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Happy New Year to all of you! I hope this finds you well and your new year off to a fantastic start!

Do you make New Years Resolutions? I only made 6 this year. It's alot, but I know that I can accomplish them all. Run 3 5k's and set a new personal record, start & complete 5 quilt projects, travel to Washington DC for the first time, spend more time reconnecting with friends & family, get out & take more pictures and scan in my dad's side of the family pictures. The last one will be quite the task, but I'm up for it!

We still don't have much snow here in SD, so it's been quite the mild winter. A bit coler the last few days, but it's to be in the 40's & 50's the remainder of the week.

Happy Quilting, Happy Reading and Happy New Year to you all!

Happy New Year to us all! I don't do resolutions, yet I do love the feel a new year brings. The feelings of so much possibilities.

I am going to continue working on my projects I already have. I'm starting with the ones that are in some sort of already started and I'll finish those first. I'm thinking this time next year I will have many of the bins and drawers cleaned out.

Now for reading I'm going to focus on much more of the classics and less on fluff stuff. I think I've had enough fluff for awhile. I'm currently reading A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter. It was written in 1909. It is so charming and such a delightful story...

I 3rd what Jaci and Kathryn said - happy new year! I don't do resolutions per se, either. I do think of things I'd like to change or work on; and maybe those can be considered resolutions. I just don't write them down!

Since I seldom work on more than one quilt at a time, I get stymied if I run into a problem (or get bored) with one. I just shut down, and that prevents me from working on something else. I still haven't worked on the wall hanging, and I still don't have the fabric I purchased when Jaci and I went on our shop hop ironed, folded and put in the cabinets. That is my goal for this week, however.

Unlike Kathryn, I'm all for reading fluff. Every once in a while, I happen onto something that has real literary value, but I spent 33 years reading (and teaching) the classics, so I'm all for the fluff!

We had a white Christmas in that we had about 2" of snow on the ground. The next few days got warmer. Last Thursday, though, it snowed a little, and Saturday morning we had an absolute blizzard. It didn't last long, however, and my friend Kelly and I went to see the new Sherlock Holmes movie. It was really good!

I am making a quilt with Moda's Dogwood Line for my daughter who was diagnosed with breast cancer. It will be scrappy with 16 different fabrics from the line. It is helping me cope with all that is going on.

Hello everyone! I'm new to Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ & this group.

These are my goals:
- Quilt 12 personal quilts (that's one a month, should be doable with a little focus)
- Finish about 6 flimsy's (quilt tops) (This isn't too strict of a goal, basically I just don't want to forget about piecing my own quilts)
- Go through "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" & "The Artist's Way" (Already reading the first book)
- Create 4 (quarterly) challenges for myself, encouraging me to expand my free-form quilting
- Learn a better way to machine applique (Have registered for Craftsy's "Pictorial Quilting" class which should help me with this)
- Master feathers on the longarm (Have registered for 2 feather classes at MQS just for this!)

I can't wait to get started! Usually I don't do New Year's resolutions, but this year it feels different- several old things have been wrapped up & it just feels like the right time.

I look forward to participating in the group!

Elizabeth, I'm sorry to read that your daughter has breast cancer. Hopefully they caught it early enough and her prognosis is good.

You and Robin have some lofty goals. Maybe we can all encourage each other. I did turn my iron on so I can press and fold fabric. Does that count for anything? LOL!

Sadly, I've not done much quilting in the last 3 months. On top of that, my sewing room has become a junk room (way too much stuff for a junk drawer) I've had several urges to sew, but I can't do anything with that room the way it is. I have 'clean sewing room' at the top of my todo list everyday but one look at it sends me back to my list to find something easier. Argg!
I ventured out last week to buy shelves to help better organize the room, but now I have to at least clear a space to get in there and put them together. Sigh! Somehow it's just easier to pick up a book and head for a comfy chair.

I think reading is a great way to avoid those things we've told ourselves we "must" do! I've had better luck today getting things accomplished, but I still haven't pressed any fabric - although, I do have the iron turned on! Now I have to go fold towels. LOL!

You made me smile Judy when you said you had the iron turned on. My big problem is remembering to turn it off!

Welcome Robin. Your goals sound good and solid with maybe at bit of room to rearrange.

Elizabeth, how scary to hear of your daughter's breast cancer. We all will keep you and her in our prayers.

Cathy, just do one thing at a time. It doesn't have to be controlled all in one day.

And, reading a good book is always a great thing to do!

The ironing board is sitting set up in the kitchen no other place) and I love it. Doing blocks that have to be ironed after ever piece. The cat loves to sit on the ironing board and look out the window.

Yes right now life is scarey. This was a kid who was never sick or complained.

Thanks you all for being there with our quilting dreams and those wonderful books.

As Cathy, I haven't done too much quilting in the last couple of months. I've been focused, instead, on scanning in 247,000 letters and pictures from WWII that we found at my grandparents house. Ok, it's not really 247,000 but that's what my aunt Judy always says when she's "counting" things! Ha ha.

Anyway, tonight as I was watching television, I started finishing the binding on a quilt I made for my godson who will graduate in May. He's off to join the Marines after high school so I want to get this special gift done for him. Once I have that done, I am going to start on the many kits that I have in my sewing room. As I said before I want to get 5 quilts completed this year, so I'd better get started!

Elizabeth, please know that you & your family are in our prayers!!

Thank you all. It is all very complicated and I am trying to be strong and talk to the guy upstairs and not be emotional because that just upsets my daughter.

I am trying to fill every vacant moment with quilting, reading, praying, and being with friends.

Well, last week it was 73 degrees here in Rapid City South Dakota. It's currently 12 degrees, the wind is blowing and it's bitterly cold! This is how it's supposed to be this time of year. But, I was getting used to the warmer weather. How many of you got the new Keepsake Quilting catalog? Oh, there's lots of fun new things I would love to buy. Hope you are doing well!

I haven't got the catalog yet. I adore that one. I sit down with a cup of tea and look at each page and when I am done I do it again!

Ground is covered with snow quite beautiful but for sure a stay at home day. Ironing board is set up with squares and all ready to be put together.

Went a couple days ago to a fabulous quilt shop called Keepsake Cottage and bought more than I should. Bought a great already printed redwork panel to do in front of the television in the evening. And love using Sulky # 40 instead of embroidery thread. Are other embroiders using that Sulky?

The snow has officially arrived here in Wenatchee WA. We didn't get the freezing rain like the Seattle area did, but we've got a good 9 inches with more to come this afternoon.

I decided I wanted to make all the aprons I've been buying fabric for this past year. I've got about six to make and I've finished two. I also make bibs for an 82 year old friend who lives in assisted living and she called and asked for four more so she can give them to some of her friends. If you know of anyone that could use an adult bib Simplicity #2687 is terrific. I make version E. The first few I made I added the pockets and I've been told to leave those off. They take about an hour from start to finish.

I just finished Marie Bostwicks Threading the Needle. I really enjoyed it especially since all of the characters this time were in my age bracket. I'm now reading
You Learn by Living by Eleanor Roosevelt. I have no idea where I heard about the book, but it's turning out to be very good. I did not realize her husband was her 5th cousin. Eleanor's maiden name is Roosevelt. I never was that attentive in history, so learning all about this sort of thing as an adult is fun.

I've added some new quilt theme books to our book shelf. All of the titles now escape me. Is anyone reading a new quilting themed or maybe knitting themed series we all might be interested in? I've got the latest Jennifer Chiaverini novel The Wedding Quilt: An Elm Creek Quilts Novel on request from the library and then I will be all caught up on that series.

I think maybe a better question is what series of books do you really like. One I adore is the Maisie Dobbs (that's the first in the series) by Jacqueline Winspear. There are 8 in the series with a new one coming later this year.

Happy reading, sewing, napping, cooking or whatever makes you happy everyone!

Just finishing Birds of a Feather and do love Masie Dobbs. I believe this is the second one. Let me know if I am wrong.

Just finishing up with 16 inches of snow and it is crashing down on the roof and other trees. Hope it does not hit a power line or the driveway.

Elizabeth wrote: "Just finishing Birds of a Feather and do love Masie Dobbs. I believe this is the second one. Let me know if I am wrong.

Just finishing up with 16 inches of snow..."

Yep, that is book two, book three is

Pardonable Lies.

We just had a hawk hit our back window and he had a bird in his mouth. He flew away. The birdies are all hungry in this weather!

Yesterday I finished the new petals for the wall hanging. Today I have to semi-press the open so I can attach them to said WH. I also started sorting the CDs that go back in the cabinet yesterday. I'll start alphabetizing in a few minutes, and then decide what will fit and what won't.

I finally called the dr office the other day to see if they'd received my blood draw results. They hadn't, so I faxed them a copy. The nurse practitioner called a couple of hours later. To make a really long story short, she called in a prescription for a thyroid pill. I started taking it yesterday, and I swear it started to work immediately. I think it's probably more that I convinced myself that this is what I needed. I mean, obviously, I needed it, but I don't think it would work the very first day!

OK. time to get busy!

I've at last cut out the paper hexagons to make a start on Quilt 1 for the guestroom. And designed some applique flowers and leaves so today I'm hoping to cut them out. I've also got back into the novel I started writing last January, it has a quilt/patchwork theme, so I'd like to have some time to play with that too this weekend. Bet I get distracted though!

Good luck with the novel. I get distracted easily, too. There are just too many things to do!

I did get the hanging sleeve sewn on 1 WH yesterday, and 1 almost completed. Now I'm going to check to make sure I didn't throw away the fabric I was going to use for the binding on the quilt that was a last-year's Christmas gift. That's been known to happen before! LOL!

I still haven't spent much, if any time quilting. I've been reading and selling things on eBay instead. I did work a bit tonight on a the binding for my godson's quilt. I have about 1.5 sides left to finish. Should be pretty easy! I also did pick out the next quilt that I am going to do. It's a wallhanging of purple coneflowers that I bought last year. Can't wait to get it started!

Ooh, love the sound of the wallhanging. Haven't thought about binding yet... long way to go before then!
But I am having a slight problem... I was trying to cut the fabric applique shapes (with iron-on interfacing) on my new toy, the Cameo, but it's struggling on the twirly bits. Just wondering... I know it's a bit of a cheat, but have you ever used iron-on vinyl to 'back' an applique shape? I know the machine will cut that no problem, so I'd then just iron it to the fabric and trim it with scissors and stitch it on. Wonder if it would look a bit lumpy.

Just a quick update, as have been playing all morning! The iron-on t shirt vinyl works great. I even ironed a piece onto the fabric and then cut the two together. It looks fine. Phew.
Have added a photo to the gallery. The hexagon will be 3 inch diameter when it's seamed.

I've just updated my blog with the download links for the first four motifs which tie in with the quilting novel I'm writing - they are simple designs, and I've only done them as GSD (for Craft robo electronic cutter) and Silhouette Studio files. Would it be helpful to have them as PDF files though?

Am just putting together an old quilt from the 30's that my daughter -in-law requested. A challenge as the apppliques and embroidery had to be redone but going to be fun when I get it done. I have to border just two more blocks and then put them together. I hope some dear great grandma is looking down and happy that someone loved her quilt enough to save it.

Karen wrote: "I've just updated my blog with the download links for the first four motifs which tie in with the quilting novel I'm writing - they are simple designs, and I've only done them as GSD (for Craft rob..."

The PDF files would be better for me, Karen as I don't have the robo cutter and have no idea what Silhouette Studio files are!

Things are moving right along, here. The WHs that needed sleeves have said sleeves and are hanging. I'm working on the hand stitching of the binding for the quilt that's a late Christmas gift. I have maybe 1.5 sides to do, yet. That should be finished today.

My decorator gave me some valances that her window covering company use to send with said window coverings. They have cut-work along the lower edge. The problem is they have to be stitched together to make a valance wide enough for the windows. The first one was OK; I just stitched 2 together. The other two windows, though, are regular windows. The valance pieces aren't wide enough for either.

Now, here's the problem. Each valance has a center motif and then these sprays of tulips and vines that go out to each side. Like I said, that worked for the wider window because I could put 2 together and it will look fine. I'm working on the second one. The whole valance is 16" too narrow. I can't just whack off a piece from another piece because the center motif won't be in the center, so I have to add 8" to each side. The cording (that's probably not what it is, but I'm having a brain freeze - maybe succotash?) has to be taken off and then replaced so it matches. Since I majored in English and not math, it takes me a long time to figure out what I have to do, but I'll get there.

To make matters worse, my Reliable iron started spitting water and brown stuff and white stuff. In a fit of disgust, I wrote to the company and then went downtown and bought a different iron. On the way home, I decided to order a different iron from Amazon. I ordered a DiLonghi which is the same manufacturer of my espresso machine. Yesterday morning I had a phone call from the Reliable people - actually the senior technician. He told me I needed to turn the iron on the lowest setting, turn on the steam, and pulse the steam through the iron for 10 minutes. Miracle of miracles, it worked! In fact, I think it works better than I did when I bought it. This was not by any means a cheap iron, so I was willing to send it to then to have it refurbished if necessary. Who know what was causing the problem. There is nothing that could rust (which is what I thought the grown might be) since the container that holds the water and sits on the side of the boiler is plastic. I did have to turn down the steam after I finished pulsing because I was steam the cloth, getting facial, and making my shirt wet!

So, now I have the DiLonghi iron coming. I has really good reviews and cost less than half of what I paid for the Reliable. I told Jaci I'd give it to her for her birthday/Christmas/Arbor Day/Hanukkah/Valentine's Day/Memorial Day - whatever! She's going to look at the site and let me know before Monday. I took the iron I bought at the hardware store back this morning. It had an auto-shut off which I simply didn't want.

So all is well here. The people are coming on Wednesday to clean out the ducts; and, except for the furniture that had to be replaced/ordered and the pictures I took to be framed, this remodel is done! :-)

Karen, would you post your blog address again, please. I don't know where to look. Dang!

Hi Judy, thanks for your feedback, I'll go and sort out pdf files today. I have had to tweak the 'method' a bit, for using the electronic cutters. More straightforward just using interfacing and a scissors!
Glad you got your iron sorted. I got into a mess with mine - managed to iron some iron-on interfacing the wrong side up, and got sticky all over it. Took me ages to get it off too.

the blog is at

Thanks, Karen, for re-posting the link to your blog. The PDF file worked wonderfully. The other 2 simply come up as machine language. LOL! I'm excited about your book. I love mysteries, especially cozies, and I love books with quilting as the central motif; it looks like yours is going to hit both those loves!

Thanks Judy - glad the PDF worked.

I finished Sarah's Bridal quilt from the Jennifer Chiaverini Elm Creek Quilters series! Hooray for me! It has 140 blocks and it was a block of the month with Stitchin' Heaven quilt shop in Quitman Texas (). They do a fantastic job with their block of the months. I'd gotten all of the blocks made last year and just hadn't gotten it put together due to the projects I was working on at my own quilt shop. It took me the better part of the week to get it all together and I'd forgotten how heavy a queen size quilt gets when putting the final borders on. It turned out quite stunning and it's now off to the quilters.

I'm now working on a 1930's block of the month that I was doing from Cabbage Rose Quilting and Gifts in Fort Worth, Texas (). I must have a thing for block of the months in Texas. Anyway I have three blocks to finish out of 12. And, I am missing the pattern for putting it together. I've got the finishing kit that includes such pretty fabrics, but I have not idea how they intend for it to go together. I've e-mailed them and hope to hear back from them in the next few days.

We got a dusiting of snow during the night. It looks like we've been sprinkled with powdered sugar.

I'm reading The Wedding Quilt: An Elm Creek Quilts Novel I think it's the 17th book in the series. Tanesha sent me an early release of Sonoma Rose the 18th book in the series. It releases on February 21st. I always enjoy these books.

It's our anniversary on the 17th. Thirty-three years, even I am impressed. How quickly and happily the years have rolled along.

I hope everything is well with all of you!

Hello everyone,


As some of you may know, my aunt, Judy Iliff had a stroke on Tuesday. Here is a site that will give you updates on her progress:




She loves to read and I'm sure is missing all of your updates dearly!! If you have any questions, please ask!!! Thank you all for your support, your thoughts & prayers. She will get through this as all know she is tough!!


Jaci Worth (niece)

Jaci wrote: "Hello everyone,


As some of you may know, my aunt, Judy Iliff had a stroke on Tuesday. Here is a site that will give you updates on her progress:




Sh..."

Thank you so much for setting up the caring bridge site. That will help us all immensely. I would love to send a card, is there a hospital address I can mail it to? How far away is the hospital from their home since the hospital is in South Dakota and they live in Wyoming?

Send her love from all of us at goodreads!

Kathryn

Hi Kathryn,
The address is:
Judy Iliff
Rapid City Regional Hospital Rm 1008
353 Fairmont Blvd
Rapid City, SD 57701

Rapid city is about 2 hours east of Gillette. This hospital is the only stroke trauma center in several hundred miles and is very highly rated. I know many of the doctors at the hospital and one of Judy's good friends who suffered from a stroke 5 years used this facility and she is doing awesome right now.
Thank you for your thoughts & prayers!