June Goals and a Stash Report

We've just returned from a little road trip where I got to see most of my family.  An extra special treat was being able to give my niece, Natalie, her quilt in person.  She loves it!  I thought she would.

I got to see all four of my sisters.....

 ..... and thirteen of my nieces and nephews. 

 

We had a blast!  That's bound to happen on a beautiful day with good food, cold drinks, picnic games, and nearly 60 loved ones getting together.  

So, about those goals.   I've decided to finish a UFO this month.  I started making these appliqued stars several years ago just to have handwork to take along when I needed something to do.  You know, idle hands and all that.

I only have a few more stars to stitch, then I can make some alternate blocks and finish it for a donation quilt.  

 

Hopefully, I've set a more reasonable goal this month.  

MAY

Fabric Added in May - 3 yards

Fabric Used in May - 8.7 yards

Fabric Added Year to Date - 29.3

Fabric Used Year to Date - 77.9 yards

Net Used in 2022 - 48.6 yards

Days I sewed in May - 30/31

Days I sewed this year - 144/151

Percentage - 95%

Christmas Sewing

As usual at this time of year my quilty friends are talking about their holiday sewing - looking for new and interesting ideas for their gift making, sharing photos of their projects, making a list and checking it twice (or checking things off!) I rarely, if ever, make Christmas gifts.  First, the stress turns something fun into a chore.  Second, I have to start early in the year to get it done on time, and once I've completed something I cannot wait that long to gift it!  So, for the first time in a very long time I made a Christmas gift for this year.   

I love this "Quilted Totebag" pattern by Elaine Waldschmitt for The Quilted Closet.   I was first introduced to it by my friend Darlene (check out her blog!), and it has become one of the patterns I have gotten a lot of mileage from.

I made it scrappy using batik strips .....

..... and used a tiny bit (compared to how much I have!) of this pretty blue batik for the lining.

Straight line quilting along the bricks and stippling in the center panels went pretty fast.   Then, since I'm a little (okay, okay, a lot!) OCD, I can't stand for the unfinished seams to show .....

..... so I stitched a little casing over the side seams .....

..... and stitched down the triangles that make the bottom corners.

I absolutely drew the line though at any more seam finishing, and I did not encase the bottom seam.  I'm not that crazy!

The first time I used this pattern was in 2006 when I made this bag for myself.  It has toted a lot of quilty stuff since then!

I liked it so much I made one for each of my sisters as gifts on our Sisters' Trip that year.

When I mentioned it in an online quilt group yesterday my friend Faye (check out her blog!) reminded me that I made her one that year, too!  She sent me a photo -

This was fun, and I'm ready for the gift exchange at my stitching group next week.  It may be a while before I make another Christmas gift, though.  After all this pressure I need a nap!

I'm linking up with Quilting is More Fun than House work for Cynthia's "Oh Scrap!" Linky Party and Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

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Sisters Trip 2012

This year it was Barb's turn to plan our trip, and we all decided it was the best one yet!  She booked our weekend at the Great Wolf Lodge in Kansas City the weekend of The Renaissance Festival.  The lodge has a humongous indoor water park.

Hubby couldn't believe it, but my sisters talked me into going down one of those crazy slides!  I was terrified, but I have to admit it was fun. And, NO they could not get me to do it twice!



Saturday morning I stepped into the bathroom while Dee Dee was showering and said, "I'm just taking a picture of you to put on FaceBook."  You should have heard her scream when the flash went off!

This is how Barb puts her makeup on when there is only one mirror for five people.

I had bought T-shirts for us, but ordering online makes it difficult to get the right size and they were way too big.  We all decided they would make better PJ's so Carol modeled one for me.

None of us had been to a Renaissance Festival before and we loved it.  You do see some interesting people there!

It was not always easy to tell the customers from the performers.

Even so, the costumes were great.

The fairies were especially cute!

Debbie and Barb were flirted with.....

.....Dee Dee braved a snake around her neck.....

.....Carol did some shopping.....

.....and I got a cute shirt that totally fits my personality.  (It's hard to get a picture of yourself when you are the resident photographer!)

Five hours was not enough to see everything, but we gave it our best shot before we were totally worn out.  That night we ordered pizza for dinner and played cards in our room.   I really do "heart" my sisters!

You can see more photos on my Flickr page if you aren't already tired of us!   

Oh, Those Sisters of Mine!

You may remember my sisters.  I made each of them a quilt.  Not one of them can sew a lick.  Or sew on a button for that matter.  They must really love me because they decided to make me a quilt.  And from the photos of them working on it, you can see that they had lots of fun!

This is Carol.....

..Barb..........

..Dee Dee..........

..and Debbie.

They surprised me with it at a family bridal shower, and the word "surprise" is an understatement!  They also gave me a framed collage of the above photos and a few others.  All my nieces and great-nieces were in on the surprise so they were there that day, too, which made it very special.  To say I was sobbing almost hysterically is also an understatement!

Some of the fleece squares are tied together on the front, some on the back.  They used the same "technique" with the labels.   In some places the squares are tied together so tightly that the whole section is one big pucker.  And in case you are wondering what to do if you have one extra square leftover..........

Please don't anyone tell them that it is technically NOT a quilt.  I could not love it more!!

I know I am showing a lot of pics, but it was hard to eliminate any, and you have to see the labels.  

So, there you have it.  My special gift from my special sisters.  I love them bunches!  

Oh -- one more thing.  You have to see how much style this "quilt" adds to my home.  It totally blends in with the contemporary decor, don't you think?

Sisters

Sorry, quilters, I am not referring to the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show which is held annually in Sisters, Oregon, and which I would dearly love to attend one of these years (Ahem, are you listening, Dear Husband of Mine?) but rather to my dearest and darling sisters, referred to in an earlier blog entry, and otherwise known as The Wagener Girls.  My sisters and I have been trying to go on an annual sisters getaway weekend every fall since 2004, and so far we have been to some very interesting and exotic locations.  Like, Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri in 2004........

Paducah, Kentucky in 2005........

Memphis, Tennessee in 2006........

......and Eureka Springs, Arkansas in 2008.

But this year topped all of them when we headed to the Fall Festival in Jamesport, MO.  When we got there on Friday afternoon we checked into our cute little "rustic cabin" at the Arbor House Country Inn and set out, on foot, to see the town.  We were very excited to see what this Fall Festival would be all about.  We stopped at a fun little ice cream parlor and, while sipping our malts, got directions to some of the popular locales.  We thought it was curious that directions to everything sounded like "a few blocks east (or west or north or south) of the 4-way-stop", but folks meant exactly what they said!

Everything in town was pretty much closed by 6:00 that evening so we enjoyed some snacks and games in our cabin.  I can happily say that when I am with my sisters we enjoy ourselves so much and end up laughing so hard that we just about wear ourselves out.  But, we were ready on Saturday morning for some fun!

Well.............I'm not sure how to describe the festival, but here are some photos:

                         

On Saturday night we had a blast while the Krazy Kats performed on the main street in town.  This group has been together for 53 years and they really know how to play the Oldies.  I don't think the townsfolk enjoyed it nearly as much as we did, though.  Most of them did clap, and a few of them did dance, but nobody seemed to have as much fun as the Wagener girls.  We even stayed past dark!

The rest of the weekend was uneventful.  We did have a great time, as always, and we did come home with some souvenirs and photos and lots of memories.  And I have to tell you a little secret. I really love my sisters!