Saturday, May 30, 2020

Slow Sunday Stitching, and Giveaway, Selvage Bag


Time to report in again for Slow Sunday Stitching @Kathy's Quilts. 

It has been a tough week this past week for our family.   Our son-in-law passed away suddenly.  He was a trucker, stopped his truck in Utah, called 911, and by the time emergency personnel got there, he was gone.   Not sure what reason yet, I think he had heart problems,    The earlier this week, John's brother passed away.  He had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in January, treatment was delayed because of Covid-19, but then had radiation.  He was in rehab for awhile, and they were planning to put him in a long-term facility.  They went to pick him up that morning and he was gone.  I kept waiting for the third thing to happen, but decided John sliding out of the wheelchair last week was #1.  So that means we have had all three and don't need to anticipating anything else!

So last week I was working on a Boho bag.  I am happy to say I finished it, and gifted it to the recipient today. 


Granddaughter Kyleigh happened to be at lunch with Isabella and her sister Madelyn, and brought them over after lunch.  Isabella was thrilled!


If there is anyone interested in making their own Boho Bag, I found I have 2 booklets, and don't need a second one.   I'd be happy to send it to the first person who comments they would like it.




I was able also to get my Hands2Help quilts in the mail this week.  You can read about it here.  

What I will be slow stitching on this Sunday will be my tea towel, transfers by Stitcher's Revolution


I will also be working on my secret applique project.



I have one other giveaway to anyone who is interested.  I have a large freezer baggie of selvages.  I have decided I am never going to do anything with.  So the first person who contacts me and tells me they are interested, I will send them to.  Otherwise I am going to be throwing them away.  I have too many projects to worry about selvages.  

My hydrangeas are looking beautiful this week even despite our over 100 degree weather for 3 days!



I'll be linking up to Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching.  I greatly appreciate this weekly motivation!  Head on over and check what other's have been working on. 

One Monthly Goal



My One Monthly Goal for May was to make a Boho Bag.  I was starting from scratch, I hadn't even started it.  I had promised a friend of my granddaughter, Isabella.   I completed my goal this month.

Isabella had wanted a purple bag.  The only thing was, that my crazy quilt stash was not very plentiful in purple hues.   I had bits and pieces but nothing substantial.  I usually make these bags with decorator fabrics, for a heavier bag.  All I had was silk pieces.  This Covid-19 situation made shopping for fabric, fringe, etc extremely difficult.  My friend Cathy @ Cathy's Crazy by Design sent me a goodie  bag of crazy quilt fabrics, fringe, lace doilies, lace, etc, and I used quite a bit and I so appreciate her thoughtfulness!

I started out with Cathy's bag of goodies, and my lace, beaded fringe I had ordered, and I ended up piecing the front panel with batiks.  I do have a lot of purple in there.  



I pieced the front panel.  Isabella wanted a mermaid theme.  Cathy had included a fan shaped piece of crochet which I used for the mermaid tail.  

This is the finished bag.




This is a better view of the top.  Because I didn't have a heavy enough fabric to make the strap, I took some strap fabric, and wrapped ribbon around it and sewed it down.  


I used Cathy's doilies to make a pocket just under the flap, and one on the inside.


I lined the bag with a batik I had with seahorses on it.  I love this fabric, and still have a little left over to do one of my own projects.  


This was the label I put inside.  


This was the back of the back.  Usually I put bullion fringe on the back, but what I ordered was only 2 inches, instead of 4, and it wasn't the right shade anyway.  I looked different when I ordered it online.  



So I asked Kyleigh to come over and pick up the bag and take it to Isabella.  They just happened to be at sushi place down the street from me, so they came over after lunch, along with Isabella's sister Madelyn.   Needless to say Isabella was thrilled.  



I'll be linking up to One Monthly Goal @Elm Street Quilts.    I greatly appreciate this monthly motivation, and many thanks to Patty! 

I happened to be one of the winners last month for One Monthly Goal and won this fabulous collection of thread from Aurifil!  


Many thanks again Patty, you are the greatest!

Thursday, May 28, 2020

2020 Hands2Help Comfort Quilt Challenge

H2H 2020 Avatar

This is my final results for the 2020 Hands2Help  Comfort Quilt Challenge organized by Sarah @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict.  

Previously, I had shown the 3 I had quilted for Little Lambs Foundation. 


I had used up scraps leftover from Laurel Burch Jungle Songs line leftover from granddaughter Kyleigh's graduation quilt. 

The past two weeks I have quilted the remaining 5 quilts.  These two grandaughter Kyleigh and I made in a sewing evening.  Hers was the purple bordered one, and the first time she has pieced a quilt top.  These are also for Little Lambs Foundation.




This is the one for Mercyful Quilts.   I used a bunch of old swap blocks for this one. 

This one I used a variety of old frog fabrics I had from making various things for my daughter who has always loved frogs.  I also used my Accuquilt frog die to put some in the center block.  


This next one I used some old folk art swap blocks I had, and surrounded it with some wonky stars I had been making as leader enders.  Both of these quilts will go to Quilty Hugs for Happy Chemo.  






So in total this year, I made 7 quilts, granddaughter Kyleigh made 1 for a total of 8 quilts I will be mailing out tomorrow, and linking up at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.  

Saturday, May 23, 2020

Slow Sunday Stitching

This week has whipped by at lightening speed, but not my projects.  I got my SS check so went grocery shopping.  John and I both had dental hygiene appointments, John's a little eventful, as he slipped out down in his wheelchair as I was pushing him over the cobblestone-like sidewalk into the dental office.  We had to have firemen come and put him back in his chair.  He wasn't hurt, and he wanted to proceed with his x-rays and appointment.  Needless to say, after that event, I didn't feel like sewing.    I have 3 more Hands 2 Help quilts to quilt, but luckily baby sized, as my Juki machine I use on my quilting frame has a problem, the hand wheel is somewhat frozen.  I need to take it in to be looked at, as I have only had it not even 5 months, and it is still under warranty. 

I did get my One Stitch at a Time project by Kathy Schmitz done.  


I've been working on the Crazy Quilt boho purse front for a graduation present for my granddaughter's good friend.  This is my One Monthly Goal for this month, and I will be sliding in under the wire if I can pull this off.   It is an under the sea theme.  The mermaid and seaweed were laces my friend Nicki dyed.  Her shop on Etsy is called Raviolee Dreams.  I cut off the tail that came with the mermaid and used that fan-shaped piece of lace my friend Cathy's Crazy by Design sent me for this project.  I embellished over the mermaid body and added hair.


I still have a lot more to do on the left hand side.  I intend to have more stitching, seaweed, fishes, and some pearls tumbling out of that clamshell, which is just lying there right now, not stitched down yet.    

So for my Slow Sunday Stitching this week, I will be working on the crazy quilting above, plus I have binding to sew down on this Hands2Help quilt for Mercyful Quilts.  



My granddaughter Klara is spending time with her other grandmother this week in Arizona this week, and lost her first tooth!


I'll be linking up with Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching.   Head on over there and check out what other's have been stitching!  

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Saturday, May 16, 2020

HQAL, Slow Sunday Stitching

The past 3 weeks has not found me working on the Buhl-Bushong quilt at all.    I have been quite busy with comfort quilts for the Hands2Help Comfort Quilt Challenge coordinated by Confessions of a Fabric Addict.   

In the evenings I have been working on my project for the Stitching Sunshine Blog Hop hosted by Carla @ Creatin in the Sticks.   I can't share that project right now.  My day is June 22nd.  Hopefully I will have my project done by then.  Not sure if I will have time to quilt it, but I will at least have the top done.

What I can show is my Kathy Schmitz One Stitch Club embroidery for the month of May.  I really didn't like that shade of variegated red I used to outline the heart, but decided not to pick it out.  I'm using another shade of red for the letters.  I think it will be all right.



The other project I will be working on by hand for the next few weeks is the Boho Bag I'm making for a friend of granddaughter Kyleigh who is graduating.  

I haven't started it yet, and I need to get a move on because it is my One Monthly Goal!

I did get fabrics out and on my cutting table.



Also my friend Cathy Kizerian of Cathy's Crazy by Design kindly send me a care package of crazy quilting fabrics and trims after I explained I didn't have much purple in my CQ fabrics and trims.  I actually met Cathy many years ago on a Crazy Quilting list and we were in many round robins together.  


So this will keep me busy for while.  I wanted to share a bit of my world.  My hydrangeas are about ready to spring into color.  They will be pink when they turn.  I have never had this many blossoms on the two bushes!  Maybe tomorrow they will turn!  Of course I had to mow the lawn and weed the garden by the foxgloves before I took my picture.  



The Hand Quilt Along links are below.   Welcome to Sherrie for joining our group.  Head on over and see what everyone has been up to!

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.


I will also be linking up at Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching.  Head over there too for more eye candy!  

I really appreciate both of these groups for the weekly and every three week motivation!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Hands 2 Help Update

Time for an update on the Hands2Help Comfort Quilt Challenge, coordinated by the fabulous Sarah @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict.


I had already shown the 3 completed I will be sending to Little Lambs Foundation.




I got another pictures of the one going to Mercyful Quilts outside today.  I still need to quilt this one.


This week my granddaughter Kyleigh and I sewed on comfort quilts and she  made her first top.  She did a really good job.  I spent the previous day and a half cutting up scraps in a bag I had with novelty prints in it.  I'm still not through that one but it has sort of made a dent.  I just cut 6.5 inch squares as her first quilt project.   I made one at the same time along with her.  Kyleigh's had the purple trim.






These two will be going to the Quilts for the Cure .  Still need to quilt these two.



While cutting up scraps,  I cut up numerous scraps of frog fabric, and decided to do one just with frogs.  These fabrics go back to the late 90's when I was making items for daughter Katie who loves frogs.


These two will go to Happy Hugs for Happy Chemo.  The folk art one was from leftover folk art swap years ago.




So I have 5 quilts to quilt in the next few weeks, making a total of 8 quilts.  I did 7 last year and I really wanted to beat my record. 

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I will be linking up at Confessions of a Fabric Addict when the link comes up. 

Saturday, May 09, 2020

Slow Sunday Stitching, What I've Been Up To

Happy Mother's Day



Wishing any mothers out there a blessed day!  I look forward to seeing my daughters and grandchildren in the driveway tomorrow.  My oldest daughter Kristen and granddaughter Kyleigh came over Saturday afternoon with some yummy cupcakes and a beautiful foxglove plant, one of my favorites!  They plan to bring the boys over tomorrow.



Most of my week has been spent trying to get another H2H comfort quilt done, this one for Mercyful Quilts here in Sacramento.  This one consisted of a bunch of swap blocks I had leftover.  I used the Star Kissed QuiltAlong from Wedding Dress Blue to make the center block.  That link should provide all the steps.  I really liked this block and will probably do many more.  This quilt has many sized blocks and it took some doing to get it together.  Then after I got the  main quilt done I realized that I had put two vertical rows on wrong.  So I ended up unstitching those yesterday and finally was able to assemble it properly, and add the borders.  I would like to make 1 more quilt top before I quilt these three tops.  



My cutting table is a mess.  I have left stuff on there, as I want to cut these scraps up and sort them out in my Scrapsaver's system.   I might just stuff them in a bag again.  Or might wait until I finish the next quilt.  Right now I am too tired to think about it.


So what I will be working on for Slow Sunday Stitching this week is something I can't really show right now, but it is my yellow project for the Stitching Sunshine Blog Hop hosted by Carla @ Creatin in the Sticks in June. Here is a tidbit.

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I also have Kathy Schmitz's design from the One Stitch At a Time for May traced out to work on.  I haven't start yet.  I love this one!  



I'll be linking up for Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.  Head on over and see what everyone has been up to!   One of my favorite things to do on Sunday!