Last UFO and Retreat!

 I finished my last UFO for 2024 in August before going to the Missouri Star Retreat in Hamilton.  I had made a list of all of my unfinished projects at the beginning of the year.  I have done this for the last few years, but this is the first time I got everything on the list completed.  Last year I worked really hard and got all but one completed.  That made it possible to get everything done this year.  I took the quilt to Hamilton with me to photograph it there since it was a Missouri Star pattern called Solstice.

This quilt was also part of my goal to work on curved seams in 2024.  I was really happy with how it turned out.

While at the retreat, I also pieced another Missouri Star pattern with curved seams called River Path.

I pieced the center at the retreat and then added the black border when I got back home.  I was really happy with how this turned out.  I love the striped binding as well.  This hung in the quilt show and now it's headed to Sarah's house to hang there.

I also pieced the blocks for a quilt called Marbled Cheesecake while at the retreat.  This one is now waiting to be quilted.

Another person from Florida who was at the retreat shared this quilt that she had pieced.  

We got to tour the quilt museum in Hamilton.  This was the most unusual quilt.  You had to stand across the room to see Einstein.

One of the workshops at the retreat was for this quilt called Into the Woods.  I pieced the entire thing at the retreat.  I love this quilt.  The sample quilt was made in Christmas flannels, but I went with a fall vibe.

I got it quilted and finished in time for the quilt show.

I did a mystery project at the retreat.  It was this table runner.  I made one in patriotic fabrics and one in fall fabrics.  

The retreat was fun and I'm really glad I did it.  

Christi

Cats, kittens, birds, chickens!

Last Monday, we got a call from one of my piano students.  The hubs took the call and brought the phone to me in the basement.............she had found a little kitten and it needed a home.  Well, of course, Christi's house for wayward cats opened it's doors (I figure the Hubs had a chance to say no thanks and not even tell me about the call).  So this little gal arrived at our house that evening.

4th of July and Summer Half Gone!

It's hard to believe the summer is half over............

Cici had to inspect the fireworks we picked up after the 4th for DD to shoot off this past weekend.  

Since the roommate who takes care of Jason was coming home with her, Jason came for the weekend too.  I admit that I missed him, but by the end of the weekend, we were all ready for him to go back to college.  He's there for 3 more weeks until summer school is over and will then be back with us for about 3 weeks.  The hubs, Cici, and I aren't sure we can take it.

We did eat our first sweet corn yesterday............I consumed 5 ears in 2 meals.  I'm going to have to start pacing myself!

Beware the Ides of March

I can't believe we are already to the middle of the month!  I was working with some basket weavers this past weekend and commented on the Ides of March and they had no idea where the phrase came from.  My inner English teacher sprang to life and had to impart some literary wisdom about the famous quote from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.  So now we are all on the lookout for "bad" things happening.

NOT bad things............

 Andi's basket is turning out beautifully........she has added the leather handles and has it ready to rim.

In like a lamb???

I can't quite believe it's March!  I can't decide if we are getting Lion or Lamb weather today.  It's very windy, but at least it's sunny.  

It has been a long week.  The hubs did have the flu.  It was pretty quiet around the house as he just didn't feel like talking for several days, and now is still coughing (and talking leads to coughing), so I have been thankful for Jason and Cici.  I did spend 3 nights sleeping in the spare room, which was sad since hubby felt so bad.  I did get to sleep under a different quilt though!  And, I discovered where Cici spends the night...........on the spare bed.  I think she was quite glad to see hubby improve and me move out of her bed.

We enjoyed some warmer days this week.  However, this seems to have awakened the lady bugs.

Cici did her best to corral them for me.  

PIP!! (projects in progress)

Not as much sewing got done this weekend because we started working on 4-H basket projects

This is Andi.  She is working on a large basket that will have black leather side handles.  We both loved the base which was filled in with filler spokes.

She actually got much further than this, I just didn't get a photo.  We spent quite a lot of time designing the color pattern she will weave up the sides.

Progress

So, while the government shut down, lots of progress was made on quilting projects over the weekend...........ok, I really don't know how these 2 things are related except that unlike the government, I kept on working!

At our Smith Chapel work day, I pieced the pineapple kit I had received at retreat the previous weekend.  It was my first adventure with freezer paper piecing - used on the top of the pineapple - and I have to say that I liked it!  Amazing, when I have hated any paper piecing method I have tried previously!  I may even try it again!  

The Interloper

I don't know if anyone remembers the short story "The Interlopers" by Saki (yes, I was an English teacher), but 2 men get trapped while hunting on a piece of land they both believe is theirs.........there has been a big dispute over this land.  While waiting in the snow to be found by members of their families, they continue the argument.  Finally, they are found - by wolves..........the moral makes you question who the true interlopers are.  Anyway, I have been thinking about this in regard to Jason 2.0.  I'm sure Cici believes he is the interloper as do I much of the time.  We are about ready for the wolves to find him.

He found his way inside the washing machine this week.

Aloha! from Quilt Retreat!!!

So I'm still doing good at one of my New Year's resolutions...........my fabric scraps are getting cut up and stored appropriately, BUT I haven't been blogging like I intended too.  I guess 1 out of 2 isn't bad..............but, I'm hoping for better.

This past weekend was our quilt retreat at Sew Sweet Quilt Shop and retreat center in Brunswick.  It was wonderful.  We tried to think warm thoughts and get lots of sewing done while having amazing fun!

Here is a photo of the grass skirt competition!  There was also a family feud game, strip poker (2.5" fabric strips - I won the pot twice!), door prizes, Hawaiian quilting and freezer paper piecing demonstrations,and lots of great food!

Happy Birthday!!!

Well, yesterday was my birthday!  Look what I got for my birthday...........

Note the bow on the step...........truly makes it a gift, don't you think????

Catching Up Again!!!

I can't believe it has been so long since I have posted!  I have been busy with many different projects and just didn't seem to get around to it.  Also, there are so many vacation photos that it was a little overwhelming trying to decide what to share, so I'm still putting it off until another post.

First off, let me say that I have been in the sewing room a little.  I did some straightening and organizing, and looked over my UFO list for 2017.  I'm proud to say that when I show my Civil War quilt at our December meeting I will have completed everything on the list.  My New Year's Resolution for the year was to finish more quilt projects than I start.  With that UFO list being complete, you'd think I had achieved that.  But when I starting finding projects and listing them on my 2018 list, I have almost twice as many UFO's to put on the list as last year!  How did this happen????

Well...........

Here are the blocks I completed as part 1 of Bonnie Hunter's new On Ringo Lake mystery project.  However I'm way behind on the second clue.  I have all of the pieces cut, but have only had time this week to sew one seam!  And the next clue comes out tomorrow!

And here is the Bonnie Hunter leader/ender project I started in July.  I just need to get the blocks sewn together and then add borders.  I need to purchase a little fabric for the first border and then I plan to add a scrappy border.  I had these blocks all laid out nicely, but Cici has had a week or more to romp through them, so it will take some work to get them ready to sew together again.


Speaking of Cici, she is working her way through the varying stages of Christmas..........

Putting up decorations...........

Taking down decorations.............

And then she moved on to simply rolling around on the quilted tree skirt and getting it all wadded up.  (It is quilted, so she just can't pass up any opportunity to get on or under a quilt!)  Then, she started removing decorations from the big tree.  The hubs told me that if I'd just get some packages under the tree, she'd probably leave everything alone!  (ok, great idea, but first I had to SHOP, then make tags, then make fabric bags to wrap stuff in, etc.)  So, last night I handed him several gifts in boxes with the tags made out and said put these in a fabric (reusable!) gift bag, tie it closed, and tie on the tag.  He did.  NOW Cici is entertaining herself by eating the curling ribbon!  (We've experienced this before and know that it takes about a week for ribbon to "pass".)  

We did have 2 wonderful Thanksgiving dinners.  Our neighbors invited us to their house on Thanksgiving night for turkey dinner.  It was great since we had just arrived home from Florida in the early afternoon.    I made pies that afternoon, squash, pecan, cherry and 

Chocolate Meringue!

We needed those pies for dinner for 11 at our house at noon on Friday.

We had a wonderful time sharing a day after Thanksgiving meal with family!

I'm planning to catch up a little on some things this weekend.
Christi

Goals!

I'm so excited............an ENTIRE day at home!  I have 3 goals for the day:
1.  Banana Bread
2.  Blog
3.  Sew with Cici

We can check off number 1.  I made banana bread first thing this morning.  DD loves banana bread (I put chocolate chips in mine), and requested some.  We are heading to Rolla on Sunday for a short visit so will take it to her.  She wants us to go to church and hear the bell choir (which means an early morning for us since church starts at 9!).  Then we'll take her to lunch and to Walmart (ugh!) and visit just a little before heading back.  She has 3 big tests so needs most of the afternoon for studying.  We'll stop for a short visit with cousins on the way back and also at a REAL (not Walmart) grocery store in Columbia.

While the banana bread was baking, I spent some time cleaning up emails and watched 3 Missouri Star Tutorials!!!!  There are so many things I want to make.  AND, fellow guild member and friend Gina told me that I NEEDED to start more things so I would have more UFO's for my list next year!  Remember that New Year's resolution about finishing more things than I started?  Well, I think it was successful because I have about cleared the UFO list.  Everything on my list of things started before the beginning of the year is either finished or off to be quilted!  

So, what am I working on?

The Eclipse is OVER!!!!!

Yes, I survived the eclipse and all of the activities at the community center and museum.  Due to the cloudy weather, not all of the planes came in........none of the jets showed, but this helicopter did.  

And lots of other small planes as well.  

We had a huge crowd and everyone seemed to have a good time.  We have deemed it a success because just before totality, the clouds parted and we did get to see it!

I was in charge of carving the shark watermelon for the brunch.  As I was working on the teeth, I wondered if this was how my dental hygienist feels?!  I even massaged some fruit fresh into his teeth and gums to help prevent plaque buildup.  It was definitely a hit at the brunch.  

Fortunately someone texted me a photo, because I didn't get to take any photos that morning.

DD did make it back to school............here is the last morning at home, with Jason, her favorite kitten.

Both he and Cici seem to be having "Sarah" withdrawals.  Cici has gone back to attacking the stuffed animals and knocking them down the stairs.  I have been letting Jason in when I am home.  He's a good sleeper!

And yawner!

I got my red nine patch quilt back from quilting.  Cici immediately put her stamp of approval on the quilt.  

There's nothing like a good stretch on a quilt!

The binding is all finished now.

Since I wasn't home to make eclipse food, I made alien jello cups for DH on Wednesday.  They were pretty cute.

We also had a "date night" in the sewing room Thursday night.  (We've had date nights where we drive to all the corn fields and check moisture, so I figured we were due for date night in the sewing room.)  He helped me lay out and trim some battings for quilts to be quilted.  He even did a little ironing!  Then Friday, he took me to Columbia to shop for piano music for my students, and to purchase a backing and batting for another quilt.  He found the perfect flannel for a backing.  I just need to get it sewn together now.  

I am actually working on this blog while we are waiting in the ICU at Boone Hospital.  DH's mother is here.  We found her unconscious on the floor last night and they took her to Columbia via air evac.  She had gotten choked on something and passed out.  We were lucky to find her when we did.  She has food particles in her lungs, so they are doing a procedure now to remove them.  She will probably be here a few days.  DH's siblings are all trapped in Texas now due to the hurricane flooding.  When it rains, it pours!  Literally!

We are in charge of the feeding of the cats at their house now.  I snapped this photo of the cute little kittens hiding in the flower bed.

So, even though the eclipse is over, I am still looking for a little down time.  I did get some cleaning done and went through my closet to purge it of clothes that don't fit.  I'm also really missing DD and all the house cleaning she did over the summer.  Dusting is next up on my list.  I didn't dust all summer!

Have an amazing week! Christi

Gettin' Stuff Done!

It was a busy week!  David's sister was here from Texas, my parents visited and stayed 2 nights, and we had all the usual stuff to do.  My mom, dad, and I spent Wednesday on the road.  We stopped at Joyce's fabric shop in Pilot Grove.  Mom had been wanting to go there ever since I told her about my first trip.  She loved the place!

This is my Stash Enhancement eXperience from the visit!  All that fabric for less than $25.  The gold fabric next to the gray has a flaw in it, so I got the piece for $1.50/yard.  I'll just be careful to cut around the flaw when I'm piecing!  The second piece from the left is my favorite.  Now I'm trying to think up some project to use it in.

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July!  I know this is a day late again, but the hubs was using the computer all evening last night for farm stuff, so I was put on hold.  He spent the day weighing 1200 pigs, so there was a good deal of data to work with last night.

We spent the weekend in Bethany with my family and another family who had lived in Bethany when we were growing up.  They had 4 kids and we all went to the same church and just spent a lot of time together until they moved away.  We hadn't seen them in over 20 years, so it was fun to get together, meet the kids of the kids, and reminisce.  

We were actually gone for 3 days and 2 nights!  I wasn't sure that DD would make it since she had to leave her favorite kitten at home!

Oopsie!

Here it is, TUESDAY, and I didn't get my blog done on Monday!  How did that happen????  I guess I'm going to blame it on the new kittens that were born Sunday night.  I spent a good deal of time yesterday (when I wasn't doing the things I HAD to do) just sitting by the box watching them.  There are 6 beautiful babies!  

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

Well, DD headed back to school yesterday after spring break.  I think she was a little lost during the week with no set schedule.  She helped me lay out the batting and backing for my En Provence quilt which is finally ready to go to the quilter...........2724 pieces!  These really aren't my colors, so I'm hoping that the time the quilt spends with the quilter will make me like it better.........absence makes the heart grow fonder!  Hopefully!

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day to all!  I made DH homemade angel food cake (Great Aunt Mildred's recipe) this afternoon and fixed fresh strawberries to go with it.  I also did some chocolate covered strawberries!  We have a quilt guild meeting tomorrow night, so I'm planning to take DH out to eat Mexican prior to the meeting.  I invited him to the meeting since it's Valentine's Day, but he declined.

Romance is in the air.  DD came home this weekend to try on her maid of honor dress for a wedding she's in on March 4th.  I had to alter it a little and wanted her to try it on before I clipped curves, etc.  Now I need to hem the slip she's wearing.  We also practiced a hairstyle.

Happy New Year!!!

Where to begin?????

Christmas and its many activities has come and gone and 2017 is here!  I did start a new job at the chiropractor's office, but discovered that it just wasn't going to work.  While I really enjoyed the work, I was experiencing lots of foot pain (have had foot trouble before, but not for a long time) from standing from 8-6 every day.  So, I gave notice and am now currently staying at home this week.  I may be returning to work part time at the Martin Community Center.  In the meantime, I'm gearing up for piano lessons to start next week, both at MVC where I will have 2 students and here at home, where I may have as many as 9.  

In early December, David and I participated in Journey to Bethlehem, a joint effort put on by 2 local churches.  The set design was amazing.

I was the village basket weaver.  Here is my station.

Over 400 visitors came to Bethlehem (they all had to register for the census), and it was a busy night.  I got 3 baskets woven to the rim stage that evening.