And She Sewed!!

It took a while to get going today.  I had a haircut this morning, and then ran an errand or two.  Got home and had help moving the machines around.  Then I had to lay down a couple of minutes because my back and neck were kinked.

But after all of that, I sewed.

Okay, so I only made 100 HSTs, but it's a start!!!!

I was going to work on something else, but decided to get this Brrrrr Park off my table.  Once I get these HSTs all done (and I might have to make a few more when I get it laid out), then it's just cutting more setting triangles and putting this baby together.  Of course, that may take a couple of weekends.  That's okay by me!!  I'm going to focus and finish what I started!

Sewing Table - the Continuing Saga!

I swear, it's not easy being me.  I keep saying that and it keeps being true!

I called about the new sewing table I ordered two months ago that would accommodate the Bernina 750.  It seems the new 700 and 800 series Berninas are much heavier than the other models, and the lift in these tables will sink because of the weight.  Horn has re-engineered their lifts to handle the heavier machines.

So after waiting for two months, I must wait longer.  Of course, I had the option of getting a table with the original lift, which I was tempted to do.  I decided to talk to folks smarter than me before I made that decision.  So I asked someone at work who understands these kinds of things.  His advice - wait for the new table.

This weekend, hopefully with the help of a strong back, I'm going to take the 750 out of my old table and reinstall the 440.  Then I'll be able to get back to it after months of sewing drought.

The holiday sewing weekend I had planned with the new smaller 350 Bernina?  My body betrayed me.  I couldn't even get the box on the dolly to move it into the house.  I tried to pry open the box in the garage, and I couldn't even get that small task accomplished.

I hate feeling/being helpless.  I have these two new machines that I can't use.  I'm going to get the situation resolved this weekend if it's the last thing I do.  I feel good enough to want to sit at the machine and sew.  I have things to do!

Everything else in my life seems to be chaotic as well.  As a person usually in tight control of her surroundings, I find myself constantly at the mercy of others and their schedules.

Is that because I'm getting old?  Wait, don't answer that.

Happy July 4th!

I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe celebration today!

 

Me?  I'm home all day with one thing on my mind -- sewing!  I still have not received the new sewing table, so my new 750 will not be seeing any action.  However, it's time to unbox the 350 and set her up on the Sew Ezi table.  Yeah, that's what I'll do.

 

First up is getting the binding sewn on a quilt so I can have some evening hand stitching.  It's the last one needing a binding.  Time to send more tops out to be quilted.

 

Because I'm feeling all patriotic today, I pulled out the Prairie Paisley quilt top.  I pieced the backing but it's a tad too short.  I'll try to remedy that this weekend.  This one was finished in 2009.  Yikes!  Time to just get it done!   And to find a custom quilter........

 

 

 

 

Brrrrr Park is calling my name loudly, but I don't think I want to work on it on the little sewing machine.  All of those setting triangles, you know.

I guess I'll have to find something smaller.  Maybe I'll drag out the James River blues that has about half the blocks made.  Or maybe I'll try again to do some hand applique.  Whatever, I'm planning on stitching!

This Monday was my first day back at work.  All I can say is "Wow."  Four months went by quickly.  Of course, I practically slept away the first two and a half of those.  I'm just thankful that this week was a short one, although I do have to work tomorrow for part of the day.  So I must, as they say, make hay while the sun shines today.

I'm so close to finishing up the organization in my sewing room.  I need a strong back to finish it up.  I want everything organized before this table is moved out and the new one installed.  Maybe this weekend.  Today is mine!

Enjoy your celebrations today! 

Basket Winner!

I went over last week to our new quilt shop, The Quilt Loft, in Upland CA.  I just happened to be in the area.  (big grin)

I didn't realize it was during the time of the quilter's run, and there were gift baskets to be given away.

Well, never one to pass up a chance to win, I signed up for the drawing.  I made the comment that I never win anything when I dropped my name in the hat!  Guess what?  I won one of the baskets!

Keri McClung, the owner, called me with the good news.  I stopped by yesterday to pick it up.  The basket is filled with everything to make a small quilt.  The pattern is "Basket Lattice" by Sheri Pape Designs.  Theres's a Bali Pop, the black background, and even the backing and binding for the quilt!  Penny likes the goodies!  I think she was looking for a treat!

Keri also included in the basket a market bag from Andover Fabrics.  It's large and roomy.  I love these types of bag!

If anyone is in the area, The Quilter Loft is located at 300 N. Mountain in Upland.  Their phone number is 909/949-0444.  Such a cute shop!!

Blurry Pictures

I don't know what I did to the settings on my camera.  I must have hit something and now I can't figure out how to get it back to normal.  Seems like the story of my life!

Anyway, excuse the blurry pictures.

I had to run an errand today, so I decided to stop by the Quilt Loft, the new quilt shop in Upland/Montclair.  I don't know which city it's in because the town borders are all jumbled up there.  Sheesh, I'm a bundle of confusion these days, and I can't even blame it on drugs!

Anyway ....

I got to visit with a couple of friends there, and I did manage to leave a little bit of money behind.  It's been forever and a day since I've been in a quilt shop.  It was fun looking around the new shop.

This new Creative Grids Pineapple Trim Tool caught my eye.  They had a display with the step-by-step sewing process.

It sure looked easy enough.  I'll give this a whirl when I get the new machine set up in the new table so I can finally sew.  I was thinking driving home that this would look great in the old Robyn Pandolph fabrics -- you know, back when she was with Moda.  I'll probably choose a blue for the centers and then go from there.  Lord knows I have enough RP fabrics to quilt the world!

The cutest little Sandy Gervais pattern, "Peak Color," using her Posh Pumpkins line.  I love her little patterns.  I've made several of them but none are quilted yet.  At least I don't think any are quilted.  Need to definitely get going on remedying that!



And I couldn't resist "All A  Flutter," a Cotton Way pattern by Bonnie Olaveson.  I absolutely adore Bonnie and Camille's patterns. 

I had fun for the hour I was there.  I need to do that more often!!

Home Again

Well, I don't know about "home," but I'm back in SoCal.

I had a wonderful trip, but it was hot and wet!  Even when it wasn't raining, it was wet!  I'll sure need to get used to that again.  I now fully understand when people talk about dry heat!

Pretty much stayed in the air conditioning.  The one time I went outside with the neck brace on, I was steaming! 

I didn't take many pictures, but here are a few.

I am captivated by Resurrection fern.  It grows on all the oak trees down there.  When it doesn't rain, the fern is brown like in this picture.

Immediately when it started to rain, the fern greened up!  It would stay green for a day or two and then turn brown again.

It did that a few times while I was there.  I loved watching it!

Also I was so sad that I missed the azaleas.  While walking around the yard, I found a bloom -- one bloom -- but that was enough!

And there was a turtle in the pool one morning!  (S)he was rescued, but was fun to watch for a while.  Those suckers swim fast!  When we would go near the pool, it would dive down to the bottom and tuck in the shell.

 

 

I ate lots of shrimp, fish, and attended a crawfish and crab boil.  It was so hot there that day that I ate very little.  The next day my family made crawfish etoufee out of the leftovers, so I was a happy camper!

 

Penny is waiting to be picked up, so I must get a move-on!  I miss that little snot!  

 

Greetings

Greetings from Louisiana!

Another post without pictures.  No camera cord.  (sigh)

This trip was very hastily planned as I wasn't cleared to fly until Saturday, June 1st, when the doctor called me with test results.  I flew out on Tuesday.  The trip about did me in.  It took two days to recover, but I can report that all is better now.

I was awakened this morning by rumbling thunder.  O-M-G, it's raining so hard outside!  If this much rain hit Southern California, we'd be sliding off into the Pacific.  I tried standing on the porch to watch the rain, but the lightning scared me.  So I'm snuggled up on the sofa with a cup of coffee listening to it really coming down hard.  I love this kind of weather, but, of course, I'm not a farmer and I don't have to drive on the freeways today, so that's easy for me to say!

So far I haven't done much here except trips to Lowe's, Walmart and Winn-Dixie!  I was going to do some exploring today, but I guess that's out with the rain.  I sure hope I can get some boiled crawfish while I'm here.  My brother and sister-in-law had a commitment this weekend, so I was on my own.  I was invited to meet friends at a restaurant to get crawfish last night, but I had no clue how to get there, so thought it best I not get lost on dark country roads.  I'm sure Search & Rescue have more important things to do than go looking for a lost Left Coast gal!

Speaking of that, I'm reminded again and again that I'm a "foreigner" in this part of the country.  It's really funny because hardly a day goes by in California without someone asking me where I'm from - the accent, you know.  Well, two or three times this past week someone here asked me the same question.  Sheesh...

I might try to embroider a bit today.  I've had no luck thus far because of the weakness of my left hand, but I keep trying. 

I'll see if I can't pick up a camera cord this week and post some pictures.

Gosh, I'm happy as a pig in mud being here.  Too bad I've used up every bit of leave and vacation for these surgeries.  It will be a long while before I'm able to come home again.