I now have 3 of the borders done on the Christmas Baltimore Album quilt. It has been so hot the last couple of days that I have been in the house more than normal and therefore getting a bit of applique and quilting done.
In the photo of the Christmas quilt I need to turn one of the borders around as I 
realize the greenery is pointing downwards on two borders and up on one if you see what I mean. I will need to remember to check that when I sew the borders on to the quilt.
On the “Insanity” quilt I have 6 more blocks quilted! Yes I have been in the house a bit. I tend to wilt in the afternoon when it gets in the 90′s and have not been out on the 
porch much the last two days other than first thing in the morning. Evening the evening is not pleasant outside, I think it was still 80 degrees last night when we went to bed. This morning it was 75 when we got up. The mosquitoes have been horrible all summer and we have been going through one can after another of repellent.
The top right photo are blocks #1 and 2 on Row I. The photo on the bottom left are blocks # 3 and 4. The blocks on the bottom right are # 5 and 6. I think my block photo’s are not perfectly clear as I can’t see all the quilting that I put in to them the block with the purple “windows” # 3 does have quilting in the sashing areas and the block #6 has quilting in the brown area that doesn’t appear in the photo. My little digital camera does not do close ups well.
A give away at Marie-Madeline Studio is under way – they are giving away a pretty pink/blue quilt if you want in on the action get on over there!
Between last night and today — it was a rainy day what can I say – I got done with 4 blocks and the two triangles on the end 
of Row H. I have 5 rows of blocks left to quilt and the bottom border!! The end is just 
about in sight how great is that. Like I say it was a rainy day today. I thought it was supposed to start out nice but shortly after we woke up this morning it was thundering outside and before you know it the rain started and it continued off and on all day. So I quilted and worked on the appliqued on the 3 rd Christmas border – which I must say is coming along nicely one or two more days and I will be finished with the 3rd border. It depends on how nice of a day tomorrow is. ( I even managed to squeeze in a quick trip to Wal-Mart for cold medicines for hubby and read part of a book).
Mike is dealing with a summer cold so depending on how he is feeling tomorrow will determine if we work on the patio some more or work on other things in the house or outside of the house that need attention. It is not supposed to rain so that should not be a factor. Seeing as he was not feeling the greatest today it was nice that it was raining today.
I think I will let “Insanity” rest a day or two and concentrate on this 3rd border for the Christmas quilt and get that one done – then it will be one border left to applique and then sew the borders onto the body of the quilt. It will be nice to have one more top finished although it really means I will need to get busy and get more quilting done.
I really need to get back to work on “Insanity Revisited” also. I have not touched the blocks in quite sometime. I’m not even sure what row I left off on – maybe row 7? I’m not sure. Maybe I will take that one along with us on our next trip to work on. If it is the only thing I bring along I should be able to accomplish at least a little bit although I have learned from experience that I do not work on my quilting near as much as I should when traveling. We just get too busy seeing things and hiking and I do not spend much time on sewing. I don’t have room in the motorhome for quilting unless it would be a small quilt with my 14 inch hoop — but I really need to get back to work on those blocks!
I had been meaning to leave a link to this site for awhile now and kept forgetting when I would do my post. Quilters Spirit is an interesting site. Kimberly has a free download to a e book of 16 stories by women for women from the early 1900′s and also links to books that are out now. She has a review of a book by Kyra Hicks that sounds really interesting. She writes about anything from antique quilts to art quilts and history. I just thought it was a very interesting blog and 
wanted to pass it on. I just realized that Kimberly has another blog you might be interested in as well it is Women On Quilts. It looks interesting as well.
My neck/shoulder massage felt so good today – if you haven’t had one you should try it – it really helps loosen up a tight neck. I also did stretches today and didn’t quilt for long periods of time without taking a break. I managed to get done with two more blocks on “Insanity” and I’m over half way done with the applique on the 3rd Christmas Baltimore Album border! It is moving right along.
Talk about weird summer weather – we normally are very hot and somewhat dry by this time of summer here in Arkansas. Not this year. I think the weather got turned around somehow and y’all out in Washington & Oregon are getting our weather. Today we had a high of 73! and it rained for a good part of the day once again. Heavy downpours – I think the news said we had about 2 1/2 inches of rain in about 2 1/2 hours! Talk about run off – the far part of the yard was flooded once again. I hear though that we will be back in the 90′s by next week – darn – I could do without that.
a gift certificate from the “Twiddletails Store” Anina has several blogs and is very much into Dear Jane quilts. The 
Twiddletail link will take you to her store and to her twiddletails blog. Her other blog is called “That Quilt“which to a lot of us Dear Jane groupies need no introduction to. “That Quilt” gives detail how to instructions on how to make all of these tiny blocks and triangles that we are so attached to. I know a lot of DJ groupies are so thankful for her help. Thank you Anina for sending me the gift certificate. Of course I had to spend more than she sent 
I downloaded a pattern of hers – which if you download the pattern cost less – and I also ordered the black with white polka dots fabric that will go great for the black borders in this quilt.
Yes it is a simple pattern — I think as soon as I get done with my Christmas Baltimore Album (of which I started the 3rd border for today) I need a break from the more challenging quilts and need to make a simple quilt top with some of these scraps that are gathering up. Yes it will add to my pile of quilt tops that need to be quilted but there you go – I couldn’t resist. This sweet pattern is simply titled “So Charming”. It should go fast when I start it. I still have thoughts of making the “Little Brown Bird” applique quilt but need a little time off to do something simple.
I got a little more done on “Insanity” last night and a little while ago. I can’t believe I have moved so quickly on this
row after having taking so long to quilt the previous row! I have 4 more blocks on this row – yippee! these are blocks # 8 & 7 in Row G.
I managed to get a lot done on the quilting last night! Now if I could just stick with it. I did continue for a short time this morning but then there was the house to clean and the list goes on like normal Anyway here are some photo’s of the quilting on Row G. 
On the right are blocks 1 and 2 and on the left are the corners for that row.
I have also been working on the 2nd border for the Christmas quilt and I should be done with that border by the weekend! Moving right along on that. I just finished glue basting the last long green piece on the border – it is ready for stitching. Two more borders to go. I’ll be glad to get done with this top and be able to move on to another. (of course I still have a lot of tops gathering up that need quilting 
)
We had so much rain yesterday – we did need it but it sure went on all day. At least it wasn’t the really bad stuff with the high winds.
Finally the last couple of days I have sat down with “Insanity” and got a little quilting done. I am now done with row 6, which means half way through the next row I will be half way done quilting this quilt!! I started quilting it 5 months ago – but was gone for the month of May so that isn’t bad – actually 4 months of 
quilting – a total of 70 hours and 35 minutes. Yes I am that precise. I keep track of the hours spent on this quilt for prosperity! It took me 490 hours and 40 minutes to piece this quilt so I will keep track of how long to quilt it also — I figured that would be a heck of a lot less time time than hand piecing that many blocks.
Photo on the left is block numbers 13 & 12. Photo on the right are the triangle pieces for that row. I didn’t put a lot of quilting in number 13 and I might got back and add a little more. I think when I get totally done with the quilt I will go back and look it over and decide then if any more quilting needs to be added for it all to look right. Most I have a lot of quilting in and not sure if the ones that don’t have as much will look right.
On the Christmas Baltimore Album border #2 I have been working on too and I’m half way done with that border. I am working on the white flower right now and I’m almost done with that one so tomorrow I will get the last red flower glue basted in place on that. It is moving along nicely. I have been getting in a lot of work on the quilts since last Friday for some reason – I tend to do that – work a lot then read a lot. I go through phases.
From the last post I had I think we all agree we have way too many patterns and not enough time to make them all! I know I will think I have the next project picked out and then by time I get ready to make a new quilt I have changed my mind and moved on to something else that I have seen.
Before I write anything else I need to tell you that Judy over at the Green Fairy is having a give away. I signed up for her give away and said I would mention it on my blog and didn’t want to forget. You might want to check her out, she is giving quite a few fantastic prizes. She is also traveling to Romania soon on a mission trip. She will be bringing quilts to give away to people in need and is also trying to raise money to feed people while she is there. Check her site out. Besides having lovely prizes she sells fabric and things too.
I have had a productive day – although at the same time it was a lazy day if you know what I mean. First photo – I made an Italian Cream Cake today. It calls for 3 layers with a yummy, fattening frosting of course. I went ahead and made all 3 layers, but then I cut them all in half and froze 3 of the pieces – this will be cake for another day. We have half of a 3 layer cake — which for 2 people who love cake that is more than enough. I probably should have only made a quarter of a cake but that gets more difficult. I got this recipe off of the Pioneer Woman Cooks page. She sure does post good recipes. If you follow the link it will take you to the recipe. I have not made a cake in such a long time that when I saw her recipe I gave in to temptation!
I made progress on the border of the Christmas Baltimore Album and have two of the flowers done! Progress!
Click on the photo’s to enlarge as usual.
I’m wondering if others have the same problem I am having with my hummingbird feeders lately — Bees! they won’t go away, I have never had bumblebees at the feeders that I can recall and there are getting to be more of them everyday. Is there a way to make them go away – I assume I 
shouldn’t spray the area with insect spray as the hummingbirds might be harmed – they are so little. Also the bees of course are good for the flowers. Anyone else have this problem? In these photos you can even see them flying in below the feeder. So far they have not come close to us.
Two nuthatches have taken up residence on the tree next to the porch. They travel up and down the tree – at times upside down, and peck at bugs all day – I do not see the bugs, but I guess they are there!
Now that my husband has found out for sure that he is a contract worker again and 
started a six month job as of yesterday. Now I can start putting some more plants out on the deck and porch for decoration. I had held off on doing so because if we were traveling I didn’t want all the plants to have to be on automatic water system. Here are two baskets of flowers that I got the other day. I have a 3 tier plant stand off to the corner there and haven’t gotten anything for it, I might do that tomorrow after I meet two of my friends in the morning at the local bookstore/coffee shop to look at quilt magazines. We haven’t done that for awhile and thought we would do that instead of meeting to sew.
This area full of Black Eyed Susan, Purple Coneflowers and Tiger Lilies are next to this area of the porch. I spend a bit of my day outside. I have a work basket that I place my applique work in, the telephone, a book, the camera — and I bring out an icy drink and I am set for awhile until the heat drives me in! I have a radio out there and also listen to the birds, squirrels and the bees.
I did make sure that I went and got some exercise first thing this morning!! I have been bad and have gotten out of the exercise habit lately. I always get out of my routine when we take a long trip like we did in May. Then when we got home we had clean up from that storm and then started work on enlarging the deck – through the change in routine I started to skip the fitness center a couple times a week which lead to all week – to all month!! I am making a promise to myself to get back to the healthy life style (and of course I made the cake to prove to myself that I can have my cake and exercise too )
I have been amazed at how many people have stopped by to comment and enter in the drawing. It continues until Wednesday night so comment by then if you want to be included. I have tried to visit everyone’s blog who has left a blog address for me and I have added many to my Google reader to see what you all have. I hope to make some new cyberspace friends from this! I love visiting blogs from the states and outside of the US also. For those that are not in English I use the Google translator and where sometimes it doesn’t really translate accurately I can usually figure out what you are writing about. If anyone knows of a better translator let me know and I will give it a try.
I have the first border part way done for the Christmas Baltimore Album – in this photo the greenery that is straight out is needle turn applique down. I have already put in at least 6 hours on this border – not counting the preparation work. I can see it will easily take 30 hours or more to do one border! When I get done with this red flower there is next a white flower that is larger in the center and then another red flower and the greenery as shown here. This red flower is not stitched down at present.
On Friday I met one of my Dear Jane quilting girlfriends and I got one of my blocks finished! I have not worked very steadily on “Insanity Revisited” and so I have not made a lot of progress recently. But I am glad I finished this block that has 39 pieces in it. It was actually quite easy as Dear Jane blocks go because it was all straight edge 
pieces – no curves or weird shapes. This block is G-10 Woven Meadow. I am half way done piecing the blocks for this quilt – this might sound good – but don’t forget all those border triangles left to do also! It will be another year and a half at this rate before I finish this top.
I have the main part of the quilt top finished!! Now on to the borders. I haven’t even gotten that pattern out to look other than knowing that it has a red flower in the center and has a white flower on each side of the red with greenery extended on each side. Each border is the same design. The finished size of the quilt with the borders is to be 75 x 75 inches. I might enlarge it possibly if I have enough fabric with maybe another sashing design around the next applique border. I’m not really sure. The size it finishes to will not fit the bed of course so if I leave it the size it says it will be for draping over the couch or for hanging on the wall at Christmas time. We will see when the time comes. So far this quilt has taken me about 120 hours to make. It took about 20 to 25 hours for each block and then sewing the sashing and blocks together added more time to it. I started it back in February.
I’m glad to have gotten to this point on the quilt top. I don’t know if I will start a border right away tomorrow or wait a couple days. I have not quilted on “Insanity Revisited” for awhile and really need to put in some time on that one too. After all I have to get it off of the frame so I can quilt this one when the time comes!
I took a few pictures in the yard today. Here are some of my flowers.
I never planted these tiger lilies, I had one bulb wash in from a storm once about 5 years ago I guess and since then they have populated themselves and I now have about 25 of them blooming! The have little black seeds on the stalks and they fall off and eventually grow to full size and that is how I have gotten so many of them. I will have to dig them all up one of these days though as I do not want them growing where they are, which means the next couple weeks I need to get out there and pick all of the seed pods off of them and put the seeds where I want them to grow and then dig the bulbs out this fall and plant them too.
Also here is a photo of my bird feeder that I took this morning, if you look closely you can see a bird at it. I have had a lot of purple finches at the feeder this year, I’m not sure if this is one or not, I couldn’t get the bird clearly in the photo. I also have woodpeckers, nuthatches, cardinals, & bluejays. I’m sure there are others but I always notice these that I named.
I had so many visitors to my blog Sunday night to Monday night from Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Estonia that I must ask why? I have feedjit on the sidebar which shows the world map and where you all come from to visit. I tracked it back to a Scandinavian Yahoo group but I wondered what was on there that made you all come visit! Please tell me I am curious
I love having visitors from all over the world and that is one thing that I love about blogging is making “friends” with all of you from around the world. It is fun getting e mails from so many people and comments about quilting. I like to go see your blog sites and see what you are working on. If you come visit please leave a comment and if you have a blog leave me a link so I can see what you do too. When I first starting blogging about 2 1/2 years ago I had no idea I would become so addicted to it.
I have made progress on the Christmas Baltimore Album and while I should be sewing right now to finish putting the blocks together I am blogging instead. It is coming along really well and I should finish putting this part together tomorrow – now the question is “will I?”
Don’t you just hate it when you get a pattern and the directions aren’t clear? It did not give the measurements for the triangles. Math is not my strong suit – when it says long side of triangle is — I’m thinking – what about the other sides – you mean I have to figure this out myself!! As you can see I did figure it out and I’m really shocked that it didn’t take me all night to 
do it and that I didn’t ruin any fabric due to not cutting it the right size!
I also made a little progress on “Insanity Revisited” yippee! I have not worked much on it lately. I did a block on Sunday and 
another almost finished today – maybe I will quickly finish that one tonight and get done with it. I am working on Row G – the 7th row out of the 13 needed – so I am about half way done with the blocks!! This photo on the right is G8 and the one on the left in progress is G9
I had a good visit with my mom yesterday. It was a tiring day partly because it was so hot and also because my mom is 84 years old and physically frail (her mind is great). She is in a wheelchair due to Rheumatoid Arthritis which has pretty much made it so that she can no longer walk – she can stand briefly but not walk. To take her to lunch and shopping I have to constantly assist her into the car, then fold the chair and lift it into the back of the car – and then get out all over again, and again and again! It is a workout! We met my little sister and her little girl for lunch and shopping. Coming from a large family we have a bit of overlap in generations. My sister’s little girl is 2 weeks older than my granddaughter (they will both be 7 at the beginning of fall) (my little sis is 13 years younger than I). We enjoyed ourselves and mom enjoyed getting out even though it was hot.
Look forward to a giveaway from me soon — so many people have give aways and I never have had one and it is about time I think. I have so many regular readers that I need to do a thank-you. I will look things over and decide what to give away – I think there will be at least 2 winners and I hope to have it planned by the end of the week. I have recently won a give away myself from Deb – Quilt Gal – in Canada, I will put a photo on here of my gift when I get it.
