Month: October 2018

Today another year older, but happier and wiser than ever!  I have received well wishes from my Clay who gave me the most beautiful card (also some speakers for my computer) we always try to outdo each other when we share cards!  On our 22nd Wedding Anniversary we picked out the same card for each other – we really had a laugh on that one.  Have received birthday wishes from Kay and Susan (cousins), Jaydee (Amazon gift certificate – thank you so much), my friend Bonnie and wishes from my older step son Ricky (who will call me later this evening) my younger stepson George will call later today.

My friend Cathy sent me a pin cushion that she made (Rabbit this year) and one last year(Remember Me) that I forgot to showcase!  She is so talented and such a dear friend!  Cathy always sends Clay and I a card on special holidays and we so enjoy them.

Then the biggest surprise that came today from Lori.  Thank you so much Lori for the beautiful flowers!

I have so much to be thankful for, especially my great quilting buddies, Jaydee, Jan, Gretchen, Cathy and Lori who listen to me when I am on a roll, or rolling down the hill!  Great friends and great Step-sons who love me who would be with me if I needed them!

I am extremely blessed with my Clay – we would both be lost without the other – we were so blessed to have God put us together.   Someday I may post that happening.  We grew up together on the same street, attended the same school, never dated, and he located me when I lived in the Washington DC/Northern Virginia area on 3 June 1996!  Married on 2 August 1996 and again in our church on 1 September 1996 – The 3-2-1 Courtship!  We retired in March/April 1999 and have not been apart since.  Lots of good memories and lots of sad memories, but through them all we are still together!!!

I have had a great Halloween Birthday this year!  To add to the “happy”, we are leaving for a 2 week trip to Sierra Vista, Arizona soon.  We have not been there since we sold our RV in 2016.   This time it is “hotel” time!  We are both anxious to get back to Arizona and visit our friends and play Touristo in Tombstone, Bisbee, Tucson, and of course all the quilt stores that I used to frequent in the area!

Have a great day!

Nanette

A Happy Sunday and pre Halloween to all!  I was born two minutes to midnight on Halloween so everyone celebrates my birthday!  When I was younger and the weather pattern was different, I always knew what my birthday present would be – a new winter coat!  In South Texas our weather pattern used to provide a wonderful cool front on my Birthday and I loved the break in the warm South Texas summers.  SO this year I am getting a great present from Mother Nature – a Cold Front – YEA!  Looking forward to it!

I have been working on the corners for Brinton Hall.  When I last worked on it (think in 2016) this is where I left the center medallion.  There are 4 hexagon sections that I am currently working on to complete the Medallion.  I was pleasantly surprised to see that I have already completed the top and bottom middle portions.  After looking at it I see that on the Upper Top Left area are missing a couple of hexagons.  These will be added later.

This is the lower right section.  I have 2 rows sewn together and will finish the other 3 this afternoon.

This is the Upper Left Section that I will also be working on this afternoon.

How did we ever do without our cameras in our phone?  I took pictures when I started this quilt, and when I prepared all the Hexagons I put it on the design board and took pictures of each section and labeled each row and Section in separate baggies.  I was so glad that I took the time to be organized on this part of the quilt because it has made it so much easier to come back to the project without a lot of issues to work out.  Of course the quilter made a boo boo on the first Section and had to tear those tiny tiny stitches out and redo.  But it is still going to be a fun quilt to make!

I have been working on Block 8 of A Bountiful LIfe.  It is coming along, but not fast enough for me!  I need to really start scheduling my time better.

I finished Block 7 last week.

I have finished preparing all the hexagon flowers for Mountmellick and have 5 blue flowers completed, but they are so small (1/2” hexagons) I had to take a break from them!

I am doing very well on my food list!  By eliminating all chocolate and potato chips and any other carbs a lot of the diabetic symptoms have gone away – profuse sweating and restless sleep are no more!  Although I have found that I still have to have a potato each morning, or I have issues with potassium!  I was losing energy and brain power this week and finally figured it out!  I am much better now and will leave the potato in my diet eating it at breakfast only!  My walking is back on track and the walk is so much more enjoyable with the cooler weather!  I have lost almost 10 pounds since 4 October.  I think the last 10 will take another month to lose.  I wanted to be at a certain weight by Halloween, but may miss it by 2 or 3 pounds!  We will see!

Have a wonderful week and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

NANETTE

Linking To:  Dreami Moments. My Quilt Infatuation; Confessions of a Fabric Addict; Finished or Not Friday ; Sew Can She; Em’s Scrap Bag; BOM’s Away; Fiber Tuesday;    Sew, Stitch, Snap, SHOW; Sew Fresh Quilts; Crazy Mom Quilts;  Oh Scrap; Scrap Happy Saturday; Show and Tell Monday with Bambi; Quilt Fabrication

Kathy, Lori, Kerry, Emma, Tracy, Deb, Connie, Deborah,  Susan, Jessisca, Sherry, Nanette, Sassy, Edith, Sharon Grethen and Karrin

Greetings from South Texas where it is 51, overcast, a light mist in the air, and cold! – Finally.  This is my kind of weather and so much more palatable for my 30 minute walk in the mornings.  Today is a day where one just would like to coil up in the recliner and read a book, but I am on a mission, so not time to relax now.

I am ‘almost’ finished with RSC 2018 Sampler.  I finished the setting triangles yesterday, but made a boo boo (Gretchen warned me) and turned the center strip the wrong way!  Darn!  It was ripping time last night.  This morning I fixed that and ordered more of the fabric for the borders.   I always purchase my batiks from Web Fabrics in Virginia.  I have traded with Carly since 2004!  I belong to the 100 Club which provides me a 10% discount on all purchases!  Cannot beat that!  She has a booming on line business now and a store in Purcellville, VA.  It is a wonderful Quilt Shop to deal with.

I will have a 1 inch dark blue border to frame the quilt and then a 4 inch light blue border to complete it.  I am so excited to have this one completed on time.

Now on to cutting the border for York Lodge!  York is going to be a large quilt as the measurements are currently 73″ x 88″ and I will be adding 10 inches in borders.

Have a wonderful week and I am hoping that this cool weather continues for the rest of the week and that we do not go back to the 90’s until next summer!

Nanette 

Well, I did get the blocks on the design wall and here is my first cut at setting it on point.  I have 5 blocks left over, but they are ones that were not my favorites.  Trying to decide on sashings.  Always good to get a start on what looks good together.  This is more of a planned scrappy.  Of course I did not plan anything on this top – just made 3 each 10” blocks each month!  So neat to have a quilt made without stress!

I and done for the day!  Great time in the Studio.  Now to get this top and York Lodge borders on and my room will be in order again……

Nanette

Greetings from South Texas where it will be 40 degrees cooler in less than 24 hours.  I am going to be so happy when the Canadian air hits us in the morning.  I may even break out the sweat pants!  Prediction is for the next 2 weeks to be almost ‘winter’.  I am happy, Clay is not so happy, as he is cold natured.

On October 3rd, my life changed.  During our 6 month checkup I was advised I was a Diabetic!  WHAT?  YUP!  I have learned that as much as I watch over my health I missed asking more questions on Diabetics.   (Father was Type 2). I have been in shock for the last 12 days!  I knew that this last year that some days I felt great, some not so great.  I ASSUMED it had been other issues.  My NP understands all my “stupid” issues – and now this is not a “stupid issue”!   I am very frustrated with ME and my NP because I was not warned early enough about the Glucose going up and up.    March my A1C was at 6.7 and was NOT advised that I was now a Diabetic.  Heck I thought that I was just at risk!  I DID NOT PAY ATTENTION!   It was a wake up call for me.  I checked on my BCBS insurance account and found that the diagnoses was reported in March, but they did not tell me until the 3rd of October!  The good part of this news is that it is under control and no medication required, but in my book that is not enough.  It is time to correct my eating habits.  Exercise is not a problem for me as I have been a walker for 30 years.  I must also remember that stress plays a large part in this game of Diabetes.

Now 12 days later, I am now almost 6 pounds lighter, and do not eat any of those Hershey Kisses and potato chips for a long LONG time!  I am eating low carb foods (although I cannot give up the morning potato because I need potassium).  I have always watched the sugar and salt but never counted carbs!  Well, I am counting them now – as few as I can get away with!   I have an appointment with a Nutritionist on 23 October to try to figure out how to manage things with the limited list of foods I can tolerate, have a glucose monitor on order, and tomorrow I receive two books on diabetics!  I am NOT playing around with this.  I want to lose another 15 pounds by the end of the year and I will do it!  I have a goal!   Now this Diabetes is a gift from the Chopin side!  BUT LET’S MOVE ON TO QUILTING!

I have been planning to be in the Studio every morning for the last 2 weeks at 10:00 AM!  Here is proof that I finally made that goal this morning!  LOL  This is the clock that My Buddy Lori gave me this year – I love it!  She is a neat buddy to have and I love her posts.  She is an open book and that is so rare these days!  Thank you Lori – things will get better!

I had been remiss in keeping up with RSC 2018 blocks since August while working on York Lodge quilt.  This last week I have finally been able to catch up with everyone else.  Here are my August, September, and October blocks.  I have enjoyed making simple easy blocks for a change after York Lodge.

I now have all the blocks on the design wall – and need to decide on the setting.  There were only 10 months this year for different colors.

I am progressing on my Bountiful Life block and should finish it tonight or tomorrow night!   Check out

Slow Stitching Sunday

Last year at the San Antonio Quilt Show I purchased a Cutterpillar Glow for craft projects.  It was the smaller one.  This year at the Austin Show I purchased the larger one.  I love both of them.  They are a wonderful tool for cutting, trimming, and tracing applique patterns on background fabric.

Goals for the next few days will be to complete the borders on York Lodge and my RSC 2018 flimsy!  I am beginning to feel now that I can complete more of my UFOs by the end of the year than I thought I would be able to!

Have a wonderful Sunday and week!  I know I will because it will not be hot and humid and because with each pound I lose I feel better!!!

Nanette

Linking To:  My Quilt Infatuation; Confessions of a Fabric Addict; Finished or Not Friday ; Sew Can She; Em’s Scrap Bag; BOM’s Away; Fiber Tuesday;    Sew, Stitch, Snap, SHOW; Sew Fresh Quilts; Crazy Mom Quilts;  Oh Scrap; Scrap Happy Saturday; Show and Tell Monday with Bambi; Quilt Fabrication

Good Sunday afternoon!  A surprise came this afternoon – RAIN!  Of course we have been under a High with 75-79 degrees in the morning (early) with 100% humidity – Walk – NOPE! Not until the humidity and dew points become lower!  Hopefully the cool front coming in Tuesday evening will begin the cooler weather and I can walk each day!

I have finished sewing all the blocks together of York Lodge!  I will be adding a 1” border to frame the quilt and a 3” border to complete it.  I have decided to use a dark purple and a light lavender for the 3” border.   I was so happy to complete this quilt top and I do believe my body is glad!  The stress that I put myself under to do this “challenging” quilt was well worth it.   After pushing on a project it usually takes me a week to ‘relax’ and start another UFO.

I was pleasantly surprised when I received a comment from Lisa on one of my posts, one of the designers of York Lodge.  I had asked if they had experienced any issues when working on their quilt.  Here is her response:

“Lou made the quilt in the book. I did one block as a test block to make sure our maths worked. we did not have any issues with it sorry. It does require very accurate cutting and piecing though with so many diamonds. we were both given 3 antique blocks from a cut up quilt so the block was drafted from them. Not for the faint hearted this quilt, and we think you have done an amazing job.”

It made me feel so good that they took the time to comment!  I do hope they are pleased with the top when I have completed the borders!

I have been working on Block 20 of A Bountiful Life – NO I only have 6 blocks completed it is one of the blocks that I had prepared last year!  The rose buds it will make the block.  For some reason I chose a light and dark brown for the bird.  I may revisit that choice as the green is very dark I think that I may make the bird a different color.

I have now changed my mind on Brinton Hall and decided to continue on with Mountmellick and not just add a border to make a wall hanging!  I am now going to make the flowers for the border, but changing  the flowers to blue with a red center and not the red flowers with a contrasting center.   The corner flowers will match the flowers in the center medallions and they will be intermixed with my blue flowers.  I am going to dedicate my day sewing time to finishing the flowers this week.  Then the remainder of the quilt will be the different borders that will be pieced!

On 28 Sep we went to the Austin, Texas Quilt Show.  This is the Best of Show.  I was so happy to see this quilt won!  It is a Sue Garman quilt pattern and done very well.  There was one issue that my eye immediately went to and it was on the left red border.  It was either the long arm quilters mistake, or the top was not square.  Either way it did not detract the beauty of the completed quilt.  It is not for the faint of heart also!  Cudo’s to the maker of the quilt!

Well, I do believe I am caught up on my post for the week!  Hopefully this week I will have completed my flowers and Block 20 will be an easy finish – not difficult at all!  (Especially compared to York Lodge – of which I am almost ready to ‘check out’!

Have a great week and enjoy stitching!

Nanette

Linking To:  My Quilt Infatuation; Confessions of a Fabric Addict; Finished or Not Friday ; Sew Can She; Em’s Scrap Bag; BOM’s Away; Fiber Tuesday;    Sew, Stitch, Snap, SHOW; Sew Fresh Quilts; Crazy Mom Quilts;  Oh Scrap; Scrap Happy Saturday; Show and Tell Monday with Bambi; Quilt Fabrication

Kathy, Lori, Kerry, Emma, Tracy, Deb, Connie, Deborah,  Susan, Jessisca, Sherry, Nanette, Sassy, Edith, Sharon Grethen, Karrin