Kittens! (and puppies)

 Well, take a look and count again!  Now there are FIVE!  When I checked on her before lunch yesterday, there was another kitten.  She is definitely done now.  They are all fat and Mabel seems to be a good mother.  The plan is to move them to the outside shed today.

And Willow introduced herself.  She doesn't normally go up or down the stairs in the house, but made it down to check on Mabel.  I think she's missing Mabel.  So, every time she comes in, she heads down to check on them.

She puts her nose right in on the kittens and Mabel lets her.  I'm not sure Friday's attention would be so well received.

And speaking of Friday, he's a jumper!  He doesn't jump on people (yet), but is so excited to see people that he literally jumps up and down in front of them.  I challenged David to get out the dog jump Sarah had made as a 4-H project and see if he could train Friday to jump over it.

He really doesn't even take a run at it, just jumps up and over (well, most of the time he makes it over).

As to the quilting, I have 2 Slam Dunk basketball quilts to hand bind (I started on one last night but fell asleep under it before I got very far).  I finished quilting a wall hanging and need to get the binding machine sewn on it so it can join the hand binding que.  I finished piecing the Love Stinks quilt that I had cut to do at retreat but never got around to.  It needs to have binding made and a backing and batting cut.  I have some scraps to cut up and put away from that.  Am planning to sweep and mop the sewing room today and maybe break out a new cutting mat!

Christi

Quilting Catch Up

 Let me catch you up on some things from the sewing room.  I finally finished my jelly roll rug.  I think it turned out pretty well.

Mabel used her pregnant girth to help flatten it out.

And I was challenged to take a picture of my sewing table exactly as it was to post on Sew Sweet's facebook page.  Here was my photo.  I'm working on an Adventure Sling Bag.

Earlier in the week, I did some quilting.  This baby quilt is now finished and ready to be gifted to a baby coming in the fall.

And Waddles got quilted!  I still think this might be one of the cutest quilts I've made.  I'm planning to hang this above my piano in the spring.  I have discovered that having a larger quilt hanging there helps absorb the sound when I have a "pounder" at the bench for lessons.  And, it's just stinkin' cute!

And we're still waiting on kittens................

Still laying down to eat which Esme finds rude and unlady like.  

Willow has been lending support (although there are some who believe this is just a ruse to get to spend time inside when it's hot.).

And the hubs has been working on a new project.  This is his first completion.  One wonders why the hog farmer chose a cow as his first subject, but it's really cute, so I'm keeping that thought to myself.

Stashbusters, an online quilting group I'm in, is having a stay at home retreat this weekend, so maybe I'll have lots more show and tell soon!

Christi

P.S.  I typed this post early and have an update..............Mabel is now a mother.  She has four beautiful kittens!  I was working in the sewing room late last night and when cleaning up a little before 10 noticed some spots on my cutting mat (never fear, it's been thoroughly sanitized).  I started hunting for Mabel and found her on the rug in front of the kitchen sink.  We moved her to a nice padded box in the basement for the night.  Here is your first peek at the kittens!

Day of Adventure

 My car has been in the shop all week (supposed to be done today).  So I've been dependent on the Hubs for transport in the farm truck.  I was in need of some quilting thread and suggested a trip to Hunter's Quilt Mart by way of Red Shanty Roadside BBQ in Higginsville (yes, I know how to get a trip to a quilt shop.....offer BBQ!).  

I was a little concerned about leaving for the main part of the day since Willow has been living through this heat wave INSIDE most of the time.  Right before we planned to leave, David got out the little wading pool and put water in it.  I came out to the deck and said, "Oh, that's awesome!  A way for the puppies to cool down."  His response, "No, this is a birthing tub for Mabel.  I'm gonna put her in it to have kittens."  Yeah right!  No, we don't have kittens yet.

We had an amazing lunch and got way too much food.  They give such big portions.  We had 2 bags of the homemade chips and part of a sandwich to bring home.  Right across the road, there was a kid selling sweet corn.  So, we stopped and got a half dozen ears.  I didn't want too much as ours should be ready in 10 days or so.  (Are you keeping track of what's in the truck so far?  2 bags of chips, a sandwich, and 6 ears of sweet corn............remember, this is the farm truck, already filled with all sorts of questionable things and it's not an extended cab.)

Then the quilt shop.  I looked everything over well and was able to get the 4 spools of thread on my list.  Then back to Warrensburg where we stopped at Alwells meats to get some of our favorite pineapple brats.  Well, there was a sale, buy 4 packages and get the fifth free!  You know we couldn't turn that down, and a couple bags of Hemme Brothers cheese curds made it into the sack as well.  Then I realized that Warrensburg has a Hy-Vee!  And it was spend $60 and get a 40-cent per gallon gas reward!  And I hadn't been to the store all week since the car was in the shop, so then came the skill drill of fitting $60 worth of groceries into the truck.

In Sedalia, we stopped at QC Supply to pick up the fan blades the hubs had ordered.  Fortunately those could go in the back.  As we were leaving Sedalia, my phone ran and it was the local newspaper calling to say I had won something in a contest they had (I sort of remember entering) and could I stop by to pick up my prize.

This cooler full of goodies was the prize!  It was really exciting until we realized we had to fit it in the truck.  Needless to say, we had to work together to see out the side windows to get home.

After unpacking all the groceries and putting stuff away, I unpacked the cooler to look at my loot!  What fun!  

And we're thinking there might be a small leak on the pool.  At least it's a slow one.  And that was the day's adventure!

Christi

Quilt Retreat

 My guild held our spring (actually summer) retreat last Friday and Saturday.  I got to sew for about 10 hours on Friday and 6 on Saturday.  I did get quite a lot done..............

This top is called Spangled, pattern by Kim Diehl.  I had cut this at the end of the year last year and started sewing but sort of lost my mojo for it.  Then a couple of weeks ago, I saw on Bonnie Hunter's blog that someone at her retreat center was working on it and I was re-inspired.  This is how the pattern leaves it, but I have lots of these scraps left, so am planning to add some sort of pieced border.

This is a pattern called Dan's Journey that I had picked up at the Gathering.  It is made from the scraps from the Spangled quilt (I still have a tub of scraps).  Those little stars finish at 3".  It needed two borders added to it which are done now and it's in the quilting que.

This is a pillow (18") that I am making for Sarah.  The deer fabric is called Fireside and it is furry.  It is also stretchy which made this not as fun to do.  It's all quilted now and made into a pillow, and is just awaiting a pillow form.

And I felt I should work on something seasonally appropriate...........

It's now complete and awaiting to be gifted to the person who always hosts us for a July 3rd cookout and fireworks.

I worked on another quilt, but only got a few snowball blocks done, so no photos yet.  On Sunday, I worked on putting the borders on Dan's Journey under the watchful eyes of my sewing supervisors.  I don't know how I managed to sew for 2 days without them!  Maybe that's how I got so much done?

So, another retreat is in the books!

Christi

Quilt Show Review

 David and I attended the Kansas City Regional Quilt Festival last Thursday.  Several guilds go together to put on this show.  It's in the convention center in Overland Park, so is big, with lots quilts and lots of vendors.  We had to park in the overflow lot which was 2 miles from the convention center and then catch a shuttle back.  The shuttle only held 24 people and I was #24, so David waited behind to catch the next one.  There were over 80 people in line for the shuttle.  Some just gave up and called Uber.

So here were the quilts I found photoworthy.

I just loved this penguin family.

I liked the modern feel and the quilting in these 2.

I only took a picture of this one because it was round and was quilted in the round.  I wouldn't want this quilt and would never make it but I respect the work that went into it.

And who doesn't love a balloon animal!

And this one was incredible.  I am very intrigued by these quilts.

And I liked this quilt with different quilt blocks done in greens as potted plants.

I thought Sarah would enjoy this one.

And this Harry Potter one!

And another pictorial quilt that reminded me of my recent trip to the beach.

And this one was adorable.

And this guy was amazing!  He looked so real and had the most intense gaze.  Someone standing next to me mentioned that he looked so cool he should have shades.

But these ladies were wearing the shades.

And some goats in pajamas!  I would make this one!

Puppy dogs with three dimensional ears...........

A close up of the ears.  I wouldn't make this one.

And for the sports fans..................Chiefs!

And Royals.............

And some more that I just liked.

I would love to be able to do something like this next one.

We both really liked this one.  It totally looked like Willow.  We found a kit to make it at one of the vendors, but at $419, David said it was a good thing I had the real dog at home so we wouldn't need to make a quilt of her.

And these last 2 should look familiar.  This was the pattern I did as my challenge project last year, The Mobius Radial.

I didn't care for the quilting on the top one, but liked the way the blue changed shades on the bottom one.

And that was our day.  We spent some time (and money) at the vendors, but made no large (size) purchases because of the shuttle situation.  We had a very late lunch at a BBQ place David had picked out and then stopped at Cold Stone on the way home.  It was a good day!

Christi