GETTING BACK ON TRACK

Hard to believe it has been about a month since I last posted to my blog.  What a month it has been!

Made one last trip to AQS Quiltweek Charlotte to promote the upcoming AQS show in Chattanooga.

Hung out with some neat quilters and shot a video for the Convention and Visitors Bureau Annual Meeting.

Travelled around the area highway yard sales with hubster while he was "picking" for his upcoming sales.

LilBit helping Papa with the Longest Yard Sale!!  What a great weekend that was!

Enjoyed a visit with my grandson, Nick, before school started!!  Hard to believe that he is in Middle School now.

Saw my first grandson, Preston, head off to Auburn University for his freshman year!

More promotion for Quiltweek!


FINALLY, it is here!!!





 Chattanooga was host to its first ever AQS Quiltweek September 10-13!! What an exciting time for all the quilters in our area.  There were so many wonderful quilts on display in the show area.  One of the special exhibits was the BAQS exhibit curated by our very own Maddie Kertay from Spool. I was privileged to have a quilt hanging in that exhibit.

I did get a little sewing done this month.

Added my "round" to Karen's Round Robin piece this month.  Loved working with the crazy log cabin blocks.  It will be interesting to see the final round and completion of this project!

Working on a quilt for a customer.

This month has been exciting and busy.  I am looking forward to getting back into my usual routine and finishing the quilting on several projects.  The travelling is over and the AQS show was a success so now I can go back to quilting.


                                    -sandi

WHAT HAPPENED IN JUNE

June has been a very busy month for my family and me.  We have had a high school graduation

The Birmingham Boys Choir Spring Concert

Fifth Grade Awards Day

And several days of visiting with our grandchildren.  Whew!! How wonderful and busy.

I have not accomplished very much in the way of quilting this month, but I will show what I have worked on and/or completed.

I completed the Auburn quilt for my grandson to take to college with him.  The pattern came from "Skip the Borders" written by Julie Herman.

My contribution to Sharon's block from our SLKS quilting buddies Round Robin.

This is a small (9" x 11") sketch piece for Modern Quilt Guild.  It is called "Roy G. Biv #1).  A larger piece will develop from this practice sketch piece.  All Kona Cottons.

The back of "Roy G. Biv #1". 

Another block finished in my Starry,
Starry Night BOM from scrappy Batiks.

Chattanooga Modern Quilt
Guild Sew-In Project for this
quarter was this cute little carry-
all pouch bag.




I always keep some practice pieces sandwiched together so I can check my quilting stitches, etc. before I use them on the "real" project.  When I finish, I make them into placemats.  This is a nice Maple Leaf orphan block worked into a mat.

 

This is Linda showing what she did for her row on my SLKS Round Robin this month.

It did not seem to me that I accomplished very much when I thought about the month, but when I look at this post, I feel better about what I have achieved.

Thanks for stopping by!!

                                -sandi

 

 

PORCH CHATTER: SUMMER VACATION BEGINS

This month got kicked off with my trip to Birmingham to have a week long play date with my younger grandson.  Of course, he is 11 years old and I am not babysitting.  We are just playing together this week.

The first thing he told me when I arrived was that he got an ENO for making straight As on his report card this year.  I must admit that, at first, I did not know what he was talking about!  Then he invited me to come watch him set it up and then to get in and enjoy it with him.  We spent over an hour looking up through the tree canopy and watching clouds and talking.  Wowee!!! How much fun!

I have to admit this does look like a canoe we are in.  It is the most comfortable hammock I have ever been in!

Of course we had early morning swim team practice every
morning.

We came back to Chattanooga to enjoy a fun Staycation Day in Chatty with Papa.

We spent the day enjoying Point Park on Lookout Mountain.

Then we helped Papa sell at the Dixie Highway Yard Sale on Saturday.

Nick went home on Sunday and today was his first swim meet.  I am so sorry we missed being there.  He will be coming back soon.

Nick with his friends, Maria and Elizabeth Rae.

 

 

So this is the start of my summer vacation!!!

 

 

-sandi

 

THIS WEEK'S AGENDA

I only have one finish to show for this week.  I finally quilted my Modern Mystery Quilt that was designed by Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr and was offered by AQS on their website.

This is the palette I chose.  I used Kona gray with some brights from my stash.

I love seeing the light shine through the quilt top before it is quilted.  Of course, every seam shows this way!

This is not the best photo of this piece but it will have to do for this post.  I plan to hang this in my family room in this orientation.
Thought I would include a photo of the back.  Another way to use up some of my old stash.  Just keep clearing it out!

I rigged up this clothes line thingy on my upper back deck so I could hang quilts for photographing.  Well, it doesn't work the best sometimes.  Like here, the light makes the front of the quilt show through.  Although, I think that little shadow is kinda interesting.

Another project I am working on is for my grandson.

The beginnings of another gift quilt.  Is this just the sweetest palette?
No in-progress post would be complete without showing work on my Hexie quilt.

I have these three units just about ready for this next round on the Hexie piece.

See how these are going on?
Then, of course, there are my socks!  Well, I have made some pretty good progress but I hit a snag and put it on hold for a few days until I can talk to my mentor/friend, Linda, to figure out what I need to do differently.  It just does not seem like it is right//!!

A few other things I have been doing are some sketching of landscapes and working on a design for a quilt for another grandson. 

"I will take charge of the remote while you sew, Mom!"

                                                             -sandi







 

NICK'S VISIT TO TENNESSEE

.

I am like every other grandmother on the planet --  I absolutely love and adore my grandchildren.  They are both boys and have distinctly different personalities.  It is so much fun to spend time with them.  Since we have limited time for their visits we put a lot into each day.

Nick came up for a three day visit this month.  The first day he got up really early and went with Papa to yard sell.  They both love flea marketing and rummaging in

"stuff".

A bite of bacon to tide them over until they finished their browsing and shopping.

A boy just gets thirsty doing all that buying.  He was helping these kids make some money at their lemonade stand.  Nick's comment "The lemonade was not good, but I didn't tell them."

Favorite find of the day --  a golf putter for 25 cents. 

Nick and Papa are entrepreneurs who are always looking for something they can re-sell at their own Yard Sales.  These ceramic dolls were the choice of the day.

To finish off the adventure they have to go to Lillie Mae's Place for breakfast.  This is our neighborhood diner where a country breakfast with all the fixin's is less than $4.  Nick loves to eat here!

 Nick likes to make jewelry when he comes to our house.  This time he made key chains/backpack pulls for everyone.

All of our grandchildren's grandparents live in the same town so they get to visit both sets on every visit.

He gave Nana the key chain that he made for her.

He and Papa George are having a laugh over some story they shared.

Nick giving Nana and Papa the "lowdown" on some adventure of his.

No visit is ever complete without time spent at the swimming pool.  This time we had lots of rain and had to dash to get a swim in between showers.

Our visit came to a close but we know there will be a "next time".

-sandi