Bullet points

No, that doesn't refer to today's Senate vote.  All I'll say about that is that I looked up the votes online to make sure my Senators voted the way I, their constituent, asked them to.  I encourage you to do the same, not just on this issue about gun violence, but about any issue about which you feel passionately, and hold them accountable when they don't.  Enough on that.

What I mean by bullet points is that I have been wanting to blog, but haven't found the time.  To expedite things, I decided to blog updates in bullet point format today.

- I knew we'd owe taxes this year, so I waited until Sunday to work on them.  I set the stage for an enjoyable experience - pulled out the teapot, put on some music -

but it didn't work.  We took a major hit this year.  Ouch!  Rice and Ramen Noodles for the rest of the month!

- To make myself feel better, I made something for myself.  Two somethings, actually.  Check out my new Business Card Holders,! (I used this tutorial.)

 

They sure beat the rubber band I usually have wrapped around them!  I was so tickled after my presentation today when people asked for one - I may have brandished my new Business Card Holder a bit more than necessary while extracting the cards...

- Now I want to make a matching bi-fold wallet, using the tutorial here, and whip up this Jean Pocket Purse to put them in on my casual weekend jaunts!

- Dinner has been hit or miss in the Hutchinson household lately.  Tonight it was Chinese. Last night it was Subway.  But wherever we are, they must have fruits and veggies.  And my sure-fire way to get my kids to eat veggies?  Let them build their own kebabs to put on the grill!

Donald liked the red onions best!

Jason pretending to eat a raw shrimp.  Grossing me out is one of his favorite past times.

- Have you heard of the Bunkhouse Giveaway for a Quilter's Texas Getaway Weekend?  If I tell you about it and you win, will you promise to invite me to your 3-day, 2-night quilting retreat?  Check it out at https://mariebostwick.com/bunkhouse/!  (I can't wait for Marie's new book to come out - I think I'll go pre-order it from my local bookstore tomorrow.)

- Most of you have received your Hurricane Sandy Quilt Project Thank You postcard by now, but I still have some where I don't have a complete address.  Could the following people, if you are reading this, please email me with your mailing address?  I don't want to leave you out!

H Heyes, VA (yours was returned as undeliverable for some reason)
N. Gilbert, New Zealand
T. Macomb, not sure where you are from
A. McElroy, United Kingdom
P. Dungar, not sure where you are from
Lane from TX
I think there are a few others, too, but wouldn't you know I left everything at the office today!  If you participated in the project but haven't received a postcard from me, would you please email me your mailing address?  Thanks!

There's more to say, but I'm tired.  See you around the blogosphere!

Running in place

We spent the last few days in Pennsylvania with my mother-in-law.  She is at home and doing OK.  It was good to spend some time with her, chatting while watching her two favorite shows - NCIS and Fraiser.  And by now, I think everyone knows what I do when I watch TV, right?  QUILT!  I worked on the rainbow rail fence quilt for hours upon hours.  With all those straight lines, I figured it needed curves, so I popped it in the hoop and quilted concentric circles using the hoop and the length of my pinkie finger as a guide.

It was a good idea in theory, but my curves just weren't uniform enough for me, so then I spent hours upon hours taking all the stitches out.  Man, I hate that!  But now that I'm back home, I plan to do some freehand baptist fans using one of my half circle rulers as a guide to get me started on each fan.  I love the way baptist fans look, so I'm happy about that, but I'm not happy about starting over - I feel like I've been running in place, doing all that work with nothing to show for it.

But the mail cheered me when I got home.  My hubby says I single-handedly keep the postal service in business.  I'll certainly be keeping them busy this week.  Know what this is?

250 thank you post cards to send out to the folks who helped me out with the Hurricane Sandy Quilt project.  If you are one of them, watch your mailbox for some love from me.

And an update on that project - I have one completed quilt and 5 being long-arm quilted right now, with a couple more still waiting for quilting.  They'll get done eventually, but not until these babies get their quilts.

OK, off to address some postcards.  Happy Easter, everyone!

Disappearing Act

It's been over two weeks.  A lot has been happening.  I just haven't found a moment to write.

I had a nasty cold that knocked me on my keister.

We had a major project at work that had me working long hours.

And my mother-in-law is in the hospital.  It isn't good.  "There's nothing more we can do" and "hospice" are the words coming out of the doctors' mouths.  I can barely hear them because inside, I am screaming "NO!"

She is in constant pain as her body betrays her, so the right thing to do is to pray for comfort for her in her last days, and peaceful acceptance for the rest of us.  My mind knows that.  But my selfish heart wants her to keep fighting. Her children need her.  MY children need her.  I need her.  For the 19.5 years that I have known her, she has been a rock, someone you could always go to for wise advice or a listening ear or to take action when action needed taking.  She is the glue that holds the generations together.  When she is gone, there is going to be such an enormous, ugly gash torn out of the fabric of our lives.  I can't even conceive of how our lives will change - not the day to day movements, but the foundation on which our family existence sits.

We dropped everything and went up to Pennsylvania to see her for 5 days last week. I brought with me the "Chicken Soup" prayer quilt I had started for her last time she was in the hospital a year and a half ago, but never finished. (I'm not going to restate the symbolism or the process for this quilt, but you can read about it at that link if you care to.)

I had tried to do some free motion quilting on it and hated it, so put it aside when she got better.  When she went into the hospital this time, I pulled it out and frantically started pulling out all those ugly stitches to put in the kind I know, the kind that soothe me, the kind that allow me to say a little prayer with each pinch of fabric.

When we got to the hospital, I laid the unfinished quilt over her, and she raised her head, smiled, and said, "Plaids."

I chose the homespun plaids and stripes because they remind me so much of her.  No nonsense. Sturdy.  Useful.  Nearly every shirt I see her wear is a plaid or a stripe, as is much of her furniture.  She kept the quilt over her in the hospital, and I worked on it while I visited her.  But then I realized, as slow as I quilt, I'm not going to finish it in time.

When we came home, I brought it with me to attach a binding, and I'm sending the unfinished quilt back up there to her.  The prayers are still in it, even if all the stitches aren't.

Meanwhile, the day to day movements of our lives continue.  Valentine's Day. I didn't think much about it until the kids came home buzzing about it yesterday.  I refuse to buy anything, but here was a good opportunity to use up some of that Halloween candy that lingers in my home.  The kids missed the bus, but they finished their Valentines - Dum Dum Butterflies and Pixie Stix Cupid's Arrows.

Plus, I stayed up late last night to make my 3 Valentines some mini cheescakes.  No photos yet because I need to buy some fruit to garnish the top.

Tomorrow is the last day that the Blankie Depot is accepting quilts for Hurricane Sandy relief.  I got three more in the mail this week that my guild helped to finish

Plus, the Star Quilters Guild in Roanoke, VA got 3 in the mail.

Same border, but this is a different quilt!

I still have about 5 tops that I have finished but haven't quilted yet.  I'll get them done eventually and send them to eQuilter Quilt Relief - 5000 Quilts, as they are still accepting donations.  THANK YOU SO MUCH to all of you who contributed.  Check your mailbox in the weeks to come for a little something from me.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone.  Oh, and I did find the time to send the giveaway winnings out - the winners were Vivian from NC (no blog) who won the book and Jane from Jane's Fabrics and Quilts, who won the scraps in the polka dot Chinese takeout container.

Coming soon! (and Sandy Quilts update)

View from my porch yesterday evening as we had our first real snow of the year. 

I've been so remiss about blogging lately - not posting regularly, but more importantly, not reading my favorite blogs to see how my fellow quilters are and what they are up to!  Sunday, I hope to change that.  I'll be at the airport for quite a few hours for work, meeting flights and getting some visiting students on shuttles to campus, so in my down time, I plan to enjoy the free wi-fi and see what you all have been doing.

In the meantime, I've done a little working on Sandy quilts, a little pleasure reading (The Giving Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini), and a little preparing for an upcoming blog hop.

Yup, that's right, I signed up for a blog hop!  I discovered them in September during the Dots on Dots Blog hop - I am crazy about dots and have been trying to add more to my stash. Then, in October, Leafs Me Happy caught my eye, followed by the fun Wicked Blog Hop.  I skipped the Coin Purses and Pillows hops, but In Your Words just consumed a good half hour of each of my days for the last week and a half.  Next up is Dare to Dresden, and Quilter Kathy recommended that I join in since I was working on a Dresden project anyway. Besides, that's another opportunity to have a giveaway, and as I've been trying to keep my sewing room a bit neater these days, I've discovered I have way too much stuff!  That settled it, I'm in!

Be sure to come back next Friday, January 25 to see my Dresdens, past and present, and to enter for a chance to win a giveaway that will include not just fabric, but also a book by a favorite quilter.

SANDY UPDATE:
Three more of our Disappearing 4-patch quilts have been received by Blankie Depot this week. Hillary, the President of Blankie Depot wrote on Thursday:

Hi Erin,

Box #2 arrived this morning.  The smaller quilt will head to the labor & delivery dept of Riverview Med Center and the large blanket is heading to Atlantic City.

Thanks so much, where do you find the time??!!

Hugs,

Hillary

Of course, I wrote back to let her know that I have LOTS of help.  Thanks, everyone!  By the way, the first quilt she received was assembled, quilted and then bound by three separate members of my quilt guild - I love you guys!  And the little quilt she mentioned that is going to the labor and delivery department, that's the one you made and quilted, Becki - you rock!  

My newest hero, Margi, assembled and quilted the bedsized quilt that is headed to Atlantic City.  She's working on number 2 right now.

Great job, Margie!  Thanks!

Anita in MI, a steady supporter in this project, completed her 3rd beautiful quilt for us last weekend after a nasty bout with the cold - glad you are feeling better, Anita.  It is backed with cozy flannel donated by Becki in PA - great idea!

Great job, Anita!  Thanks!

The Star Quilt Guild in Roanoke just wrote to let me know they finished assembling the 3 sets of blocks I sent them, and that they are on the way to the quilter's.  Julia K in my guild just dropped off the top that she assembled.

Becki in PA and I have both been sending assembled tops to Kelly in TX who has been quilting for us.

One of our quilts on Kelly's longarm - I think we've sent her SIX! 

And just yesterday, Gail C in my guild volunteered to quilt a couple for us.  After already quilting another one for us that Carolyn H in my guild assembled.  So, yes, Hillary, I have LOTS OF WONDERFUL HELP!  Thank you, everyone!

Has anyone seen my motivation?

It's one of those days - I'm up, I'm at work, but I fear I am pretty useless right now.  I have no energy, no motivation, no enthusiasm.  Perhaps I'm overtired?  Or overwhelmed, thinking of the upcoming two weekends that I have to work?  Or maybe I'm just in partial hibernation mode, waiting out my least favorite season?

Whatever the problem, I thought maybe a blog post would help me focus and get me moving in a positive direction.

It's been an exhilarating week for me.  People have called and emailed and stopped me in public places - "Hey, didn't I just see you on the front of the newspaper?"  I never imagined that happening to me!

And the sweet things people have since done!  One woman brought me a dozen eggs fresh from her farm - wanted to do something for me since I was doing so much for others.  Another man called me at work and told me he had a bunch of fabric he's collected from auctions over the years, and wanted to donate it to the cause.  He made his first delivery last Friday:

The Star Quilters Guild in Roanoke asked to help - I sent them 3 sets of blocks to assemble and quilt.

I've gotten two inquiries about commission quilts - one that I'll definitely do, the other, I'm not so sure.

Above all, it's been a feel-good week.

I haven't had a ton of time to sew, though.  I've gotten most of another Sandy quilt top assembled while making a quick little hand project to take to basketball games.  I made this color wheel Dresden thinking I'd make it into a clock, but I accidentally broke the clock trying to take it apart - oops!

This was a hard exercise for me.  I used just scraps, and had a hard time deciding which fabrics worked and went where. I finally just sewed together what I had, but it still doesn't quite match the color wheel I looked up online.

Maybe I'll get another clock, but maybe it will end up being a pillow or a wall hanging.  Who knows?  I just know that January means sitting on the bleachers through 3 basketball games every Saturday, so I need something small and portable to keep my hands busy.

Mostly, I've been doing prep work:

Prepping for an up-cycling workshop I'm going to do with my guild in February - we are going to make "green" shopping bags from pillowcases and drawstring backpacks from t-shirts -

I love using these bags - they are fully lined, super sturdy and machine washable. 

I can't go shopping with these without someone asking where I got my bags. 

The cashiers are always so amazed at how much these can carry! 

This is my absolute favorite - that yellow check is so cheery it almost makes me want to go shopping! 

Very lightweight, and the perfect size for a day hike 

Again, fully lined for durability - although both Jason and I have used ours so much over the last two years that they are starting to come undone! 

Prepping for our last week of the Ready to Quilt program - the kids are mostly finished with their composition book covers now, and are ragging the edges of the denim quilt.

And prepping for our next Cub Scout meeting this weekend - we'll be doing a woodworking project, but I am doing all of the cutting and drilling in advance.

I'll leave you with images from fun times with my friend, Michelle, on New Year's Day.  We went over for lunch, and ended up having a bit of a jam session.  One of these days, I might actually even learn how to play a song on one of the FOUR guitars we have at our house!

For some reason, Donald hates having his photo taken these days, but he was on keyboard. 

Jason is in the background getting some guitar instruction, while Michelle's little cutie was rocking out on his new 4-year-old sized guitar.

And Michelle and I fumbled our way through some John Denver (strum strum - wait while I reposition my fingers! - strum strum - giggle!)

Oh, and how funny, but someone who found my blog through the newspaper article, Lisa U, won my giveaway.  She chose the yellow paisley flowers and the bird print, and should have already received her winnings by now.  Hmmm, what can I give away next?  Stay tuned!

We made the FRONT PAGE!!!!

Without all of you, there is no story.  THANK YOU for all you have done and continue to do to bring warmth and comfort to those affected by Hurricane Sandy.

OK, so I guess you can't really read the article from the photos. But you can read it at http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/318510. There are even thank you notes from people who received our quilts - I hadn't seen those yet!

And, right on cue, more blocks came on Saturday from a mother/daughter team in PA - 59 blocks (42 already put together into a top!) and yardage for backings.

yards and yards of backing fabric - I particularly love the clocks! 

a completed top - thanks Shirl and Jana!

plus 17 more blocks - their sewing machines must have gotten quite a workout! 

What a blessed way to start the new year!  I hope this is an omen of good things to come this year. (not a case of "it can only go downhill from here")  :p

Happy 2013, everyone!

Reveling!

There is so much to revel in this season!

Family - my twin sister and her husband and two kids came to spend Christmas with us.  My brother and his partner and her two kids also came over on Christmas day and spent the night.  There were presents and food, of course, but also lots of games, some exercise (ugh!  My sister drags me running with her every time we are together.  I HATE to run!  The only good part is the sense of accomplishment afterwards), and lots of laughter.  Plus, my gorgeous little niece wanted to do some sewing.  I was more than happy to oblige.  She made two denim bookmarks, one for her and one for her dad, plus two little 4-patch sachets filled with sweet pea scented rice.

She can barely see over my ironing board!

But she was meticulous about sewing, going a nice even slow speed and sewing a remarkably straight seam. 

Sewing - I was sad to say goodbye to family, but after they left, I realized I could get back down to my sewing room.  My kids were exhausted, and were happy to entertain themselves for a while while I worked on a Hurricane Sandy quilt today, plus made my December Let's Bee Together blocks

Quick and easy sewing - little 4.5" foundation pieced string blocks 

and 5 Block Lotto blocks for January.

Tall Shoo-fly blocks measuring 6" x 9" finished, with white, spring or lime green, true red and black - I like the look of these, and they were super easy to make

When I went to post them today, I realized it is still December - maybe I should make some more of December's blocks while I still have the time.

I also mailed out my ugly, lame-o house block for Beth's Neighborhood House Party over at Love, Laugh, Quilt.

I kept meaning to embellish it, but never found the time.  Sheesh!  I even forgot a window and a door!  Oh well. It probably won't get there in time anyway.

Generosity - people continue to give to the Hurricane Sandy quilt relief project.  An anonymous box of orphan/sampler blocks came

12 B&W sampler blocks

12 fall colored/themed sampler blocks

and a whole passel of HST blocks

plus a quilt that is already sandwiched and ready for quilting.

Some of the shamrocks are already appliqued on, others are just pinned in place. See that round roll of matching binding?  This will be an easy one to finish.  Thanks, Marcia!

Our project is getting some recognition, too.  There was an article in the Republican-Herald newspaper out of Pottsville, PA on the Monday before Christmas and a reporter from the Roanoke Times out of Roanoke, VA called me yesterday and is sending a photographer to my house on Monday to get photos of the blocks and quilts.

Can you guess what I'll be doing this weekend?  Yup!  Cleaning up the sewing room!

Day one of winter vacation

When I left work yesterday, starting a 12 day vacation, I was nearly giddy with excitement.  What to do first?  My twin sister and her family are arriving tomorrow, so the house needed cleaning, but that could wait until today.  Instead, I sewed!  And while I did work on Hurricane Sandy quilts a bit, for the most part, I sewed for ME!

First of all, I've been wanting a patchwork stocking for years now.  I just never took the time to make one.  Yesterday, was the day.  Voila!  And it is the biggest stocking in the house, too!  I hope Santa fills it up for me!

Only the front is quilted.  The back and the lining are that solid green, which I upcycled from an old sheet. 

I also  bought some flannel pig fabric about 6 weeks ago with a co-worker in mind (she LOVES everything PIG!).  I had meant to make her something ages ago, but never seemed to find the time.  I decided to make a pillow, but gosh, the pillow forms are so expensive.  My solution - I bought a jumbo 20"x28" bed pillow at WalMart ($4 or $5), cut it in half, and sewed the two halves closed to make two 14" x 20" pillows.

Then, I made an envelope style pillow, but with big 1" seams on the outside, and then snipped the seams like a rag quilt.  When it came out of the washer and dryer, it had ragged up nicely and the pillow is SO SOFT!

I just may have to make the other half into a pillow for ME!

Today, I helped the kids clean their rooms (ugh!), cleaned out the refrigerator (double ugh!), and did some laundry and some floors.  I also took the kids to see a local ballet company's production of The Nutcracker.  I've never seen it before, and enjoyed it immensely.  My boys were tolerant and well-behaved, but not impressed.  For being such good sports, I took them out to eat afterwards with a friend and her 3 boys, who had met us at the ballet.  Then, it was grocery shopping in preparation for having a full house of 8 people for the next few days.

As I sit here in the dining room, blogging by the light of the Christmas tree, I can't help but think of how blessed I am.  It is cold outside, but I am cozy here in my house.  I bought groceries without having to wonder if I had enough money to pay for it.  My children are healthy and happy and here with me.  I wish that everyone could be as secure and as content as I am right now.  It makes me want to get back down to the sewing room and work on some projects for others.  I'll definitely be making at least one pillowcase to send up to Sandy Hook.  And I have many more Hurricane Sandy quilts to work on.  The mail counter guy at the post office (where I am always shipping either quilts and/or fabric or books) shared with me yesterday how he was filling Toys for Tots orders and a kid had asked for a blanket, and he just started to cry because he didn't have one to give, and felt helpless for not being able to fulfill such a basic need for someone.  It just about broke my heart.

Many more disappearing 4-patch blocks have come in over the past week.

Plus two quilt tops:

a crib sized quilt

And this wonderfully scrappy HST quilt

But look!  There are about 5 of these blocks interspersed with all the HSTs! What fun to find them in there!

A woman from my guild donated lots of backing yardage:

Also, I was contacted by a reporter from the Republican-Herald newspaper in Pottsville, PA, I am believe our project is going to be featured in an article in Monday's issue.  I'll keep you posted on here, hopefully with a link, if it goes to print.  Thanks, Becki W, for making that connection.

Another Hurricane Sandy quilt was mailed out from here this week, and I have another one to mail tomorrow.  I also have 5 completed tops in my house waiting for quilting, and, of course, many blocks waiting for assembly.  The Blankie Depot will stop accepting Hurricane Sandy donations on February 15, so now there's a deadline.  Gotta get cracking!

Not sure how much blogging I'll be doing with company in town.  Happy Holidays to all of you, whatever it is you may celebrate at this time of year!