Kate

Thank you again,

Odessa

Vicky~

I have to say, though, I love your center and can't wait to get my hands on it! I have just the perfect fabrics already. My boss would like something like that in his house; he's a big hunter/fisherman. He and a friend went to a dinner and bid on an African Safari trip and won it, so they have 3 years to schedule it. I told him if he bagged an elephant, he could have it stuffed and put it on the front lawn. Now THAT would make a big statement!

And Michelle's Carpenter's Wheel is going to be exciting to work on, too. I have been accumulating snowflake fabrics lately so that I could use them in something and now I know why! I also have some beautiful "winter greens" with chickadees and cardinals on them that may work well also. We shall see.

Kate's beautiful butterfly is so lovely; I cannot wait until it arrives next month. It should be here right about the time the weather is so drab (dead leaves, drippy/rainy, and no snow yet) and will be a breath of springtime.

I just received Marie's block in the mail yesterday and have selected some fabrics to go with it. I am formulating a plan for how to put my round on it, which may involve some Paper Piecing. [PLEASE NOTE: If anyone does use this technique, do not remove the papers until later. I have discovered that if you take them out before you put on the next border, you end up with a wavy mess that you may not be able to control, although I will do my best to keep grainlines as close to "true" as I can.] Now, if only I can figure out exactly where to put the ballerinas on the border I will work on ........ [snicker, snicker, hehehehehe....]

Ladies, this is going to be such fun! Let's keep each other updated as we work. I am looking forward to seeing all of your work as they arrive!

Odessa

Your center has arrived!!! It is more beautiful in real life and I hope I can do it justice!

Vicky~

Kate, I know what you mean! I had to buy fabrics online to make sure that I had ample selection in my stash to start with when they all arrive.

bozogardner, keep watching! there will be periodic updates. And maybe when we're done we'll start another and you can join in!

Odessa

oh yes Kate could you please put a piece of muslin in for my, thank you so much. I'm such a bonehead sometimes.

michelle

Michelle,
Your Christmas/Winter block is so pretty! From the picture I didn't realize there were some gold highlights. In person, it's even more charming than the photo shows.

Kate
(I have a feeling everyone else will get tired of us gushing over one another's blocks, but they'll just have to put up with it. LOL I can't recall the last time quilting was quite this much pure fun! I think it's the surprise factor that makes it such a hoot.)

I recieved Kate's block and I am sorry that I haven't had time to post that. My sister was here and she fell in love with it tonight when I opened the package. She wanted to know when I was going to have time to finish it into a quilt for her - she thought it was a late birthday block.

I brought my daughter home today after a week in the hospital. She is on 6 different pain med's and we are hoping that the problems will work their way out of her system, although I don't have much faith in that happening. She has a virus that settled in her appendix and as it is rare here in the US, they didn't really know how to treat it. It has infected her liver and lymphnoid, also. The only treatment available was steroids and they cause cancer in 1 out of every 1000. Not an option with the high risk in our family! We have no idea how she even came in contact with it and none of her friends are sick - keeping our fingers crossed and that she will recover soon. We have an appointment on Tuesday and if nothing has changed I will take her to the Children's Hospital on Wednesday.

I have 4 home bound days, so I should be able to get the border on and sent out before I either go back to work or go to see if they can find out how to make my baby better.

Hope everyone enjoys their weekend!
Marie

Vicky~

At the quilt show yesterday I took dozens of pictures of borders! Found some wonderful ideas!

Kate

Vicky, fear not! It's fall! Anything "fall" will go with it!

I'll be thinking of each of you as I wander up and down the aisles, feeling the fabrics, and imagining what I can use them to do to your quilts .... hmmmmm ........ now I know I've already used ballerinas on Marie's ...... I think perhaps Kate's may well need some robots ..... Vicky's surely will look tons better with bugs, and Michelle's center ......... well, I have something VERY special in mind for her .....

............ sure do hope I can find all of those in those great neon colors while I'm gone ..........

Have fun while I'm gone, ladies. Miss me lots!

Odessa

Robots! yea! I love robots!!!

I know I'm sending it early but you said you were pressed for time lately so I thought it might help to have a little extra time to work on this one.

Kate

well kate since you said you are done with mine and are sending it off I will send you vicky's becouse I just finnished it this morning, I wrote a page in the journal and signed the fabric for the back, I rilly hope I did ok, I had not realazed the preshure of working on someone elces project. anyway kate I will get in he mail tomarrow.
michelle
ps my son jeremy was laughing for a long time at the hopping bunnies

I can't wait to see pictures of the finished quilts.

Lola

Vicky~

Vicky

Joyce, I hope you like the hot pink balloon fabric I added to the edge, I thought that would just set off the fall colors to a tee.

Vicky~

I did finally find the one fabric I have been needing to complete my design for Marie's center. I will be starting on it Monday (I think). We have to aget home tomorrow, and unpack, laundry, etc., etc., etc.....

I'm surely happy that you are all having as much fun with this little project as I am!

Now, where did I put that flourescent purple & green stripe I bought to finish Marie's??????

Odessa

I agree with Micyrey - I can't believe how stressed I am adding to someone elses piece! I bet I changed my mind over a dozen times - colors, design, are the stitches okay,take them apart & redo, is it enough, it is to much, hope she likes my idea OH PLEASE let her be happy with it.... I even took it into my local quilt shop to see what they thought! My daughter thinks I have gone crazy but IT IS HARD! I can't wait to see the others but I feel the butterflys building just thinking about the next one. LOL but I can't wait to get my hands on it, I found some more Christmasy fabric that I want to use!

Megin is still pretty sick and in alot of pain. I took her to a different doctor in Colorado just for a 2nd opinion. What a waste of time that was! Everyone told me that it was the place to go - they never even took her vitals! As the last Doctor wouldn't give us a referal - I took her to emergency. This is a HUGE hospital and yes they were busy, but we were in and out in 65 minutes! I was very disappointed in them and will not be able to recommend them to anyone. They ask us what was wrong and told me they couldn't do anything for her, sad group of professionals. Enough of that... I took her back to my doctor (what a great person!) She said that she was going to treat her as her own, re-ran all the tests again, getting different results from the week before at the other hospital. She is having us wait a week and will do them again to see what changes there are, if any. She also spoke to an out of town Doctor to see if he is willing to help. There are alot of things that do not show up on CT's, ultra sounds and those sort of tests. On Wednesday we go see her again and they will make a decission then. They are leaning towards exploritory surgery - they will biopsy her liver, spleen, other infected organs and remove her appendix for testing also. Megin can't go to school for atleast a month more and the school she goes to is being SUPER good about it! I have to go in today with more of her homework and meet with a tutor that will be coming to our house to help 3 times a week :) I can help her with math, science and a few others but it has been 25 years since I was in HS - can't believe how much I have forgot. TO ALL YOU HOME SCHOOL MOMS - Wow, you are AWSOME! It is a full time job just getting her to sit still long enough without falling asleep to pick up a book. haha

Odessa - sounds like you enjoyed yourself on you mini vacation! ----flourescent purple & green stripe ----- Love it! I did a craft show a couple of years ago with my sister and took several of my first attempts at quilting with me. One of them was purple (my favorite color) and forest green, it was the first to sell! I will be sending Kates out to you today or tomorrow - just depends what day I get to the PO.

Happy week to all!
Marie

Tonight I will have some time because daughter won't be home until after 9:00, at which time I need to take her measurements for her costume for the Fall Follies on 10/11 - rehearsal is Saturday, I guess, and I will need her Nun's Habit by then. Thank goodness I have the fabrics, but they need to be washed, too. So happy to have washer/dryer at home!

I need to get the backgrounds cut for a 12-block fall swap so I can sew them (probably tomorrow), get rolling on my Oct. block lotto blocks, AND start thinking about how to set the Sept. lotto blocks that I won. And then there's the Secret Santa stuff I have committed myself to, a fall box swap that I just have to put together now for mailing, and I am sure I am missing something else, not to mention the 2 UFO's/WIP's I wanted done by Xmas.

Wow! I'm exhausted just thinking about all I have to do! So much for relaxing on my vacation!

Take it easy, girls, as I may be scarce for the next little while .....

I'll miss you lots, so think of me often and please send chocolate!

Odessa

Kate

Odessa

Kate,
love the little monkey - to cute :)

Marie

Marie, I have FINALLY drafted the pattern for those flourescent greens and purples. Sorry that it took me so long, but as you know I spent 4 days playing "wife" with my husband. He was pretty good-natured, though, as we spent time in at least 3 fabric stores on our trip and he didn't complain once. Now I just have to get out the scissors and hack away at the materials so I can finish it and send it off to Vicky so she has something to keep her occupied for the next few weeks. You won't mind if it isn't particularly square when I'm done, will you??? [wink, wink]

I cannot believe how quickly you all are getting your rounds completed! I must be the only one with too many things to do. Yesterday after work I met up with the spouse and the youngest daughter to watch her Senior pictures being taken. I think they will come out very lovely (so, yes, they will look NOTHING like my kid, but that's okay with me!). Then we stopped at KFC and took a bucket of chicken to the oldest daughter's house and had supper with her and the 2 grandsons. What treasures they are to us. Poor middle child was feeling left out, though, 'cuz she came to our house to do some laundry and no one was home so she called up and pouted that no one was there to talk to! So we hurried home and gave her some attention, too.

Now, tonight I have to cut out the youngest's nun's costume for Saturday dress rehearsal, start working on Marie's round and hopefully finish cutting the backgrounds for some other blocks that need to go out by Monday. Hope I can get it all done ....

Odessa

Ha!

Well I went home for lunch and had a squishie AND a firmie ... the firmie was an order I had placed with Quilter's Quarters (they're going out of business :(, but check out the price on FQ's -- $0.88 each! www.quiltersquarters.com). Pleased with that one.

The squishie was from Marie and included chocolate (thanks so much -- I will use it for energy when mine is low), AND Kate's glorious butterfly block center with one round added. Wow, Marie, your color choice was perfect with this one .... those navy blue squiggles and orange and lime green worms really tell the story of the butterfly from its beginning, don't they?

Now, if only I can dig up that fabric I bought once upon a time with the orange and brown octopus on it ... those tentacles in a stacked brick design, layered with the robots I bought in silver and lime green pattern will just add to the visual excitement....

But I must finish Marie's green & purple stripes to set off the pink and yellow ballerinas and toe shoes ....

Oh, the mind reels with excitement!

Have a great afternoon one and all!

Odessa

I believe that Michelles center is at the PO but as I went yesterday and they were closed it will be a couple days till I get back to town ;(

I brought Megin home on Sunday - she had surgery on Thursday. Not sure if what was wrong is fixed as the pain from the 3 incission are about more than she can handle but we should know in a few more days (keeping our fingers & toes crossed hehehe) She has an appointment on Friday with our family Doctor, the results from the biopsy's should be back by then and if all is well, I should be able to go back to work if they have a posision open for me - I HOPE!!

We have had over 12 inches of snow in the last couple of days although most of it melted today. Sure makes for some nice quilting weather :)
Enjoy you week everyone!
Marie

We may be getting snow tomorrow; it's in the forecast. This is NOT my favorite thing! Maria in the Sound of Music is a fool when she sings about "snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes"! (And middle child played that role as a senior in High School and was fabulous!) But you are right when you say that snow on the ground does make for some nice quilting weather.

As an update, my round is coming along well and I believe I should be done and ready to mail out by Monday. Sure do hope you enjoy the flourescent colors!

Kate, I'm looking forward to tackling yours next!

Odessa

one an up note I have the pirate ships done for odessa's quilt and the yellow and blue parots look great. I will get it the mail today or tomarrow, so look out kate.

I'll try to work on some of my christmas gift quilts in between borders, I have the tops finnished for my mother in laws, a mini contrary wife, my sister(cindy) a mini star pattern from the lotto a few months ago. she rilly likes star wars so I used space and plantes fabric with a wt/wt for the stars, it looks rilly cool. and the old jeans pocket quilts for the boys(Timmy 7, and jeremy 3) timmy gets pockets and space fabric and jeremy gets pockets and Cars fabric. I just need to assemble them all and quilt. and find out what my sister deanna wants, I have not heared back on what colors she wants.

well time to get the boys ready for school
see ya all later
michelle

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's beautiful work all completed!

Odessa

p.s. just a thought: wouldn't it be just hilarious if all these great hints we're leaving were not just hints, but the actual things we're doing to each other's pieces??? (giggle, giggle, giggle ...... )

It would be kind of fun and what a conversation starter with first time guests 'Priceless' LOL

I couldn't wait and made a quick trip to the PO today :) Wow -what a great center this is Michelle! You are going to love the round that Kate put on. I hope I can do justice to the next round...

This is what I put together as a top to a lap quilt for my son's girlfriend Christmas - she LOVE's Kokopellis!

It will have a burgandy backing (I think) and purple binding.

Something I find humorous -

I took this the day after her surgery - Yes, she is asleep and still got a grip on her phone, just in case she get's a text... (shaking my head in disbelief)

Now I need to get busy on Michelle's so that when Vicky's gets here I can get them to Odessa - wouldn't want her to have any down time hehehe

Marie

I'm thinking it's a very good thing that hubby likes to cook and doesn't complain too much about my stash being all over the house. Sleep, it's an over-rated commodity, I think!

On a less rant-y note, I did go to my LQS last night after work and have selected yet another fabric to go with your center ... it really needed just the right "zing" to make my round all come together, and I simply did not have any in my stash that would do it justice .... so I hope you will be okay with my adding a circus print with colorful clowns to your center. I thought we'd take your bucking horse to the rodeo realm, is that okay with you?

Kate, I can't wait to start on yours next week!

Have a happy one, ladies!

Odessa

Kate

You just take your time with mine! lol I want PERFECTION!!! [GIGGLES....in the dark .... more giggles .... gee, I hope she know's I'm just kidding here!]

Actually, I'm happy to hear that at least someone is thinking they may have the same time constraints I am finding myself in. I plan to be finished with Marie's so that I can send it out to Vicky on Monday, I think. Then I can start with Kate's. I don't want to be known as the woman who started all of this and then held up the process at every opportunity. I think as you all see what I am doing on each of your quilts, you will be happy that I took my time.

That's not to say that I can't get the work out sooner. It's just that I want it to be RIGHT, and that takes time.

And, of course, I wait for the fabric to tell me what it wants and where it wants to go before I get rolling. The first thing I thought I would do on Marie's was a really great idea, but not for her quilt. When I drafted it, it really looked awful. (And that's not even adding any fabrics to it ... just the design was NOT working the way I was thinking it would!) So I HAD to start over.

When I saw Kate's in person, I knew right away what I will do ... but have to finish Marie's first, even though I know Kate's will take some time. After all, I plan to embellish the octopus tentacles (maybe with some glittery fabric paints) in the stacked bricks border, and I want to use a terrific musky-rose-colored pattern with pirrhana fish on it with a third brick of black with flourescent yellow graphics. I may do the yellow in a glow-in-the-dark fabric paint, too, but all those nights painting will definitely take time to dry.

Dono't worry, Michelle, I'm not forgetting you! I have already purchasedsome orange puffy paint to highlight the easter egg fabric I've got for yours. And if that doesn't work, I've also got bright kelly green shamrocks and red & pink hearts ... You didn't know you were making a year of holidays quilt, did you?????

Now, Vicky, I am thinking about yours quite a lot these days. Seems I've got a plan for everyone else's, but nothing for you. I have this really great print that's pink cabbage roses with blue cat faces in them all over ... a pretty awesome piece of materisl. I was trying to think of a way to use those and I was considering making some bear traps to applique on my round.

I hope that you're not afraid, though, because it will all be done very tastefully (with my chocolate-stained fingers!).

Well, I'm off to home to make DD's wrap for her homecoming dress, then freeze my butt off at the game. But only until halftime. Once that's done, I am out of there! My fireplace and a mug of hot chocolate await....

Have a great weekend all,

Odessa

I don't spend any time thinking what I'm going to do on anybodies until it gets to me, cause I'll change my mind ten time while it's here.

Vicky

I like to get a "jumpstart" on all the brain changes before I see the piece in person; gives me more time to work when they get here!

And how are the purses coming along? Will we all be getting a sample for the holidays? Gosh, I hope you get me for the Secret Santa swap ... I'm ready for one of your purses! (yeah, I just HAD to say it! ... giggles ... wink ... wink!)

Odessa

I took a couple hours off yesterday and went to Walmart, Joanne's and the Vac & Sew place. The lady in charge of crafts special ordered the fabric I needed to finish my son's Christmas quilt (2 years in the making, just cause I was lazy!) Then the fabric I wanted to use on Michelles' although very cute - didn't go with the rest of the colors at all :( so I hunted Joanne's for an hour and found some that is perfect :). The pattern I am useing for the blocks called for a 45 degree angle - okay I admit, when this comes up for stuff of mine, I just 'eye-ball' it and make it work. BUT I just couldn't make myself do it to someone else's piece. So I stopped at the Vac & Sew shop - Pa does vacumes and Ma does the sewing part LOL They showed me how to use one of the nifty rulers with degree's on it and I purchased it. Have no fear Michelle, or not to much! I will figure this out hehehehe Oh, also they are having a free help day for UFO's on the 28th that I think I will try to get to. When I was searching my stash for Christmasy fabric, I lost my mind and counted all the quilts that are started - 7 of them! From just started to needing the binding put on.... With this 10 hours of help - I am hoping to get at least a couple of them finished!

Then... last night I finished the top of my son's quilt YIPPY except that I made it 10 inches longer than planned cause it will fit a King or a Queen and then discovered I don't have enough flannel for the backing... Yep, 10 inches short GRRRRRR So now I have to decide if I want to shorten the quilt or just buy new backing :( When I can get my sister to come over, I will have her help hold it up for pictures.

Now, I am off to start the blocks for Michelle's :) Must finish it this weekend so that I can work on Vicki's come Monday.

Marie
OH, forgot to say: The doctor said that Meg is doing great, all results were in good standing and she can start going back to school on the 26th for 1/2 days!

Odessa

All I need to do is press it and put in the mail to you. Should be in the post office Wed. afternoon (technically today, but I've not been to bed yet, so if I miss the mailman, will you forgive me?), so you should have by Monday to start your creation.

Now, on to Kate's lovely butterfly center. Hmmmm..... got some new fabrics with teapots and cups on them, and some terrific "swimming pool" blue ... maybe I will ditch the octopus and reconsider what I will do .... Oh! I know! Can I find that material with the tanks on it???? I could aim the cannons toward the center to draw attention to that butterfly! Howitzers and butterflies ... yessssssss ... oh, it will be glorious!

Odessa

I thought that I had posted on Tuesday but.... I did recieved Vicky's center and I LOVE it!! Wow, Vicky, your applique stitches are lovely - wish I could get mine to look that nice.

The blocks I am working on for Michelle's are taking a little longer than I thought they would but I really like how they are turning out :) It is really worth the effort IMO.

Marie

Kate, I have finished preparing my border ideas for your center ... a quick trip to the LQS this afternoon for some new colors for it and I will be able to begin. Have to say, I've scrapped the octopus tentacles, the tanks and the neon in favor of mud brown, pumpkin orange and chrysalis green. Any thoughts on what I may be doing??????? (wink, wink, wink!)

Michelle, do you have any preference for what I should be thinking about putting on your center as I will get it next??? I was thinking perhaps Easter eggs and bunnies, but I just don't quite know yet ....

And Vicky, I haven't forgotten about your lovely deer applique center. I was bouncing off the walls last week with the idea that I could put some wonky cabins around it, but I am just not too sure ... I did see some snake fabric clearanced at my LQS, maybe that will work.....

Happy sewing one and all,

Odessa

Vicky~

as far as what I want on mine, just use your best quilters judgment, as it gets bigger you can make the borders a little simpler, it will take to long to make complex ones as it gets larger.

well I'm gonna go sort the stash

later
michelle

I had planned to do something else on it, but will not be adding that little piece as I don't want to freak Vicky out when she gets it. (let's just say that DD's science experiment of how to make fabric from animal entrails has been wildly successful; you'd never even know it, except for that formaldehyde smell that tends to linger just a bit ......)

Now, has anyone seen my eyeballs lying around? They must be here somewhere ..... I am currently blinded by the wildly psychedelic colors and designs that I added to this whimsical little butterfly, but I must persevere..... I believe Michelle's center is coming next, and I need my wits to decide whether it will be hearts, bunnies, Easter eggs, shamrocks, or turkeys that go on her center.

Then of course, it will be on to Vicky's. She's been awfully quiet here on the board, and I am afraid we may have frightened her to the point where she is not certain she even wants to make a comment ....

Fear not, Vicky, I promise not to do anything too wild or gross to your center; I just find it fun to tease Kate about hers. Now, do YOU have a preference for what you want to see on your quilt? Maybe I should dig out the jellybean fabric? Or how about some bowling pin fabrics? I know I have both of those......

Oh! I know! Those Black & White prints I won in the Sept. block lotto would be just AWESOME around your center!!!! Oh, but since I'm the last one on yours before you get it back, it would be too easy for you to remove them and do somethine else ..... rats! Phooey! Phooey! Phooey! All right, new game plan. Think, think, think ....

And for all you out there in "Lurkers-Land", can you see how much fun we are having with what we are doing? It is just a riot here in Round Robin Town. We do wish you'd all consider joining us!

Have a glorious week one and all!

Odessa

No coffee today; hubby didn't make it and I was too rushed. Glad to see you are doing the block lotto for Nov. I hope you win; it's great to find out that your name was pulled (speaking from experience!) LOL.

Must have been migraine day all over the place today; I had one, too, as did husband. But came home and had dinner. Worked on Kate's center anyway. Quilting always calms me down and makes life better.

Well, it's off to bed for me. Still have to work in the a.m.

The Divine Miss O

Please don't pout and be sad. He means well, honestly he does, but he really wants to keep it. Is that okay?

Odessa

Vicky

So back up on the closet door it went again, but I found fabrics to work with in the mean time. As I ruminated on what to do, it came to me one night, and I had to do some digging through my massive library of quilting magazines (another weakness) to find a pattern similar to what I ended up with. You know, I only have 1 mag that shows that particular sort of design, but it's not "quartered" like what I have on there, and it is different from what I did (same idea, different proportions). I just needed a reference point to work from and I am not an artist - can't draw anything but a cake with any accuracy.

So, back to the drawing board ... how will I make this work? How can I work it out? What do I have at my disposal to help me with this design? I felt like I was running out of time and holding up everyone else's work in the process.

As a cake decorator, I have at my disposal a vast variety of pans, plates, and boards in almost every size and shape imaginable. I went to those things because it would be easier (and more accurate as a starting point) than trying to draft from scratch, and I could potentially "make it work" as Tim Gunn says. A big plus for me.

A couple hours, some freezer paper, large sheets of graph paper, a couple erasers and some drafting pencils later, I had the beginnings of what you have in your hands.

Please don't be afraid. As you can see, I had some difficulty with what I was able to accomplish. It's not as perfect as I would have preferred. But if you can't tell from 15 feet away without searching for it specifically, no one else will know of your problems unless you are pointing them out.

Think about this: does it need a curve? Does it need a solid piece? Maybe something with lots of angles? Or maybe just a checkerboard of fabrics will do? Perhaps your choice of fabric is what will jar you into creativity. You have to determine what the piece is calling for next. And honestly, if someone sends mine back with just a simple one-fabric border that will be just fine with me ... it will give me an opportunity to do some awesome quilting designs or maybe some more applique ... that piece is not done talking to me yet, I'm sure!

So maybe bring back the black or the cream tones from the center ... maybe the brown. A simple one-fabric border with cornerstones might be good, but I can't determine what you're feeling about that piece, only you can make that call. Maybe the perfect single piece of fabric will not just whisper, but SING to you and voila! You will be ready to mail to Michelle.

The problem I am having is that I want to do my very best work on these centers, and yet be innovative and fun at the same time. I was working on Kate's last night and DH said that he thinks I should tell her "the dog ate my homework", or some variation thereof! He wants me to keep it and send something else in its place (Big smiles) I thought about it for about 2 seconds and told him NO, that would not be fair. [It's nice when they take an interest in my work, though, and I am happy to have the compliment, even if it means having to give up something I have come to cherish if only for a short while.]

Best of luck to you on your dilemma, Vicky. I know you will come up with just the right thing.

Odessa

p.s. if you think I'm tough to follow on Marie's center, wait until you see Kate's. Don't worry ... I'll do something equally as spectacular on Michelle's and yours in their turns. Wouldn't want you to be left out!

O

DH Jim is heading out tomorrow for Fargo ND to spend a week with his father who just had back surgery so I'll be on my own, with lots of time to sew. My plan is to finish Odessa's border - 3 sides are done so all I have left to finish is the leaping robotic trout portion on the 4th side. Then I'll clean up the sewing room and set aside the fabrics for Marie's border. I have given up planning borders until I see what others have put on, but I do have 3 gorgeous fabrics I'm eager to use on it.

When we started this I was positive we wouldn't be finished until late winter but the excitement of the project seems to have moved us along quicker than expected. Not sure if we'll be done by the end of the year but it's possible.

Kate

We are getting close to the end of this wonderful project and I was thinking about how we might want to handle that. Let's hold off on sending them back to the original quilter until we are all finished. Is that OK? Then we'll all receive them at about the same time.

Does that seem like a good idea?

Kate

"...leaping robotic trout ..." Oh, dear God, how I laughed when I read this! I am still giggling almost 10 minutes later (huge smiles)! I am seriously excited to see what you have all put on my piece.

I thought you were mighty silent this past week or so, and I am glad to see that all is well. I am working on your border and it is coming along nicely. I have been amazing myself on this one, which is probably why the spouse wants me to keep it. He says I should tell you the dog ate my homework, but I know that won't fly with you. So instead I am off to the fab store later today to get more fabrics to add. I found some with bowling pins and balls and am planning a little wideer "frame" (hahaha) of that. Tanks, balls, pins, .... yours is one fun project to work with.

I'm glad you mentioned the ending of this project. I have been considering that, too, and think it is a good idea to send the final mailing all on the same date. We should keep in touch to make sure everyone is finished first, then send on a specific date. I think it would be fun if we all opened them on the same day so we can have a "virtual party" of unwrapping our little packages. Maybe a good target date for opening will be January 3 ... a weekend day, so should not have too much trouble with work conflicts, and gives us time to complete stuff both for our holiday celebrations and our Round Robin centers. Plus, it will be like our own little holiday celebration.

Does anyone have difficulty with that date for opening? I'm thinking that if we can put the finished centers in the mail by Dec. 20, it will give the post office ample time to get them to each of us. Does anyone else have any thoughts on this?

I'm open to suggestion.....

Odessa

I have an idea for january, when we are all done with this project. a round robin for appliquet, we each pick a subject like ex: "butterfly garden" and put a few pieces on the background(around 24") then we pass it to the next person in line and they add a few pieces like some flowers or a butterfly, or a tree or something that goes with the theme. then off to the next one. I'll have to wait and see how things look in january.

well I'm off to take a rest
happy quilting
michelle

I'll think on it. It's nice to hear that others are thinking about what's next, too!

Odessa

Let's keep that new RR idea going though! We started this one in August and look how fast we've progressed!

Kate

This is NOT that difficult, but it seems that life is managing to get in my way! Our minister has just announced that she is retiring when she gets married in February, so naturally, I have decided we (the whole church, which is thankfully very small) will make her a signature quilt. I have selected a design that will allow for photos and signatures on it, and now have to get ready to get that rolling. I want all signatures by 11/29 so I can sew in Dec. and take to the longarmer in early Jan. (Yeah, I know, I'm a glutton for punishment!). Thankfully, my pattern is pretty simple.

Am also sewing Christmas banners for my church with a small group of women. We selected designs for 2 new banners last Thurs. This week we discuss how much fabric we need, etc. Maybe have to shop black Friday for supplies.

Add on Secret Santa, trying to gear up for 2 Birthday Block exchanges next year, the Baltimore Album BOM Kate and I are doing ... well, don't even get me started on daughter's Senior Year of High School (right, like THAT is important! lol)

So I am hoping that Sunday I get really energized in the afternoon and get the bulk of what is left to do on Kate's center done so I can send to Vicky. Don't want her to have NOTHING TO DO on Thanksgiving weekend!

TTFN (ta ta for now)

Odessa

Vicky

I'll be mailing it early next week!

Kate

Had to work on a wedding cake for tonight, so have not picked up your center in about 4 days. Thought I might get to it tonight, but have to cut strips and press a little freezer paper to the backs for signatures at church tomorrow for our minister's surprise autograph quilt. Perhaps tomorrow....I've got so much to do!

Perhaps tomorrow will be better ..... after I get my cake pans, plates, pillars, spatulas, mixing bowls, whisks, etc., etc., etc., washed ......

Odessa

I'm gonna work on layering and pinning my mini quilts for chrictmas gifts. I'm gonna try to work on the hand quilting wile I'm recovering from my surgery this friday.

I spent several hours yesterday sorting and ironing my scraps, I'm gonna work on a scrap quilt when I get the christmas gifts done.

I also have most of my birthday blocks done for next year, I had some trouble with a few but after ripping out a few times I think I have them.

well I'm off
see ya all later
michelle