Bleeding Fabric

I bought some Thimbleberries deep red fabric at my LQS this week. Got it for the border on my sister's quilt. Yesterday I cut it and was sewing the top together (also used the red for corner stone squares in the sashing) when I noticed red on my hands. It washed off easily, but I can't believe $9+ a yard fabric would do this. I will take a picture of it when DH changes the batteries in my camera. Guess when I wash the quilt, I will add a couple of dye magnets and some synthrapol. This truly irritates me. I know there are 2 schools of thought on the whole wash/not wash fabrics, but I really believe that, hand dyes aside, top quality fabrics should NOT run. They should be color fast. Silly me.


I sent an email to Lynette Jensen about this fabric and today I received an answer. She was very nice and has forwarded my email to the president of RJR fabrics and has requested a piece of my fabric. I will send it next week after we get home from San Diego. I am very pleased that Lynette took the time to answer my email.

I have also received an email from RJR Fabrics requesting sample pieces. Will get these in the mail tomorrow. I sure am glad they are taking this to heart.

Retreat

I have put together 2 kits for a quilt retreat next month. I'm fine with the first one, but the second, I'm not too sure which focus fabric to use. What do you think?

Think I will do all the cutting here at home, so can just sew at the retreat. Here is a picture of the pattern I will be using. The top picture will be just squares with corner stones and sashing. The last 2 are the ones I'm using the pattern for. Just can't decide which focus fabric to use. I'm afraid it will all become mushed together. What do you think, Swooze? By the way, thank you for helping me.

Another day in Poulsbo

Looks like the quilt retreat is a go. I am VERY excited...got a spare bin out to pack up with a couple of projects, books and patterns to swap, and some show and tell. Also after talking with DH about this I am going to take a large bin of quilt magazines to give away.

We leave next Sunday for a week in San Diego...pretty excited about spending time with DD and DGD. Sandy (DD) and I are going to San Marcus to visit the Quilt in a Day shop. It is a really nice shop and last time we were there we got to meet and talk with Eleanor Burns.

I never did pull out another UFO to work on, but did finish cutting my blue scraps into strips and yesterday cut 9 inch squares out of muslin for foundations for the string blocks. Want to cut all my yellows and some golds to go with the blues.

Am thinking of the project for the retreat...I have several gorgeous 5 inch precut squares. Think I will cut WOW or COC sashings with corner post squares. This should make a pretty quilt top.

I was so out of it this year, I've not finished a quilt top for the local quilt show in Feb. I really need to get busy!

Scraps

I have been slowly sorting and ironing my scraps. It seems to be a never ending process. But yesterday I finally reached the bottom of the scrap bin. Now that they are all sorted/ironed, must get on with the cutting. Again, a seemingly never ending process! DH bought me two sets of 3 drawers on wheels at WalMart last weekend, so all of the scraps are in their proper places. I'd better get a quilt made from these little buggers!

This afternoon, to reward myself, I will pull a UFO and work on it...not too sure which one, but there are plenty to choose from. LOL.

On my Loose Threads list one of the ladies is having a quilt retreat and they have lots of spaces left. DH has said he will take me and pick me up. This all hinges on whether or not they have wheel chair accessibility. I am keeping my fingers crossed! It has been years since my last quilt retreat.

Weekend Retreat

I participated in the Stashbuster weekend home retreat on Sunday. I finished this small wall hanging, a UFO from a Quilt University class in 2006. It is now quilted, bound, and has a sleeve. After it was done...it seemed to lack something so I foiled the black areas with gold foil. IMHO it is now done. This was not an original work...but a pattern from the class instructor...whose name escapes me. The background green fabric is one of my hand dyes...I think it gives depth to the background.

Feeling Better

The doc put me on a new med (Mirapex) for my restless legs. It is a MIRACLE drug! Group Health carries it (which means it is not expensive), so I tried it. I have slept every night since. Today I ironed (6 mos worth) all my DH's shirts that were hanging in the laundry room, did laundry and put everything away when finished. My ironing board had been sitting up in my living room since before the new year.

I'm hoping as I feel better and better, maybe I will become more and more active and perhaps....I might lose weight?! Wouldn't that be a kick. I've been huge for so long, can't remember what I used to look like.

Stashbuster Retreat

I retreated on Friday afternoon sorting and ironing 1/2 of my scrap bin. Yesterday DH took me out all day. First we had breakfast downtown, then saw the new Harry Potter movie, then went to WalMart, then had dinner at the new little Terraki place. What a day...and the wonderful thing is I was able to enjoy the entire day. The new drugs the Doc put me on are working!!! Yippee!

Today I will go back to the sewing room and load up the plastic bins on wheels (bought at WalMart yesterday) with the sorted/ironed scraps. Then will put a hanging sleeve on a small wall hanging I finished on Thursday! It was from a class I took online last year. I am a pretty happy camper. Have actually been finishing projects.

Once I have the entire bin of scraps sorted and ironed I will start cutting them to different size strips. Really want to try one of those string quilts. They look like fun and turn out beautifully.

Hope others are retreating too!

Flu

Well, sure glad we had a flu shot...cause I had the flu yesterday. Thank heavens it only lasted a day. Must thank DGD for sharing! LOL.

Another laughter is the best medicine. Yesterday I had the flu...now to set the stage...DH made me a piece of unbuttered toast and cut it into 4 squares, put it on a plate on a table next to my chair. DH went back to work. My sister (we are having issues) came in right after he left demanding to get to the bottom of the issues. My reply, I'm sick go home. I said this for 30 minutes. She finally left. I reached for my toast and ate one square...put the plate back and promptly felt sick. Went into our bathroom and sat on the pot...felt sick to my stomach so picked up the trash can (I put plastic bags in them) and vomited. Then got a blast of cat urine (DH had cleaned out the cat box and neglected to take out the bag), that smell caused me to vomit again, then that smell caused me to vomit again...OMG, what a connumdrum. Finally got it under control and cleaned myself up and went back to my chair. Reached for the plate of toast when our rescue beagle Bailey got to it before me. I started crying and couldn't stop. Called DH at work (still sobbing) and proceeded to tell him of my rotten time. I COULD HEAR HIM LAUGHING!!! I sobbed for another 5 minutes and finally got it out of my system, so hung up the phone. Sure glad he loves me.

Today I feel great and will get into the sewing room for sure. DH is going out to see a horse that he and a coworker may buy together...hope it works out for him, he rarely asks for anything.

We are going to San Diego at the end of the month...Russ (DH) is going to participate in the Trieste II DSV reunion and I will spend much time with DD in Lakeside. We are planning a trip to Quilt in a Day and Rosie's which always have great things.

By golly, I think I've got it!

My blog is starting to look right...don't really know what right is...but it makes me happy.

I quilted on Friday afternoon...the first time since January. Made 20 blocks for a quilt for my sister. Don't have any sashing or border fabrics so will HAVE to go to local quilt store this week a get some. Can't wait. The blocks turned out pretty cute. I will add pics here when I can.

Saturday afternoon youngest son and wife brought their two to stay with us overnight. What fun! Kearstyn had fun with Grandpa looking at a horse to maybe buy, and on Sat night we watched a horror flick and ate popcorn. The baby, Rheaya, was not feeling well with a cold so spent most of the night on my chest. A good time was had by all!

When Doug and Teresa came to pick the kids up they brought fresh caught dungeness crab for us...mmm good. We at some last night and will finish it off tonite.

Partial Sucess

I think I finally have a handle (VERY small handle) on this blog thing. I now have no side borders and that truly helps. Just changed my template...would like the old one better, but couldn't get rid of those blasted left and right borders. We will see if this works better.

I find I have very little to say...who would have thought?! Perhaps if/when my quilting gets going again, it will be better.

Hard!!!

I have such a time trying to do this blog thing. Maybe it is my poor little (emphasis on little) damaged brain...probably. I was trying to get the slideshow to go on the far right...NOT! Oh well, at least it is on the blog.

Last month my sister and daughter came in and cleaned out my sewing room...WOW what a difference! All my fabrics are neatly sorted and in their own plastic bins, the dyes and dye fabrics are in their own places, even the closet is neat and clean. Now if I could just lose some weight it would be soooo much easier to get around...but that will come in time. I want to quilt...but haven't been able to get myself in there, but am on new antidepressants and it seems to be making a difference, so hope to get sewing.

Bailey has settled in...no one would guess he hasn't been here forever. Such a mess he is...makes me laugh. You should hear him howl and bay...so funny.

Rheaya is now 3 months old and is a doll. Kearstyn and Rheaya are coming tomorrow to spend the night so Mom and Dad can go out and play...too much fun for us! We will take them out to dinner and I will do Kearstyn's nails...maybe Rheayas too! We haven't seen Kearstyn since early July so can't wait to see her. She is such a sweetheart!

Boy this is hard!