Kinetic Energy

My Aunt Karen found this kit in a quilt store in Deer Lodge, Montana.  It's called "Kinetic Energy" and is a modified log cabin.  This one is in batiks and is in my favorite color, blue.  This pattern finishes a quilt that is 60" x 68" and takes about 270 strips of varying widths.  It took me 3 days to come up with a spreadsheet listing all the widths that would sew together 29 strata no less that 8.5 inches wide.  Drove me nuts!  But I think it turned out pretty well.

I had to take down my quilt frame to make room for the Christmas tree.  But as soon as the holidays were over, that frame went back up and I was happily quilting away when this happened:

I must have tried to sew through a really thick intersection that bent the needle.  It popped the little plastic stabilizer out of the presser foot and I quilted it into the quilt, not once, but twice!!!  So off to Ed, the repair guy.  He laughed and told me that was probably why this particular foot is no longer available.  There is another one that has a metal stabilizer. 

Now I need to hurry up and finish this quilt.  My friend, Colleen, is waiting for it!

Pineapple and Puzzle Box

I have been busy the last several months, but very lazy in posting to this blog.  This past week, I gifted both the Pineapple and Puzzle Box quilts to two very special friends of mine, Debbie Oyadomori and Val Takata.  Judging from the smiles on their faces, I think they liked them!

Hexagons

Several months ago, I attended a monthly meeting of the Hawaii Quilt Guild and they had a tutorial on these little hexagons.  Instead of working on my Hawaiian Applique', I've taken a short detour and have been playing with these.  The finished "flowers" are only 4 inches across.  A quilt would take a kabillion of these hex's.  Dunno if I'll get that far, but it's something to do to keep my hands busy.

Family, Tattoo, Orchids

Our eldest son, Bryan (the one on the left), has quit the only job he's ever had (since he was 14) and decided to return to school.  Yay!  However, he decided to go to the mainland and we have spent the last couple of months getting him ready to go, shipping his truck and his belongings.  He left last week and I am missing him something fierce!

The day he left, however, was a little unusual.  He went down to Waikiki where one of his best friends is a tattoo artist and he had to get one before he left.  BUT he talked me into going with him.  And I came home with a little one, too.  I think he expected me to wimp out.  Hah!  I'm a mom to two boys.  Can't be wimpy!

In the middle of getting Bryan ready to go, I lost my mom.  She had been in a care facility on the mainland for the past 5 years.  She had suffered a stroke and, thanks to my sister calling me in time, I was able to fly home to see her and tell her I loved her.  I would like to think she knew I was there as well as 3 of my 4 sisters.  She peacefully passed away the day after I returned to the islands.  The little honu in my tattoo is in memory of her.

AND for the second time in probably 8 years, my one and only orchid plant blossomed!!!  I guess benign neglect really works.

There!  Now I think we're all caught up.

Pineapple Paper Piecing

My second paper piecing project is the pineapple.  I got it on the frame and nearly halfway quilted when my machine starting giving me fits with the top thread breaking every few inches.  I tried everything -- changed the needle, tried different threads,  futzed with the tension, cleaned, oiled the machine.  After several weeks, I gave up and took it in to the shop.  Seems I've been so hard on the machine, it just needed a tune up.  Works like a charm now!  Next time, I won't wait so long or get so frustrated.

Cogwheels

I have not been quilting very much over the summer.  On a trip to the mainland in August, my aunt, uncle, and I took a day trip into Glacier National Park.  It was beautiful weather and we had a wonderful time.  On the way back, we stopped in at The Quilt Gallery in Kalispell, Montana.  I found a fun quilt kit, Cogwheels.  It's a fun, easy one to do and will make a nice Christmas gift.

Blue Hawaiian Quilt

I've added this one to my wish list.  I'm not sure I can create a bed-size Hawaiian quilt using the traditional methods.  But I saw this one and it looks more manageable.  Will have to think on this some more....

Now to find the time....