Things I learned tonight:

1.  Don't trim until you make sure the block is together correctly.  (Double check the instructions.)

2.   Don't trim in an attempt to make things right.  (Pinwheels looked great until I trimmed it too much.)

3.   Don't start something when you are tired.   ( I should have known better.)

On the Positive side:

1.  I know what not to do next time.  (It will go much quicker since I won't make the same mistake again.)

2.  I needed a place to practice free motion quilting. ( I will do some experimenting.)

3.  At least I did spend some time sewing! Yep!  Even if I made huge mistakes...It was good to be sewing.

4.  I am anxious to see what the complete pattern will look like...I quit with it when I made so many mistakes.   It needs another wider border with four smaller pinwheels in each corner.

Night all!

Grandmas Understand

All grandma's understand when you receive a picture like this you just have to share with friends! Grandchildren are one of God's greatest blessings to us!
Shortly after this was taken he said, "Bunny water?"  DIL-1 and the photographer ran quickly before he put it in the water with the ducklings!

 Of Course!!

My First Marathon!

 My first Quilter's Marathon was fantastic!  In 24 hours Peg and I made it to 6 quilt shops!

Our first Friday afternoon stop was the Quilter's Quest in Sister Bay.  The store is going out of business.  All of the fabric was 40% off! Yes, we helped her out in selling off her inventory. 

 

 Next stop was Barn Door Quilts in Sturgeon Bay.   

 Saturday morning we headed to Green Bay.  After having breakfast at Panera Bread. We made a quick stop at a mall then on to quilt shops. Our first stop was Julie's Sewing Center. 

Next stop was Quilter's Connection.  It was one of my favorite.  Left some cash there also.

Peg made sure we found it!

I bought supplies for two more projects.

I could have spent a long time just looking and selecting fabric. 

There were two more shops in Green Bay, but we headed to Appleton. The first stop was " Keep Me In Stitches."  It more of the whimsical patterns and fabrics.  I did purchase a couple of patterns and some basketball fabric.

Next stop was my other favorite shop, "Going to Pieces Quilt Co."  I came out with fabric for a couple more projects! 
















Last stop was at Piece By Piece.  We didn't have enough time before they closed to find any thing we couldn't live with out.  They turned off the open sign just as we walked in the door.  I could definitely spend more time in that shop.

After that I had my first trip to a Hobby Lobby followed by a quick stop at Joann's Fabrics.

I came home yesterday with fabric, patterns, thread, a pair of scissors, two plastic project storage bins,  and more!  It was great to "save" so much money with all the sales going on!

There were several more shops to see, but we ran out of time.  By the same we were done with the Marathon we thought this might have been a good place to stop...but we did resist!   We headed back to Sturgeon Bay with our treasures.  Sunday noon I headed back home to north western Wisconsin.  Peg's house is 596 miles round trip from home.  She did all the shopping driving with me as the co-pilot.  It was a fantastic weekend!

This gal is taking a weekend for ME!

Friday morning I am heading across the state to Sturgeon Bay.  It is located in Door County Wisconsin about a 5 hour drive.  Peg, college roommate, forever friend,  close as a sister,  lives near Sturgeon Bay on the bay side of Door County.   We are going to talk, laugh,visit quilt shops, laugh, go out to eat,  talk,  drink cappuccino on the deck over looking the bay, and just plain relax.  I will head back  home on Sunday afternoon.

After the challenges of the winter and spring with DH's heart, now with DS2's hand,  spending time with Haylee, helping her as she walks through her grief.  I need time for me.   I hope it doesn't sound selfish.

The surgery on DS2's hand was successful, but it will take several weeks before he regains use of his hand.  We are thankful it wasn't much worse..which it could have been.   DH has to have his heart checked in three weeks to see if it is holding normal sinus rhythm this time.  We didn't think it would go out again after the ablations in January.  Holding the same course with the strong heart medications that also cause side effects.

For my newer blogging friends. DH had the mitral valve replaced in his heart in January of 2010. Since then he has had three cardioversions ( where they shock the heart back into a normal sinus) and had cardiac ablations in both upper chambers.

p.s  The count down has begun.. 25 1/2 days of school before summer vacation...
I have started my list of this to accomplish this summer!

A Quick Wallhanging Flimsy

 

Saturday night I needed time to relax after this difficult past week.  I had picked up fabric a couple of weeks ago to make table runners as gifts for friends.    I found this Perkins pattern and had planned to make it into a Christmas Wallhanging.  

Instead, I made a few changes--using four fabrics rather than seven to make a patriotic wallhanging. The outer border is 3 inches rather than 5 inches.  Hopefully one night this week I will sandwich and quilt it.   I am going to add a hanger strip on the back.  I just might keep this for myself.

I'm looking forward to more of the Table Toppers on the Blog Hop this week.  

Have a great week!

Enjoying the Blog Hop!

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                             I am totally enjoying the Table Topper Blog Hop this week.  There are many fantastic projects.  I think I will have to try a Table Topper...might make a great gift!

 

It has been organized by Madame Samm of "Sew I quilt."  She has a fun blog that I enjoy following.

Please enjoy the other wonderful table toppers.

Tuesday we were back at the Minneapolis Heart Institute at the Abbott Northwestern Alliana Hospital for a followup on the cardiac ablations that DH had in January.  At that time one upper chamber was in A Fib and the other in A Flutter.  He hasn't been feeling very well for several weeks.  Tuesday they found he was back in A Flutter  and most likely it had occurred quite a while ago.  We spent the night in Mpls. I  was certainly glad Target was close for toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, and such. This morning they performed his third cardioversion. We arrived back home late this afternoon.  I certainly hope it holds this time.

Our Littlest Farmer

Saturday afternoon was a beautiful spring day.

 Kasey and Cole spent the day with me.  Cole took his John Deere Tractor outside to start farming.

He had to get off occasionally to pick rocks. Some went in his pocket and others he had to throw to the side. 

 

He decided we needed to walk to the pasture to check the beef cows and calves.

 

                           One of the calves came to the fence to take a look at him as well.

 On the way back he had to stop to check the grain bins and the semi! 
   No cleaning, laundry or sewing...but it was one of those memory making kind of days!

Kansas City Star Block 5

The Vintage Kansas City Star Block of the Month five is called "Winged Square."  It was published October 20, 1937.  I was in too much of a hurry because it looked "easy."  I had it together and had the burgundy / wheat squares reversed.  Out came the ripper.

Though I didn't have a chance to work on Conner's quilt I did finish the valance for his room.  I followed the directions explicitly and still don't understand why the end tabs were to be shorter than the other nine. If it hangs weird I will simply sew across the top of the others to make them the same. 

Today I had Conner, Jessica, Kasey and Cole for parts of the day.  It was not quite the day I had planned..but I am so fortunate that they live close that I am able to spend time with them  and that my DIL's both are comfortable to leave them with me!   I know they both appreciate it!

Back to school in the morning after a 4 day weekend.  With both of the "boys" spending Easter Weekend with the "girls" families, we were invited to spend the day with special friends and their extended family.  It was a great afternoon complete with an outdoor egg hunt for all the adults, college and high school kids! We searched for 98 plastic eggs..some with candy and some with money!   We each could find 6--I found 5 and DH gave me his 7th egg.  Oh--I managed to pick up a wood tick .... Spring in Wisconsin.

I greatly value our friends who include us as family!

He is Risen!

Stash Damage

The most HORRIBLE thing happened today when I went shopping at the Busy Bobbin.  They were busy with only one gal working.  I had to wait to have my fabric cut.  So as I waited I kept looking and looking.  Meanwhile I am pulling more bolts off the shelves and adding them to my pile.  I finally left the store with 10 different fabric and each one was over a yard! (A couple were well over a yard).  Plus I bought two new patterns!  But, in my mind I could justify it-well partially.

 Last weekend was the 5th  Annual  St. Joseph Quilt Show.  It held in the gym of the Catholic school.  There were several fabric shops with booths.  The owner of the Busy Bobbin was handing out 20% off total purchase coupons to be used by April 14th.  Yesterday was my day to use my coupon!  The justifies it..right?


I did restrain myself quite well at the Quilt Show.  I only purchased one pattern.  I enjoy looking at the quilts. Some of them I studied closely looking at how they were pieced, colors, and quilting.  I did  learn that (patting my self on my back) I am learning to piece fairly well.  I have added something to own to my bucket list.  Someday I would love to have my own long arm.


I picked up cards and information from many of the vendors.  I can foresee a road trip this summer.

Have a wonderful Blessed Easter! 

P.S.  Please hold my DS-2 in your prayers.  He cut the top of his left hand on Wednesday night with a Dewalt  10 inch grinder. He severed one tendon and damaged another.  On Tuesday he has surgery for the doctor to go in and "catch" the tendon to reattach it to the finger.   We are thankful it wasn't more serious and that he was able to have medical treatment immediately. 

David Phelps End of the beginning Video

Finished flimsy "Cars" top

 

Last night I finished the top of Conner's new quilt. He was pretty excited yesterday afternoon. Hopefully this coming weekend I will be able to baste it and begin the quilting. 

Tonight I will start on his valance.