Quilter

I have admired the longarm work at my local quilt shop and just recently got the names of the long arm quilters.  I have used one woman in the past and she has been great, but she is a good 45 minutes away.  With everything that is going on in my life with work, the house, my kids and my Dad, I needed to find someone closer.  I simply don't have the time to spend 1.5 hours in the car to drop a quilt off and another 1.5 hours to go pick it up.  One of the names from my local quilt shop is just 15 minutes from my house!

I met with her today and dropped off my Mystery Block of the Month quilt which should be back in my hands in about 3 weeks.  So excited!  I normally love quilting my own quilts, but if I am going to find balance in my life right now, quilting is the one thing that I can take off my list and give to someone else.  This allows me time to sew and piece my quilts.  I will still quilt the baby ones and other small quilts, but the big ones are heading off to the new to me long arm quilter.  Her studio is amazing and she's a Julie so she has to be wonderful!

I will post photos when I get it back!

WIP Wednesday

Every year I make a quilt to be auctioned at the Alpha Chapter of Alpha Phi's annual Red Dress Gala which raises money for the Alpha Phi Foundation, an organization near and dear to my heart.  I have made red dress themed quilts the past two years and decided to change it up a bit this year.

The Alpha Chapter is located at Syracuse University so I am making a blue and orange chevron quilt and backing the quilt in the whimsical orange fabric since they are the Syracuse Orange.

2012-2013 Mystery Block of the Month

To say I am excited about this finish is an understatement.  From the minute I found out that the 2012-2013 Mystery Block of the Month from www.fatquartershop.com was going to use Vintage Modern by Bonnie and Camille I couldn't wait to begin.  I finished the quilt up last night and took the photos this morning. 

 

 

Two of my favorite blocks in the quilt.  I love, love, love the grey and red one!

 

I purchased a different fabric for the backing than the one that was offered in the program.  The grey pebble fabric in the photo above will be the backing.  I am making a phone call to a new (to me) long arm quilter who is much much closer to my house to have this one quilted.  I have been quilting my own quilts for the last 3 years and decided it was time to have one quilted by someone else.  The best thing is that this is mine, all mine.  I have never made a quilt for me, they always go to someone else.

 

I am linking up with Fabric Tuesday, Show and Tell Tuesday and Finish it Up Friday.



WIP Wednesday

Look at this stack of lovelies....I bought this quilt kit about 2 years ago and cut the fabric out, made the blue and green stacks and there it sat in my fabric closet.  With all the gloominess that has been in my life recently, I needed to sew something bright and fun.  I finished sewing all the strips together and cutting them out.  The first two rows are all sewn together and my youngest daughter has already staked her claim to this quilt once it is all finished up.

 

 

 

The fabric is Dilly Dally by Me and My Sister Designs and the pattern is Easy as 9, also by Me and My Sister Designs.

I did it!

I sat down and sewed and sewed. It doesn't look like much but holy piecing on both of these blocks and lots of pressing (seams open). I also made all my flying geese to go in the last row. It felt good. Cancer will not win.

 

**Updated with "real" camera photos**

 

 

WIP Wednesday

It may not look like a lot, but for my current place in life this is a lot and it means progress/coping with the challenges that my family is facing. I cut out the fabric for the March and April Mystery Block of Month blocks. I will setup my machine again and sew tonight.

My Dad is my biggest fan regarding my quilting and has always encouraged me and shown off my work to friends and coworkers. By not sewing right now I am letting him down and letting cancer win...he isn't letting cancer win so why should I?

I am still struggling with all of this....struggling a lot. I have good days and some really bad days. He was just ruled ineligible for a trial he had enrolled in because he got a stupid blood clot in his leg. No one knows why because he was up and walking less than 24 hours post op and had those inflatable boots on before that. I just want him to catch a break...I want him to respond to the chemo and radiation and I want him to be part of the 3%!

No sewing here

I would love to have something to show but I don't. I have had a hard time sitting and sewing since my Dad's diagnosis. The only sewing I have done in the last 4 weeks is his quilt.

I want to sew and the quietness is normally much needed and enjoyed with my crazy-hectic life as a working Momma/volunteer/mentor/ Girl Scouts Leader...but since my Dad's diagnosis, the peace and quiet leaves me too much time time to let my mind wander to places that it shouldn't.

I wish I could turn back time and be in a place where my Dad didn't have brain cancer, to a time when sewing was a stress buster and when I longed for peace and quiet. My heart is too heavy right now...