We went to see K for my birthday! Got home about 8:30 p.m. and all of us are tired so here are just a few pictures until I get time another day for more details.
Lunch at Miller’s Pub: 
Me & the kids at Grant Park:
Archive for June, 2008
Birthday Brief
Posted in family on June 29, 2008| 1 Comment »
Work Paid Off….
Posted in family on June 26, 2008| 5 Comments »
This can only mean one thing…..
$313 was enough and Dad threw in the $0.90 to pay the bill.
Fantastic Fabric in the Mail!
Posted in Quilting on June 24, 2008| 1 Comment »
Look what my mailman brought!
I won Grace‘s drawing for her hand dyed fabric. I knew it would be special but this is luscious!!
I’m too excited to heat up my iron. I had to show you!!
I want to use it in something special!! Must get thinking…
Thank you Grace!! I just love the color choice you sent!
June Purse in Progress
Posted in sewing on June 24, 2008| 4 Comments »
I’ve been slowly working on a purse this week.
Kelly wanted to see it so here are some in progress pictures.
While the embroidery starts to stitch out…
…I entertain myself by taking pictures of the rest of the purse pieces.
The peachy/cherry/not red is fake suede. Black floral is cotton. Outside of purse:
I did bobbin work with black/gray variegated pearl cotton. Detail:
Embroidery is done. This goes on the inside zippered pocket. But the pocket isn’t made. I have places to be!
This isn’t so pinky… it matches the peach suede.
New Shorts
Posted in sewing on June 24, 2008| 1 Comment »
Just so you dear readers know they are done. Please pardon the model and the windy day! 
Boys & Vegetables
Posted in family on June 21, 2008| 3 Comments »
Sewing Shorts
Posted in sewing on June 19, 2008| 1 Comment »
So I finished the girl quilts yesterday. Today I cut out a pair of denim shorts and started to make them.
First, while cutting out the pattern as I followed size 16… I then noticed there were TWO lines for size 16. Huh? Well, only 2 lines for the back piece. The other pieces had the usual 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20.
Error number one. I wonder if McCall’s has an 800 number for my comment?
I had chosen View B. Longer than view A, shorter than view C. Simple enough.
But because I’m too short for my width, I need to shorten the pattern before I cut the fabric out.
What?
There is NO “cut here for view B” line. Hello McCalls?
After lots of trial & error… pin, fold, and try on paper… I think I have the length figured out.
However…. I still needed to cut 2 1/2″ more inches off the bottom.
I hope this works!
Part of the struggle is that the shorts roll up into a cuff and have a button tab. I need to figure out how much will roll up and where to put the button tab.
Are you confused yet? Bored with this?
ETA: K was bored so here is a picture to help you visual followers!
Maybe you’ll be glad to know the fly-front zipper is shortened and installed! And it zips! 
It could be that this is where you tell me I get what I pay for…. the pattern was $0.99 and I found the denim in my stash. Of course I paid for it in a previous year but for now… cheap shorts!
June Quilt Guild & Workshop
Posted in Quilting on June 17, 2008| 4 Comments »
Yesterday was quilt guild and we had an all-day workshop. What fun!
The workshop (7 students + 1 teacher) was from 10 – 5 p.m. Potluck supper was at 5:30 and our crowd doubled for that. Our guild meeting (65+ members and probably 90% were there) began at 7 with a speaker until 8:10, break for refreshments & visiting, and a fast meeting and show & tell had us there until 9-ish. A long but fun day!
Before the meeting Carole & Karen worked on setting up a picture directory for us. It has been 4 yrs or so since our last one.
For a few years (and I just joined in this year) the guild has offered a nickel square exchange. The color is listed for each month and those participating bring a pair of 5″ squares for each participant. This month was light blue. It is fun and I’ll get a nice selection of fabric squares for either a nickel square quilt (one example was shown during show & tell) or great scraps for paper piecing small blocks!
Before the meeting, participants place their block sets on each pile. After the meeting or during break, everyone collects their pile to take home.
The program was by a lady that is curator at a Swiss museum in Rockford and also a quilter. After teaching us a TON about preserving fabrics, she showed some older quilts from the museum and some from her own family collection.
Those that attended the workshop showed our bags before show & tell began. Some just pinned their handles on…
…some of us considered the clutch style after working so hard all day and still not having handles!
I finished stitching down the binding this morning and added the handles.
I just love the bag! The size is wonderful for going to more workshops & classes. The scrappy stripped border is the top of large pockets. The end pockets fit a 6″ wide ruler! Inside those outside pockets are 2 hidden pockets on each side! Quite roomy!!!
A few highlights from show & tell:
Cheryl’s quilt using nickel squares:
Bernie’s baby quilt – cute & fast she said!
I just liked this one… interesting layout & great color choices!!
I’m tired today but recovering!
Saturday from Galena to Sterling
Posted in family, Quilting, weather on June 15, 2008| 1 Comment »
I headed out with Elinor and (surprise rider) K for the monthly trip to Galena for our Block of the Month and Embroidery Club. While Elinor & I were at the quilt shop, K took over 70 pictures of downtown and the area. It was a beautiful morning.
After our classes, we went to the main street and enjoyed the fiber/yarn shop. Yummy yarns!!!
Me & K – now this picture nearly convinces us of how much others say we look alike!
Two pictures of the Apple River that runs through Galena… out of its banks!
Mid-afternoon Phil & I returned to Sterling for his 48 hr wound check. Not so speedy service on a Saturday afternoon but all is healing A-OK!
Updates….
Posted in family, fibromyalgia, garden, Quilting, weather on June 13, 2008| 1 Comment »
Quick updates:
I hit a major guai cycle for cleaning out my FM on Tuesday night – Wednesday. Major headache, extremely itchy legs, e x h a u s t i o n for not a good reason & insomnia, cranky (did I say that?), and other oddities. Thankful it is a cycle OUT of the junk and will just make me better.
One quilt is done except to hand sew the binding back down on the back. One is just started quilting. I made up this free motion flower for each block.
More heavy storms, rain, and tornado threats…. the garden got 1 1/2 hrs of attention on a nearly dry day but is soaked again! This is the first year we’ve put up a fence. The rabbits (which I have yet to SEE!) are very hungry!! They have eaten about 1/2 my marigolds, most of the pepper plants, and some beans. Hmpf!!
Nothing here for BH&G. 
Bugs are eating the beans already,
bunnies ate nearly half the marigolds,
but the grape tomatoes have blossoms already!!!
At least the water garden has a bloom coming!!
Phil cut his thumb (not quite OFF!) where it attaches to his hand on Thursday afternoon. 
A speedy ER trip only lasted 1 hour and 15 mins. And it only took about 30 minutes to convince him to go. It was supposed to be date night so I picked up a pizza afterwards and we ate at home. 
He has 4 stitches and orders to keep his thumb close to his hand. We go back tomorrow for a wound check and then see how long the stitches will stay in.
It is puffy. He is questioning if by my taking his picture if you’ll then not only know he has oatmeal for breakfast but now know he has an owie. Sure… whatever!!
K finishes Beginning Fashion Illustration at noon today and will hop a train home for the weekend. I will meet her mid afternoon! 
and sew on... 