mirabelle

QuiltE yes I did receive my threads and they are beautiful, will post a pic tomorrow. will also post a pic of the thread I am using to quilt Butterflies..
JanieW I am with you on the curiosity, I can't stand surprises. I was the child who knew where all the hidey holes were in our house and knew where my grandmother would TRY and hide birthday presents, easter eggs and all that stuff.
Even after I married (and my DH doesn't know this) as by then I had become an expert in taking tape off presents and rewrapping cause I just had to know what was in it. I really am terrible, so waiting on my MB is sheer torture for me
Then there is the stress of what block to make, I think I have changed my mind at least 6 times on the April block. I really just need to make one and stop looking so I will quit confusing myself

gardnergal970

Anael...thanks for the update on the entire family. Eight weeks....is there any estimate on how much longer before they will consider sending the SewGrands home? QNS...I'm close relatively speaking for sure but I have 5 kids spead out over the continent and try to see some of them each year. Probably concentrate in the bunch in Illinois and Wisconsin since there will be a new DGS in late May. Take a deep breath, smile, and "enjoy" quilting with DH today. You won't always have that opportunity. Our snow is gone too but the cold is persisting. I've seen robins and a few tips of green but it's slow. Honchey...making these MB's and making a duplicate for ourselves is like having a friend design a quilt for each if us. I haven't found a 6 inche for Carrie's block so I'm thinking that I'll leave others large and have a mix if sizes. Mirabelle...aren't you a sneaky one! Well this one will surprise you? Love your Butterfly quilt. Your beautiful work just keeps nudging to become a FMQ'er. QuiltE..now that you've 'fessed up, you need to show us. The PC will go faster now that you've had this break. I did get the FQ and honestly my first reaction was not so happy. I had felt like I was buried trying to finish the PC and all I needed was another project. Since finishing the PC I have a different perspective and have an idea but could use more fabric. Could you tell me what the name of the print and maker is? Janie...although the FART was cancelled because of the snow, the snow will melt but I bet your son won't forget. Will you get home before your MB arrives? It's in the mail! OK...it's funny that when you are in the middle of being busy it's all so normal and you think nothing of all the juggling. That was me at one time too although we raised hogs. Listening to your life now since retiring....you're amazing! Thanks for the reminder of what a farmer's life is like! Glad your dreams are being fulfilled with the farm. Not every child wants to work that hard! Me?..no sewing over the weekend but have class at my LQS today. Have the new MB planned and can't wait to start it. Got to run. Have a good day everyone!

Anael

GG, no, no estimate. Bram first has to show he can breath without meds. They're decreasing those meds but didn't stop them yet. He's still to small to have his first bath, they're both still on meds to help the brain remember to breath. Besides the neonatologist told us they have to stay in hospital till after due date, being April 28th. So if we're lucky they will be home in May. Good news is they might be transported to a hospital nearby in the near future. It's not sure though but the doctors are talking about it.

What class do you attend? We don't have many classes here and the ones they're having I'm not so interested in.

I can tell you all what Mirabelle and I were discussing.........colors for a MB So now you know :P

Honchey

GGal. I have a 6" pattern.. bring up the Quilterscache pattern for 12"...go to file on the tool bar not the little printer icon...go to print preview..you will see a "shrink to fit" option...click on it..click on 50% and it will print out the size you need...it will be a little 3" printout...you will need 4 of them to make the 6" block...I just did this for the first time and it came out perfectly!!!... I was trying like h--l on EQ7 but the drawing didn't look too good so I tried this method and it worked great...I'm thinking most printers have this option...if you can't do it..I can send you a pdf of it..I know how to do this now too..It seems I'm learning more technology along with pping blocks...

carriem

Hello All! Like OK, I have been "eavesdropping" the last few days...

The talk of spring is great...not here in Iowa yet. I woke this morning to an inch of snow and probably have about 2 more on the ground now. What we had was almost all melted over the weekend...oh well...spring will get here. At our old house I had lots of daffodils and tulips. Here there isn't a good place to grow them, so I haven't put any in. Anyone know what flowers grow well in shady, sandy soil? We have lots of hostas and ferns. The tiger (day) lilies grow, but don't bloom because by that time the trees have too many leaves.

I am excited to get working on my next MB...need to choose a block and then fabrics. I don't work until Saturday this week so I want to decide before then in case I need to pick up something.

Busy week here, oldest DD is on spring break, but will still have school (at home) with the other two. Tomorrow we are going out to lunch and then Wednesday I am taking them swimming. Thursday I have an appt w/neurologist for my migraines to see if there is anything she can do/suggest. The latest med (started in Feb) had some bad side-effects (got worse, not better) so I had to go off those even though they were helping with the headaches. Probably won't get much sewing done....maybe next week?

QuiltE

Got thru my dentist appt this morning, though the side of my face is still partly frozen. All's good otherwise and it wasn't too gruelling. Freezing always seems to leave me wiped out though, so I did plan in my schedule for a quiet afternoon, knowing that. I rested for awhile, but am now restless, so am not sure if I am in the mood to sit and sew? Or what I am going to do?

Honchey ... Looks like that might become a Spring Supper and you can skip the Corned Beef! Are you saying you're keeping your FFC project a secret ... gosh! NOT FAIR!

QNSue ... Get your DH's Ducks all in a Row and abandon him for your own sewing. And what is your kit project? We'll look forward to seeing what each of you create today!

JanieW ... yeaaaaaaa for being able to grow roots again, though I'm sure you will miss the Grands and your DDIL/DS. You'll all be in withdrawal for each other I'm sure ... and the FART will be sure to happen soon, I bet!

MiraB ... too funny with all your snoopy-sneaky-ness! I bet you were in panic-mode when your PCBBs took ever-so-long to arrive down under! Glad your thread arrived and you were happy ... ready to place another order? April's MB I've decided, though not the fabric. However, I've been wondering if I should wait til I see what my MBPardner received for March and try to coordinate? or just wing it?

GGal ... With kids all over the continent, does that mean you'll be coming to CANADA to see one? and me? Oh dear, I did not want to overwhelm you about the FFC ... it's supposed to be all about FUN!!!!!!!!!! (now this is starting to sound like Honchey talking, isn't it?) I'll check on the fabric I have here and get back to you on what it is. I may be asking everyone to check their stash for some more for my Out To Pasture. Surely, you can guess what it is!! I have enough, but just enough ... and i'm feeling just a little too close to want to cut it, in case I then become totally short.

Anael and Honchey ... we'll just think of the two of you doing some clandestine work!

Anael ... While I know you would all like to know the SewGrands would be home, I bet you are also content to know you have them ... even if they stay in the hospital for awhile. April will soon roll by, and that date will be achieved. Is there also a weight goal they have to reach before being allowed out of the NICU?

GGal ... Honchey's suggestion is good for shrinking blocks down. Another way, if you have the feature with your printer/copier, you can use the reduction % on it. It seems that some things allow me to do it direct from the computer ... other things I have do the extra step and print then reduce with the printer/copier. I've also been using both methods to blow patterns up to whatever size I want. I'm really loving this new printer ... and of course, now ask myself why I waited so long to get it!

CarrieM ... so sorry the meds didn't work in the full sense and hope the neurologist can get things sorted out for you. What a slave driver you are, to your DD and making her do schoolwork during Spring Break! What was the verdict about the State Team? Are your kids going to be competing? For your shady place, what about some impatiens? ... I know they are not perennials, but they can give some pops of colour amidst the hostas and are so minimal work all summer. You also might consider more and different hostas. They can give such a range of colours and be so lush looking as mass plantings. I never realized there were so many different possibilities til I was on a garden tour a few summers ago and saw some gardens totally done with hostas. How impressive!

As for hopes of spring???
It was still -7C this morning and now is getting mighty windy. We're supposed to get more snow every day this week ... allegedly only a couple centimetres each day. ONly time will tell! And FYI ... it's not uncommon for us to get a wicked storm the end of March or even the first week of April! The good news is ... at this time of the year, it never lasts too long!

QuiltingNinaSue

Need to look at that FFC; ignoring it so far, QuiltE. April is "SPRING" hopping toward you...so everyone can imagine the colors i used in my mystery block??? it's done!! Question still is how many more I can make in the time limits??

Yep, Dh is doing fine with the pp project until "i had" him take too many color strips into his room for sewing, so its ripppppping time.

deranged_damsel

Hi everyone
its soooooo nice to hear the cheerful chatter Spring has Sprung!!! I feel so guilty out in my sundress today, scoping out a location for my new laundry line, and veggie garden grow beds! I feel guilty because I KNOW we will not have enough precip to last out the coming summer for as cold as it was this last winter we did not meet the precip hopes

I had a FUN weekend at my sisters... she is a little crazy! her Bday is in Feb and mine in March, so we TRY to get together in between sometime to do something FUN. this year I drove up and picked up one sis, then over and picked up another, then down to the other sis house and then back to drop them each off! SIGH!!!!! I really spend TO MUCH time in the car. my odometer says I average 1,000 miles a month! sigh...... to bad I cant sew WHILE driving

my sons birthday is coming up and I feel the sad times coming on I wish I had my nicu blankies finished to drop off but I just DONT. I will work on it and see if I cant get them done in the next month, heres hoping

carriem

QE--Hope your mouth is more awake now and that you can do something productive this afternoon. I have bought some FQs to coordinate with the FFC, but haven't decided yet what to do with them.

DD who is on spring break isn't having school. I just meant her brother and sister who are homeschooled will be having school. However my younger DD tried to get her to do her math. For archery...the HS and MS teams qualified for Nationals (in KY), but they don't have enough kids who can go so won't be taking a team. My kids are a little bummed since they went last year. In the past they could combine kids from two teams to make one/have enough, but the rules changed this year.

I usually do buy some inpatients to plant by the house. I have a BIL who is a master gardener who specializes in hostas so we have a variety of those. MIL has lots and every time she cuts hers back they come here since we have lots of room and she doesn't.

QNS--hope that you got DH set up and you are getting lots of sewing in today too! I look forward to seeing your new quilt.

DD--sounds like you had a nice trip, lots of driving!! I often wish I could sew while doing other things.

Anael

DD, sundress? Where are you? It's still quite cold here though I worked in the garden a bit this afternoon.
I have a small garden, did grow some herbs last year and I want to have some veggies too this summer! Problem is my kitty is digging everything I put into the ground right up again Have to think of something there!

QuiltE, I don't know if there is a weight goal for the twins. For some like allowed to wear cloths or take a bath there are but leaving the NICU? I have no idea. They're both still in the incubator so they have to get out of those first.