Spring break getaway, Irish memories, Oklahoma State fans and the Wee One....

I have been away for a couple of days and seem like I haven't been able to catch up on my tasks... but had to share a photo of the Professor, wee one and his dad all showing their support for the Cowboys, Oklahoma State Cowboys of course!And the Wee

one is definitely growing up...he is over a year. We were able to see his this past weekend as the PRofessor and Son in law are planning on the deck we hope to add to the house in the next few months. It is spring break and a weekend away was the best staycation we could get. It was fun, to see him walking and all sorts of new tricks. But it was back to the grind today...for both of us. I have just pinned in another quilt, and wanted to share a photo of another finished one, the simple triangle block was started in South Africa with a Craft friend, Anike's, discarded curtaining squares. I received about 30 of the mostly red ones. I was nice and waited for all the other girls to choose first. I initially thought to make a little picnic quilt...but as I decided to use another friends discarded jaquard pieces, leftovers from curtaining, it became bedsized and none of the outer borders which I quilted with a feather border, match, but they are all similar curtaining fabrics. I really had fun doing this one, but now I need to find some of the burgundy fabric, to make binding. It is on display at the fabric shop. But took this photo at quilt guild a couple of weeks ago. I also finished this customer quilt.It is quite contemporary so I did something a little different in each block, these stylized feathers that "circle" each block. It is a queen sized quilt...and took a bit longer than I had initially thought, but she liked it and I did too. Finished another two, but forgot to get photos... so will have to post those later. Have a few more to complete but the pace is just where I want it to be. I am wishing each of you a Happy St. Patrick's Day, I have asked the children to send me photos of the grandkids in their Irish finery, I had to send all of them hats or headbands to wear.... to celebrate their Irish heritage. Although I couldn't see them in person.... so still waiting on those pics. Had to add a few photos taken in Ireland where we went for our honeymoon...even if it was 31 years late! This next photo was taken looking from the top of Blarney Castle, I so enjoyed every day we spent in Ireland. My favorite place may have been Kilarney. But loved Galoway and all the quaint villages we visited away from the touristy areas. The Professor went above and beyond to make it special for me. He even drove the Ring of Kerry, and took me to the Dingle Peninsula. It was all fabulous. Had to kiss the Blarney stone... of course.

It was every bit as I pictured it.Even to the heavier accent of the people who live in the west. We drove all the way to the western coast. The Cliffs of Moher were stunning. I loved it all..... so thanks for sharing my little trip memory..... and top of the morning to y'all!

More memories and another completed longarm quilt...

I have to post a picture or two of one of the guild ladies quilts, Martha is a wonderful quilter. I love every quilt she has showed since I joined the guild. More of her lovely quilts. Then another girl brought this lovely applique on black. She has only been working on it since June I believe. I loved it. The lavender and green quilt is one I have just completed for a customer. It turned out quite nicely. I included a little close up of one of the blocks. It was a challenge...to get the longarm to go over the seam where all of the pieces met in middle. I have never learned the technique to press that flat. If you have a link on how to...please send it to me. I have another of these quilts on the machine now....and two more arrived today to be quilted. I hope to be able to get the current one done tomorrow after work, then on to the next one, a lone star quilt. Very exciting. I have been so busy I have nothing to show for show n tell at guild next week...need to get a move on. Lastly, is a little basket full of part 1's for the DD mystery quilt over at Quiltville.com and also in the basket are my part 2's waiting to be sewed. I did press a strip or two for part 3.... maybe this weekend. I can get to a few of those parts. It looks like the Professor is having so other graduate students in for the Super Bowl...so I will only be able to do handwork during the game. I am so excited...I won't have to get up at 2 AM to watch the superbowl...like I did last year in South Africa, and .....WE WILL get to see the commercials.THey bleeped them out...and we haven't seen a superbowl commercial in 4 years. So looking forward to that. I will have some kind of handwork to do.Maybe it will be my wonky 9 patch...I am sewing sunflowers on at the moment...as per Libby's from a Simple Girl, suggestion. ITs coming along nicely.Lastly, another picture from South AFrica, of the burning mountain behind our house, someone was cooking out in the open... a squatter, and started a fire...which burned the whole mountain vegetation, and the next mountain also. In fact, it burned things so badly...a friend found a cobra in her file cabinet...they apparently had been forced from their habitat! Now that would scare me to death! A picture of me and the librarian for my little South aFrican library. Happy rest of the week.....

New Job, UFO 9 patches, finished Longarm quilts....

I have been offered a very part time job...at a fabric store. I am so excited about this. It won't interfere with my quilting, it is only a few mornings...no weekends. I can promote my quilting...and .... although I am hoping to remain true to my fabric "diet", I receive a discount on fabric It isn't just a quilt shop...it actually has more...decorator fabrics....but a nice little quilting section. I am excited about this. It will let me be out with people...but still give me plenty of time to do what I also enjoy. I was given a wonderful opportunity to quilt this wonderful quilt...which is this years block of the month for the fabric store, it was made by Gloria Reeves, the soon to be appointed President of the Mississippi Quilt guild association. I was scared.... of the ruler work...there has to be some tricks...but she wanted the paisley flourish in all the setting blocks...which I can almost do in my sleep now. I think it turned out pretty well. Up next is an Alabama lap quilt, that a friend of mine, Linda made for her son who graduated from Alabama...it is based on the taxi quilt pattern, by Heidi Pridemore available free on the web. I really enjoyed doing this one. I think I need to make one of these for our family. I also am working on the UFO 9 patches.... I actually have them sewed together..but discovered that I had cut one sashing piece.... bigger than the others so it is wonky. I am now determined to sew something....prim...on it. Any suggestions. I figure Libby will probably have some. Thanks for stopping by.

Men really are just born that way........

I had to share a picture of my new longarm..... So much fun to use these past few days. It is a NEWBORN ...after all, not even 4days here! I am suffering from "pokies" not sure exactly why, maybe I move the machine too fast???? Or maybe tension on bobbin...or the top. I will get it right. But it isn't stopping me from having a go. I did work on 2 UFO's.... just small quilts...one is only a Wee little wall hanging.... and the other is a top I tried to do using a Flynn frame....not too successfully I might add. Both were started at least 6 yrs. ago.... and have been in storage. They're both seen in the background of the machine being set up! The John Flynn frame is to the right of the delivery man. The "under the sea" ...or "finding nemo" is hanging on the left. But now....both are just waiting to be bound. We had company this past weekend...and DD jumped right into the machine.... she was doing stars and writing words and making faces. She was quite a bit more adventurous than I was. I am still a bit more intimidated.... though I can meander and do squiggles like a mad woman. I haven't researched pantographs yet...but definitely need some simple ones. Hope this machine will let me quilt some of my African flimsies, which have stacked up. A few more flat panels... and I think I will be ready to tackle at least one this next week. The Wee one came with his mom...and we discovered it really is genetic, men are born with the desire to handle remote controls!!!! We went for walks in between sewing ... and eating...and fighting over the remote! But it was a good family time. I hope you all have a great weekend. I am already sewing another baby quilt.... for a friend. Will hope to quilt Oh, just to clear up a misunderstanding...the blue and white quilt...was not mine...just one I greatly admired at the NASHVILLE QUILT SHOW. I love the fabric...and still am waiting for my ship to come in with my very own African schweschwe. Maybe someday soon. My South African friends couldn't believe it was made from their fabric. I don't think anyone I knew but me had used the stuff in a quilt. Hope that clears that up. Enjoy!