February Quilt Update

Welcome to the Monthly Update.  What does that mean?  Well, it's just little ol me trying to recap what took place during the month so that I can keep track.  I kind of use it like a journal.  Please sit back and enjoy a peek into a month of my life.

Any links that you click in this post will open in a DIFFERENT window, allowing you to continue reading this without losing the page.

The previous 2017 monthly update links are located at the end of this entry.  I hope that you make it that far.

Goals:  It was a GOOD month.

Easy Street (ES) - quilted, bound -  half quilted - in time out still
Old Tobacco Road (OTR)  - quilted and bound - YES

Roll Roll Cotton Boll - quilted and bound - YES
Mad City Mama (MCM) - quilted and bound - YES
Weed Whacker (WW) backing/binding made, quilted and bound - YES
En Provence (EP) - Clue 7, binding/label made, quilted and bound - YES
Garden Party (GP) - Clues 1, 2, 3, 4 YES
Sewing Mats - 12 bound - 7 finished, 3 gifted - 5 to go
BOM (pink) backing/label made, quilted and bound - Backing/label made

1st -  Apparently 2017 is going to fly by as quick as last year did.  We are already starting the second month and when I look at the calendar in front of me this month, I know I am going to just blink and I will be typing the last entry on this post.  Today is catch-up day.  Blogging, finishing prepping the woolies for retreat, packing, laundry,etc.  Those mundane, everyday chores in life that keep us away from sewing machines but just HAVE to be done now and then.  No worries though -- today leads to tomorrow and TEN days of fun.

With it being the beginning of a new month, I need to remember the mantra for this year.  Gotta take care of myself in order to take care of others.  Just gotta.  If you don't believe me, well try taking on something when you're a mess.  It doesn't work well.



2nd -  It's here!!!  The day I've been waiting for since November.  I'm going back to retreat and am super stoked.  Val and Kitsey are staying with me for the entire 10 days and we are just gonna have oh so much fun.  If you wish to have all the details of the first weekend please click on this Retreat Link.  Mister drops me off SUPER EARLY and I have the place all to myself for hours.  Nice.  Hello Brazos.  I have missed you.

I get my nest all in place and am both physically and mentally ready for others to arrive.  I'm trying a new set up in my corner and we'll see how it goes.  Today, my agenda is to add binding to several projects:  those sewing mats I've been working on and Roll Roll Cotton Boll.  By days end, it has been accomplished.

3rd -  I picked up a pattern at Houston International Quilt Festival last fall for a Portable Portfolio.  It's been on my list to make since then AND, of course, I want to make several of them to use as gifts.  This is the retreat that that will happen.  Today -- the first one.  Pretty cool, huh?

We also had game night tonight and guess who finally won????  Me!!!!!  After 16 retreats that we have played LCR at and 3 games per retreat, it amazingly happened.  I am now the proud owner of about 45 red/white/combo fat quarters.  Woot, woot.

4th -  My focus today was to hand stitch the binding down on a couple of sewing mats so that they could be gifted.  One to Lydia and one to Debi.

I also put together a backing for one of the old BOM's.  It takes 25 fat quarters and after trimming them all to the exact same size, it went together quick.

When I finished that, I worked on my label for the same quilt.  I now have everything ready for this one to move into the quilting/finishing stage.  I'm going to HAVE to get my machine out of time out soon.

5th -  It's Sunday morning so that means people are leaving and I'm already sad.  Once it has calmed down, I focus on cutting the parts for GP clue one.  I do not want to get behind on this as I really want it finished.

As soon as they are cut, I start in with the sewing and stick with it for quite awhile.  At least until my attention wanders and I look up to realize that I have LOTS of tables full of flat space.  Oh my, it must be filled up.  We can't have empty tables just sitting around.  This means I can start cutting out the portable portfolios AND ten pair of slippers that need to be made.  By the time I'm ready for bed, the task is complete except for the actual fabric.  Yes -- there are that many OTHER types of materials in both of these projects.  I appear to have made quite the mess as well.

6th -  We are officially in the "tween" days of retreat.  You know the ones "BETWEEN" the actual retreats.  I am blessed to have Val with me and you can check out our antics in this Tween Link.  Regarding the flat space I talked about last night.  I do good today.  Check it out.  I have managed to cover eight tables all by myself.  I'm leaving a few for Val -- hahahaha.

The fabric parts to the portable portfolios are all cut as well as their parts kitted up.

So are the slippers

Now, back to those Garden Party units.  You can follow along with clue one in THIS POST.  That's it for tonight.  I'm planning on sleeping early during the tween days so that I do well the second weekend.  Yes, occasionally my smarts shine through.

7th -  First thing I finish up clue one and then, since I can't seem to get warm, I rearrange my room and put a chair in the sun to sit and bind.  Kinda like a cat.  It's too chilly outside to sit, but this will work oh so nice.  Put a show on Netflix and I am set.

After getting about half way through the quilt, it's time for a break.  I'm going to brave the breeze and see if I can get the slipper soles spray basted.  Wow, say that quick three times.  It goes decent - I only had to chase stuff once - and the task is complete.  The trouble is, I think I'm starting to get sick.  We had a couple of ladies at the last retreat not feeling well and they may have shared.  I am not a happy camper.

8th -  It's official.  I'm sick.  UGH.  Ana and Allison arrive today and once again, I am sitting in the sun binding.  I am trying to keep my distance as I don't want anyone else to be sick too.  This really stinks.  On the bright side, Roll Roll Cotton Boll is in the DONE column and that makes me so happy.  TA-DA (yes, this picture was taken once I got home, but hey -- it still counts.)  RRCB was quilted by Allison Bayer using the Bora Bora pattern.

With a gentle nudge, I round the four of us up so that we can get started on the nametag holders.  If our four are finished, we can use them as samples for the others.  An hour later -- TA-DA

I go back to my corner and plod along, keeping quiet and to myself (everyone else is sitting WAY across the room from me so no germs heading at them).  Somehow all the blocks for Garden Party come together.  Here is the GP Clue 2 LINK.  I do LOVE these so much.  What a table full of cheeriness on a day when I don't feel too cheery.

While in the kitchen eating some soup, Ana brings me a root beer float made with the "Best Damn Root Beer" and it turns out that it is hard root beer.  This is new to me but coupled with the Nyquil -- I'm off to bed.  I have a room full of ladies arriving tomorrow and will definitely need to be rested.

9th -  And so it begins again.  This time the local chickens have decided to attend as well.  What a great start.  I want chickens.  Seriously.   To keep up with the shenanigans of this weekend, here is the Second Retreat Link.  On the agenda for today -- get those nametags painted so I can put all the stuff away and give us a place to eat again.  Yep, I'm cracking the whip around here.  Meanwhile, I have spent the day putting together the other four portable portfolios.  It goes much faster when you have idea of what you are doing and everything is already cut.  Score one for me.  My corner is still empty as all the latecomers are sitting at my table.  That means I'm still keeping my germs to myself so far.

10th -  My day is spent working on a couple pair of slippers while in a drug induced fog and trying to teach Jen how to do a couple of her own portable portfolios.  During all this and across the room, sock monkeys are under construction and I gotta tell ya, the pictures are hilarious but definitely not for this blog.

11th -  I finish a third pair of slippers and call it good.  Yes, I still have seven to go.  No, I'm not going to get them done.  I just don't feel good.  Allison is teaching a mini-class on the clam shell containers and I want to do one of those.  All thoughts have now gone that direction.  Mine is finished, but not done correctly.  Apparently, you should not see that little white line on the top.  Drat.  However, my care level is pretty low right now so it'll do.

12th - It's time to go home.  By now, my drug level has reached an all-time high just to keep functioning.  I am so thankful for friends who stayed and helped me take the room apart and put things away.  It's still sad to leave, but I need a bed and no people around.  I have not been this sick in four years.  You know what I'm talking about - the kind where you literally say, "oh just let me die."  Ugh.  When Mister arrives, he loads my stuff and gives me more meds.  I have no knowledge of the drive home.  Where is my bed?

13th - I manage to crawl out of bed long enough to develop the pictures from the 1st weekend and post them.  That is all.

14th - It's Valentine's Day!  This is my favorite holiday all year.  Think about it.  An entire day based on LOVE.  It doesn't matter who your Valentine is.  Tell them you love them.  That's what it is all about.  I woke up to beautiful roses and an incredible card which made me cry and ya'll know what happens when you cry if you're sick -- now I can't breathe.  Ugh  Back to bed for me.

After a few more hours, I get up and walk into the office to tell my sweetie that I just don't feel like going anywhere.  "Is that okay?"  He just smiles so sweet and lets me know that he had already figured that out.  Yeah, I guess it was pretty obvious.

15th - I am going to DO something today.  When I go to my computer, I find another card and some chocolate from my sweetie.  I'm sure it's been sitting there since yesterday, but I never made it that far.  Check out how wonderful this card is, not in just what is says, but how it is made.  Crazy sweet, huh.  Here's the kicker:  I did NOTHING for Valentine's Day.  The lesson to be learned is to always be ready early.  Ya never know when you are gonna be "wish you were dead" sick.

I tell myself that since I am up, I am going to DO something.  I set up my machine and decide to put the binding on the four quilts that Allison delivered to me at retreat.  That's right FOUR!  You see, if not for her, I would have another month of goals that I would be afraid to look at.   En Provence is under the needle.

And the others are queued up for their turns.  Yep, just me and a lonely sewing machine in the living room.  That's as much energy as I have today.  Once the bindings are on guess what I do next?  That's right - back to bed with my book.  I'm exhausted again and I was only up for about three hours.

16th - Well, a horrendous cold is not enough.  Now my sciatica has decided that I've have been laying or sitting wrong for the past week and has determined to make it's presence known.  Boy is this a whiny blogpost.  I manage to get the 2nd retreat pictures developed and posted.  Back to bed and my book.  Oh one bright spot in the day.  Clue 3 of GP has posted and I completed all of it last year at the beach.  Yay me.  You can check it out in this Clue 3 LINK.

17th -  I AM going to get up.  I AM going to be productive.  I got the hand stitching of binding  on En Provence finished today, but that was so uncomfortable that I moved on to retreat emails and some other stuff.  However, that does mean I have a finish today.  Here is the  EP LINK to share the final story.

When I got back into bed, Mister received a gift in the mail that had dry ice in it so he came into my room like a mad scientist, trying to make me laugh.  It worked but then I had a coughing fit that about scared him to death.  Dang, this is tough stuff.

18th -  I am actually feeling a wee bit better today.  Halleluiah.  I bet you are saying the same thing.  "Hopefully, she'll start talking about something else."  I get it.  I don't like complainers either.  It's time to move on.  I have started hand stitching the binding on OTR and told Mister about some issues I had with my Sew-Ezi table while at retreat.  We discover that they have sent me the wrong insert and that is why my machine doesn't fit right.  SHAMELESS PLUG FOR SEW-EZI NOW:  I sent an email detailing the problem and received an answer back within an hour.  They asked for pictures to see the problem and I sent them.  Within an hour, they saw the problem and sent a replacement insert for my table via 2day mail.  I simply could not have asked for better service.  Okay, commercial over.  The next thing Mister and I do is make some decisions on Featherweights.  We have chosen a "retreat" machine and she is the new one he had when I came home from Colorado last month.  She is cleaned up and ready to go.  Her name is Judy and that means that the lovely Barbara will be staying home more.  I am leaving the house tonight and heading out for a beer.  That's gotta be a good sign, right?

19th -  I finish the hand stitching on Old Tobacco Road.  It is in the DONE column and move onto doing the same for Weed Whacker.  TA-DA  It is DONE as well.  Mister asks me if I need to get fabrics for my class in a few days.  Well -- yes, yes I do.  I head out to the studio and after at least an hour, I finally have made decisions and carted the fabric into the house.  Whew.  However, why stop stitching now?  I move right onto Made City Mama but that's it, I'm kinda burnt out from an entire day of binding AND Mister wants to go out.  We are off to see Arrival and then to dinner at Hook, Line, and Sinker  Pulled fabrics for Midnight Flight

Old Tobacco Road designed by Bonnie Hunter and quilted by Allison Bayer with the Simple Leaves pattern.

Weed Whacker designed by Bonnie Hunter and quilted by Allison Bayer with a pattern called Tina (fancy birds).

20th -  First thing, I settle in and finish the binding on MCM.  It is now DONE as well.  Why did I work so hard to get all four quilts finished?  Well, to be totally honest and although it makes me look a little vain, Bonnie is coming to retreat this week and I want to be able to show them to her.  Yep, I haven't had a chance for a show and share with her in over a year.  Color me proud.  I don't care.  Mad City Mama is designed by Bonnie Hunter and quilted by Allison Bayer in the Broken Glass Pattern.  I am one happy camper.

Now to prep for retreat.  Today I cut all remaining parts for Garden Party, make some changes on the fabric selection for Midnight Flight (our class project) and clean up the trimmings from three quilts.  That's it for today.

21st -  ALL day is spent cutting for Midnight Flight.  Let me say that again -- ALL DAY.   I am not joking even a little bit.  This quilt has a ton of pieces.  I'm liking the colors more and more though.  I hope it all works out.

For the evening, we are off to dinner at Thai Opal.  Even though I haven't said much, it is birthday season for my sweet Mister and so we've been doing whatever he wishes this week.

22nd - Today is my sweet Mister's Birthday.  Since I am leaving on retreat Thursday, he is working in the office today.  Ugh.  I feel bad about that but he's a gem.  I am packing and doing laundry while working on a birthday cake and nice dinner for my love.  Allison stops by for a chat after her workshop at Rockin' Bobbin and whoosh -- this day is gone too. -- Made dinner and birthday cake

23rd -  I have waited over a year for today.  I am off bright and early to the Rockin R Bonnie Hunter Retreat.  To read all about my weekend please click on THIS LINK .  I am here with Sherri and we are ready to laugh ourselves silly. Once we are nested,

I set about working on clue 4 of Garden Party until it is complete.  You can check out my process in this  Clue 4 link.

24th-  Today is our class with Bonnie Hunter and we are making Midnight Flight.  Well at least we are hoping to make ONE block of it.  That's how it rolls in a Bonnie Hunter class.  Here is your  Midnight Flight Link to follow along with us.

There's always time for pictures -- memories made.

25th -  I am so blessed to have met some new ladies as well.  Isn't that what this is all about?  Quilting friends are the most amazing women and I know how lucky I am to be surrounded by them.

I got to take time out this afternoon to enjoy what nature brings to the table.  Just eat up this eye candy.  Oh, and I'm last woman standing.  That hasn't happened for awhile but I was oh so determined to leave with certain things done.

26th -  I am heading home this morning.  I just want some time with my sweetie as I will be gone again next weekend.

It's been a great retreat and I'm happy with the progress I made.  I hope you checked into the link about it, cos it is a nice, long post.

When I got home, the new insert for my table had arrived and Mister set to work installing the new legs and putting it all right.  NOW both the Featherweight and my 301 have the same height.  I only need to change out the insert.  I am literally doing the happy dance here.  This means that the purple spacers are now out of use unless I figure out what machine the bad insert will work with.  It may be a different height.

So as a last note for today, we went out for ice cream tonight and in the bathroom this was spotted.  I'm pretty sure I'll recreate this someday.  Love, love, love it.

I'm thinking in a retreat bathroom for sure.  What a great idea.



27th -  As with all day after retreats, today is recovery day.  I spent time developing and posting pictures and blog entries.  Now, I have a book and am ready to relax for awhile until my sweetheart gets home.  Tomorrow is another day.

28th -  I have a guest poster on the blog today so if you haven't checked it out yet, here is your Allison LINK.  She is telling all about the paper plate method that so many have asked me for information on.  Enjoy.  As for the rest of MY day, well I am off to Irving to help out my mother-in-law for the afternoon.  Ooooh -  I got a new table while shopping with Mister in the evening.  I found the same small ones that I used at the Rockin' R retreat and absolutely had to have one.  Thank you, Mister, for being the best enabler in the world.

Thank you so very much for checking in with me again this month.  I do this for ME and appreciate you so much for peeking in now and then.  Since it is for me, I keep it ad free and hope for it to stay that way.  It's just a way of holding memories tight.  Check back in now and then (or sign up for email notifications and you'll never miss a post) 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 am grateful for everyone who reads each month.

Links to Previous 2017 Monthly Update Posts:

January 2017