PIECING AND QUILTING IN FLORIDA

Piecing and quilting is fun for me, so don't think I am working on my vacation! I finally finished the hand quilting on this charm quilt. It's not real big - about 40 x 40 (guesstimate). Now I have started quilting the matching table runner. I'm also quilting it in the fan pattern, but I'm doing it much closer together and it is "free motion" by hand. I'm not drawing any lines.

Here's the back view.
I also pieced 102 of these scrappy 5 1/2" blocks.
Today I made a bunch of flying geese which will be used to make sawtooth stars for a small doll quilt. Tomorrow, we're going to my cousin's for a few days. I don't know if I'll have internet access or not there, so bye for now!

VISITING ABIGAIL (AND FAMILY)!!

I got a lot of cuddles in with Abigail over the last week. We had a wonderful time visiting with DS, DIL and Abigail! She is one year old now and is walking and starting to talk! Such a fun age!! What a little sweetheart! Wouldn't you know that we went to Florida during the record low temps of below freezing just about every night we were there! The last few days were pretty nice during the day, however.

One day we went to Foley, AL and had fun at the playground in the Tanger Outlet mall.
Mommy, Daddy & Abigail
We also ate lunch at Lambert's Cafe, where they throw the rolls at you. They feed you REALLY WELL at this place!!
Grandpa & I left Pensacola on Friday and drove to Tallahassee, FL. Today we went to Pebble Hill Plantation. It rained all day, so I didn't get very good pictures. Also we couldn't take pictures inside the house we toured. It was a wonderful tour and we really enjoyed it.
I set up my Featherweight in the motel room and got in about 2 hours of sewing today! I have been missing it! I'll try to get a better picture tomorrow of some of the sewing I did.
I also was able to stop at a Bernina shop and get some fabric! Tomorrow we leave to visit my cousin in Fort Pierce.

A TRIP TO FLORIDA

I was trying to decide what to take for hand work on our trip to Florida and decided on this table runner that I hand pieced. I'm going to hand quilt with the fan pattern using 1/2" intervals. I love these fabrics. I'll be using the beige thread for this one instead of the brown thread I used below.

I am hand quilting this larger one which is going to be a wall hanging with the fan pattern and I'm almost finished.

The backing is some fabric that I got on sale and it's an 1861 reproduction. I'm using the same backing on both quilts. They are also both charm quilts.

I'll try to keep up with blogs, but don't know if I'll be able to post while we're gone.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

We spent Christmas with DS#3 and his family (Jonah pictured below licking a spatula) and DS#1 and family (they came from Oregon and we all went to Arkansas). We had a great family time with them and 3 of our grandchildren!

While there, we went to the Air Force Base and took a tour of the radio tower. Unfortunately, the elevator wasn't working, so we had to walk up about 9 flights! That is a lot for an "older" person! But I survived. Hee Hee!!

Lori at Humble Quilts is having a "quilt along" to make a replica of an antique doll quilt. I decided to join in and went to get some cheddar fabric needed, along with some other fabrics that I might use for the doll quilt (or something else).

The quilt shop also had a scrap bin, so I selected a bunch of them for $2 (for filling a plastic bag). Most of these might be able to be used in the doll quilt also.

Thanks for all your comments! I haven't been able to respond to all of them. For some reason, my email wasn't going out while we were using the lap top on our trip. I hope we get it figured out because we're leaving for Florida Thursday for a 2-3 week trip. I love being retired!!!!

CHRISTMAS QUILT, ORNAMENTS AND GIFT

I finished Bonnie Hunter's Christmas Lights mystery quilt before Christmas! It was published in 3 different issues of Quiltmaker and I had never done a mystery quilt before. I was able to use mostly fabric from my stash, including a lot of scraps.

When I finished the top I didn't know if I had any fabric to use for the backing and then I remembered some fabric I had bought at a garage sale in Oregon - it was perfect!
Since Christmas is over, I'm now able to show some things I made for Christmas too - some I made way back in January, like these pillowcases.
This quilt was a gift for the judge I worked with before I retired.
I made a bunch of these ornaments last January (I did most of the stitching while DH was in the hospital). It was great to have them finished early - I've never been that early before! Hee Hee!
The pattern was from Abyquilt

I received this darling dish towel before Christmas from Carolyn (no blog) of Lee Prairie Designs in Des Moines, IA. She had several of her patterns published in the premier issue of "Make-Ability" which is available now. Isn't it sweet?
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with your families! We are still visiting with ours!

GUILD CHRISTMAS MEETING

Last week was my quilters guild Christmas pot luck at our president's lovely home. In her entry way, she has a treadle sewing machine decorated for Christmas.

She also has a doll collection.
This penny rug came from a silent auction in Midlothian, TX. I love it!
I love her doll trunk with the clothes. There's even a tiny hanky in the trunk. When I was a girl I really wanted one of these trunks.
Another doll can play the piano!
This is the center medallion of our guild's raffle quilt for next year. Isn't it gorgeous!!
Our vice president made this quilt for her granddaughter.
I received the yo-yo Christmas tree in the ornament exchange.
A merry time was had by all! Merry Christmas to all of you!

RETIREMENT BEGINS

I still can't believe it! Friday was my last day at work! I'm officially retired!!!!!!! On my last day I had a picture taken of the judge and me in the courtroom where we spent so much time. We worked together for over 11 years and I couldn't have had a better boss. It was a wonderful career for me and I am very appreciative of the opportunity that I had to work in the Federal Court.

The judge has a career law clerk who I have enjoyed worked with also and she is holding up the quilt I gave her as a going away gift.

Among the gifts I received from some of my friends are this beautiful shawl,

...and this gorgeous necklace. I also received two travel books to provide information as we hopefully do some traveling around this great country of ours!
The Court's holiday luncheon was held with prizes given for food that people provided. I won 2nd prize in the salad contest and received the mug, which will be a special momento from my time in the Court.

I will miss everyone, but now I am FREE!!!!!!!!!!!

CHRISTMAS HOME TOUR

Today, DH & I went on a home tour in a nearby town. I love seeing old homes. This first one was built in 1902.

They had singers singing Christmas carols.
This next house was built in 1900 and has been furnished with period antiques. Beautiful lamps with glass shades and stained glass windows are features along with 3 beautiful mantles.

Everything was decked out for Christmas.

I just can't get enough of visiting old homes. I love to see them decorated like they were when they were built.

RETIREMENT PARTY!!

I was given a retirement party at work on Thursday - 2 weeks before the actual retirement day - because of Christmas and work related conflicts. The party was wonderful!!! I really was amazed and very happy with all the people who came to the party. When I went into the room, the biggest surprise was that my GS Jonah was there with my DIL!! My son wasn't able to make it and the other 2 sons live very far away. Jonah was the hit of the party!!
I received the gorgeous roses, a shirt (below) and, of course, a retirement plaque.


Also, this sweet figurine from the U. S. Probation Office (I worked there for a couple years also). It made me feel so grateful to have so many people come to the party, including some federal judges!!

Here's my finished candy cane basket.
Jonah seemed to like the barn toy that we dug out of the closet. Since I didn't know they were coming, I hadn't gotten the house prepared for company at all. DH knew that if he cleaned the house I would have suspected something.
Jonah cuddling with grandpa. He is such a sweetie!