Sunday, June 23, 2013

The spoils from Quilt Festival

Here is what I bought on Friday (and saved from the bus fire!):
 A book from my friends at Yellow Creek Designs -- their first book., a star pin cushion from Country Threads, and a punchneedle kit from them also; six fat quarters I couldn't live without, tiny precut tumbler blocks and a package of 3-1/2" charms from Primitive Gatherings, a little quilt kit that has some embroidery on it for Halloween and three packs of pre-dyed muslin for more embroidered blocks.

And here is the last quilt I finished for Jo's little women's club:

And then I spent all afternoon yesterday and today sewing -- it was so wonderful, I can't tell you! I got cortisone shots in my left thumb last week and have to have therapy for the next three weeks on my hands, so I can't knit or do any hand sewing, and the quilting machine hurts also, but I can definitely piece! First is the next quilt for Jo's club and then I bought those precut tumbler blocks at the show Friday - there were 100 - 50 darks and 50 lights, so it took no time at all to sew them together into the little quilt.


Piecing tiny blocks is really "in" now. And, the more I see them, the more I love them -- even though I have never been fond of working with the tiny pieces -- I guess our tastes change as we grow as quilters. The stars in the second Jo's quilt finish at 2-1/2"! I loved the look of simple nine-patches that were similarly tiny!

 Blessings til next time!

Saturday, June 22, 2013

It was a hot time last night!

Took a bus trip to Rosemont (near Chicago) for the International Quilt Festival yesterday. The bus left Quilters General Store in Rockford at 8:30 am and arrived at 10:00 am. And we boarded the bus to come home at 6:00 pm. I, for one, was worn out walking- but had fun and next post I'll show you what I bought. Just before 6:30 pm, there was a pop coming from the back of the bus -- if it had come from beneath, it sounded like luggage shifting or falling. Driver pulled over and checked it out (he had also seen smoke). The mechanics and the driver couldn't see anything, so started out again, and again stopped and checked it out a second time. Next, he pulled over, after getting off an overpass and just out from under the Des Plaines Oasis. He immediately told us to get off the bus, and at the same time smoke started billowing out along the side of the bus, and then inside the bus. There were 52 women on the bus, so this was not an easy task; however we did make it off the bus. The following pictures tell the rest of the story!



They called a bus that had just dropped off passengers at O'Hare, so it arrived faster than one coming all the way from Rockford, and finally about 8:00 pm we were again on our way home. Exciting trip to say the least! Blessings til next time!

Sunday, June 02, 2013

Camp Loopy

Camp Loopy started yesterday. This is where I am:
I just started the heel flap on these:

I could have put these aside and started the ones for Camp Loopy, but I decided I'd rather finish the pair I'm working on first.  This summer is Be Kind to Joanne Summer!  I'm trying to reduce the stress in my life, and having two pairs of socks going right now would just add to it.  And that takes all the fun out of knitting, or quilting, or pretty much anything else.  I don't need deadlines right now.  vbg

I've signed up for a Tai Chi class at the local community college for the same reason -- a little stress reduction, relaxation.  Also signed up for a Hatha Yoga class.  I need to lose at least 30 pounds and this is the summer to do that.  The pastor at my church has issued a weight loss challenge from June 1 to September 1 -- lose 10 pounds (or in the case of two people that signed on -- gain 10 pounds!).  He's planning on sending out encouraging emails every now and then and who knows what else -- on September 1, we'll announce how much we've lost -- he'll even issue certificates! LOL - and then he's organizing an Ice Cream Social after church that day! I had already planned on losing weight and have been walking on the treadmill most mornings -- soon hope to walk outside too.  My girlfriend and I have been texting back and forth in the mornings with our progress.  I'll have a starting point tomorrow - doctor's checkup with labs, so hoping along with the weight that the A1C goes down and the cholesterol and blood pressure.

I've been weeding and working in the yard this week.  My lawn guy is working up a price to mulch my flower beds, which will help a lot.  I did it myself last year, but only a small section and I had to make multiple trips because I bought bags of mulch and couldn't carry more than 6 at a time in my car!  Pretty sure it'll be worth it to have him bring it in bulk and spread it.  I have a big limb down in one of my flower beds that I'm going to have to hire a tree guy to remove also.  I hate having to spend the money for things Bill used to take care of, especially with the house on the market -- but I may be here a couple of years before it sells, so I will enjoy the result I think.  And if it does sell - well then it was worth spending the money!

I'm not taking on any more challenges quilt-wise this summer either -- only projects I plan to keep up to date is the quilts for Jo's little women club.  I finished the top of the last one, but haven't quilted it yet.  Goal is stress reduction this year, exercise, and spend as much time outside, when its not too hot and humid, as I can.

Until next time, Blessings.