Super Bowl Supper

I am just finishing up the chili for our guests this afternoon. We have invited Tony's family over to watch the Super Bowl and we are keeping it simple by just serving chili and buns. We'll also have a couple of appetizers and dessert. Not all the family members can come so it will be a small group of only about 8 of us. When we get together for Christmas or Easter, there can be 20-25 depending on who can come. And now that all the grandchildren are adults that number can increase if they decide to bring a partner or significant other...
And here is my world famous chili - good for a cold wintery day. I honestly don't know who is playing in the Super Bowl- I just agreed to host...so I imagine I will sit some of the time upstairs with Tony's Mom and do some hand sewing. We will watch the smaller TV upstairs as she can't make it downstairs to the man cave and the bigger TV. If it is a good game, I will be interested, but if not, I'll be restless and bored...Yay! Go team!!

Sewing Party Prep

I am looking forward to the next virtual sewing party put on by Joan and Kelly on February 27th. I am making a small quilt that could be a wall hanging, so I decided to get it cut out today. Then when I get up that morning, I will be ready to sew!

Plans for February

I plan to put the binding on this Log Cabin quilt made with Kashmir 11.
I plan to put together Block 2 of "I Believe in Angels"
I plan to finish this quilt top. This quilt top includes the block that was giving me so much grief on the weekend, so I will still be challenged this month...only 5 more to make, and then 20 of the other block.

I am also in process of planning a project for another online quilting party scheduled for February 27th. I am going to make a spring wall hanging for my dining room. More to come on that later....

January Finishes

This is what my sewing room looked like last night about 6 pm. I did get about 14 of the 20 blocks made but it was chaos! So, the finishes....

First finish: I wanted to finish cutting this pattern out. It is Christmas Lights by Bonnie Hunter from Quiltmaker magazine. I got that done and began sewing the blocks together! As I posted yesterday, the red block was giving me so much grief I was beginning to question my sanity...there are 20 of that block, and I got 14 done so far.

Second finish: to get the binding sewn on Chocolat. It is on, and now I will look for a strong curtain rod so that I can hang this beautiful quilt in my entrance way.
Third finish: to get the first block together on an older Block of the Month from Bunny Hill called "I Believe in Angels". So, the first block is put together. But I have to do the machine stitching on the applique. I have a few applique jobs to do, and I like to set my machine up and do several things while it is set for applique. So likely I will do another block or two and do all the "jobs" together.

All in all, my best month to date...a good precedent to set to start 2010!

Mental Block

Isn't she looking pretty? So much better than she did a couple of months ago when she got "groomed". She looks more like a Golden Retriever now, but of course that means more hair. Lots of hair! That is the price we pay to have our lovely girl. It just means that if I am going out and planning on wearing black, I don't put it on until I walk out the door. It also means that if I wear black around the house, I also look like a Golden Retriever.
For my January project completions, one of the things I wanted to do was finish cutting out a pattern that I had started cutting out in the summer. So, I did that, and have been able to get ahead and start sewing blocks together. But, have you ever been challenged by a block? I am not sure why as it is a very simple block, but I just can't visualize it as I am sewing and am wasting time unsewing...I just don't "get" it! I am a visual person and usually I can see how a block should look as it going together and can multi task while sewing. But this one is a challenge. I'm not sure why but I keep sewing pieces to wrong side of another piece, even when I have it laid out... I am having to make one block at a time rather than chain sewing pieces and there are 20 of them. So I am challenging myself to get them done this weekend...so no interruptions, and no one can talk to me!!!!

Valentine Party Quilt Top

Here is my quilt top done last night around 7pm. I have to learn to use the satin stitch on my new machine and have a couple of projects pending for this...this is the first project I have ever designed myself. I have always been a pattern person, so had to step out of my comfort zone a bit. I am fairly pleased with it, but not totally. This encourages me to try more though, and "be brave" with my ideas.

I had such fun yesterday keeping up with many of the participants projects and am so inspired by the variety of projects completed. Who would have thought a virtual quilt challenge would be so much fun??

Thanks!!

I have added the applique to my quilt top, and just need to learn to use my satin stitch on my new sewing machine. I can't wait to take some pictures tomorrow as I like the looks of this table topper.

I just want to say a big Thank You!!! to Kelly and Joan for organizing the day today. I had fun doing my project and keeping up with others on their projects. I connected with some new friends and that is always a good thing. I am calling it a day, and going sit with my husband and have a glass of wine. Good night!!!