I am amazed once again at how many people came to visit and leave comments on my blog for the give way. I had 80 people that left comments and also I have so many people that stop by my blog every day to visit it is amazing. Thank you everyone for stopping by. I used a random number generator available on line to pick the two winners and they are:
Rebbecca Potts Baker #19 from Concord, North Carolina
and
Teri Dingler #32 from Montgomery, Alabama
please e mail me with your mailing addresses at k@pddoc.com to claim your prizes.
The give away concludes at 12:00 noon tomorrow Central Standard Time. I have been very pleased to see how many have left comments. I think the number is up to 72 right now! I should have said that if it reached 100 I would give a third prize – maybe next time. I have enjoyed looking at all the blogs that you have left links to. So many!! and from all over the world. I love looking at everything you all have to offer the quilting world. I will go to the random number generator tomorrow at noon and draw two numbers and let you know who the winners are.
I spent a couple hours today over at my friend Julie’s house. Julie got interesting in my first dear Jane when I was making it and decided she wanted to learn how to make one too. Along with our friend Regina we all started making a Dear Jane 2 years ago in April. If Regina had been able to make it over today for sewing I would have posted a photo of her Dear Jane as well – but Regina is a hard working woman 
and couldn’t make it over to sew. She was slaving away at work. This is Regina and Julie’s first time at making Dear Jane and my second. Here is a photo of Julie’s Dear Jane in progress:
Julie's Dear Jane quilt --- 7 rows completed (and row 8 just about there and will photographed at another time) Julie is doing her Dear Jane all in flowery prints. She is doing her quilt in a combination of methods, hand, machine, paper piecing.
while at Julie's today I completed a Dear Jane block for my "Insanity Revisited" quilt. I had not worked on this quilt for almost two weeks. This is from row 10 block number 2.
Seeing as I was out today I decided to replace my warped June Tailor pressing/cutting mat with a small table top ironing board so I ran over to Wal-Mart before coming home. I already checked and if I push the computer back and shut the lid out of the way I can place it on the computer area for pressing and have the rotating cutting mat (or large mat when using it) ready for cutting on the cutting table. I had inquired to the June Tailor people in customer service about my problem with warping and they never responded to my question - this gives them an F in customer service in my opinion - I inquired at least a week ago if not more and not one little response from them.
And of course the weather today! It went from a high of 68 degrees yesterday to a cold rainy night dropping our temperatures to a high of 46 degrees today!! Of course that was not unexpected – that normally happens when you have spring like temperatures in January in Arkansas we had a whopping 2 inches of rain all night along with thunder and lightening. The upcoming 7 days will be back to normal for Arkansas = highs in the 50’s and lows in the 28 to 35 range.
Here I am having a give away (ends Friday) and I keep entering into other peoples give away’s and I won two of them in the past 2 weeks. Both arrived today. I won the package of six fat quarters and the most darling scissors I have seen from Christine at Aunties Quaint Quilts in Tasmania Australia and I won a book and 5 fat quarters from Colletta at Collettas Kitchen Sink in Pennsylvania. Here are photos of my wins — thanks to both you for the nice gifts.
From Christine at Auntie's Quaint Quilts
a close up of the scissors - aren't they unique!
my other win from Pennsylvania, I haven't tried this author so looking forward to the new read.
I have no where in this house for a design wall so after much thought I decided to order a portable wall. It goes up when you need it down when you don’t. This works out well for me as with all the hand work that I do I really don’t need a wall all the time. Right now it is being put to use with the circles and four patches. It is time to sew them together so I have some of them on the design wall and go back and forth to the sewing machine with them. I don’t mind going back and forth as it keeps me from getting stiff and also gives me some exercise I can go ahead and leave this up in the living room all week while I sew as it is pretty much just myself around most of the time as Mike is working long hours and isn’t home much this week.
what the wall looks like from the front with some of the patchwork on it.
this is what it looks like from the back - fairly easy to put together except the side clamps - I have to have my husband press those in place as my hands aren't strong and I can't seem to press hard enough - I will have come up with some method as he isn't always available when I might need to put it together. When not in use everything folds up including the poles and all goes in a drawstring tote bag. (as you can see from the walls in this room all those shelves and books, it is like that in a large amount of the house so no empty walls for a design wall.)
Don’t forget the give away ends on Friday.
Comments are now closed on this blog post, winners will be announced shortly. (edited 1/22/ 11:59)
I started blogging in April of 2007 – almost 3 years ago – wow how time flies. At first I really didn’t know what to write and didn’t write very frequently. I finally decided to just write as I talk as though I was actually chatting with you. I am not very good about formal sentence structure and I know it! I just don’t care anymore – I assume if that is what a person wants to read they will go elsewhere About a year and a half ago I really got into it and started blogging on a very regular basis. To celebrate this 500th anniversary I am having a give away – winner will be announce in one week on Friday the 22nd of January.
There will be two winners. The rules are simple. Leave a comment and tell me where you are from and you get one chance. Blog about it and make sure you tell me and you will have two chances.
prize #1 included 20 light aqua hoffman batik 6" squares, 20 dark aqua hoffman batik 6" squares, a McKenna Ryan pattern and the other things in the photo.
prize #2 is another stack of both colors of batiks, another McKenna Ryan pattern and an assortment of other items in the photo.
The two aqua fabrics are the ones that I used in my Dutch Treat quilt which originally was going to be much larger than it ended up being. I had cut a lot of 6″ squares in preparation for the quilt so had a lot left over. The 3 bears pattern featured in the second grouping of prizes is the one that I used for the wall hanging in the motorhome. It is like new as you trace the pattern on to fusible web so the pattern is not disturbed in anyway. I had cleaned my sewing room back in the late fall and filled a basket with items that I do not used – possibly used slightly but not so you would notice. Some things were given to me that I never used as was not something I needed or use. I still have a basket – no longer overflowing but still full so plenty for future give away’s.
And the weather today with this warm up that we are having and enjoying!
slightly out of focus as I had to stand over to the side so my shadow wouldn't be on it. The little boy has no jacket this time and no little snowman in the corner Someone asked the last time I posted a photo of the thermometer what kind is it. It is from the Weather Channel and is digital.
I have been busy today organizing fabric – yes once again. I have decided that I will go ahead and start soon on the Little Brown Bird quilt after all. I have been undecided about it. I do not know if I will make the whole thing, but I am going to give it a start and decide as I go. I will be using a lot of almost solids – batiks and moda marbles. I want to make sure there is no bleeding so I have been washing fabric and pressing all day! And still more to go through in my wire baskets on the shelves. I will use a little of the other fabrics (prints) here and there but most of them I will wash as needed.
The Red and Green Traditional Applique quilt I will be starting first. I have the background fabric for both quilts on bolts on the shelf. The Red and Green quilt will be mainly moda marbles and batiks also with prints thrown in here and there. I have been collecting batiks and marbles for sometime now in preparation. I mainly get fat quarters and I have plenty of them. I might be organized enough tomorrow for a photo. My fabric needs organizing and I have a feeling it will take several days of working on it to get it all under control (and I have a very small stash compared to some of you I know).
Continue reading about Blog Post #500!!! I am having a Give Away
I know a second post in one day but I just wanted to share with you all what I won!
Back in early December- Elaine from Faithful Quilter: Elaine’s Journey had a give away of Civil War Fabric to celebrate her birthday. Due to the holiday season it had gotten set aside to mail out. I got it today and I was just so pleased to have won so much!! I have won a few give away’s but the prize was never this much. She had 63 comments for the give away, I was very surprised I won (now why can’t I win the lottery!) Look at all I received:
15 fat quarters and 25 strips that are 5 inches by width of fabric! Plus she included a package of quilting needles and needle threaders! I couldn't believe my good luck. Now of course I will have to start going through books and patterns to decide what to make from it. There are some lovely reds included in these colors. (the cutting mats are mine, they are always on the table)
This wet fall weather is not helping my allergies! I have year round allergies to a lot of things, like pollen, mold, grasses, weeds – you name it outside and it bothers my allergies. I wish it would dry out already! Rain yesterday when I drove to Little Rock for my doctor appointment. Nice today – but more rain coming for the next two days – give us a break already. My nose is runny and my eyes are itching – I will be glad to get over this little allergy spell.
I had a good visit with my daughter after my doctor appointment was over. It turned out it was her day off so we got to spend some time together. I can’t really say we did all that much other than having lunch. Neither of us are that much on shopping just to shop. We did go to a kitchen store so I could look for a few items for my kitchen and I found a few small things. We did spend a little time at Barnes & Noble just talking over a coffee and shared cheesecake yum
I have to start physical therapy this week for my neck pain. Turned out I twisted the muscles somewhat while I was painting that ceiling! My appointment with my rheumatologist was just a routine check but as soon as I mentioned pain in my neck he was feeling those muscles and having me turn my head this way and that and before you know it I was having a full series of x-rays for neck and leaving with an order for Physical Therapy 3 times a week for 4 weeks and a muscle relaxer for 10 days! Glad to know that everything else was ok though! First session of PT is tomorrow afternoon.
Don’t forget to stop by Jackie’s blog “Canton Village Quilt Works” for her give away. She really has some nice items to give she is being so generous – I would want to keep it all for myself
I got a little more quilted last night on “Insanity”
One more pieced triangle to go - 1 corner - and one more plain !
I took a walk today at the lake – it was so nice after all the rainy weather we have had. I brought my camera along and got a couple fall photos.
Maples
birds on the lake - fall trees in background - I know what these birds are but the name escapes me at the moment
these are a type of cypress tree - I'm not sure how many varieties there are. These are small ones as you can see, the water is very close to them so I'm sure they get plenty of water. In the fall here the leaves are kind of brown
more fall color - you can see where this tree lost one of it's branches earlier in the year in one of the many storms we had.
Well I better get back to work on “Insanity” it is almost done!!
Jackie at Canton Village Quilt Works recently went to Houston for the quilt market held there each year. She is having a terrific give away. So generous! She is giving away fabric and a book – 5 winners if I read the entry right. Jackie has a long arm quilting business and from what I have seen of her work on her blog she does it wonderfully. I once told her that if I ever decide I need to get one of my quilts machine quilted (I’m a hand quilter) I’m sending it to her.
It looks like all of the new fabric lines that are coming out are going to be so great. I’ve seen quite a few blogs lately telling about what they saw at Houston and photos that have been posted. The designs and patterns are great.
So run on over to Jackie’s blog and see what she has –
Pumpkin Patch Primitives Quilt Shoppe is having a give away of quilt fabric. I’m not sure where I heard about it but I have put that site on my google reader to see what all they have for awhile. Go on over and see what they have to give away – you will be pleased.
I finished the Baltimore Bliss 4th block. I need to look at the patterns and see which one I’m doing next. I don’t actually have them in order any more from when I printed them out. I think there are 2 or 3 more patterns to come out still. I intend to make all 12 blocks but right now I’m not sure if they will all go in one quilt top or two. I’m thinking of maybe using 6 and put on point with sashing between for 2 different quilts.
Baltimore Bliss block #4 out of the 12 that with the quilt pattern.
Would anyone happen to have this plaid fabric I have been using in these blocks or know where I can purchase it on line? I have a little left and wanted to use it in most of the 12 blocks but might not be able to at this rate. I only have a little left. If anyone has some they are willing to part with we can make a trade of some sort? I believe I got it when I purchased some “Timeless Treasure” fabric by 3 Sisters several years ago, I don’t know if it was the same designer that did this one. I looked on line and can’t find it anywhere.
I will leave the next block though for a day or two and get back to work on “Insanity” my Dear Jane quilt tonight. Only a little more than half a row left to quilt! I should have a photo tomorrow of the progress.
I have taken the day off from painting like I said I was going to. I will continue that tomorrow or the next I’m taking a wait and see approach! I was outside today off and on – it was so nice outside. I dug up more bulbs that needed separating. There was of course more than I thought there was and now need to figure out where to put them! I will probably try to do that this weekend.
The knitting on the scarf is coming along nicely – I have had to unravel a couple rows now and then and then reload onto the knitting needles as I will occasionally find I have dropped a stitch. Over all though it is is growing!!
The blue wool scarf
Thanks to all about your nice comments on my health. Overall I do great most of the time, I tend to overdo at times with physical activity and then pay for it!! I think a lot of us with health issues (and increasing age ) do that – we like to think we are superwoman and then we get a reminder from aches and pains that we aren’t LOL
Kari from New Jersey whose blog is “Little Gray Dog” is the winner of the give away. Kari e mail me at k@pddoc.com and give me your address and your package will get in the mail soon. Congratulations. I will be having more give aways in the upcoming months as I have more books and quilting items to pass on that I no longer want or have duplicates of – the basket still has a lot of things in it.
First I want to thank all of you that have stopped by to enter into the give away – and thank you to all that have blogged on your blog about it. I have had several ask if “foreigners” are allowed — yes you all are welcome. Good luck to all of you. Remember if you still want to enter–the drawing will be held on October 7th. Please enter on the blog post that I started for it yesterday.
Finally I have been making some progress on my first Dear Jane quilt “Insanity”. I have been busy quilting the last two days and have six more blocks completed. I’m not sure if I started photo’s at the correct spot but I believe I have picked up from where I left off before traveling to Colorado and Wisconsin the month of September. I’m getting excited the end is drawing near!! only 2 rows and one border row left plus a little on this row #K. I hope to be done quilting within a couple weeks so that I can get my Christmas Baltimore Album quilt on the frame. If I mainly only work on that in the upcoming months I just might be able to have it for part of or all of the Christmas season — if not it will be added the Christmas spirit to my quilting room
Row K (#11) Blocks 6 & 7
Row K blocks #8 & 9
Row K # 10 & 11
Continue reading about Back to “Insanity” (Dear Jane) (Give Away continues)
