Tuesday, July 31, 2018

PIGGY BANK CHALLENGE




Val's Quilting Studio


I'm joining the Piggy Bank Challenge by Val at Val's Quilting Studio.

I'm starting out with this as my piggy bank.  Will have to see how I do with this, I do have a large water bottle in reserve.


Its an old tin I have,one in my collection of tins.

Not sure what I will purchase this time next year with my savings, but will probably visit a quilt store and have a good time.  I haven't been in a quilt store in at least 8 years.  I was retired last year, and so far am just working from my stash and projects I had started or set by to work on when I was retired.  

Am linking up with the Piggy Bank Challenge here at Val's Quilting Studio


Thanks for visiting!

Sunday, July 29, 2018

One Monthly Goal-July Finish



I'm joining Patty@Elm Street Quilts  for the July Link-up for One Monthly Goal.

I was pretty busy this month getting my 12 Days of Christmas in July Blog Hop project finished.

I stated my One Monthly Goal here.

Then I started working on my One Monthly Goal and to have a setback I described here.  

My one monthly goal for July was to finish 2 of these old, old stitchery/raw edge applique blocks done.  The problem I found out was that the homespun for my remaining blocks had disintegrated.  I started the Winter Berries block, and was almost finished except for the quilting but my finger started going through the fabric.  I checked out the remaining 3 yards of fabric I had left, and it was all the same.  If I stuck my fingernail up against the fabric, it would go through and rip.  I found some replacement homespun, slightly different but it will be OK I think. 

Anyway, I was able to finish up my goal today.



I will be linking up with Patty@ One Monthly Goal.

Thursday, July 26, 2018

Fall Into a QAL. Block 6

The new block came out this week for the Fall Into A QAL.  This one was designed by Sherry@
Powered by Quilting.  I love this block, and fun to make. I made a cherry pie.  When I showed it to my husband though, he stated I needed to make another one, because "what would fall be without an apple pie!"



Thanks for stopping by!

12 Days of Christmas in July Blog Hop -Giveaway Winner


Our blog hop is over, and I will be announcing the winner of my giveaway shortly.  First though, I would like thank Sarah@ Confessions of a Fabric Addict again for organizing, and allowing me to participate in this blog hop.  This was the first one I have participated in, and had a wonderful time,  and have acquired many, many Christmas project ideas.

*****************************

Using the True Random Number Generator, #9 was chosen:

Julie in GA said...
Your Santa tablerunner is fantastic! I have the book Just Be Claus, but haven't made anything from it yet. You have inspired me to give redwork a try.

I'll be emailing Julie to get your snail mail address. 

Thanks so much everyone for stopping by!

Tuesday, July 24, 2018

12 Days of Christmas in July Blog Hop, Day 11






We are down to the next to last day of the 12 Days of Christmas Blog Hop, organized by Sarah@ Confessions of a Fabric Addict.  She has had a quilt-a-long during this hop, a fantastic quilt,  There have been such good projects and giveaways.  If you haven't had a chance, the whole list is below.  I will be having my giveaway on Thursday the 26th of July, the day after the hop ends.  


Saturday, July 14th

Selina @ Selina Quilts

Sunday, July 15th


Monday, July 16th

Jamie @ L'Fair Quilts

Tuesday, July 17th

Sharon @ Vrooman's Quilts

Wednesday, July 18th

Thursday, July 19th

Danice @ Homespun Hannah

Friday, July 20th


Saturday, July 21st

Marian @ Seams To Be Sew

Sunday, July 22nd

Anja @ Anja Quilts
Moira @ Quilted Snail

Monday, July 23rd

Brenda @ Songbird Designs

Tuesday, July 24th


Wednesday, July 25th


Thanks for stopping by!

Sunday, July 22, 2018

Slow Sunday Stitching, 12 Days of Christmas in July Blog Hop

I'm joining Kathy, at Kathy's Quilts for her Slow Sunday Stitching Party.  

One of my goals for the Quarter 3 Finish-A-Long, which I stated here was to embroider 3 of the redwork nursery rhyme blocks.  I started these a long time ago, got 9 blocks of this 20 BOM done.  When my dear SIL was here for a visit recently, I asked her if she would like to make them up for her first granddaughter and she was excited, and said she could put the sashing on and tie the quilt,. The story behind this redwork quilt was that a 10-year-old girl named Helen Wells produced this redwork children's quilt in 1910 using her favorite nursery rhymes and storybook characters.  This week I have finished the Three Blind Mice  block, and Mother Goose block.  Just 1 more block to meet #1 goal on  my list for the Finish-A-Long



I'm linking up with Kathy for Slow Sunday Stitching.




The 12 days of Christmas in July Blog Hop continues for a few more days.  This was organized by Sarah, at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.  Sarah has been having a quilt-a-long as well, of the cutest quilt.   There are some excellent gift ideas, tutorials, and giveaways:

The whole blog hop is as follows:  


Saturday, July 14th

Selina @ Selina Quilts

Sunday, July 15th


Monday, July 16th

Jamie @ L'Fair Quilts

Tuesday, July 17th

Sharon @ Vrooman's Quilts

Wednesday, July 18th

Thursday, July 19th

Danice @ Homespun Hannah

Friday, July 20th


Saturday, July 21st

Marian @ Seams To Be Sew

Sunday, July 22nd

Anja @ Anja Quilts
Moira @ Quilted Snail

Monday, July 23rd

Brenda @ Songbird Designs

Tuesday, July 24th


Wednesday, July 25th



Saturday, July 21, 2018

One Monthly Goal, Setback- What Happens to an Old,Old UFO

My One Monthly Goal for July was to finish to do 2 blocks on my Time Began in a Garden UFO, a BOM probably from around 2000.  I noticed when I was working on the centerpiece in June the fabric, which is a homespun, was a little fragile, such that I was not able to wrap fabric from the back of the piece to the front to do the binding, as instructed to. 

This week I have been working on the winterberries block.  Knowing the fabric was fragile, I backed the piece with a piece of black interfacing.  I almost finished with the embroidery and when my finger came through the fabric, in multiple places


The one below, I was going to try to cover it up with more chain stitches, but it kept ripping every time I stuck my needle in.


Below was how far I had come, I just needed to embroider the Winter Berries.






These are all the blocks I have finished.  I decided to continue on, I purchased some more homespun, and it is not the same shade of black, but I am going to complete the project anyway.  I could have cried last night when this was happening.   I have the Sunflower block prepared too, with the old fabric, and tried to see if my finger would go through and it seemed to be OK.  I ended up throwing away about 3 yards.  

I guess this is a lesson in letting UFO's sit for 18 years!

Thanks for stopping by!

12 Days of Christmas in July Blog Hop, Day 8


The 12 days of Christmas in July Blog Hop Continues, which was organized by Sara@ Confessions of a Fabric Addict.    She continues with instruction on her project, a quilt-a-long.  There are some fantastic gift projects and giveaways.  I have included the entire list below.  If you haven't had a chance to visit anyone yet, check them out!

Saturday, July 14th

Selina @ Selina Quilts

Sunday, July 15th


Monday, July 16th

Jamie @ L'Fair Quilts

Tuesday, July 17th

Sharon @ Vrooman's Quilts

Wednesday, July 18th

Thursday, July 19th

Danice @ Homespun Hannah

Friday, July 20th


Saturday, July 21st

Marian @ Seams To Be Sew

Sunday, July 22nd

Anja @ Anja Quilts
Moira @ Quilted Snail

Monday, July 23rd

Brenda @ Songbird Designs

Tuesday, July 24th


Wednesday, July 25th



Thanks for stopping by!

Friday, July 20, 2018

12 Days of Christmas in July Blog Hop,Day 7


Today the 12 Days of Christmas in July Blog Hop continues, organized by Sarah@ Confessions of a Fabric Addict.  Stop by and check out her quilt-a-long and visit the others on our list.  There are some great projects in all of these.   If you haven't had a chance before to visit any of the previous blogs, our whole schedule is listed below.  There are some great gift ideas, tutorials and giveaways.


Saturday, July 14th

Selina @ Selina Quilts

Sunday, July 15th


Monday, July 16th

Jamie @ L'Fair Quilts

Tuesday, July 17th

Sharon @ Vrooman's Quilts

Wednesday, July 18th

Thursday, July 19th

Danice @ Homespun Hannah

Friday, July 20th


Saturday, July 21st

Marian @ Seams To Be Sew

Sunday, July 22nd

Anja @ Anja Quilts
Moira @ Quilted Snail

Monday, July 23rd

Brenda @ Songbird Designs

Tuesday, July 24th


Wednesday, July 25th



Thanks for stopping by!

Thursday, July 19, 2018

Fall Into A QAL, Block 5-Blogger Issues Again

Finally finished block #5 in the Fall Into a QAL.  I am really liking it, and all the blocks together.  The designer this time was Kathleen McCormick at Kathleen McMusing.



I'm having Blogger issues again, and this time the fix is not working.  I answered about 2/3 of the comments yesterday, but they are not coming through again, and I tried the fix that worked last time that Carol of Just Let Me Quilt posted in June.  

Several people have requested the nativity stitchery, but left me no way to contact them, so I am putting it here:


Thanks for stopping by!



12 Days of Christmas in July Blog Hop, Day 6

Today the 12 Days of Christmas in July Blog Hop continues, organized by Sarah@ Confessions of a Fabric Addict.  Stop by and check out her quilt-a-long and visit the others on our list.  If you haven't had a chance before to visit any of the previous blogs, our whole schedule is listed below.  There are some great gift ideas, tutorials and giveaways.


Saturday, July 14th

Selina @ Selina Quilts

Sunday, July 15th


Monday, July 16th

Jamie @ L'Fair Quilts

Tuesday, July 17th

Sharon @ Vrooman's Quilts

Wednesday, July 18th

Thursday, July 19th

Danice @ Homespun Hannah

Friday, July 20th


Saturday, July 21st

Marian @ Seams To Be Sew

Sunday, July 22nd

Anja @ Anja Quilts
Moira @ Quilted Snail

Monday, July 23rd

Brenda @ Songbird Designs

Tuesday, July 24th


Wednesday, July 25th



Thanks for stopping by!



Wednesday, July 18, 2018

Wednesday Wait Loss 76

Jennifer, at The Inquiring Quilter this time for Wednesday Wait Loss is asking to see red, white and blue quilts.  Red, white and blue items are some of my favorites!  They also look great against my blue walls!

This quilt is called America.  I can't remember what book I got it out of, but still love it.  Finished it in 12/01.  This was quilted by Susan Nixon@ Desertsky Quilting when she was quilting for other people.  At the time she was living in Phoenix, AZ.  The stars are fusible applique, and buttonhole stitched down. 


This quilt is called Crazy about Boating.  This was my own creation.  I embroidered in bluework sailboats and sayings about sailing and created crazy-quilt type blocks.  This was completed in August 2001.  It was also quilted by Susan Nixon@ Desertsky Quilting.  I entered it in the California State Fair that year and received a second place ribbon. 


This one is called Lights Ahoy.  The center section came out of a book called All Hands On Deck by the Picket Fence, Richard and Debi Anderson.l  That year, we went up to Trinidad, California to visit friends, who took us to breakfast  down by the pier.  Right up the street was a quilt shop called Ocean Waves, which has since relocated to Eureka.  Anyway I convinced my husband and our friends we needed to stop so I could look.  On our way out of town, my husband stopped and I bought the 4 whale blocks and the lighthouses which I love.  The owner told us about this blue fabric that would be perfect for a border.  My DH asked if I wanted to get and I said no, 3 times, thinking if we spent money for it, I would not get to stop for a sandwich on the way home.  I also thought my local quilt shop would probably have it (they didn't).  So the next week, I called to get some shipped, and the owner said "Your husband asked you 3 times if you wanted it".  This quilt was finished in 2/99.  It is fusible applique and buttonhole stitched down.  It was also quilted by Susan Nixon.  It won a 2nd place at the California State Fair that year.


After I retired last year, I did a thorough evaluation of the piles of UFO's in my sewing room and found objects I had done the stitching on but had not completed the object.  These next 3 items are UFO's I finished up last summer.





Thanks for stopping by!

12 Days o Christmas in July Blog Hop, Day 5 and Giveaway



I'd like to thank Sarah@ Confessions of a Fabric Addict  for the opportunity to participate in this 12 Days of Christmas in July Blog Hop.  This is my first blog hop it has been a lot of fun.  Sarah continues to give directions for a quilt-a-long each day. Our complete blog schedule is listed below.  Be sure to visit today's other blogger Cindy@ Stitchin at Home.

For my project, I decided to do a redwork table runner.  I first searched for a free image I could copy onto my fabric and I came up with this guy:

Image result for free father christmas line drawing


I traced him onto my fabric which I cut out at about 9 inches, and proceeded to embroider the image with a backstitch using DMC #8 Pearl Cotton, color 498.  When I do redwork embroidery I always back my fabric with a piece of thin batting the same size, so the threads won't show through from the back, especially with light fabrics.   I embroidered 2 of the same image.  If I were to do it again, I think I would have tried to reverse one of them so they were facing each other.  This was what it looked like after my embroidery was done:



Next I string pieced some 8" blocks to make some Christmas trees.  I used 1.5 and 2" strips of fabric.  I am working completely from my old, old stash. One piece was from 1991, I have no idea of who the designer was.  My fabrics included Mary Ellen Hopkins Classics for Moda, Kathy Schmetz Hand Stiched Holiday for Moda, Folk Art Christmas I, II, III and IV by Robyn Pandolph for Moda.  

I next cut out the trees going different directions out of the string-pieced blocks.  I drew a pattern and cut out the background pieces and trunks:


I then assembled six  trees, I later realized that was way to many for the table runner.  So I have 3 leftover to make another one.  



This one has a wonky trunk but I like it that way.  

Next I put 1.5 inch sashing between the blocks, two santas at the ends with the trees in between. With all the 1.5 and 2 inch strips I had leftover from the string-piecing I randomly sewed them together and attached them to the table runner, making them 2.5 inches, with corner pieces 2.5 inches squares.  I then quilted it.  The table runner ends up being 45.5  x 14 inches.  





                                                                           Back

Also for this blog hop I did a little mini quilt.  I found a free primitive nativity scene, and embroidered it, again using a backstitch and the DMC #8 Pearl Cotton, Color 498. 





A good source for redwork designs and patterns is Bird Brain Designs.  I have gotten these patterns from them before, and made my giveaway ornaments from the Long and Tall Holiday Ornaments pattern.  I also bought the redwork book Just Be Claus by Robin Kingsley.  I am not affiliated with Bird Brain Designs in any way, just a happy customer.






My giveaway is these 2 redwork ornaments



In order to be entered in the giveaway, be sure to leave a comment below. I will pick a winner on Thursday, July 26th the day after our hop ends.  Also if you are a no-reply blogger and wish to be entered, please be sure to leave your e-mail in your comment so I can contact you.


Saturday, July 14th

Selina @ Selina Quilts

Sunday, July 15th


Monday, July 16th

Jamie @ L'Fair Quilts

Tuesday, July 17th

Sharon @ Vrooman's Quilts

Wednesday, July 18th

Thursday, July 19th

Danice @ Homespun Hannah

Friday, July 20th


Saturday, July 21st

Marian @ Seams To Be Sew

Sunday, July 22nd

Anja @ Anja Quilts
Moira @ Quilted Snail

Monday, July 23rd

Brenda @ Songbird Designs

Tuesday, July 24th


Wednesday, July 25th

--