Cute!

Another 10

Down another 10 lbs, and I'd like to lose 10 more for Christmas.
Went to Lancaster this past weekend on a mystery quilt retreat, here's the result:
My Quilt "Road to Freedom"

30lbs down, oodles left to go

It is now the end of July and I'm down 30lbs but the carbs have crept back into my diet.  It just seems like I have no control over what jumps into my mouth! I continue to refuse bagels or pasta but whole wheat bread seems so "healthy" and they just talk their way in.  For the most part sugars are cooperating and staying in packages, stores, and shelves where they belong.  I'm ramping up with exercise now...a little recumbant biking at work...walking the dogs when it's not too hot out, swimming still eludes me...I guess cause having to go through the "bathing suit wiggle" (getting that spandex puppy on!!!) and off!! (Even worse when it's wet!) does not thrill me. Throw my allergies into the mix and I'm happy just to get to work and then back home.   Ah yes, good times. BUT... Even though this seems a little whiney I'm thrilled to have taken off some weight and feel much better for doing so.  I will continue to battle those carbs and march forward to victory!
Now, as for quilting!  My latest....
Square in a square

Ok so here it is... June 5th...and I'm trying so hard to lose some weight. I've pretty much given up all carbs...no potatoes, breads, rice, bagels...etc...and no sweets. A few months ago I developed arthritis in my knee and that has limited my mobility. I just hate saying that.  But it really helps me to keep my weight goals in mind, if I can lose weight there will be less pressure on my joints. So this arthritis has given me an excuse to not walk and I'm now trying to figure out how to exercise without walking.  My first choice is swimming...and I love to swim...but I have to hold off on that for a few months (I had a hernia operation and am still healing). So I think I will try and use the recumbent bike at the gym...I'll let you know how that goes!
In the meantime...here's a quilt top that I just finished...and LOVE! It's called Swoon.

The picture really doesn't do this quilt justice. It is such a rich fabric..with gold specs. I don't remember the line, but it has an oriental feel to it...or Italian! LOL Either way, my Mother loves it and that's what's important.

Road Trip!

I'm headed west! My only goal is to visit Missouri Star Quilt Co everything else will be gravy. I'm leaving NY later today after my lesson on a long arm machine at LQS. What a way to start this trek! 

To my surprise both my husband and daughter(20) want to tag along. Did I mention this was a quilt Mecca? Still, I'm thrilled to have them and happy that they wanted to come despite the mission.

I'm bringing with me a quilt top that I'm particularly fond of and will drop it off at MSQC for Jennie Doan to quilt. Jennie is a celebrity because of her YouTube quilt tutorials, with her carefree, and lets get-it-done attitude...more for a non-perfect world...she has inspired me.  I'm not even sure how good she is at quilting!  LOL. I did call in advance and asked if she would be around later this week, to my disappointment she will not but will leave an autographed picture for me. 

And so it begins...a cup of coffee...a blog entry...clouds should be clearing up later...I'm ready to journey into tornado country and recharge my life batteries!

Finished CT mystery quilt

Finished Quilt

Mystery Quilt 2013

Excited to start mystery quilt with Connecting Threads. These are my choices of fabric and using my stash!

I saw this in a magazine and had to try it.  I adapted the pattern to a layer cake, and all the left over squares were pieced into the backing. When I finish quilting I'll post another picture.

EZ Street Quilted!

I got "EZ Street" back from the LAQ, she did a fabulous job...looks terrific. I can't seem to get a good picture, but here it is.  Next, binding....and then it will go in the closet.  What a shame, but its too big to hang and  I can't put it on my bed, due to dog.  I have my eyes open for a glass tv stand that I would be able to display quilts in and yet it would be practical to hold tv.  Here's what i have now:

Looks like a coffin!  LOL

UFOs

I challenged others on Connecting Threads web page to finish one UFO by end of march!   UFO Challenge

Curtain Clips!

You all probably know about these already but I've just discovered them...Curtain Clips! I hung a curtain rod in my bedroom...see below...and i just clip the quilt up! I havent thought about these before because in my day...they use to be made with prongs...and you squeezed the hoop together and those "teeth" would bite into your fabric! Now they're made differently and are much easier on the fabric. Now I'll be able to switch up new quilts any time I desire! They also have large ones that fit the wooden rod hangers I purchased in Lancaster.

Finished!

Finished this quilt and gave to my parents for their 80th birthday. I had given my Mom a couple of smaller quilts and she was asking for something larger. I found this fabric last year at NJ quilt show. It has metallic gold in it and looks really rich in person...not sure the picture captures that. I could only snap a few quick pics before I had to run.

Finished the top for Bonnie Hunter's Easy Street quilt. Took about 10 weeks to do, sewing a few days per week.  This was a mystery quilt and I'll tell you why I love mysteries...because if I had seen the outcome at the onset I would've shouted "Hell no, I won't sew!"....so many pieces! and it looks so complicated! but in-fact, it was true to its name...Easy Street...easy peezie.  My favorite part was putting all the blocks together...it didn't matter how you turned each block to sew, they went together smoothly.  Took a lot of pins...a lot of pins...and you had to pin to make all the points meet.  But I say to myself..."what do you want...to throw some quilt together...or carefully put together a piece of art"...LOL that gets me through all the pinning at least! I am NOT a perfectionist.
Well, here it is...

Gray

I'm working on the last part of BH's mystery quilt and I've noticed something that I never really thought about before...grays, shades of gray (and I don't mean the Book!) really make other colors pop.  I've always loved the contrast of white with other colors but gray brings a certain "richness" to the pallet.   Look at the picture below..pieced by Lavonna/KY...the oranges are more than halloween... they've been transformed.

What do you think?? When I finish mine I will post another example.