Sunshine and warmth in Arizona

Even though the weather has warmed up considerably, I seem to be motivated to finish up a few projects that I began over the last few weeks.

My flannel yellow brick road is put together.  It might need a border but it will head north to my summer home for finishing (lots of flannels in my stash at my other house). 

I finished my bargello table runner from the class I took last Wednesday.

And, I got my purple and green strips put together - another project ready to head home for finishing.

Currently, I am working on my Dick and Jane quilt and adding corner triangles to the last of my blocks from my Diva swap two years ago! 

Hopefully, more pictures to send in the next couple of days.  I had to stop sewing yesterday while they replaced my window in my sewing room but now, when they come back to install the rest of the windows, I can sew while I am 'stuck' at home.   We have another large tennis tournament here in our park this weekend but I only volunteered for minimal involvement so that might mean a little more sewing time coming up since we can't play while the courts are being used. 

Cooler weather means quality time in my sewing room.

I have finished putting the blocks together for my Iced tea flannel quilt.  The quilting will be done once I get home in the Spring.  It is easy to take or mail home tops rather than finished quilts.

My Majestic Mountains quilt is also put together with borders added and will join the other finished quilt tops in the box of stuff to go home in March.

On my design wall is a purple and green strip quilt I started last fall.  Who knew I had so many purple and green strips in my 2½" container?  I am sure I could make at least another 2 or 3 of these!

Yesterday, I took a class on making a twisted bargello table runner.  The sample I am showing is NOT mine, it was the teacher's sample. 

I am truly thankful to my good quilting friend, Janet in San Diego, for lending me her Featherweight to use for taking to Wednesday sewing for charity here in our park.  I used it yesterday to take to class and the tension is just awesome on this machine.  Sews like a charm!  You can see my fabrics sewn together in my strata, waiting to cut into strips and staggered, resewn together but wanted to cut at home and use my design wall to lay out.  However, the wall has my purple/green blocks on it so will get those put together so I can work on the table runner. 

Here is another class sample from yesterday. 

Mid January and it is very cool here in Arizona.  The sun shines brightly but not quite enough warmth to be outside wearing typical tennis clothes.  The jet air stream is bringing us colder than normal temperatures.  However, every cloud has a silver lining and I have been able to spend time in my sewing room.  My Majestic Mountains quilt is getting sashings added and eventually will have a piano key outer border. 

 

And, I have my first UFO of 2013 finished.  Not a very amitious project but something I started in the fall for my kitchen table and then it got put away during Christmas.  Now the the decorations are put away, my table looked naked so got the binding stitched down last night and it is ready to be used.

Today, I hope to work my majestic mountains and get a top completed, ready to send home and it will be used for a Quilts of Valour. 

Happy New Year

It is the 5th of January and I am finally back here blogging.  Today I have 9 people coming for a turkey dinner.  Why roast a turkey on this date?  Because I want the turkey roasted and out of my freezer and I was intending for a New Year's turkey but 5 days late is ok!
As usual here, everyone offered to bring something to add to the feast though I did decide to also use up some of my frozen tart shells that I carried in my suitcase from Canada and make butter tarts.  Tarts are definately not an "American" thing. 

This week I made myself a tote.  It is a Lazy Girl design and I used the fusible vinyl on the surface of the fabric.  Was a simple project only made difficult because the vinyl surface is slippery and you cannot pin through it or you will make holes. 

This is strange.  Google must have done something new and different to the Blogger.  I had to upload my picture to my Picasa album to get it to load onto my blog?  Never had to do that before?  Oh well, it worked! Just one more step in the process. 

And, I have finally figured out why I am not accomplishing anything in my sewing room.  That darn NHL!!!  Usually, when my hubbie is watching hockey, I am sewing.  No hockey, no sewing.  Do you think if I wrote to the NHL and complained that their dispute is creating a lack of sewing time for me, they would listen?  I can't be the only one?

Merry Christmas from the sunny south.

We are looking after a Jack Russell terrier for a few weeks.  She keeps us busy with walks.  After her walk, she has ball chasing time, racing after it around the house. 

I have finally finished a quilt.  The first in a long time.  I was "Queen" on my UFO list and had to finish so I could abdicate the throne without paying a penalty.  I made it just under wire.  This is from a swap of 6½" squares with my Wednesday group.  We swapped squares of fabrics that were from our stash and wondered 'why did I buy this?".  It finished at 58" x 70" and now I have a small stack of the light coloured squares left to get my final project done from this swap.  If you check out my post on May 27th, you can see a picture of my twister quilt which was the first project using these swap squares.

And, a week ago, I demonstrated my method of doing machine appliqué and this is the project finished.

Starting a few projects as weather cools.

The weather is cooling here in Arizona and tennis is slowing down over Christmas so I would like to get some projects started and some finished.

I am knitting a cowl... simple and close to being finished.  Would like it done while the weather is cool here.  We are looking after a Jack Russell terrier and early morning and evening walks are chilly.

I made some tea towels.  Well... I added some decorative fabric to some tea towels!  Finished.

Sadi, the Jack Russell we are looking after.  Sweet dog.

 

I made some more hidden wells or majestic mountain blocks.  I think another two sets and then it will be a good size for Quilts of Valour?

 

 

I taught a quick demo at the quilt group on Monday on how to do fusible applique so need to finish this up and will have a cute wallhanging.

Am in the midst of quilting this!  Need to just get it finished and bound!!

Some blocks that I started in the summer using some fat quarters that I have had for years.  The blocks are made, now I need to turn them into a quilt top and another good quilt for Quilts of Valour.

And there you have it.  Hopefully, the next post will show a finished quilt?

Always one step behind, trying to catch up

I did finally finish a project, just in time for Thanksgiving.  A table runner I started in early October.

Nothing else accomplished in my sewing room.  Sad state of affairs for me!

But, we do get to enjoy fabulous sunsets here in our winter home.

Myhouse is decorated for Christmas other than a few wallhangings that need to put up.  A few need hanging sleeves so I can use the neat hangers I bought.  Today I made Christmas cakes - a month late, but they are made and in the oven baking and kitchen is clean.  Smells wonderful!