I Carry Your Heart In Mine

I want to thank you all for being so kind about my Autumn cat crossing over to the rainbow bridge.  Your words of comfort were so wonderful.  

It is never easy to send a furry family member on the next leg of their journey, as many of you know from first hand experience as well. 

 I saw this and was comforted by it and thought I would share it with you all.

As many of you know that follow me this was my beloved Autumn.  

She was always in my sewing room with me, frequently with her tail very close to the needle. 

 She would often lay her head so close the fabric would go over her head as I sewed. 

 She just wanted to be near me.  

I like to think that she is in an angel's lab giving them some joy!

Interestingly my other calico, Hallie has taken up the hat of sewing room companion! 

 I was working on my Ocean Waves quilt this weekend and got up. 

 When I cam back 

she was resting her head on the pieces I was sewing while they were under the needle!

Remember the Bigfoot baby quilt I was making with my friends?  

Well, there were a few extra trees.  

Which led to an extra Bigfoot being created. 

 I decided to make them into a wall hanging but it looked kind of bare 

so I wanted to embroider something on it.  

I decided to add the quote,

"I carry your heart in mine"  

I guess this is how I have been feeling about all the cats I have lost.  

I will always carry their hearts in mine. 

 Just as the new mom will carry her baby's heart in hers.  

I did the quilting on this too.  Not sure you can tell but I put a heart in a heart on the Bigfoot. 

I quilted her in a grid using masking tape for the line work.

I am especially happy with how the tree turned out with those additional triangles being made.

Here is the whole top with the binding on it.

This is the back.  I put those triangles into the binding so the quilt can be hung on the wall.

That's pretty much what I was up to this past weekend.  How about you?

~XOP~

Autumn Cat

As I sit here thinking about what to write to describe how I feel the tears are streaming down my face.  I had to make that one way trip to the vet last night with my cat Autumn. 

 She had been struggling with hyperthyroid and kidney disease.  

She stopped eating over the past few days and yesterday she cried when I picked her up. 

 I think she was ready but I was not.  

I opened the door of my sewing room for her one last time (our happy place).  

She got down off my bed and walked, ever so gingerly, into my sewing room. 

 She hopped up on the chair then on to my table and turned and looked at me with a look that said, "Where is my ice water?" 

 I went back downstairs and filled my water bottle with ice and water, like I did every time we sewed and brought it back upstairs. 

 She had one last drink and laid down on "her" quilt.  

She laid there and purred and purred.  

I sewed a bit as I know she likes the heat of the sewing machine and my light. 

 I didn't turn on the TV so I could listen to her purr one last time.  

My daughter came over to say goodbye and we face-timed my other daughter so she could say goodbye (Autumn was her cat).  It was a very difficult night for everyone.  

My hubby drove us to the vet and I held Autumn in my arms.  

We went in and although we had to wait a little bit it but 

it was nice to have those last few moments to say goodbye.  

We burried her out at the farm next to her brother, Mosen and her sister, Aiden.  

It is the passing on an era in our family life.  

We were 5 cats now we are just one.  

RIP sweet baby girl.  

I love you so much and will miss snuggling with you in bed every night. 

 I will miss your demand for ice water in my water bottle and your sweet, sweet company as I sew.  Please tell the others I love them and you all need to wait for me at the Rainbow Bridge.

I will always love you Sweet Pea!  16 1/2 years was NOT long enough.  

XOXO Mom

WIPs With Friends

How is it always Wednesday already??  

I swear the weeks go by so quickly lately.  

I forgot to show some fabric I bought last week when we were on our way home from GR.  

All of it was on sale, yay!

I did get my Mrs Big Foot all appliqued and the receiving blanket made.

My girls were "helping" me.  

I put this quilt top together and sewed a back for it. I got the batting cut and sent it to the LAQ today.

I also managed to sew almost 150 HST (three blocks worth) for my Ocean Waves quilt.  

They are all pressed and ready to trim.

We ended up with a few more trees so I am going to make another Big Foot like in this top.

I think we are going to make them into pillows.

Linking up with Sew Fresh Quilts

I almost forgot!  We have a winner!!

Christine Thompson!

I will send you an email to get your address for the charm pack.

Now it's your turn.

What are you working on.

Add your link here using the blue Inlinkz button.

~XOP~

An InLinkz Link-up

WIPs With Friends And A Giveaway

I have been working on a few things this past weekend. 

 None of which were my Ocean Waves quilt though. 

 I have a shower gift to make and I began working on a Chenille blanket for 

my newest great nephew born last week.

I made the bee block for February.  Isn't it adorable? 

 I'm pretty sure I need to make an entire quilt of strawberries now.  

I finished the oven mitts but can't show them = (  

I have to wait until I can gift those. 

 I did begin working on the chenille blanket I needed to have ready to mail out this week. 

 So many lines of sewing!

If you want to make one too check out my Chenille blanket tutorial.

I managed to get all the lines sewn and then later cut.  Then I just need to bind, wash and mail!

Hubby and I went to the Camper and RV show this past weekend. 

 We are totally in love with these Retro campers.  

We drove by the factory last time we were in Shipshewana (accidently) and discovered them. 

 They make a fifth wheel but there was not a model at the camper show.  

We did speak with someone that is going to try to get us a factory tour and talk about what our options are with a fifth wheel and the cost.  

SQEE!!  

This is one of the things we are planning on doing when I retire.  

TRAVEL!!!  

Can we come and see YOU???  

This is not the interior of the Retro but another one that we liked.  

The show was overwhelming, but it did help us narrow down the things we liked and did NOT like.  He kept on saying, 

"We have to make sure there will be a place for you to set up your sewing machine" 

 Ah, he knows how to make a girl happy!

Last but not least, I am working on a Yeti receiving blanket.  

If I had a brain in my head I would make this into a quilt rather than a receiving blanket,

 but I don't so there you have it! 

 I think I need to change out the lips for a more subtle shade of pink. 

 (she looks more clown/whorish than I like right now).  

So no big deal, but I have to get her stitched around and 

the receiving blanket part done by next week for the baby shower! 

 I'll keep you posted.

Curious about the giveaway? 

 I have a an adorable charm pack to send to you! 

 If you want a chance to win, please tell me one place we should visit on our camping adventure

 in your state and why.  

Giveaway closes Friday February 17 in the morning.
I will announce the winner on Friday.
Please make sure I can contact you via email.
I will go to the next winner if I cannot.

For a second chance link up to our WIPs With Friends so we can all see what you are working on too!  Just use the Inlinkz button to link up.  

I'm linking up with Sew Fresh Quilts Let's Bee Social

That's it!  Easy peasy!  Good luck and happy stitching!

~XOP~

An InLinkz Link-up

Ocean Waves QAL Check in

I thought I would see where everyone is at this point.  

I must admit that I just finished all my cutting this past weekend 

and have not had much time to sew this week. 

Here are the Neptune squares I will be adding to my quilt in various permutations.

All stacked up and waiting for their background fabrics.

I feel like I cut and cut and cut some more of all this white!  

I used most of my Lizzy House Pearl Bracelets up!  

WAhhhhhhh.

Autumn seemed to like the Pearl Bracelets as much as me!

I pay her in water!  LOL

Now it's time for you all to share what your progress is so we may all be encouraged.  

Click the blue Inlinkz button to add your post.  

Don't forget to use #OceanWavesQAL on social media.

Happy Stitching!

~XOP~

An InLinkz Link-up

WIPs With Friends

I decided to work on a few things I needed to tidy up.  

So I cleaned up my room and began to work on cutting out more of my Ocean Waves quilt.  

Then my daughter called and plans changed. 

 She wanted me to sew a peacock diaper for Beep. 

 That consumed all of my Saturday afternoon. 

 I had her bring the old one so I had a pattern and we made a few modifications.  

I forgot to take any process shots but here it is in all it's glory. 

 We added velcro so will see how that works out.  Hopefully Beep will not be able to undo that.

This is how it goes on the bird.

 Here is Beep modeling her new diaper.

Next up was to make some baked egg rolls.  It was my first attempt at this.  

I think they could be rolled a bit tighter, which I did as I made more. 

 Overall they turned out well and were only 3 Smart Points each! 

 Recipe is from the Skinny Kitchen website and you can find it here.

I put on my new Valentine's leggings and life was good!

I made the binding for the Hallowedding quilt this weekend too.  It's all black. 

I made a couple of oven mitts but I can't show them as they are a surprise for a friend

 and she reads my blog.  

TRUST me when I say they are adorable! 

 I just need to put the bias binding on the bottoms of them.  

I am going to attempt a Open Wide bag for the same friend. 

 The free tutorial is on Noodlehead's blog.  

If I can figure out how to make them I will show you what I end up with.  

OK so what are you working on?  Join up with the link or use the #WIPsWithFriends.

~XOP~

An InLinkz Link-up

Meet The Newest Addition To the Family

Hubby and I were at the Sally Ann last night.  

It was 25% off for seniors (anyone over 55).  

You'll never guess what I happened to find.  

I am always on the look out for vintage sewing machines. 

 It seems most of the ones at the SA are in pretty rough shape and not usually Singers.  

I found a Model 66-16 Singer in a cabinet!!  

I was so thrilled.  

I have divested myself of three vintage machines to dae.

(to the vintage sewing machine man in Munith).  

Hubby said to go for it.  So I bought her and now she is mine!!!

Here are some photos I took in the store.  

She needs a foot pedal and power cord but those are easily obtained.  

Also a little TLC, but she is a beauty!!! 

 Made in 1952.

Have a great Thursday!!

~XOP~