Flower Head Pin

I am not sure if this is a testimony of the durability of the Janome 6600, the Organ Sewing Machine needle, or just plain old fashioned luck. But tonight as I was layering a quilt and basting the edge to get ready to frame machine quilt a quilt, I accidentally got to close to a pin, and I didn't see it, until I was done, but I felt a pop - pop - pop, and I heard it as well, and just assumed it had hit a thick seam. Well to make a long story short, as I removed all of the pins, and went to meander the first row, I haven't to see a pin that I had missed under the edge of the seam, and I had to get my seam ripper out to remove it as I had sewn it the the quilt threw the flower head. I couldn't believe it. The needle didn't break, the machine is purring like a kitten, and so far (knock on wood) it is still sewing like a dream. This just amazes me as I have broken needles just sewing over a seam wrong, and this didn't sew just once threw the head as you can see it went threw it 3 times. Now is that luck or what.

W.)

Family Traditions

This is the newest addition to my Case Knife Collection. This is a mint set offered only to Case Collector Club Members, and you have to have your name added to a lottery to win the chance to purchase them, as there are only 500 sets made. Well, in all honesty my DH won the chance to purchase them not me, but I had won one from the winter promotion lottery, so I swapped him as I love the family tradition sets. I know knife collecting is so much different from my quilting hobby but this is something that I do with my husband, and we have a great time doing this together. He has many more than I do as I only collect on a small scale, but I enjoy it none the less.

W.)

Another SP Package

I got another DJ Secret Pal package yesterday, they are always a nice surprise when they arrive. I love receiving home made gifts, as they are from the heart, and are a part of the person who made them. they show there personality, and creativity all in one, and give me inspiration as well. For this reason I just love this picture frame she made for me, with all of the buttons, butterfly's, hearts, and lady bugs, which just happens to be my Case Knife forum nick name. Don't my 2 grandchildren look as cute as button in this frame. I was going to take a picture of my 2 four legged children to put in the frame, but being that my grandchildren are cousins, not brother and sister they aren't at my house at the same time very often, so when they both came at the same time today, I decided that this frame was meant to have a picture of the 2 of them together in. The wind chimes are sweet, and I have them hung in my sewing room so I can hear them chime when I have my window open, and I also love the lords prayer charm. She sure is doing a great job, choosing gifts that are me.

W.)

Purple Lasagne

My beautiful red headed granddaughter ordered a purple quilt to take a nap with when she is at Grami, and Papa's house so this is what I came up with. It is a Lasagne quilt, done in every shade of purple imaginable. It is also the first quilt that I machine quilted on my new machine quilting frame, and I think I did quite well for my first quilt. It is a basic large meander.

Machine quilting is not as easy as some may think it is. There is more to it than just moving the machine around. When Lexi was here Friday it was still on the frame, and she wanted to finish it for me. I think she just may be a quilter. She always asks me about my "chine" as she calls it, and goes in and looks over my fabric and feels it. She just loves all of the fabric, so I am thinking that it must be a good sign.

I am hoping to get another quilt quilted but it is just so beautiful outside, that I want to be out there enjoying all of the warmth and sunshine. It was such a long winter, and summer seams so short, that I need to enjoy it while I can.

W.)

DJ Secret Pal

WOW! It sure has been along time since I posted. Things have been very hectic at home, as well as at work.

I have the greatest Secret Pal. The first picture is from my package that I received yesterday from this months gifts. The second picture is the contents of last months package. I loved everything in both of them but some how I got behind and never got last month posted.

I have been practicing on my frame and am getting better at it. It is not as simple as it looks, and it take a lot of practice, but for me it is just like piecing blocks, it is very relaxing, and a great stress reducer.

I have started sewing together a quick lasagna quilt in all purples for my granddaughter who at 3yrs old loves the color purple, and said to me awhile back Grami I want a purple quilt to cover up with at your house. So being that she has me wrapped around her little finger, I thought that I would throw a quick one together so I could use it for frame practice, and make her, her purple quilt at the same time. Her middle name is Rose so I am going to try doing a rose panto design on it for her. I am going to have to make her cousin, and my grandson Kyle a quilt also, as I don't want anyone feeling left out.

W.)

Another Postcard

I had another postcard in today's mail. I have been doing the alphabet with some other swappers, and this one was made by Janet Parde. I love all of the different themes everyone is coming up with for the different swaps. I never would have thought of Bee hive how clever.

I have joined the spring fling swap on the DJ list, so I need to get busy making my blocks for the swap. This is my first time doing the spring fling swap so I decided to only do 2 blocks, but we are to make 5 of each block so 10 total. I am going to add the blocks that I receive back to my "Helping Hands Quilt" made by other DJ'ers that I have swap block's with in 30's re pro fabric. I think with these block's and the one's I have I will have enough for a nice size quilt.

I have been busy today working on a basket block that I am doing with another group. I will post a picture when I get it finished.

W.)

Quiet Easter

Well, my weekend is almost over, boy 4 day's sure go fast when you are having fun. We had our Easter dinner last weekend with the kids, as our youngest went away. We had dinner with my Brother last night, and just spent a quiet day at home today.

I did some PPP on my machine quilting frame, started out quite well, but toward the end I started having some problems so decided that maybe it was time to quit for the day. As, I name my machines etc, and I couldn't think of a name for my frame, I thought of a name awhile ago. I am dubbing my frame "MAX" as it is at the maximum size that I can set it up at for the size room I have. I can do a queen size quilt on it so I am quite happy with it.

Well it is back to work tomorrow so I had better get going and get my stuff around.

W.)

Dinner & a frame

I finally got a picture of my new quilting frame. I have been in practicing since my kids went home. It is not as easy as it looks, but it does take PPP, and I am not doing so bad.

It was a beautiful day but quite cool today, but we are supposed to get a nasty snow storm starting tomorrow. It sure was good to see all of the kids, and my sister in law together today. We had a great dinner, and we then went to see my Mom who isn't feeling real well.

W.)

New Frame

Well I got my new machine quilting frame Friday. I love it. One we got it together I haven't had alot of time to play yet, but was I have done I have really enjoyed. As I try to name some of my
quilting equipment I haven't been able to come up with a name yet. My 6600 is Daisie May, but I am having trouble with thinking of a name for my frame.

DH has been great helping me put it together, and he has been watching for a used quilting machine for me to use on it so I don't have to keep putting Daisy back and forth onto it. I have an old brother machine that I can piece on but once you get used to it bigger machine with all of bells, and whistles it is hard to go back.

I have been watching Micki's blog with interest in her Vampire series. I have read some other vampire books by Ann Rice, and now these sound quite interesting. I really enjoy these kind of story lines, and I am going to check into these books as I enjoy setting outside and reading in the summer, other than quilting it is probably the most relaxing thing I do.

Well, I will try to get a picture of my new toy later. My family will be here for Easter dinner today, as it is the only time we can all get together so I need to get busy. I enjoy having them all here together when we can.

W.)

More Blocks, and a beautiful day

Here are my latest 2 blocks that I have made. The first on is M-1 Spinning Hourglass for my SBS quilt, and the second on is F-1 Big Top of my DJ quilt. Both were the BOW's and I am quite pleased with how they have turned out.

It is a beautiful, yet still chilly day here in WNY, it is supposed warm up later, so I can't wait. But it is mid March so pretty much it will only get better from here.

I am still sorting out my sewing room for my machine quilting frame. It is amazing how much stuff is accumulated in such a short time. I can't wait for the frame to arrive. I'm sure that my children totally think I have lost my mind, but now that they have grown, I now have the space for it. I can't say that I have anymore time, as it seems I have less, and less time now. Now I no what my grandmother used to mean when she said the older you get the faster time goes.

W.)