On My Sewing Table This Morning...

This morning on my sewing table are two crib size quilts and a tote bag.

My daughter is co-hosting a baby shower for her best friend who is expecting her second baby girl.

Here is a sneak peak at "Little Miss Lily Marie". This is the stacked coins pattern that I used for "Sweet Savannah". It turns out so nicely and is very easy and fast to go together. I simply need to choose a color theme, cut 5 X 2 1/2 rectangles and start sewing. This one will be pink and white. I need to finish it this week so that it will be ready by November 6th in time for the baby shower.



Lily Marie's older sister is the ultimate "princess girl". I am going to make her a quilted totebag with her name on it. This is the fabric I plan to use for "Princess Ella's" totebag.




This is the second baby boy quilt that I started long ago! Its ready to quilt and I plan to do that soon. My plans for it are to donate it to my church's annual harvest day auction. Every year I regret not having a bed size quilt ready to donate, but this crib size quilt will have to do this year. My summer of 2011 quilt project would be a wonderful way to have a quilt ready to donate next year for harvest day. I will be making plans for that soon. Perhaps another nine patch a day? We'll see.



I'm also still working on the handquilting of the Grandma Quilt. I would love to be able to finish it before the end of the year so it can be placed on my 2010 Completed Quilts List, (on the side bar of my quilting blog HERE) but on the other hand, what a wonderful quilt to list as the first quilt completed in 2011!

An Autumn Sunset at the Farmhouse

I hope your autumn is going well. Our weather has been spectacular lately. This week has been a little off, but after today, we will be back to the Autumn Crisp wonderful weather.

As you can see from this picture, the "magical woodland shade garden" is winding down. In a few more days we will get our first frost and I will need to clean out all the foilage in preparation for winter.

The Summer of 2010 Nine Patch Challenge Quilt is Finished!

I finally finished binding this quilt and also made the label tonight. This will be a gift for my sister.





I wonder what Summer Quilt Project I will tackle next year? I think making one block a day is a great way to get a project done.

The Memory Plant

More than 15 summers ago I was given an Aloe plant by a now deceased friend. I remember taking one look at it and deciding it wouldn't be much good. But, I sat it on my covered front porch and forgot it. I'm not even sure if I ever watered it.



At the end of that summer and every summer since I have had plenty of Aloe plants to share with other friends and to keep the original Aloe plant going in memory of my friend.

I counted the pots of new plants and including the ones not shown here and there are over 20! Today my hubby will be taking five pots to his coworkers and I will be taking three to my office.

I hope that when I am gone the quilts I have made will help my memory to live on, just as the Aloe plant given to me by my friend helps me to always remember her and her generosity.

Waiting Room Projects

Recently I have found myself in waiting rooms in doctor's offices quite a bit, so I wanted to come up with some projects to make use of this "found" or "lost" time, depending on how you look at it. I pulled out this project which I started a couple of years ago. Its a crochet edge baby blanket. I thought maybe the smaller size would lend itself to be a waiting room project.



After getting out my internet instructions and learning how to make the scalloped edge again, I took it for a trial run in the waiting room of one of my mother's doctors. But... the combination of a small waiting room, full of patients and several walkers, soon convinced me that working on this project just wasn't a realistic plan.

I think the best project for a wait in a doctor's waiting room would be a cross stitch project. I do have something in mind for this. I want to make some children's quilted tote bags and think their name cross stitched and sewn on the front would be really cute and a nice gift. I just need to get my supplies out and start the project so that when I am in a waiting room all I would have to do is stitch some Xes.

But, for now in order to get my "sewing", "quilting" or other "stitching" fix while waiting, I'll just read a book like this:



I recently read on Bonnie of Quiltville's blog that she handquilts bed size quilts while flying on airplanes!

Do any of you have waiting room projects that you like to do that are convenient and easy enough for small, crowded waiting rooms?

My Quick Quilts Quick Pic

My December/January Quick Quilts came today.



Without a thought I flipped it open to this page! What a surprise!



I will receive 2 of the issues of the magazine the picture appeared in and a free quilt batting from the Warm Company, but not sure when it will come.

Blogging Break - I'll be back!

Life happens and I need a short break. I'll be back, in about a week.

Thanks for reading my blog. I appreciate it so much!

Debbie J.

Pumpkin Bling

These are some pumpkins I attempted to add "bling" to for the ladies who work at my hubby's office. I think they will be cute sitting on their desks. Yes, one of them is named Debbie. Debbie was a very popular name during the time I was born, because I know many ladies named Debbie who are about my age.

The pumpkins are "pie pumpkins" bought at Walmart for 78 cents a pound. The little sparkles stick on and I used a sharpie to write the names. I pulled the ribbon from my sewing room box of ribbons.

I bought a small pumpkin to decorate with my grandson. I think he will like having his name on it. Stickers would be cute and easy for a 3 year old to do.

Oh My, its Monday again....

It was very fall-like this weekend for the first weekend in October! Thank you Lord, it seems that the 90 degree days are gone and I am even more thankful that the heavy rains from last week are gone, as well.

Here's what I enjoyed over the weekend:

I spent some time helping my mother who is recuperating from a fall she took weekend before last. Nothing was broken, but her poor 85 year old body is so sore that she can hardly move.

Saturday, I finally made that clam chowder (chowda for Denise and Lyn) I have been talking about. The weather was "almost" cool, so it was enjoyed by all. It doesn't really go too well with clam chowder, but I also made ground beef nacho dip, served with tortilla chips. My guys and I watched an NC State Football game (Boo Hokies!) and enjoyed these fall foods while watching.

On Sunday we had as many of the kids as we could round up for Sunday lunch. The menu was: roast chicken, bbq pork chops, Veg-all casserole, baked sweet potatoes, mashed white potatoes, corn, biscuits and sweet tea.

On the sewing and crafting front: I continued hand quilting the Grandma quilt. I sold the little boy quilt that was in my Etsy Shop, and so made a personalized label with the baby's name, birthday, etc. and hand sewed it on the back. I also made another clothespin bag for my Etsy Shop. I want to restock the Etsy Shop, so am trying to work a little each day on items for that purpose.



I hope your Monday is nice!