Planning

Now that the quilt top for my friend is done the next step is usually for me to figure out how in the world I'm going to quilt the finished top. I like to bring in a picture of the finished top into Photoshop so I can hash out the details.




Ok so for this particular quilt I didn't have a good picture of the finished quilt top. What can I say, it's cold, and I was already cozy in bed. Instead of going down to the freezing cold basement that is now my sewing room and taking a picture like I should have, I chose to dig through my computer for the best picture I could find.

It's a very rough outline especially since it was done with a computer mouse {I really should invest in a drawing tablet.} You get the idea right? I put to use the skills I learned from an online class I took a while ago taught by the very talented Carla Barret. I highly recommend her class.

Let me know what you think or if you have any suggestions.
~Norma

Quilt Top Finished

Yesterday I finished up the quilt top for my friend's quilt. I have received a few questions as to the fabrics in the quilt. Some of you may remember this post. This is a memory quilt for that same friend. The fabrics are all from her husband's shirts.
Time is such a fickle thing, sometimes crawling along and other times speeding by. It seems like it was only such a short time ago that Phil passed away, yet on paper you can flip through the calendar and in a few short weeks it will have been a year. My heart still aches for my dear friend and wish I were closer to be there for her. These two amazing friends of mine embody every word of one of my favorite Hymns, "Each Life that Touches Ours for Good" (you can listen to it by clicking on the link and then clicking "words and music" at the top left before clicking play {my kids must think I'm nuts 'cause I'm sitting here with happy tears.}





As much as I would have liked to spend today quilting it I couldn't because I don't have a piece of batting large enough. So I'm waiting until Monday in hopes of a 40% off Hobby Lobby coupon. I did find the perfect backing for it though.  I still have to figure out how I want to quilt it. I spent much of today lying around because of a migraine so I wouldn't have worked on it even if I had the batting. {I think some Dr. Pepper might be in order.}

I actually researched ordering the batting wholesale (see #10 in my goal list, bottom left.) Did you know that cotton prices are going up this year? Probably pretty soon. You can read more about it here. Basically there is less cotton than what the world uses so you can bet all of our cotton products are going to go up in price. That means our hobby will become that much more expensive! Maybe those stash diets I've seen popping up over the New Year might not be such a bad idea.

 I started a fun little feature over on my left sidebar. My SIL has a "Reality Check" on her blog and I love reading it. So I decided to do my own version but it will only list the latest 7 things I add to the list. Mine is titled "The Nut Shell" because it's basically my life in a nut shell and sometimes I feel like a nut. Here you will catch glimpses of my very ordinary life as a mom of two, but as any of us with kids know life with kids can be anything but ordinary.

Anyway, hug your loved ones because you never know what life will bring. A couple of months ago my daughter and I could have been in a terrible accident with a semi truck that ran a red light at 50mph. It was our turn to go, we were first in line. Luckily my Heavenly Father decided it wasn't our time and so we weren't in that intersection. It sure made me think about whether or not my family knows I love them each and every day.

~ Norma

Snowed In

We've been "snowed in" since Sunday afternoon. 3 inches in Alabama was enough to bring our little city to a grinding halt. School has been shut down since Monday and tomorrow will be the third day of no school for the kids. Mr. PD was lucky enough to get today and yesterday off too! It's been nice to have a babysitter around 24/7. Sometimes it's nice to live in a town that doesn't have a snow plow.





 The roads make for fun sledding when they're completely covered in ice. Who needs a real sled when you've got a super ingenious husband? Some rope, a piece of counter top, and a few minutes in the shop and, wala, a one of a kind sled!

... and sometimes it's not cool. I was working on a quilt #1 from my to do list (bottom left.) I was on a really good streak making really good progress...




I had all the blocks squared up and I was cutting up the sashings when I ran  out of the Kona Bone I was using. I couldn't run out and get some because every road in the city was officially closed. So I waited until today in the late morning when the roads were melted and I had Mr. PD drive me to Hobby Lobby.

Once there I had a moment of stupidity. Instead of buying Kona Bone, I came home with Kona Snow! I didn't even realize it until I had cut up the sashings and was about to start sewing them together. Ugh. Lucky for me Mr. PD was willing to drive me back to Hobby Lobby, I think it was the cabin fever talking. Hopefully tomorrow, since we once again will be "snowed in" I'll be able to finish the top.

Have you ever done anything silly like that?

~ Norma