Doodles

I've been doodling Baptist Fans in anticipation of quilting the butterfly top.  Here's what they look like:

Pardon the poor lighting.  In the top picture you can see on the bottom where I started making the fans in lines.  Well, that was just way too organized for me so I started making them go all over the place.  I like that so much better!  And it's my quilt, so I can do whatever I want!  :)  I think the fans are going to give the quilt some nice movement.

A purchase

I found a t.v. table at Wal Mart for less than $10 on my lunch hour.  I sure hope it's sturdy enough to allow me to cut pieces on it.  The way they were packaged at the store, I could not open it up and see, but it looks like it will be. 

There was also a folding table that was a little larger than a t.v. table that I looked at.  It folded like an ironing board and was adjustable.  It was a little more pricey, so I thought I would just see if the t.v. table worked first.

I saw a tutorial for doing a Baptist Fan quilting pattern that I really think I'm going to try on the butterfly quilt.  I'm glad I saw it before I loaded the top, because I was just going to load the top long ways so I didn't have to roll it quite as many times (whoopee, it would just be one more roll - not a big deal).  The tutorial says to load it so you can start along the bottom edge.

I'm also practicing doodling the pattern.  Trying that 'muscle memory' thing...

T.V. Trays

When I was a little girl my Great Grandma had this metal t.v. tray that I was allowed to use if I wanted to sit by the door of the kitchen and watch t.v. and eat a snack.  It was metal and pretty banged up, but it served its purpose. 

We do not have any end tables in our living room currently.  It's not because we don't own any, it's because all they do is collect clutter.  And I really do not need another area collecting clutter in my house!  That being said, there are times when it would be nice to have a little table to set a drink on or use to play a game.  Right now, I'm thinking it would be nice to have one to cut some pieces out while I sit in the front room waiting for trick or treaters tonight.  I am going to run out at lunch time and see if Wal Mart has any that are sturdy.

Got it done

Thanks to a situation aggravating me to distraction, I had to go clear my head with some therapeutic sewing tonight.  I finished the butterfly top and it is ready to load on the longarm.  Tomorrow night and Halloween night there will be trick or treaters coming to the door, so I really can't work on any sewing in the basement or upstairs.  Hopefully Friday night I will get it loaded and this weekend get it quilted.  No promises, though.  Just going with the flow here.  And my aggravation has subsided, in case anyone was wondering. 

I also made a couple small Halloween bags for two little ghosties I know.  Added some fun things like colors and a coloring book to the bags.  Not much candy in them because I know they will get lots from going door to door.

Got to get back to it

I have got to get back to that last birthday quilt!  There are just a couple of rows left to finish, then it's ready for the longarm.  Maybe I can get that done tonight.  I have the crock pot going with stew in it for dinner, so that's basically done.  All it needs is to be thickened. 

We have a rainy overcast day here today.  Would be a good day to stay home and in bed reading a book!  But that doesn't pay the bills. 

Ev's truck had to go in for an oil change and have one of the tires fixed.  He picked up a nail somewhere.  Luckily the shop could fix it and he didn't need a new tire.  Tires are expensive anymore!  I remember when they weren't...  Does that mean I'm old?  Nah.

A carpentry finish

Steps are done!

Nick came over this afternoon while we were working on the finishing touches.  He helped out and also posed for the final picture!  That's my boy.... haha

My Saturday

Didn't get much sewing done, but got a lot done on the front porch!  We started working on replacing the front steps.  Here is the before picture:

The boards are all rotted and falling apart.  Pretty sad shape.  Here's a pic after we got them all torn off:

We actually got the new steps assembled, but then discovered a "technical" error that means we have to disassemble them one by one and reassemble.  But the good part is, it will go quickly.  We redid two out of five last night before we ran out of steam.  Today we will finish and I will post a pic of the final product!

We had a Halloween Party to go go to last night.  Ev didn't dress up, but I went as a flower child.  Guess my trip to San Francisco influenced that a bit!  Here's a pic of me with a peace sign on my face and flowers in my hair!

If it weren't for the peace sign, I probably would have just looked like a deranged Mother Nature...  haha

Finally Friday!

This seems to have been a long week for me.  I'm glad the work week is almost over.  I did not get upstairs to finish sewing the rows together but I have decided I'm going to use some black material I have to border the top. 

My great uncle came over last night for biscuits and gravy for dinner.  We had a nice visit.  I had stopped at Wal Mart on my lunch hour yesterday and picked up some new silk flowers for the cemetery.  Tomorrow morning I plan to pick him up and we will go out and put the flowers on the graves.

Putting rows together

I have almost all the rows put together in the last birthday quilt of the year.  Tomorrow night I'm having my great uncle over for dinner, but after he leaves I should be able to finish it up!  I do think it needs a border.  Will have to pick something out for it.

Some sewing

Tonight I went upstairs for a bit and did a little sewing.  I have the rows all sewn for my youngest sister's quilt.  I need to put the rows together and then decide if it needs a border or not.  Then quilt it!  It's close enough now to being done that I'm not worried about it. 

Then I have got to get back to the nursing home quilts.  I have one top to finish then I have to start quilting them.  Feathers.  Lots of feathers.  On every one of them.  Whee!