May Quilt Update

Links to Our Quilt World and  Our Quilt Blogs Facebook Groups.  Come be a part of us.  Both groups also can be found at the top of the blog using the tabs.  Any links that you click in this post will open in a DIFFERENT window, allowing you to continue reading this without losing the page.

I have moved the previous posts to the end of the entry.  I hope that you make it that far.

Goals:

Round Robin (RR) blocks (14)  for pink/purple made and put into row, attach, and mail - all units finished and 2 blocks complete
BOM blocks (3) complete -  yes (actually a day ahead -- finished April 30)

Easy Street (ES) Clue 8 - no
Orange Crush (OC) ripped out, re-sandwiched, quilted and bound - no
Bow-Dacious (BD)  area ripped out, quilted, labeled, binding on - no
Old Tobacco Road (OTR)  - Clues 2, 3, 4, 5 - 2, 3 only

Quiet Book for Ophelia Made -  all pages cut and hand work complete, 8 pages completely sewn and ready for binding
Mother of the Bride Dress Made - yes
Flower Girl Dresses Made - yes
Christmas blocks (extras) - several smaller ones finished


1st -  I am at retreat weekend #1 of an 11 day stay down on the Brazos River.  To read more about this weekend, please check the separate post HERE.  Today I manage to sit still long enough to start my OTR Clue #2.  Stacks and stacks of HST's are running through my "Annie".  She is loving her new table.  Today's clue is PINWHEELS!  Not only am I getting to use my new table that Mister worked so hard on, but also my medium design board that I made from leftovers while preparing for retreat last month.  It is making this SOOOOOOO much easier.

Apparently the girls think my area is a bit of a disaster and felt compelled to photograph it.  Good friends, huh?

I spend most of the morning working with everyone on their group project but by the time the day is gone and evening arrives, I have a good start on my pinwheels.

For a couple of hours in the evening I am blessed to have the company of great friends for a good old-fashioned quilting bee on the quilt that I brought just for this purpose.  Ah, hand stitching and sitting around visiting.  This is what it is all about.

2nd - I am determined to finish OTR Clues 2 and 3 today.  I get all the pinwheels finished and start attaching them to the four-patches from clue 1.  Everything is going along nicely until I discover that it was important to place the four-patch a certain direction.  Yes, I know -- should have read the directions better.

Ana comes to my rescue and helps me unstitch most of the 88 pair and then I remake them and add the third piece - in the right direction.  Clues 2 and 3 are in the books.  Clue 4 started this morning so I am caught up.  It's certainly looking bright at this point but I am sure that this next clue will tone things down a bit.  Time for some hand quilting with the girls.

I am now tired of OTR and take a break to work on one of my Christmas blocks.  Soon I am the only one left in the main room.  What happened to my party group?  I finish up the wreath and gotta say, I love it even with it's wonkyness.

Jen has arrived back at retreat and now I can relax as well.  It's so hard for moms when their children are on the road late at night.  Ugh.  Unfortunately it will take me some time to wind down --- so, onto clue 4.  Let's lay this out on the big design board and see what we've got.  Well, it's challenging to lay out --- and that is putting it mildly  -- and it doesn't all fit but I get the general idea.  I think I'm gonna like it.  It's 4:30 a.m. and so technically this last part of this entry should be on the post for the 3rd, but oh well.  Good night.

3rd -  The retreat came to a close today and it's just Jen, Marti, and I.  Jen is staying the night and working on her strip quilt from the jelly roll she won during the retreat.  It's so bright and cheery - I love it.

After several different layouts, she moves away from the block quarters and goes for a more random look.

More fun is added when Kay stops by and helps her out with it.  Jen's comment to me, "Kay has a really good eye."  They played at it until it was just how she wanted it.  We added strips of fabric grabbed from my stash, jen's and the gift bags to come up with borders.  I think it is going to work out fantastic.

I cut out my dress for the wedding and do a little bit of hand quilting before Jen and Marti take me to Babe's for a birthday dinner - yep complete with being a chicken.  A quick walk around the square, a stop for groceries, and roses from Jen for Mother's Day.  What a nice day.

4th - It's my birthday and since Jen left early this morning, it's just Marti and I.  Time to spread out.  Between the two of us, we take over almost all of the tables.  I get the girls flower dresses a cut out and do a bit of hand quilting.  All in all -- a very nice day.

5th -  Today I am focusing on getting my dress made. It is time to drag out the serger and reacquaint myself with it.  That takes less time than I thought and I am soon working away.  By the time Mister arrives to take me to dinner, my dress is finished.  Woohoo.  There are a few design changes, but overall, I am pleased.  The fabric is a shimmery cream stretch knit.  Is that "hippy" enough?  Time will tell.  Spandex is required.  A bright scarf too.

6th -  Roses arrive from Cassie today.  Oh my, doesn't my workstation look so pretty.  I work on the flower girl dresses all day and make oh so many mistakes.  Really Deb?  Get it together.  I finally give up on working on three at a time and just focus on Elena's until is is finished.

Marti and I take a trip into town and walk around the town square again as she is after a certain shirt.  I spot a few while walking and snap pictures with specific people in mind.  For Maria:

For my Sweetie (left) and my son (right) -- hahahahaha

Once back, I do some hand quilting and call it a night.  Time for some sleep.

7th -  I am up early today.  There are two dresses that need to be finished, I need to set up for today's group of ladies who are expected to arrive around 10.  Get going girl.

I DO get the dresses complete, clear off all the tables I have been using AND clean my area up as well.  Yep - I have now claimed two chairs and moved my table so that my back is not to the group this time.

I finish up the hand quilting so that it is down to just the center and start working on my RR units while people arrive.

We have quite a few "newbies" this time and I am loving meeting each and every one of them.  This will be such a fun weekend.  To read more about it, please click HERE.

Stephannie arrives with a tiara for me --- Oh how fun!  I feel like a queen.  I may never take it off.  Debi and I take a moment to "sparkle" together.

8th - After a wonderful breakfast, it is group project day and I spend my time helping others and making a couple more design boards for myself. I then tackle the RR double diamonds, four-patches, and HST's.  I create one heck of a colorful string.

Once I have enough of each of the units made, I have to go ahead and make one block.  Gotta see how this is going to turn out.

Oooooh.  I like it.  So bright and fun.  This is going to be a great RR row.  I sure hope the recipient loves it too.

9th -  I finish all the small units for RR and start in on the 9 patches for Jennifer M's exchange,  While doing so, I am playing with my Weed Whacker blocks.  I think the "bonus" parts are going to be used to make pinwheels like this for use in the sashing.  How fun is this?

It takes most of the day and evening, but I think I have enough 9 patches for Jennifer.    Now to order the pens and get them signed.  They were supposed to be made from fabrics used at retreat.  Well, mine are just that -- everything pulled from the scraps I had here.

During dinner, I am treated to a birthday cake -- yay!  Oh and, Stephannie has to remind me several times to take off the tiara before going to sleep.  Must I?  This has been such a great time.

10th -  Today is Mother's Day and my last day here.  Oh so sad.  We have had storms all night and the river is rising incredibly fast.  I spend most of the morning back and forth between packing/cleaning the house and taking pictures of the river.

 Two trips down net these pictures.  Same angle, less steps down.

Even the snails know better -- they are searching for higher ground as well.  Everyone is pretty nervous about the drive home and as a result the house empties out much earlier than normal.  Mister is on his way to pick me up as well.

11th -  I am a completely worthless human being.  I work on retreat stuff (money, etc.) and do some blog work - that's it.

12th -  Not sure why I'm so beat, but all I do is sleep.  I do a little blog and computer work.  That's it again -- must get it together.

13th -  Out to the studio this morning.  I take one look, feel overwhelmed, go back into the house and back to bed.

14th -  All right Deb.  Enough!  I am out of the house and walking to the post office.  Yay me.  I make a stop in Tuesday Morning and spot this pillow.  Oh perfect!  Once home, I sort though the goodies from retreat.   The picture on the right are my BIRTHDAY gifts.  Oh, I cannot express how special I feel and how very spoiled.  I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.  The picture below is our "small" gifts for each other.  Again, I am so very blessed.  Mister is taking me out for dinner.  I'd better get ready.

15th -  Finally!  I have the studio back together.  Everything is unpacked and ready to move forward.  It is raining off and on, but the birds are keeping me company -- singing as I work.  Mister finishes the first batch of pictures, allowing me to post on the group page and I start deboning shirts.  It's been a better day.

16th - Mister and I are off to the zoo this morning.  We are hoping to see the baby giraffe.  The zoo is trying something new for the month of May -- early opening for members only.  We want to support this so that it continues.  After the zoo (no baby giraffe - so sad) we walk around the Bishop Arts District and have lunch before heading home.  I work on deboning shirts some more.

17th - I am up early finishing deboning the last two shirts, then a morning walk at the Arboretum with Mister, lunch with an old friend, and a new machine.  What an awesome start to my day..  Check out this stack!  Wow --- some really fun fabrics in here.

Oh look at my new baby too!  To read about her acquisition, please click HERE.

The blog entry from the 1st retreat weekend is finished as well.  Mister and I are going out this evening to meet up with my friends from California.  Fun times.  See you tomorrow.

18th -  Totally lost day -- I can't even remember as I look back on it.

19th -  I am finally getting started on the Quiet Book for Ophelia.  Why have I waited so long to get going?  Ugh -- now it's a time crunch.  I have been on Pinterest off and on all month gathering ideas.  I manage to get the 1st two pages finished.

20th -  Two more pages on the Quiet Book  today.  I could be in trouble as these are taking 4-5 hours each.

All it does is rain.  Seriously.  Rain, rain, rain.  We are growing lichen on the driveway and mushrooms in the backyard.  Goodness.

21st - Today's pages go a bit easier and I am finished by noon.  I meet up with Lisa for a quick lunch and then spend the rest of the day building two more RR blocks.

22nd -  Okay, I have now entered a new dimension on this quiet book.  It takes me 8 hours on today's pallette and mail pages.  Oh my.  However, I really do love them so very much.  It takes about 3 hours just to get them cut out and then all the hand stitching.  They turn out very cool though.

The mailbox opens and has mail inside that also opens from it's envelopes.  The stamps are interchangeable as well.  The pain "colors" unbutton allowing some color matching skills to take place.  It also has a paintbrush for pretend play.  All in all -- good pages.

23rd - Allison arrives first thing in the morning to drop off the machine that she picked up in Houston for me as a gift from Val.  I am so very excited for Mister to get it cleaned up and us to set it all up.  After a wonderful visit with her, Mister and I go estate sale shopping.  I love finding new treasures and today is no different.  At the first sale, I find a tote that matches the ones I have along with all kinds of things I can use on the Quiet Book all for $3.00.  The second sale nets me a box full of stuff for $3.75.  It has tons of things in it, but a stack of felt is the best part since I am going through it like crazy right now.  There are all colors, the picture just shows the red.

I start in on the laundry pages for the Quiet Book by making a "tile" floor from scraps.  Mister helps me out by making patterns for the clothes and and I get the page totally cut out.  We spend the evening attending a concert with a good friend.  It's a wonderful day and fun filled -- until I get home.  Oh goodness, I am so sick.

Here are a few detail shots:  This page is just oh so cute.  I think I outdid myself.  I am having such fun on this but just cutting was 3-4 hours today.  Oh my.

24th - I was sick all night last night and am spending the day in bed.  I take my laundry pages with me and work on the clothes.

They are turning out so dang sweet.  I gotta say -- I love it even if no one else does.

25th - I need to make up some time so I finish the laundry page hand stitching,  and cut out the clown pages and the Winter (snowmen) page.  I stay up late and complete the hand work on both pages.  They are now ready for the machine.

26th - Today is picnic and clock page day.  Literally.  Twelve hours to get them cut and partially sewn.

27th -  A decision has been made.  I am going to cut all remaining pages, then do handwork on all of them, then head for the machine to finish them up.  Everything has been moved into the house and I have established a nest in the office.

I cut on pages ALL day and don't quite get finished   The Spring/Summer pages, Gardening (apples/carrots) pages, and Autumn page are cut as well as the letter for the front/back.

I know I still will be adding to them, but at least I have a start going here.
Now, I am feeling overwhelmed by the amount of hand work facing me.  Was this a smart idea?

28th - I am in my nest --- ALL DAY and evening.

29th -  Still hand stitching away.  Mister is stuck working from home due to flooding and road closures ( yes, it is STILL raining).  I venture out into the "hood" for some supplies and get quite a bit of my shopping finished.

30th -  I wanted to go and play in the rain today, but things just didn't go our way.  Flooding EVERYWHERE.  We are back home now and since I have nothing better to do (except hand stitching), I post the Mystery Introduciton two days early.  I hope everyone enjoys playing with the color cards that I picked up yesterday.  Now, back to hand work.

31st -  It is the last day of the month and I didn't come close to accomplishing what I wanted to.  Dang.  Oh well, I thoroughly enjoyed my time at retreat and although I could have kept my nose to the grindstone and completed so much more, I am happy with the way I spent the time.  Good friends -- good memories.  Today I am finishing the  hand work on my pages.  (Well except for some new ideas I have).  The blog post from the second retreat is finished and posted as well.

I had no idea what I had bit off when I decided to chew on a quiet book.  Oh my goodness.  So many items on my list were not checked off.  I have about 100 hours into the book and it's just now ready to start binding some pages.  Others still need the final machine stitching.  I only have one week before I travel with it.  Just keep sewing, just keep sewing.  Channeling Dorie.

Thanks for checking up on me this month.  Check back in now and then and please check out the link to OUR QUILT BLOGS at the top of the page for many of the quilt groups are starting to restrict the posting of blogs into the groups.  If you want to still have a long monthly read and time for your tea, join the group.  Thanks for sticking around this long -- I appreciate all of you who read each month.

Links to Previous 2015 Monthly Update Posts

January Quilt Update

February Quilt Update

March Quilt Update
April Quilt Update