My Mom is Here...

and that, my friends, means that things are getting done around here!

Got my swap item for the St. Nick Swap on Flickr pieced, basted and ready to quilt.  Bought some thread for it today, too.

Got Parthena's baby quilt pieced and basted.  Ready to quilt!  Must decide on thread and how I'll quilt it...  Maybe wavy lines with my new leather roller foot...

(As I type this, I am trying to ignore my children banging on their bedroom doors, singing and trying to do anything but sleep)

And I got my Christmas quilt that I'm making for myself basted, too!  I was going to give it away in the St. Nick Swap, but in the end, I decided that I'd spent too much $ and time on it... Didn't want my partner to feel like I'd done more than she had... and I fell in love with the fabric... so I decided to go another route for the swap.  Am hopeful I can get it finished soon!  The binding is what will be my downfall.  I don't have any particular fabric set aside for it...  Must think on that one...

I got mom hooked on making mug rugs.  She's I even got her more involved with flickr.  Hopefully, she will pick up quilting again soon.  She has had a lot going on in her life the past couple of years.  She retired and moved to another state...  Big changes and a new house...  Yardwork galore and grandmother duties... Everything gets in the way of her quilting.  But we found a GREAT fabric shop not terribly far from her in Humble, TX (It's a Stitch... go there online.  It's fabulous) and so I think I've talked her into taking a class to get back into it.  Let's hope!

I am needing to get serious about Christmas gifts!  I have done almost no shopping.  Every  year prior to this one, I've had Christmas gifts all taken care of by Thanksgiving.  Not going to happen this year.  I also make gifts for everyone, too.  Even if it's just an ornament... Nothing is made yet.  Yikes!

I would really like to finish up the other butterfly quilt I'm making for my cousin, Kristen.  We're 80% sure she's having a girl in May.  Should know before Christmas one way or the other.  The quilt is about 60% finished...  It's just like Parthena's, which is about 80% finished.  Parthena is due in January, though... and it is COLD here in January.  Her baby is the first girl in the family (2 big brothers), so I think she needs some handmade pink things to keep her warm.  I suspect she will come early, so I need to get jiggy with it.

I want to quilt a top that I made about a year ago (no... 2 years ago!) for Owen before Christmas.  It'll be very warm for his bed.  It's the softest flannel I have ever seen.  Feels almost like soft wool.  Very thick.   It's just a small throw, so I think I can do it.

I picked up a charity quilt for Safe Home, which is a battered women's/children's shelter here in town.  They have a shortage of twin sized quilts.  Thought I could get some quick practice in on straight lines with my new feet before diving into my other quilts.

I want to make sets of coasters for my two sisters, my mom, my aunt, my cousin, my grandmother, my mother-in-law and my sister-in-law.  That will really add up if I make 4 coasters per person.  Yikes!  Luckily, I think I have a method that won't take too long.

If the spirit moves me, I will whip together some potholders from layer cakes.  Nothing fancy, but cute.  I have some great Christmas fabric.

And I intend to make some stationary by sewing fabric scraps onto some blank cards.  These will be gifts, too.

I am behind on making doll quilts for my nieces and nephews.

Sigh.  I need more time.  Mom leaves the day after tomorrow.  I'm thinking of bringing my sewing machine downstairs...

Enough rambling!  I have quilting to do!  Night, everyone!