So where am I?

Just wanted to check in with you and let you know I'm around and reading your blogs but not leaving messages. I got bronchitis BAD last Saturday (actually started feeling bad on Friday) and by Monday I was miserable. I've been to the Dr and have medicine, but I'm just kind of out of it and don't have too much energy. Needless to say I have done almost no sewing of any kind. Can you believe that - 3 full days I could have sewn and I didn't touch a thing! That should be unlawful!

But I did manage things to share with you. The above quilt was made by my friend who lives in Australia 2 years ago for me for Christmas as a surprise. Isn't it lovely! I have it hanging up, even though it is a bit longer than my quilt rod, I still have to have it up. It is so whimsical! But of course when it is really hanging it hangs behind the couch!

And I finally finished my Gwen Marston wall hanging. It is bound and washed to get all the white thread out from the trapunto. It is rainy here today so I couldn't not get a good picture of the trapunto. I may try again in Holly's room under her big light. But isn't it awesome. If only you could see the trapunto and micro stippling. This one is my masterpiece!

I got the Oriental Quilt Done!

Look! I got the top done! And it doesn't look bad! I think James will love it! (At least I hope so)!

And below are a few blocks so you can see what a block looks like. This was so easy to sew. It was kind of fun just doing mindless sewing and accomplishing something!

Just a few things

Just a few things I thought I would share before being busy for the weekend. My sister called yesterday and said that she had to tell me something cute my nephew (and godson) said. I had sent her some pictures of his oriental fabric all cut up to tell him I had started on his quilt. Darci showed it to him and he said "I don't get it mom". She said "I don't get it either sweetie, but it will be beautiful when it is done". A bit later he comes up to her and says "Mom, I'm so lucky to have an aunt who can make that quilt for me". Ohhh now doesn't that just make it all worth it!!!!
I got sections B and C done on it. As you can see I ran short on a few fabrics so used my own creative "fixes". Notice in that one 4 patch I had to make a 4 patch to make one patch in the bigger 4 patch. And in the big 8-1/2" square I had to put in a slice of another fabric to make it big enough. I think it should work.

And I"ve been playing with some little drunkard path blocks. I found the only way I can get these sewn easily is to just pin. I tried less pins but it was just to futsy at the machine. So I cut them out and pin while watching TV. Then sew some up to free up pins and do the whole thing again!
Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe to share

HAPPY THANKSGIVING..........Here is a recipe I thought you would like for the holidays!

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken or turkey
1 large lemon, cut into halves
sprig of rosemary
salt and pepper to taste
butter or olive oil, whichever you prefer

Heat oven to 350 degrees
Rub butter or oil over the skin of the chicken/turkey until it is completely coated.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper and any other seasonings you prefer.
Take a knife and gently separate the skin from the breast meat;

Slide lemon halves under the skin with the peel side up, one on
each side. This way the juice from the lemon will release into the breasts.
Place sprig of rosemary into the chicken/turkey.
Cover and bake for 30-45 minutes. Remove cover and continue
to roast until juices run clear, basting every 15-20 minutes.

If you've followed these steps correctly, your chicken/turkey should
look like the one in the picture.

Bon Appetit!

Just a tad.....

I got just a tad done this weekend on my nephew's oriental quilt he wanted so badly! Like everyone, I'm just busy getting ready for the holidays and having kids home again. Well and being lazy..... ...

But I did get his fabric washed and cut out, and Section A done! Yup, section A was a tough one! I did more work on the "secret project" but of course can't show it .... shhh it is a secret!

Horse Feathers

Well didn't do too much sewing today, but I did get some Christmas presents bought! The stores already were a zoo, so I"m glad I got done what I did!

I did get a chance to finish Horse Feathers, so I thought I would share a quick pic of it.

I've been working really hard this week on something that I can't share right now. So the hardest part is all this work and not being able to share it! Tomorrow I"ll probably do more of that project. Hope your all having a great weekend.

A Lazy Friday - tying up loose ends

Well it is just one of those days to tie up loose ends. I don't feel like doing much of anything. I think mostly because I've been so busy at work the last few weeks and I'm finally seeing only normal workloads finally that I"m just taking today to be lazy! In fact I'm treating myself to working from home. So I"m sitting here looking out at the grey cold November day in my shorts, drinking my diet coke!

I got a really fun email today from Andrea in Wales. She is having a wet windy day over there too and just didn't feel like doing housework (well that one I never feel like doing) and nothing in her quilt room struck her to work on. So she dug out the instructions for the fabric canisters and made a cat one! The picture is above - isn't is adorable! I love those faces on the cats and the lining fabric is wonderful! She said now she wants to make more for gifts and is thinking of making one for her daughter with handles to put makeup in for a small xmas gift! She doesn't have a blog yet, but enjoys all of ours and may start one after Christmas. I hope so! I told her to make sure to send me pics of any others that she makes. They are so cute.

A lot of you are really wondering what in the world that blue tape on my quilt is doing there! Patti thought maybe it was holding pieces together! Well you see I have this sweet little stinker dog. The only thing she chews on and likes in our house is my quilt stuff! Good taste huh! So I couldn't leave the pieces laying out, so I numbered them with the tape so I could pick them up! Above is a picture of Chloe with her favorite glow-in-dark ball and the bean bag chair she stole from my husband!

So here are 2 more pics of the Horse Featherers quilt. I got the corner blocks on and the ceneter sewn. Last night I took the time to put the thin light border around it! I already have the pieces borders sewn (did that on retreat) so tonight I"ll get those on and this one will be done! Well ok, the top will be done!

Off to do some work, someone just tracked me down at home!

OK, so don't laugh at this quilt....

I want to start off this post with - "OK, so don't laugh at this quilt"! When I saw what Lucy had done at her retreat this weekend I had to share my quilt I made with the same blocks - a long, long, long time ago. This quilt got made from a challenge where we were given a bag of these ugly - very ugly - fabrics. And a lot of them were not high quality (they weren't low quality though either). We had to make something with them. About that same time I saw this quilt in an Australian P&Q magazine and decided that is what I could make with my strips. So I used scraps and uglies from my stash for the bigger triangle piece. Well at that time I couldn't picture all those ugly fabrics making anything nice looking - and I didn't want to kill myself over this quilt then - so I just pieced it fast. Well my pinwheels didn't match up too well, part of the problem was the bias and stretch on these ugly fabrics! Well once I got it done I fell in love with the purple pinwheels and the light border fabric. And heck - even the ugly fabrics worked well together. So its grown on me and is my TV quilt in the family room. Of course now I wish I would have spent more time matching up the pinwheels! (Oh and guess what - Lucy thinks the pattern they used is the same one I used those many years ago from the Australian P&Q!)

I also worked just a tad on my Horse Feathers quilt from my retreat where I forgot the fabric for the V in the feathers. Here is a picture from this weekend where I got the V fabric cut and the arms all made for the star. Don't you just love the blue tape! Adds something special to it doesn't it! I actually got the star all put together this weekend but I have to take a picture yet, so I thought I would show you the taped up (in more ways than one) version.

Some quilts from other countries

I think my favorite thing of the quilt show was the international display of quilt winners from different countries. I love seeing the different colors, styles and fabrics they use. So below I've given you a sample of one of my favorite quilts from each country (at least the ones I could remember the country for!). And these are by no means my only favorites, just ones that are fun to share.

Before we get into pictures though, for those of you who are still wondering what the song is to the blue wall hanging in the previous post .... Paula the Quilter got it right - "Blue Moon".

The above quilt is from Italy. It contains about 20,000 one inch squares! YIKES!


Then is a very cool quilt from Brazil. I don't know exactly what drew me to this quilt, but everytime I walked around this quilt caught my eye.




And for some reason I loved this quilt from Germany. I found it very calming and interesting.


And then was this great quilt of trees from South Africa. I just love the look of all the different trees. I looked at those trees forever. How come our trees in the US don't look as fun!

And then comes New Zealand - there were TONS of quilts from New Zealand I loved. I didn't know which one to pick to show you! So I chose this quilt for Lucy. The fabrics came from Amsterdam and I LOVED them.

And last but not least is one from Canada. I decided to pick a humorous one from Canada. If you can't read the sign I HAVE to share it with you because it makes the quilt soooo funny.

"A woman "of a certain age" she's HOT! She's active. She carries her history with pride. But my goodness, does she have to flash so often?"

Quilt Gifts and Show....

Look at what Sossy sent me the other day for a thank you for some help I gave her! Isn't it all WONDERFUL! I hadn't had time to take a picture until last night. I can't wait to use all the blocks! Is this not a fun surprise or what!

Played hooky yesterday afternoon from work while stuff was running and ran to the Mancuso Quilt Expo in Schaumburg. This is the first year they have had this show in this area and they have not advertised it well. I don't think a lot of people know it is here. It is a shame for the vendors, but was wonderful for me yesterday - was it empty! So I had plenty of space to wander and look at the quilts. And you know what happened! My battery died in my camera! Ughh. So I guess I'll go back today and take some more pictures. You get a wrist band so I can get back in. I did get some pictures before it died so I'll share a few below.


This one had to be the funniest for some reason. I have no idea why, but it really made me laugh. This one was in the "Songs in the Stitches" exhibit from the Mason Dixon Quilt Professionals Network. It was a challenge to interpret a song title or lyrics into a quilt. The name of this quilt is "Seams like a familiar tune..... Cheeseburger 'n Pair o' Dice"!
OK name that toon above........

Of course antique quilts are always my favorite......