Chirstmas letters

Hah! It is September and I am already leaning toward Christmas??? Not today, but soon. Today we were reading an article about how Facebook makes us sadder. People read all those darn facebook posts and begin to think that their lives aren't as good as their friends, family, ex's, friends who used to be friends, etc. We read about all those wonderful moments in other's lives and we start to think that our lives are somehow less. Maybe we don't go on vacation as much, or our children aren't doing marvelous things, no grandchildren, no weddings, no anniversaries, no parties, etc. As we are reading this, I began remembering that Everyone Loves Raymond show where the mom gets a Christmas letter from her sister Theresa. It is one of my favorite episodes. The mom writes her own Christmas letter and Debra, the wife, feels slighted. When Debra reads the letter from Theresa, she knows exactly the problem--"Oh, she's a bitch," Debra says and sits down to write a better letter that makes everyone look rosy. I totally understand this feeling. When we post on Facebook, write that yearly Christmas letter, or whatever, we put our best foot forward. We use only the photos that put us in a favorable light, tell the exciting parts of our lives. No one writes that they ran over their cat and is drinking a fifth of vodka each day. Sometimes it does look as if everyone else is having it easy while you struggle. I am sure we can all relate! Hope you day is one of those that you can post on Facebook.....

I bought too much

Yesterday I was with my "Thursday" group and I was going to fill the bobbins with embroidery thread. That was the plan for the entire evening (2+ hours). I had 32 skeins of thread and 28+ bobbins. So, there I am comparing the numbers of the threads to my master list and I find I have them all except for one! I bought 31 bits of thread I already had! Why do I do this????? I cannot even say how many times I have bought a second pattern or book. Each time I think how much I must have really loved the pattern(s) if I choose it twice. Now when I see a book or pattern, I write it down and check at home and then go back and purchase. I ended up finishing a piece of embroidery that I have been sorking on--on and off--for a while. Soon I will add the embellishments and make the pillow. Hopefully I will be able to add the picture to my site.

The Flying Geese Project

Just when you start getting compliments on your work; just when you begin to think you are pretty darn good at something; are you ready for what I screwed up???? Seriously, I am getting compliments. I am pretty darn good at this, but I still make mistakes. I am not Mary Poppins...although that could be fun. I made 120 flying geese for a Thimbleberries group project. If you made the required number of flying geese, Pam gave us two pieces of Thimbleberries fabric from the shop. We picked our own colors. It was fun. When I began putting it all together, I found that my color choices weren't what I had in mind now. SO, I put the fabric I received free aside and got something from my stash to use as "sashing". Now it is not the usual rectangle. The rectangle is sideways. And, most important, it is too big on one side--like 2 inches. I am going to have to figure this out. I'm sure it naver happens to others--only to me. (SIGH). Unfortunately, I know where I went wrong. It is my own fault, but I am sure I can fix it so no one will know. It will be our little secret.......

Over the weekend

This weekend I devoted my time to getting stuff done! I amde my block for the Saturday Square class at Quilter's Corner on the 31st. I made the block of the month for my guild project and caught up the blocks I had fallen behind on. Then, I opened a box that I knew had fabric in it. What was really in there I wondered. I found a quilt I started 10 years ago--maybe longer. I had received a quilt calendar--one of those that has a quilt pattern for every day of the month--all year long. I can't even imagine what I was thinking, but I began making the quilt blocks for each day in January. Then I stopped and there it has sat since I put it away. Some of it was put together. I obviously began making four patches. There was no picture, no calendar (I'm sure I threw it away years ago), no idea of what I was thinking ten years ago. So, I just began putting squares together. I have a 64x68" quilt top. I used pinks, grays, blues, turquoise, whites, purples and lavenders. It is interesting to say the least. What I am most impresed with is that the entire thing fit in a shoe box! I can't even think that I have made one thing that didn't require at least a 12x12 box and possibly a second one also. I think I have decided to give my guild quilt to my nephew in Iowa. He has only one quilt--a baby quilt that he probably doesn't own any longer knowing my brother and his penchant for getting rid of things. This could be a way of getting to know him better. This quilt has fabric with fish and lots of color. I have 12 squares with orange friendship stars. Still thinking.....

"You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with." Quote by Jim Rohn This was a quote used in the 8th grade English classroom I work in. The students wrote about how they were similar to the five people they chose. I decided that I am not necessarily the average. I decided that my friends and I compliment each other. It was just such an interesting thought. I apent my lunch with a student catching up on an assignment. He is such a funny kid. He told me he was humorous. It's true!!

Projects that I have worked on: Yellow and Blue quilt complete top with borders (Bolero postcard) Thimbleberries Flying Geese (size wrong; stopped to reconsider) High Hand (ran out of fabric in cream--Opps!) Opps, there is the bell. Got to run.

Saturday Night

What to do on a Saturday night?  Catch up on my blog.

Under the finished catagory
    blue and white "Too Colors, Too Easy":  finished the top on Friday!  Hurrah. Finally Done.   The finished top is 92.5 by 112.5 inches.
    Snowman pillow:  the pattern and kit was a gift from my friend Imelda.  She finished hers and I felt bad that mine was still sitting in the original packaging, so there you have it.
    embroidered Thimbleberries pattern made into a pillow:  pattern and embroidery thread given as gift to club members by Pam of Quilter's Corner, my local quilt shop.
    embroidered Thimbleberries quilt from 2012:  Aunt Arlene called and said I could bring a quilt over to quilt on the long-arm machine.  I had to be there by 7am because we were in the middle of a heat wave and it gets really hot where the machine is.  I got there at 6:50am after telling my husband that I would be home around 10am.  Aunt Arlene ironed the backing.  We walked across the street to where the machine is.  We quilted it and were finished in time for me to attend mass with my in-laws, go out to breakfast and stop at a lighting store to look at a possible new light for my in-laws dining room.  I was home by 10am!
    binding for hand quilted pieces:  I have taken three hand quilting classes and I have hated every one of them equally.  It isn't the teacher, I just hate hand quilting.  I had two pieces that were just lying around being moved here and there over the past years and I noticed the oldest one was getting straggly at the edges; the binding was beginning to come apart.  Brilliant idea!  put binding on them to stop the progression of age.  I bound the oldest one and all was well.  When I started binding the green piece, I found that the blue markings were still on it.  I am here to attest to the truth that the blue markings do not come off all the way after three years.  Now both pieces are bound.  Is anyone wondering why only two pieces when I distinctly said I took three classes???   The truth there is that the second class was the Aunt Becky method of hand quilting.  I still have the tools, but hated that method so much that I threw the piece in the trash because there was no way I was ever going to finish that nasty thing......
    Black White and Bright:  block of the month/Saturday Square from Quilter's Corner--2011.   Have only the top finished.  Next quilt to be done when Aunt Arlene calls again.

hello......

Hi.  I am giving up on my laptop.  It has taken a while to become familiar with this tablet.  While I have been away, I have finished a embroidery quilt from last years Thimbleberries club book, put together pink hearts, completed the middle of a quiltc called two colors...too easy.  I have been spending some time being helpful andcooking.


I will try not to be gone so long again!

Did you feel the earth move???

I have been avidly watching the stories about the destruction in Moore, Oklahoma.  I can't even imagine the horror of living where there are tornados.  Scary suckers!  After all, we only have earthquakes.  No big deal.  So last night there was a 5.9 earthquake in Greenville--off of highway 89 towards Susanville (north up toward Oregon).  The couch moved as I was pouring through magazines.  The chair opposite me was occupied by Valerie.  She was staring at the chair as if it had sprouted wings.  She thought the dog (sweet Katie) had bumped into her from behind.  Nope!

We spent so much time last night talking during my Thursday Night group that I got nothing done.  But I entertained everyone with this little tidbit:  We are having to teach family life.  I heard before class that we would be talking about the fallopian tubes.  Just the most exciting.  So, the math teacher has one science class that I help out in and he started talking about how he was going to teach this through interpretive dance!  Then he showed us.  I wish I had a video.  It was so darn funny!

I am going home to take a nap so I can babysit for Jelly tonight.  Jelly is three years old and is the daughter of my darling daughter's roommate.  

So have a great evening!

Everyday I fuss and fume because my fabric is in such disarray.  I so want to make this quilt with a white background featuring 9-patches and square in a square using my left over brights from the Saturday square quilt I am finishing up. 

More fussing:  I am finding that I started a lot of things this month, but have not finished any to show on Saturday at the Saturday Square class!  I can't belive I have NOTHING!

I began two embroidery projects this week.  There is very little time left at school this year, so there should be down time when I can embroider.  Aha!  There is my problem.  I start things, but do I finish them?????

Yesterday a student had two packages of gum.  A classmate asked for a piece and she threw it across the room.  This prompted me to take her gum away.  I put it on my desk and forgot about it because she fell asleep in her next class and went home after she woke up complaining of a tooth ache.  This morning she sent her friend to ask me for the gum.  I told the friend she couldn't have it.  I never said I wouldn't give it back to the student it belongs to, but I think she should have to ask herself.  She has 8 days to ask..........

I am mkaing a pear tart to take tonight when I go sew with three friends.  It is really delicious.  I only need pears and pie crust.  So off to the store I go....

I told a kid that he was such a boy and he turned around and said, "Im not a boy, I'm a man."  He's a boy.

Have a lovely afternoon,
Julie

A funny thing happened at the gym on Friday.  I go to swim.  I bought a special pair of flip-flops to wear--pink and black Ocean Pacific....  On Friday I realized I had forgotten my flip-flops and had to wear my tennis shoes inside.  After I finished swimming, I had just opened my locker when one of my socks fell out.  I realized I really had to use the bathroom, so I ran there, and when I got back, my sock was gone.  Vanished.  I am sure the cleaning girl swept my sock up.  I couldn't find out though because she doesn't speak English and I don't speak Spanish.  So, now I have one lone sock without a mate.  So sad...

A Wonderful Weekend

My weekend actually began on Friday.  I took a sick leave day to go to my last sleep studdy appointment.  I have the equipment and I learned how to use it and then was free!

I started out with my darling daughter.  We ran around and had lunch at Red Robin.  I had the patty melt--I always have the patty melt because it is so darn good.  I don't feel bad about the calories as I very seldom eat there and I don't use all the dressing.  After dropping the darling daughter off at Safeway, I ran home to change and then went to the movies.

Every second Friday at 1:30pm the Sylvan Oaks Library in Citrus Heights shows a movie and provides coffee and donuts.  A movie, coffee and donuts!  What can be better except that it is free!  The movies are old movies--black and white.  I went in March when they showed Roman Holiday with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck.  It was so much fun.  There was a reccommendation box and I wrote down Solid Gold Cadillac with Judy Holiday and Paul Douglass.  I used to lay on my mom's bed watching old movies on a little black and white television.  This was my favorite.  So, what do you know?  They were showing my movie this month.  So, I went and we answered trivia questions.  Our names were put in a box and myname was drawn to take the movie home!  I have been looking for this movie for years and the librarian found it at Wal-mart of all places. It was just as wnderful as I remembered it!

Saturday I spent the day with my Circle of Friends--five women I dearly love.  I was working on my project--Threads, Threads, Everywhere--and I left my little suitcase I carry my supplies in at Shirley's house.  If iI have the time to run out there, I will, but I have back up supplies at home, so I can wait until I see her again on the 21st or the 27th.  This means I will have to start a new project.  Very important because I am going to see my friend, Leah, to watch Dancing With the Stars.  I am choosing Kellie Pickler, the country singer, to cheer.  She is really good and she seems really nice.  I really like haveing something to do with my hands, so I will be selecting a new pattern to start.  SO many choices--SO little time.

Yesterday I gave my son my credit card and let him go to the store to buy a pair of shoes he can stand in for eight hours.  He got a job and is a cashier in the garden department of a local store.  He found his cheapie shoes from KMart unequal to the task.  He likes New Balance.....

Have a great evening!!!

What I have been up to.....

I know it has been a long while....

Updates:  I finished all my sleep study appointments and on Friday will be set up with my own equipment.  I have had opportunities to lower our cover with Kaiser, but my husband is a bit accident prone and I have always kept our health insurance the same.  Turns out that the $800.00 worth of equipment is costing me nothing in co-pays.  Quite worth the sacrifice. 

I have been trying to get back on track quilting wise.  I have joined an online "group" making scrap quilts.  All I have to do is sew on Sundays, which I already do, and dedicate my time to using my scraps.  I have a lot of scraps.  Still time to join in.  Just make those scrap quilts and post pictures with Kim's Big Quilting Adventure.  Kim is making a quilt with her scraps.  I am committing to community service quilts with my scraps until I whittle down the stash of scraps just a bit.  I am still working on my 30's quilt "Remember Whoo Loves You" from the Acorn Quilt and Gift Company.  I am hoping to use a friend's light box for the embroidery part on Saturday.  Tomorrow is Thimbleberries at Quilter's Corner.  I will stop at my friend's house for dinner and then off to the quilt shop.  For my guild we are doing a block of the month program where we get the same fabric each month and we make two blocks--one to give back for the raffle and one to keep.  I bought a light blue batik for the background months ago, but now that I have the fabric, I am thinking I need something darker--more like a medium blue.  Shopping for me tomorrow!!!  The idea is that we will all have 12 sampler blocks to make our own quilt at the end.

Sew, sew, sew....
Julie

I am working on various projects.  I find that listing projects can be really helpful in getting them finished.
   
     * Remember Whoo Loves You
           I am planning on doing the embroidery in the next few days.  I have a friend who has a good light     
           box set up for bigger projects.  When I get the embroidery done, I will add borders and it will be
           time to quilt.
     * Threads, Threads Everywhere
           Almost done with the words and it will be time to start the picture parts.  There are 6 squares for
           that one
     * Thimbleberries list of projects

Now--more about my sleeping issues.....I did a one week trial with the sleep machine and had to return the equipment this Tuesday past.  I already miss how awake I was during the day.  There is a 1.5-2 week wait for the results.  Then there is time for the primary care physicain to look at the results.  If you get a machine, there is a six week wait for it.  So, my question is now, what do people do in the meantime????

Room cleaning update......I cleaned up a good portion of the room and will be ready to go through my fabric this coming week.  I am off and hope to catch up on some projects--the ones I listed and others such as my 1800's 9-patch or the blue and shite quilt for my friend, Sandy.  I was seriously looking for a pattern I borrowed from a friend, Imelda, but I didn't find it.  I am thinking I need to actually reorder it.

So that is that for now.  Hope all is well with you!
          

Thimbleberries

Last night was our Thimbleberries meeting.  I love that group.  Everyone in there is really interesting and there is always lots of show and tell.  One of the fun things we are doing is the block of the month.  We have two choices of block of the month patterns to choose from.  One is from the Big book of Quilt Blocks and the other is Beautiful blocks for Beautiful Quilts--both Thimbleberries books, of course.  We do a block each month and show it at the meeting.  This gets us a ticket in the special plastic baggie and there is a prize drawn in December for those who do all 12 blocks.  There are a few over-achievers like Sharon who has all 12 done now, but can't get her tickets unless she shows them once a month like all of us.  No prize to the one who gets her quilt one first.  I admit that I am making my blocks 2-3 at a time.  Tonight I will be working on block number 4 for April and then block number 5 for May.

Still Sewing

I have been concentrating on a  pattern called "Remember 'Whoo' Loves You".  It is a basic 9-patch quilt with an appliqued owl and the words above embroidered just underneath.  I just couldn't pass it up on a recent trip to Ladybug Quilts in Manteca--here in California.  The pattern shows it done in pinks and greens, but I saw it done in scrapy 30's fabrics and it was so cute. I have a bunch of 30's left over from a project and some I just keep collecting.

Close Call

Sometimes what you see in the movies or on television comes to life.  I do have another great story about that, but last night we had a little bit of a close call.  I was driving east bound on Business 80 and was coming up to the Marconi Curve.  It is called that because the exit right before it going east or west is Marconi Avenue.  There is a tall concrete barrier between the east an west bound lanes.  As you go into the curve you can't see what is ahead.  I love the way the road is and used to take it at 65 mph--until one day there was a stalled car and I almost rear-ended it.  There is no sign that tells you to slow down, I just do now.  So, last night at 8:45pm I slowed down coming into the curve.  Thank God I did.  Just around the corner was a black SUV driving west down the east bound lanes.  He was going the wrong way in the dark!!!!!!  If I had been going faster, I wouldn't have had the time to stop and get out of the way.  A friend was in the car with me and I had her call 911.
I said a prayer of thanks, dropped off my friend and then went home and made some 9-patch blocks.  Nothing like a little sewing to soothe the soul.

Hello there

Not a good day to talk to me.  I want to be home cutting out my new quilt pattern--Remember Whoo Loves You--not here at work.  Today I get a 15 minute lunch (which I am spending whining) because no one thought to tell me that the lunch schedule has changed.  So, I spend 15 minutes looking for the class I am supposed to be in and they are at lunch.  Darn.

I went to the Manteca Quilt Show this weekend.  It was fun.  The only quilt I remember was a reproduction of the Simple Graces quilt featured on the cover of the book by Kim Diehl.  I got the book for Christmas and want to make that quilt.  Later we (my circle of friends) had lunch at a place called Johnny's.  I had a patty melt (my favorite).  I ususally try the patty melt if it is on the menu.  So far, Red Robin makes the best and most consistant, but this one was really great!  If you are in Manteca, California, be sure to go to Johnny's and there is a lovely waitress (Lacey) who was great and buy a patty melt (only $7.95 with crispy friees and you don't even have to ask the fries be crispy!!). 

There is the bell.....

So much to say

I can't believe I haven't written since January.  Let me tell you why.

In the past month I have had the worst time staying awake.  I have always been able to sleep where I must, but lately it has been almost impossible to keep my eyes open.  So, I called my doctor.  I didn't even know what to say beyond I was excessively sleepy.  This has earned me a visit to the sleep clinic at Morse Ave on Thursday, February 14th.  I came home with a device that fits on your wrist and has two wired pieces that fit on two fingers.  I was told that only if there was something really wrong, that I would hear from them or my doctor.  I slept with this thing that was no big deal except the bruise it left on the back of my hand.  No matter how much weight I carry, it isn't in my hands and the skin is thin there.  The next day I picked my daughter up from work.  I had heard how there was some kind of mask to wear that turned out to be the wrist thing, and not knowing how that would affect me, I took a medical day off from work as I had an appointment that would have made me really late for work.  So, after picking her up, my daughter and I went shopping for her.  I finally dropped her off at her apartment around 1:00-ish and went home.

As I was putting my stuff down, I get a call from Kaiser.  It is this nice woman named Sheila.  It seems my doctor wanted me to do an overnight visit at the sleep clinic and it had to be that night, February 15th.  What this means is that I go at 8:30pm to the medical building C at the hospital in Roseville.  I had to shower and shampoo my hair, but no conditioner, no lotions, no perfumes.  I could bring a pillow, but nothing else.  Sheila seemed so calm when I spoke to her.  I was thinking  that this might interfere with my plans on Saturday to get together with my friends to sew, but no--the sleeping  would be over and I would be sent home at 5:30am Saturday morning.  Funny, at 7pm, an hour before I was to leave, I noticed there were messages on the answering machine that I missed.  Message one at 10:00am was a calm Sheila asking me to call the sleep clinic.  Message two at 11:00am was a terse, "It is very important that you call (number) as soon as possible."  Message three, at noon, again from Sheila, but now she sounds paniced that I haven't called back.  I had no idea.  I was sure I wrote my cell phone number on the form at the sleep clinic and that never rang.  Hmmmm.

I went to Kaiser and did as instructed.  I was supposed to call for security to let me in as they close the doors and lock up at 8:00pm, but the doors were open.  I went up in an empty elevator to the 4th floor.  I watch too much television.  The elevator was a bit creepy to be totally alone.  I go to Neurology as told and pick up the phone.  A guy answers and meets me at the door.  He hands me a clipboard with forms to fill out.  So there I am sitting in the waiting area in Neurology all alone clutching my pillow and filling out forms.
There were questions such as did I have nightmares (not really), did I feel sleepy when I wake (no, but later yes).  When I finish, I go in and am greeted with that nasty blood pressure machine.  For those of you who have heard my woes with that machine, just go to the next paragraph.  For the rest of you, new people to feel my pain!  I don't know what is going on, but I only let my blood pressure be taken manually.  Those machines just kill me and I am bruised every darn time.  It shouldn't hurt that much to get your blood pressure taken.  When I have insisted on it being taken manually my blood pressure is always significantly lower.  So here I am and this nice guy only uses the machine.  There isn't any equipment to even insist on it being taken manually.  Of course it was high and I had another bruise  under my arm.

I answer more questions such as, are you claustrophobic?  YES!  So I get a thing with nose pillows and it is like the hospital shows where the people on oxygen have those plastic things in their nose.  There are wires attached o my head.  My hair was a mess.  I am sleepy here.  I purposely did not take a nap so I would be sleepy.  How do I know how easy it will be to sleep knowing someone is watching me.  When I was already to sleep the tech guy, Daniel, dims the lights until it is dark and over a loud speaker wishes me a good night.

Turns out I can still sleep with someone watching (and video taping) me.  I know I woke up a few times because the nose thing slipped as I moved.  I did have to use the bathroom once--you have to be unplugged.  I didn't know what the result was--just that I would get a call within the next next two weeks.  At 5:00am they wake you up and at 5:30am you are out the door.  When I got home, my husband was awake so I took him out to breakfast.

Whatever I did when I slept, I did not have to wait very long for a call.  I am now going to take the next step and have an appointment with a respiratory specialist and will use the sleeping machine for seven days while it records more data.

All this because I might have sleep apnea.  WOW!  It has been a very interesting and not unpleasant experience.  I am going to get back in the habit of writing this blog.  I set up my laptop and will keep it up.  That alone will help.  Hope you are well. 

I have already fallen off the resolution wagon

I bought a pattern--okay, I bought two patterns..  Both are so, so, so cute.  A woollie pillow with a cute bird on the front.  And I bought a snowman pattern (Birdbrain I think....).  Three red snowmen in a bucket--it's a Bunny Hill pattern.  What am I going to do with myself??  Now I need a piece of red wool.

I am sewing with Alisa again tonight, so I will have time to put a few pictures on this blog.  Come back and see the patterns I bought.

It has been a long time

So Sorry!  I can't believe that I have neglected my blog for so long!  I was really ill with a cold that just knocked me out every afternoon and early most evenings.  I have been just moving on as best I could.  I still have this darn cold (yes, I am sure it isn't the flu) and the cough that goes along with it.  I can partially blame that and I confess--I let the "sewing room" become a junk room.  Since my sewing machine is still in the kitchen, I wasn't sewing in my daughter's room, so stuff piled up in there.  That is all over now!

Beginning tonight I am spending 1 hour cleaning, sorting and giving away the junk.  I got a wonderful television for the room and I am going to enlist my son's help in setting it up on the vanity.  I bought a sewing table for the room.   I went on the blog Clover and Violet and saw how the mom had her room set up.  She had this really adorable table--very vintage--that was literally in the middle of the room.  Much in the way my friend, Kim, has hers set up.  I thought, I could do that without any problem.  I went to the Antique Trove and found out that the kind of table I would want might be costly (the one I wanted wasn't even priced yet) and there is the problem about how to deal with it when we have company and must use that room.  Then, later I was at Joann's.  There was a table (not vintage) with drawers that folded up to a small set of drawers when necessary.  The table was $189.00 and 50% off during the sale bringing the price down to $94.99.  On top of that, I would get 25% more bringing the price down to $71.25 because I have a teacher card and it was teacher appreciation weekend.  That seemed like a dream come true for the space. 

I spent the whole day on Sunday at my friend, Sandy's.  Joann's closes at 7pm on Sundays, but lucky for me--the sale and the discounts were good until Monday because it was a holiday!  On Monday I went to Joann's and found not only my table, but the rechargable Ott lights (cost $99.99) were at 50% off.  I called Sandy because she desparately wanted one.  She decided to drive down to me from downtown.  45 minutes later....I bought the table, a pillow form and a rechargable light for $118.00 with a whooping savings of $180!  Afterward, Sandy and I went to Thistle Dew Quilts to check out their wool. They did not have any that wasn't too light or too dark.  I bought a pattern and Sandy bought a pattern and we left.  We stood outside dissecting the store as usual and went our merry ways.

On Tuesday, I get this call from Sandy.  I had dropped my pattern and a construction guy (there is a ton of construction going on there!) returned it to the store.  Since I used Sandy's name to buy it, they were able to trace it to her and I went  and picked it up.  I use her name because I almost never shop there.  The owner was rude to us one time--the very first time we were in there and I am not in a forgiving kind of mood enough to shop there when I get 10% off at Quilter's Corner. 

Whew!  Must go now.  Time for my nap!

Decision Made

I decided to get another "close" fabric.  We will see how "close" it really is when I give the quilt to my friend.  I went to Quilter's Corner today--partly to get the fabric I needed and partly to see the new classes being offered.  There was a meet the teacher day with quilters showing of their class product.  One woman actually glues her fabric to a backing and then quilts tulle to the project.  It is amazing to see what she comes up with, but it isn't my thing at all.  While I was there (with my friend Sandy) Dawn helped with finding a fabric to go with autumn squares--the 2011 Saturday Square sampler squares.  The squares are all in the orange, gold and green families with a healthy bit of purple/maroon. 

While we were there at Quilter's Corner, I asked Nancy if she was at the last Saturday Square meeting.  I said I just loved the blue snowmen that were embroidered and set in a frame.  The woman who had the frame and her mother, who is the embroiderer, were both there and I was able to get the name of the pattern company--Bird Brain.  I continue the search.  I wonder if I have the pattern and only have not imagined it in blue.

What do you do?

What do you do when you don't have enough fabric to finish a project?

I am making a quilt and there is not enough fabric.  I didn't buy the fabric, so it isn't my fault, but I have to find a way to work it out.  I think I will have to introduce another fabric into the pattern to make this work. 
I have to laugh at those people who run out of a fabric and only need a quarter yard, but I am thinking that would be as annoying as this had been for me.  I need about 2.5 yards.  Unfortunately for me, this particular fabric was available in 2005.  There is VERY little chance that seven years later (yes, it has been that long that I have had this fabric and have been making this quilt oh so slowly!) I will find it. 

So, what do you do when you are in my spot?

Book Reviews and Resolutions

BOOKS:

I have been reading a lot lately.  I confess that I love to read a book--any book.  So, what am I reading?

My newest quilt book is Simple Graces by Kim Diehl.  There is one quilt that I will have to do as it is calling my name, Pie in the Sky.  It is a combination of the churn dash square and the eight pointed star.  I can see it in the 1800 reproduction fabrics.  I know it can be purchased at JoAnn's since this came to me from Santa via the Darling Daughter.  We were out at the grocery store and people were coming up to her to say hello because she is their favorite JoAnn employee.  A celebrity among us!!

For work I read a most adorable book, Shooting Kabul by N.H. Senzai.  While there is a bit of shooting with real guns as the family flees Afghanistan, the real "shooting" is done by camera.  In this story, the main character is an eleven year old boy.  As the family flees, the boy has his 6-year old sister's hand and they get separated.  The sister, Mariam, is left behind as the family is forced to make their way to the United States.  This is a book written for teenagers, but it is worth reading for all of us.  It is a window into the thinking of people we are not always familiar with.   As I was reading I was hoping that the end would not be predictable and I was happily surprised.  One part really stood out for me, even though it was only mentioned once or twice.  Obviously the parents are taking  steps to find their daughter through contacts still in Afghanistan and relatives in Pakistan, but there are other people, including the U.S. Embassy people, actively looking for this little girl.  In this family of five, she is the only one who is an American citizen.

I am halfway through Summer Rental by Mary Kay Andrews.  Three friends stay at a beach house in August.  I am reading Vintage Chic by Christina Strutt for ideas now that I have a room to decorate and the Big Book of Home Cooking by Gooseberry Patch.  Think blueberry coffee cake!

RESOLUTIONS:
 
#1   I have a cold.  I tell you this because my first resolution is to be better about my health.  I tend to just keep on going.  As I write this I am remembering that I am supposed to make an appointment because I am always sleepy and I didn't do it.  Oh well, I fell off the wagon, but I can get back on!

#2    I must get organized before I buy any more patterns.  If I was organized then I would know that even though I fell in immediate love with the quilt hanging at Quilter's Corner (Cracked Pots by Miss Rosie), that I really love the colors and that I have a very cute house quilt that Miss Rosie came out with years ago and save myself a bit of $$.  I would begin to realize that I have a thing for garden embroidery and stop buying more and more patterns.  

That is it for me!  What are you reading????