2 HEXIES

Here are 2 more of the hexies.  I have roughly 12 made and completed with the black backing.  I have made another 30 or so that need to be embellished and finished.  I am working on trying to get all of them pieced before I leave for Florida so I do not have to take all the fabric with me.  Just the thin batting and black fabric.  The problem is I do not know how many I will need for a wallhanging until I get to Florida and see where it will hang.  I also have not done the featherstitching around them.  That will be great for sitting and stitching in florida in the sunroom.  Great light.

I am wandering my kitchen trying to shut doors that do not exist. I told Harv we are like trained monkeys used to things one way only.  I am doing a great clean out which has been long needed.  I wish I had taken some before pics so I could show you the after.  Will show you that anyway.

I have not pressed the edges after sewing down.  I am not sure if I should or if that would make it harder to fit into each other.  I laid out what I had made so far and they fit nicely.  So far so good.

I believe in my first post I said the hexies were like little works of art.  I did not mean that as such.  I meant that each one is like a little story in itself.  Just wanted to clear that up . Now to the sewing room to piece more.

2 MORE HEXIES

Not much new except I lost a crown and the tooth had to be pulled.  No problem except that tooth has to be added to an existing bridge.  Always something.

1. Here are 2 more hexies that I have finished.

kitchen re-do

We are working on updating our kitchen and had the painters in yesterday.  Same color as now but nice and fresh.  I found a company that refinishes existing cabinets if they are good wood.  Ours were solid oak and weigh a ton.  There are 36 cabinet doors and 24 drawers. They took one door and did a sample and I was amazed at what a beautiful job they did.  They even filled in the holes from the old knobs so that you can place new ones anywhere you want.  I have picked a colour called Whiskey Maple.  It is a little darker then the existing oak but also has the glaze over it.  They come into the home and refinish all the existing wood that is exposed.

They tell me they will have it all done by the time we leave for Florida which will be in a month or so. I also have to go out and buy new handles or knobs. We will talk about the counter tops in the Spring. I will get a new sink and faucet then.  My counter tops look like new and are a plain almond colour but the kids say they have to be marble or stylestone, etc. to stay with the times.

Well back to sewing.  I have been working hard piecing the hexies.  I want them to be all pieced before I leave for Florida so I don't have to take all the fabric with me.  Bad enough taking all I do take and even then what you want is never where you are.  Joys of being a snowbird.

Here are 2 hexies I have finished.

CQI RETREAT

Last week I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the CQI annual retreat in Kansas City, MO.  It was held at the Heartland Center just a few miles from the airport.

I had a great time and would encourage any of you who would be able to attend a retreat to do so.  The rooms were comfortable and the 3 meals a day were very good.  After 55 years of cooking for my man it is really nice when I get a chance to have my meals cooked for me.  I will never complain about the cooking.

It started on Wed. and ran thru Sun.  I flew out of Chicago and the flight was only 1 hour 20 mins. long.  It was so good to see some familiar faces and even more so get to put a face to a name I have been seeing on CQ Embellishers and CQI.  I know a lot of the gals from when the retreats were in Omaha.  Carol from Claremont is a good friend and I get to see her in Florida in the winter.  We room together if we are ever at the same retreat.

It is very informal dress wise.  You just bring stitching to work on if you want and informal classes are taught by the gals who can.  Lisa Boni taught 2 very good classes on intermediate embroidery and beading on seams.  Both classes had a large turnout and were thoroughly enjoyed.  Lisa had handouts for all.

Barb Warner was to teach a class on buttons but unfortunately did not come as she ended up in the hospital with blood clots in both lungs.  Poor Barb.  She is home now and recovering nicely with the help of her hubby and daughter who is an RN.  Her class was picked up by Tahlia from Washington State who filled in admirably.

There are a few highlights every year at the retreat but the one enjoyed by all is the gift swap.  The gifts quite often are handmade CQ items but can be anything sewing related.  Gift boxes filled with fabrics, trims, etc. are coveted.  It is a Chinese auction ? where you pick a number and all the boxes, etc. are piled on the tale and #1 gets to pick first.  Now #2 can either take a new item or can steal away the first item.  After being stolen twice it is retired.  One of the most saught after is Laurie B's wonderful black velvet bears embellished to the hilt.  This never lasts with the 1st or second person.

I actually stole my gift after it had been stolen once and therefore got to keep it.  It was a box put together by Connie Kalina.  The interesting thing about this was the colour.  A beautiful soft pink in various shades.  Connie died the fabrics, laces, ribbons, etc. with AVACADO skins and the inside pit.
You would think green but out came this beautiful pink shade.

I am attaching a few picks so you can see the items. She also made the 2 beautiful buttons herself.  What a gal.

Now you can see why I stole this.  I will have to make something special and use it all together.  Maybe a wonderful journal.  Stay tuned for the future.

Starting with the hexagons I had intended to post more often but was hit with a virus in August that went on for about 3 weeks and included a terrible headache that went up and down and awful muscle aches.  At one point I did not think I would make the retreat but cleared up the weekend before.  thank goodness.

I have more hexagons made plus about 30 pieced ready to take to Florida.  They are a lot of fun.  Little works of art in each one.

FredaB