L-O-N-G overdue......

Where to begin! The month of June has come & gone......and the middle of July is here. Where oh where has the time gone? It has been busy ...many projects completed . Here are only a few.

The quilt to the left started out small, but while some of the blocks were up on my designer wall DD came in and fell in love with the fabric and arrangement I had designed. So-o-o-o I was asked to make it Queen size for her extra bedroom. She plans on displaying it on the bed her Nana gave to her. The pillow shams are to be made from the brown & blue floral stripe fabric with large purple cording . I have named this quilt "Ashley's City Blooms" after the name of the fabric line. I designed the quilt from scratch, no pattern.

This is for two future classes I will be teaching in the next few weeks at the LQS where I work. The first being a Machine Crazy Patch technique class using Bobbin work for the fancy stitches.

Then the second class is making the

"Big Steel Ball Frame Purse" by Quilts Plus. My idea was to have a project that those who take my MCP techniques class or the Machine Needle Felting techniques class could use their samples as the front of the bag.
DS asked me to make a needle-point belt for him. (Our children really know how to get us to do things for them!) So-o-o-o, I began the belt for him. After about a week he decided I wasn't getting it finished fast enough, so he asked me to show him how to needle point. I did and the rest is history. He has completed all the stitching and is now waiting for it to come back made up into his belt. I am so proud of what he has done and surprised.

This is a baby gift that was given to my daughter-in-laws sister who is expecting her first child in August. Other goodies in the bag were burp cloths, small changing pad quilt to match the bag and other goodies for the traveling baby.

Also the end of June found the family at VIR for the Sold Cup which DH raced in. Here he is getting buckled into his car prior to the start of one of his races. (He finished 2nd in his group)

Also Memorial Day weekend found DD and I in Asheville for a girls only overnight. Shopping and the Biltmore House were on the agenda. The gardens at Biltmore were beautiful.

There were other projects started , but not complete...

(surprised that they aren't finished...I am not) I have got to finish each project before starting a new one. Also what would help is not signing up to teach a class unless I have a completed sample. (I promise myself every newsletter that I won't do it again......but oh well.....it doesn't happen!

Just had to share!

Back in the winter DHubby , B-I-L and other close friends did the male bonding thing and went to Arkansas duck hunting. Here is a video of pictures taken on the trip. Why anyone wants to get up early in the morning (well before sun rise) and stand out in the COLD is not what I call fun. But I quess being a North Carolina "boy" doesn't mind the hardships of duck hunting. Enjoy!

May is going by fast...........

This has been a busy month. The past three days found me participating in a Bernina 830 machine mastery class. Those of you who have not experienced this machine need to go by their local Bernina shop and give this machine a try. The things this machine can do is endless! The educators are still discovering new things it is capable of doing.







(This post may not make sense when I finish. I've been to the eye doctor this am. They dilated my eyes, and I am having trouble focusing! I am looking through a fog.)

This month I taught a Reversible III class at the LQS. Here are two of the finished blocks. The first is the block using very traditional fabric, and the second is done with batiks. Two very different looks.

Also the class schedule for the LQS is finished for the next newsletter. I need to get the class sign-up book completed and then ALL will be finsihed for another 3 months! I'm always glad when I have this behind me. Coming up with new classes can be a little crazy.

I have been busy working on a quilt for my daughter, (pictures to be posted after it is quilted (hopefully next week). Also one of the local quilt guild I belong to, had a lady come an show the "Square in a square" technique. Of course I had to try this method out, and those pictures will soon be posted also. I really need to learn to stay focused on ONE project, start to finsih, before starting a new one. There are TO MANY UFO's lying around my sewing space.

I and DD are planning a short trip to Asheville for a girls only weekend. Neither of us have been to the Biltmore House in a long time. Can't wait to see the new rooms that have been opened to the public since the last time we were there. Also the Biltmore Village shops are on our list to visit.

May all in bloggerland have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. Summer is offically here!

Hoofin' 4 Hooters

Early yesterday morning, I and DD met up to go to

Old Salem for the

"Race for the Cure".

The day started out sunny and cool, but before we reached the staging area for the race , it had clouded up and became very humid.

The race organizers held the race up for about 15 minutes to allow late comers to register for the race. They had hoped for 10,000

runners/ walkers, and they got their wish.


This is how far back we were from the start line.
It took us..............

10 minutes to get to the starting line after the race started.

And 1 hour, 2 minutes and 57 seconds later (minus the 10 minutes it took to get to the start line) we crossed the finish line.

Needless to say when I got home, I spend part of the afternoon out in the screened porch laying on the couch !

I walked in memory of friends (Shirley & Suzanne) I have lost and family (Lynda) who is a survivor.

Everyone there,

for whatever reason

was there for a great cause!

I hope to be there again next year.

Oh and I forgot

Oh, I forgot....

My quilt "a Tribute to Mother"

won a blue ribbon at the Kernersville Quilt show last weekend!!!

So much to share....

Oh I have so much to share.

The past 3 weeks have been busy, busy busy!

First, today our church (Augsburg Lutheran) honored its pastor (of twenty years) with a luncheon following our service today. A quilt made by the Quilting Ministry, a scrap book filled with twenty years of memories, and a stole made by the children of the church depicting their favorite bible story were presented to him.

Mrs. Goodneedle was asked by the Youth director to make it for the children to give to him. She then asked me to help with the layout and construction techniques.
(I feel very honored to have been asked)

Here I am with the finished stole

(That cute little fury pup is Hannes. He had to give his approval too)

And here is Mrs Goodneedle with the stole also.

We are both very proud of the finished project.

Pastor Wren seemed pleased and surprised also.

Here the stole is in the construction stage. There were 23 4-inch pictures we needed to use in the stole.

Second, Mr H. P. Ueltschi, President of Bernina International AG

visited the LQS where I work part time.

The week prior to his visit had us cleaning the store top to bottom.

(In the above picture you can see Mrs. Goodneedle talking to him.)

Here Shirley & Melinda (co-owners of the shop)are presenting him with a gift basket full of goodies from the area.

He visited with four Bernina shops in North Carolina. He even brought us some Swiss Chocolate....m-m-m-m!

Thanks HP!

And thirdly, DH raced at VIR Easter weekend!It was a good weekend of racing. He improved his lap times by 4 seconds AND
the car came home with no broken parts!
Now things, I hope, will slow down. I still have a list of things that need to be finished and a few things that need to be started.
1. Samples for Kids Camp to finish
2. Fabric to cut for an upcoming class
3. Completion of a bed spread/comforter for DD
4. Classes & newsletter articles for the upcoming Sew Original Newsletter.
5. And whatever else might need to be done...
house work, exercise, rest, etc., etc. etc.