Fall is here!

I promised pictures of my studio. This is the back north west corner. Still a little cramped as I am finding a place for things but much more organized! See my new ironing board? Its 18" wide by 5 1/2' long and has folding legs so will fold up to the shelves in front of it and latch to them so I can use the floor space underneath.

This is the same west wall but the south corner. There is a window behind that TV <G>. And next to all that thread hanging there are two windows in the north wall so I get alot of light. I do manage to cram alot in my 12x14' studio. This picture shows my Embroidery machine and serger. I have a quilting/sewing machine on the other side of the table.

This is the north east corner behind my quilting/sewing machine where I sit most of time. Its the messiest! My scrap basket, stereo, laptop, printer ect is all there. fabric shelves and rolled up design wall. I actually have a double design wall in front of my shelves. I work on several projects at a time so just flip back and forth by rolling up the front wall. I even bought another two for the hallway outside my studio door to do the same thing. I use 72" felt for my design walls.

Have you collected those freebie patterns from the Internet? Those year long BOMs? Patterns you want to make 'someday'. These are my 'someday's! Well not all of them........each binder is labeled for something. Applique, paper piecing, antique patterns, BOMs, Templates and so on. I am a bit anal about organizing. And I figure when my time comes and my daughter has to get rid of it all at least it will be labeled! haha

Oh and my alcove. Additional storage for overflow. Actually it holds 2 shelf units that hold my quilt magazines and books. A dresser that holds my feedsack collection, several bins of feedsack that sit on top of the dresser and a closet that is also full. You can usually see the floor just fine since I keep this area neat and orderly  but my daughter just cleaned her room and tends to put her garbage at the top of the stairway which is right at the doorway of my studio and alcove.

My home was built in 1888, has 4 bedrooms, a bath and said alcove upstairs. We are in a constant state of repair. While my studio looks nice right now honestly those shelves are full for a reason...............they are holding up the ceiling! At least that's what my husband claims. I have the only room where the ceiling is cracking, just my luck. So next year I will unpile it yet again so we can do a ceiling. Yuck.

As for sewing, here are some of my BB civil war blocks. 1-4. Now for 5-39.........And here's another treat for you, a garage sale find.

Its a gorgeous double pink for a whole 10.00. Some people just don't know what they have or just don't care. That's OK, I'll take them home and love them.

Well, enough for one night. Thanks for visiting!

End of August, end of summer?

My last post was so long ago and far away it seems. So is my sewing! My bathroom project is ongoing and my LA is covered for protection so no work there. I did bustle up a wedding dress for my grandsons stepmother to be and I am working on her daughters dress for the wedding. It was 8" to long for little bit. Or it was 2 months ago when we first measured her. Had a remeasure last week and sure enough she grew 2 inches! Good thing I had cut the tulle on the inside and removed only the trim.

I went on a little spending spree.............bought some new sewing books, like I really needed some more. Minnesota quilters. One day I may have one for each state since I have about 15 of them now. A tiny book on antique sewing machines and I mean tiny, hardly worth mentioning. And Z&S had another sale that I had to buy from, like I really needed more fabric. But 50% off.............

I learned my LQS will be our new Viking dealer, hippy skippy, we lost ours back in February with a 2 week close out notice, yes just 2 week notice. And I just bought a machine in January. There went my warrenty. Used machine so now NO warrenty. Dirty deal I thought but what can you do. It was a near new machine, only 9 months old but unfortunately no manufacturers warr. only dealers when sold used like that so I got screwed when they closed. Just happy we will have dealer closer then 1 1/2 hour drive so I can get repairs and parts if needed now! Especially since I have now bought a used embroidery Viking SE machine too I love my viking machines regardless of dealers.

Oh, remember my 3 bunnies that never bonded? Lo and behold they have bonded after all. One day we decided to try and put 2 of them together, bunbun and badit. Those are the grey and black and white one. And they got along. Poor Bella looked so lonely and sad by herself we figured we'd let her out too after a few days and we were shocked no fighting. We were told that after a few years that if bunnies did not bond they never would but ours proved the experts wrong. They are so much more fun to watch all together. But boy can they instigate trouble working together .

I promised pictures ages ago but never got the energy to take them. My studio is done but now messy. Anyone working on BB's civil war quilt? I have made the first 7 blocks only but have EQ'd the rest of them and printed them out. I hope to catch up one weekend soon! Yes I know we are up to block 35 now so I have a long way to go. My DJ is stalled and so is my NI quilt. Too many projects. If you could see my UFU pile. Carpal Tunnel surgery did help build that pile but the healing is progressing.

I have my wool applique project on the burner too. First I have to stop taking on projects from other people! My daughter is a culprit there. Those damn princess dresses of my grandaughters. I am constantly repairing them. Quit putting them in the washing machine! Tulle and netting and washing machines do not mix. Use a washer bag for underthings.

Well enough catch up for one night. Maybe next time I'll break down and add some pics.

Lazy Blogger

Thats what I am. Time flys and life happens. My redo on my studio is done, or as done as it can be. Its been 3 months since my carpal tunnel and ulnar surgery and they are not healing well or maybe my expectations are to high? My doctor told me to resume normal activities but I do not think he knew normal for me was creating mascot costumes! Using heavy equipment in my hands with triggers like glue guns, rivet guns, staplers, hot knives ect. 10 years of this job is what ruined my hands to start with! I worry I went back to work to soon. Ok enough wining.........

On the sewing front I have made 4 blocks finally of the Barbara Brackmans Civil War BOW. Granted she is on week 25 but I have a start. I hope to keep goin on them until I catch up and even post some pictures here!

We had a our trip to Florida Disney at the end of May and it was great. Started out with food poisoning before I even got on the plane . So spent the first day in bed, I refused to give up the rest of the trip so with immodium AD and eating careful and lots of water I did enjoy the trip with the rest of my girls. It was a girls vacation with my 2 daughters and grandaughter and a friend with her daughter.

When we arrived home, to tornados no less...........we had 4 days to memorial day weekend and another trip. This time camping with the whole family at Timber lake resort campground inh Mount Carroll IL. It was an interesting weekend but fun, rain and more rain! Pass the marguaritas!

Its been a long month of Tornados and flooding here in Illinois along the Mississippi. Hoping July will be better. We drove 133 miles into Baraboo Wisconsin for a Graduation party this past weekend, it reminded me why I dislike camping and traveling Wisconsin, all those narrow hairpin roads. We have a beast of a truck, 4 doors and full back end, its 25' long. I hate curvy roads.............

Well that should catch me up. Next time, hopefully soon, I will have some pictures to post too.
happy sewing.
deb

Thursday St Pattys Day

Today Was my son's 32nd birthday! It started with the removal of 23 staples from my left elbow, ulnar surgery, and 6 titches from my left hand from the CT surgery. Ouch! the staples were pretty easy but the stitches had grown into the skin. My right hand will be worked on tomorrow and then at least a week of doing nothing again as I try to get feeling back into it.
I shopped a little and then came home and took a 3 hour nap, pretty boring right? Made a cake and dinner for my son and getting ready to watch American Idol.
My studio is nearly finished, how did a 1 day job turn into a full week? Its like dominoes, one area effects another and on and on............How did I get so much?? Pictures if I ever get it done!

I am putting my favorite blogs to the right, feel free to send me your button if you'd like to be there. I am still learning here so if I post a button you do not want there let me know and I will remove it. I try very hard to follow copy rights and only grab button that say I can do so.

Till next time!

New, new and new!

This is my first on my new blog . Now I have started blogs before but never understood what to do with them after I created them. I had carpal tunnel and ulnar surgery 10 days ago and since there will be another month or more off work I finally have time to learn how to do this. Now some may wonder what a dragon might have to do with quilting LOL. I have a house full, they are my friends and inspiration for anything creative. Who says a dragon cannot quilt?? You have cat people and dog people, I am a dragon person. I also have house bunnies, not the under couch linty kind, although they do get linty if under MY couch, but the warm fuzzy hop around kind. They are Bella, Bandit and Fluffy.