Turtle Quilt

Here is the quilt i am giving my brother's son (lil Eric). I am planning on bring it on Monday, his birthday is April 10th. I still need to echo quilt around the turtle and add the eyes, and the label on the back.. This one was so much work... If i get to work i can show you the two bags and some of the blocks.. Hasta for now!

Discovery Center Wallhanging "Smokey"

I know you might have already seen this, but i thought i should share.. I'd love to have one of these in our cabin.

Saturday Afternoon Nature Walk

Here i am again.. I hope you're not bored! 1/2 hour ago we took a drive and exploring walk in a new area, there's still a lot of snow. This is near Bolder Bay.

Friday Evening Hike

Here's a picture of us. Usual hiking place, this time we hiked close to the top. It was fun setting the camera and making a dash! I do plan on posting some pictures of my block progress and projects - completed!! Besides-- these side bars i post.

Marcel the Cookie Monster

I wanted to share this picture with my gal friends. I picked him up from daycare and his routine is to play in different areas of the yard. This time he picked hanging out on the front wall, eating his animal cookies.. I love this boy!!

Done with 80 glued squares!

I'm done gluing, now i have to piece together these bad boys.. I think i'll make these this weekend in Big Bear. I also have other things that i can finish or continue my madness. I am going to attempt to make 2 more market bags for my girls. Bind the turtle quilt and continue working on a quilt i started in Beverly's class over 5 years ago.. it's gorgous!!
By the way Laura McWilliams told me Beverly's husband died on Sunday and she came to class on Monday.. WoW!
Keep posting.. I'll up date with picture when i'm done with my lesson 2..
love you!!
Ellie

Pinwheels ... oh my!!!

Okay ... I've started working on the pinwheels with the No-Sew fabric glue ... only 76 more to go!!!

Ready for class tomorrow - lesson #2

Okay ... I have all my fabric cut for Lesson #2-Block #3 ... whew!!!! Looking forward to seeing what Ricki has to teach us tomorrow. See you all there!!!

Evening Hike

Take a look at us, our little family. During the day it was kinda warm, during our hike it was more like 50 degrees, perfect weather. I love Big Bear!! I'll share a picture of Peadee when i remember..

Market Bag

Here's a picture of the bag i started and finished in one night. It's Jenny's, easy and fun. I'm getting more of this type of fabric, nice medium weight.

Block #2

This is my third block and it came out the best so far. I took Eleana's advice and for the last two (2) pieces I decreased the seam allowance a tad to get closer to the finished size of 6 1/2 inches. Only nine (9) more to go!

Heading for the Mountains...

It feels like Friday and only hump day! I have packed and heading out. I brought with me so many unfinished projects, thinking i might get a little closer to completion on each. (need to free up some basting pins) I am going to attempt to make Thada Mae's Market Bag. Went to a shop in Redondo Beach it's called the, "Cotton Shop", in many ways a lot better than a quilt store. Had many fabrics you might not see in a quilt shop. I saw Valori Wells, and a lot of the new and up and coming fabric designers. All with funky floral fabrics. I have purchased a heavier weight for the Market Bag, so we'll see how i do.. Kinda out of my comfort zone, but it's all good..
Enjoy what you're doing and have fun!
Here's a picture of the many joys in my life!

Getting Started on Blocks #1 & #2

Well ... finally on Sunday night I started cutting out the fabric pieces (some so very tiny) for block #1 and #2. And I have the #1 blocks (all 4) done but none are exactly 6 1/2 " !!!! But all are very close. Not sure if i'll try to redo one of them and see if I can get closer to 6 1/2" ... we'll see. I will begin sewing #2 blocks (there are 12) today, Tuesday. Wish me luck ... no ... no ... say a prayer for me!!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Well, here i am at almost midnight.
Tired as heck, but not sleepy.
I have finished cutting my fabric for Sunday, thank heaven. That took forever to finish!
I will be posting some pictures of my little vacation to Big Bear once again, he,he.. No green furry things around my neck this next time.
I brought out my mystery quilt #1 with Ricki, i looked at the date.. 2005 crazy! I'm so bad, well, i don't even have 1/2 done or cut. So, i have taken it out and will begin to continue making my blocks and hopefully Ricki will help me assemble and if i have questions she'll know what to do. I am not happy with my choice of fabrics, i pulled what i had (big mistake). When it's a mystery, you just don't know what it's going to turn out to be. I love that we have purchased a complete kit and fabric color and choices have been picked out. So, if it's not good, it's not our fault, he,he...
Post baby post!!

I made a purse !!!!

I was so excited about taking the purse class and I had bought all the supplies (I already had the books with the instructions) that I went ahead and made a purse on my own last Saturday and it came out really nice ... see ... I still plan to take the class and I'll just make another purse!!! Finally I was able to upload the picture successfully!!!

One More Day!

One more day of work! I am taking a week off for Spring Break, i will accomplish a lot of things. One is the cutting for our next lesson. I might convince myself we should go out of town for a day or so. No horrible pictures of me today. Please post, i want to see things made or unmade by you.
Melissa, post your purse. I will be taking a purse class with Melissa at the Tallmouse on April 3rd, I'm excited!
I'll keep checking up on you gals...

Proof I went to Big Bear

Sebastian took this picture of me as we were leaving Big Bear. I said, got to take a picture as proof. The green scarf was made and given to me by my mother-in-law.. I love it! So, as we were driving down the hill, 330 was closed (an accident) at the 330 & 18. Little did we know that a few yards down there was fog. I have never seen fog so bad, we couldn't see in front of our nose. It was scary, took us 2 hours to get down the hill. Took us one hour to get up the hill on Friday. Yippy!

So, I worked on the 2 year old quilt that needed the 2 borders, finished it.. Feels good!

I worked on a cloth book for one of my little grand babies. I also worked on a quilt called Twisted 20, got all the blocks done, ready to put together in my Monday friendship group. The fabric was donated by Valori Wells (she designed it), to create a charity quilt. I'm working on getting it finished and sent to Kathy Mills, she said she'd quilt it for me. Gotta find a great cause.

Hump Day!

It's official on Wednesdays you can start planning your weekend. So, I am are planning on going to Big Bear (almost for sure). Well, we HAVE to go! It's suppose to snow Thursday, Friday and Saturday.. YES! Great weather for quilting. I also try and cook special foods and different.
What shall i work on?
I can put the borders on a quilt that i have been working on for 2 years.
I can machine quilt the turtle quilt for my nephew (Lil Eric). Pinned and ready to go!
I can make another "Happy Birthday" banner, that was so much fun!
Bring out another unfinished quilt :)
Almost done with the cutting for Harvest Song lesson 2!

Went Home and Checked!

Yesterday in our Monday night class Kathy noticed she was sewing her blocks in the wrong direction , she caught it in time. I went home and checked mine, can't believe they were all right! So, look at the picture each time you add a strip. Go in the direction it tells you, i can't believe it did it right! Still 1/2 to go on the cutting of lesson 2. There are 20 blocks in that lesson, WOW!

Email from Ricki, she said i could post it!

Hello all,
I really enjoyed meeting all the new class members last Sunday, and also seeing lots of familiar faces back for more fun! We will have an interesting 10 months together as we all (I am making the new version too!) build our beautiful quilts. Yes, it is a lot of work each month, but no one will be checking to see if you have completed each section by the next class, so just work at your own pace and have fun!
I really did stress a "SCANT quarter inch" for accuracy so your quilt will go together easily at the end. We just got our shipment of "Purple Thangs", so if you have been waiting to start, you can visit the quilt shop to purchase one. Remember that the sewing line should be just UNDER THE EDGE of the 1/4" top of the Purple Thang, not outside of it. Do make one single block first, instead of chain piecing all of them, and check that it measures 6 1/2"--very important. If you don't own a 6 1/2" square ruler, I recommend you treat yourself--it just makes things so much easier. AND, when you finish with Month Two, you will have a "top" that measures exactly 36 1/2" square--YES--life is good!
I did a lot of talking and demonstrating at our first meeting, sharing as many cutting and stitching tips as I could. I won't be so long-winded at our next meetings, but I will be happy to repeat for anyone who needs extra help--just ask. My plan is to point out the tricks and shortcuts in that month's directions, and to demonstrate the block. At that point I would suggest that everyone make at least one block to be sure I have answered your questions. You may stay and sew at each class, or not--it's up to you. The first two months are very easy. The fifth month, our June meeting, is a real "doozy"--you will definitely want to make one block in class. Don't worry--it is a beautiful block--just a very strange construction--you will be so proud to have tackled it!
I will be happy to answer any questions you have--just e-mail me at rickily@aol.com and I will get back to you ASAP. That being said, my "upgraded " AOL account is giving me fits, and I plan to change it soon. I will let you know my new e-mail when that happens.
Happy Quilting!
Ricki BremerTall Mouse Arts and Crafts