Off to Indy-It's Retreat Time Again

It's that time for my Indiana Retreat.  Lots of catching up with old friends and lots of laughter.  A couple of the regulars won't be able to come this year and we will miss them.  We always take a charity quilt or purchased things to donate to a local agency, so this  year here are the two quilts I am taking.  I am still on track to make at least one charity quilt a month.  It makes me feel good to make them and I am using up stash.

One for a girl!

One for a boy!

I have been trying to settle into a brand new me after my job ended last year and I lost the three friends I talked about in the last post. The job ending was not totally unexpected, but was none the less a loss in my life. So I am still reinventing myself and moving forward. Here are some quilty things I am working on.

Dear Jane after a 10 plus year absence is back on my sewing table.  I already have the four center rows finished and am now starting back with the top row and doing 5 across.  When I get to the bottom I will be able to add to what I have finished then will start with the right half of the quilt.  I am enjoying the progress although it is slow.

Also, doing a Halloween BOM.  Here are months 1 and 2.  So far I am staying on track with these.  Only 9 months so I should have the top finished by Halloween.

This is 2 of the 4 blocks I have finished.  Since Blogger seems to be very slow at uploading my pictures at the moment I will have to save the other 2 for later.  Each month you make 2 houses with the same 6" block on the side. 

I am going on the Patchwork Express tomorrow, which involves a trip to Common Threads Quilt Shop.  It is a fantastic shop.  We get on a bus and travel to 6 other shops  on Saturday and Sunday.  Lunch and dinner are provided at the shops and since we always stop at a fried pie shop on the way we have everything we need for some heavy duty shopping.  This year I am going to stay focused and do more looking than buying.  Wish me luck.

Buying New Underwear

I bet that got your attention.  I was thinking of this time last year when I was getting ready for my trip to Australia and New Zealand and made the comment to Carole , my traveling buddy  that I needed to buy new clothes.  She said no just take the oldest things you have and leave them on the ship and throw the underwear away.  Buy new when you get home.  That way you have more room for treasures to bring home in your luggage.  The plan sounded good and I went with it, but our luggage was still overweight.  It was the trip of a lifetime and I have such good memories.  Little did I know that in September, Carole would be gone and so many of the memories we both laughed and talked about would be left for me alone to treasure.  Thank you Carole for all the fun and laughter that we shared.

The second person to leave last year was Kathy a quilting friend that I met on the internet.  I flew to Oregon, drove to Bend and stayed with 4 other quilters that I had never met before.  Kathy was one of those ladies.  After a few years, I wore her down and she invited me to come to California and go to Road to California show.  Kim flew in from Oregon and Kathy picked us up at the airport, drove us to quilt shops, fed us and entertained us.  We sat in her backyard and watched firewords at Disneyworld or is it Disneyland.  Doesn't matter we watched them.  She always went to the butchers and got us a special meatloaf blend and we had leftover sandwiches to take to the quilt show.  The last two times I went out it was to go to the Long Beach quilt show.  So many wonderful memories.  Thank you Kathy for all the great times.

 Kathy, Stephanie, Kim, Me

The first person that left was Laura , a quilter from a different yahoo group.  We met at the Indiana retreat I go to every year.  The last couple of years I roomed with her and was supposed to room with her this year, also.  It wasn't to be.  Such a sweet and funny person.  I can still hear her asking "is it just me or do you think that is creepy?"  We would all be laughing so hard we couldn't answer her.  She expressed not liking praying mantis' so of course she was inundated with them at one of the retreats.  The picture below is of her and Pepe.  Bless you Laura for all the memories and laughter we shared.

This post is not really about buying new underwear, but about the memories that come up from just the thought of buying new underwear.  It brings tears and laughter and hopefully will for many years to come.  I treasure all the friendship that these three have brought to my life.  I miss you all terribly.  Who knew that we didn't have more years to share.  So if you have stayed with me this long I want you all to know I treasure your frienship and your memories and your laughter.  May we all have many more years to share.

Happy New Year and go out and buy some new underwear.
Vickie

Excitement Grows

There should always be excitement in your life.  Many times you have to hunt for something to be excited about.  Sometimes it is just that the day is over and maybe a fresh start with a new day is all you've got.  Well, I have several new excitements.  Some of them I can't write about at the moment, but the one I can tell you about is connected to the Love Entwined link on the sidebar.  I love a new project and start too many.  The quilt that Ester Elieu has designed is going to be fabulous and I know I will enjoy the progress of it even it I don't get it made.  Take a look at her blog.

I'm Still Alive

I just took a look at my blog.  It is so sad, just sitting here with no new posts since last year.  So much has happened since then.  I've been to Australia and New Zealand.  Oh the experiences.  Had 2 wonderful people pass from my quilting life.  Laura a dear sweet girl that I met through an online group and got to see each year at the Indiana retreat.  Kathy a wonderful wife and mother who was about to retire from years of teaching.  I met her through quilting also and got to see her when I went to Sister's Quilt Show in Oregon or when I went to her home in California.  Both are missed very much.  I think of them often.

Lily is now 7 months old and Jake is 4 years old.  Both are doing great.  Of course they are the smartest and cutest grandkids anyone has ever had.

Will try to come back more often and post a few pictures.  It just takes time.

Easy Street Mystery

  Finished with Step 2 of Easy Street, Bonnie Hunter's new mystery. So far I am up to date. Hoping to stay that way, sine the final put together will probably not happen until I come back from Australia/New Zealand late in January.

Lily Jane Stipe has arrived

Just a short note to say Lily Jane Stipe arrived on October 21, 2012.  She weighed 8 lbs 9 ozs and her older brother Jake Robert Stipe loves her, of course this is only the first day after she got home.  Pictures to follow.

Fat Quarter Shop Mystery

Got my 4th block in the mystery BOM done. This is record time as I only received it Friday. Using my iPad for this post as I am waiting on my Verizon wireless modem to get here.  We kicked Comcast to the curb. They should have gotten here faster that 5days to fix my Internet. 

  

Just a short post, since I have been away awhile and the post I just did seemed to dissapear before posting.  Here is a quilt I made for Tater Tot the new grandbaby coming in October.  Her brother Jake has named her and even though it's not her real name, it has become a permanant nickname.  The quilt was made like one that Karen brought to the Indiana retreat last year.  Just chenille and flannel. 

Also, made a few burb cloths from cloth diapers and a bib.  A girl has to dress up for dinner.

Also, been working on a few other things, but those will have to wait.  Will post a picture of the Hooterville quilt later, too.

June's Quilt Square Quilt Along Block

Quilt Square Quilt Along's block for June.  Lots of little pieces. 

Trying out a new app.

Trying out a new app for my iPad. A photo from the iPad of my workspace at retreat. Lots of monkey business going on. 

 

Civil War Anniversary

Purchased this book from Rosemary Youngs, joined her yahoo group and have made the first two blocks.  I ordered the CD, to make it easier, just print and sew.  Well, easier after I remember how to use the CD.  Anyway if you would like to make the quilts and be motivated, buy the book, join the group and get busy.  Here are my first two blocks. I found the Civil War fabric at The Stitcher's Garden in Franklin, TN on my roadtrip to Indy for my retreat.  Sorry, they don't have a website, but it is a crazy store if you are in the area, go visit.

Also, got a charity top made.  This one is going to to an orphanage, you can read about it on Rosemary Youngs site, also.  I am trying to use up a lot of fabric and spread some cheer around.  Going to make duplicate quilts, but send them to different places.

Gave up on weeding flower beds and decided sewing was more fun.

May Quilt Square

Thanks to Peggy and her box of Thimbleberry scraps my May block is done.  I was going to do all of them in Pink and Brown, but decided I didn't want to do that after all.  Peggy brought her box of scraps to the Indiana Retreat and 7 of us managed to get out blocks done.  More posts later on my fantastically wonderful Retreat.

Opposites are Attractive

Here is my completed Opposites Are Attractive quilt.  It is an original from the blocks I did for Quakertown Quilts this past year.   Each month you made 4 six inch blocks.  Two were dark background the other two were the reverse.  We got in the border fabric as a promo fabric and I loved it, except it was too bold, so a friend (Cindy, no blog) suggested I tan Rit Dye it.  That was all it needed.  Glad to be finished with a project.

Time for the Next Quilt Along Block

Here is the next block in the Block Quilt A Long.  Still doing pink and brown.

Rodeo Doings

A trip to the Houston Rodeo brought all kinds of new things.

You could ride a horse

Or feed an animal.

Or stand in front of a llama.

Or see a really strange looking animal.

Hmmm!!!!! Maybe we better just go take a plane ride.

Fickle Nickel Quilts

I am trying to use up my stash.  I don't think I will ever fully achieve that goal, but it is something to strive for.  I made two charity quilts tops using stash with the Fickle Nickel patterns by Kelly Davis.  There are 12 different Fickle Nickel patterns and you can purchase them from Quakertown Quilts.  Each of them takes 5 one-yard cuts of fabric.  Simple, fun, easy and looks great, too.

Hopefully, some child will like these.

A New Addition

I needed some extra light in my sewing room and finally got Mr. Bill to hang my swag light.  I wish I could have found something with a little more bling, but you got to go with what ya got.

The other new addition is a red polka dot chicken measuring spoon set.  I have an extra so decided to do a give away.  The first person named Peggy that leaves me a comment will win.  Ok, ok, for a 2nd entry into the give away, they must reside in New Jersey.  Good Luck

January Quilt Square Quilt A Long

If you haven't had a chance to join in Jo's Country Junction Quilt Square Quilt A Long, it's not too late.  We are using Lori Smith's patterns to make a 12" block.  Make a little quilt or save them up for something bigger.  Mine are going to be pink and brown as I have a few of those fabrics to use up.

I finished my 1st Schnibble

After seeing several blog posts about Another Year of Schnibbles, I decided to try it out.  The patterns use 2 packs of charm packs and I just happened to have 2 packs of the old Spencer Museum packs.  I haven't put borders on my little quilt, but think I have enough to just do the squares around the outside edge.  I haven't found anything in my stash to use so far.