College Touring - Not a quilt shop visited

Well I am back from doing the college tour thing with my Junior and my other daughter who is a freshman. First we went to Muhlenberg in Allentown PA, then Dickinson in Carlisle, PA. This is a picture of one of the buildings on the Dickinson Campus. The nest day we toured Bryn Mawr (an all girls school near Philadelphia, PA),

then we drove through Haverford and toured Swathmore in Swathmore, PA. After we left Swarthmore we drove through Villanova. This is a picture from Swarthmore.

The next day we toured Quinnipiac in Hamden, CT. This is a beautiful campus. The only drawback is that they are moving most of the housing off campus.

That same day we went to Connecticut College for a tour but we missed the tour and the next was in an hour. My daughter didn't want to wait so we did a self guided tour and left.

They were all beautiful schools but after that many days in a car with a teenager that really just wants to hang out with friends i was very glad to get home.

The amazing story behind all this college touring is that we had my in-laws come up to help my husband while I was gone with my son. They arrived the day begore I left but something was wrong with my MIL. She had a mini stroke. We admitted her to the hospital. I left (there was plenty of other family around my husband had really just wanted to see his parents) and she came home the next day. We are now trying to get her to take the medicine that should prevent any new strokes from happening.

Design Wall Monday

Well I finally remembered to put some of the quilts I am working on up on the design wall. I am working on a "Double Delight" quilt the pattern is from Bonnie Hunter at Quiltville. I changed the colors around and i think I might like it. The pinwheels are for the ps i quilt sampler. The tiny pinwheels are because I oopsed and cu the squares the wrong size but decided to put the block together anyways. Here is a picture of my sewing machine. This is all the stuff I have ready to be sewn. I ran out of bobbin thread and decided that I needed to sleep.

Sometimes when I am really in the quilting zone time just flies by. That is what happened last night. I hope to finish the double delight quilt this week (I may run in to a problem with the border but we will see). Happy quilting!

April Showers bring ... treats

Well there have been no real showers in April so far, but there were plenty in March. The water drainage got clogged right near our house and our basement flooded. We have flooded before about twice before in 14 years so we had almost everything up. I had just moved my sewing room down to the basement so some fabric that I was playing with on the rug got wet but it was all washable. After all that rain we have had beautiful sun and today I got this giveaway in the mail. Beth over at The Quilt Ladies sent me these seven fatquarters and one of her books. I love the fabrics and have started reading the book already. The other great thing that happened yesterday is that the Maine Shop Hop started. Because the shops are so far a part and really can't be hopped in a weekend, we have the entire month of April to get to all 32 shops. I started at my local quilt shop, Mariner's Compass. I love the people here they are great. She has expanded her clearance area. I picked up these charm packs for 50% off.

I have been dreaming of a whirlygig quilt or a pinwheel quilt now I could do both. :)

Well hopefully this weekend I can get to at least 6 more shops. I really need a new machine and I am hoping to win one of the two machines. Wish me luck! ;)

Crazy 9 Patch pieced and "Home"

What a busy weekend. My son and i were invited by his friend and his mother to go to their cabin for the weekend. The cabin was beautiful. It had a view of the Bigelow Mountains in Maine that was awe inspiring. It didn't get above 20 degrees the whole time we were there but the sun was out and there was very little wind. We spent a little bit of time outdoors but mostly in.
When I got home I couldn't wait to finish this quilt that was up on my design wall. It is the "Crazy Nine Patch" by Oh Franson. The tutorial on her blog looked so neat I had to try it. There is no waste with this quilt. I love it.
Now I have to decide what fabric to use for the backing and the binding. The shop hop in Maine starts on April 1st and runs through the whole month of April. I am putting together a list of all the things I am hoping to find at all the different quilt shops around Maine. There are 32 shops in Maine but I am definitely not making it to at least 2 of them. (They are 6 hours from me in different directions)

This block is for a block swap I am in. We were given the word "Home" as our inspiration for a block and asked to make a 10.5 inch block. In our house, home is centered around the fireplace. it is the warmest spot in the house .

I spy Swap, Design Wall, and a finished top

Well I have joined another I spy swap. Katie at fabrikatesdesigns is hosting this one. I have signed up for two sets. Here is set one: And here is set two:

I got all of these at different LQS (I have three in my area) and one at Joann's but it is so cute.

Here is what is on my design wall. I showed this during the Friday Sew In. I chose the sashing and border fabric. I haven't chosen a ninth block but I will. It has been fun looking on Quilter's Cache for all the possibilities.

And finally the Red White and Blue No Sew Swap blocks. This top is finished I have pieced the back and it will be heading to the quilters soon. Yeah!

Birthday Party and Friday Night Sew In

Well here he is the Birthday boy. He is now in double digits. 10 years old. His party was yesterday and the weather cooperated. He wanted to have a kickball game with a bunch of his friends and then just run around and play. A perfect birthday for a 10 year old.I was so tired after the cleaning, planning and hosting of a birthday party that I almost forgot that it was the Friday Night Sew In. I enjoyed spending a couple hours cutting and sewing. Here is the fabric for a swap that I am in. It is a red/aqua swap of 3.5 by 6.5 bricks. So I cut my bricks from this fabric.

My favorite is the little hedgehogs.
Next I pulled out the bags from a No Sew Swap that I had done. I was in a pink green white group. I haven't sewn them together yet because everyone had a different idea of pink green and even white. I put them on my design wall and replaced colors till I had blocks I liked.

I broke a needle and was half done with one. I only have 8 right now, I will either put a sashing and a border around these eight or I will come up with a ninth.

And last but not least I sewed on the binding of this quilt. One more too the finish pile as soon as I decide on a name and put it on the label.

Well as I look back I really did get a lot done.

Getting Blocks Done

I have been completing blocks. Fresh Comfort Blocks for Rachel. Ticker tape blocks.

Pinwheel Sampler Quilt along Blocks. Love them

And finally the Jellyroll Sampler block.