Calling California and a Quilt Update...

 Remember that there are three panels for the "Over The River" quilt I'm

teaching at Crazy Quilters. The first one (on the top of the quilt) is the actual 

"Over The River" section. The center is designed with the words, "Over the river 

and through the woods, to Grandmother's house we go", and the third panel, 

located at the bottom of the quilt, is the "Through The Woods" section.

I'm planning to create an applique' design for the center panel. I want mine to 

be unique, so I've decided that's where I'm going to make my alteration to the 

original design. I frequently do this, and you really shouldn't be afraid to put your 

own touch on anything that you create either. The other thing I like to tell my
students is that, when you show your family and friends your final creation,
they will almost never see the original pattern next to it. They will only
appreciate what they're looking at and have nothing else with which to
compare it. That will really free you up to let your imagination carry you away.

You can see here that I'm nearly finished with the "Over The River" panel.

I'll start on the "Through The Woods" panel as soon as I finish the applique'

block for our guild quilt. I'm hoping that I'll have that finished by the weekend.

Fourth Blog Birthday Giveaway Update...

When I post my giveaways, I always ask that you PULEEEEZ make sure that

I have a way to contact you if you win. Well, I've been trying since I announced

the winners to reach the winner of the first giveaway package...without success.

Subsequently, I have not yet mailed any of the packages so that I can give

the second place winner a chance to change her selection, and so on for the

rest of the winners. I really don't like having to take away a gift, but this is

LAST CALL to SEWCALGAL

If I don't hear from you by the end of the day today, I'll be contacting the other 

winners and then picking one more name for the fourth giveaway set. Please put

"GIVEAWAY WINNER" in the subject line if you send an email, so I'll know it's 

from you. (Send the email to dliljegren (at) brynwoodneedleworks (dot) com)

If I don't hear from the winner by the end of today, I'll send another email to 

the other winners so they can have a chance to change their minds on their prizes.

Thanks to everyone else for your patience and understanding. I can't think of a

better reason to go to your "settings" and amend your "No Comment Blogger" status.

On Being Organized...

 If I gave you a list of all the things I need to accomplish this week, you might

just gasp. I know I did! I keep a daily notebook with my tasks outlined page-

by-page, and when I accomplish items on my list, I check them off. It helps me

to see what I'm able to get done each day. My daily pages also have lists of calls

 I need to make, things I need to pop in the mail, incoming calls, appointments

and anything else I want to commit to long-term memory, like family stuff.

This week has a lot of entries, but I've also managed to tick a number off my lists

already! On Thursday, I'll be teaching Session Two of the "Over The River" class,

so I'm busy creating the block for that class and working on the embroidery, too.

First thing yesterday, we had a service tech appointment so that took up part of

my morning. Even so, I cut all the components for the "Block-in-Block"...uhhh...

block. (lol) I only need six to go into this quilt, so I was happy to have five of them 

finished mid-afternoon. They're lookin' good but, because the designer didn't

specify the finished size of the blocks, I needed to make at least one to know the size

 to create a paper piecing foundation for my students who'd rather use that method.

Mid-afternoon I began editing my recording of Handsome's North Port Concert 

Band concert last week. (It's due to the band members on Thursday night this week.) 

I managed to nearly get to "Intermission" before I needed to leave to meet the girls 

at Paneras for our weekly gathering. I was a little tired, but I went anyway.

Another item on the list is to do the stitching on the last applique' block for the

guild quilt. I took that with me to Paneras and stitched away while my friends

and I chatted and caught up on all the news since we last met together. It was nice

and I was really glad that I didn't decide to stay home. There were over a dozen

gals there, and my sweet friend, Margaret is heading back to Canada on Friday,

 so I got a chance to say "toodles" to her before she and her hubby pack to leave.

Today, I'll prepare my orders to ship, along with some Easter gifts to send North to

Mom Grace, my sister and our grandchildren. Next, I'll finish editing the recording   

for the Concert Band, and burn the DVDs. They'll be ready for delivery on Thursday.

I'll also make that last block and the paper foundation for my students this week.

Once that's finished, I'll do more embroidery on the panel and I'll be ready for class.

This is when FOCUS really comes in handy!

One more thing...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SHELL!!!
(click on the "Happy Birthday" link to write a message on Shell's blog)

Keepin' Up...

I've been busy working on "Over The River" for the class I'm

teaching. I'm busy trying to stay ahead of my enthusiastic students!

I'm really enjoying the needlework aspect of the project, and I'm

loving the way this project is progressing. What's really fun is seeing the

color and fabric choices that my students are using in their quilts. 

They're going to be truly stunning when they're all finished.

 

 I'm going to finish making my flying geese blocks today and then I'll

work on completing the stitching on this panel before the 28th.

I'm going to be helping to finish our guild quilt in the next few weeks

too. I'm only waiting for two more blocks to be handed in, and I think

hope pray that I'll have those back this week. It won't be long now!

If you haven't heard about my Fourth Blog Birthday Giveaway yet,

you'll want to click on this link to my post to find out all about it.

My Next Class...

Crabapple Hill Studio

 There is still one session to go to complete Arlyn's Embroidery Envelope. 

When that class is completed, I'll be teaching a full project in four sessions.

It's called "Over The River" by Meg Hawkey of Crabapple Hill Studio.
It's another project incorporating hand stitching into the design.

There will be plenty of time for my students to complete their homework 

because there will be a month between each session. Students will have

the option of making three different table runners (one with each stitched

section and one set of blocks (Flying Geese, Star or the Square-in-Square).

Of course, they can complete a whole quilt, as pictured, it that's the preference.
The whole quilt measures approximately 51 1/2" x 57 1/2".

Pattern Image

I'll be doing the model in colors and fabrics close to those in this photo,

and the gals who have paid their class fees are already busy choosing fabrics.

By the time next Thanksgiving rolls around, all of them will have their own

"Over The River" table or guest room accessories!

I wish you lived closer so that we could all play at our machines together!

One more thing:
I've added a new video to Handsome's musical assortment in my right sidebar.
This is from the North Port Concert Band concert on January 10, 2013.
I hope you enjoy it as much as the audience did,
and yes...that is me whooping at the end.
(link)