Am I Procrastinating?

I completed #3 of Raggedy & Friends and cut the blocks to start the embroidery for #4.  I didn't notice until I was done just how flowery this whole block got to be.  I still like it and I'm sure Raggedy does too.  I wanted to get this sewing done, but I also think I might be procrastinating alittle.  I need to sandwich Down on the Farm.  I laid everything out on the bed yesterday to relax the batting.   The sandwiching part of a quilt is where I really drag myself along to get started.  Once I start then I'm ok, because I need to get it out of the way.  I'll start on it next, unless I let myself get distracted again.  lol

Thank you to everyone who read my 100th post and stopped to comment.  I didn't get individual answers sent, so you get a group--Thank You!  Carol is the winner of the Blush fat quarter stack.   I love Carol's blog and never miss reading it.  She is a very creative and productive quilter.  I enjoy her old photos on Fashion Friday.  I'm old enough to be in them.  I also enjoy reading her granddaughter's blog about her Peace Corp assignment.  Carol was one of my early followers and has always encouraged me alot in my blogging.  Congratulations on your win!

It is back to nice weather again today.  Rocco is enjoying time outside with his friends.  I did too--more procrastinating.  :)  Just too nice not to spend some time outside while I still can enjoy it.    The cats love to be brushed, so I sat on the deck and they took turns.  I wish Puss liked to be brushed like they do.

I made a trip to town for supplies and parts yesterday.  I went to the clinic too.  I feel better already after the first 2 pills of the Z-pak the doctor prescribed.  I slept all night last night with the "big guns" cough syrup he gave me.  Now with a little sunshine I should be good to go sandwich that baby quilt.   If the baby isn't born this week-end on his own, he will be coming Monday or Tuesday next week. 

Have a great week-end.  Hugs  Janet

Snowin' and Blowin'

Twenty bright pillowcases were made last week at quilt group.  These pillow cases will be donated to the FCCLA's Angel Tree project.   One of our members was the Consumer Science teacher (Home Ec to  us oldies) for 35 years.  She died from cancer last year.  Her husband gifted her stash to our group to use in

community service projects.  We used her stash and some of our own to make the pillow cases.  The pattern we used was call the burrito method.  It makes a very nice pillow case with finished seams.  It is like

Robin Gallagher's method.  They were alot of fun to make.   We have also made two quilts that were given to families who had house fires.   It was so nice to see everyone and catch up on each other's projects.

Down on the Farm is a flimsy!    I need to piece the backing and start the sandwich process.    This has been a fun project.  The baby's due date is Halloween and he is still waiting.  Although I think his mom is more than ready for him to be here.

Today is post 100.  For those of you who have read all of this post, you will see that I am giving away this lovely stack of 14 fat quarters--Basic Grey's Blush.  Just leave a comment on this post for a chance to win.

You can see from my header and title that today is a nasty weather day in SD.  The wind is blowing 40-60 miles per hour at times and the snow is flying.  It is a reminder for us to get prepared for the season ahead.  Thank goodness this is a little taste for a couple days and then back to more temperate stuff for a short time.

I have had the crud again.  This time a chest cold with lots of coughing.  I'm feeling better today and hope to get more done today.

Rocco hates the cold.  It has put an end to his outdoor fun.  He is cuddled up on my lap under the afghan.  He has gained alittle weight and his winter clothes from last year don't fit him.  So we'll need to do some winter sewing and shopping for him too. 

Blogger has given me fits the whole time with this post.  So I'm done.....................

Quick Visit

A big thank you to Linda for the wonderful Chocolate Chai and the new quilting book "Let's Do Lunch" by Terry Atkinson.  I won these from Linda's birthday giveaway.   I'm looking forward to making some of the bags and runners in this book.  I haven't tried the Chai yet, but anything chocolate must be wonderful! Thanks so much Linda for your friendship and your prayers.  You have been a special quilting blog friend to me.

Down on the Farm is sashed!  I have a couple borders to put on yet.  I'm still deciding colors for them and sizes.  I'm using my stash!  The baby due date is Halloween. 

I made a few scrap blocks one day last week.  I have been reading about crumbs and strips so much lately.  I decided maybe I should start learning how to do this with my leftovers.   I've been saving all these little pieces and have a couple containers.  Sometimes they are nice to use for applique, but once you have more than one container full maybe it's time to do more with them.  (I know that is a long incorrect sentence, but I blog how I talk--sorry.  :)  )  I decided I would make 6.5 inch blocks.  As you can see some of these pieces are maybe too small.   I'll have to be a little more choosy.   Pleasant Home's Jodi is going to be doing a Sew Scraps Along and some people are giving away scraps too.   I have plenty already.  It will be fun to see what Jodi is going to do.

The weather has been just awesome for October here.  Last year it was cold and we already had snow.  This year it has been sunny and temperate.  Rocco and I have been going on a daily walk.  Sometimes we walk on the gravel road and sometimes we walk on the prairie road.  We always have company--anywhere from 6 to 8 cats.  I look like the Pied Piper only with cats.  lol  Rocco and the cats take turns running on ahead and then seeing, who can be the first to get back home.  It makes me laugh.

I have quilting group tomorrow night in Highmore.  We are going to be making pillow cases.  The cases will be given to the FCCLA group as part of their Christmas Angel project.  I haven't made any pillow cases and I think this will be a fun project for all of us.   I'm  looking forward to seeing everyone.  I'm suppose to take the dessert.  I'm still deciding what that is going to be.  

 I better get back to Down on the Farm before DH needs me for something.  The corn combining was finished up yesterday.  He is stacking bales today and moving them to the hay yard tomorrow. 

This is post  99.  :)

39 years of Commitment

Chains do not hold a marriage together. It is threads, hundreds of tiny threads which sew people together through the years. ~Simone Signoret


A good marriage is the union of two good forgivers.  -- Ruth Bell Graham


Today we celebrate 39 years of the commitment we made to God to be together until death do us part.   We have had our ups and downs over the years.  The ups have out weighed the downs.   Marriage is alot of work, but I think mainly it is commitment and forgiveness and alot of laughter.   In the marriage vows there should be a promise not only to love and honor, but to laugh together.  

We are combining corn today.  The Lord has blessed us with a beautiful sunny, warm day.  We had other plans, but the combiner could come today, so we combine--such is farming. 
 
This is post 98.  :)

A Halloween Finish

I've been blanket stitching around my farm animals for the baby quilt whenever I havehad time this week.   I felt like I needed to make something quick and fun this afternoon.    I enjoyed the Fall-o-ween blog hop with all the wonderful free patterns.  I really liked this little runner by Gudrun.   I've never made Prairie points, so this was a new technique for me.   After I took the picture I decided to blanket stitch around the candy pieces.  It's nice to have a finish.  :)

We went to Pierre yesterday and I got my new glasses.  I can see again.  lol  It has really made a difference being able to see the 1/4 inch line on my machine again.  And I can read the newspaper too.

I can hardly believe tomorrow is Saturday already and October is half over.   We are going to start combining the corn tomorrow.  The weather has been beautiful this week.    We had to pull the well this morning and put in a new pump.  This well is for watering the cows when they come home later this month.  It was nice weather to get that job done. 

I'm headed to bed.  Good night.........................

Charm prizes/Dizzy

I want to send out bloggy thank yous to Jodi at Pleasant Home and Patty at Mom Love 2 Quilt for the lovely charm squares I won from each of them.

 

The charms from Jodi were won on one of my favorite blogs  "Stash Manicure".  If you haven't ever visited that blog you need to.  I always get inspiration from all the guest bloggers about using up scraps, organizing fabric or just a good chuckle from the stories they tell.    There are always nice prizes to win too.  :)

Stop by Jodi's blog and see what she's up to too.  She has some really cute Halloween stuff posted.

Patty was so generous giving away 2 charm packs  on her blog and then "surprise" she sent a pattern for a runner using charms too.   Quilt bloggers are just the best kind of people!    Patty has had alot of giveaways lately.  She also has a sweet new grandson--you must see.   

 All three packs of charms are in winter or holiday prints, so I better get busy with the Christmas sewing---after I get the baby quilt done.  I won a book with patterns using charms from Linda, so that should help me make something good.

I have been working on Down on the Farm here and there.   I have two new blocks to show you.  I love this scarecrow.  I should have done his face for you, but I'm waiting to do the embroidery  later.  I'll need to put some fun straw hanging out from his arms and legs too.  I had so much fun dressing him up in John Deere fabrics.

Then I messed around fussy cutting and sewing this sweet "window in the barn" block. 

Next I cut out fabric for the little flying geese. Oh, I was so excited.  I cut up left over scraps in 3" blocks for the Bow Tie blocks I want to make from my scraps at the same time.  I used my wonderful "The Angler 2" from Pam Bono Designs, Inc. to sew the 2" corners.  I bought this slick little tool about 5 years ago.  It's so nice not to have to stop and draw lines on the squares.

Here's a picture of the Angler.  It just tapes down to your sewing machine bed.   BUT oh, dear look at those geese---what's wrong?  What happened--they aren't right!?  Well,  it just goes to show you I can't do two things at once, because I get "dizzy".  I was suppose to have rectangles that were 2" x 3 1/2" inches.  I was so pleased with myself cutting up the leftovers in 3" squares that somehow I forgot the 1/2" on most of the rectangles and cut 2" x 3" 's.   So I quickly made all these geese with the Angler with the wrong size rectangles.  Rats!!    This also is why I am a "pokey quilter", if I do anything in a hurry--it always ends up backwards, upside down or wrong.  I have to go slowly and "enjoy" the process.   So this morning I re-cut the rectangles.  I used this

sticky note to remind me of what size I needed.  lol    I was disgusted with myself, but I'm over it now.   I have 14 little flying geese and 2 "whole in the barn door"  blocks to make this afternoon, so I better get to it.

You can see from the new header that it rained 1.2 over the week-end, so no haying today.

Happy sewing!!

Winners/GO giveaway

The winners for the 100 followers giveaway are:  Billie Bee won the Full Bloom 3 yard kit and  Robin won the Cool Breeze kit.  Please send me your mailing addresses, so I can send you your prizes.  Thanks so much to all my followers for your best wishes.  

I just have to post about one more GO giveaway.  I would really like to win one or I would love for one of my blog friends to win one.

The give away is at Badlands Quilts.  Good luck to you and me!!