Paula Deen's Lady and Sons and Hearse Ghost Tours

  Night one in Savannah, and after the drive and a few hours at Quiltcon, we checked into the hotel.  Laid/sat on the bed a few minutes and realized we both were hungry.  We did not know where to eat, so of course Paula Deen comes to mind!! We called and had reservations in 15 minutes.  We threw on some cloths and ran.  Found an awesome parking spot where we could park all night for $5. Short walk to the market square where Paula's restaurant the Lady and Sons is located.

     We were seated quickly just before the dinner rush.  My sister before being seated already decided on the buffet.   I wanted to look at the menu, but there was too much to choose from and I couldn't decide.  So of course the buffet was the easiest choice!!  And I didn't regret it!!  Everything I tried was soooooo good! For the price of $18 that included drink and dessert!  

     We had one of the best waiters I have ever had in my life,  he brought us all 3 desserts to try, banana pudding, oozy goes bar and peach cobbler. Kept our cup filled and a smile on our face!  Made sure we had extra biscuits, because oh I loved the biscuits!! They were amazing (will have to make my own)!!!!  The dessert,  was just as awesome, but let me say, it was verrrry buttery rich.  Of course he brought us a box to take the leftover dessert with us.

      The laugh I won't forget is that I forgot my ID so of course I couldn't order
even though my sons almost at a legal drinking age!   So of course I had to drink some good old tap water!!! And that Paula Deen cut out is like really skinny!!!

And then amazingly I met my Quilt friend from Michigan, Nancy McNally!!  So amazing how paths cross!! 

     We then went for a short walk on River Street and tried a Praline, then lots of honey!!! I bought a Whipped Honey Lemon spread at Savannah Bee Company.  Another need to return too place!

     My sister had booked us a Ghost tour with Savannah Hearse Ghost tours.  I was so glad, I didn't feel like walking anymore!  He picked us up right on time for our ride.  The hearse was a little sketchy with wobbly seats.  We were in the way back and had to endure the diesel fumes!  Our driver
was Peg Leg.  He wasn't very scary, but instead, pretty entertaining!  He must have been hungry,  he told us of all the restaurants in the historic district.  And a little bit about the ghosts of Savannah!

     I won't forget the one thing he repeated the entire ride.  "Oh Yeah," like the Koolaid Man(Amanda).  The ride was ok,  but not worth my $17 again.

     I took some of the following photos along the way:

Shelves Full of Yarn

     

    This has been a hard week Mentally, Physically and Emotionally.  I had a major Surgery on the 25, had to deal with a major life occurance and the anniversary of my biological mothers death.  This week will forever change me.  With all the ups and downs of life,  things can only go up. It will be a long road, but I will keep my head up.

     About a month ago, I told Bea Lee I would pattern test for her.  I thought I would get out of the hospital sooner then I did, but I didn't.  When this weeks Project Quilt Challenge came out,  I had been laying in the hospital for a few days and had finally come home to my Tshirt knit sheets.  I love them!  Then I pulled out a T-shirt Quilt I needed to make.  Then I thought of how heavy that quilt would be and wasn't sure if I would have the energy or ability yet to quilt it.   I looked up in the corner of my sewing room and saw my yarn basket and my mind then thought about Bea's pattern and knew it was perfect!!  Her pattern is called "Shelves Full of Yarn" and that's what the quilt looks like!

     I have plenty of scraps already sorted by color,  so that made it easy.  I even used scraps for many of the squares.  I actually figured out how to do a lot of this sitting down and ironing sitting down.  Not something I do much of.  I am a very active person.  But sewing is my stress relief and I was soooo glad to be back in my sewing room.

     The pattern was written well and honestly worked on my mound of scraps.  I made one change with mine and used a piece of fabric as the base to sew down too.  My go too preferred method, not a must.  The snowball blocks and 9 patches went together pretty quickly since my scraps were already sorted.  Once the blocks were done, the top went together quickly.

     Since my new Juki broke during the last challenge,  I wasn't able to use it to FMQ,  and I knew my  Janome was more work.   So I decided to do straight line quilting, something I don't always love, but was needed today.  I decided to use the angle of the snowball blocks and quilt on the angle.  I quilted straight lines about a 1/2 inch on the outside and inside of the snowballs and all the way across the nine patches.   I kinda like how it turned out.

     This quilt is going to be given to a little girl who was diagnosed with cancer at the same time I was having surgery.  My biggest motivation in life is making others happy.  The motivation to give a girl a quilt has helped me so much in the last week.  I am so thankful for Project Quilt this week!!!

Eight Shoo flys

  My first project of the year and the first project of season 8 of Project Quilt.  The theme was the number 8.  Well it just so happened I pinned this photo of a quilt I was going to make a change up on Pinterest.  And I knew the Shoo Fly block had 8 sides.  So I decided to do eight giant Shoo Fly blocks.    I already had fabric picked out for it.  And it just happened to be one of the my goals for the year!

     Night one after work I measured and came up with a plan that added another two 8's to my quilt.  I decided to make only 8 blocks using 8 inch squares with the center block empty.  So the ironing and cutting began and I had the quilt and binding cut out! 

     Night two I barely had any time but got the half square triangle blocks marked, sewed and cut out.  Then on to working long hours for the next few days.

    After working most of the night Friday and sleeping late on Saturday,  I had my head set on Sewing all day long!!!  And that I did,  with the exception of a little cleaning, homework and laundry.  I sewed the day away.  I managed to get the top done, sandwiched and partially quilted.

    I managed to use a product new to me, blue Ponce.  I have been buying stencils for a little over a year and used the white one on one small project.  81 blocks later I think I finally got the hang of it.  It's not done very neatly,  as I was in a hurry,  but it's quilted.  I do think for the future,  I know that using stencils takes time,  but does help with free motion quilting. Ponce,  does take some work to get use too,  and shows up great. 

     I diminished the binding just in time to post,  but then had a blog nightmare that I am still fighting.  That's another story for another day.  This quilt finishes at 74x74.

     This quilt will be a gift to match one I made my best friend.  This will be for her daughter!!   I hope she enjoys it and cherishes it for years. 

2017 Goals

     I got of track the last few years and did not even do a goal list last year.  This year I decided I would put most of my unfinished or desired projects on my list of Goals.   My goal is to at least finish one project a month.  My other goal is to not have any unfinished projects next January 1st, unless they are a long term project.   So here's my list-


Brads Wedding Quilt


Confederate Flag Quilt


Sawyer valance


Wendy Mcmanus Quilt


Bob Hammond quilt


Wade's grandaddy Quilt


Bill Retirement Quilt


Nancy McNally block of month Challenge


Mazie Quilt


Scrappy crown of thorns quilt


Stained glass window Quilt


Fox Quilt


Laundry room curtains


Camo strip Quilt


Daddies row by row Quilt


2017 row by row Quilt


Diamond scrap quilt


Jared Quilt


Us map Quilt


Christmas scrap Quilt


Triangle Christmas scrap Quilt


Urban scrap Quilt


Fox Quilt


Brick cottage Rainbow Quilt


Unpaper towels


Einmo retreat Quilt


Pirate Quilt


Back porch coffee table


Back porch grill table


Propane shutters


Sewing room island


Closet buffet


Door potting stand




     Project Quilt starts today.  There will be 6 Challenges to finish,  maybe I can knock a few of theses goals off my list while doing it!  Project Quilt is such a motivation for me to get the year started.  Lets see how I will do with a new sewing room this year






　

Scrappy Diamonds

   

  I saw this quilt a long time ago but could not find directions.  So being a quilter I made my own pattern.  The quilt finishes at 70x70

  For  the material,  I used left over pieces from one of my first quilts and just about all my cream scraps.  

     Lots and lots of quilting,  doing pebbles and swirls in all the cream areas.   

   More on the quilt later and the story. 

Row By Row 2016 Day 5, Row 6

 

    Today I barely finished a row.  After working a long night shift then having a 8 hour long kayaking adventure.  Sorry for the late post,  just had to get it done!

     Today's row is from Sew Suite Studio in Lexington, SC.   This is actually a cute little place.  She doesn't have much fabric,  but what she does is up to date. She has a very nice collection of precuts. Her machine corner has a nice selection with a little longarm.  She has a little teaching room in the back.  I think this might be the smallest place I stopped at, but she makes the most of it!! I think she does lots of embroidery out of her shop.  And what I think is a mother daughter team is awesome! 

     On to the row!! I loved her patriotic row.  She gave you 3 options, Clemson, Carolina and US colors.  Her pattern was laid out well.  Not to mention printed in color and just easy to follow.  I bought her already embroidered SC state fabric. This row went together so quickly, that is once you got the fabric cut,  she did allow for a little extra invade you made a mistake.  Awesome kit! Might be my favorite,  I love to piece! And this allowed for it.  

     I thight I bought a license plate, but when I got home there wasn't one in the bag:(

Row by Row 2016 Day 4, Row 5

     So excited before I came to work tonight I was able to work on another row!  This kit was amazing and most of the pieces were already cut.  I loved it.  This row is from A Stitch-N-Time, Again in Orangeburg, SC.  It was my fourth stop in my adventure,  Nice to get out of the car after over an hour drive. 

     The shop is easy to find and just a little distance off the interstate.  It was full of fabric and sewing accesories.  A lot of the fabric was older, not much newer stock, but if you are a person like me you would love it.  I was excited to find one of my favorite older Jason Yenter prints!!!  The owner knows her stock and just where things are at.  There is not much meeting and class space in the store, but not sure if she does much either.  I do think it might be a place for me to go hunt if I am looking for an older piece of fabric!!

     As for the row, the kit was amazing.  The owner hand cut sooo many pieces and put them in individual bags matching the section they belonged in.  They were already fused and ready to go.  There were only a few pieces to trim and you were ready to sew.  She had 2 kit options and I chose kit #2.  And when I mean the kit was ready, it was and went together sooooo quickly.  It was really worth the money.  The only thing I did not like was thier was no true pattern in the kit if you wanted to make another.  I questioned the high price, but it was worth the work.   

     Here is her plate,  Not sure of the meaning, but maybe one of you can tell me!