Long Arm Quilting

I rented to long-arm quilter yesterday.  It had been a while since I had been there, so I felt like I had to re-learn a few things again, but it went really well, and I had a great time.  I even had a friend tag along for the company, and she took a couple of pictures.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE long-arm quilting and really need one of these in my life!  Just wish they weren't so darn expensive....  One day.....

AMW

(Day 5 of NaBloPoMo.  25 to go!)

FTF - Fall Fling

I've been out of the Favorite Thing Friday loop for a bit.  FTF is inspired by Shay over at Quilting in My Pyjamas.  Go check her out for everyone else who has linked up!

This week was a simple one for me!  My FTF this week is an annual event in NC that I've been able to attend since it started 6 years ago.  It's "Fall Fling" where a bunch of crazy geocachers gather for a weekend of fun, friendship, fellowship, food, finds, and much more!

This is a group shot from the end of the day of the main events.  These people ROCK!  Admittedly, I only know maybe half of them, but it doesn't matter.

These are the kind of people that accept you for who you are, flaws and all, and still think you're cool.  You walk in to the group, and fit right in.

I look forward to this event all year.  The down side is now I have almost another full year until this event happens again.  No worries!  I will make sure I see some of these people before then.  They enrich my life!

And that's my FTF this week.

AMW

(Day 4 of NaBloPoMo!  Only 26 more to go!)

Long Arm Practice

A couple of posts ago, I mentioned that I found a local quilt store that rents their long-arm after you take a class.  I took the class two weeks ago, and went back this past Friday to practice.

I've got to say that it was a TON of fun.  I can tell I need a lot of practice, but boy did I LOVE it!

So without further ado...  here are some pics!  (Keep in mind, this was my first time!)

The whole thing.  I ran out of bobbin in the bottom left.  I was just about done, so I just left it...

The hearts were done with "groovy boards".  They turned out not bad.  The rows of flowers directly below them were "groovy boards" too.  Didn't turn out as well.

I do ok with loops and stars.  And apparently cursive capital "G".  Didn't even realize I did that...

The very beginning.  A little nerve-wracking, but we all have to start somewhere, right?

I kinda liked this star, although not perfect.

And not too bad of a swirly.

These atrocious stars were an attempt at a "groovy board" well beyond my abilities at the moment.

I can't wait to go back again and play some more.  Next time, I'll actually quilt a quilt.  It will be scary, but I've got to just jump in and do one.  I finished a top for my roommate in December, and I think that one will be the guinea pig.  If it turns out horrible, I'll just make her another one!  LOL!  She won't mind...

If you were going to do long arm quilting, what would be your default quilt pattern???  I think mine will be meandering loops!  LOL!

AMW

Quilts for Japan

In my last post, I mentioned that my friend JAB and I had made a "sew date" to make some simple quilts for Japan.  We each started with one each, and quickly decided we could do two each.  It took us a little over a week.

My two are on the outside, and JAB's are the two on the inside.

JAB's.  She has an affinity for purple.

Mostly scraps or leftovers.  My two.

It was extremely rewarding, and the time with a good friend was fun.  So much fun, we're going to try to get together about once a month and make a couple of quilts for charity.


But I've just gotta share....  I picked the WINDIEST  day ever to try to get pics... Here are some out-takes:

OK, so this one isn't tooo bad.  I could always claim I planned that so you could see the back.  Right?

So yes - they are very simple quilts.  But hopefully they will bring some comfort to a few people.

AMW

Sheesh...

Has it really been more than a month since I posted here???  Crap!  Why didn't someone poke me?  Oh yeah, that's facebook...

It's been stressful and relaxing this last month.  I've been busy and bored.

But no real excuse for not posting...  I've been reading and keeping up with everyone, but just forgot to post anything.

Maybe it's age?

Anyway -

Took one small weekend trip to one of my favorite places, the Outer Banks!  Went with four other fabulous women, and we went to Endless Possibilities in Manteo, NC for a day of creativeness.  We each weaved a rug:

Our finished rugs!

And I bought a bucket hat made out of men's neckties:

I've since been given a grocery bag full of ties, and will try to make another hat.

The Japan earthquake/tsunami disaster happened while we were on that trip, and I've been following things since then.  The devastation is utterly amazing.  I started seeing calls for quilts at a lot of blogs I was following, so I teamed up with my friend JAB to see about each of making a simple quilt to donate.

We set up a sew date, and were doing so well, we ended up making 4 of them in a weeks time.  (no pictures yet, but will post when I do have them...)

That left us wanting to do more, so we've decided to get together once a month and make a quilt each for the local children's hospital.  Will post more on that later as well...

(See how I'm setting myself up for more posts later???  Clever, huh?  Or lame... whichever....)

JAB was also the one to tell me a bout a local quilt shop that offers a class on how to use their long-arm and then rents it to you by the hour.  Class is done, and let's just say that I'm in LOVE!  Renting it this Friday for some practice time.....  But more on that later (yet ANOTHER segway to a new post!)

As for the stressful stuff, I think I'll leave that for a separate post.  Mostly so I have a subject to post about , but also cause it's a bit of a vent, and that will make it easier to skip over. (Although, really, do we skip over people's vents?  Or secretly welcome them as a way to see what's REALLY going in the real life of some of our blogger friends?, Yeah, that's I what I thought...)

Enough rambling for today.

Thanks to all of you who post regularly so that I have something to read when I'm not posting!

Favorite Things Friday

Time again for Favorite Things Friday Ms. P. over at Quilting in my Pyjamas.


This week, I was going to say that my favorite thing is traveling.  And while that is true, it's a bit broad.  So, I'll narrow it down....


One of my favorite things while traveling is Roadside Attractions.  Some we've come across by accident, and some were actually the destination.  Some were just plain odd, and some were just something we thought were kinda cool...



Here are a few we've come across:

Goats with their own walkway to a feeder.  No fear, and  cars passing right underneath!

Foamhenge.  A full scale replica of stonehenge, made out of foam.

In front of an auto body repair shop.

Also in front of an auto body repair shop.

In front of the GraveDigger Monster Truck shop.

Full mosaic art in San Diego.

Paul Bunyon and his ox, Blue.  Somewhere on the coast of Oregon.

Sea Lion Caves on the coast of Oregon.  This place was promoted with major tacky billboards for miles ahead of time.  Couldn't resist...  And the caves were actually AWESOME!

Quilt painted on the road in Bell Buckle, TN.

Concrete troll under a bridge in Seattle, Wa.  There is a full size VW Bug under his left hand.

Lucy!  Lucy is an Elephant-shaped building near Atlantic City, NJ.  She has formerly been a  restaurant, tavern, house, and is now a tourist attraction.  

There are plenty more that we've seen, and been so in awe, we've forgotten to take pictures.  But it's definitely fun to find these oddities out there...


I just can't resist these types of attractions while traveling.  Sometimes, it adds a lot of time onto a quick trip, but I consider it "Stopping to smell the roses"!


AMW

FTF - Handmade

Last week was so much fun participating in Favorite Things Friday with Ms. P. over at Quilting in my Pyjamas that I decided to jump in again.


This week I want to show you all what I received from the Make My Christmas exchange. 


As I stated in my previous post, I was lucky enough to draw someone I knew, and really had fun making her a quilt.


But when my really good friend KimmyD announced that she had my name, I was elated!!  Everyone wants to have her draw their name, and for only my second year participating, it was amazing that she drew me!

Kimmy takes old wooden windows, and paints the American flag on the reverse side.  It's truly a sight to see!  And I couldn't have been more excited.


And just in time for the Progressive Dinner party this weekend, we got it hung on the wall in it's permanent spot.  It looks fantastic!

And just to show you a close up, here you go!

Imagine seeing the beauty every day, and sitting beneath it every night.


So this week, this window and handmade gift is one of my favorite things.  And so is my friend KimmyD!  Love you girl!


AMW

Winter Retreat

A few months ago, I shared a little slice of heaven with you.  And when we were there in August, we bought another week, which happened to be last week.  The last week of the year.  


The beach in December?  Why would we do that?  Well, honestly, to relax.  


Pictures are the best way for me to tell you about the week, so if you'll humor me, here you go...

Snow, friends, and the beach!

Our home away from home.

The ocean was in a frenzy.

We're in the top floor, far right.

And while I was there, I had the opportunity to visit Endless Possibilities.  By all appearances, it looks like a great little boutique/crafty store.  But under the surface, it's a fundraising project for local hotlines and charities.  They take discarded clothes that were donated to local thrift stores, and are unsellable, and volunteers create rugs, bags, and more to sell. 


And more importantly, they have CLASSES!  

Here I am in the beginning stages of weaving my rug.

Taking this bin of scraps...

And weaving them bit-by-bit...

Into a rug.

And the back.

(I think it's going to end up as a wall hanging, and not as a rug....)




And the sunrises and sunsets are pretty good in the middle of winter, too.  See:

Sunrise, from right outside the door.

With a view like this out the window, what's not to love???


AMW