilt is finished.

Back

Then onto Jana's quilt.

I'm binding it now in the evening when I'm watching tv.

I have had this top done for awhile and thought this morning that it would be nice for my youngest granddaughter, Dani.  It's a lap quilt and I'm backing it in two shades of purple flannel.

I wanted to get something posted to my blog seeing that it's been more than a month since I've posted.  I have a couple of drafts and will try to get them posted in the next few days.

Beautiful Day!

I've been in work mode for months now.  I haven't had any gumption to blog or post on Facebook.  Today is my day off, it's beautiful, sunny and promises to be warm.   I have put off buying some shoes for months.  I hate shopping, any kind, except maybe fabric.  Even then, I shop online.

I found my clothespins and have laundry on the line.  I love looking at it in the sunshine.  I have a chance to talk to my girls when I'm hanging laundry.

They are so happy to see me,  Probably more so if I had a bowl in my hand,  They usually ignore me after a bit.
The babies are doing fine.  They are thriving under their adopted mother's care. The other hens leave them alone, or else Mama will school them.

Just home from the store.

 Second day at our place.  Mama and babies are doing great.

I think this was their first day out.  They loved it. Now they only go in at night.

These pictures aren't too good.  The fencing is in the way and the light is too bright.  But the chicks are doing great.
Oh ya, I remember where I was going with this - - -

My clothes!  Funny how I pin them but it so I don't have any pin marks after they've dried.

Well I guess I need to get ready to leave the house.  I have some grocery shopping and shoe shopping to do.

I hope to get back so I can do some sewing.  I've cut out a couple a tanks for Doug but have to get some clear elastic tape for the neck.  I bought some but I can't find it.  I also have a quilt on the longarm that I hope to work on some.

Have a wonderful day everyone!  Drop in and let me know how your day is shaping up.