sometimes the best intentions..

Well its done but I don't think I will ever be happy with it.

One of the problems of doing quilts for others, at least for me is, what if
you really dont like the thing? In retrospect I should have done a panto on this
baby panel, but I had this idea in my head that somehow I could make it better..
this was a panel, with added borders, I am not sure what it is about it, maybe the colours?

I guess thats what makes us all individuals, we all have different tastes and thats
a very good thing! and for me, well I'm glad its done and gone lol

A most difficult day

I know the world is filled with problems and in respect of all that mine is so small, but my stomach is in knots, I can barely breath and the tears are just so close that my eyes are burning trying to hold them back. I have to or else I will just reduce into a blubbering fool and that isnt going to help.

My sweet cat and friend for so long is sick, so sick that he has become so thin and dehydrated that he is just wasting away. He tries so hard to eat, the vet gave him subcataneous fluids but still today he is in very bad shape =( His bloodwork shows nothing that they tested for save elevated white blood cell count but he has no fever, she feels indictive of something ominous, likely cancer. She thinks he will die soon, and thinks he is probably suffering. They have reserved a spot for him today and just waiting on me to call with a decision.



How does one decide such a thing? I truly don't know. What if its wrong, what if he could get better and I end his life? How do I drive my faithful friend to the vets, look into his eyes and end his life. I just dont know.

I mean I do know. I dont want him to suffer, he doesnt deserve that, he deserves for me to be strong and do what is best for him, not for me, for him.

Still, what if we are all wrong, this thought is haunting me.

He isnt sick in the picture, that was in October, he looks so healthy and happy there, how can things change so quickly? this feels like a horrible nightmare.

/sigh

just off the frame

This pretty Quilt of Valor pieced by I am not sure who, but from the Heartstrings group. What an awe inspiring group of people they are.

I used a panto called Water World, and r/w/b King Tut, I think it turned out fairly well. Have the binding cut, will spend this afternoon getting it stitched on and hand stitched over the weekend, washed, then off to Alycia on Monday is my goal.

Helping out

A local elementary Grade 2 class needed some help making these little Christmas books, spent Wednesday cutting, pressing, stitching the covers for the pages, and putting them together. Got all of them done, the wee ones were so excited lol



Guess not a lot of people sew? or maybe just really busy not sure, but glad they didn't end up having to scrap the project and it really wasn't hard, took maybe 6 hours or so with coffee breaks in there too =)

Tales from the Longarm

Well phew! this quilt is finally finished, it belongs to a friend and I quilted it.
Here is it pre-quilted.



I looked at it for a few days and tried to talk myself out of sashiko quilting it but meh sometimes u just gotta do what u gotta do lol It took an awfully long time because of all the stops and starts around the embroidery...by the final row of blocks I complained loudly and frequently, mostly to the dogs who did not really care, altho my youngest dog thought it was a grand opportunity to consistently bring me her toy to throw for her. when Mama is standing, Mama must wanna play is her philosophy lol

Here is a close up of the blocks and sashings quilted.



Course once u do geometric, straight line design, the border just screams for a similar treatment...oh yes, I can honestly say I have mastered the diamonds are a girls best friend ruler! Still, much as we 'bonded' I think me and that ruler need
a lil break from each other, say oh about 2 years? lol



Heres some pics of the finished quilt, well less binding, my friend gets to do that part =)







The quilt is a gift for her friend.

Today I will piece some backings for a couple of heartstrings quilts and get those on the frame, been waiting for some new pantos to arrive, not a big fan of the pantos but need something pretty but quick to do this time around, lil break from custom quilting.

In weather news, couple of feet of snow...ew ew ew, way to early!

Progress and not

I have been working on quilting this quilt, a true labour of love, but it has been taking me a long time to get done. Today I am going to remove it from the frame even tho it isnt finished because I just have too many November deadlines and I really dont want to rush the finish. All the blocks are stabilized and embroidery centers quilted, but still need to do the pieced areas, sashings and borders.

Here are some pics of a few of the blocks so far.

Center block:



Others:

Found UFO and completed

I actually don't even remember when I started this, but it was all finished except for
stitching on some beads to use for hangers and putting on a binding.

Embroidery designs from emblibrary. my favorite embroidery design place.

So...after several days of hand sewing...ew ew ew ew...I finished it! Woot!!!

And yes its to early to hang up but I did anyway, 'cause after all the work I figure 25 days just isn't enough to justify several years of waiting to be done =)

Pics are blurry and nasty as usual but its done!! oh yes done, I LOVE that word!!