Well here it is Friday (finally) and it is Mike's 55th birthday. We are making taco's and other things to go along with it and about 15 of his favorite friends. It should be a good time. When I decided to do it and after inviting everyone I think had second thoughts about having it after working all day. Then I thought it thru again and realized that this will give me 2 full days to do as I please. I will be back on task with my list. I will be working on cleaning the basement which is my sewing room. I have decided that I want to paint the walls but need to un-lutter first.



I am hoping to work on Kris's quilt this weekend also, can't work all weekend.

I started working on my sewing room today trying to get things under control. I actually have many things I want to get done and I have the list. I am not pushing myself that I have to get these things done right now. It is a long list and I know that once it is all done I will feel so much better but it is going to take time. Having Raychel in the hospital or taking care of her for the last 2-1/2 years has really effected the home front. She is worth it and I have been telling myself that things will get better and I will take control again. I think this is my first true weekend home in a long long time and I am loving it.

I did get Ellie's quilt reloaded so that I can fix the screw up in the beginning of the machine quilting. I have 1 quilt top that needs to be done, I have one that was quilted and some ripping out and needs to be redone and then there is my Dad's memory quilt that I need to put the binding on. Going thru my stuff I have realized that I don't need to buy any more books or magazines. I also have found material that I forgot I had, I need to get it out of the bags and onto a shelf so I won't forget I have it.

I love material, but everyone does right?

Till later

For some reason I woke up this morning thinking it was Friday, what a disappointment to find out it is only Thursday. I really want it to be Friday. Raychel has been in the hospital since Monday. She has an infection in the area the feeding tube is coming out of her abdomen. She also had a cold so she was taking Tylenol Cold and Flu which she is not suppose to take because of her liver problems. When she was admitted they checked her liver enzymes and it shows that there has been some severe damage. It is so sad she is only 29 and it just does not stop for her.

On Saturday Mike and I are planning on clearing out the basement so I can reclaim my sewing room, how exciting. This will make a dent in the list I have made.

Till Later

Well these are the blocks I have decided on for Kris's quilt. I was suppose to have 2-1/2" squares not half square triangles. So I search and this is what I have come up with. I have a lot of different barn red prints so think it is going to look very nice.

Two weeks ago we took our motor home out to our sister-in-law, Pat, for a celebration of her husband, my husband's brother's passing away. We took the motor home because Raychel had not been doing well and it was a 2-1/2 hour drive. That evening when we left we had a belt brake and ended up using AAA to haul the motor home back to Pats. We finally got out there yesterday to work on it and after Mike putting in new spark plugs, new belt, new spark plug wires, oil change it still did not work. This morning he realized that we now have a cracked cylinder head. This is a very expensive fix. Pat said we can leave it out there for the winter if we need to.

Out of all of this mess I got to spend the afternoon with Pat going to quilt shops in her area. I am so proud of myself, I did not make a single purchase, even thou I really did come across some great deals and beautiful fabrics. I have decide that I really need to get thru the material I already have. Mike will be going on unemployment for the winter with the season coming to an end. I really need to watch my pennies this winter. I won't be watching pennies because Mike is laid off but with the economy the way it is heading I feel the need to be financially responsible. Sometimes I hate being a grownup.

I only have a few hours left of this weekend and I am heading down to my sewing room to finish ripping out thread from Ellie's quilt.

Well I can't believe that it is October 2nd, where has the time gone. On Tuesday I drove to my sister in laws in Willmar, about a 2 hour drive west, to go to a quilting guild meeting that she belongs to. I have been thinking that I would like to join a group but was not sure what they were all about. Her group has 142 people, that is huge. It was fun they had 3 different stations setup that you could go to and learn something different. She said that she really enjoys going and that she has learned so much from all the other quilters. I will look into finding one that is closer to home.

Last Saturday I went to Raychel's to hang out and put here new dining room table and chairs together. Well sitting on the floor all that time really hurt my lower back. I have been to the chiropractor twice this week and will be returning on Friday. I need this to pass, I don't do well be held down from doing things. Hopefully today will be a better day.

Till Later

I have to say I have not had a quilt top on my frame since May. I got my bobbins threaded and then threaded the machine and started going. Well of course it started jamming up and then I got the tension fixed and then my thread started breaking. I changed the needle, had it in wrong. What ever I did worked and now it is fine. I had to leave to go to the grocery store but I will be back to it soon.

Fall in Minnesota can be such a wonderful time of year. It can be 85 like it was on Thursday and 60 today. Great day to put on a pot of chili. By this time of year I am pretty tired of food on the grill so making something on the stove or in the oven is so comforting.

Till Later.
Cathy

I got the quilt loaded and then realized that I only have 2 bags of batting. One a twin size and the other a double size. I only need 50 x 63, I really hate to waste the batting but really don't feel like going out tomorrow. I stopped at Walmart tonight on my way home (Joann's was not open) and the didn't have the batting I wanted. I have gotten very spoiled by the 100% cotton batting so that other stuff just feels like it would not be very soft.

My intentions are to get up in the morning and do some cleaning then hit the sewing room. Mike is wanting to clean the garage and he can I have no problems with that as long as he does not think I am going to be a part of his plans.

So I have decided that I need to post a picture of Ellie's quilt top. I think by posting it will hold me responsible to get it quilted.

I found a pattern that is going to work for Kris's quilt. It was a picture of a quilt I found in a magazine that had no other information except the name, it was an article on antique quilts. I searched and searched and finally found a larger picture and have figured out how to make it. It is called "Ocean Waves". All I could find out about it is that it is a antique quilt and does not look like there is a lot of information out there on it. I did find another quilt out there that was called the same, but was not the same quilt. I will post a picture on my progress on this one. I am excited to get going on it. We have Ronny's funeral on Saturday but I should have all day Sunday or at least some of the day. I can't wait.

Thanks for the suggestions.