BOM #3

Whew... I got it done, block number 3 of Judy's Block of the Month. Judy releases a new block on the 1st and the 15th and I barely got this one done in time. Even though I copied the file to my computer and printed it out I was afraid somehow I would be caught without.

This block was easy to make and did not take too much time. Most of time is spent in cutting it out. I have been really careful in my measurements so it all fits.

I am really pleased with my blocks. I am finding the block of the month format really fun. It is almost like I get free blocks. I am looking foward to the finished product. Thanks Judy!

Old Tobacco Road Colors

This is a message I got on quiltchat so I thought I would answer it here.

"Tamara,
I wanted to know what color choices you made in your OTR quilt. Love how rich the colors look.
Judi in Ohio"

I took OTR out side to photograph it. To show you more of the true colors. Individually the colors aren't anything special. The browns are kinda red/purple browns. I got them off of my mom's stash shelf. They are dated. I put some orangy browns and deep magenta with them and they played well together.

There are only 4 lights in the pinwheels and 4patches. They are creamy to slightly rusty colors.




I am pleased with how it turned out, and happy to talk about it. I hope this helps. Thanks for asking.

Fitness Report

For those of you who read my blog regularly ( hi mom) will notice that there is a new picture in my side bar. It is a group I recently joined. Crafty, Creative and Fit. It is my goal to be all three.
I really need to stop skating in regards to my diet and regular exercise. Now that I am over 40 it's not just about a few extra curves and bulges, it is about health. I counsel people every day about diet and lifestyle. I know how important is to maintain health throughout our entire lives. I need someone to be accountable to. So here you are, my blog readers. Friday is fitness report day. It is my goal to do 30 minutes of aerobic exercise 6 days a week and weight training 3 days a week. Many of the participants are runners. I will have to work up to that I have never been a runner. Even when I played Basketball in college I was not a runner. I was sucking up dust in the vineyards we ran through at Fresno State.

This week I made my goal of going to the gym and walking every day. I have belonged to the Club for over a year. I have made good use of my membership.

I have a wonderful walking track through the beautiful downtown Sonora.
I also have walking path behind my office called Dragoon Gulch Trail which is 2.5 miles through the woods (to Grandmothers house we go).
I have NO excuse.

This is the book I am reading. Or I should say the book I bought this week. I am doing a Bible study on the first Tuesday of the month and Cammie is leading. She was in my office this week delivering the book. My staff wants to read it. They read much faster than I do so I let them have it for the weekend. There is a lot of excitement about this book and I don't want to be left out! Have any of you read it? What do you think?

Challenge Quilt

Last night was a meeting of the Sierra Quilt Guild. We meet once a month on the 2nd Monday of the month. This month we had our challenge quilt. People were given a yard of a mystery fabric and could make anything they wanted from it. Here is Alice with my favorite and Maureen with the blue ribbon. It was a great meeting. We are gearing up for our annual Quilt Show on the 20-21 of September. There are 302 entries. I entered 4, and 3 are from Quiltville.com.

Over the weekend we went to Rail Town State Park. This is one of the last steam engines. It was so cool.They filmed a number of movies here at Rail Town including Back To The Future III, and Petticoat Junction.

Top Done

Old Tobacco Road top is finished! Yeah! I am really pleased with it. Here is the link. Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville.com has done it again.


I have never done flying geese for a border before and when I saw the
instructions for the borders with measurements I got a little anxious.
I thought I would just wing it, but after I thought about it and all
the work I put into it so far I had to try to make it fit. I followed
the instructions. They were easy to understand and follow.I think did
a pretty good job of having an even quilt. Looks great and glad
I pushed the envelope.

Thanks Bonnie for the great instructions and the wonderful quilt.



Here is yesterday's photo of the quilt shack. I only show you this photo so you can get the full effect of Ultimate Catch. When I got home the kids were filling me in on their new game of ultimate catch. They were standing on the 2X8s playing catch. The 6yo got a raspberry on her leg but no harm no foul. Jeff is putting the sub floor in and having to replace the wall supports. I heard him mention that maybe he should have started from scratch. Too late now Honey.

Quilt Shack Floor

Now this looks like a more stable floor! 2X8 on 16 inch centers all makes more sense to me now. I'm going with Laminate.

I guess I will be able to do aerobics in here if I choose to. That is the appropriate word.Choose. I have been having the worst time making it to the gym. I made myself go today, always feel better after, its is just getting there.

I quilted this for a friend last night. She is expecting a granddaughter soon so she make a quilt for her. She was worried that it wouldn't be done in time because all the local long armers are busy with the local quilt show coming up soon. So I offered to do it on my regular machine. It only took about an hour she had it all ready pinned and ready. Here is a closeup of the quilting.ere
OTR is waiting for the borders.

Old Tobacco Road Mystery, Quilt Shack

This weekend had been fruitful in the quilting arena. We got 4 clues clues to Quiltville's latest mystery, Old Tobacco Road. I got them all done. I was up until 1 or 2 o'clock each night, but how peaceful. My SIL summed it up for me " You take pieces of something and make something beautiful. You can't wait to see the finished product." Well here is the inside of OTR just waiting for the borders.

I did get some time to quilt the sampler for my MIL. That is almost done!

I got a new chair! That is how I was able to sit all weekend and sew without my back screaming for an adjustment. Although, I can use one.


Jeff has been working very hard on the Quilt Shack. He took the week end and ripped up the floor and the walk way to the Shack. There is a lot of restoration or replacement to be done on the floor. See those broken boards? That is what happens when you load 3 cords of wood on 2X4s on 24 inch centers. Jeff is going on about joists and 2X8 and 16 inches and ...... all I can picture is... will I pick Bamboo or laminate or vinyl.


Oh, and by the way can you tell that one side of the roof is steeper than the other? Yep that's right. I just thought it was more scarry on the outside because there was no tree or bank.