Happy Dance!

We had never finished our upstairs.  It had sheetrock and is insulated, but not finished out.  When we put in the hardwood floor, David suggested putting the carpet upstairs.  It took forever to find someone who would lay "used" carpet (even though the carpet was only 5 years old!).  Luckily, a gentleman came by to collect for the Rescue Squad in our county.  We were desperate and asked everyone we saw if they knew anyone who would lay used carpet, so, naturally, David asked this gentleman.  He said that he was a carpet layer!!!  That was a "God-send" moment!!  He checked it out, looked at the carpet and he and his son laid the carpet the next week!! 
Last Saturday, we shopped at Sam's and found a portable air conditioning unit.  WOW! Was that thing heavy!!  But David got the 2-wheeler out and we worked it upstairs on the 2-wheeler.
It has taken me 3 weeks to get everything up there and workable.  But I really, really, really wanted my Horne sewing cabinet upstairs but it weighed a TON!!  I couldn't lift even one side of it.  My husband has back trouble and I really didn't want to ask him to do it.  I had suggested hiring some football players to move it upstairs.  After moving the air conditioner unit upstairs with the 2-wheeler, David said, let's go for it.  I told him we just couldn't do it.  But the Italian ingenuity came into play again!  We loaded it on the 2-wheeler on its side, tied it to the 2-wheeler so it would not go tumbling down the stairs, and, low and behold - it worked.  We walked it upstairs one stair at a time and it is now in its place.

Gee, I'll have to go get another picture.  You can't really see the sewing table, only the white table.  But you can see where I have my batting hanging on the wall.  I do need more light and just have to decide what I really want.
But here is the rest of my sewing room.

And my new design board is up and in being used already!  You will see 3 of the little baskets for The Quilt Show's BOM and part of the border for it on the design wall.
I had to hang a quilt and I love my Funky Chicken quilt.  This was a quilt challenge from years ago where it had to be 80% blue and have a Memphis Theme.  I thought of all the musicians from Memphis and made this quilt.  It has Jerry Lee Lewis depicted as a rooster playing the piano.  Two (I can't say roosters since one has to be a hen) doing the "funky chicken" on the dance floor.  Elvis rooster in his blue suade (that can't be spelled right!) shoes and a Memphis horn rooster.  Around the edges I have listed all the musicians I know who are from the Memphis area.  It is just  a happy quilt that I love to look at so it is hanging in my sewing room.

I have started a new project -- one that I bought at AQS in Paducah in 2010.  It has a woven basket medalion center.  I have the weaving done but can't figure out how to keep it in place so I can sew it.  You can also see my last little basket for the BOM which needs to be sewn.

I am doing the happy dance!  Life is good!

YIPPEE!!

At last Sherman's March is off the LA and the binding is sewn on -- just waiting to be hand stitched to the backing!!!  I think it took me longer to quilt it than it did Sherman in his march!!  I know everyone is as tired of it as I am but here are the finished results:

I was hoping the back would show the quilting more. 

I have been cutting 2" strips from my fabrics since I saw Judy's (one of our sewing group ladies) finished quilt from Bonnie Hunter called Scrappy Trip Around the World.  Check out the instructions at http://www.quiltville.com/   I work on sewing these strips during my brain dead times -- which happens a lot lately! -- and this is what I have so far:

Actually the instructions call for 2-1/2" strips but Judy used 2" strips and I really, really liked hers so I am a copycat!  OH, my sewing room upstairs is almost finished.  Need to pick up an air conditioner and move my sewing cabinet upstairs, but it is looking good  This is the design wall upstairs.  I'll take pictures when everything is finished.
So, now on to new and better things.  I always look forward to putting a new quilt on the LA because then the fun begins.  I just hope I don't pull out a quilt that cries out for micro work!!!
Have a great day!

Was I Insane?????

I don't know if other longarmers feel the same, but I am quilting Sherman's March -- which I have shown before -- and I decided to do some micro quilting on it!!!  WHY, OH, WHY DID I DO THAT????  I still lack 3 more rows doing the micro work and it has been on the machine for 2 or 3 weeks.  Granted, I did go to the AQS in Paducah and I have been working on my new sewing room upstairs, but the main reason is that it is SO BORING!!  I don't even know if I like what I am doing, but I sure am not taking it out!

I took several pictures at AQS and would love to post them but worry about the copyright police.  Can you post pictures from a quilt show????   I don't know so won't do it.   But it was a great show. 
We stayed with a delightful lady and had a great time.  Now to make plans to go to the last AQS at Knoxville in July.