I wonder where "we"all are too! I've been very busy with a work project since Retreat - ahhhhh - I am definitely Retiring! Not so easy to pick a drop dead date when You're the Boss -- scary!

I have gotten a few quilts quilted -- I have 3 lined up that need binding. I have the backing for the winter quilt I finished at Retreat ready to be quilted - I'm sick of quilting snowflakes, but I don't want to spend too much more time on it :) I feel brain dead.
I still have to get acquainted with my new sewing machine - no extra time! That's holding up the binding - that's my excuse anyway. I can't seem to find a simple zig zag stitch I needed :(

I think the applique pins story is hilarious! He doesn't know that we quilters could do damage if we had to defend ourselves with these little pins!

I'm glad you are home for awhile and able to enjoy quilting. I want to see your DJ progress!

Hi Jackie, glad the guy on your flight took your pins falling everywhere with good humor. My son is getting to compete for Student of the Year at his elementary school so I have been offline most of today typing up application forms, etc. I am very proud of my son. Tonight I started back hand sewing my M-I-L's pin cushion for one of her Christmas presents. As holidays draw near the days and weeks just seem to get busier. To unwind a little tonight as I hand piece her pincushion am listening to Dana Cunningham's Silent Night cd, very relaxing piano music that really does not sound like Christmas music.

Best to you,
Sandra

It has been very quiet around here! I've also been slammed at work and too pooped to do much when I get home. I just finished machine sewing the binding on the QOV I'm doing for another group...just needs the hand sewing.

I'm also nearly done with the first project for my QU hand piecing class.

Next I need to make a couple blocks for some more group quilts then catch my breath before Bonnie Hunter's mystery starts!

I too noticed that this place was dead.... I thought everyone had left or something....

This has not been a sewing week for me.... I've been a lazy bum. I only turned my machine on for five minutes to patch an appliance filter with a piece of felt using a really wide zig zag and that has been it!

I thought about sewing a few times today but I just can't muster the energy.... My best gal pal came over last night after we both got off of work and I made Pina Coladas and tacos at midnight.... by the time she left and I cleaned the kitchen it was nearly 4 AM and I was too tired to do anything....

I'm in bed now debating whether or not I really feel like cleaning off the ironing board and finding all the parts of the last project I was working on so I can continue where I left off or not.... my big accomplishment for this lazy day was cleaning the cat litter box! Hey that's important, right? I think my sewing machine is feeling neglected as a layer of dust slowly begins to settle over it!

Glad the forum isn't disbanding!

I haven't done a ton of piecing or quilting this week, but I have been buying. I bought the white Kona for my great-nieces' Marimekko Chinese Coin quilts and found some backing and binding fabrics for them too. I also bought fabrics for the monkey quilt I'm making for our new grandson (or so they thought from the last ultra-sound). If it turns out to be a little girl, I'll have to start over. This monkey quilt is definitely boyish.

I have been piecing strips for the Chinese Coin columns. I figure I need about 720 - 4.5 inch pieces. I've been sewing them into threes. I have 107 sets of three; 133 to go. Then I have to sew them into 16 - 80" columns. This could keep me busy for a while, but it's really great mindless work for those times when that's all the energy I can muster.

I have my daughter's Blowing in the Wind quilt close to done. I just have to sew the eleven 86" columns together. Without any seams to guide me, I have to be really careful to cut and pin exactly. And the floor is the only place I can do that. I just haven't felt like crawling around lately.

That's what's happening with me. The weather has turned cold and windy. We even had a couple of inches of snow last Tuesday. Most of the leaves have finally fallen, but no one has raked yet, because the winds have been howling at about 35 mph. I did manage to get some of the gardens cleaned up today. This has been a really strange fall.

Have a good weekend, everyone. Lois

I've been quilting on the Pink Quilt today. DGD's birthday is Monday and she came home from college last night to go bridesmaid dress shopping today so the family got together at Sonny's BBQ for a birthday dinner tonight. DH is going with a bunch of the family tomorrow to watch them practice for a Dragon Boat race, so I'll be home alone and shouldn't be disturbed. Hopefully I'll be able to complete Lucy's quilt as it's time to get it out of the house. :-)

SharonG/FL

I check in here a couple of times a day (or more) and have heard the crickets. But then, I've not done much either...

a few scout patches here and there is the most sewing I've done. I have played with the bargello a little bit. I have the bottom edge to select colors for to reach a straight edge, and then I can begin sewing. Once I start sewing it'll go faster, I think.

I don't know if I've just gotten lazy, but by evening, I'm tired. My hands and feet ache, and I have no motivation to do anything. Usually end up with a book on the couch. I know if I stopped to sew, even for a few minutes, I'd feel better...but... well... we'll see.

I would very much like to clear space to the quilt frame and load up some quilts. Maybe before Christmas...maybe.

I am taking a little break from quilting to do my fall cleaning. Plus, I spent all last week getting my sewing studio cleaned and (somewhat) organized...because I had a new Pfaff long-arm delivered on Thursday. Now I need to learn to use it, so I can get back to quilting!

Leave it to you to attack a guy with applique pins. He will have an interesting story to tell.

I've just been lazy about posting.

beverly

LOL..on the pin story, it's a good thing he was a good sport, or the TSA could have been your welcome home party! Too funny, thanks for sharing.
Crazy week at work...there was a violent incident, fortunately no employees were physically harmed, but it takes it's toll on folks.
I spent my evenings sewing blocks to make the jolly jelly roll quilt pattern I found on Christa's quilt site, quick-easy and as I discovered way too busy for my taste with the jelly roll I was using. I finished the blocks, but will sit on it for awhile before I decide how to change it to reduce the intensity. Today I finished the top for a lap size Christmas quilt for one of my nieces. Tomorrow I hope to start the quilt for my nephew who had surgery today. Thanks to LoisF who sent me the dimensions for the quilt block, the one she made for her uncle...that will be perfect for my nephew. He may get his by month end but I'm not sure I will have my niece's (his wife) quilt done. It's odd ,they both had the same back surgery, same hospital, same doctor, today.
Need to get the lotto blocks sewn....time seems to fly as the year winds down.

V.

Jackie, You are so funny - I can just picture your flight!

I have hardly done any quilting since September! We got new carpet so that meant packing up the sewing room and finally have it mostly back together. I did get the November and December lotto blocks done, but don't know if I will get much more done. It doubles as my office and a guest room, so I ordered a new dresser for here also.
DS is getting married Nov. 23 in Estes Park which USED to be 45 minutes away. After the flooding in September it has been pins and needles waiting for roads to re-open. One just opened this week so the commute is now down to 2 hours (from 3). We have been scrambling trying to figure out what to do with all the out of town relatives and have now booked hotel rooms for everyone (on our $$) or else we would hardly see anyone since most are flying in on Friday (and the rehearsal is Friday morning) and out on Sunday. Geez. We have 5 coming back to our house on Sunday and staying through Thanksgiving so no sewing then either!

Hopefully I will get some sewing done between November 30 and December 20. We head off to Arizona and Mexico and won't be back until mid-late February, so no sewing then either!

It sounds like so many of you have lots going on too!

Take care,
Sue

I've been a victim of the shortening days, and circadian rhythm. It's like a gargantuan jet lag and for some reason more noticeable this year. It seems like it was just mid-summer but now with the time change it's dark before supper is on the table and then the evenings just stretch out forever and I'm not in the mood to sew at night. So, I am not doing much in the sewing room, since I have to cram a day into so few daylight hours. If I'm not quilting, then I'm not 'talking quilting'.

Well, I've been sewing! I'm recovering from shoulder surgery, 10 weeks now, and am not allowed to sew. So, I'm just doing applique. That's not sewing is it? I am making great progress on Mom's quilt and if you pull the thread just right, I can count it as exercise.

I have things backed up for FMQ and will get to that in a few weeks. Don't want to get caught. My DH tries to keep me out of trouble.

I don't know why Xmas gets my juices flowing. I have more Xmas quilts than Santa and I still get this urge to make another this time of year. Shopping for Xmas fabrics doesn't hurt my shoulder at all! Hmmm.

I'm with Calliope, the time change has knocked me for a loop, it always does. Why don't they just leave it alone and let Nature take care of us? Even the dog is messed up, she starts looking for her Daddy to come home an hour too early and it drives me nuts. The Grand-kids are here for the weekend so I won't be sewing, but it's been hard for me to go in there this past couple of weeks, too. I've GOT to finish this log cabin FMQing, I intend to give it to my Son for his B-Day on the 27th. Every time I make up my mind on a project to have it done a certain time this happens. I'm the one who can't stand having many projects going at once, and this time I am feeling the pain on getting this one done. Lois, I made a Chinese Coins for an Uncle a couple of years ago, I really liked making it and it turned out well.

Jackie I am surprised they let you on the plane with such dangerous weapons.......that guy was very brave. lol
I have been wondering where everyone has been too, glad to see all the post.
I got the Dear Jane CD and manual, some batiks and have been trying my hand at machine pc. and using the PP tech. bbbbbbut..........perhaps I haven't mentioned it but I HATE PP!! and that hasn't changed unfortunately...lol. Have come to the conclusion I don't like the looks of DJ in batik. Will try a few more but think I will change fabrics. Not my idea of what it should look like.

Funny story about the pins, not everyone would be willing to laugh. I'm glad he did!

I ended up working a lot more than usual in October and that put me behind. I don't know why I can't seem to get more done each day, but maybe I have too high of expectations.

The good news is I've started a habit of sewing while watching TV in the evening. I am a creature of habit, so now I can't just sit there, I have to get up and sew. I'm making six aprons for Christmas presents. I decided to us my Depression block Lotto winnings for a quilt for DD. She loves purple and is so excited. However, she needs a queen size, so I am busy making more blocks. I've run out of appropriate fabric, so I am hopefully shopping tomorrow. I've made three blocks for this months Lotto and will get fabric for next months so I can mail together. I think someone recently posted a link that took me to Bonnie Hunter's blog on crumb quilts. So when I don't feel like sewing anything else, I work on those. I am loving how they are coming out; they remind me of stained glass.

Believe me, I feel the pressure of Christmas already so I am pushing to get everything done ASAP so I don't have this pressuring me in December.

I have been busy finishing 3 baby quilts and lots of placemats for Christmas. I still have to hand stitch the bindings on all of them. This weekend we went to Columbus, OH for DD's baby shower. (It's a 3 hour drive each way.) I was busy getting things ready for the shower this past week. We are now back home and ready to start stitching bindings.

I also want to start Christmas shopping this week. I do most of my shopping on-line so just have to decide what to order.

Linda OH

Well, last night after posting, I got in gear and quilted a wall hanging... I followed Rita's very good advice and started in the middle and worked my way out and used the machine I have a walking foot for and guess what... NO puckers! So nice when stuff comes out right!

Marsha, I was going to ask how you were getting along with your new machine... I watched the video on it and it sure has some amazing stitches!

I have been working on Christmas gifts. Once Halloween gets here I stay so busy until Christmas. During the evenings I have been embroidering on my bluework snowmen.

It's good to see everyone here. Just now getting the chance to read posts and catch up. DH and DS are off today and at home, no school. Spent pretty much all day Saturday filling out my son's Student of the Year application, so that was pretty much Saturday. Sunday morning went to Sunday school and then that afternoon I wrote the pattern for a new crocheted / ribbon bookmark which I am wanting to make duplicates for for Christmas presents for my mom and sister. So am doing a little crocheting today, helped son with homework assignment and now maybe get some time to work on M-I-L's pin cushion. Since there was no school today I still feel like it's the weekend. Maybe will get more sewing done this coming week, we'll see. Just busy with life.

Best to you,
Sandra

I'm here too! The work projects, conference and trips are behind me, with the last one finished up on Friday. This is the first weekend I've had free in months. But now it's all done and I have time to get back to sewing and get back to the forum! I have some catching up to do so I'll be reading back over the past few pages of posts.

I've missed you!

Kate