It's Been Awhile

It's been a while since I last posted.  I am due to have a total knee replacement on Tuesday.  My hips and knees will then be totally replaced.  I look forward to getting it over with and on to physical therapy.  Then I can concentrate on making my quilts.  I also have places to go, such as a retreat in August and one in October.  The big thing is a cruise in January with 3 of my best friends.  So I have a lot of work to do to get ready for my future plans.  I have not stopped quilting, just slowed down a lot.  I have finished a fabric challenge due at the August Retreat.  I wanted to get it done, so I could concentrate on my physical therapy. Happy quilting everyone.

superquilter

Winter Quilt Wall Hanging

It was one year ago this past October, when my friends and I had an embroidery retreat. It was at the same place we hold our quilt retreats. We all love Camp Canyon and it is an easy hour's drive from home. We did the same project. I finally got my pieced together yesterday. At first I was going to make it into a banner, but decided I wanted to finish it, so it became a wall hanging. One of my friends helped me choose the sashing and border. That fabric adds to the color of the blocks. I really like and I hope others will enjoy looking at it.

Renegade's Retreat Weekend

The Renegade Quilters are leaving tomorrow for a weekend full of quilting,eating and very little sleeping. We have 8 gals going and each will bring a kit with them. Every one's kit is to be put in the same looking brown bag. And we will pick a bag and that is the kit you will be working on. We may swap bags after all kits are drawn. It's going to be such fun. I always look forward to our retreats. So I am getting some laundry done and loading up the car tonight. It is supposed to rain while we are there, but who cares. That's not going to stop us from having fun.

the Joys Of My Life

This free photo slideshow made with Smilebox

I have not posted in a while so I thought would use "Smilebox" to help me.  I made a collage of my "Joys In Life".  The collage should bring up each picture larger to view it easier.  The Joys In My Life also refers to my 2 year old boxer and her name is (guess what it is)--Joy.  The orchid came from my son a few years and it just blooms  bigger and better each time.  And last my gadget holder I made.  A friend taught it to us at our quilt guild..  I just love it.

Bobbin Lace And Orchid

It's a very windy day here in Oklahoma, in fact too much as far as I am concerned.  It did get in the high 60 degrees though and I like it.  I have finish my outside edge of my bobbin lace Easter egg.  It's pictured here:

Also pictured is my orchid blooming again.  My son, Clyle, gave it to me about 3 years ago.  I guess it likes my kitchen window that faces west.  And to be sure, I love it.  I have really enjoyed it.

Bobbin Lace

I have picked up another hobby (like I really needed another hobby) LOL.  Anyway, I  have become interested in working bobbin lace.  Mind you, I am very much a beginner and like my other hobbies, it takes practice, practice.  It started when four of us went to the Paducah Quilt Show last April.  One friend, Vickie, took us to a lace show while we were there.  Well, to make a long story short, the four of us bought the supplies we needed to start our new hobby.  But, when we got home we had to find someone locally to teach us.  We did and we have also used each other in our process of learning.  I am currently working on an Easter egg (shown here)  and I am not sure if I am doing it right.  My pattern stitches are consistent.  The main thing is I enjoy it.  It can be frustrating at times because most of the time we only have the pattern with no instructions on which stitch to do.  I am going to get there though and not give up.    I am not giving up my quilting (that is my first love), just trying to expand some new learning techniques.

National Lace Day

Here are a couple of pictures of Vickie, myself and Carol at the National Lace Day event held in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. It was not planned what we were wearing, it just happened that way. So we named ourselves the two pumpkins and the vine. We had a great time. Shopped some and participated in some demos such as shuttle tatting, paper bobbins for bobbin lace and how to make paper beads. Oh yeah, did I mention we went there to brush up on our bobbin lace. Did not get quite there. We were too busy learning everything else. After all we needed more hobbies. We already are quilters,knitters,crochet, beading, bobbin lace, machine embroidery. I guess we are working on our bucket list. We still have thread painting to do and I am sure we will find other things to learn and do. Inside joke--"what about it" and "hey, why are my covers all on your side of the bed and on the floor too" We have so much fun.

Renegade Quilter's Fabric Challenge

Last weekend my small quilters group had a retreat. Nine of us attended where we pieced 2 twin quilts and one queen size for the lodge. It was work but we managed to get done and now they are off to the longarm quilters. At our last retreat we were given fabric as a challenge. We do this each time and the ladies come up with some creative ideas. I came up with "Queenie" my soft sculptured doll. Her clothes are the fabric we were to use. Now I am thinking about what to do with our next fabric challenge. I have to have it done by next March which gives me plenty of time or not. I did not get "Queenie" done until 2 weeks before our retreat date. Decisions, decisions.

My Great Grandson- Asher

My great grandson will be 3 in Nov and he's growing to be "a big boy" now. You can read about him on my sidebar called "A Prayer For Asher" . He is a very special little boy having survived a rare brain cancer tumor. He has been through a lot for such a young man. His Grandma Britta writes about him and I have been able to watch him grow. I love the stories she writes about him. I just had to do a little bragging about him. So Asher Great Grandma Gale loves you so very much.

Hot!!

Last time I posted and I asked how hot is hot? Well, it got even hotter this weekend as the
ac went out. But now, I have a happy face as the ac got fixed this morning. Enjoyed a day of sewing yesterday with my Sat. Group. Mama C taught a table runner and showed us how to do flying geese another way and they turned out perfect. This was a small project and I am still working on my UFO's. I have 3 quilt tops finished now. I am, though, having to take a break to get a challenge done for our Renegade Retreat in August. I am really cutting this challenge too close to the due date. But I will get something done.

How Hot Is Hot?

Well, let me tell you how hot is hot. 22 Days of it being over 100 degrees here in Oklahoma. 12 of those days one right after the other. This past Saturday it was 110 degrees. And the nights are not much cooler- 80 to 95 degrees. Thank goodness for the air conditioning, but I am sure we will have quite a large electric bill. Besides the heat, we have been in a terrible drought here. The grass is brown and crispy along with the farmer's pastures. I have heard on the news that the farmer's are starting to sell their cattle because there is very little hay. It seems that all around the country people are having their problems with floods, forest fires, etc. I pray one day the weather will come to those who need rain, that it stops for those don't need it and for the fires come to a halt.

I have finished piecing two of my UFO's. I think I have a PHD in quilting (Projects Half Done). I have vowed that this summer I am working on those projects and not starting any new big quilts until September. I probably won't even make a dent in those projects, but I have at least made a start. Here are the 2 I have finished piecing.

Happenings That Have Happened

Back in the beginning of April we had a Guild Retreat. I was the door prize chairman and we had plenty of door prizes. The classes went very well and was enjoyed by all 23 members participating. We made portable ironing boards for all to take home (Shown above). The retreat committee put the final touches to the retreat the day before. The classes were making bags for a hot iron to take home, a block saver roll up to carry unfinished blocks home. The committee worked very hard and I think it was the best retreat ever. We had show and tell while having lunch one day. We also gave David, the Camp Manager a quilt for the services and hospitality he has given us throughout the years


Then--2 weeks after the Retreat, 4 of us were off to the Paducah Quilt Show. It was my first time. I had so much fun with my buddies. It was a wonderful show despite all the water and flooding. It did not slow us down a bit. And to think the flooding has gotten even worse. My prayers are with those that live there. I think we went to Hancocks 3 different times as well as to Walmart. Some places they could call us by name. One of those places was the Lace Guild where we learned to make a bracelet and the 4 of us came home with bobbin lace supplies. What 1 has the rest had to buy also, so all 4 of us bought. LOL. Carol and Vickie had a class on Wed and Fri. On Fri, Sue, Carol and I took an EQ7 class Mary Ellen Kranz. She is a wonderful lady and it was a fun class to take. After being there a week, it was time to go home. Had to take a longer way home because of all the water, but we arrived home safely. Many thanks to Vickie for all of the driving she did. She did a great job. I have lots of pictures, but these are just few posted here.

Daughter Of Joy

I just finished reading a "Daughter Of Joy". It is a free ebook that I read on my Nook for PC. I enjoyed reading it and will put it on my bookshelf.

Quilt Retreat

Last weekend was the Renegade Quilters Retreat. Each time we meet one of us hands out either a fat quarter or 1/2 yard of fabric to each (we usually have 9, but this time only 6 attended) as a challenge to make something. This fabric was what I handed out last August. The fabric is the border on the left side here. I am telling you I was so proud of what the girls did with it. Another group voted on which one was their favorite and the winner would get the prize money. All of us gave $5. Vickie was the winner.

Below are the other 5 with the challenge fabric



We also had a group project-"Christmas Cactus Quilt.