Design Wall Monday

After doing a bunch of necessary things around the house yesterday and unpacking retreat projects, I sat down for a few minutes to sew some of my units into blocks.

This is called Sanctuary from Kim Brackett's Scrap-Basket Beauties.  I'm using flannel 2 1/2" strips that we have swapped at previous retreats.  It's already looking so soft and cuddly.  I can't wait to make more blocks and start moving them around.  If you are a collector/user of strips, this is a fabulous book to have in your library.

But first I'm going to tour Blogland to see some fabulous Design Walls that are linked up to Patchwork Times.

Retreat Round Up

The shenanigans began Wednesday morning.  

I didn't realize just how much I needed this retreat. I had a blast!  

I am happy to say that my pre-retreat list of projects is pretty much completed. 

Project 1 is done and ready for quilting.

These blocks were projects 2 and 3. 

Step 5 blocks for Judy L's mystery are ready to sew to step 4 blocks.

Of the 9 Grandmother's Choice blocks I took, 6 are finished (and 

I see in this picture I forgot to fix that little booboo on that top block).

The other 3 blocks are started but and I got tired of working on them 

or they needed something more.

So I put them away.

Project 4 is my Carol Doak mystery that is now ready to have the paper removed.

Project 5 makes me very happy. 

Instead of starting the new quilt, I grabbed this box 

when I came home.  I figured I should work on one more UFO 

before starting the new quilt.  I'm so glad I did!!

Finally I started this new flannel quilt.

I'll show it off on my Design Wall Monday post.

Only because I want to put some of these blocks on the wall to see how they will look.

Now it's time to catch up on some laundry and dance around with the vacuum.

Retreats are awesome!!

On The Needles

I'm working the gusset on Sweet Georgia sock 2.  What I thought would be good pooling yarn-maybe it is but not for my size needles and stitch count.  It's OK, I love this pair of socks just as it is.  I'm going to work hard to get them finished before the deadline.

The end is in sight.

See other great needle projects here at Patchwork Times.

Wednesday UFO Report on Friday

I am happy to report this is no longer a UFO.  It is now a complete quilt top and will be quilted this summer. Yeah for some serious sit down and sew retreat time.  This was my first project.  I started on it immediately Wednesday and when it was time to sew on the top already cut to size border, it was too short.  Tears..... not really but almost.  When I came home that night, first thing I did was get the chunk of border that was cut off and put it in my purse.

Batik Beauty was finished first thing Thursday morning.  I'm also happy to say I like it now.  What really makes me happy is that it is no longer a UFO.

The next UFO (Go! Stars) on the list is sitting with my purse just in case I have time to work on it this weekend and with the way I'm crossing things off my list, it just might get started.

Retreat Day, Yeah!

Thank you Bonnie Hunter, this is the perfect.  Today I will surround myself with quilters at our annual spring retreat!  Let the Shenanigans begin!!!

My bag and rolling cart are packed.  I have all my tools in the green handled bin, under the frogs is my beloved featherweight with the foot/cord, iron,power strip and my much needed lamp. And some other very important things.  In the bag is my ironing pad and towel, can't live without Kleenex, strips for the swap, cutting mat, greedy gift and Chinese auction item.

I've spent time organizing my projects so I don't pack everything I own. On the left is project 1, the Batik UFO I have been working on-today it will become a finished top!!!  In the pink box is my Carol Doak BOM ready to make into a top.  In the green, a new project with all the flannel cut (strips from previous retreat swaps) and ready to sew. and the blue box holds step 5 of Judy L's mystery, along with 9-- yes 9!, cut and ready to sew Grandmother's Choice blocks (these are projects 2 and 3).

If I run out of things to do, I can always grab something more when I come home to check on things during the day.  I have 2 more projects ready just in case. I love retreating so close to home and being able to sleep in my own bed.  I will miss the shenanigans of the cabin life but I will not miss those Army bunks-I have a hard enough time sleeping in my own bed.  And I must check on my babies.

Don't worry about me, I'll be having fun.

And Then There Were Two

Yesterday afternoon we fixed up the new pen for Henny Penny and her new family.  I took her and Ernie was going to get the baby and the eggs.  A new chick had just hatched out.  She is from Miss Blue who liked to lay her eggs next Henny Penny.  I was quite sad when he said there were 2 that didn't make it.  So now we are waiting on the 3 remaining eggs.  I know there is at least one more from Miss Blue.  I'm wondering if any will look like Henny Penny.

I don't want the turkeys to feel left out.  Today is their 2 month birthday.  They are so fun to watch.  We let them out of their pen sometimes and they follow us right over to the big pen to hang out with the chickens.  Then at night, I go out and call them and they come right to me and follow me back to their home.  It's never dull around here!

If you enlarge this picture, you can see Proud Pappa Fred in the back.  I'm hoping at least one of the chicks looks like their father.  I never thought I would feel this way about chickens.  They just make me happy!

Today is retreat day one.  I'm so glad I live close so I can come home and check the babies.

Our New Baby

I really wish I had a better photo but...

I don't.

I'm really writing this post to document our first hatched chick.  Last night I went down to tuck the chickens in for the night and I heard teeny tiny peeps.  My heart started racing.  I gave Henny Penny a nice little pet then gently lifted her off the eggs she's been sitting on for-ever!  There it was, a teeny tiny chick.  My heart was racing!!!

I reluctantly left them alone until this morning.

When Ernie got home I told him and he said something about what to baby chicks eat........ I told him Momma would take care of her baby.  I woke up at 3 am worried about what baby chicks eat!!!  So after an hour of tossing and turning, I got up to find out. I headed to my favorite site--Google and punch in chick just hatched which led me to chick just hatched now what.  Basically I found out that they need some baby chick food and water, just like I thought.  And Momma will take care of the rest.

Now I will move Momma and baby and the remaining eggs to the new corner pen so baby has room to play while Momma works on the rest of the family.

Can you tell I'm a bit excited!!!

Design Wall Monday

Today my design wall is bare.  I'm getting ready for retreat this week.  Yeah!!!  So yesterday after dinner and family all went home and a short nap, I got out my fabrics and began cutting my strips for the strip swap.  I love these swaps. This year we are swapping batiks, neutrals and black/white 2 1/2" strips.  This is the last prep work I need to do before it's time to leave.  I am in need of serious retreat shenanigans.  

I'm using last week's picture of the UFO project. The sashings and cornerstones are now complete and borders are cut and sewn to size. Taylor was here yesterday and arranged the blocks the way she wanted them. I now have it all pinned in rows and ready to sew at retreat. This will be project number 1. 

Check out other fabulous design walls at Patchwork Times.  I love Monday in Blogland!

My Sock Yarn Stash

While blog hopping this morning, I saw this post by Nancy at Wyoming Breezes.  Nancy is showing her sock yarn stash.  Then I remembered someone else (Judy L) sorting and  organizing her yarn stash. Just for the record, I am envious of both of these ladies yarn stashes.  

This is my sock yarn stash.  When I cleared out my sewing room last year, I sorted my yarn, separating sock yarn from everything else. I still only have 2 bins of yarn.  Over the past year, I have used some of what I already had, added a few here and there but not too much. 

As of this morning, I have 27 skeins of sock yarn, enough for 17 pair of socks.  On the left side of this photo, the yarns in the baggies are the leftovers and will go into a different project or two.

Everything still fits in the bin.  There is not much room left unless I scrunch and squeeze but I'm on a mission to use up what I have.  I'm sure there is a stray here and there, when I round up the strays, they will go into the bin.  I even know which yarn I'm going to use next.  It's the Lion Brand Magic Stripes that Sue Hecker sent to me.

So here you go Nancy, this is my sock yarn stash.

On The Needles

I'm still working on this pair of socks. They are matching up pretty good.  I'm ready to start the toe decrease. I'll do another measure to be sure.

This week I think I've spent more time holding this sock than knitting.  I sit down at night exhausted and achy, ready to just watch mindless tv and knit.  Anyhow that is always the plan, then the eyelids get heavy and I either fall asleep in the chair or give up and go to bed.

What's on your needles?  See other great projects here at Patchwork Times.

Happy Mail

The other day I hurried to finish my Back To Square One Mystery step so I could link up to Patchwork Times for a chance to win a fabulous stack pack from Vicki Welsh.

Guess what?  I won!!!  I was shocked!!!  If you haven't looked at Vicki's fabrics, you must.  They are gorgeous!  It took a long time to choose but I finally did. This is called Woodlands.  I have a project already in mind for this pack.

Thank you Judy L for the mystery and Vicki Welsh for sponsoring the mystery.  I'm thrilled!

Wednesday UFO Report...

...on Thursday...........

Not much has happened to the UFO this week.  It's been such gorgeous weather here finally that most of my time has been spent outside rediscovering those long lost/under used muscles.  I decided this morning to sit down and sew and finish watching The Magic of Belle Isle on Netflix.  Great movie!

I made the final block and then did more sashing strips and 9 patches.  I had forgotten how many more I needed to make so I just made up what I had the fabric cut for already.  Now I know how many more to make. :0)  I can't wait to see how Taylor is going to arrange these blocks.  I'm hoping she will be here this weekend so I can take this to retreat next week and get it all put together.

That's right, retreat!~!~!  I am sooo ready to just hang out and laugh and sew and laugh some more!  Maybe I'll even get a UFO or 2 completed.  No promises.

So now the washer if done, the sheets are going to be hung outside with the quilts that are already out there.  Then I am headed to the garden with seeds.

Design Wall Monday

It's been about a month since I've worked on my hexagon wall hanging.  I'm taking it out of the UFO stage and putting it in the WIP stage.  I cut the borders, carefully measured and pinned, machine blind stitch appliqued the sides, then with some mad skills, added the top and bottom border without a hitch.

I need to make a few more flowers.  I am about ready to layer and baste the quilt, then make the final decision on placement and get to quilting and appliqueing.

Check out all the fabulous design walls linked up at Patchwork Times today.

I've Got The Blues

I don't really have the blues.  I have blue fabric. The merry month of May finds us playing in our blue scraps.

According to EQ7, I chose Road to California as the block for my Row Quilt.  I'm spending some time today kitting up my blocks and cutting the plates for the Dresden block.

Of course I had to make a block just to be sure I'd like it.  Only 6 more blocks to cut and I'll have my new leader/enders right by my sewing machine, ready and waiting.

See who else has the blues at SoScrappy today.