Christmas Surprise, Ella Maria Deacon Quilt

Right before Christmas I received a wonderful surprise package from my friend Susan @DesertSky Quilting.   Thanks again Susan for the wonderful surprise!  I couldn't imagine what the package was, and was delighted when I opened it!

There was a package of Heat and Bond EZ Print Lite, which I had been wanting to try, some bright cute FQ's, a cute little zippered pouch, a Book Lovers Soy Candle, a Moon Flower Mini pattern, a cute note pad holder with a note embroidered on the front, some machine quilting needles, Diagonal Seam Tape, and the cutest little Flower Pins!  I really appreciate these treats Susan, and thanks again!

For the past 2 days I have been working on the blocks for the Ella Maria Deacon Quilt for December.  This BOM is being done by Gay at Sentimental Stitches

Yesterday I worked on that paper-pieced bottom left block ALL DAY LONG.  I had some goof ups and had to start over on 3 pieces.  I do not like paper-piecing at all and I struggle with it constantly.  But it seemed the quickest way for me to do it.   The other 3 blocks I worked on Sunday, prepping, and putting the bottom right block.  That little sucker  had 3 set-in seams on each corner.  It isn't perfectly flat but I'm not doing it over.  

So today I have figured out the borders I am going to put on my Hospital Sketches applique BOM by Barbara Brackman @ Civil War Quilts.  I wanted to finish this top at least before the new BOMS for 2020 come out in a week or two.  There is going to be a pieced quilt called Yankee Notions you can read about here, and an applique one called Cassandra's Circle you can read about here.

Well better get to work.  Have a safe New Year's Eve!

Slow Sunday Stitching

I can't believe how this year has flown past, and is almost gone.  It is time to report in again at Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching.

I am looking forward to the quiet time to do my slow stitching.  After the hectic past couple of weeks, finishing gifts, entertaining guests, and watching grandchildren yesterday, it will be a joy to sit and stitch.

Today I prepped my border of the Buhl-Bushong quilt to be appliqued.  I got a little bit done tonight.  

I also started prepping the blocks for the Ella Maria Duncan Quilt.  Three of the four blocks this month have applique, and one is paper pieced, which is not my favorite thing to do.  

So that is what I will be up to this Sunday.  I will link up to Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching in the morning.  Head on over and check out what everyone has been up to.  It is one of my favorite activities on Sunday!  Thanks so much for stopping by!

Frolic Mystery, Parts 4 and 5, Klara's Sewing DAy

I was getting ready for my company and finishing Christmas gifts last weekend to get my Part 4 of the Bonnie Hunter Frolic Mystery.  My company left on Thursday morning and I was able to finish up Part 4 before Part 5 came out on Friday!

I knew Thursday I would have my youngest grandchildren John and Klara here as school is out.  Sometime ago I found a couple of activities for Klara to do.  One of them was assembling a little mermaid that she can hook on her backpack.   She did so well, she had to line up 3 pieces of felt that had pre-drilled holes, and sew through all three layers with yarn to assemble the body and back and hair, and tail.  She listened to instructions very well, and was very careful in her work.

Too bad I cut off the top of her head in the second photo!  What a great day we had!

Thanks for stopping by!

One Monthly Goal

It's time to link up One Monthly Goal at Elm Street Quilts.  I need to do this while I am thinking about it.  I don't want to miss the deadline like I did a couple of months ago!  I continue to appreciate this monthly motivation and my thanks go out to Patty for all she does lining up sponsors, etc.

I stated my goal here, to make and finish a wool applique piece for my daughter for Christmas.

I did finish, actually early, and Katie was thrilled.  

Linking up to Elm Street Quilts.  Thanks again so much Patty!

Hand Quilt Along, Slow Sunday Stitching

The past three weeks have been chock full of hand projects, from Redwork to wool applique.

I have posted about these recently, but this  is for daughter Katie for Christmas.

I ended up doing the Redwork in this ornament twice.  Mainly because I goofed up and attached it to the picture frame backing upside down.  This time I got it better.

I also made a small mug rug for my sister.

And I made this mug rug for my brother.  He and his wife love lighthouses like I do.  I machine embroidered each of them a different lighthouse.  I still need to assemble hers and that will be the end of Christmas gifts.

I was happy last night to get back to the Buhl-Bushong Quilt.  I got 4 of these units hand-stitched together.  I have 4 more prepped to hand stitch, and I plan to get the applique prepped for the border, this month's assignment to finish border #2.

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, Margaret, Emma, Tracy, Deb, Susan,  Nanette,  Edith, Sharon, Karrin, Gretchen, Kathi,  Bella, Daisy and Connie

I will also be linking up with Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching.  Pop on over there too and see what everyone has been doing.  

Thanks so much for stopping by!

What I've Been Up To

I've been go, go, going for days now.  I think my Energizer has worn down.  I knew my sister was coming in today, staying with daughter Kristen and her family, and I have been trying to get most of my Christmas stuff done before she got here.  I've been making Christmas gifts like crazy for two months it seems.  This is what I have finished up this week.

Tuesday night granddaughter Kyleigh came over and I helped her put together a pillow cover for her mother for Christmas.  This will be her spring cover.  I used my new Christmas Accuquilt bird die to cut this out, and Kyleigh drew the flowers and leaves and we fused them.  It was her first fusible applique, but the project came out really cute.

Meanwhile Wednesday this week, I attended Ms. Klara's gingerbread house making party at kindergarten.  

I had made her teacher Mrs. Jensen a mug rug to thank her for all her work, and encouragement to the kids, and we gave her a cup filled with chocolates.  She really loved them, and sent a picture using them.

I had embroidered a pre-made table runner for daughter Kristen to use for Christmas dinner.  I decided the sides needed something too.  

I then added a back to cover the stitching.  I decided it would have been easier to make the whole thing, because I had to remove the backing they had because it wasn't even flat.  There were a bunch of wrinkles in it which I had not noticed before.

I finished up daughter Katie's wool table runner.

I got the redwork picture put together for my sister.

I made 5 pillowcases for each grandchild.

I also machine embroidered motifs for pillows for each grandchild.  Kyleigh has her pillow back at college so I just made a cover and she can carry this easily back.

I didn't get a picture of John's, but his was a husky just like I did for his sweatshirt.  

I also used my Accuquilt dies to make a couple of mug rugs for my daughters.

And a mug rug for a friend.

I rushed around this morning putting my sewing things back in my sewing room from the kitchen, cleaning house, mopping floors, doing laundry.  I also  have all the gifts wrapped, stockings filled, and cleaned up the wrapping stuff in the spare bedroom.

Now I feel exhausted, too tired to make the last 3 mug rugs.  For these I have also machine embroidered motifs, I just need to put them together.  But now I am too tired to do anything else and it is only 3:30 p.m!

My brother and sister-in-law come in on Monday to stay here,  but I have pretty much everything done, except grocery shopping.

Thanks so much for stopping by!  

Slow Sunday Stitching

This year seems to be flying by at an alarming rate.  I have been caught up in gift making and it seems to be going even faster.  Time to report in for Slow Sunday Stitching @Kathy's Quilts, the weekly link-up for hand stitchers.  



I finished a couple of projects last night, these are at the assembly stage right now.  

My daughter Katie requested this for Christmas, and I finished last night.  I just need to assemble it with a backing and label, I'm thinking about adding a border too.

I also finished a redo of my Redwork ornament OOPS, that I attached to the backing of the special frame upside down.  

That v in the center  is the bottom of the frame back and I had it attached to the cardboard upside down.  It would make the ribbon on the ornament at the bottom not the top.  So I will pay more attention this time what I am doing.  

What I will be doing today for my Slow Sunday Stitching is to stitch this month's assignment for the Buhl-Bushong quilt, which is to finish this border piece.

I will be linking up with Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching.  I really appreciate this weekly link-up.  Be sure and stop by there and see what everyone else has been up to.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Oh Happy Day, Winter Blues Blog Hop

I've had a really productive couple of days.  I've been machine embroidering motifs on for sweatshirts for gifts, and other items.   But first:



The Winter Blues Blog Hop is coming up next month, hosted by the fabulous Carla of Creatin in the Sticks.  And while my machine was busy stitching today, I was thinking about what I was going to make.  I knew exactly what book it was in, and I knew I had blue and whites set aside for this project, for many years.    I pulled out the book, and there was a blue and white basket weave fabric.  I knew I had some, but didn't know if I had enough-3-1/2 yards.    I looked on top of this one cabinet, and there was the one I was thinking about,  and the "Oh Happy Day" part is I have at least 4 yards!

So here are a few projects I have been working on:

I took a premade table runner I had purchased years ago, for the sole purpose of embroidering something on it for a gift.  My daughter is having Christmas dinner at her house, so this will go to her.  

Granddaughter Kyleigh swims on the team at college, and her mother always attended her meets, as well as her brothers' meets.  So I embroidered patches to put on sweatshirts for Kyleigh and her mother.  One of Kyleigh's specialties is back stroke.  

Grandson John, in the 3rd grade school mascot is a husky.  So I did a sweatshirt for him.

Granddaughter Klara, in kindergarten loves unicorns.  This design was too large for the front, so I actually made a patch, and added a rainbow above the embroidery.  She loves unicorns and rainbows.  Her mother was told this week that Klara has mastered the kindergarten words, and was given a first grade spelling list!  We are so proud of that girl!

This isn't finished yet.  Klara is having a gingerbread party in her class on Wednesday.  Since her parents have to work, I am going to attend.  I thought it would be nice to make her teacher a mug rug, so I embroidered these gingerbread guys.  I still have to assemble the mug rug.  

So that is what I have been up to.  Granddaughter Kyleigh flies back from Boston on Monday.  We have set up Tuesday as our possible sewing day.  I'm going to show Kyleigh how to make her mother a pillow cover for the spring.  She is really excited and so am I.  I wanted to get my time in before she gets caught up in everything else.  She will be heading back on the 30th so we don't have that much time.

Thanks so much for stopping by!