One spoiled Siamese named Macy Gray

Poor Macy...she suffers so when the colder weather hits. She can tolerate summer when we have the air conditioning on...she goes to the warm garage. But now that winter is here she craves deep warmth.
So, out comes the old heating pad. If a cat can hug a flat object, she can!!! Here she is on my Hubby's computer desk. She will sit on the pad and scream for it to be turned on. We also move it around the room for her. No she is not too spoiled!!

I feel that the backside of your patchwork should be neat and straight too. And if it is the front side will be even better!!!

I have the 4 triangle #1's done. And eight (8) of the twelve (12) triangles #2 done.
I was surprised to see clue #7 posted today. No complaints here!!!

I lay a "master" plan on a piece of batting and use that as my guide. I have folded it away for tonight and will finish the last four (4) triangles tomorrow.

Perhaps three years ago when Bonnie Hunter's first book came out, I made my bed quilt. I called it Batik Virginia Stars. It is retired from the bed right now because I have my log cabin quilt on the bed.
I was going through a drawer where I have all of Kaye England's rulers and patterns. And I found 12 more blocks. In as little as an hour I have the above small lap quilt pieced into a lap size quilt!!! WHOOHOOO!!! I was watching the newer King Kong movie. Naomi Watts is so beautiful!!!

I am finally getting the hang of my bread machine. I have been making two loaves a week. It smells so good when it is baking!!! And makes the best french toast!!!

And here was another find while searching for greens. 24 star blocks with a Dan Morris kitty fussy cut as the centers. One of my swappers actually sent me more of this fabric so I cut one center block and voila' another lap size quilt to join the LONG line of quilts that need quilted!!!

Easy Street clue#5 complete

As with all of these clues, this clue was super easy. And Our Bonnie Hunter has still got me guessing as to the layout of this mystery quilt!!!
Many quilters are making this mystery quilt. Check them out on Bonnie's blog:

http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2012/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-5.html

I do not usually buy fabric at Walmart. I do buy batting and yarn there. And then I spotted lots of the limey greens that Our Bonnie is using. I had to buy some as this is NOT a color I have in my stash. I was also very lucky and a clerk was close by and did a great job of cutting some off each bolt!!!

What a Christmas surprise from my wonderful husband, James Mohr. He bought me a drop dead gorgeous burgundy U-Bass. It is very small and light but packs the same punch as a full sized bass guitar. But the strings are kind to these old fingertips and the guitar fits my hand and fingers perfectly. How am I to sew and practice bass at the same time??? I still need to clone me!

I have a small amp to practice with. I am going to set this up real close to my sewing machine so I can sit in my sewing chair and still practice, practice, practice!

When I am too tired to sew at the machine I pick up a crochet hook and make some baby afghans. Dear Granddaughter #3 is expecting. We do not know the sex of the baby so I am using a multicolored yarn that will be okay no matter which sex it turns out to be. But with a plethora of great-grandsons, we are all hoping for a girl!!!

I finished my Subee's Stars quilt. Bess is inspecting my workmanship.

XOXOXOXOXO Subee

Easy Street Clue#4 completed

Warning: lots of photos in this post!!!
See Bonnie Hunter's Linky post here: http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2012/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-4.html

I am doing Easy Street in two colorways. But those Flying Geese units were just so cute I made them in five colorways.
I know. I am just a little bit obsessive.

I cannot decide which way is the one I prefer. And I had to stop myself or I would have made more in different colorways.

But then I had a plan....more below.

Here is Sissy. I pieced most of the actual colorway on her. She sews so well. But the chair in this room just kills my back. And my big sewing chair is too big for this room. It barely goes through the doorway.

Love this little sidewinder.  I use her all the time when sewing with Sissy or at retreats. Well...she is packed in the truck if I need her. But I usually have many bobbins already wound ahead of time.

Found...my lost container of thread. When I moved the sewing table in here I found this container underneath!!! Was not doing me any good not being used!!!

Here is my plan: I am going to make lots of Flying Geese, HST, Birds in the Air and/or more and keep them in these drawers. As I cut for a quilt I will feed these drawers. WHOOHOOOT! I am going to get so much more done!!

I tried and really liked the Grace Tru-cut blade sharpener. But there was just a tiny little container of oil. DH found this for me at a Hardware store. I am pretty sure it is what I need...any advice??

I bought and received one of those really big seam rippers from the seller on Etsy. Later in the evening he was sold out! Like that was a surprise with Our Bonnie tooting his horn! Mine is wood...beautifully turned.
I really do not need this items.  And it sure was not inexpensive. The leather sheath smells so good!!!
I am thinking of having a giveaway to celebrate the end of Easy Street.
Would any of you enter a give away for this item???

While waiting on the next clue I was making some pink string blocks(32). Then I made 24 more neutral string blocks. I have no idea what these will be used in. I just love making string blocks. These are 6 1/2" unfinished.

I did throw away the pile of trimmings. The food chain needs to end somewhere.

I really spread out when making string blocks. What you cannot see is the HUGE container of strings on the floor.  I keep them sorted by color now.

And another find. As I was searching for a box to ship out two cat beds I came across these blocks made eons ago. Michael Miller fabric. Each star is made from a different fabric. There are twenty-four 12 1/2" blocks....they just need a bit of sashing to be called a quilt top.

And a token kitty picture. This is my Pearl. Whole name is Pearly Piwacket.
XOXOXOXO Subee

Easy Street Clue#3 finished & Subee's Stars quilt

Both colorways are complete for Easy Street clue#3. I loved making these units. I used scrappy pinks and browns for my colorway#2. But turquoise is not in my stash in a great amount. But...I had an entire bolt of this RJR turquoise fabric. I have used it many times with my Laurel Burch collection (original fabrics from eons ago) and it worked. I love the purple and blue together!!! We have to give it up to Our Bonnie Hunter...she is a genius with colors!

I added this photo to this post today (Monday). I had to have DH hold it up for a picture. I am soooooo very pleased with how this turned out.
But what will I sew on now????

Now on to my own design...I was going to set them on point...didn't happen.
Then remembered my one big block that was an experiment that never made it to a big quilt. I was going to do a kitty size quilt but...the colors were all from the same scrap basket. Check them out...but they do not quite fit around the center block. But I did not discover this until I had sashed and sewn both sides on...reverse sewing was needed...
The center block was made from 2 1/2" HST. And my star blocks are made from 2" HST. But I made it work!!!

WHOHOOO!!!! Loving this...I have more blocks to add but needed to take a break. I sewed for 12 hours today. Hubby bought pizza so I did not have to cook. What a great man!!!

I love the stripe that I used as a spacer strip. It lends itself to so many projects. I do not know what I will do when it runs out!!! I reach for it so often.

I have four cats. And I take lots of pictures of them. But how often can I catch one with her tongue out??? Here is Bess's tongue!!!

XOXOXOXO Subee

Subee's Stars progress

I am totally loving this block. There are lots of little pieces but then that is right up my scrappy alley.
These 12 were done this last weekend while sewing on Easy Street's Clue#2.

Today was a very sunny day if a tad cool. But the sunshine coming in really blinds me. So the blinds are closed. Yet those little flashes of light that creep in still give me fits. Come on winter weather...I want some cloudy snowy days please!!

So after a night event of cutting I now have 250 more HST units sewn. Hopefully I now have enough variety to finish this project.

XOXOOXOX Subee

Easy Street Mystery Clue #2 complete

My Easy Street container is getting fuller and fuller. I am so very satisfied with my own color choice as well as Our Bonnie's color choices. It's a good thing that I am doing two colorways. Even if the units do not make it into two Easy Streets, they will get used.

I am starting a small drawered container unit with pre-cut HST and with pre-cut Companion Angle units. Can only increase my productivity!!!!!

And as I was cutting a couple days ago I began filling those drawers. The only unit I needed was the 2" triangle cut with the Companion Angle ruler. The rest are to feed the drawers!! WHOOHOOOT!!!!

I discovered, quite by accident a few years ago, that starting the strip with the EZ Angle ruler first, set up the angle correctly for the Companion Angle cut.

And I decided that I want a constant background in my own colorway of Easy Street. So I pressed and re-cut 10 more 2" strips. They are now sewn together and need pressed and sub-cut. Easy Peasy!!!

XOXOOXXO Subee

Waiting on Easy Street's Clue#2

Here is a block I drafted in EQ7. I was able to use the drawing feature to add pieced units where solid squares were shown in the original block library. This sweet little block measures 6 1/2" unfinished size. I also drafted it in an 8 1/2" size to use some more units I have hanging around.
Too cool!!!

In my new/old sewing area I have "Sissy" my featherweight set up for piecing. She powered through a test sew of my new L&E project.
I have a mini design wall right next to the machine. (18"X 20")
It is a leftover piece of the big design wall in the living room. It fits under a shelf between two brackets. In fact it just is wedged between them..no nailing needed. And I have a cut out for the light switch. HA! And the batting is just taped on the piece of foam core board. This has been here for years. But I also have not sewn in here for years. Turning that sewing desk 45 degrees seemed to open up the area more though I need to be careful when I stand up. I sure do not want to hit my head on the shelving.
Things are not as spacious as in the living room. But this room is quite warm and cozy. Everything is so handy. Sissy seems to like it!!!

And last night was a sleepless night for some reason. So I opened up a container of waste triangles and trimmed them up to 2" unfinished. Sliver trimming is a pain but oh so necessary to get your units all the same size. These came from double sewing 2 1/2" squares to another unit. And I do not even remember what these units came from. And I have possibly 10 more containers full to the brim with these waste triangles. I figure this is a good restless night activity. I went to bed around 3:30 a.m. And the whole container is now trimmed.

I watched Our Bonnie Hunter on Quiltcam last night. MaggieMae was watching
Bonnie too. But when I snapped the picture she had moved. I will wait and try to get a better photo tomorrow night.
I made another pair of fingerless gloves while Bonnie sewed and talked to us. When I gave my grand daughters and daughters their gloves on Thanksgiving they were a bit hit. WHOOHOO! I hit the target with these little beauties.

Today I pieced, from a panel, a small lap quilt for DD #2 for Christmas. Got it all pinned up, quilted, labeled and bound. Ready for gift giving!!!!

XOXOXO Subee

Featherweight is up and running.

Our Bonnie Hunter has always some really clever ideas when it comes to setting up the sewing areas or using different sewing tools with different machines. It pays to really listen to her and apply her tips to your own sewing space.

This is Sissy. She was born in 1932. She has the scroll face and sews so beautifully.
I turned my sewing desk (back in the cutting room) 45 degrees so I could watch the TV without turning my head. OK...I like the set up.
And since I had removed the Janome 3160 QDC during the move, I thought I would give Bonnie's idea of putting a Featherweight on an old phone book and use the acrylic table that came with the Janome 6500. I had been using it with the 3160 and it was a bit too wide but the level was perfect. After I tore a few dozen pages from the phone book, Sissy fit right in the opening!!!

So I sewed on her for a bit. What a sweet sound these machines have. And such a nice perfect stitch.

No fiddling around with buttons...just sews a really good straight stitch.
Do not get me wrong...I do like the 3160 QDC. I bought it because it only weighs 12 lbs...has thread cutter...needle up/down...needle threader...all the features of the bigger Janome machines except the knee lever. (which I LOVE) Yet sewing on the QDC is not as pleasurable as sewing on the 6600P.
Right now the 6600P is set up for machine quilting.  The 6500P is on a quilting frame in the third bedroom.
And it seems so nice and cozy warm back in my little cutting room.
I am going to go sew a few more units for a quilt I designed the other night. I really like EQ7. It is the most user friendly of all the EQ software I have used.
XOXOXOXO Subee

Easy Street clue #1 is finished.

A very easy clue#1.
So I am starting this mystery with two colorways in mind.
I do not know if I will keep this up. Just saying....

Below is a photo of one corner way up high in my cutting room. A big container of nothing but 3 1/2" 4 patches. The date on the box is August 2010. I was in an exchange on the HGTV website.
 Hummm..... need to find a use for these!!!!

Two of Bonnie Hunter's fans wanted cat beds. I have mailed out three beds already. These two were a special order. The buyer wanted white fleece. Guess she has a light colored cat. I finished them up today...
cute uhu?

Yesterday I finished quilting the quilt made from my deceased son-in-law's flannel shirts. He was no longer married to DD#1 yet he was still a part of our lives. So I made this quilt for his widow.

It is all quilted, labeled and bound.

XOXOXOXO Subee