Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Back to Quilt Stuff!


So yesterday was an all day quilt day!!! Well, at least for me it was. I went down to the LQS in Centerville and we had our 2nd Going to Pieces Quilt Club meeting. We have a morning group and an evening group. I took my "family give away quilt" because it needed to be bound and I was determined to have it done before I came back home.

Our morning group was small, but we had fun with Marilyn and Illene. We had to tweak our kit a bit because we don't have all the fabrics yet and a couple things got substituted, but all in all it went great. Check out the slideshow up top to see all the fun quilts everyone brought to show and tell. The heart runners were the project from January (I had to miss cuz of the 2.5 yr old's viral pneumonia). I was happy to see so many runners finished!

I promised the ladies that I would put a Nifty Notions ruler tutorial up here on my blog in case they can't remember when they get back to cutting etc. . . You know how it goes. Other non-important stuff just crowds out the important how do I assemble my block information. Niquie and I took a class 2 years ago from Kaye England and we're in love w/the NN rulers.


I have my 2 1/2" strips layed out, right sides together. I'm making half square triangles, 1/2 is black and 1/2 is white. The black is on the bottom. Make sure your NN 1/2 square ruler is right side up. You can read the Nifty Notions. Using the lower right corner of the ruler. Line up the squared edge of your strips w/the 2 1/2" marks. Cut along the diagonal line.

Now flip your ruler. Lift the right angle left corner. Let the diagonal edge stay on the table and lay the right angle down so it's now at the upper right. Line the green line across the lower point along the cut edge of the bottom of your strip. Line up the diagonal edge of the ruler w/the diagonal cut edge. Make your cut along the straight edge on the right.

Now to make the quarter square section of a flying geese. I have a 2 1/2" strip. And since I'm going to end up w/a pointy cut in the beginning. I just like to cut off a point w/the 1/2 square ruler. Yep it's extra, but I'm sure I'll find a place for it.

Then I put the 1/4 square ruler upside down, the 2 1/2" line along the upper edge of the strip. Cut the Right side diagonal line. Now I have to flying geese sections.

If you need more flying geese. Simple flip the ruler and cut another set. Continue flipping back and forth along the strip til you have all the flying geese you need.

If you have questions, please post a comment and I'll get back to you ASAP

Happy QuiLtInG!!

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

I'm Back in the Studio!!

I took my MIL Rosy to the airport this morning. We had fun with her. She's such a character. She came for her winter visit, so she could see Joshua when he got home.

So maybe I'll get back to real life and get some quilting done! The return missionary and son #2 are sharing the room I cleared out of a month ago, and they cleared out all the miscellaneous leftovers and where did it all get dumped? Yep in Mom's studio! So I've got to work on organizing and clearing that stuff off my table and floor.

Niquie is coming over this afternoon and we're going to actually get sewing on the Going To Pieces quilt! YEA! It's been a process gathering the fabric for this quilt, but we're pretty sure we have all the pieces we need to get started. Then we can get the ladies in the club started on their first blocks for the quilt. We're using Holly Holderman's LakeHouse Dry Goods fabric La Belle Rose. We love it, and it's been tought getting it, but we can't wait to see the finished project. Here's what one of the blocks looks like.


Happy Quilting! Lauri

Friday, February 15, 2008

We're HOME!!

Well, our trip to Canada was GREAT! Even though it was COLD! Actually most of the days weren't any colder than being in Utah. The last 2 days were FRIGID. The temperature dropped to -19 Celsius and the wind picked up which made it feel like - 30.

We had a great time living the missionary life w/Joshua and meeting other missionaries and people Joshua had worked with. We visited some great sights and participated in Winter Fest in Quebec. We learned some French and Quebecois.

It was an awesome trip.

Here are some pictures from Canada.

Friday, February 1, 2008

It's Packing Day!!!

OK, Who would think I would be posting today!!! I know but I've got to let it out somewhere! We're packing! OK so I have to pack the 2 yr old to go to play w/Niquie, and pack myself and do the laundry and get the kids staying home squared away. But we're almost done!!! Thankfully DH travels and is really good at packing himself!

Don't you hate getting everything packed, but you can't pack the make-up and hair stuff cuz you still have to use it in the morning when you get up???? I hate that! I want to have everything in the suitcase and close it and be done. I guess I need a second of everything, but since I don't travel that much it doesn't make much sense.



We're taking 2 extra suitcases so that Josh can bring home stuff that he's collected for the past 2 years. DH made Platinum Medallion level w/Delta Airlines last year cuz he traveld SO MUCH. He gets certain privileges and one of them is being able to bring extra bags w/o cost. We also get to go through the shorter security lines! I guess you gotta get some benefits from being on their planes so much. He really racked up the miles flying to and from Boston almost every week for several months.



I've been debating whether I want to take any quilty project. So far I've decided to just read!! I purchased two of Jennifer Chiaverini's books (The Quilter's Apprentice and The Runaway Quilt). It has been SO long since I read a novel. I'm looking forward to reading all I want and not worrying that I should be quilting a customer's quilt or looking after the 2 yr old, or running to get a kid from school. I let you know what I think of the books when I'm back.



Now it's back to packing! I doubt I'll post (unless I figure out how to do it from DH's laptop) until we get home! Happy Quilting! Lauri