Storm Watch ( or Oyster Stew for Two on Christmas Eve )

Big storm's a'comin' or so they say. . . so I'm thinking our Minneapolis family won't make it home for Christmas. That means that the grandson won't be staying the week between Christmas and New Year's either ! Big Disappointment, but I am not going to dwell on that, I am going to be thankful that we have weathermen and forecasts so we know when bad weather is coming and can plan accordingly. Our current forcast is for snow starting here at noon, snowing through Christmas morning, with 12" or more of snow, then the wind comes up and blows through Saturday ( translation: BLIZZARD ) .

So, today's plan is to make a grocery list and get to the grocery store for the big blizzard rush. . maybe a couple movies too. Then we should get some more wood in for the fireplace before it gets covered up with snow. . . Then we can hibernate for a couple days.

Now, just so this post will have a picture, I will post a 24" table topper that I made ( to keep ! ). Not sure what color binding to do, I think it will be a scrappy binding, but green or red ? What do you think ? I am guessing I will have time this Christmas to get it done !

oops. . . sorry, batteries are dead in the camera. . . guess I will have to put that on my shopping list, then come back here and edit ! See you later. . .

Hi. .

I thought I would take a little time out from the LIST ( my quilting list. . . only 5 more customer quilts/runners to do before Christmas, and barring any catastrophe, I do believe I will be done by the middle of this week with them all ! ) to post. I saw this tree skirt pattern in a magazine- and it was so nice to find one that I actually felt like making ! - and thought it was so cute. I made this for my DIL for her birthday. Sure hope she likes it. She has her whole house decorated PRIM, and boy, let me tell you, it could sure be on a tour of homes ! So, that is why I used the muted prim colors in this tree skirt. Now, I never can stand to make the same thing twice, if I do it is under great duress. .. . . but I really like this pattern and I think I might need one of these one day too. I had better mark that magazine and put it in a safe place. I am not up to making it this year, but I think it will go on my WISP list.

I quilted it using Nested Hearts, and am really happy with the way it turned out.

In other news, it has been bitterly cold up here in North Dakota ( like below ZERO), and just a couple weeks ago it was up in the 50's . I did not get my outside lights up yet - I hope to be able to motivate to get something up outside this weekend. Of course that all depends on how much quilting I can get done this weekend too !

Mr. Stitches has been good about keeping the wood stocked for the fire in the fireplace, and cooking the occasional suppper ( ok, he has been making most of the suppers around here , however I do have them organized so he knows what to make. . .) so I can quilt in the evenings, and go to practices and gigs with the band. We have been doing a few Christmas gigs lately, and let me tell you. . .. all those Christmas songs you THINK you know ? well just try putting chords to them and playing them right and singing ALL the words right. . . and figuring out which Christmas songs you can bluegrass up. . . . well. . . it just isn't so easy ! But it has been fun, and exhausting ! Soon enough we will be back to the usual bluegrass songs that we play all the rest of the year.

Ok. . . I have another couple table runners to quilt out tonite. . .

will try and post more later. I have some really cute quilty items to show you all !

I hope you are all taking time out to enjoy the season !

Don't you just love T-Shirt quilts ?

Here's a picture of our nephew and his then girlfriend ( now wife ) on their graduation day with the t-shirt quilt that I made him. Actually, in full disclosure, this was before I purchased my longarm, so I pieced this quilt, and then had it quilted. This probably was the catalyst for me to get my own machine, though ! Now, my niece-in-law has asked me to make her a t-shirt quilt too ( no hurry she said. . . . ha ha . . . she doesn't know HOW LONG my project list is ! and my project list even includes a t-shirt quilt for me. . . anyway, she made it on the list. ) OOPS I probably just spilled the beans, because my niece also wants a t-shirt quilt, but she has a sewing machine and is just starting to learn to quilt. I told her that I would be very happy to show her how to piece one of these and then would quilt it for her, but that she would have to make the top ! Her quilt is for her son who is graduating this school year.

Don't forget you can click on the picture to see an enlargement, and look near my N-I-L's wrist, we put a picture of our nephew on photofabric of him singing in a concert in the quilt too !

Anyway, the quilt in the picture turned out so nice, and the backing is flannel, and we all know how cozy that feels to wrap up in !

Time to Type !

Let's see. . . there is lots to catch up on, as it has been a super busy month ! Most notably and happily to report, is that our son, is back in the good old USA after his 2nd Iraq tour. He came back last week, and instead of taking his leave, coming home for a visit then flying back to New York to his Army base to begin processing out, he decided to stay there and "get 'er done". His wife flew out for a few days, and as for me, I am just thrilled and content knowing he is "home" and I can pick up the phone and call any old time I want. E.D.T.A. ( estimated date of TRUE arrival home ) is early December. After waiting and worrying all this time, that is good enough for me.

Also have been busy with fall yard and garden work, DH has been canning salsa, pickles, carrots, etc. while I have been quilting. I am getting ready for a QOV sew day in Fargo this weekend, and we are hosting our own QOV Sew day in our town on Sat. Oct 25th. So many things to think of and organize, and difficult because we have no idea how many quilters will be coming ! But the basics are done, have a location, have helpers, the notice is out to the papers and radio, and next week it will be time to iron out the fine details ! That is a guarantee that next week will go fast also !

Check out our QOV website: www.qovf-um.org

Did I tell you that I belong to the funnest bookclub in town ? ( Maybe I did. . .) anyway, we took a girl's weekend and went to Duluth. . . had a great time. . . scenery was beautiful. . .. . they even let me go to a quilt store ( right on the shores of Lake Superior) ! It was a great time and it would be a good idea for me to post some pictures. . . . but for now, I gotta go, there is some sewing I have to do yet before I leave for Fargo tomorrow !

Beth