happy halloween and other stuff!

Happy Halloween everybody!  I hope everybody has a great day, don't eat too much candy, and try not to dwell on the fact that the holiday season is coming up fast!!!:(.
This is what people dress up as in my household:

Careful, hey what are you doing with that thing?

Battle Diva war cry needed here. 

Love the flip flops, don't you?, Should've seen when they went to an Anime Convention. :)p
Anyway, they are all out trick or treating, except for the 16 year old, he didn't feel like going.  He'll just eat what we have here, we get very little trick or treaters around here anymore, so more chocolate for him! I, on the other hand, have been studying for my final exam tomorrow in my competencies tomorrow morning.  I feel confident about the whole thing, she has really gone over everything in her lectures and such, so I feel good. 
Earlier today, I was working on my sewing room, and took a few pictures of some stuff.  First up is the quilt top I found at the Goodwill Clearance Center:

I love it, it is so nice!  The border fabric will have to come off and be fixed, the seam is coming apart in places, but it was worth it.  I knew there was a reason I go to the thrift stores.

My well-used Baby Go cutter.

2 1/2 inch squares cut from scraps.

various sized squares from scraps

I emptied 2 of these, Yippee!!!

Ok, so I emptied 2 of those little bins, but I still have 1 wall of fabric on shelves to go through, and at least 12 totes!  Yes, I said 12!  I have a slight fabric addiction (quit laughing, those of you who know me), and am trying to tame it. I  aspire to be this organized one day-  http://www.sewwequilt.com/2010/10/welcome-to-my-underwear-drawer.html.  (quit snickering Mom!), I just need to move to another house.  (Yeah, right after I win the lotto, LOL).
Anyway, I have been doing some sewing -
I have been turning these:

 Into these:

It's my version of a postage stamp quilt.  Since my classes end this week, I will have 2 whole months to get some stuff done, so more posts will be coming more often than every 2-3 weeks.  I am going to have so much fun!!
Happy quilting everybody!
Marianne

sold my first quilt!

So, I sold my first quilt using E-bay!  I am very happy, even if I basically broke even.  I sold this one, one of the baby quilts with the fleece backing.

I enjoyed making this quilt, and I hope she enjoys it. 
On the other fronts (life, etc), school is going good, I have 2 more weeks in this semester, then go back again for 12 weeks in January, 6 weeks job shadowing, and I am done!  I can't believe how fast this is all going!  We (my mom and I) are going to be sewing like crazy over November and December and get an Etsy shop opened up, and sell a few things, like quilts, clothing, home dec, etc.  She is very talented at clothing and such.  I just have to get the sewing area reorganized, it's really not very efficient right now.  Actually, it's non-efficient!  LOL. 
On the work front, I have moved to an overnight position, which is where I started out, and I actually enjoy it more.  People are much more relaxed, not in such a hurry, so I think it's a really good fit for me, plus I get home at 4 or 5 AM, and can get a bit of sewing in because everyone is asleep, and no one needs anything.  Except the puppy, but he goes right back to sleep after I give him some attention!  I love my little munchkin! 
Hopefully, I will have some pics up in  few days of the newly rearranged sewing area, and the postage stamp quilt top I have been working on.  The pieces are 2 inch unfinished size (yes, I said unfinished size),  it's taking a while, but it's coming along, and I can't wait to see it finished, I think it's going to be quite the undertaking.  Hopefully, I'll use a LOT of scraps! 
Happy quilting, Marianne

wedding photos

Remember the wedding quilt from a couple of posts back?  Well, 2 weeks ago was the wedding (it was beautiful by the way- I now believe in soulmates, and my brother has found his) and I have a few pictures to show. 

this was in orlando, that's our plane. 

at JFK in NY, waiting for our commuter to Syracuse- 3  hour wait.

the bride and groom the night before the wedding.

the groom all ready and 2 hours yet to go.

our dad

Dad and me- I so am not a dress person! Only for family will I get on a plane, wear a dress, and also wear HEELS!  I love my family.

waiting patiently.

they had all the guests sign their picture frame.

The wedding was absolutely wonderful, and everyone was so nice.  I finally have a sister, Yay!  congratulations Mike and Tina, may you have a long and happy life together. 

On the quilting front, I have been playing with my Accuquilt Go baby (aka) Miss Daisy, and foresee a lot of cutting in my future.  I just have to get through the next 4 weeks of classes first!
Happy quilting,
Marianne

ordered my Go Cutter!

Wow, 2 posts in one day, it must be a miracle!  Anyway, I just ordered my Accuquilt Baby Go cutter, and here's the special they are running: the cutter $139.00, the value die, the 2 1/2 inch strip cutter, and 2 sizes of mats, and all I paid was $139.00.  No shipping or handling charge, over $99 is free shipping.  I got $112 worth of stuff free!  That, folks, is a great deal, and I love great deals.  Hopefully, I can get my behind in gear, and cut up some of this fabric and get it made into quilts! 
Happy quilting,
Marianne

finally something new to post about

I have been so very neglectful to my blog.  School is getting better, five weeks to go in this first semester, one more semester to go! Some days, I haven't even gotten 5 minutes of sewing time in!  But, I am spending tomorrow doing some reorganizing and cleaning of the sewing room (aka the living room), and hopefully make it more friendly for me to actually sew in.  Oh, and I am getting myself an Accuquilt Baby Go cutter to help things along by maybe getting some of these scraps under control.  They have a great special going on right now, where you get some mats and the value die free if you buy the cutter too. Special goes on until October 2nd.  I can't wait to get it!  I will be posting about that, for sure.
So, this is what I finished about a week ago. 

I love this quilt, it was so much fun.  I think I did a tutorial on it somewhere a few posts back.  My memory gets a wee bit fuzzy sometimes :).  This quilt used a good amount of scraps, so it was great to make. 

This is a picture of the quilting.  You can tell I haven't had time to trim it.  It'll join the stack that are waiting trimming and binding.  I really am a procrastinator in that aspect.  I have one quilt I zig-zagged the edges, and have been using it that way for a couple of years! :)

Picture of the back.  Use up those scraps baby!  Very few of my quilts have just one fabric for the backing.  I like to use up as much as I can so I can buy more!  ( is it sad that I can't wait to finish school so I can have a full-time job to pay for more fabric? ) LOL. 

Hopefully, it won't be so long before my next post.  I am thinking about maybe doing a weekly post doing a quilt along type thing, with simple blocks and instructions once a week.  Whatdayathink?

Happy quilting,
Marianne

new update

I have been so busy lately with school, work and kids, but I have been doing a little bit of quilting.  Not a lot, but some. First though, this is what I have been studying:

I am studying for Medical Assistant.  I am going to be getting my basic x-ray license, phlebotomy, medical coding and billing, and certified medical assistant.  With all the training I have had, and am getting, hopefully a career will begin. It's just a lot of studying, and trying to keep up.  I have been stressing so much though about it all, that it's beginning to show.  I really need to get some more quilting in, because that's what calms me the most!  LOL. 
I have been doing some hand stitching, something I haven't done in quite some time, due to a mild case of carpal tunnel, but a few minutes here and there have been just fine.  Here is the first block:

The stack next to it is the others waiting their turn.  I think it'll be a while, it's a slow project. I think I'll put them into small quilt when they get done, maybe in 30's prints. 
Then, here is the next quilt on the frame. 

the backing.  I used 10 inch squares, ala Bonnie Hunter.  I love using up fabric!

poly batting

Here is the top.  It's a variation of the Drunkard's Path, and I love the colors.  Lots of scraps.  Again, I love using scraps!

And, last, but not least, the Quilt.  I put the binding on it using the same red as the flowers, I then  washed it in hot water twice to wrinkle the batting and to wash out the blue marker and dissolve the water soluble thread.  I will say it again, I love this quilt!

the full view.

close up of the feathered wreath.

the back. 

Mr Hiro, who has to get into the action.  5 months old now, and into the toddler stage.  Help! At least he won't be there for long!

Anyway, I had better go, gotta finish an online test and an online assignment for class tomorrow.  I hope everyone has a happy Labor Day!
Oh, and thank you to everyone who commented on the quilt, I love it when people leave messages. 
I love the feedback.
Happy quilting everyone, Marianne

It's done, doing a happy dance!

So, the wedding quilt is finally, finally done!  You can't see it, but I am doing a dance!  It turned out better than I thought:

I love how the trapunto of the hearts show so well.  I still have to trim it, and bind it in the red of the flowers.  Oh, I am just so happy I got this thing done in time for the wedding!  It's a record!  I wonder how long it'll take me to get it bound...
Now, I have to figure out which top to quilt next: I have a floral applique, string pieced...
Happy quilting, Marianne