Wednesday, September 11, 2013

A new free quilt along is starting....

over at Little Miss Shabby's blog, called Super Sized Sampler!   For four weeks starting today, she will be sharing a Super Sized (18″) block pattern of some old favorites. The completed Star Sampler will measure approx. 43″ x 43″ and consist of 4 large blocks.  Just my kind of project.  And the best part, the free patterns are also in PDF format, so I can easily download them to my computer and don't have to print them off her website (which you can also do) right away.  The link is on my left sidebar, so go check it out.

Sunday my quilt group sewed at the fire hall again.  Lots of neat projects being worked on and a mini show and tell session.  My shoulder was bothering me, so I didn't take my sewing machine, but instead worked on a Christmas embroidery pattern.

Mary has been paper piecing a lot lately and made a gorgeous New York Beauty sunflower wallhanging for her hallway.  With a leftover block, she made a great door or wall hanger for that spoiled Diane S, lol.


Linda has been working on a frog quilt and finally got that done .  Isn't it cute?




And Lynne has been working on a little quilt for her DGD Sophie's room.  Sophie will love it!
While Linda was rummaging thru some old boxes of clothing one day, she found a skirt that she had in high school.  Definitely not something she'd wear today, lol, but she gave it to Mary, (clever girl that she is) who made it into a cute Fall/Halloween tote bag for Linda to carry.    The fabric is really gorgeous.  How's this for recycling?

Diane S and Bonnie have been making tote bags like crazy at our last few quilting sessions, but Sunday they were working on Halloween quilts.  And Donna G is always working on a new project, while Jane was trying to finish up a fall quilt. 



Bonnie working so hard!

Jill and Ann - the 2 goofballs
 
This is the cool quilt Diane made for her man, cause he's so good to her!  (He spoils her rotten, lol!)
We have another session set for the end of the month, so by then we should have lots of new goodies for you to see.    Until next time...

Happy quilting from Sharon and the marmalade kitties, Patsy Cline and Johnny Cash

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

I spent a little time today updating my blog.  Deleting old swaps and hops and adding in some new ones.  Closing out some old links and getting rid of old blogs I no longer read or that have discontinued posting.

There are 2 new Blog Hops starting soon.  Check on my side bar for the links to a Pincushion Hop and a 60's Hop.

Spent the weekend making some paper-pieced flying geese blocks for a Quilt of Valor we're doing over at the Quilt and Needle Forum.  It's going to be a beautiful Army Star quilt.  That's my first project this year for that group.  Now that I'm starting to sew again, I have to get back into the great charity projects we do there.

Paper piecing those blocks got me back on my computer looking for some small Fall/Halloween projects to do.  I printed out a few--now let's see if I can get them done.

It's cooler today, so the kitties have been sitting in the windows a lot today.  They like to do that a lot.  I have pictures from the last time they did it.  First Johnny, then Patsy, then both of them.  But Johnny gets bored after a while, so heads out to get in trouble playing one of his favorite games....play with the wastebasket.

Johnny
Here comes Patsy
Patsy's turn

  But..I wanna' see too.        

This is boring - time for a nap
This is more boring...what can I do?
AHA!  The wastebasket!
A perfect fit!
This is fun!

Better than that old window!
"Kids!"

 Until next time.....
Happy quilting from Sharon and the kids, Patsy Cline and Johnny Cash



Sunday, September 1, 2013

My first quilt...

completely done since my shoulder replacement is finally finished.  Thanks goodness for my friend, Mary, who still has to do most of my cutting for me.  She cut the squares so I could put together this quick and easy baby quilt for a young friend's new baby boy. 

Front

Back
This was a larger lap quilt, but I cut it down to baby size.  If I do the pattern again, there are some changes I would make, but I'm just happy it is done and gifted.

I'm starting to sew a little more, but still have to space my time out.  Too much sewing one day and it's doing  nothing for a couple of days. But the end is in sight.

Hope you're all having a great Labor Day weekend.  Until next time....

Happy quilting from Sharon and the marmalade kitties, Patsy Cline and Johnny Cash

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Summer swaps.....

are so much fun!  We've run two on my Quilted Table Yahoo Group so far.  Joan hosted a "Picnic Tables with Style" swap that resulted in some darling table toppers or runners from the swappers.  My friend, Mary, entered this one and made the cutest napkin to go with it!


Joan made this cute watermelon runner
and Robin made one with a couple of ants in a basket! 

There were more cute ones to see, but you'll have to join our group and check out the fun for yourself!

Our other swap was a Summer Mug Rug Swap.  Those are crossing in the mail now, but I received mine from Kim yesterday.  The mug rug is so cute - reminds me of the lakes around here, with all the sailboats in the summer breezes. I used to go out on the lake in the boat and fish, but I was never very lucky. Whatever I caught was always too small and I had to throw it back in, lol. This mug rug brings back sweet memories.

I went back to the doctor's last Monday, and my fracture is healing good and filling in the spot where the plate buckled my shoulder after my fall.  Doc Kristen is pleased and sent me back to physical therapy with Bobbie.  So Tuesday's and Thursday's I will be back trying to get my reverse total shoulder replacement back in tip-top working order!  Yuck!  I'm sweating already!  Where did I put those pain pills, lol?

Since I can start doing things again, I signed up for a small quilt/throw swap in my ScrappyandHappy group.  I cut my fabric (thank goodness I can cut left-handed, also) Wednesday.  Then started sewing.  Got my 4-patches and HST's done. 



On Thursday I started putting it together.  I think I like it--but can't keep it.  It has to go to my swap partner in ?????  Got my top together and picked a border.  Tomorrow I'll get that sewn on and the back made.  Then off to be quilted by my friend, Jane at Blackberry Acres Longarm Quilting, who does gorgeous machine quilting. Here's a peek - hope my swappee doesn't see it. 





That's all for today.  Until next time...

Happy quilting from Sharon, Patsy Cline, and Johnny Cash






Friday, July 5, 2013

I'm Back...Sort of.....

Thanks for all the emails and prayers over the last months after my reverse total shoulder replacement.  The surgery went fine-only had to have 2 pints of blood after-and I started down the long road to recovery.

My fabulous quilt and stitching groups supplied us with dinners for the first week or so after I came home from the hospital, so we didn't die of hunger, and my BFF Mary came in every day to make sure I got up and bathed and dressed.  Without them, this would have been so much harder.  DD and DGD came and checked on me and ran errands and hubby actually added to his household duties by cleaning up and doing dishes after supper.

 Things were going so well that on March 22nd, Mary and I went to the local shelter to look at what kitties might be available in the future for adoption.  Patsy Cline has been very lonely without Katie to play and love with, so hubby and I started talking about maybe getting another kitty to love.  The only kittens the shelter had at  that time were 2 kittens about 3 weeks old by a mama cat that was also fostering 4 tiny, one-week-old babies from a mama that had died.  3 of these babies were doing ok, but one little guy was just not gaining weight.  He had a cold in his eyes and was the runt of the litter.  He couldn't seem to get there in time for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, cause the other 2 older cats and his 3 big brothers were always there ahead of him emptying the lunch box before him. 

The gal at the shelter asked if I would be interested in trying to foster him because she didn't think he was going to live.  Well....at the time, I had no plans to adopt yet, I was kind of just scoping out what might be available in the future.  But after she put that little tiny ball of fluff in my palm....I was lost.  Went home and called hubby, he said ok, so Mary and I went to PetSmart and got formula and back we went to the shelter and picked up little Paxton. 

Of course, with a big sister named Patsy Cline and being a boy, you know hubby was not going to be calling him Paxton.  So that is how Johnny Cash came to live in our home and became our 3rd "marmalade" cat.
Here are a few pics of him - he looks so much like Patsy did when she was little.  He's now 4 months old and the sweetest, most lovable cat we've ever had.






My shoulder was progressing nicely with physical therapy until I lost my one-armed balance one day after stubbing my shoe on the floor while I was feeding the kitties.  Down I went on my left side, scraping my knee and elbow, but thankfully was able to stay off my right side.  I was very sore but everything seemed to be working ok, but my PT said she thought I better tell the DR and have her run some x-rays just to be sure.

When I went for my appt several days later, I was a little sore, but nothing horrible.  BUT...x-rays showed the plate put in my shoulder was separated from the bone, indicating a fracture.  So surgery was scheduled for the next week.  But after more careful studying of the x-rays and a CT scan, my wonderful surgeon talked me into waiting 6 weeks to let any fracture heal naturally.  Now 3+ weeks later, x-rays show the bone is filling in and healing and the plate is closer to where it should be. 

So 3 more weeks and I have more x-rays to make sure it is still healing.  If it heals ok and fills in ok, I probably will not have to have more surgery.  And that's what I'm hoping and praying for now.  So any help from you guys would be appreciated.

And thanks again for all the support you've shown me over the past months.  It's meant the world to me and has certainly helped me get through a trying time.  My local friends have been great and my internet friends have been so supportive, I've been overwhelmed with all the caring thoughts,prayers, and cards.  Thank you all so much. 

I'm going to end for today, but want to leave you on a lighter note....

After  my recent surgery, these are so funny to see.
 
 
THEY ARE VERY GOOD!! 
 
The Singing Anesthesiologists - This one is just too funny!  Listen carefully to the words!
These singers are all Anesthesiologists in Minnesota and they can really sing. They are also funny.  Here they sing "Waking up  is hard to  do." 
 
Click on:
 
http://nottotallyrad.blogspot.com/2009/11/waking-up-is-hard-to-do.html
 
Play the video, then after it ends a new screen will bring up a couple more of their tunes.  Watch those too!
 
Until next time...
Happy quilting from Sharon and the marmalade cats, Patsy Cline and Johnny Cash


Saturday, February 2, 2013

New Free BOMS for 2013

Since my surgery was postponed until this coming Tuesday, I've had time to check out some of the new BOM's for this year.  Some have already started, so I apologize for posting the links so late.

Sindy at FatCat Patterns has a darling free Owl BOM just starting called Whoo Knows. 
She also has several other BOM's still running, so take a minute to check out all her free or buyable designs.  Her patterns are fantastic!

Another Cindy - at Quilt Doodle Doodles has started a a block of the month club. 
The blocks will be pieced with the occasional appliqued one, maybe paper piecing too. She'll have a tutorial with the pattern included each month and will throw in sashing directions one month, cornerstone blocks in the end. The monthly patterns will be FREE during the month that they are announced, after that they will be available for a small fee.

Jeanne Rae Crafts has started another garden-themed BOM called The Pixie Garden Quilt.  
It  features Pixie Posy and the inhabitants of her wee garden: Red Bird, Blue Bird, Inchworm, Butterfly 1, Butterfly 2, Snail, Bee, Dragonfly, Flowers 1 & 2, and Lady Bug on her Mushroom. This quilt was designed with machine appliqué in mind but is still suitable for hand appliqué. The twelve applique blocks will be introduced throughout the year. 

Angie at Angie's Bits and Pieces has started a new baby quilt made up of animal blocks called Animal Babies.  This year's project consists of not one, but TWO sets of blocks to make a darling little crib quilt, perfect for that precious little baby or toddler! You choose which set to sew -- farm or jungle/forest animal babies -- or make them both. You can mix and match to your heart's content!   Later in the year, she'll be offering her annual free Christmas quilt, so be sure to check back often. 

Val Laird is offering another of her free beautiful stitchery and applique quilts as a BOM, called Apples of Gold.
It consists of 7 embroidered blocks with proverbs and 3 appliqued blocks.  And while you're there check out all the gorgeous patterns she has for sale.

There are lots more of these free BOM's out there, but these are a few of my favorites and should keep you busy for a while.  Remember, most of them are only offered free for 1 month, so make sure you visit every month and save them or print them out so you don't miss any.

Another place where you can find a big list of more of the 2013 BOM's is by joining The Quilted Table Yahoo Group.  In this group we take the quilts off the beds and put them other places. Each month we're challenged with a new item that will suit the current season or holiday.  If you join in the monthly challenges, by the end of the year you could have a load of gifts all ready for holiday giving.  Every now and then we have some fun swaps and everyone is welcome.  Stop in and check us out.

This will be my last post for a while.  I don't know how long I'll be laid up with my reverse shoulder reconstruction, but I'll be back as soon as possible.  Until then...

Happy quilting from Sharon and Patsy Cline



Thursday, January 10, 2013

A House in Mourning....



Not having a good week here.  We had to have our beautiful Katie sent to the Rainbow Bridge Monday.


I thought she might have developed diabetes or a thyroid problem.  All of a sudden she was not eating and became very weak.  Her fur got funny and she wanted to drink cold water and to be in the cold all the time.  She kept going off by herself and instead of eating her food, she wanted ours now.  

I made an appointment with the vet on Wednesday for Monday morning for both cats to go and get caught up on their shots.  But between Friday and Monday, Katie just went down hill fast.  She went into kidney failure and was so bad in such a short time, that when the vet saw her and did testing, she said poor Katie wouldn't make it thru the night.. I couldn't let her suffer any longer, so I held her while she went to sleep.

She was only 7, and we're still in shock. Patsy Cline keeps going into all our rooms looking for her. 

We are very sad here.

Rest in Peace, Katie - you were loved so much.














Thursday, January 3, 2013

Happy New Year

My New Year's wish for you:

12 Months of Happiness, 52 weeks of Fun, 365 days of Succes, 8760 hours of Good Health, 52600 minutes of creativity and 3153600 seconds of Joy.

I stole this picture and the well wishes from a blog I read by Jacqueline at The Log Cabin.  I hope she'll forgive me, but she expressed perfectly mu wishes for all of you.  Jacqueline is a very talented quilter and stitcher and posts about her work and her quilt shop.  Sometimes she has free patterns for blocks and stitcheries and her blog is always interesting.  So stop over and check her blog out .
Sharon