New BIG BOY toys here....The Mule!

We've had a busy weekend....went big boy toy shopping with my husband, Wes, and he hit pay dirt! LOL. We first went to the tractor store (aka where he buys the BIG tractors for the farm) and he bought an industrial size zero-turn mower to solve the ever-growing, difficult to cut area around the chix house. Problem solved! THEN...the real fun began...we went and found a UTV (like an ATV minus the sales tax when you have a farm account)! Isn't it cute!! :) Yes, I chose the camo, I thought it was perfect.....and the guys have been having a marvelous time "breaking it in" today!

So....I didn't get much quilting done this weekend, as in none....but I did manage to select some fabrics for a BOM I have chosen to do...."Thru the Woods" link listed to the left, and I'm excited.

Here's hoping you're deep in stitches (unlike me this weekend....LOL),

QuiltingCheri

Quilting is going on around here!

My Janome is a humming tonight! I am finally putting together a mystery quilt I started in September. About time, huh? I have had the individual sections done, but just have not put it together. I love the fabrics AND the pattern...it's from one of my yahoo groups. What a fun thing to do! I don't think I've ever trusted my fabric judgment enough to go for a mystery quilt before. I was always afraid I would put it together and then hate the quilt. I'm sorry to say if I hated the quilt, I would not finish it....sad, but true.

So......do you want to see the main sections? Okay, but I haven't read the next step yet, so I've no idea how this will all go together. I have the big part in 5 strips, so I'm pretty sure how that's going to go.

I also did not follow the directions....I'm sure that will surprise everyone who knows me....NOT! So...I will have to cut the border strips out before I can do the next step I'm guessing.... I'm getting pretty excited and thinking I might just quilt this one next, jumping way ahead of my other quilt tops that are waiting patiently in line. I know, no cutting...but hey, they're all my quilts, so I can do which ever one I want. Here's a sneak peek:

I think it's going to be a beauty....so glad my friend, Jody, posted the steps and lead the mystery!! Let me just say I am so glad I've done my FIRST ever mystery! I think I'm going to love this quilt!

Here's hoping you are deep in stitches,

QuiltingCheri

Projects, projects, projects

It's a new year and I have a new resolution...to actually USE my blog, now there's an idea! I really *needed* some help taking pics of my purchases, so along came my trusty sidekick, Pippa. She says it's time for me to get quilting, since I already went shopping and bought the fabrics for my projects....I do believe she's right!


I really like the free Just Takes Two BOM this year (the BOM link is to the left under Pippa's pic)....the fabrics were calling my name from across the room this weekend when I went to the LQS in Springfield, Missouri....so I brought some home. I haven't even checked my stash yet to see what I have, LOL, but that's okay, I still need more, I'm sure.

I think that's a pretty fine start, now I can start cutting, cutting, cutting and listening to the lovely hummmmmm of my Janome 6600.

In honor of our chicken houses (yes, that's the best excuse I can come up with today), I really must make a barn quilt using Eleanor Burns book, so I began buying fabrics for the barn quilt and I got the book. I am very inspired now, and may just have to figure out what other fabrics I might want...er, I mean need....

And, I should probably start by working on my BOM from the LQS that I haven't started yet, and I get the last month, oh, I don't know, like next week! :) It's an Aunt Grace, so I'm bound to love all of those wonderful 30's repros. I have to admit the *real* reason I have to get this one started....I am signing up for another BOM at my LQS, it's just too cute to say no. You'll have to stay tuned for that one....coming soon!! I guess that's about it for now....

Here's hoping you're deep in stitches,
QuiltingCheri

Longarm quilting!

Long time, no blog! :( I've been very busy learning how to use Tin Lizzie Ansley and Shirley Stitcher II. I am very happy to announce, that we're getting there....and I'm quilting on a real live quilt! My sample books are all finished, although I certainly will add more to them as time goes on....and now I'm quilting my stack of quilt tops....fun, fun, fun! I started with a very simple charm quilt, figuring it would be a good way to do a block by block design. I thought about an all-over meander, but how boring is that! I actually ended up deciding to do a star meander at the top and bottom of the quilt...and putting an 8 point star in each of those little charm squares. Whoa! I had no idea how much work that would be...lots of starting and stopping...but I love the way it's looking. Pretty cool, huh??!!??

Once I get this quilt done...I get to move on to the next quilt! Could life be any better than this?? I think not!

As the sign in my living room says: Be Happy With What You Have....

and the other sign says: A Day Spent Quilting is a Good Day!

Until we chat again,

Quiltingcheri

Tin Lizzie Ansley is ready to quilt...I hope!

Well, I think we've got everything on my new longarm quilting machine...at least I cannot find anything else that needs to be attached, installed or loaded. We're still waiting on Shirley Stitcher II to come in (the company we bought it from forgot that part....OOPS!).....but it's okay since we had quite a bit of work to do to get everything else up and running. I've got one of the leaders on the rollers, backwards first, of course....doesn't that just go without saying??!!?? I have to get an order ready to go to Checkers (wholesale distributors) for supplies.....thread, batting, bobbins, needles....and other necessities.....but I've got some practice (play) right now. If it seems I fall off the planet, y'all will know where I am, right? LOL!

Merry Christmas (in case I fall into the deep dark hole of quilting).....

Until we chat again,

QuiltingCheri

Tin Lizzie Ansley: Phase 2, the Frame/Table

Yes, we are moving in a forward direction here! It won't be long until Tin Lizzie Ansley will be teaching me how to be a longarm quilter! I'm growing more excited by the moment! In these pics the frame is about 1/2 put together....evidenced by the box that is still a little bit full of parts. Who knew there were so many pieces to a longarm quilting frame? Gotta love Grace (the maker of the Hailey frame that Tin Lizzie Ansley glides across). Real quilting coming soon, stayed tuned!

Until we chat again,

QuiltingCheri

Tin Lizzie Ansley has ARRIVED!

It has been an exciting day at our house today, Tin Lizzie Ansley arrived today in 4 big boxes.....all shrink-wrapped together. It was VERY heavy and arrived on a UPS truck....not a regular truck, a semi-truck! My husband (thank God he has pick-up trucks, a tractor and some experience with heavy lifting....not to mention those muscles!)....and my son put it into the back of the pickup truck and brought it up to the house. We cut apart the shrink wrap and brought the boxes in the house, one at at time......MUCH easier! The frame is metal, Hailey frame by Grace, so it's heavy....and Ansley is rather heavy....so still quite heavy even in 4 boxes! The guys are working on the frame tonight....but have lots more to go....I'll post pics when she's up and ready to quilt on...can't wait!! The celebrations have begun in southern Missouri, we'll be longarm quilting VERY soon!!!!!

Until we chat again,

QuiltingCheri