Friday, January 31, 2020

What I Have Been Up To

I wanted to document a few things for the 2020 Finish-A-Long so I can find it later. 

One of the items on my list was to finish January, February and March assignments for the Buhl-Bushong Quilt, the BOM I am working on through the Virginia Quilt Museum.  I finished this part of a border which was the assignment this month.  I suspect we are going to finish this border in February.





Another item on my list was to finish January, February and March assignments on the Ella Maria Duncan BOM offered by Sentimental Stitches.



Also this morning, I finished the Love Sampler, by Kathy Schmitz.    I love how it came out.  I have it hanging up already!  I really got going on it this week as I had no applique to work on!



Well now that that is finished, I need to prep the new BOM by Barbara Brackman called Casssandra's Circle.  The first block came out on Wednesday, and the first center block is 36".  

I am also current working on my project for the Color It Red Blog Hop due to start February 17-21. hosted by Carol of Just Let Me Quilt.  My day will be on the 21st.  



Thanks so much for stopping by!  

Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Wednesday Wait Loss

It has been awhile since I linked up for Wednesday Wait Loss @ The Inquiring Quilter.  Right now, I am working on many projects  by hand and machine.  One of  them Bonnie Hunter Mystery Frolic.   


I actually have 6 blocks done, many, many more to sew together.

The other project I am actively sewing by  machine is sort of a drEAMi  (Drop Everything and Make it) sort of project. 


This is where I sit at night to hand sew.  It is sort of a chaise lounge off to the side of the couch.  The couch is made of a corduroy type fabric, and one section under where I sit split on the low part, and I ironed a patch inside.  That corrected the defect, but sort of puckered up the surrounding fabric and I don't like to look at it.  So I covered it with one of the first quilts I ever made for my husband.  It was called a shaded nine patch I think.  When I scoot off to get  up, it becomes untucked all over the place and it is getting very annoying.

So my brilliant idea for this drEAMi was to make a quilt, sew it up to that point that the armrest is and just tuck the top part in.   I will probably put velcro at the very top, and just tuck the part under the armrest in. 

A long, long time ago (2005) I was in a Yahoo Group with a bunch of quilters, and we had something called Lotto.  We would have a certain focus fabric and make a block of your choice.  Then there would be a drawing and someone would win the blocks. 

Well one month I won the blocks, so I searched  for those in the closet and drawers and found them.

This was the focus fabric.  I think we had intentions of it being a Christmas quilt, but these are fine with me for my slip cover.  All the blocks had this fabric in it.


Here are the blocks I won, there were 15. 



I wanted to do a shaded alternative block, and I made 40 of those yesterday.  



I've been working on the kitchen table with a tablecloth on it.  I guess it is better to use a larger mat when trimming the blocks, because I discovered this today!   I went right off the mat and onto my table cloth!


The quilt will eventually look sort of like this.  I need to make 24 more pieced blocks and I can start piecing it together.  


I also recently started Pieces from the Past Sew Along @Melva Loves Scraps.   This Sew Along will end in March of 2021, and I decided it would be perfect for my grandson Jaeger's  graduation quilt.  The first block was a signature block.  I will wait until I find out the date he graduates and put that in then.  

This was the first block.  Instead of 30s fabrics I will be using more masculine type fabric.




As if that wasn't enough, Barbara Brackman's new applique BOM started today, Cassandra's Circle.  I found some fabric I have in my stash I'm going to use for background, will just need something coordinating for the borders. 

I'll be linking up for Wednesday Wait Loss @ Inquiring Quilter.  Thanks so much Jennifer for this inspiration!

Monday, January 27, 2020

One Monthly Goal



It's time to link up January finishes for One Monthly Goal, hosted by Patty at Elm Street Quilts.  I really continue to appreciate this monthly motivation.

My One Monthly Goal for January I stated here  was to turn a pile of fabric into a quilt, and have it done for the Winter Blues Blog Hop which I participated in here.


I had had these fabrics in a pile forever to make a quilt I loved.  It was called China Dishes by Terri Christopherson. 

I did accomplish my goal.   It looks so good hanging on my blue walls!



I'll be linking up with Elm Street Quilts for One Monthly Goal.  Thanks so much again Patty for the motivation, and for all you do to gather the wonderful sponsors!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Saturday, January 25, 2020

Slow Sunday Stitching


Hard to believe it is time to check in again for Slow Sunday Stitching @ Kathy's Quilts

DH had two appointments this week which I need to drive him to and push him into the appointment.   I tried to quilt my China Dishes quilt for the Winter Blues Blog Hop, and got frustrated that my machine was still not fixed after being in the shop for three weeks.  I've been messing with the same issue (timing off after a couple of broken needles going at top speed).  My old machine was a Juki 98E.  DH took pity on me and ordered a new Juki 2000Qi, which arrived on Wednesday after one of his appointments.  My day of the blog hop was Friday, and I completed quilting it on Thursday, so just in the nick of time. 

The new machine works great, unfortunately it doesn't work with the old speed controller I had for the old machine, and I had to drag my foot pedal around to complete the quilt in time.  I have a new one on order that should get here one of these days.

Meanwhile this week, I have had time for a lot of slow stitching.  I finished the Buhl-Bushong for this month.


The past two days I have been working on this month's assignment of the Ella Maria Deacon Quilt.




For Slow Sunday Stitching this week, I will be working on this last block.


I'll also be working on this Love Sampler by Kathy Schmitz.





I'll be linking up with Kathy's Quilts.  Pop on over there and see what everyone has been doing!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Winter Blues Blog Hop-My Day



Welcome to the last day of the Winter Blues Blog Hop, and my day to share.  Many thanks to Carla @Creatin in the Sticks for organizing this blog hop.  Since blue has always been one of my favorite colors, I just jumped at the chance to participate.  Every day of this hop, I have seen  some wonderful and beautiful projects.   It has certainly gotten rid of my Winter Blues!   I have included the full schedule below if you haven't had a chance to visit yet.  There are giveaways at quite a few sites.  


Monday, January 20th


Tuesday, January 21st


Wednesday, January 22nd


Thursday, January 23rd


Friday, January 24th


Blue has always been one of my favorite colors,  and is reflected in my walls at home and what I usually wear, and my decor.  I love the cobalt blue color.


And my little Delft Blue knick-knacks.  


And my blue Quilts





For the Winter Blues, I knew exactly what I wanted to make.   In around 2001 I bought this book by Terri Christopherson of Black Mountain Quilts.  



I loved that cover quilt, called China Dishes and started collecting fabrics, and I think I have a couple of them that were shown on the quilt.  I went to grab the fabrics, and they were sitting on top of a cabinet all together.  


I started cutting them out and sewing and pretty soon I had them all ready to complete piecing.


And the finished top.  I was just going to leave it there, but since it was Monday, I decided I had enough time to quilt it too.  Couldn't get too good a picture that day as it was raining.

After a number of technical issues, and a new machine, which I will save for another day,  I was able to finish quilting it in time for the blog hop.  I hurried to get pictures outside before it started raining again.




And inside on my blue walls!  This is my version of China Dishes.



Hope this hop has cured your Winter Blues!  I have certainly had a good time browsing everyone's projects.  Thanks again to Carla @ Creatin in the Sticks for organizing such a great hop!  

Saturday, January 18, 2020

Slow Sunday Stitching


It's time to check in again with Slow Sunday Stitching @ Kathy's Quilts.  I have tons of slow stitching to do this week.

Last week, I finished this piece from Kathy Schmitz's One Stitch At a Time Club.  This was actually a design I received last year and hadn't stitched yet.  



Then right before I got this done, on Instagram, Kathy Schmitz had advertised a Love Sampler, which I just had to get.  I finished the above, and then have barely started the Love sampler.  This is just the top half of it.  I printed it out on one of those Sulky Stick N Stich sheets.



The other thing I am simultaneously working on by hand is the Buhl-Bushong Quilt that is being offered as a BOM by the Virginia Quilt Museum.  This month's assignment is to do four sets of flowers on this border.  I have almost 2 done.


I will be linking up with Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching.  Pop over there and check out what everyone has been up to. 

Just a reminder the Winter Blues Blog Hop starts on Monday the 20th,  hosted by Carla @ Creatin in the Sticks.    Included below is the first day's schedule.






                                                          Monday, January 20th