Thread Therapy

I pulled out some perle cotton, and felt the stress melt away.

 Stitch every day,

 And keep the doctor away!  :)

 Maybe I'll try to get more in tonight as well.  Goals are good!  :)

Finished

"Tulare County: Where Money Really Does Grow On Trees"

Suzanne Kistler - 2015

Madly Quilting

I posted this on Facebook, with the caption, "This IS my happy face."

I had no idea I looked such a grump while I'm sewing.  What was I thinking, as I set the camera on a 10 second delay?  I was thinking, "I'm loving this quilt!  It's turning out better than expected!  This is going to be the beginning of a series!"

Thinking that the frowny face was an aberration, I snapped another one. 

oh dear.  I guess that IS my face.  I'm sorry.  I really am having a lovely afternoon.

Today I am going to tack down the last edge of facing, and knock out a sleeve, and hopefully the label.  This is my 2015 "Valley Life" challenge for Best of the Valley.  The deadline is March 2.  (There's a one day extension, since the 1st falls on a Sunday.)

Hopefully I'm not the only one madly stitching.  I can't wait to see this year's entries.  Last year's challenge quilts were spectacular! 

And So It Begins...

 Hey, Beautiful!

 Smile for the camera!

 That's Right, Baby,

 

Show me what you've got!

 Work it!  Work it!

Oh, yeah...

 I think we're done.

Always Busy

That's the way it's going to be for the next two months.  Busy, busy, busy.  We're going to have ourselves a quilt show.  Lots to do behind the scenes, I won't bore you with the details.  But there is one more deadline to meet, before I give up quilting and focus completely on paperwork.  That would be the BOTV challenge.  This year's theme is "Valley Life."

I've known for months exactly what I'm going to do.  It's just finding the time to do it.  Time isn't magically appearing.  At this point, I'm forcing it.  I finally started sewing yesterday.  It shouldn't take TOO long to sew my idea into reality, but it will take more than no time, so I need to make the most of my days.

For distraction, I watch the kitty.  He's as uncoordinated as ever.  I think it's a permanent status.  As in "hashtag - klutz"...if I did Twitter.

 I was certain he was going to fall in.  Either that, or the dog was going to push him in.  I was truly stunned that he lost interest.  Usually he leaps first, then reaps the consequences.

Today is guild, and Melinda Bula is the speaker.  Should be fun and inspirational.  Happy Quilting!

Still Kicking

wow.  I can't believe it's been 10 days since I posted.  Sorry about falling off the face of the blogosphere.  Believe me, I've been busy, busy, busy!

I finished my final entry for the quilt show in time to enter it online.  woohoo!  I love it.  Simply love it.  My son designed it, his wife chose the red, and I sewed and added borders.  whew!  They just showed me the wall where they plan to hang it, rather than put it on the bed.

"Pascal's Reflections"

Suzanne Kistler 2015

Last week was the World Ag Expo, in Tulare, CA.  I went all three days, to work on our guild quilt.  Wanna buy a ticket?  ;)

I also attended the Groundwater Control meeting, but I won't share the experience here.  Let's just say that it was almost a week ago, and my blood pressure hasn't gone down yet.  Yes, it was that bad.

Entries have closed for Best of the Valley, but there's still time to get in a challenge quilt.  The theme is "Valley Life."  I'm going to give it the old college try - minus the all-nighters - and see if I can get one done.  I've had my idea for quite a while.  It should be a quick project.

In the meantime, Spring seems to have sprung.  It's been in the upper 70's, which is ridiculous for mid-February, even though it is quite enjoyable.  Knowing that it shouldn't be this warm can make a person anxious.  Especially in conjunction with the information shared at the water meeting.  Bad news if you like to eat.

 We'll enjoy the local beauty while we can.  These were seen as we walked the dog over the weekend.

I know it is still winter, because the butterflies are hanging out around the pool.  They're always here this time of year.

The itty bitty kitty seems to be adjusting to life here.  At least he's adjusted to life with the dog.  He's not so sure about the out-of-doors.  It makes him very, very nervous.

Today we went to Bakersfield, to select the quilts for the Featured Artist's booth.  The visit with CeCe was followed by a visit to Strawberry Patches.  Fun, fun, fun!  I didn't know I needed so much fabric.  I didn't buy nearly the amount that begged me to take it home.  It was hard to maintain any semblance of control.  Look at all this luscious color!

And with that, I should probably get back to work.  I have much that needs to be done, if I'm going to finish that challenge and have a quilt show in April.  :)  Happy Stitching!

Steady Progress

Until today, that is.

I've finished stitching in the ditch around all of the stars, as well as the borders.  Today's goal?  To do all the ditch-stitching on the setting blocks.  But I was busy this morning, and by the time I got to the studio for some quilting time, Guess Who was napping on the quilt?  ummm, yeah.  My assistant.  He's making sure it's "just right." 

 He seems to be very put out with the idea that he should MOVE, so that I can do some quilting.

Thank goodness he doesn't shed much, though this will probably be the time and place that he decides to start.  :(

When I'm not working on getting this quilt finished, I keep getting distracted.  Like there were these fabric strips, left from a project last year.  Instead of leave them in a pile, maybe I should sew them together.  What would be a good order to arrange them in?

And oh, will you look at that?  There's that neato-keeno handpainted fabric that I picked up at PIQF one year or another.  Doncha just love it?

Or, if I'm not dreaming of new quilts, I'm out at the walnuts, watching the dogs run and play.

I could watch them all day.  But they eventually wear out.

And eventually, I'll get around to doing the things that need to get done.  Like quilting.  Let's do it!

Quilt Faster!

 The quilt top is done, and my assistant has checked the points.  Most of them are there.  The quilt is now basted, and the quilting has begun.  whew!

 In other news, I've finally penned the nuisance who has been dumping the cats' water and stealing their food in the night.  Hopefully he is one of one, not one of many.

Husband relocated him to the St. Johns River.  He'll be happier there, than in the middle of town.  Well, I will be happier with him there.  nasty creature.

And on that, I've got a quilt-load of quilting to do.  Not sure if I'll be coming up for air before the deadline.  If not, you know where I am...head down, and madly stitching.