Monday

Well, I get some blogs in my email and one of them I can't remember the name has what they call Made by you Monday. I love it and spend a good part of Monday  morning checking out all the different things they have linked up to the site. Today I checked out several really nice things and then had to go make lunch for my hubby. So I am going back to check out what I missed before the day is over.
I worked hard on the hand quilting project all weekend, and even took time out to make about 4 pages for the scrap book, of my youngest daughters wedding. I have some lovely calouses on a finger and thumb to show for it. I am also getting very close to finishing the quilt. However I had a hard day today with a silly stomach bug. Spent most of the day in bed or the bathroom.
Have a quilty week and I hope to be back later this week.
Tennye

Excited

Well, I am so excited about the things I have done this week and I will post photos, soon. I finished a table topper, or runner what ever you might call it. I also  made the cutest apron that is reversible. I won't make any other one this way, as it is too stiff in my opinion.

side ways but this is the dark side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have no idea why that photo is side ways, I didn't take it that way and in my photo album it is not that way. I can't figure out how to make it straight. The little scissor pocket is at the top so you can tell what the direction is.
Well, I have work to do so I will go for today, have a wonderful quilty day.
Tennye

Good week!!!

Well, I have been enjoying myself all week long. I did a lot of work on several things. I made a really cute table runner and I am enjoying working on two new Christmas quilts. I am making some Dresden plate squares . I have not made the whole square yet because I don't really know what I am going to use for the back ground fabric, but I have two of the circles made and ready to applique down when I do. I would love to show photos but I put my camera away and now I can't find it. I think my daughter may have borrowed it, although I don't know why she would since she has my old camera.
I have been thinking that maybe I should take a photography class I just don't take very nice photos and I really want to get some of these things on the Etsy site so I can start selling them
I went in to the store today and talked to the boss. They had a tragedy this morning, when they got there the roof had sprung a major leak. It had essentially rained on three sewing machines and the sewing box, which was full of thread, needles, tools, and stabilizers. Needless to say she was in need of some fun, so we picked a pattern and shopped for the fabric to make it. I brought it all home to make, some time in the next month. Then I showed her the table runner and another quilt top that I have ready to quilt. She likes them so we will put them on the schedule and I will get them quilted as soon as I can and she will put them up. I have so much to do these days I just don't have time to goof off and yet what am I doing today. Goofing off.
My daughter and I went to dinner tonight and had steaks and bakes. It was very good and I am just too full to do any real work. LOL I went to the Dr. this afternoon and he said I am feeling bad because I am coming down with a sinus infection. I will wait until Mon. and decide if I am better or worse. If I am worse I will get the antibiotic he sent to the local Walgreens. If not I will just be glad to feel better.
Have a great quilty weekend and I will get back next week.
Tennye

New Weeks work

Well, I am working on some class samples for the fall and I brought home a cute little pattern for a table runner I really hated the colors they used on the cover but thought the pattern would make up better in some bright colors. I have it almost complete and it is looking very cute. I don't know if I want to use it for a class but it can go into the craft sale if I don't. I have some ideas that I want to play with from the quilt book series I am reading. I am sure most of you have heard of the Elm Creek quilters Novel series. I believe there are 7 or 8 books in the series and one of them includes a group of friends and family getting together and making quilt blocks for Sylvia's wedding quilt. I have fallen in love with many of the blocks in that quilt, and think I will make a fall quilt of star blocks from those in Sylvia's quilt.

I read the first three books. They were all in this one book. I love the way it all starts with the young girl looking for something in her life, and she ends up learning to quilt

Sorry the photo is on its side I have yet to learn how to change that in Blogger.
Then the next book is about the ladies who come together to make up the Elm Creek Quilters and end up being the teachers at the camp for quilters they start. In this book they decide they need a quilt for the entry way to the camp house, so they make a Round Robin quilt.

The last book in this larger book is about a group of ladies who come together and meet at one of the week long quilt camps. I have to tell you this is a camp I would love to spend a week at myself. The house the setting and the idea of being able to just quilt for a whole week without having to wash clothes cook or clean. Not to mention having to take care of the family.

Back to the book, these ladies become such good friends over the weeks time they decide to meet again the following year for the same week of camp. In the mean time they will make blocks to put together into a quilt, when they come back together. The series picks up for another three books in another large book, that I am in the middle of reading right now. So more on the Elm Creek quilters soon and I will begin the blocks for my fall quilt soon. I will show you the process, and the fabrics I have chosen as I go along. I must say though I have made a commitment to not buy any fabric unless I need to, so we may see this as a scrappy quilt.
Last night while I was working on the table runner I had to cut off small triangles , and I will use them as the beginning of my sewing and as they come together and make half square triangles I will use them in other small projects for the craft sale. I am having so much fun with all of this craft stuff.
Well, enough for today, I really must get back to the hand quilting for now.
Have a quilty day.
Tennye

Computer Troubles

I tried to update several times last week and every time I tried my computer would lock up and I could not do anything. So today I am giving it a try. I don't have the pictures to use to tell you the things I wanted to. So I would like to just say I am busy working on some new things for the craft show. I made some red chenille and did red high heels for ornaments. I love them and so far everyone else who has seen them do too. I am also preparing some wall hangings and table runners to sell and to also use for the craft show. I have had an unusual opportunity come up, the lady who took my place teaching quilt classes at the store has become ill. Therefore , they have a need for a quilt teacher and I would like to do it. So that is what I am doing. I am also working on getting some inventory so I can get my Etsy shop going.
Well, we are having company for dinner tonight so I need to go sweep and mop the kitchen floor. Have a quilty weekend and I will try to get back on this week.
Tennye

Got a New Book

Well, technically I didn't get a new book I just borrowed a new book and  I am reading a series of books (novels) and the reason I mentioned it is they both talk about quilts and signs. Now I know that there isn't any proof the Underground Railroad used quilts for offering up directions to run away slaves, but it is a pretty firm legend that they did. Now I am reading about the signs used to let Hobo's know about good places to find food and work and also to warn them off of places where they could get shot or in some kind of trouble as well as, where to find the jungle( place they camped). The Hobo's were usually men out of work who took to the rails to find a way to make a living for their family's . These men rarely had much if any money on them when they traveled, the money they made was sent home to the wife and kids or mom. Some times they were no count guys, but for the most part they were just men down on their luck. The book I got today shows these signs the Hobo's used and had gone so far as to translate them into quilt blocks. Along with the blocks are stories from men and women of the time about their travels or their family member who had to travel.

Some day they will write books about this time and what kind of signs are we leaving for them to find, and will they use them in quilts ? It is a compelling thought, what do you think?

I have been teaching this week and even though I wrote that this was the last week of camp I got to the store for camp on Tue. morning and found out I was a week early. I had scheduled a class that afternoon though and she came in again today for a one on one. She is a cute young lady and she is learning so much. She was in my first camp and she is now making and selling the bags I taught her to make in that class.

I taught her to make some bags that she can put in them this week, so maybe she will work on some of those to sell too. We had fun and I still have another week of camp next week.
My son is coming to town this week so I will be busy most of the weekend. If I don't get back before next week, yall have a a quilty weekend.
Tennye

Preview of the Week

Tomorrow I begin the last of my summer quilt camps. I am so surprised that it has all gone so quickly. When I started making the samples and planing the classes I thought wow this will be a long summer, but instead it has flown by and will end this week. I am currently planning the fall classes and hoping to get a better group of sewing kids for the fall than I have had in the past. I am also starting some thing for the blog that I need to get further under way before  I announce them. I hope you will enjoy it, as I am having so much fun getting it ready to show you.

I am trying to be consistent in working on my crafts as well for the Nov. show which sounds like a long time off in Aug. but truly is just around the corner. I have less than four months to make enough stuff to sell and help me pay my bills for the year. I will start offering things on etsy as well when I feel like I have enough for the show.
I have a return customer coming in tomorrow for a one on one class with me. She got her sewing machine at the beginning of summer and took the first summer camp. Now she is ready to learn some new things, like putting in a zipper and sewing on a button. I have some cute little bags that she can make to learn how to do those specific thing.
Well I have not used the computer in two days so I guess I should go check my email. i took a tech. fast yesterday, by not using any technology all day. I did have to answer the phone once but it was not a cell phone just the house phone. It was good to just read and relax, with no noise and no TV.
Have a quilty week, and I will talk to you soon.
Tennye