Some Things That Make Me Happy

Darby on lizard patrol.  She is obsessed, and her goal is to make our yard lizard-free.  Which is fine with me.

Mama's bird area outside her window.  She and the cat spend hours watching the birds eat and bathe. 

 A cool front porch.  My front porch is not complete without ferns.  I hope I allow them to live this year.

 The pet path in the back yard always makes us smile.

Mother's Day gifts from Harry and David.   They were for Mama and me, and we divided them up and then shared a little with Mike.  Very little. 

 A new set of office furniture.

For what?



The thing that REALLY makes me happy.

 I've threatened to buy a new sewing machine for months now, maybe years, but could never make a decision or else something came up to steal away my savings.

I had read everything I could find about different brands and people's reviews and what problems they might have and how much they liked certain brands, and I had thought all along I would like a Baby-Lock.  In fact, the Symphony sounded like it was made for me, but I needed to see it.

We were in Columbus a couple of weeks ago, and I called Barbara and asked her if she would like to go with me to look at them.  She has one herself and was my sounding board to pick up any clue this was not a good as it sounded.

I loved what I saw but fretted a little (a lot) about the price because I had seen them cheaper, so I just made a proposal to the dealers about what I felt I could afford, and they came down to meet my budget better. 

I'm very happy with it so far.  I spent 3 hours in the shop learning all about it and have experimented a little.  My favorite things?  Automatic needle threader.  Automatic needle cutter.  Push button presser foot lifter.  (Love this).  Push button sewing but option for using the foot.  Knee lift for the presser foot.  Lots of light and a big work area.  Extra big quilting table.  Lots of extra feet and hundreds of decorative stitches - most of which I will never use - but still good to have just in case.  It's quiet and easy to thread, bobbin too.  I can find no fault with it yet, how that I've gotten the stitch more even (changed the needle!). 

I hate fighting with pictures, so I'm not going to try to change them around but take them as they come.

My poor little Viking is lonely.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with this machine, and I'm happy to have a backup that is so dependable.  I got this in Meridian in 2001 or so, and it has been wonderful.  You can see how small it is though, not much work space at all and very little light.  I still love it though and won't let it get too lonely.

 I'm trying to organize everything to be within reach, and I'm sure this will change over time.

My new tables.  We still have a cord problem with the area being so open, but we'll solve that later.  Or not.  If it doesn't bother me.  I love the tables.  We went into Office Depot expecting to buy a sturdy table and came out with this L-shaped group.  Mike was NOT happy putting them together though.

 I already had a glass table in the sun room, so on that is my embroidery machine.  It's also been neglected lately, but now that it's so handy, I'm sure I'll use it more. 

 My favorite part of the office furniture.  I just had to have this little rolling table.  It's perfect for my pressing.  All I have to do is swivel my chair around and press a seam and swivel back to the machine.

 The whole work space with the ironing pad and iron.  And new comfortable chair that doesn't hurt my shoulders.

 Big plus for this machine - a huge work space included.  Next best thing to having it in a cabinet.

 My old rolling case was too small for it, and I knew I had to get something to carry to Birmingham to the quilt symposium in June.  I was not looking forward to spending a fortune on another one but had resigned myself to do it.  Then when I went into Joann Fabrics this morning, this was sitting there on the shelf with a $35.00 price tag.  I'm very quickly learning to love that paisley print. 

So now I'm all set to meet Sherry in Birmingham for another qulting adventure.  She's taking several classes, but I've signed up for only one.  The rest of the time I'll stay in the hotel room and - what else - sew!

Now that I'm so organized, my next post should be pictures of what I've accomplished.

New Look

So the Google Blog has a new look and new instructions on how to use it.  I barely have time to say a few words and post a few pictures, so I probably won't figure out how to use it well.

I mentioned my new paper-piecing project last time, and it has been so much fun.  I've never really done much of that except for this class that Sherry and I took with Judy Neimeyer, the results of which are better not dwelt on. This little kit came from Fergus Falls, MN.  On our way back from WA, we had a little more time to kill and ventured off the interstate a few times.  We finally found this little shop behind some highway construction, and I'm glad we were persistent. 
My camera battery died after I took a few pictures, but it's just the kind of cozy shop that makes me happy - just filled to the brim with fabric and patterns and, best of all, lots of samples of the kits for sale.  There are more pictures on the web site. 

I saw this piece and fell in love with it.  Forget I didn't really know how to paper piece.  I just knew I wanted it. 
 

If I had just looked at the pattern, I might now have liked it so well, but the kit maker Christy (who I think was the one I talked with) had chosen just the right colors.

The pattern looks pink and tan rather than Christmasy.

Anyway, there was a lot of trial and error, but it went together so well and was so satisfying.  I think next time I'll use some backing paper that is easier to tear away.  Also someone was not careful cutting around the borders (who knew how important it was), so when it came time to sew each of the 16 little squares together, I had to do a lot of pinning and pulling and still have a few that aren't perfect.

But I'm happy with it.  I still have the outer border and finishing to do.  Here are some closeups.  I'm just fascinated at how perfect you can make the blocks with paper piecing. 

I give up.  Now everything is centered.  I'm going to have to read those instructions.

Someone Stole My Old Blog

This is a whole new concept to figure out, and I have no time.  I'll work on it later, but here's what I'm playing with today in case I am able to post a picture.

Ok, so it worked kind of like before.  I'll try to do more later.

Spring Things

It is beautiful here in Alabama and Georgia, as usual. The dogwoods and azaleas are in full bloom and the grass is getting lush and green. Our yard doesn't quite get the picture treatment yet, but give it another month. It's still in the rough stages.

We did go to Callaway Gardens last Sunday with friends Jo and Larry from Lubbock. They wanted to see a little bit of what grows in this area, so we thought that would be a good trip.

They got here late afternoon on Saturday after flying from Lubbock with just one stop in Shreveport (I think - I may have missed some details). Larry took Mike up in the plane a couple of years ago, and he loved it. Read about it here. It seemed fine to fly in the area, but I never thought about traveling so far in it. It's like getting in my car and flying.

Here are Jo and Larry getting ready to leave.


And leaving the Montgomery airport on the way to Florida. It is a beautiful plane and amazing that Larry built it. Oh, and Jo did some riveting, which I got to see on the wing.


A few pictures of Calloway. The azaleas were beautiful, as usual, but we missed the flower gardens and vegetable garden. It was just too early.

We enjoyed the "Birds of Prey" demonstration in a little amphitheater near a lake. It was so amazing to watch the birds fly so close you could almost touch them. I can't remember this one's name or whether he is a red-tailed hawk or a red-shouldered one, but he did an excellent job showing off for us. Larry has a better picture of one flying, and maybe he'll send it.



It was such a relaxing and fun weekend.

We went downtown to Wintzell's Oyster House on Saturday night. I don't have a picture of the Montgomery Wintzell's, but we had been to the ones in Mobile and had been wanting to go to this one. It was one of those perfect spring nights when you're just glad to be alive. We parked a couple of blocks away and walked past the Renaissance Hotel.


There was a wedding going on, and it was so festive with the wedding party coming and going and the bride and groom riding by in the horse and carriage. Wintzell's is just to the left in the picture, really easy to get to. It looks like Montgomery is doing a good job improving the downtown section. We all had good things to eat and enjoyed the atmosphere of the restaurant. We'll definitely go back.

It was so good to get to know these nice folks, and hopefully they'll come back to see us. And we'll definitely visit them when we're in Lubbock.

Just some of the spring things around the house. Debby gave me this little towel, and it goes perfectly with the snapdragons from the back yard.




And the spring quilt. Last summer Barbara and I exchanged fabric "scraps" and I confiscated this layer cake of sweet pastels, not having any idea what i would do with them.

I had not really planned to make another quilt from the time I finished the last 2 until our trip, but I kept seeing these fabrics in my fabric drawer and couldn't keep my hands off them. I decided to do a 9-patch, and it was a lot of fun to make.


I quilted it myself in just a simple crosshatch design and backed and bound it in the same stripe.


About halfway through, Mama passed by as I was placing the squares on the floor and asked who it was for. When I said, "No one in particular," she said, "Well, I like it." So it then became Mama's quilt.

I think it turned out pretty well, and it makes me happy.

I think Mama likes it pretty well too.



Tomorrow is a busy day. Lots of last-minute things to do before leaving on Saturday. Can't believe it's finally going to happen.

Found Pictures

I emptied Mama's memory sticks, my camera, my phone and Mike's phone and have just a bunch of unrelated pictures, so I'll try to sort them out a little.

First the trip to Tennessee where Sherry kindly and patiently quilted my 2 little orange and brown quilts. She did a wonderful job despite the strange shape and lack of preparation. I had seen the quilting machine in action before, but it was fascinating to pick out the pattern and watch it do one of mine - or two. She lost me in the geometry and calculations required to figure out the hexagonal one, but it worked out like magic.

Here are some picutres of her sewing room and that wonderful machine.




David designed a camera to allow all the action going on below the quilt to appear on that little screen, so you can see if all is going well on the back side. Genius!



This is the control panel, I guess, where all the measurements and configurations are entered, and the right buttons are pushed.



Oh, and where the pattern is picked out. There are so many, but I think the ones we decided on are perfect.

You can see the concentric circles on this one.


They show up better on the back.



The bubble pattern in orange breaks up that expanse of white on the other one.





I briefly considered blue or green for the binding, but when I saw this orange, I knew it was the one.



Some more pictures of Sherry's sewing room and some of the quilts hanging on the walls.






I'm so envious of that big space to sew!

Check out her web site for some seriously pretty quilts and quilting.

We can't forget our constant companions for the weekend. Nicholas was our guardian this time. How beautiful is he?




And Bentley who knows he's a beauty.




I don't know if this is Finnegan with Bentley or not. I think it's Nicholas. Finnegan was going through a shy spell, but he was definitely there loving on us and checking us out. Here's an older picture of him if not.



I'm totally out of time and haven't even added the airplane/Calloway pictures or Mama's quilt or the Easter pictures. I'll have to wait until tomorrow. This rain coming down is just too tempting for me to have a cup of coffee and enjoy.

Catching Up

Well, February and most of March have come and gone, and I'm just too lethargic or something to post any happenings.

I have pictures scattered around on 2 phones and 2 cameras, and I'm trying to organize them.

Tomorrow, for sure, I'll write something again.

Briefly, we took a trip to Ooltewah for Sherry to quilt my two little quilts, and they turned out great in spite of my mistakes.

I started another spring quilt, a pastel 9-patch, which my mother claimed, and I'm just finishing the binding on it.

We're getting oh so close to our BIG trip to Washington - close enough to start checking off things and trying out packing strategies.

We had visitors from Lubbock - Larry and Jo - who flew in on their cute little red and white plane.

Mike has half killed himself working in the yard and clearing the flower beds of 100s of pounds of lava rock. I helped - a little. I rearranged my sewing room/sunroom for the 20th time and think I have it now.

Pictures tomorrow.

Another February Week

Boy, these weeks pass so quickly. I can hardly remember what I did with my time other than sewing and reading and a little cleaning.

The weather has been so warm and springlike, but rain and cold are expected this weekend. It was bound to happen. We have to have some sort of a winter.

Mike went to Lubbock for a few days, so Mama and I were here alone. I probably did more reading than usual and a little more sewing. Our company is changing work platforms yet again, so I've had pages and pages of new things to learn, conference calls and training sessions. I like learning new things though.

As soon as he got home, we watched the latest Downton Abbey that I had recorded. We never want it to end.

All the rice bag/hand warmers were much appreciated. Emily loved them immediately even though she thought they were just little bean bags. Once she learned what they were for, she liked them even better. I make things for fun, but it makes me feel good when people actually use your projects. She says she heats them when she's at home and walks around with them in her robe pockets.

Ryan has many ideas for them - putting them in the freezer for muscles aches or headaches and making them in a doughnut shape for hand warming without having to hold them. I think they may have some of these. Leave it to a South Dakotan to know all about ways to keep warm. I'll have to get some masculine fabric. I can't imagine a snowboarder with little birdies and flowers on his hand warmers.

I think Mama loves them the most. I'll have to make her lots more. She is constantly warming them up during the day to make her hands feel better and actually had me make some for her friends with hand pain.

Looks like I'll be making more of those - and some bigger ones for shoulders and backs. I wouldn't mind having one under my desk to keep my feet warm when I'm working.

I did finish 2 books. I'm a reading machine lately. It helps when you find books that are this good. I read Nightwoods by Charles Frazier, the author of Cold Mountain. I don't remember reading Cold Mountain but loved the movie. I thought this book was pretty good.

I just finished reading another Kristen Hannah book, Magic Hour. I loved it and finished it just over a day.

That's maybe why my quilting goes so slowly.

But I did finish the hexagonal quilt (top) and the companion stacked coins (top).

My thoughts as I sewed this were: OH NO. I hate it. Too much white. Then: Well, I hate it less but still a mistake. To: Hey, I think I like this pretty well.

With a bright binding to match the binding on the other one, I think it's going to work. The two little boys are not going to be too picky, I'm sure.

I still like this fabric.



I decided to take a break from those 2 quilts and work on Elise's quilt - the one that was started too long ago and put aside again and again. I'm not sure why. It's not hard, and I like the fabrics she's chosen.
But after sitting and measuring each square - nearly 100 of them, I found that I'm off on some little seam somewhere on over half of them. So I'm gradually ripping seams and doing a better job this time. It's slow but the kind of thing I like to do.

We'll go to Andalusia tomorrow to visit Roy, and that will finish off another week - a week without buying groceries or going to Wal-Mart. Maybe that's why it was such a good one.

More Little Quilt Progress

I finished the top of the first little floor quilt and am pretty pleased with how it turned out. Lots of fun to make. We'll see if I'm still having fun after quilting and binding it! The colors are really a lot brighter than this picture shows.

I think it would be fun to put carriers on all 6 sides and a drawstring so it becomes a toy bag - but we'll see. I have my best ideas right before getting up in the mornings. Today I got so carried away I even considered piping. Oh no! It will be tricky to get a finish around the edges if I do it that way, and I haven't even picked out a contrasting color for the binding/piping. Not like I don't have enough choices.


I'll also put a matching binding on this stacked coins quilt for the twin brother. I need a few more rows to make it about the same size as the other one.


For the backing, I was worried I would have a hard time finding something that wouldn't fight with all the colors on the front. I took a panel to Jo-Ann Fabrics for a start, and nothing pleased me. Until I saw the dots - all colors and combinations - but this is the one I think will work nicely.
The shade of orange is perfect as well as the blue and, of course, the browns. The only thing missing is a green - so maybe now I've answered my binding color question. There is a Kona green that I saw that was a perfect match. I need to go dig up another 40% off coupon.