Category: sewing

My One Monthly Goal for April

March is over.  Yeah.  So, I am going to get the quilting done on my special dog quilt for my one monthly goalmy one monthly goal.  I have started, but have a long way to go.   My intent is to have it completely done, binding and all.   I decided that I would do an all WaterMark_2018-04-03-20-19-19over dog bone pattern.  So far, it is going OK.  I don’t hate it.

I have multiple projects going, so I am hoping to get a few things done.

So, in my March month of hell, there was a very bright note.  My 13-year-old eighth grader passed her entrance tests to college and actually gets to start this summer.  Helping her prepare and running to the testing center, was one of the many things that sucked up my time.  I am very proud of her.  I would like to take all the credit for her smartness, but I can only take full credit for her smart a$$ness.

Wonderful thing here in Ohio, kids who can pass the tests can get up to 2 years of college credit totally free, including books.  If all goes well, she can start college after high school as a junior.  Also, her college classes count as her high school classes, so she is not doing double work.  I might have enough money to fund those last two years.  She does not understand how important it is, but I was fortunate to leave college without any loans (thanks Mom and Dad).  At the time, I did not realize the importance, but there are people my age still paying back college loans.  Yikes!  I don’t want that for my daughter.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

I definitely bit of more than I could deal with.. HQAL and Mystery Quilt Along.

HAPPY EASTER!

Hand Quilt Along

Yep, that is all I got done this past month for the Hand Quilt Along.  Ugh.  It has been a rough month at the Brewer House, but I think things are looking up.  I do most of y hand sewing at swim practice and winter swim has officially ended.  We will now start swimming clinics until Summer Swim starts.  I also, did not have my vehicle for three weeks and half the contents of my hand sewing bag had spilled out without my knowledge.  So, I was missing a bunch of stuff.  So, to see all the wonderful hand quilting progress from people who actually got something accomplished, please visit the following:

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

watermark_2018-04-01-19-55-28.jpg

Mystery Quilt Along

Well, I have not gotten much accomplished.  I have three blocks finished and a pile of cupcake papers sewn, but that is as far as I have gotten.  I do love the cupcake papers.  They work so well on charm squares.  PLease make sure to take the time to review all the other participants in the Mystery quilt along.  I am sure they are not nearly the slacker I am.

Cindy @ inastitchquilting.com

Tracy @ It’s a T-Sweets Day!

Edith @ ediscraftinglife.blogspot.com

Desert Suz @ DesertSky Quilting

Roseanne @ Home Sewn By Us

Michelle @ Creative Blonde

Abbie @ Sparkle On

Elana @ ThatFabricFeeling

Kathy E. @hazels-daughter

_Verlynne_ posting on Instagram

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

 

My one Monthly Goal in this crazy month

So, I finished my one Monthly goal and I don’t like it one bit.  O, my intent was to use this to practice my curved borders.  However, I got new rulers and got all excited about that and we have some pretty awful ruler work.  I thought about tearing it all out, but I just did not feel like it.  They are not all bad, but there are a couple that are pretty hideous, not to mention that for whatever reason my measuring skills were totally non-existent.  I will use it on my table.  Everyone always makes a big mess anyway…..It will blend in with the quilting.

This is the crazy birthday month.  All the kids’ birthdays are this month, along with my late mother, and my late husband, Derrick.  While I understand what everyone was doing that July before, I just do not understand why, myself included.  Fourth of July is really not that exciting.  So, the month has been getting gifts and making food and it is not over yet.  Still one tomorrow and Friday, Haley has some of her friends over.  Teenagers.  Great.  They will eat all the food, drink all the pop, and be super annoying.  Such is life being the parent of a teenager.

Due to all the crazy birthday stuff, I get little or nothing accomplished from a quilting perspective.  Add in there that I really miss my Mom and I have spent the month constantly thinking about Derrick and feeling a bit sorry for myself.   There have been numerous times that I just wanted to call Mom and talk to her about “things”.   Next month will be Dad’s birthday and I was totally a Daddy’s girl. Yeah.

Then there is the fact that, the first dead husbands brother died.  Haley wanted to see him before he passed.  I took her.  I had not seen these people in nearly 10 years.  It was stressful, but not nearly as awful as I had managed.  Sad that he is gone, I always really liked him.   At least he will have some good company.

Gosh, I sound depressing.  I don’t feel as bad as it sounds.  Sometimes, life just happens.  I need to get more sewing/quilting in and chase away the blues.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

So this is what happens…

So, this is what happens when I baste a quilt.  I was minding my own business and doing my thing when out of no where, Moka, jumped up on the pool table and laid down on my dog quilt, that I was basting.  Yep, that was once a pool table that now holds my projects and lets me baste quilts etc….  I had no idea that Moka could actually get up there.  She just stared at me, like I was the crazy one, then she tried to escape with a cone of thread in her mouth.

So, I decided to put my crazy dog fabric on the back since I was keeping this for myself.  I20180317_205042_resized have been saving this fabric for a really long time.  It is a bit weird, but it totally screams “Crazy Dog Lady”.  Not sure what type of fabric it is.  Not cotton, not fleece, just weird.  It will work though.

I debated a while on how to quilt and was going to go ruler crazy, but then came to my senses.  This is a dog quilt.  You need to quilt dog bones.  So, dog bones it is.

20180317_205004_resizedThen I fell off the not buying and unnecessary fabric wagon.  I had my daughter with me and I was looking through clearance and she decided what I needed.  No plans in any way.  It is a weird collection.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Brought a tear to my eye—Happy Pi Day! – Hand Quilt Along and Ruler Work

So, I feel like it has been forever since I have posted anything.  I have been working on a few things (therapy) and practicing with my rulers.

So, the beautiful dog quilt in the photo was sent to me by me dear Friend Nanette Chopin Cook of Chopin – A Passionate Quilter.  We talk and she knew it was a rough couple of weeks for me for a host of reasons.  She sent me this beautiful quilt top.  I can’t wait to quilt it.  It will be all mine.  I have not stopped smiling since I opened the package.  It is certainly going to be the next thing I quilt.  A perfect top for the crazy dog lady.  Gosh I love her.  She is awesome in every way.

My daughter’s school sells Pi day Shirts and every year we get one.  So, Happy Pi Day20180314_063442_resized.jpg from the Nerd squad!  Cow Pi’s bahahaha.

I have been working on my One Monthly Goal, but have changed the direction I am going.  I was going to practice my scalloped border, but instead lost my mind with the new rulers.  Not sure I 20180313_194211_resizedactually like it on here, but it’s too late now.  I am already committed.  It doesn’t look to bad, but I will have a later post on my additional learnings as I continue to figure out ruler work

Epic fail on hand quilting for the HQA.  So sorry.  I will try to get on the path of straight and narrow again.  To see all the beautiful work of those that are not slackers, click on the links below.

Lori, Margaret, Kerry, Emma, Tracy, Deb, Connie, Susan, Jessisca, Sherry, Nanette, Sassy, Edith, and  Sharon

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

What I have learned about Ruler work so far…

So, in my 3 days of owning some FMQ rulers, I have learned a few things.  I purchased A Westalee starter set.  It has six rulers in the package.  I payed $75.00 for them.  I think the 20180306_202815_resized.jpgprice is about average.   I have a Bernina machine, so I could purchase the High Shank set and learned that I could use any long arm rulers, which was good to know.  The rulers came with some non-slip adhesive that sort of reminded me of weird shelf liner.  You can see it in my photo of the rulers.  It is the longer skinny piece (white).  I found that these did not grip good enough, so I purchased the Handi-Quilter ruler grips (the shorter fatter whitish piece in the photo).  They are like sandpaper on steroids, only it is sort of clear.  Worked much better for me.  Provided great grip.

After I started practicing, I ended up having to watch more 20180306_200528_resized.jpgvideos on how to use all the lines on the rulers.  If you can see my clam-shells, they are all off.  Once I watched the video on the clam-shell ruler, I totally got it.  YouTube has tons of videos, even on those specific Westalee rulers.

So, I certainly need more practice, which I hope to get to this weekend at some point.  I am thinking of doing the small clam-shell on the border of my One Monthly Goal Table Topper project.  That remains to be seen though.

 

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

My One monthly goal…and some other stuff (Fluffer Nutter Butter)

So, For my One monthly goal I am going to finally finish this Table Topper.  Not sure I would call it a UFO, it is less than a year old.  I made this with the intent of learning/practicing some type of scalloped border.  I bought one of those fancy border rulers a while ago, so I will finally have a chance to give it a try.  My plan is to have this totally completed.

So, my friend Lynn was telling me how she bought some rulers for Ruler work and it was really easy.  So, since Lynn always has great ideas, I decided that I needed to give it a try.  On the way home from the swim meet on Saturday I stopped by a quilt shop and purchased the Ruler work foot.  A ridiculous $125.00.  Ugh. Then I purchased a starter set of Westerlee Rulers.  I hope to use these rulers to finish the quilting on the table topper before I give it a fancy scalloped border.  I am very excited about my rulers and I am hoping It helps me become a more confident quilter.

The Fluffer Nutter Butter quilt for the mystery quilt…..ugh.  Not much progress. Dang itwatermark_2018-03-05-13-26-48.jpg.  I think I was supposed to post on Feb 28th, but I was busy hitting 20180228_201013_resizeda deer.  I have such luck.

Here is a list of participants in this quilt along:

 

 

 

 

Saturday was the final swim meet.  Yeah!.  I can’t tell you how exciting that is.  Swim practice was 4 days a week and then weekend meets, often at least an hour away.  The school it was held at, had an awesome Natatorium.  Two Pools.  However, the most intriguing part was that the school was decorated with quilt designs.  Odd but refreshing.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

 

Starry Starry Night….a secret project

So, I have been working on a “secret” project, meaning that I could not blog about it until it was ready.  I have tested a pattern for Denise at For the love of geese.  I volunteered to test this pattern for her, mostly because I really don’t paper piece but wanted to do it/get better/be less chicken.  That way when I see some of the beautiful paper pieced patterns, I won’t just dismiss them because they are paper pieced.

I previously attempted to paper piece a quilt and gave up.  So, I am always up for a challenge and really wanted to be able to paper piece confidently.  By the time I was done with this quilt, I was pretty confident with it.  It looks so hard, but it really wasn’t.

I actually like this one so much, I am going to finish it and put it up for my future grandchildren.  Funny thing was that I did not find the paper piecing difficult at all.  What I found harder was putting the blocks together.  I wanted to make sure all the points were perfect.  They are not, but not too bad.

Now the dilemma, How to quilt it?  I will have to think about that one for a bit.  If you are interested in this pattern, please visit Denise at “For the Love of Quilting“.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

Blogging Slacker here but I got my One Monthly Goal completed! Woohoo!

I feel like it has been forever since I have done a blog post.  Way too much going on.  My daughter has had some crazy virus.  SHe is getting better, but we are still doing breathing treatments three times a day.   Kevin has also been sick.  Amazingly, the person with the compromised immune system (me) has managed to stay healthy.

I managed to completed my One Monthly Goal amidst the insanity.  I really love this quilt.  I have names it Hugs and Kisses.  I quilted circles on this quilt (hugs).  They don’t look to bad.  I used freezer paper.  basically, I used a protractor (showing my age) to draw circles on freezer paper and then sewed on the lines.  The freezer paper was good but I did learn a few things.  First being, don’t iron all the pattens on at once.  Just iron on a few at a time.  I initially ironed them all on and manipulating them under the machine caused them to loosen.  I eventually, pulled them off and only put them on one row at a time.  Then I had no more issues.  I will use the freezer paper method again.  I ended up using a sulky thread that was sort of an Ombre orange.  It went from dark orange to light orange.

I got to make this quilted wall hanging for free.  My local quilt shop Red Rooster Quilts gives a free quilt block every two weeks.  I am already collecting my next set, which is a lovely christmas wall hanging.

I really like this wall hanging and plan on hanging it in my family room.  I think it is because I really like orange fabric.

Happy Sewing

Happy Quilting

My hand quilting and one of the many reasons I can’t get things done.

Well, not much has  been getting done around my house.  There are a host of reasons, 20180217_120109_resizedKevin and Haley both sick, plumbing issues and a very large chocolate lab who thinks she can sit on me while I try to sew.

I did make some progress on my two hand quilting projects.  My Dog Bone dresser scarf is 45.5 inches long.  I think I only need to add 2 more dog bones.  This was mostly due to the Super Bowl.  As I sat on the couch, I worked on this project.

 

The Flower Garden project now has a total of thirty flowers.WaterMark_2018-02-18-19-24-15 (1)  I am thinking that when I join all these together, I might use a yellow.  Not to sure, but that is where my mind is at right now.   To get a view of all these talented ladies hand work, click on the links below.

So, I do have to say that through my blog I have met some of the most wonderful and generous people.  I need to give a special shout out to he wonderful Nanette.  She is a super generous person and has become a special friend to me.  I am so greatful