Time to Catch Up

Where have October and November gone?  I'm supposed to be retired, but this month I have substitute taught  all but 2 days.  I'm booked  to sub until the end of the month.  There will be fewer subbing days in December because, I leave for Argentina on the 9th and return on the 18th.  My daughter, Erica, asked me to join her on a business trip.  Lucky me!   I love the summer, and that is the season it will be in Argentina. Imagine, 2 summers in one year. 

Tonight is FNS.  I need to get behind the sewing machine.  Planning on trying out a new embroidery pattern.  I would like to use this to top stitch a table runner I am making for a Christmas swap.

All Goals Completed.

Apple picking - done
Volunteering at the elementary school - done
All goals - DONE, DONE, DONE!

Pics from my Week-End of Leaf Peeping

Just the beginning of color in Connecticut.

OH! the computer isn't cooperating. More pictures later.

More Finishes

Back from a great long weekend in Connecticut.  Spent 3 days with a my childhood friend, Mary.  We were Leaf Peepers. The trees are just beginning to change color, so there weren't many leaves to peep at. We went to the Garlic Festival- yes, GARLIC Festival.  Ate chocolate chip cookies with a hint of garlic. So after volunteering one more day this month, and picking apples on Sat. I will have completed all the things on my list.  Took oodles of pictures. I'll try to post the best tomorrow.

Finishes

Volunteered twice this month at the neighborhood elementary school. My side of the garage has been cleaned up and out.  Now I have room for more "new junk".  Started helping my husband close up the pool.  Saturday will be the end of summer at my house.  Hope everyone is chipping away at their lists.

Charming Girls Goals for Sept/October

A little late with this post but, better late than never!
1. Volunteer at my neighborhood elementary school  2 x's a month.
2. Visit my friend , Mary, in Connecticut.
3.  Help hubby close the pool for the winter.
4.  Go apple picking with my daughter.
5. Clean out my side of the garage.
6. Do nothing one day per month, but relax!
.

What A NIGHT!

FNSI was nearly a disaster.  Didn't sit down to sew until 8:30 p.m.  The embroidery component on my machine was not cooperating- AGAIN.  I tried everything I could think of- even changed computers- 2 hours later, as I was removing all the cords I noticed I hadn't disabled the foot pedal. UGH !!!!!!!!  Unplugged it, and re-plugged the other cords.  Crossed my fingers, prayed and pressed the blue start button. IT WORKED.  FNSI ended Sat. morn at 1:30 a.m. 

Embroidered  spider webs here and there. See the upper left section of the tote in this picture.  The fabric already had webs on it.

Feeling Better and ready to SEW

My back is almost back to normal.  Lots of lying down and watching TV. FNSI has begun.  Fabric chosen, cut and now to begin sewing.  I'm going to add some spider webs to the Halloween fabric.  It already has webs, but the webs I'm adding will actually be the quilting for the tote.  Will post pics a little bit later. 

A Slow Week

             All that fabric and nothing made.  WHY????  Went to the supermarket on Monday, bent over at the waist to pick up a deli sandwich from the cooler and heard a tearing sound.  Knew immediately all plans for this week would be put on hold. Sitting, walking and lying down are okay.  It's getting up from a sitting position, or rolling out of bed that kills.  To make matters worse, yesterday, my husband did the same thing to his back.  What a pair we are!

              Friday Night Sew In is this Friday., Aug. 20th. Thank goodness I can sit and sew. Here's where you can sign up, if  you want to participate go to:.
   http://handmadebyheidi.blogspot.com/ /sign up-for-august-Friday-night-sew-in.

More Fabric Pics

A mesh backpack- maybe I  can get this done before heading to the Outer Banks at the end of  the month.

Now, to find all the pink fabric.

More fabric to stash

Some Halloween fabric
and a little bit more of Christmas!

Now, to find the time!

Have Fabric-Have Patterns- Need TIME!

Per Sheila's request, here's some of what I bought last week-end.

FARMERS MARKET             by RJR Fabrics

I plan to use this with The Fruit Ladies fabric I bought last year, with Farmers Market.  I saw these fabrics worked up as a quilt.

 

Holly Jolly Santa and

Makin' New Friends Fat Quarters  

 I don't know what I'll do with this fabric.

Choir Angel panel and 12 Fat Quarters

More pictures another day.

Shop Hopping

Last Thursday I drove to Williamsburg to catch up with a friend.  We had a lovely lunch and did some shopping.  I continued on to Virginia Beach for a visit with my son.  But, before heading to his place, I stopped at What's Your Stitch'N Stuff.  If you are ever in the area, take a side trip and give them a visit.  I guess I didn't spend enough. I must have angered the Quilting goddess. Just as I was leaving the store it began raining.  It rained so hard I couldn't see where I was going.  What would be no more than a 30 minute drive turned into a 2 hour drive.  The road I needed to be on was flooded for 20 blocks plus.  I had to head back from whence I came, and circle around and approach fromm the East. 

On Friday, I headed out to visit 2 more quilt shops. One in Chesapeake, VA and the other in Portsmouth, VA.  I couldn't find either of these shops. The directions I printed out didn't get me there, nor did my GPS.  CURSED!
Saturday was spent on the beach, watching dolphins, and soaking up the rays.  Headed home after an early dinner with my son, Steve.

Monday put me back in the car.  This time I was quilt shop hopping with my friend, Joy.  We went to a shop in Purceville, VA called Web Fabrics.  This was another adventure. Joy thought I was driviing, and I thought she was driving.  Neither one of us had directions.  She sort of knew where we were going.  After a stop at the 7-11, in Purceville,  for a look at the phone book, and a call to her husband we were on our way. She thought it was on Main St.  It was several blocks off of Main St.
WEBFABRICS.com

116 North Bailey Lane
Purcellville, VA 20132
1-540-751-2069
 $200.00 later...
Stopped for lunch at a small Greek/Italian Deli. I had a great shopping day.

Doesn't this look like fun?Here's the website:  http://www.fabshophop.com/hopmain.asp

Continue to Meet My Goals

Check off another 3 hours in the pool, plus  Saturday pool time with my daughter.  Saturday had a "feels like" temperature of 104!  Pool water was 82- a bit to warm for the girls, but my husband was in 7th heaven.  This week I'll be off to visit a friend that I haven't seen in 2 years. So, I'll be able to check off another completed goal.  Later...

SALT- the movie

Just returned from seeing SALT.  I recommend seeing it, and not because my husband is in it.  Yes, Paul is in the escalator scene, in Washington,D.C.  He is on the right hand side of the escalator and is wearing a typical trench coat. He is pushed aside and gives the 2 CIA guys a "dirty" look.  I have to admit that I didn't see him. Why? Because I turned to Paul to ask what he was wearing. At least he didn't land on the cutting room floor!

I Piece 2-Mary: Summer Bag Swap

I Piece 2-Mary: Summer Bag Swap
To see the tote bag I received from my swap partner click on the above link.

What an opportunity!

My daughter called and said, pack your bag and make sure your passport is up to date.  Agra, India here I come.  My daughter is going on business, and she asked if I wanted to tag along. So I'm going to see the Taj Mahal, in November. Do they quilt in India?

Goals Completed!

Finished reading Jodi Piccoult's book...PICTURE PERFECT.  I enjoyed her book, PLAIN TRUTH, much more.  Currently I am reading SECOND GLANCE, by the same author.

Visited with my friend, Carla, who I haven't seen in nearly 18 months. She was passing through on her way back to Pittsburgh, from Bethany Beach, DE.

Family room has been supercleaned.

I've been spending the 3 hours in the pool and one day a week-end with my daughter.

I took my less than 2 year old Bernina 440  to the dealer yesterday.  Since day one, I have been having problems with the embroidery software called EC on the PC.  Without this software I cannot use the embroidery module.

So I needed to make a banner for my nephew's up coming wedding. I used an embroidery only machine, that I've had for at least 8 years now. It did a basic job.  I'll use my mom's 55 year old Pfaff machine to add some decorative stitches to make a border.  Since I can't finish what I'm working on, I decided to take advantage of the 40% off coupons that were in my email in box. Right now, (4:30p.m.) the temp is 94, but with the humidity feels like 100.  POOL TIME!

Charming Girls Quilt-Along Quilt Is Ready for the Parade

The earth shook today, not because my quilt top is completed, but because there was a 3.something  earthquake in the Washington, DC. area today.  I live about 30 miles from where the epicenter was ,Germantown,Maryland.
Right now the sky is lighting up, and the drums are rolling, again not because my Charming Girls quilt top is completed, but because a summer thunderstorm is rolling through. Temp today was 97.  I spent 3 hours in the pool this week, and finished reading a novel, per my Charming Girls goals.  Thanks Kelly for figuratively holding my hand, while I worked on my first quilt.  Thanks to all who commented on my  blog and encouraged me.  Looking forward to our next challenge/project.  OOPS! cable just went out- better shut down before the computer gets zapped.

As I Promised

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I had a heart attack 13 years ago, when I was 50.  I had not been plagued with headaches, allergies,  or aches and pains, so when I woke up at 3 a.m.  and had this burning sensation that kept moving across my chest (left to right, right to left). What I mean by burning, is a heat sensation, not a burning sensation like you would attribute gastro-heartburn.  This burning sensation lasted less than 5  minutes. I fell back to sleep.  I awakened around 6 a.m. and now I just wasn't feeling right.  I was getting clammy, but my stomach wasn't upset.  My husband  was getting to leave for work, I asked him not to go in that day.  I said, "I'm not feeling just right. Something is wrong."  I  called my primary care doctor.  The doctor on call said," Take a couple of Tums, and call the office during office hours, to make an appointment to come in."  Well!!!! I did wait 'til the office was open, but I walked in without an appointment.  I was probably seen within 15 minutes, by my doctor. She did an EKG, and came back with my husband.  She said, "You are having a heart attack.  I am sending you to the hospital. Your husband will take you.  The ER will have all they need."  So off I went.  I did throw-up in the parking lot.  Remember I said I was feeling clammy.  Other than that I felt great.  If this was a school day,(I was teaching 5th grade at the time), I would have gone to work.  I was admitted, and the next day I had an angiogram done. The results- not good- 5 blockages-  a 99% - a 97% and another one that was 78%.
There was 1 more blockage, but it did not warrant  a by-pass.  I was to have the by-pass surgery done the next day, (Friday).  Surgery was postponed to Monday. I had to stay in the hospital.  So that Monday I went in for a triple and came out with a quadruple by-pass.  On Wednesday, I went home for lunch.  That's right- one day of rest before I went home.  They dubbed me a "rabbit", which means quick recovery. Spent July recovering- and by the third week in August I was driving down to The Outer Banks, for my annual vacation, before returning to the classroom for another year.  I have had no problems since.  Actually, the one blockage that was not by-passed has remained the same. No advancement.  So ladies, my advice is to listen to your body. You know when things aren't just right.  I had no shortness of breath, no pain radiating down my arm, no back pain- in other words, none of the symptoms one would associate with a heart attack.  Heart disease runs in my family.  I expected I too would have to deal with it, but not at 50!  I've added a website you can go to, to learn a bit more.

http://www.gregmaustin.com/webdesign/sites/heart/symptoms.html

Something funny did happen after surgery.  As I was coming out of the anaesthesia, I felt someone pulling a zipper up on my chest.  It sounded like a zipper being zipped.  I remember asking, "Did you put in a zipper in case you have to go back in?"  The zipper I heard was on the bra they were putting on me.  Still have that bra. Hope I never have to wear it again.

Quilting is almost finished

This is my first attempt at quilting.  I'm using a Bernina 440QE, with the machine embroidery component.  Purchased and downloaded the design from Embroidery Library.  There are only 15 more squares to quilt.  Hoping to finish before 1 tomorrow.  If I don't then, it will have to wait until Thursday.

Time to set  July/August Priorities and Goals for The Charming Girls Quilt Club
Spend time with 2 friends I haven't seen in a while.

Take a day to sew with  2 friends.

Go the see the movie SALT with hubby. He should be on the escalator with Angelina Jolie, that is if he didn't end up on the cutting room floor.

Weather permitting, spend 3 hour per week by the pool.Additional pool time on  Sundays, with my daughter, if she's in town.

Read a book written by Jodi Piccoult.

Super clean the family room.

Embroider a wedding banner for my nephew's wedding: With this ring...

I learned the hard way to take care of myself.  At the age of 50 I had a heart attack, and then quadruple by-pass surgery.  Ladies, in another posting I describe the symptoms of a heart-attack. They are NOT anything like what you think they would be.

Pool Chair Covered

One down, 7 more to go!

The QUILT TOP is done.  Still need to figure out how I'm going to quilt it.

Slow but Steady

A little bit to cut off at the end.

The summer cold I have is almost gone.  It slowed  my progress.  Hopefully I'll get caught up today.  Last night, I worked on piecing the 3 1/2 in pieces together.  Boy was I LUCKY!!!!  It matched up with only  about a1/4th of an inch that will  need to be cut off.  I did it the Polish way.  I can hear you saying, "What technique is this?"  The Polish way is: piece a few of the strips, place it along the edge of the quilt top ; add a few more pieces, (these are not sewn together , yet)  Continue  in this manner until you get to the end of the quilt top. Now, if you have too much at the end, adjust the strips prior to sewing  - sew a few strips with a wider seam allowance;  if your strip doesn't quite reach the end, sew the seams a bit smaller.  I didn't need to do either. Lucky me.

Not bad for my first attempt at quilting!

Off to to Jo-Ann's to pick up some  fabic to make slipcovers for  my outdoor patio furniture cushions, and  some for my daughter's cushions, as well. Her covers will be a Christmas gift.  I'll post fabric choices later.

Too Much Color

In the light of day, the color is toooooo strong in the photos I posted yesterday.  The  border around the 4 square is much softer.  Guess I shouldn't fool around with the camera settings.

Quilt Along Update

Here are the 4square blocks . All 12 of them.

And the 16 patch square.

And here they are all together, waiting for direction. 

My sore throat hasn't gotten much better.  Anything cold seems to bring a bit of relief.

Quilt Along UPDATE

All the 4 patches are completed, and half of the 16 patches are done.  I have a terrible sore  throat, and now an irritating cough, and itchy eyes.  Must be allergies.I've lived in Northern Virginia for  23 years, and now I'm developing allergies??????  Hope to finish up the rest of the 16 patches today.  Not too far behind.

The End of FNSI

The bag is complete.  The interior of the bag has a large pocket and  an oversized sunglass case.    This is for the Tote Bag Swap I am participating in. Finished 4 squares for the Quilt Along.  Good Night, Friday Night Sewers!  

Friday Night Sew In

Ready, set, go!  Have a totebag to finish and then, if I'm not too tired I'll start on my first quilt.  The pieces are cut, but somehow I think I didn't cut the charm packs correctly. UGH!  You'd think a retired teacher could read directions.  Only time will tell... Off I go!!

No cutting today

No subbing today. No cutting today either.  Around 10 a.m. I started feeling achey.  I went to Joann Fabrics to use my last 40% off coupon.  Picked out a different fabric for the binding of the quilt, for the Quilt Along.  By the time I got home my arms felt like 50 pound bags of potatoes.   Off I went for a nap.  Woke up feeling a little bit better. I'll be a roving sub at an elementary school all day tomorrow, so it won't be until Saturday, before I can tackle the fabric.

Fabric for the Quilt Along

My charm packs with, and then without background fabric. 

June - Friday Night Sew In

June 18 is the date for the next Friday Night Sew In.  To sign up go http://craftyvegasmom.com/.

My Journal for Early Bird Christmas Crafting

Here is the journal I will be using for Early Bird Christmas Crafting.  I wonder whose names will be entered?

Jaybird Quilts

                           Jaybird Quilts  Go to Jaybird quilts to participate in a great giveaway from ...

5 chances to win.  Prize valued at $90.

A Busy Week-end

I had a very busy week-end.  On Saturday, I went to the Quilters' Unlimited Conference.  Actually these are code words for:  BUY MORE FABRICS AND PATTERNS, and that is exactly what I did. Then, on Sunday, I went to Joann Fabrics to use the 50% off coupons that were  burning a hole in my pocket. I had only one disappointment.  The fabric that looked red at the store looks like burnt orange at home.  Oh well, I have one more 50% off coupon. Guess where I am going his morning!

I'm posting only some of my purchases. Will add more later.

Charisma, by Chez Moi for Moda-quilted fabric,with contrasting fabric for pockets.

Bought 2 charm packs of BOUTIQUE, for the Quilt  A-Long.

5 yards = 1 twin size quilt

Ready for Christmas 20?????????

 Too much flash on the second photo- colors are red.

Pinks, browns and greens- have no idea what I'll do with these.

Pay it foward

Looking for 3 people to join me in a fun activity called: Pay It Foward .  I am willing to ship overseas.  See particulars below, in a previous posting.

Two Swaps Completed

A closeup of the embroidery on the pillow I made for the PILLOW SWAP.

The potholders that were made for the POTHOLDER 3 PASS.