Quilt vs. Blanket

Taking a quick lunch break----working on quilting up Hannah's Rotation and I hope to have pics to share by the end of the day!

Caitlyn is playing the Wii and Cassie is complaining that "Caitlyn is going to crack me over the head, Mom!!!!" because Cailtyn gets rather animated when playing.

So....here's what ensued...

Mom: Well, girls. Then PICK up the living room to give yourself some more room.
Candace: Like what, Mom?
Mom: First of all, take your blanket up to your room because it's taking up so much space on the floor.
Candace: {draging her quilt behind her, marching up the stairs, and saying through clenched teeth} But Mom! It's my quilt, remember? It's not a blanket!

How can I be mad when she knows that difference already???

;0)

It's FRIDAY!

I'm beat
But thankful it's Friday

We are NOT going anywhere this weekend
Yeah

I restocked myself on the verigated thread so I can finish quilting Hannah's Rotation {{I ran out Wednesday night----grrrrrrrr!}}

**sigh**

But nothing tonight......{{maybe??}}
I'm tired
Want to relax

Oh I dunno----maybe I'll end up downstairs.....

Anyway; if you find some motivation, could you send it my way???

Happy Friday!

My legs are...

Playing softball last night lead to some pros and cons....

PRO--I enjoy playing competitive sports
CON--crappy, rainy, cold weather
PRO--healthy recreational evening
CON--SERIOUSLY, SERIOUSLY opened my eyes to how out of shape I am (since I haven't really run since last October)

My first at-bat, running to 1st base.......
....I was winded

My second at-bat, my legs almost felt (SERIOUSLY) like they were going to buckle under me when I rounded 3rd base, heading to home.

My first left-field, getting "burned" by an over-head shot; running after the ball, and then shortly there-after needing to "hustle" back to the dugout to get my butt up to the batter's box.......W-I-N-D-E-D!!!!!

So....time to stop making excuses! Time to get my butt (literally) back in shape!


On the quilting front; nothing tonight.
I'm watching "The Biggest Loser" ... and crying! {{They just showed the 'walk-down-memory-lane' videos on how far some of the contestants have come}}. The best part of tonight's show: forcing the contestants to 'run' an obstacle course carrying a bag filled with sand bags EQUAL to the weight they have lost. IT WAS HARD! But I sure hope the contestants remember what it was like to carry 150+ extra pounds and how HARD it was to carry that extra weight. It's a great reminder of how hard it IS on our bodies when we carry excess weight... It IS very easy to "veg" and "get lazy" with one's health, and it's too easy to just say "psht---no big deal, it's just 5 pounds. It'll be gone once I decide to start my training again.".....**sigh**.....and then you play a softball game, and you are QUICKLY reminded how unfit you can become in just 5 months of no activity........
...anyway---didn't mean to give a speech there....

Happy Tuesday!

Stash Report - May 3 - 9

Stash Report: May 3 - 9
Used this week: 4.722 yards
Purchased this week: 0 yards
Used-to-date 2010: 117.036 yards
Purchased-to-date 2010: 131.75 yards
Net used: -14.714 yards

Just getting in my report for last week.

I don't plan on doing any quilting tonight; I'm off to softball in an hour with a Division 1 Ladies league--LATE game! 9:00 start --- in a town half hour away. Ugh! Late night looming ahead!
Icky weather is moving in too------ya think it's too much to ask for a rain-delay?!?!?
{{**crossing fingers**}}

Gosh! I haven't played softball in a couple of years. I left the team a few years ago, but they are in DIRE need of players tonight since most of their players are high school girls. The girls can't play yet since they are still competing in HS ball; therefore, the "sub" list is getting hit up quite a bit these next couple of weeks.

Happy Monday

A lazy Saturday leading to a motivated Sunday!

I finished quilting my MIL's quilt yesterday, and .... well.... that was about it! I was pooped and really wasn't in the mood to quilt :0( Cassie had a friend over, and I spent much of my day relaxing on the couch, watching them play the Wii and .... just vegging!

So......ummmm.....Hannah's Rotation????

Have no fear!!!
I sewed and sewed and sewed today with motivation!!!!
Ta-daaaaaaaaaaaa



NOT ONLY did the blocks and top get finished today, I also pieced a backing (not a simple solid, either). A pic will have to wait until later....because....

it's already on the frame with a few paths quilted. I'm using a jewel-toned variegated thread and one of my pantos from Cheryl Barnes' Quilting Dot-to-Dot book. I'm not sure I'm sold on it yet (the pattern and thread choice), but I'm sure once it's off the frame, washed and on the wall, it'll be just fine.

GOSH! I'm so happy to have that monkey off my back! :0) {{almost}}

OH! Yeah! I need to post my Stash Report, but I'm too comfy and lazy to head back downstairs to get my lil' notebook. It'll need to wait until tomorrow.

Happy Sunday!

After-post comment
CRAP! Crap-crap!
Look at Hannah's Rotation with a 'relaxed eye'.....

you see those blasted yellow/black HSTs????????????? UGH!!!!!!!!! They're kiddy-wompas! And I'm NOT about to take the quilt off the frame to fix 'em...

Poop-poop-poop!!!!!!!!!
{{**sigh**}}

I suppose it could be worse....

I guess a little snow that will be gone within a day is okay to live with??? Considering the storms that are happening in other parts of the nation, a little white stuff and cold temps......yeah......it's not that bad.


I finished up my MIL's Quilts4Kids Dino Dynamite quilt last night and created a label for my Leapin' Lizards at the same time. They just await packaging and off they go to Q4K.


I also loaded my MIL's blue quilt in the frame last night (around 10:00), and I couldn't resist getting a few paths done before calling it a night.

I should be able to finish this one up today....

....and then.....

HANNAH'S ROTATION!
Boy, can I really finish up those blocks today?!?!!?!?
Please, please, please....

Happy Saturday sewing!

That's not RAIN you're seeing!

Realllllllly????


REALLLLLLLLY?!?!???!??!?!?!?!?!?!



Come ON mama-nature!!!!!!

Puttin' feet up & How the frame works.

Little Caitlyn didn't allow us (ME) to get much sleep last night. She woke up around 1:00, crying and whining about how her ear hurts; she is a bit of a drama-queen to begin with, but this time it was legit. After a night of tossing and turning, even after some medicine, she still was in tears and running a 102 fever. Therefore, she was able to spend the day at home with Dad; too bad for me though! I was dragging butt a little bit, and it didn't help that I was testing all day, so I had to sit in a comfy chair, grading paper after paper. GOSH---it was sheer discipline to keep my eyes open.

I did pick up a new iron after school though, right before heading to the grocery store for the first food-trip in MONTHS! Seriously---we've only been doing the little "lets-buy-a-couple-of-meal's-worth" trips, but it was TIME to do a full-fledge shopping spree!!! It's nice having a stocked cupboard and fridge again :0)
I don't like having posts without pictures, so ... have a gander...


I don't know if you can see all those egg cartons?!??? Yeah, the chickens are definitely earning their keep; we simply aren't keeping up with them!

So, I'm putting my feet up right now, watching some TV and surfing the net.

On the quilting front....
Amanda was curious as to how the quilting frame worked with a pantograph......
While I was waiting for my frame and machine to arrive, I spent quite a few evenings "researching" on YouTube. How to load a backing, top, how to set up the frame, etc....You name it!
I found a jackpot (in my opinion)! Penny Bubar's channel has everything from loading a back and top, stitching a panto, lining up a panto, and the list goes on and on....
Anyway, the run-down...... there is a table below the machine's carriage that can hold a pantograph (plastic, wood or paper showing a quilting design.) The quilter moves the machine in any direction to follow the design on the panto using a stylus or laser-light. {{Yeah, I'm still using my jimmied-up-thing-a-ma-gig. It works great, so why should I cough up anything for something that quilting companies call "nice"???}}

I travel left to right; I find it easier because it mimics reading.....ya know----left to right.....

As the quilter moves along the design, it gets transferred effortlessly to the quilt top :0)

To actually watch this happen, follow the Penny Bubar link....it's the direct link to how she quilts a Panto.
I tell ya, this lady is HA-Larious! I enjoyed watching each of her videos for both the knowledge AND the humor. And a tidbit of information...I use Penny's "unique" style of quilting the panto (only on the left side). It really does give more control. I've also seen a version of this style when watching an air-brush artist----he locked his arms (elbows) at his sides and moved his entire torso when painting. It looked weird, but the art was amazing.


So...there ya have it. I'm loving the frame! I can see the 8-9" throat limitation of the Juki98Q getting old real soon, but I'll manage. ;0)

Happy Day-Before-Friday.