Those Teenagers

On November 16th we celebrated out 6th anniversary of the girls coming to live with us and my retirement. 

What growth experience and I must stay the Lord has helped me a lot to care for them. He has blessed with strengthen, energy when I need it, words of wisdom when I needed them, patience even when I don't feel like it. Grateful for the experience, even if it wasn't what I had planned. I will be glad when they realize what we have done for them. Right now we are public enemy #1. 

I guess that means we are doing a good job as parents. 

This picture was taken in February and this is Bigger Bit. 

Age 14.5 Now 15.

This is Little Bit, she didn't want to take a picture on the day I wanted, so here we in March.  Age 12.5. now 13.

Thankfully they are good girls, one is a mouthy and will push the edge of the envelop so she is in trouble a lot. The other one is very helpful and is seldom in trouble. One works hard at school and the other one doesn't. One is always having drama with friends and one is not. One doesn't want to go do things but has a good time when she does, the other wants to go, go, go. 

They are as opposite as day is from night. 

They do keep me busy.

Well off to enjoy my me time while they are in school. 

Blogiversary and a Finished Wreath

Oh My Gosh, I just realized my Blog is 10 years old today. 

Where did the time go? I am not as frequent a writer as I was before. Just so busy with life and teenagers as a 70 year old. 

Life is good they keep me young and on my toes. 

There are few dull moments, except when they are sleeping or at school, then it is peaceful. I enjoy those moments.

Here are my blog stats as of this morning. Thanks to all those who check in every now and again. 

I wanted to let you know I finished the project I started in March and I am working on the binding of the mini version made from the scrapes of the twister. 

Here it is finished and hanging on my wall. 

A friend did the raffia bow for me, since I am a total bow failure. But I know my resources and I am not ashamed to use them. 

Take care and be happy no matter what you are doing.

Second Project

After I finished the pillowcases I started a project I have had for a couple of years and I felt like it was calling to me to make it. 

Here are the fabrics and the pattern, all laid out for me to press and cut the next day. I started cutting on March 1st, 2018.

These little sticker dots came in handy to label the fabrics. I won them at a Get-R-Done meeting. I added a third brown, I didn't want the same color touching each other like the pattern had. 

Close up of the pattern. This is a twister pattern.

Here it is all sewn together before the twisting started.

Here it is with five rows twisted. I just think the twisting gives it so much more texture and interest to the fabrics. 

One night I made a rookie mistake and cut out a square to twist with my twister tool upside down. 

Which made my pinwheel backwards.

Luckily for me me it was the first block on the row, so I only had to ripe out two blocks and some of the border to fix it.

This was how I fixed it at first. I was trying to be lazy. But as you can see I needed about 1/8" more fabric. I did some more ripping.

And fixed it correctly. I was then able to continue without any difficulty. Luckily I no more cutting mistakes. I did make a sewing mistake. I reversed two pairs of blocks in one row towards the bottom, and my pinwheels didn't match up. Luckily I found while I was pining the row to the next row, so I quickly ripped those blocks out and turned them around.

I am going to do something with all these scraps. 

So last night 3/16/2018 I had the top constructed.

I love all the texture in the wreath.

The name of the pattern is Twister Harvest Wreath, I purchased the kit from http://www.needllove.com/default.asp

Happy Sewing!!

Finally Sewing Again

Yes it is true. I have done some sewing. It has been over a year since I had my machine out. I finished one project and have started another. I have really missed sewing. 

Of course, that means I am not doing any scrapbooking. I can only do one hobby at a time in my room. 

My first project was for a little pillowcase to cover my mini pillow I place between my knees when I am going to sleep. My old pillowcase that I have been using for ages was threadbare and getting holes in the seams. 

The old small pillowcase. My big pillowcase the colors are reversed. She how much this was loved and used.

A close up of the cuff. I heard it ripe one time when I was turning over. That was the time I thought I better get the new one done.

Starting the French seams for the new pillow case. I purchased this fabric ages ago. When I was still going to Quilting get-a-ways and I wanted a new set of pillowcases for the get-a-ways. Then life changed and I don't go to get-a-ways anymore. It's all good.

Here it is all finished. I made it in a couple of hours or less. 

I don't really time myself. 

The next night I made the big one for my head pillow.

The cuff is really going to be big.

Close up of the cuff to show off the cats and the cute sayings.

The Big One. 

Both of them. 

Tomorrow I will share my other new project. 

Until then Happy Stitching!

Playing in EQ8

Hi There! 

I have popped out of hiding to drop in and say hello!

I still haven't been doing any quilting. I have been working on scrapbooking, genealogy and raising my two girls. Believe me that last one takes a lot, and I mean a lot of energy. 

It wasn't easy the first time around, it isn't any easier the second time around and I am not as young as I once was. 

I will be 70 next month.

Anyway my sweet hubby gifted me with Electric Quilt 8 or EQ8 for Christmas and I have started playing in the software. It isn't hard it will be easier for new users but everything is turned around for me who has been using EQ for a long time. 

One of my friends asked me to design a quilt for her using a lot of orphan blocks. 

Here is the spreadsheet she sent me almost four years ago of all her blocks. I just total them all up 182 blocks. Varying in sizes from 2 inches square to 13 inches square. There is a strip that is 3 inches by 42 inches.  This should be interesting and it will be big!

Yes this morning I dropped food on the list, which is that brown spot on the top right.

The pink highlighted names of the blocks 

are the ones I have drawn in EQ8.

I took a screen shot of the blocks I have drawn so far. I followed the coloring she used to the best of my ability. Since I don't have a picture of any of her blocks. 

I thought this might be something everyone would like to see how the progress goes. I am planing on using a custom setting quilt. Wish me luck.

Happy Sewing!