Snow, bells, trees.....

I can hardly believe I have not posted since October.  So much going on it is difficult to find the
time to sit and think.
The house I lived in for 38 years finally closed in November. Then so much has been going on: Thanksgiving visiting family, getting my dogs medical history caught up, getting a tree to put up, decorating, being grateful we were not visited by the snow fairy, meeting friends in Sneads Ferry for mah jong, buying and wrapping presents, checking out the David Yurman trunk show with no trunk, and watching Hallmark Christmas movies.

This is Peter and Lily's new puppy.  He is an aussi-doodle.  Full of energy but precious.

This is Dallas, my brother-in-law's grandson.  He really enjoyed the snow.

My Straits of Mackinac quilt from Bonnie Hunter's pattern.

I am meeting friends halfway today for lunch before they head to Colorado to be with daughter and family. I have to finish putting together a bar-chair I did not know I would have to do and finish Christmas shopping.  I'm thinking green.

Sure signs of Christmas

Wishing everyone a wonderful Christmas and New Year.

Joyous quilting

S

Crazy christmas trees

This is a quilt made by one of the newest members of the goldsboro quilt guild, Robin Greer. I just love the collection and the wonky trees. It is really a happy quilt.

Came home today in the rain with my car full of last items from my house in Rosewood. I looked like the Clampetts. Just needed grandma on the roof. Or maybe I'm getting that mixed up with Christmas vacation.
Anyway glad to be home.
Rainy quilting.

PS

This is the "on Ringo lake" Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt 2017 that was supposed to be included in last blog. Doing this on my phone limits me on photos.

I am waiting to see the colors for the new mystery at halloween. I really hope it will be in reds or blues. I know I can use whatever colors I like but it is difficult not knowing which ones will be dominant.

The weather is wonderful today. Would love to see more days below 70.

Good quilting and visiting yesterday with C. Missed P but know your help with veteran quilts was appreciated. Will be glad when we can all get together.

I plan to visit the Wilmington guild and the Brunswick guild. So sorry the hurricane caused the cancellation of the New Bern quilt show.

I have not been here long but it is a good move for me. Being with family is so wonderful. I miss my friends and church.
Cooler quilting.
Sally

New digs

Finally I am getting some quilts in place. The same
Pler is really turned which gives a new perspective and balance with the antique China cabinet

The quilt on the bed, "on Ringo lake", is the Bonnie Hunter 2017 mystery quilt which I just finished binding. And the one on the wall is from the last Goldsboro guild retreat. Heather did a fantastic job with quilting.

New place nearly finished. I probably would have had this done but for hurricanes! And now Michael.
Hope it is weakened and fast.
Tropical quilting.
Sally

One of 2

This is one of two blocks for a red and neutral quilt on the cover of fons and porter's love of quilting jan/feb 2016.

Macinak

I have finally finished the top. Now for the back.

Flower power

I had to do this the long way round but hopefully I can pull up some of the pictures from my
recent trip to gardens in England.

I hope to make some of these into cards.  Oh well maybe on a rainy day if it ever comes.
Now to put on the borders for Straits of Macinack.
Steamy quilting.
Sally

Tables running

Here is the evidence that I have done something besides clean and clear my house for the last month.
Two table runners in my fav pattern.
Enjoyed just sitting, chatting and sewing on thursday and again on Friday.
Each day consists of a trip to the dump and habitat.
It seems more difficult to part with the little things than the big ones.
My mother had a pewter coffee and tea service which today is pretty useless but she had saved to buy it abd it will make the move. My silver plate tea service is worse than useless because it has to be polished and no one wants it.
Oh well.
Think I will do some meditative piecing today. After all I still have 300 more 9 patches to make.
Blue sky quilting.
Sally

Time to clear out....

I have lived in my house for 38 years and I wonder while I am trying to go through attic, garage,
drawers etc. just who bought all this stuff I have not needed or seen in at least 20 years.
Moving certainly gives you a different lens to look through when going through stuff.
My day consists of at least one trip to the dump or Habitat and trying to find boxes.
As I am moving to a "townhouse/patio home" situation I will not need so many things from
my garage that I have distributed many items to neighbors.  Now about those sets of dishes...

The sign went up yesterday and the realtor came to take pictures after three rooms had been painted,
the house power-washed, and small repairs completed.  Also after throwing many "sit-arounds" into
boxes and hiding them in the rooms not to be photographed at this time.

Ok you all know about fabric and how it multiplies.  It no longer can be called a stash and will have
to be labeled WALOF (what a lot of fabric).  The good thing about collecting fabric is that when you
have to pack it up you don't have to be careful of breaking it. 

It is kind of nice to look at rooms that have been cleared of clutter, you know all those quilty things we like to have around.

This is one of my very favorite pictures of my sister-in-law and me at Victoria Falls in 2015.

She and my brother are also moving to Wilmington and we will enjoy being together more often.

Moving forward quilting.

Sally

New beginnings

Not sure how the next few months will turn out.  I am in process of completing the paperwork, inspections, and appraisals for a town home in Wilmington just off the Carolina Beach Road.
This of course implies that I will sell my house of 38 years.  Not sentimental but overwhelmed by all the stuff.  Who bought this stuff and why?????
Who needs 3 canning kettles?  I thought my house was small but every cranny is full.  Not to mention the fabric, beads, and yarn.  I started with the attic in January so that is not so bad.  Trying to clear the clutter is a chore.  I will take a break on thursday and quilt with friends.  Thank goodness for that.
Just returned from trip to gardens in England and realized how pitiful my attempts are.  Glad my new place will only have room for a few bulbs. 

This is a clematis I planted in 2016.  It finally decided to bloom this year.  The yard looks good thanks to Richard and rain.  

Time to get back to work.

Quilting on hold.

Sally

Love it

I am so glad to have this finished except for the binding. I can't wait to use it on my bed. Just finishing it after working for 3 months feels so good.
The back is so perfect. It is foxes on grey with orange and turquoise. Can use either side#
Just picked up from qbeehive quilting in Hampstead. Had lunch at porters neck with M and topped the trip off by stopping at Heritage farms for some "simply natural" butter pecan ice cream. Yum.
Now for our sewing bee tonight, picking up palms tomorrow for church Sunday and on saturday making palm crosses and decorating church with palms. And next week will be really busy.
Bee quilting.
Sally

Macinak

Probably wrong way to spell it but 16 blocks done only 26 more. Then I need to decide on a border!

Love the different  blues. If the fabric  had blue in it I used it.

I am so glad to be finished with the "mystery" quilt. It is at the quilters.
I promised myself I would not start my Kaffe kit until I got these blocks done.
I did finish the top from a child's quilt and it is ready for me to quilt. Have to finish the border on J's quilt first. I need a lot of practice!
Cold and overcast. Will stay home after yoga.
Stretchy quilting.
Sally

Done

Well at least the center. It measures 75 by 90 which is just too short to go over pillows or hang over the sides of the bed. So now to decide on borders.
Probably small inner border and piano key outer.
We will save that for another day.
Misty quilting.
Sally

Slow but sure

I will have to say that this is not the easiest quilt  to put together. I thought making all the units was tough but it took time and several tries to figure out how to get the sashings going the right way. I have one more "row" to put on to have it half done.
I like the look of quilts "on point" but this one was not easy.
Oh well maybe next week.
The sun..the sun..
Chilly quilting.
Sally

Ready for Christmas

I finally got this finished. Ann B gave us a workshop on making stained glass looking quilts and as I always wanted a nativity quilt, as they say "voila" here it is. I had some issues with my machine when going through two layers of double fold tape and wound up hand cranking the needle through those places.
I love the abstract look and colors contrasted with the use of reproductions for the frame and Joseph's coat.
Now to get another project off my list. I'm yrying out a new quilt pattern on a donation quilt. Thankfully it is not large.
Storms coming.
Rainy quilting.
Sally

Yippee

Well I have learned a lot today. First, as I was doing the binding on "Dawn's Early Light" I told Alexa to play some  music of Wagner and as " Bridal Chorus" came on I Googled it and found that the person I thought was the composer, Lorngrin, was really the name of the Opera by Wagner; second, I found it much easier to bind a huge quilt by putting it on my dining room table; and third, when sewing binding, the thread knots up less if I put my thumb over where the thread goes through the fabric.
So having gained such knowledge, I rewarded myself by making mac and cheese.
I thought about it while I was in the silver sneaker's yoga class!
Such is the path my mind takes.
Now to start putting together BH mystery blocks and sashing.
Sunny quilting.
S

Yippee

See previous post.

Warmer

Love this neck warming cowl. I bought two little kits at fiber art show in sandford last saturday.  This one was done on straight needles size 15. Done while I watched Lewis series.

Second

This one was done with circular needles size 15. It goes quickly. The yarn is about half and half wool and acrylic. I love the different colors. The instructions say to be careful not to let the stitches get twisted. Well since I did not know how to keep that from happening it did. However I like I twisted so there.
No snow yet but am staying home to work on BH mystery.
Snowy quilting.
S

Oops

This picture was supposed to be with last post. Oh well.

So far ..

Here is so far on mystery. Not sewn so looks ragged
It is growing  on me.
Only 46 more blocks to go!!!
Hooray for the sun
The snow on my sidewalk is starting to melt.
Sunny sewing.
S

Yum

Having mah jong and searching for dessert I thought why not pecan pie. I had plenty  pecans from carolina nut cracker so here it is. Yes it a Pillsbury crust. Don't ever plan to use any other. I don't  care for crust ordinarily but this kind browns nicely so yum. Hope it taste ok or we will just have icecream!.

At last

I have made all the units, setting triangles and sashings. This is my first block.
Thank goodness for snow. There is so much work to this mystery. Oh well what else did I have to do. I know, finish the binding on Dawn's Early Light.
Ok Cecil time to get the mail

Bleary eyes quilting.
Sally

Brrrr

Well my wishes were for nothing. What else is new. About 2 inches and powder fine. My next wish is for it to be gone by Saturday afternoon. We will see.
Cecil wanted to make a snowman but he did not like it when we walked and the snow got in his feet. Poor baby. We will just admire it from inside
Snow bright quilting  on B H mystery..
Sally

Snowtime like the present.

I have been looking forward to two things tomorrow and neither is snow.  First getting together with C and P for some chin wagging and sewing and second getting Cecil to the groomers.  Might have to fill the tub. 

He has trouble sitting on the floor and after sliding backwards for a while figures out he has to sit his behind on the rug.  Smart one he.

Time to start trimming those flying geese.
Hoping for no snow quilting.\
S