Friday Favorites

Raindrops on roses?  Whiskers on kittens?

Nah, those aren't my favorite things.

But chocolate cake is.  My sister knows this and bought me a Chocolate Layer Cake candle:

My house smells like chocolate cake.  I can't think of anything better...

... except Hello Kitty:

One of my favorite students (I love all of my students equally) thought I needed a Christmas Hello Kitty for my collection.  Thanks, Celeste!

I'm spending my day after Christmas quilting.  I couldn't think of anything I'd rather do.  I realized as I was quilting that I was absolutely in love with one of the colors in this current quilt:

I think this color is my new favorite color.  That photo is pretty true to color on my computer screen.  It's earthy and warm but has a gray overtone.

I was happily quilting until this happened:

Oh the sadness of an empty spool!

Fortunately, I had a spare.  And since I know you are going to ask:

Perma Core Taupe 659.  You are welcome.

Too Cute!

My favorite lawyer used my Squared Away pattern and made this bold and wonderful quilt:

I adore her and I adore this quilt!

If you are interested in the Cutie Pattern or a Cutie Collection (fabric), I'm thrilled to let you know that my favorite online quilt shop is offering a 20% discount (look under the photo of the shop for the code) until Sunday.

HURRY!

Squared Away

Remember this quilt?

It's my Squared Away pattern.  It is now available for purchase online.  Look for it here.

While you are on the Quilt Basket website, read all about their Cutie collection.  They offer many Cutie Packs of fabric that will work with any of their Cutie Patterns.  You get to mix and match and choose what you like!

If that wasn't awesome enough, they are offering a 20% discount through December 21.  The code is under the shop photo on this page.

Happy shopping!  I hope that you love the Cuties as much as I do!

Hotel Tour of 2014 -- night 139

Hotel Room?  What hotel room?

This post is short and written on my phone because the wifi is awful in my hotel.  Wifi isn't the point of this hotel, though; the beach is the point. 

The hotel staff has a sense of humor, though:

At least this animal didn't attack me!

Hotel Tour of 2014 -- night 138

I had a harrowing day today and was relieved to make it back to my hotel room, misplaced kitchen tile and all.

Today was apparently "Debby gets attacked by animals" day.

It started with a Capuchin Monkey:

Cindy had a death grip on my hair.

A couple of camels got in on the action:

I was next attacked by a vicious, 4-month old ant-eater:

I think she was part vampire.

Two baby pigs tried to root me to death:

I narrowly escaped.

When a huge, dangerous alligator attacked, I was paralyzed with fear:

Like I said -- HUGE!

I stared down the owl:

and he left me alone.

I kept my distance from the porcupines:

I've been poked by thousands of needles over the years, but 1,000 all at once didn't sound like much fun.

We fled this dangerous place and went to another, hoping for peace and safety.

When we parked our car and saw this box of tarps:

and read the warnings about vultures destroying your car (windshield wipers, rubber seals on windows, etc.), I was very afraid, but we decided to leave the car parked in that vulture-infested area anyway.

As soon as we got back to the parking lot, hubby inspected the rental car and declared free of vulture-induced damage:

Phew!  Close one!

I am once again safe in my crazy-making hotel room where I hope to sleep free from any more animal attacks!

(Do you think an animal could attack the kitchenette and destroy the misplaced kitchen tile?  I think it would be easier to look at a hole than a turn-sideways block in the backsplash.)

Hotel Tour of 2014 -- night 137

It's important to stay hydrated in the heat.  I take this warning seriously:

Beet/celery juice for breakfast:

S'mores hot chocolate from Serendipity3 for dessert:

They balance each other out.

In between beverages, I got to see tug boats at work:

Some incredibly boring beaches (yawn!):

And Art Decoo manhole covers.

As you can see, I'm suffering.  

May I suffer like this forever.

The tile in my hotel room kitchenette is still driving me nuts, though.

Hotel Tour of 2014 -- night 136

After yesterday's blinding discovery in my hotel room (an error in kitchen tile placement -- gah!), I went looking for more soothing sights today.

How about a window display made of old sewing machines?

There were hundreds more inside of the shop, too!

And the reason that the hotel room is irrelevant:

I walked my feet off today, just enjoying the view:

Ahhhh.., much better.

Hotel Tour of 2014 -- night 135

I said I wasn't traveling for work again in 2014, but I didn't say that I wasn't traveling.

I'm back in a hotel room again, and this jumped out at me:

Do you see it?  There is no way this was intentional.  How are people supposed to sleep with this screaming at them all night long?

Commitment Issues

I tend to over-commit to book series and television series.

Most recently, I've been consumed by the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child.  These are not "The Great American Novel" because 1.  they are written by a Brit and 2. they are just fun to read.

I just finished reading (listening to) Personal, #19 in this series.  I am now patiently waiting for the next book to be written and published.

These books are so much fun to listen to while I'm quilting or driving.  I like the narrator, they are fairly easy to follow, and they are quite entertaining.  I don't think everything in life needs to be serious; sometimes 'entertaining' is a high enough calling.

In case anyone is thinking, "I saw the Jack Reacher movie.  It was great!  I didn't know there were books, too," I warn you that you might not want to say this to me and just maybe we shouldn't be friends.  Tom Cruise IS NOT Jack Reacher.  I feel very strongly about that.

Grand Illusions -- clue 1

I am so excited to be working on Bonnie Hunter's Grand Illusions Mystery Quilt!  It comes at the perfect time -- right after I return home from 11 months of travel.  I look forward to this every year and working on it is my reward for working hard all year.

I'm making mine scrappy and in the colors that Bonnie recommended:

I've recently adopted a young quilter.  She has quickly sewn through every kit quilt I've prepared for her and is also looking forward to working on Grand Illusion.  I gave her yardage for her quilt:

I think this one will keep her busy for a while!

Hotel Tour of 2014 -- night 134

I just taught my last class of 2014.  Sniff, sniff.

I'm sad for the classes to be over but am really looking forward to 52 days without having to travel for work reasons.  FIFTY-TWO DAYS!  My poor husband won't know how to handle another person in the house!

This morning, I taught Exploding Out of the Block.  I made a sample using different weights and colors of threads making a sample of designs based on the center fabric square:

This is such a fun class!

And these students from Bits 'N Pieces are fun, too.  They had a little "fun" today at the expense of their Steeler fan teacher (me):

Celeste wasn't the only one wearing Patriots gear.

I got my own in, by quilting gold thread on black fabric.  GO STEELERS!  

Hotel Tour of 2014 -- night 133

I'm having a wild party in my hotel room  I apparently define "wild party" as binding a quilt and watching Netflix.

I can't show the front of the quilt yet, but I'll share a bit of the quilting:

Ribbon candy can look so elegant!

Tomorrow is my last day teaching at Bits 'N Pieces in Pelham, NH.  It is also my last day of teaching for 2014.  I can't think of a better way to end the year!

Hotel Tour of 2014 -- night 132

I am tickled to be teaching at Bits 'N Pieces in Pelham, NH this weekend.  I got to see my dear friend Helen:

Isn't she pretty?

I also got to share the new Handi Quilter Infinity with the class:

Everyone was impressed with the new features, including the on button in the front of the machine!

If you want to check out the new Infinity, stop by Bits 'N Pieces.  I'm here all weekend!

Hotel Tour of 2014 -- night 131

I am on my last teaching trip of 2014.  I love teaching and traveling and quilters, but... I will be happy to spend several weeks at home!

Until then, I'm at a hotel I stay in frequently.  So frequently, in fact, that they greeted me by name when I checked in.  I guess I've made an impression?

I'm in for the night, resting up to teach six classes over the next three days at Bits 'N Pieces in Pelham, NH.

I just had a succulent feast:

I'm ashamed to show this, but it was macaroni 'n cheese pizza:

It was... um... carbohydrate rich?  So rich, in fact, that I'm ready to dive into my nest:

I have a quilt to bind and am in the middle of a "Numb3rs" binge on Netflix.

It's the little things, really.

Going My Way?

I am tickled to show my latest pattern, "Going My Way?"

Here's a better view of the quilt:

And a glamour shot (on my front railing):

I made this out of nautical fabrics, but I think it would be cute in solids or modern prints, too.

The pattern is available at the Quilt Basket in Pawling, NY.  I'll post again when the pattern is available online.

Keeping Score

If you are keeping score, the official tally is:

Goethals bridge: 1
Debby: 0

I was off to spread some Handi Quilter love today and,  after sitting on the Goethals Bridge for nearly two hours, I realized that Staten Island can officially be labeled as "You can't get there from here."

This was my view for endless hours:

The road folks posted some fun jokes on the side of the road.  One read:

"45 MPH STRICTLY ENFORCED"

I would have been tickled to have been driving between 4 and 5 miles per hour!

The other sign read:

"NO IDLING; 3 MINUTE LIMIT"

That struck me as funny since I sat near that same sign, idling, for over an hour.

I am home.  There is cake. All is well.

Commitment Issues

I think I just set a personal record for obsession commitment.  I just watched the entire run of Breakout Kings on Netflix in 4 days, while working and traveling.

What shall my next Netflix binge be, I wonder?

Mail Call

While I am traveling, the mail piles up at home.

I started digging through my mail pile today and found a surprise:

It's a dashboard Hula Dancer!  Cute overload!

Thanks, Tish!  I will think of you every time I hit a pothole and see my Hello Kitty dancing!

Commitment Issues

I have mentioned before that I have commitment issues, but not in the way that you might think,  When I read a book or see a show on Netflix that I enjoy, I am instantly obsessed committed

My latest commmitment was Arrow.

Seasons 1 and 2 are available on Netflix.  Season three is on CW.

What shall my next obsession be?

Hotel Tour of 2014 -- night 130

Today was my last day teaching at Hayes Sewing Machine Company.  I always love teaching at this shop!

As expected, the students rocked.  They say hi!

I taught a feather class this afternoon, and Frank found his feather:

I am packed and ready to head home tomorrow and am excited with some of the treasures in my car.  Namely these:

I recently inherited these two machines from my husband's family.  One is my husband's grandmother's machine and one is his great-grandmother's machine.  I really want to make a quilt on each one and knew that I could trust Hayes Sewing Machine Company to fix them for me (or tell me that they were beyond repair).  Yes, I drove my machines through four states to have them repaired.  I am going home with both machines in good working order, and I couldn't be more excited!

If you find yourself in or near Wilmington, Delaware, I highly recommend a trip to Hayes.  They are some of the best people I know.

Hotel Tour of 2014 -- Night 129

I am boring; I know it.

Tonight's hotel excitement was takeout Bertucci's (chocolate cake!), Netflix (Breakout Kings) and a quilt binding:

The thing is, I like boring.  I like it just fine.

Hotel Tour of 2014 -- night 128

I am in Wilmington, DE tonight, snuggled in my hotel room to avoid the white precipitation that is falling from the sky.

The hotel is pretty:

This room is HUGE.  I was debating bringing my sewing machine, table, and other stuff to work in the evenings.  Now I wish I had!

Check out the upholstery on this chair:

Future quilt alert!

I was faced with three options tonight:

1.  go into the weather for food
2.  eat alone in the hotel restaurant (I'm biased against them for personal/safety reasons)
3.  order in pizza (I'm in NY pizza snob)

I chose option 4:

Order in pasta and salad instead of pizza.

WIN!

I can't wait to meet my students at Hayes Sewing Machine Company tomorrow morning.  I have taught here before and I already know that the quilters in this area ROCK!

Quilting in the UK

A few months ago, I visited the UK and had an absolutely marvelous time:

Trying to get a photo on Abbey Road was a near-death experience!

I taught quilting classes at The Cotton Patch (which was the real purpose of the trip).  Liz wrote a delightful blog post about one of my classes.

Check it out by clicking here!