My newest friend...

 

 This is my newest toy. The Husqvarna Opal 670. I've never had a computerized type of machine and it is soooooo much fun.

And, as I was recently bitten by the quilting bug, I also got a walking foot. Yay! That quilt I was working on for my sil went through this like butter. No strain at all!

And speaking of the quilt, here is the finished product.

 I also played with the fonts, and added her name and all the first initials of the family here.

I got a bit hurried here, and it shows, but I absolutely had to get this mailed off today. As it is, with the holiday, it won't arrive there before Wednesday. Still...it feels so good to be completed. 

 Here is a closeup of the binding. Funny I didn't take a photo of the back of the quilt.

 So that is one gift complete, and I sure had lots of fun making this lap quilt. Much love and prayer went into the making of this little quilt. I sure hope she feels even just a smidgen of it each time she puts this quilt on her lap.

Now that this is done, I have begun working in earnest on my pincushion(s) for the upcoming blog hop. Nope, no peaking :-)  Unless things change, my date to show is September 13th, so it really isn't far away.

Pilgrim's Progress & Project 119 Update

I have to admit to being stuck at the halfway mark in this book. I have not read any further in it since my last update. I will finish it but, I'm honestly just not sure when I will pick it up again. I was once a voracious reader, these days I seem to prefer blogging entertainment. I used to get a new book and if it were really good, I would stay up all night and read it through to the end...into the next day even if it were that long. But, those days are gone...they ended 10 years ago when my son was in kindergarten. Plus, I like more variety in my reading these days. I like to start several books simultaneously and switch back and forth as the desire hits me. Not sure whether this is a good thing LOL.

Thanks Elyssa for the challenge, sorry I just wasn't up to completing in in the time allotted.

*******************************************************

I'm just not committed to this project. I'm still on the second verse even. This saddens me, but I think it just goes to show that this particular project is just not for me. I originally thought this was a really cool idea, and that the challenge aspect would lend me a sense of accountability...this has just not been the case. Don't get me wrong, I still want/need to memorize verse, just not this Psalm in its entirety at this point in my life.

FNSI August 16

Edited Aug. 27/13: Random Generator selected Kelliott as FNSI winner of this lovely prize. Congratulations!

Oooh boy, am I in the dog house this week. I did some sewing almost every day except Friday night :)
I never did finish the lap quilt for my sil before her vacation ended. I learned a valuable lesson this week, you cannot sew a medium loft quilt with a regular presser foot...at least not and have stitches that resemble more than pinpricks. So I began the search for a walker foot. I have a simple sewing machine, a Babylock BL3500. I love my machine but accessories are seemingly not so simple to come by. I called my local Babylock dealer and they don't have in stock. Waiting a few days to hear back from them, I learned that I need to know what type of shank I have...googling led me to believe I have a low shank machine, so I will call the store later today and see if they can order me one. Phew!!!! I sure hope so because I so want to learn to quilt!!

So here is the sewing I have worked on this week...

 I moved the pins in the quilt from the corners of the blocks to the centers.

 Tied every second block corner using six-stranded embroidery thread. U.n.b.e.l.e.i.v.a.b.l.y hard to push the needle through. I was ever so grateful that I am only making a lap quilt.

 Trimmed my batting to fit, and then trimmed my backing fabric down to one inch.

 In an effort to make things easier, I am self binding with the backing fabric, but I will have to do this part by hand since I still don't have a walking foot, nor do I really want to wait too long to complete this project.

Now, on Thursday evening (technically Friday if you live in Australia lol) I worked on a top secret pin cushion project. I will be part of the

So this is as much as I dare to show here. Originality is not my strong suit so when I do manage to come up with an idea as much as I would love to share it...I have to keep it all hush hush.

 On Sunday I went shopping for sewing stuff. Believe it or not, I spent 2 and 1/2 hours in one store. Wow! I took the time to look at EveryThing! I bought some fusible, wash away embroidery stabilizer. Some pellon wonder under, pellon craft stabiliser. Quilting marking pencils, crewel needles, and some adorable pins with butterfly heads. Not that I needed the pins right now, but they were just so cute!

 The buttons, rings, clips, zippers, ribbon and trims are for a fidget apron I am planning to make for my mom who has Alzheimers and really loves to fidget with everything.

 Then I also bought lots of fabric. Natural Kona cotton, gingham black as well as marine, dishtowel fabric for Christmas gifts, flannel gingham in blue and green to make bootied pyjamas for my mom`s "baby" doll. The blue and yellow fabric in the foreground is what I will use for the fidget apron. The chick and rooster fabrics will likely become towel toppers for my kitchen. Oh, and in the back is some beautiful purple corduroy and a purple and blue "splotchy" fabric I think will end up as something in my mom's room.

Spent lots of money and had a great time. Then I came home and divided up the fabric into various ziplock baggies with the printed instructions and pattern pieces. So this week I will be getting down and busy.

I was too tired to do any sewing last night. I've been having trouble with my allergies this year. I'm taking pills, but on a day like yesterday when the pollen count is so high, I sneezed, sniffled, blew my nose and grumbled my way through the day. Today my ribs feel tender and achy front and back, but I feel better over all. At least I am not trying to rub my face off lol.

So, please excuse me for not really producing during this month's FNSI...but I will be back to try again next month! Now, I'm going to go hop around and see what is happening with everyone who signed up.

Thanks Wendy for hosting FNSI and Anthea for donating the lovely prize (scroll down to see). Good luck and good health Wendy in your retirement.

FNSI

Wow, can you believe Friday Night sew-in is almost upon us already?! What project should I work on...hmmm...I'll have to give it some thought.

Sign up with Wendy at Sugarlane Quilts.

A bit of sewing...

 Front side

 reverse side

Ta da...a cord keeper and a purse sized tissue keeper. Hmmm possible Christmas gifts.

FNWF - August

Had a great time Cheryl..

 Actually began Thursday evening because I just could not wait :) but did not take any photos as it was too dark. I am making a high loft lap quilt for my sil...Using 4 inch squares, I pieced them all together Thursday evening 9 squares x 9 rows, and then Friday morning I was up at 4:30 a.m. busy sewing the strips together.

 This is my first time ever attempting any kind of quilt past the draft on paper stage so I've made a few booboos along the way and had to rip several seams and start over.

 Phew...got all my strips put together and trying it on my lap for size.

 Liking how it drapes my computer chair. I am amazed at how simple squares sewn together can look so awesome.

The plan is to handstitch a few words. So I have a bunch here, working on placement.

 Decided to go with only 5 words...had four white squares completed Friday, but not the fifth one on the red square...not enough light.

 Completed this one this afternoon only because I was out all day with the granddaughter (4 yrs. old)...shopping of course. Oops...totally need to edit this post and add that the embroidery designs come from Jenny of Elephantz. "Trust, Faith, Pray, and Love" are freebies available on her craftsy.com pattern shop. "Believe" came from the August issue of Elephantz HOME available as an instant download from her craftsy shop also. **Thank you Jenny for your awesome inspiration!**

"

 And this will be the backing fabric for my lap quilt. I still need to buy the high-loft batting. I've begun marking with safety pins the staggered pattern where I will add my ties to make this a tied quilt. Not sure if I will use bows or what...will decide when I get there :)

Excited with how this project is progressing and that I had a very productive FNWF...see you all next month.

Thanks for the visit...now pop through here to see what the others have been up to :)

xox