Category: quilting

Almost There….

Yes, the last row looks a bit silly with one block in it.  Later today, I will pick up my final free blocks from Red Rooster Quilts.  Oddly, there are 26 weeks but only 25 blocks.  Not sure what that is about.  Not sure what will happen with week 26.  I guess I will find out later.

I really love orange in quilts, so I think that I am going to keep this one and hang it in my family room.  I am going to call it Hugs and Kisses.  Already have my quilting in mind.  Need to get it finished first, way ahead of myself, as always.

Thinking about all my potential projects, I m going to try very hard not to start anything new until I make significant headway on those already started.  There are so many of those.  It will help, since I am trying not to buy new fabric.  Right now, only want to buy if I need to finish something.   That is so hard.

Lynn and I went out to dinner and fabric shopping last week.  Jelly rolls were 40% off.  I wanted to buy 1  or 2 or 3.  Had one in my hand several times but managed to control myself.  Only fabric I bought was a ½ yard for an in progress quilt (allowed).  Wondering how long it will take me to fall off the wagon.

I also want to use up as much of my scraps as possible.  I have so much scrap. Have been cutting some for a couple of scrap quilts in the works.  I need to get stuff sorted by color.  I guess that will happen when I get my room better organized.  I will get there.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Hand Quilt Along- Dog Bones and Flowers

I missed the last post for the hand quilt along since I was sick, however some progress was made on hand items since I was just lying around.  There was also movie watching over the holidays.  I have to be doing something or the cookies and chips find their way into my mouth.  So the flowers are my swim team project.  While Haley is at swim practice and meets, I make the flowers.  The dog bones is my TV watching project.

So, for my EPP flowers, I recently learned something.  I purchased a hexie die for my papers (I use cardstock).  SInce I am n longer cutting them by hand and using my accucut, each one is perfect and it certainly makes a difference in how they go together.  I wasn’t having major difficulty, but it certainly made a difference.

So for my dog bone dresser scarf, I need it to be 54 inches.  I am only at about 38.  Ugh.  I will get there.  Since this is dresser scarf #4, I am sort of tired of it. WaterMark_2018-01-06-21-30-40

If you are interested in participating in the hand quilt along, please contact Kathy.

You can check out everyone’ progress at the following links.

Kathy, Lori, Margaret, Kerry, Emma, Tracy, Deb, Connie, Deborah,  Susan , Jessisca  ,  Sherry,  Nanette, Sassy and Edith.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

My contrast quilt or the I am mad quilt

Why might this be the I am mad quilt?  Well, when I get mad or upset, this is the quilt I work on.  I think that is because it is simple.  I need a total of eighty blocks, so I either work on finding fabrics or cutting the leaves or just sewing them on.  Plenty to do, nothing complex.  I actually have about 62 blocks together in various states of sewing.  I try to minimize my thread changing, so, I sew all the ones I can with same color I have threaded in the machine.  It is meant to be a play on colors lights and darks.

I think this quilt will be a bear to make sure the blocks are placed correctly.  My daughter put this on my design wall and I noticed the bottom black/red one is incorrect.  Not a problem, since I am not yet sewing it together.  But I am the person that looked at my safari quilt forever and still had three camels right next to each other in the same row.  Knowing myself, I will have several backwards but wont notice until it is quilted and bound.

I made this from scraps but it would be great for layer cakes.  The base is made from 2, 10 inch blocks, cut in half and then sewn back together with the opposite one.

I really don’t get mad that often, but sewing always puts me at ease and when my mind is racing, best to stick with something simple.  I keep this project in my sewing room neatly in my pizza box.

News:  I was one of the winners for the One Monthly Goal Prize.  thank you Elm Street Quilts!

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

My One Monthly Goal and the coming year

So, for my One Monthly Goal, I am going to completely finish this baby quilt.  It needs quilted and bound.  It has been laying over the gate entrance to my room, for months.  It is just staring at me.  Since I am now imaging my unfinished quilts are staring at me, I should probably just complete.  Then, my non completion guilt should go away….maybe, there are a lot of those pieces.

The one monthly Goal has been so helpful in helping to get items completed.  I very much have that personality that if I say I am going to complete something, then I am going to do it.

For this year I would like to finish all the tops that I have lying around.  I am not sure how many I actually have.  I would guess 7 or 8.  That is a fairly tall order, but it would be great to get done.

I won’t say that I won’t start any new projects, but I do not want to buy fabric to start a new project.  I can purchase stuff to finish things, but I am trying to avoid going out and buying fabric to start new quilts.  We will see how that goes.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

I am still here and I managed to finish my One Monthly Goal

Ok, It still needs ironed.  I will get to that.  Honestly, seems like a miracle that I finished anything thing, let alone my One Monthly Goal.  This month has been crazy.  I had the flu and I managed to get shingles for a second time.  So, for a good two weeks, I laid around and did very little.  When I get sick I am not allowed to take my Rheumatoid arthritis medication, so then there is the added effects of that.  I am feeling better, finally.  Not 100%, but on my way.  I feel like I have been away from my blog forever.  I have missed seeing everyone’s wonderful work.  Need to get caught up on my reading.  I truly believe, if not for the One monthly Goal, I would not have finished a thing this month, including my I wish you a merry Quilt Along Top.

So about my holiday quilt top.  I needed to use up my snowflake fabric, so that is what I used for sashing.  Not sure how I feel about the top.  Need to look at it a while longer before I decide.  I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and has a wonderful 2018.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

My new bag for Guild Meetings and My one Monthly Goal

M friend Lynn was harassing me because every time we go to a Guild meeting I am bringing my stuff in a Kroger shopping bag.  So, I made myself a guild bag.  What could be more perfect for the crazy dog lady?  A dog bag made with pet screen.  I always wanted to try something with pet screen and had bought a piece a while back.  No pattern, I just sort of winged it.  I like it.  It is sturdy and functional.

So, my one monthly goal for December, is to put together my top for the I wish you a WaterMark_2017-12-02-18-51-12Merry Quilt along.  It will be a lot considering that Christmas is right around the corner.  I do have some vacation, but who knows what we will be doing.  So, I will have to make block #12 and figure out how to put it all together before the year ends.  Fingers crossed.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Block #11 The North Star IWYAMQA

This is my block #11, The North Star from the I wish you a Merry Quilt Along. The North StarI totally don’t like my block.  I saw so many beautiful blocks and I had something in mind,  but that is not how it turned out.  I am not a paper piecer usually and had to tear out multiple times.  Notice the threads everywhere?  I don’t currently have the patience to make another one.  I needed to stick with my snowflake themed fabric, but somehow, I sort of wanted it reversed, meaning that I wanted the purple on the outside.  Not much I am going to do about that now.  I will be interested to see what the final block looks like.  Not sure how I will put this all together, but I should be thinking about it.

Ohio State Buckeyes are the Big 10 champions, but sadly will not get to play in the national championship.  Thus ends our college football hopes for the year.  I am sure there will some kind of bowl game they get to play in.  Go Bucks.

watermark_2017-12-02-18-51-12.jpgHappy Sewing

Happy Quilting

My One Monthly Goal…Safari Madness

I managed to get my One Monthly Gwatermark_2017-11-28-18-08-02.jpgoal completed.  It is a miracle since I have been struggling doing any quilting.  Totally felt like I lost my quilting mojo.  So I think that I have appropriately named my quilt Safari Madness.  I chose this name because, well. I was so annoyed about the three camels being all together , RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER.  Whew.  Got that out, feel better.  Then there are the Zebra’s.  Here I chose to pebble the grass.  Totally was not thinking.  Duh.  THere is also the weirdness of one set of zebras looking the opposite direction.  I had nothing to do with thawatermark_2017-11-28-18-07-20.jpgt one, but did not notice til someone pointed it out.  However, my original intent was for this to be for my future grandchild (could be ten years, could be thirty, who knows?).  Just in case I never get to know this grandchild at least they will know that their Grams loved them ( I quilted the word love all around in the green border)  and was slightly goofy(three camels in a row and pebbles in the grass).

This was really the most quilting I have ever done on a piece.  I am not unhappy with it. I will not shy away from quilting, even designs a little more complex.  It looks not to bad from the back also.  I a, glad not that it is done that I don’t totally hate it, especially after all that work.  Happy Sewing.  Happy Quilting.WaterMark_2017-11-28-18-10-21

Hand Quilt Along – More progress and my “other” project

Well, on my last Hand Quilt along post, I did not have a photo of y “other” project.  I sort of call this the swim team project.  Mostly because I work on it during swim practice and al the long weekend meets.  For tis project, I am making hexie flowers.  My long-term plan is to pick a background fabric and make a quilt from all of them.  So, at one time belonged to the Fat Quarter Shops mini charm club Fat Quarter Shops mini charm club.  I got 4 different mini charms each month, so I have quite a collection of them.    They are perfect for making these hexies.  I use a solid center and then each charm pack will make seven flowers.  I have no idea how many I will truly need, I will just keep making them.

My second hand quilt along project is my dog bones dresser scarf.  This is my sit on the WaterMark_2017-11-25-14-26-08could project, because I am not capable of just sitting down and doing nothing.  I need this to get to 54 inches.  I am at about 36 inches.  Still more work to do.

Thank Kathy for organizing this Hand Work Quilt Along.  It will e great to see everyone’s hand work without all the searching.  It is now at the tip of my fingers (and yours) .

Here is the list of others who said they would be joining in the Hand Quilt Along.  I hope you all check out their blogs and maybe even join in the fun.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

My favorite quilt…I am so Thankful for it.

I guess takes not feeling well to realize my most favorite quilt lays over the headboard of my bed.  I managed to get a cold last week.  Usually not a big deal, but since I take biologic drugs for rheumatoid arthritis, I have a compromised immune system.  Last time I got a cold I would up with pneumonia.  Anyway, going to bed and trying to do all the right things so I don’t get sick for Thanksgiving.

As a kid, whenever I got sick, I always wanted Oma’s quilt.  I found comfort in this quilt and swore it made me feel better.  I would always say to my Mom as a kid, “I want Oma’s blanket”.  This quilt was not one that she regularly used or kept out.  It was always put away, but Mom always got it out for me when I was sick.

This quilt is very old.  I am not sure how old, but I remember it from when I was little.  I remember being in Germany and sleeping with this quilt.  Every day, Oma would hang them on the window ledge to air them out (I also remember pushing one of the ledge once so I could go and see what the kids were doing down below).

It is not the traditional quilt most of use make, but the fabric is such a high thread count it feels cool to the touch.  I think this is why I liked it so much when I was feeling bad.  Or, maybe it was because it was Oma’s.  Whatever the reason, it is my favorite.  I often forget about it, because I see it so often that I don’t even notice it anymore until I don’t feel well.  Then I see it like a beacon hanging on the headboard just waiting to make me feel better.  It is like getting a hug from Oma and my Mom, or as close I can got to that on this earth.  For this I am thankful.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting