Thanks, Finn...

Finn is a troublemaker, plain and simple. But I'll get to that in a minute. First I want to show you the new prayer shawl I just finished. I've discovered I can crochet much faster than I knit, so I'll be crocheting them from now on! I love how this one turned out. My next one will be a rectangular crocheted shawl. I do like having a finished edge instead of making fringe!
On to Finn...I've been reading the posts and seeing the pictures of the Orphan Train quilts that people are making since Finn challenged them. Oh Finn, I saw your challenge and I thought I'd pull out my orphans. I smugly went into my scrap box, where I throw the extra blocks and thought, "I may come out of this with a half dozen blocks. I used some awhile ago to make a charity quilt top, put a few others on the backs of quilts, so there's NO WAY I'll have enough for a quilt top. It's just not going to happen..."
Apparently I was wrong! I have enough blocks to make TWO quilt tops! And I still have a huge stack of nine patches that can go into another quilt. Finn, you're such a troublemaker! Now I have at least 3 more quilts to make! But, they will go to good homes, so I guess it's not all bad. :o) So, thanks Finn, you've inspired a lot of people!

Tuesday Afternoon...

and it's hot and humid here in southern NJ. A good day to stay indoors. I've been working on a customer quilt, but took a nice, long break to sit outside with a glass of water and read. I love the longer days of summer...



Last Friday was my birthday, so yesterday I took a ride to Pennington Quilt Works to use my 20% off birthday coupon which expires at the end of June. I had a collection of FQ's and had nothing to go with them. Using my coupon I picked up 2 one yard pieces...the polka dots and one of the florals, and 3 yards of a cream background fabric to go with them. The whole collection is now washed (not ironed as you can see in the photo!) and waiting for inspiration to strike.

I also made a few more blocks for my sampler quilt. I guess this wouldn't fit into Finn's orphan train challenge since I'm making all these blocks new for the quilt. I do have some orphans laying around, I'm hoping to collect them and make something of them this summer.

Back to the machine or I'll never get anything done this summer! :o)

School's Out for Summer...

We're back from Virginia and now I'm done all my traveling for the summer! We had a wonderful time visiting the University of Mary Washington. It's a beautiful school and Fredericksburg is a delightful little town! Thanks Jen for the advice...we did have lunch at Sammy T's and it was delicious. However we opted for gelato instead of ice cream...we'll try Carl's next time we're down.
We're planning to head back down in the fall so she can get a feel for the campus when there are students around. UMW is definitely at the top of her list right now!
As for what summer will bring, I'm not sure! I have a lot of customer quilts to finish, a few of my own that I'd like to have done and I found a cute pattern for a cable knit scarf that I'd like to make for the winter. Add in the prayer shawls that I'm making (I started a crocheted, triangular scarf last night...it's going fast!), doctor's appointments and all of the normal, day to day stuff and I can see summer will go much too quickly for my liking! :o) But it's filled with opportunities....

Prayer Shawl

Last night I finished my first prayer shawl. I totally enjoyed knitting it and can't wait to get another one on my needles. It was so relaxing to make this and I know that it will be greatly appreciated by the lady here in town who will receive it. The pattern was simple and I only messed it up in one spot. Of course I didn't find it until it was completely finished, fringe and all! If quilters make humility blocks for their quilts, do knitters make humility rows? :o)

Quilt Show Pictures

Saturday was the NJ State Quilt Guild Show in Edison, NJ. Thought I'd share a little eye candy with you. My apologies to the talented quilters who made these quilts...I didn't write down the information as I went through the show. If you see something you have made, let me know and I'll give you credit!
This quilt was a miniature...the little triangles in the feathered star were so small! It was lovely...


This quilt I can credit to Jane Lange, quilted by yours truly. It was striking!

I loved the strippy set of this quilt...so simple yet so beautiful. Love the cheddar!

This one was made to commemorate a visit to Notre Dame in Paris. Stunning!

I just really liked this one!

The show was very nice, the quilts were beautiful, especially the display of antique quilts. I enjoyed the show, it was a much needed, relaxing break! As I was walking around the vendor section, I saw a quilt hanging at the back of the booth and fell in love with it. I went into the booth for a closer look, found the pattern and kits for the quilt and realized...I bought this quilt kit a few years ago! The kit is now out on my sewing table, I guess it's time to make it!

Met the Other Woman...

Yes, that's right. Last night I met the "Other Woman". My husband travels a lot for business. When he's not on the road, he often has customers come into Philadelphia and he wines and dines them, takes them to Phillies games, whatever the customer wants.

For several years, whenever customers are in town, they stay at the Comfort Inn on the Philadelphia waterfront. Over the years, he's come to know the bartender there very well. I've heard stories about her for so long, that I often joke that she's the "other woman" in his life because he talks about her so often!

Last night, after dinner, we hopped in the car and took a ride into Philly. Destination? The bar at the Comfort Inn! I finally got to meet her and she is a sweet lady. I think when he is with her, the DH is in good hands! :o) As we were leaving the hotel, which is at the base of the Ben Franklin Bridge, I snapped this picture with my phone. I love the way the lighted bridge looks at night!

I've been working diligently on the customer's quilt which is loaded on the machine. It's very large and seems to be taking forever. (It's really not, it just seems that way!) I have a second, similar quilt to do for the same customer when this one is done. So, no quilting on my sampler quilt this week!

A Quiet Friday Evening...

And I've been sewing. After returning home from the Philadelphia airport where I picked up a friend of my daughter, I grabbed something to eat and headed up to the sewing room. I wanted to quilt on the longarm, but thunderstorms were rolling through so I left it unplugged.

I wish I could get a picture of the blocks that shows the colors better...that light blue isn't nearly as bright as it looks!

I have a nice list of blocks to make for this quilt...thank you for all of your suggestions! I've decided to make almost all of the blocks that you have said were your favorites. You have all contributed to this quilt and it makes it that much more special to me. I'll need a lot of blocks, so keep sending the names of YOUR favorite blocks...there's plenty of room!

Thanks!!!