My new baby, her name is Bobbie

Welcome home baby girl!  I have been MIA for the past couple of weeks because of her.  She needs a lot of attention right now (haha).  She is the Bernina 550 QE (quilter's edition).  She was the demo model at one of the local quilt shops and so I got a bit of a deal on her.  I have several quilts that are just flimsy tops right now but need to be made into quilts.  This baby has a stitch regulator foot that slows down and speeds up as it senses how fast the fabric is being moved.  So far I have had no skipped stitches or "toe grabbers".  The only thing I wish maybe I had was an embroidery unit, but for the price I couldn't pass her up.

Celebration quilt for Hope.

Quilting detail on the back (Izzie thinks its for her)

I finished up a quilt that was half done when my cheapo machine broke in November and now I am half done with baby quilt for cousin Jessica's baby girl.  It's not a very girly quilt, but I hope she will like it any ways.  Lots of bright colors and contrasting black and white to keep her visually stimulated.

As for the weather in these parts, hot, hot, hot.  I have been at the pool with #3 son quite a bit this past week.  I realize when in a swimsuit just how out of shape I have gotten.  I have decided to start weight watchers.  Not a good weekend with the holiday and #1 son's 18th birthday, but no time like the present, right?  I have paid for 3 months of the on line version (with a discount of course).  After that I will probably not pay any more for the tracker.  It is very similar to a free app called Lose It and I find the Lose It app to be more user friendly-and free.  Weigh in day is Friday.  My first goal is a 5% loss.

Here's to summer! Stay cool.

Another book to add to the done list

"The fourth book in the popular Elm Creek Quilts series explores a question that has long captured the imagination of quilters and historians alike: Did stationmasters of the Underground Railroad use quilts to signal to fugitive slaves? In THE RUNAWAY QUILT, Jennifer Chiaverini revisits the legends of Elm Creek Manor as Sylvia Compson discovers evidence of her ancestors' courageous involvement in the Underground Railroad." from http://elmcreek.net/books

I really enjoy historical type fiction books.  I think it makes me feel I am at least learning a little something and not just wasting time. It took me a while to find this one of the series, I finally found it in the large print section of the library. It is hard for me to pay lots of money for something that will last me less than a week.  Now I can get back to reading the series in the proper order :0) Happy reading!

I Am A Bag Lady

I love bags of all shapes and sizes.  They all serve a different purpose and one must have the right bag for the job.  I have an extreme dislike for plastic grocery sacks.  I am the one with a grocery cart full of food with my own sacks.  I do try to organize everything on the conveyor belt so the checkout person and baggers have an easier time of it.  I am not ignorant of the fact that the person behind me in line with a few items is probably cursing me under their breath, but what can I say, I am doing my part for the environment.  Every little bit helps right?

Insulated Lunch Tote

I have made a couple of cute bags to carry things in.  The first is a lunch bag.  It was on my list of projects for the year.  I actually purchased the materials before we ever moved, so back in November-ish.  Had I known how quickly it would go together I would not have waited.  It has a thermal lining between the outer and inner layer and also a vinyl liner that is removable for easy cleanup.  The pattern is from the book Lunch Bags!  It is a collective book and so every bag has a different designer.  This one is made by Rebecca and Karen Garcia and is called insulated lunch tote.  The finished size is 9 x 9 x 4 inches. I bought enough material to make two and so I will make another for a neighbor. 

Quick Sew fat-quarter bag

My second bag was also super quick and easy.  I found it on line through a blog (I think).  It is a free pattern from  www.kiwiquilts.co.nz .  It is big enough to hold a couple of books from the library or a few things on a quick trip to the store.  (I despise going to the store, and so try to limit my trips to once a week).  It is not lined and so folds up to fit in a purse so it is always at hand.  They would make great little bags to stuff with gifts instead of wasting paper and tape.  A fat quarter is still cheaper than a roll of wrapping paper and tape, right? and much more fun. 

Around the house we have gotten some veggies planted in the raised bed that Jackson built and they are doing nicely.  My outside "project" now is fighting the weeds in the yard.  I am being obstinate about not using chemicals and so am spending HOURS pulling weeds.  Today I spent 2 hours pulling weeds and filled up a whole bucket and only got a small fraction of the yard cleared.  I figure if I tackle a little every day eventually it will be done.... or time to start over, HA :0) .   

I do have a new tool in my arsenal for that.  It is called a Hound Dog.  It is the most amazing weed pulling tool ever.  I give it 10 out of 5 stars! Check it out if you have weeds to deal with.  I bought mine at Home Depot.  Lowe's here doesn't carry it.  Worth every penny of the $25 I spent.  Mine is slightly different in the handle. 

http://www.hound-dog.com/products/detail.aspx?ProductId=1392&LineId=171