Slow Sunday Stitching

 This week I had the exciting opportunity of attending via Zoom the Embroidery Extravaganza. It was put on by CT Publishing.  There were 3 hour sessions, each having 3 teachers.  You got to choose which teacher you wanted to see.  Judith Baker Montano was one of the teachers I chose, she was also the keynote speaker.  Sharon Boggan was another of the teachers, but was at the same time as Judith's.   The great thing about this Embroidery Extravaganza is that you have the classes for life.  So I can watch all the other classes in my spare time.  I have been following Sharon Boggan for years and her Take a Stitch Tuesday on Facebook.  Alex Anderson was another of the teachers, stitching on silk.  

I did get some things done this week.  I got another row on granddaughter Kyleigh's quilt.

I also finished the crazy quilt portion on the second block of the opportunity quilt.

I also got one of the cuddle quilts quilted.  I started out in stitch regular mode doing spirals, but for some reason when I get to almost the end of a row, my Handquilter Moxie gets hung up and makes big stitches.  I'm going to have to take a bit out and fix it on my domestic machine.

I finally switched back over to the manual mode and it goes past that spot fine.  The thing is if you switch to manual mode, the machine is instantly going.  I ended up doing partially a loop meander, some spirals. and some spiral type flowers.  I'll put the binding on for Slow Sunday Stitching.

I'll also be working on a block for our quilt show.  It is supposed to be an 18" red, white and blue block for the 250th anniversary of our country.

I will be linking up with Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching and https://quiltingpatch.blogspot.com/

Slow Sunday Stitching

 It has been a busy couple of weeks.  Last Saturday was our guild's fundraiser tea, and then right after that, was the Begonia Society 's 77th Birthday Dinner.  It was way too much food for one day, especially treats.

This week I have gotten a lot done.  Last December, for grandson Jaeger's BD, I took a panel and made it into a simple top, and quilted it with Cuddle.  

After his brother saw that quilt, he wanted one too.  So for Christmas, I had gotten a panel for Keaton too, with some more Cuddle.  

After Jaeger's girlfriend Shiri saw his quilt she wanted one too. She has a birthday in March, so I found another panel, and some more Cuddle.  This week I got it ready to go on my longarm.

Also Andrew, Kyleigh's fiance wanted one for himself.  I found a panel with a moose for him, and he liked Keaton's Cuddle and I was able to find some more.

I'm using these simple panels to practice my free motifs on my Handiquilter.  I have had a Handiquilter set-up since they first came out with rails that you taped to a board and a carriage, over 25 years ago.  Then in 2021 I bought the Handiquilter Moxie.  All I have ever done is meandering.  I don't have the $$ to get the computer  program.

I have taken multiple free motion quilting classes, which I can do pretty well on my domestic machine.   But I have been hesitant or scared to practice on the longarm.  I don't want to screw something up.  A friend and I challenged each other, me to practice other stitches, and her to get her longarm started.

On Jaeger's quilt I practiced swirls, on Keaton's I practiced woodgrain.  I am going to continue practicing on Shiri's and Andrew's quilts.  

Another thing I did this week was work on one of my quilts I am entering in the quilt show this year.  This was finished in March of 2019.  It was part of the Hand-Pieced Quilt-Along hosted by Patty of Elm Street Quilts and Kristin of Simple, Handmade, Everyday.  I had first planned on hand quilting it, but that hasn't happened yet, and I have no idea when it ever would.  I dithered for weeks about quilting the corners.  I planned on quilting feathers but then couldn't decide what kind of feathers.  Finally I watched one of Angela Walters of Quilting is My Therapy free motion videos, and decided to do a Paisley Meander.  All I need to do is sew the hanging sleeve down, and make a label.  I am calling this Rhapsody in Blue because I couldn't think of a name I liked better.  

This week I also was able to add another row to Kyleigh's wedding quilt.  I have 3 more to go.  

I have also been working on the Opportunity Quilt for the guild.  I received some new laces today.  I have a friend on Etsy who sells dyed laces.  Her shop is called 

Ravioleedreams.

I pulled a few of my crazy quilt blocks out for inspiration.  These were part of a Journal Project years ago, I did one block a month.  I plan eventually to have a family crazy quilt.  Of course I am about 30 years behind.  I need to have blocks for my girls' weddings and my grandchildren too.

I'm thinking about copying this tree on the Opportunity quilt.  

What I will be working on for Slow Sunday Stitching will be the Opportunity Quilt block.

I will be linking up with Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching and https://quiltingpatch.blogspot.com/

Slow Sunday Stitching

It's been quite a while since I have blogged, the end of November last year.  It was busy during the holidays, my brother Bill and wife Char stopped by on their way to their holiday in Oregon.  Grandson Jaeger and girlfriend Shiri were visiting from Albuquerque.  There were a lot of family activities and once I took off it was hard to get back to blogging.  This has been the longest break I have taken in years.

I felt like I was not getting much done, being bogged down with being Co-Chair of Community Service for my guild.   In January, we had a meeting at my house of guild members and discussed who could take over various parts of my position.  My garage is now clear of most Community Service materials.  I am still involved in Community Service, like taking the packaged quilts to the community center across the street from me for basting day, and sitting at the Community Service table on guild day.

Meanwhile I have taken on something else for the guild.  Every year we have an opportunity quilt that we take around to other guilds and sell tickets for.  I am working on the 2028 opportunity quilt.  It was from this 2002 Piecemaker's Calendar.  

Another member appliqued all the tree blocks, and I making the crazy quilt setting triangles.   I have to have this done by February or March of 2027 so we can take pictures and make postcards to take around to other guilds and quilt shops etc.  Crazy quilting is one of my favorite things to do, and I am so happy to take on this project.  

So far, I have completed the January block.

I have two more blocks prepared to embellish the triangles.  

 

The other reason I needed more spare time is that my granddaughter Kyleigh is getting married in October and I am making a double wedding ring quilt.  This is what I have done so far.   With the exception of the background fabric, these are all scraps.  I have 5 more rows to go.  

I have the best family.  On Valentine's day, my daughters Kristen and Katie and I went and got pedicures, and then went to lunch afterwards.

Mine are the blue toes, in the middle.  

What I also got done the beginning of January was that antique quilt I was restoring.  The owner figures it was made in around 1910.  She was thrilled with the finish.  In fact she shared a picture of it this week on her bed.  We showed it at guild last month, but unfortunately no picture was taken.

When I was getting my CQ supplies out, I discovered some idiot had just stuffed all my silk ribbons in a box, and there was a big mess.  That idiot was me obviously, but I have now purchased a storage container to sort these out.  Part of them are wrapped around like embroidery thread on spools.  

These ones with the cards attached, I have put on a binder ring.

I need to sort out those other ones though.

What I will be doing for Slow Sunday Stitching will be working on the CQ setting triangles.

I will be linking up with Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching and https://quiltingpatch.blogspot.com/

Thanks for stopping by!

Virtual Christmas Cookie Exchange Blog Hop, My Day

The Virtual Christmas Cookie Exchange Blog Hop starts today, hosted by the fabulous Carol @Just Let Me Quilt.    This is one of my favorite blog hops, and can't wait to see what everyone is going to share.  Thanks so much Carol for coming out of blog hop retirement and hosting this again.

With Thanksgiving last week, it has thrown me off a bit, I like to decorate right after Thanksgiving.  I am not quite finished, granddaughter Kyleigh is going to come over on Thursday to help me with my tree.  

I did get the nutcrackers out.

Every year I  make around 10-12 different kinds of cookies, and hand out boxes to friends and family.  This is my list for this year.  Every year there are certain ones that can't be neglected and every year I try something new.

Papa's Sugar Cookies are just the ones from the 1974 Family Circle Cookbook.  My husband John made them for years and years and years, that is why we call them Papa's Sugar Cookies.  In 2018 on the Virtual Christmas Cookie Exchange, I shared my Fudge and Crunchy Peanut Bark recipes here: 

In 2020 I shared the recipe for Chocolate Melting Snowmen here. 

In 2023 I shared Gingerbread Reindeer, German Chocolate Truffles and Andes Mint cookies here.

Last year I shared Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread here.

One of my new ones this year is Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookies.  My grandson was here today when I was baking them and he said these are a winner.

Be sure and visit the other bloggers and find out what they have come up with.

Thanks for stopping by!

                                                       DECEMBER 1^st

 

Just Let Me Quilt

Hill Valley Quilter

Karrin’s Crazy World

Lynn's Blog

Quilted Delights

Quilt Schmilt

Selina Quilts

 

DECEMBER 2^nd

 

A Quiltery

Ms P Designs USA

Bumbleberry Stitches

Texas Quilt Gal

Beaquilter

Quilted Snail

 

DECEMBER 3^rd

Just Because Quilts

Just Sew Quilter

Kathleen McMusing

Songbird Designs

Quilting Between The Rails

Words & Stitches 

 

DECEMBER 4^TH

 

MooseStashQuilting

Scrapdash

Sew Many Yarns

Happy Cottage Quilter

Days Filled With Joy

That Fabric Feeling

HQAL, Slow Sunday Stitching

It has been another couple of busy weeks.  The last Wednesday in October was our 5th Wednesday at our guild.  We have a sewing day.  People can quilt small quilts we have prepared, or work on quilt tops, make pillowcases.  We work for about 4 hours and have a potluck lunch.  I worked on this flannel panel.  It was shown at our guild meeting this past Wednesday.  

In the green border I quilted holly, and in the white border I quilted meandering snowflakes.

I recently finished these placemats for my grandson and his girlfriend for Christmas.  They live in Albuquerque.  I used the Accuquilt cactus die.  

On November 8th, I went went with daughter Kristen and her Sutter Hospital team for the Light the Night Walk for Blood Cancer.  It was a fun walk.  

I have been working on Christmas presents recently, and I had purchased 2 panels to participate in Angela Walters Season's Greetings Quilt Along.  I was going to give them to both my daughters, but then Angela pointed out you could cut the panels up and make table runners and placemats. 

So I cut them up so I have 2 table runners for my daughters  and 8 placemats for granddaughter Kyleigh.  I still have a lot of quilting to do.  I am working on my domestic machine for these.

November 16th would have been my 50th anniversary.  I told my family I didn't want to spend the evening alone.  So granddaughter Kyleigh made tacos, and I made Mexican rice, and Katie and SIL John brought refried beans and a delicious dessert, Buttermilk cake with buttermilk icing.

My 50 year old bottle of Moet Brut champagne went down the drain.  It had no bubbles and was mostly sediment, probably from not being stored properly.  Kyleigh made some delicious margaritas though.  

Last week was our guild meeting, and we had a lovely Quilts of Valor meeting with 5 veterans receiving quilts.

My guild friend Ann and I have challenged each other.  She has a longarm she hadn't really used, and I have a Handiquilter Moxie which I do really nice meandering on, but basically nothing else.  I challenged her to work on her machine, and she challenged me to do other stitches on the Moxie.

I had a piece of fabric for grandson Jaeger.  He wanted something with cows on it, and I had cuddle on the back. So I put it on the Moxie, and quilted it all over with swirls.

I have been working around the house too.  I recently had the sink taken out of my laundry room.  The faucet was leaking and I never really use it except to put dirty towels in it till I have a full load.  After the sink drain was capped off, I repainted the laundry room and molding.  Then I looked all over for a cabinet to put in front of the capped off pipe.  I was able locate one on Facebook Marketplace.  I put my cleaning supplies in there, and came out with empty shelves in the laundry room.

I decided those empty shelves were a good place to organize my UFO containers.

After I had taken those out of my sewing room, I decided to clean up my sewing room too.  It is actually my supply room.  I sew in the kitchen, and my dining room table is my cutting station.

What I will be working on for Slow Sunday Stitching continues to be the vintage DWR I am restoring.  I have 9 more center blocks to quilt on this section, and then I can move on to about 2 rows.  I am hoping to have it finished by our next guild meeting in December so I can show it.

Hand Quilt Along Links

This Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piecers to share and motivate one another. We post every three weeks, to show our progress and encourage one another.  If you have a hand quilting project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.

Kathy, Deb, Sharon, Karrin, and Daisy

I will be linking up with Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching and https://quiltingpatch.blogspot.com/

Thanks for stopping by!

Virtual Christmas Cookie Exchange Coming Next Week

The Virtual Christmas Cookie Exchange Blog Hop is coming next week, hosted by the fabulous Carol @Just Let Me Quilt.    This is one of my favorite blog hops, and can't wait to see what everyone is going to share.

                                                       DECEMBER 1^st

 

Just Let Me Quilt

Hill Valley Quilter

Karrin’s Crazy World

Lynn's Blog

Quilted Delights

Quilt Schmilt

Selina Quilts

 

DECEMBER 2^nd

 

A Quiltery

Ms P Designs USA

Bumbleberry Stitches

Texas Quilt Gal

Beaquilter

Quilted Snail

 

DECEMBER 3^rd

Just Because Quilts

Just Sew Quilter

Kathleen McMusing

Songbird Designs

Quilting Between The Rails

 

DECEMBER 4^TH

 

MooseStashQuilting

Scrapdash

Sew Many Yarns

Happy Cottage Quilter

Days Filled With Joy

That Fabric Feeling

See you next week!