Wednesday, September 3, 2014

PROJECTS AND YOUR OPINIONS PLEASE?!


Well I've gotten a lot done in the last day and half and am feeling pretty good, so I decided to take a break for a while and put up a post.  I made quick work of putting the backing together for my civil war quilt and drove on out to the shop late yesterday morning.  The more I go to that shop, the more I like it.  The women there are my kind of women, lol.  They are friendly, nice, helpful, and always ready to chat and make suggestions and just generally talk "quilting".  And not just the gals that work there either.  It is also the other customers. And there are always plenty of them there plus other women taking classes etc. On the other hand, I can't really put my finger on what the atmosphere is at the quilt shop near me, but I have never really liked it.  The ladies seem more interested in sales, and some of them are even kind of snippy and boderline rude on occasion too.  No one is interested in chatting or in what you are working on.  Unless of course you are looking to spend money.  And it is ALWAYS and I mean ALWAYS hot in the store.  One of my biggest pet peeves.  Maybe because I am always hot, lol, but I just can't bear to be warm when I shop.  This new store is almost chilly on the other hand.  (not really, just in comparison!) Anyway, I see this being my new place to go for most of my future quilting needs.  So I met the other gal who does the quilting there this time, and I may have liked her EVEN better!  lol. (which was pretty hard to do!)  She suggested that I just do a simple stippling,  It just seems to be a more old fashioned look which goes with the Civil War I guess.  I liked the idea too.  She is a half a cent cheaper then the other gal and might have it done in two weeks, three at the most!  I was pretty excited. And then she helped me find scrapes of fabric that I needed to make Sam's birthday shirt and charged me only two dollars.  And then, she helped me select the fabric to use for the Christmas fairies I am going to embroider for my Christmas quilt.  All in all, a VERY productive trip. Soo then I made a few more stops to get other things I needed to do my projects and got home and decided to jump right onto to doing Sam's shirt. Mistake...lol.  Here's where the day took a nose dive.  First of all it was already almost 4 and I was kind of tired.  Plus, applique work is definitely not my favorite thing to do.  I LOVE the way it looks, but I guess maybe I am not very good at it or something.  I frequently make mistakes.  So much so that I usually buy two shirts when I am going to make one, anticipating a mistake, lol. Thank goodness this time was no exception.  I go to an outlet store so the shirts are only 2.99.  Not that I like to waste them, but I tell myself I am still practicing. And the "mistakes" make great dust cloths thank goodness.  Anyway, after TWO long hours (yes it was 6 at this point, and NO I had NO dinner ready!) I was finally done.  I don't know what's wrong with me. Maybe it's because different companies do their appliques differently or something, or I can never totally remember the procedure.  I made SEVERAL blunders.  But it was done, looked good, was centered perfectly, and I was happy.  But then!!  I was cutting away the stabilizer off the back of the shirt when I cut a hole in the shirt!!  Yes, a full on hole!!  I could have burst into tears.  (not really, I am always a little dramatic!).  Soo I walked away from the machine.  And the WHOLE mess too.  Just left it ALL laying right there mocking me.  I called and got hubby to stop and pick us something up for dinner (a saint!) and spent the rest of the night planted on the couch in front of the TV, lol.  This morning I tried again and this time everything fell into place.  The shirt came out really cute.  I intend to make him a pair of PJ bottoms to wear with this shirt and he can use it for jammies for a while till it gets too chilly.  I sent a picture of it over to Mel to show him and he was soo excited! Wanted to put it on RIGHT NOW!  Made everything worth it, lol. Then since things had gone so well I decided to go ahead and make a couple of my fairies.  They will finish on a 10 and half by 10 and half square which is to be the center of the block.  I have not gotten the fabric yet for the rest of the quilt as I wanted to see how I was going to do the fairies first.  The fabric is kind of a creamy off white.  Maybe you'd call if Ivory.  The designs are done with a single thread and I have used two different variegated kinds.  One is primarily green with a little bit of burgundy red in it, and the other is primarily gold with a little bit of yellow and burgundy in it as well.  I can't decide what to do.  I might make ALL of the fairies the same, or I might make them half the green and half the gold.  Any opinions are welcome.   They are soo cute, and they are soo quick and easy.  One whips together in about 10 minutes if that.  Let me show you everything...

SAM WILL BE 3 OF COURSE, AND THE THEME OF HIS PARTY IS TRACTORS...HIS FAVORITE THING IN ALL THE EARTH RIGHT NOW, LOL

THIS IS THE ONE WITH THE GOLD VARIEGATED THREAD 

AND THIS IS THE GREEN....THE COLOR IS HORRIBLE IN THESE PICTURES OF COURSE, SO YOU DO HAVE TO USE YOUR IMAGINATION A LITTLE BIT.  THE DESIGNS ARE DARLING THOUGH I THINK.  

I am anxious to get the fabric for the rest of the quilt and get this one put together.  I have wanted a Christmas quilt just forever it seems, and I am pleased it looks like it is finally going to happen.  Diane is coming over tomorrow and we are going to hopefully finish up her quilt.  I think it has come out just darling!  I am going to attempt to quilt it myself for her (or show her how) and I am really hoping that it is not a mistake.  It is small enough though and I think a simple 1/4 inch seam from all of the seams will look really good.  Will see.  Hope your all having a good week.  Still haven't adjusted to it being Wednesday already. This week is really going fast.  Blessings and simply joy to you all!  Debbie

15 MONTH CHECK-UP AND SHOTS FOR LUKE YESTERDAY.  THIS LITTLE GUY WEIGHS IN AT 24 POUNDS AND 10 OUNCES AND IS 33 INCHES TALL!  THIS PUTS IN THE 95 PERCENTILE FOR HEIGHT!  SUCH A BIG BOY.  AND ALWAYS HAPPY AND BUSY.  HOW GRANDMA LOVES HIM!

6 comments:

  1. I like Sam's tractor. The other designs are good too. I have to agree with you about quilt stores. I have had the same experiences. One store I just left because I felt so weird and anther I felt like they were just hustling me.
    Oh then the weirdest store of all was like they acted like they didn't want me to buy fabric at all. I never did figure out what they were about. There are a couple more I need to check out. I am so glad you found one with such nice people.
    It looks you have been so busy.

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  2. I know exactly what you mean about the difference in stores. The friendly atmosphere (and chilled out temperatures...) make it TOTALLY worth the extra time and distance. I decided 2 1/2 years ago that I was just too *fifty* to put up with salespeople who didn't get the concept that I was their customer. If the vibe is bad in a store, I will avoid it like the plague. Walmart is a necessary evil but I try to stay away as much as possible even there.

    I would never have guessed that appliques were difficult for you because you do so many adorable things. I love the little tractor, and I would love the fairies too.

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  3. I love the shirt and the fairies. Both are adorable. Luke is a real cutie! You are a blessed grandma!

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  4. I love the applique, I remember when I use to do that....so longggggggggggg ago.
    The angels are great. I have a quilt I need to send the pattern to you and see if you like it, it just looks like you and your grands.
    Have a good weekend.

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  5. What an adorable applique! That shirt is SO Sam!

    Is the green variegated, too? It's hard to tell for sure if the color is off, but I think I'd be leaning toward the green. Green would just feel more Christmasy to me.

    Hope you had a wonderful day with Diane.

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I am so glad that you would take the time to comment on my thoughts and feelings, it is such a blessing to me!