Busy Weekend

Besides a new Block of the Month at Kristen's knits (which I have ripped back twice now-more later) and then searching high and low for a birthday present for my son Blane I got my new sewing machine-Yesssss!

Really, you'd think I'd learn since I am still paying off the other one (for 2 more years). However, the sale was too good to pass up and I can pay for it. There's one good thing about the economy tanking-luxury goods are goin' on sale.

The one on the right is new. It is so light and small. Had a couple of tension issues but figured that out and finished this-

I call it the table runner from hell (It's actually Thimbleberries from 2007). I must have ripped out the center piece every time I sewed a seam. I'd like to say it was a very complicated piece, however, it wasn't. Sigh. I just have to sew the left point together and it will be done. (I was so tired of it that I just sewed back to front, turned it right side out and called it good-Binding? No freaking way!)

While I was making that on my Bernina 210, my 730 was doing this on a cotton hand towel

And this postcard (not such a great picture)

So you see, life is good where sewing machines are concerned.

And by the way, my new machine says this on the back-

Just in case anyone wanted to know!

Photography of me by Dave-thanks Davit!

Last, but not least...

Here is the beautiful scenery from retreat. The locale, to remind you, is Eagle Bluff Learning Center. It is in between Fountain and Lanesboro MN. That is the Root River.

This is what we saw out of our windows while we were quilting. It is somewhat late in the fall so the colors were not so brilliant at last year. But it's still a very nice view.

And so ends retreat 2008.

Next event-Superbowl Mystery Quilt, 2009-Can' wait.

Retreat, part two

Here we are again! Just to remind you of our group. I am the top right person looking goofy of course. I made the picture a little bigger so maybe one could actually see the people.

Look at what Suzie made! (She is in the front row in red-can't see her too well behind the quilt). Isn't it cool. I love the colors.

I finished the block of the month from year before last. I took it to work to show off and everyone loved the colors. Now I have to finish this years.

Here is my roommate and table mate Peggy. Dang she was a good quilter. She made 5 table runners for her staff for Christmas. What a nice boss.

And look what Peggy did-I wish I would have put a ruler by this block because those little pieces are like, one inch square. Note that it is perfect AND she started it at about 9 PM. Crazy.

I wish some of her precision could rub off on me. It was fun fun fun.I met some great new people, like Peggy, and caught up with old friends. Am planning for next year already!

Retreat Part One

I was at reatreat this weekend. It was soooo much fun and a getaway that I really needed.

I can only upload so many pictures, it seems, at one time, so today I will start with our group. Here we are, tables set up, ready to sew. Barely visible on the left is Connie, who helped to sell me my sewing machine last year and is a great and wonderful quilter and person. She made a cool Christmas stocking and a flannel quilt top.

This is our snack table. We ate the best food in the cafeteria, which is catered by a chef. Holy Cow. Good thing we only get 4 full meals-plus our snacks. This will take me 3 weeks of gym time and miles of running to work off. But boy, was it good.






Here is Marsha, owner of Pine Needles and organizer of Retreat. She and her daughter, Suzie, are a lot of fun. They (and the staff too) make everyone feel like family-one big quilting family. I love to go to their events and wish I could get to more. Anyway, Marsha is modeling some boob holder taco salad place mats. I hope they were place mats.....See what I mean about fun?





Here is the group. Marsha is in front in the black, Suzie in the red. Marsha's mom in behind Suzie and her sister is kneeling on the right. It's a family affair. I am top left and Connie's sister is next to me and Connie next to her. We also had another Grandma and Granddaughter team all the way from Georgia. Next year I hope to take my sister.




Next post-projects and roomates! And bigger pictures.

At Long Last, Retreat

Yippee, This weekend is quilt retreat and I am going here--------------------------------------------------------------

This is Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center. We had retreat there last year and it was wonderful, beautiful and the most fun. I also came home with 6000 dollars worth of Bernina 730 Sewing Machine. Holy Cow.

But I love it and don't regret it, except when I am still paying it off after a year, and have 2 years to go. But it is a great thing. So this year I get to take it to Retreat and sew to my hearts content. Last year we had very nice weather, but not so sure about this year.

Here is our group from last year. When I get back, I'll post the pics from this year.

Birds

I got a picture of the screaming bird. It isn't such a great picture as I had to use a flash. We had the blinds down to create a man cave for football.

But here he is. His name is Pete and he screams really really loudly.

Sometimes if I give him a treat he will quit his screaming, but I am worried he is figuring out that screaming will bring a treat.

Really, that bird is smarter than us.

Here are the two little sweet birds, Pancho and Lefty. Lefty is the grey one in front. They are very sweet and have nice little songs.

And those are the birds!

Spaced Out

Well, here's the thing.
Don't you just love Monk? He always says-Here's the thing...
Although I liked Sharona better than Natalie. But I am getting to like Natalie more as time goes by-but that is not the thing.

Here's the thing.

I was in graduate school from May until the end of September. I was miserable, cranky, and always preoccupied with how I was going to get anything done. So I withdrew and am much happier.
Today I balanced my checkbook after 2 months-bad of me but who had time?
I made 3 major errors and forgot to write down a transaction costing me $100! That hasn't happed since I was 20 and didn't think balancing the check book meant squat.
I blame it on being completely mad over the stress known as graduate school.

And that is the thing.

And by the way, I finished Angie's baby hat and am now doing Ali's baby hat. Will start cutting their quilts this weekend. Pictures to follow.
I still haven't forgotten about the screaming bird pictures-that is to follow too.