Progress

My mother is a knitter. If you read her latest post, she talks about knitting rows and rows without the project seeming to get any longer. http://lorrieknitsandsews.blogspot.com/ That's the way I feel the quilting has been on my bag. Then...all of a sudden, it's finished. I quilted the fabric in a cross hatch, using a quilting arm on the smaller pieces. I marked the larger pieces. I have a tendency to wander on bigger pieces. Once you start to wander, each row follows the last. It looks like I've been drinking. So, I marked the lines 1.5" apart.

I lined the pockets with matching fabric and added velcro closures so I don't loose things as I ride down the road. That would be very sad! I also added a band of Timtex. Timtex is a very heavy weight interfacing that added considerable body to the top of my pockets, right where the velcro is.

One pocket went on tonight, the other will wait until tomorrow. There are also side pockets that will get similar treatment. This is the pocket. I wasn't even trying to match the fabric on here and I find it difficult to find the pocket top. Lucky me! I'm sure that won't happen again.

Here are the little boys trying to help me out.

Happy Valentines Day!

Ok, So Valentine's isn't until tomorrow. Honey and I celebrated last weekend in Chicago. It seems like Valentines week here. Not such a bad thing.

Honey was in Chicago on Tuesday. BooBoo and I left Erie on Thursday. I stayed with my best friend Thursday night. We do this every year. I get to her house about 10pm and we stay up until 2 or 3 talking. I headed off west when she went in to work on Friday. Honey was working the motorcycle show, finishing the setup at the Stephens Convention Center. I wish I could say we filled our weekend with very exciting plans. No so. It was just a nice weekend away. We did take a little trip south of Chicago to look at a trailer for his truck. Not the peak of excitement though.

BooBoo got to play with all his friends. He is madly in love with Riley, a white shepherd. He got to see Roy and Pat, and the Yamaha boys. Eggs for breakfast, a hamburger for lunch. (He won't eat dog food when we are on the road). He thought it was a great trip. Now, don't go thinking the other boys missed out. Charlie and Petey were at Camp Diane's. Spoiled rotten would be a good description. Bailey got to go to Aunt Bonnie's. Spoiled rotten again. Bailey's sister lives with Aunt Bonnie as well as 2 Springer Spaniels, Gunner and Gabby.

I took several photos of the custom paint jobs on the motorcycles. I love the color combinations they use. I've also been looking at some of the lines of the pieces parts, like this fender from one of the Victory Ness bikes. The flow of the exhaust pipe has a nice curve to it. The different shapes of the handle bars. I'm working on a design using the exhaust pipe curve. I'll work on the handle bars later. Who knew motorcycles could inspire quilts.

April showers bring...

dogs in raincoats? I made the little boys raincoats. What a hoot! They don't understand the hoods yet. They look so happy!

Today is the first day in a while it hasn't rained. I'm not complaining, really, it could be snowing here still. The rain does make it easy to sit and sew. I can look out the window while sitting at my machine and I think, "What a nice day to be in and to not have to go anywhere". Well, I wish I didn't have to go anywhere anyway.

My latest pattern is coming along. I have made this design 3 times now. Each time I make it, it looks completely different. I have been trying to decide what size blocks to use for the pattern. I'm thinking I'll stick with a 10" block. The quilt goes together faster and there is room for some spectacular quilting if desired. This particular version is going to the YMCA in Corry for their auction in May.

I've been working hard through my projects. Maybe a little too hard. I had to take my sewing machine in for service. Seems it got tired and decided to just stop, mid seam. Poor thing. They took good care of her at the sewing machine hospital. She got about two weeks of rest and relaxation. Now I've got her back home and she is back to her old self. My iron seems to be a little jealous though. No sooner did I bring my machine home and the iron decided it was time for a break. She didn't even give me any warning, just refused to heat up this morning. So I'm looking for a new iron. I can't decide if I should get another one of the same or if I should try something different, like a cordless one, or maybe that Oliso that can sense when you touch it. In the meantime, I'll have to use my husbands old iron that has been hanging out in the basement. I guess it won't take me very long to decide.

Is it time?

As you all probably know, I have been working on the dog clothing line as well as my quilt patterns. I have a few things up for sale on Etsy and am working on adding more. I believe it is time to have a little separation in my blog discussions, so I am creating a blog for the boys and their clothing. Now, that does not mean they won't appear here, so don't despair. I won't deprive you of those cute little faces and some of their outrageous antics and outfits. I just need some separation. So if you want to read all about the boys and their latest walks and sleeping places, here is their new blog. http://www.booboosbag.blogspot.com/.


Now, for my latest quilting ideas, I've been thinking about doing a fabric portrait of the boys. I took a couple of their pictures and enlarged them to see how it would look. I need to go looking for fabric. That's always a hard thing to do! I have some black, I need the white and tan for Petey and Charlie. I might need more black as well. We'll have to see how what I have plays together. There needs to be a certain level of contrast on Boo to show his face correctly. These are the pictures I am considering using as guides. This is one of Charlie is one of my favorites. I think I will try to make each portrait about 8 x 10 and then put them together in one wall hanging. This will be a whole new challenge for me. I have not tried to recreate a photo before so we'll see how it goes.

It's Finished!

Hey all,

I have been so busy recently. I FINALLY finished Diane Next Door's lap quilt. She is just thrilled. She wanted that furry fleece on the back. It looks kind of like a poodle, in this case a white poodle.It's very warm, snuggly and very slippery. The pink and brown will go great in her living room. I have also finished the top to the second version to be used for a pattern shortly. I think I'll call it Candy Coated Chocolate. The colors are more my style, you know, lime green and turquoise with brown.

I have also cut out and started the next project. Another lap quilt, I know. It's such a nice size to work on. large enough to be fun, but not so large as to get boring. I'm still looking for a name for this one as well. The fabric is just stunning. Benartex, Flower Show II.

I set up my Etsy store as well. Both BooBoo and Petey are featured. I made two green plaid coats and a denim jacket that are up for sale with more to come. The link is http://www.booboosbag.etsy.com/. Check it out. They have the best handmade stuff for sale. My youngest sister recommended it. She's on top of all the trends and knows where to find all the coolest things.

I hope the weather is warm wherever you are!

Winter Break

I guess I have been taking a short break. It started when I looked at my sewing area.
Oh my gosh, what happened! What a mess I have been making. I expect a mess in the kitchen when I am cooking, but not usually this bad when I am sewing. Must be the creative process at work. I needed to spread out the scraps to choose the right size and color for this quilt. So this is the result. Funny how it doesn't bother me when I am sewing, only when I stand back and look at it. I guess I had better keep sewing!

I've been working on a scrap quilt for a good friend of mine. Unfortunately I only see her a couple times a year and she is getting ready to go through Chemo for lung cancer. The cancer is gone, but she still has to have the treatments. I thought she might like something to cuddle up with when she is not feeling well. Get better soon Patty! Here's the paper pieced block I designed for her. I love the layout possibilities of it. You'll see more of it later I'm sure.

We are planning to go to quilt market in May so I have been trying to put together the new designs I want to take. I have 4 new quilts that I would like to make, take pictures and write the patterns. They are mostly throws, so that helps. There never seems to be enough time to get everything done. I still have a few months so we'll see what I get finished.

I was feeling a little overwhelmed by the thought of it all, so I finished the scarf I was working on. Just in time for the birthday party later today. It was so late last night when I finished it, I decided to start a sweater for BooBoo. I have enough yarn to make a matching sweater for Petey. They'll be so cute. This one went so fast, I'm sure they will be more. I think I have 3 1/2 hours into it. Who says knitting takes forever. It's a great break from sewing. I still feel like I am accomplishing something. They tend to be small play projects. A play project is something that is just fun. Fun colors, fun design, something silly to distract me. I think BooBoo's sweater counts. I might have to do one in a brighter color though.

Guess I had better get busy again.