HQAL, Slow Sunday Stitching

It's hard to believe another three weeks has passed.  Time to check in for the Hand Quilt-Along.  Several days this week were not very productive.  I had a migraine again, and then 2 nights my youngest grandchildren had dance shows at school.  

I was able to finish this month's assignment on Sweet Land of Liberty which is being done through the Quilts by Cheri Friendship Group on Facebook, coordinated by Lori of Humble Quilts.  I think we are nearing the end now.  

I also finished the stitchery on a couple of Christmas presents for a quilter friend.  I need to make them into a stitching bag and a needle book.  These are designed by Jenny of Elefantz.  I have made the stitching bag before for granddaughters Kyleigh and Klara.  

I have also worked on the Buhl-Bushong Quilt this week assembling 2 blocks and I am in the process of making 2 more.

Once I finish making 8 more of the crown pieces, I will be hand-stitching these sections on.

Right now I am working on redoing this Hospital Sketches block.  I was not happy with the first version, which is the bottom middle block, and am totally redoing it, in cheddar, blue and red.  I think I will like it much better.  

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 and Kathi


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

Thanks for stopping by!

2019 Finish-A-Long. Quarter 4 Goals

It's time to make a list of goals for quarter 4 of the 2019 Finish-A-Long.   The link-up for goals starts tomorrow, October 10th and goes to the 18th of October.  There are a number of global hosts, but you can find out more about it here at Throw a Wrench in the Works, one of the global hosts.

My list is as follows:

1)  Quilt and bind Nutcracker Suite.    The top is done.  I want this quilt finished for Christmas!

2)  Projects done for the Stitch It and Gift It Blog Hop.  This is coming up November 11th to 15th, with my day being on the 11th.  This is hosted by Carla at Creatin in the Sticks

3)  Make bag for Klara's BD with mermaid stitchery.  This was one of the mermaid stitchery patterns that Joy from Days Filled with Joy kindly gave out last year.  I'm going to use it for the front of a bag for granddaughter Klara.  

4)  Sweet Land of Liberty BOM for October, November and December. Lori from  Humble Quilts  is guiding us monthly in this quilt by Cheri Payne that is being done through the Facebook Group Quilts by Cheri-Friendship Group.  These are some of the parts I have done so far

5)  Ella Maria Duncan BOM through Sentimental Stitches October, November, December.

I have the first month done so far for September.  

6)  Buhl-Bushong Quilt BOM to do October, November and December  assignments.  I started this BOM through the Facebook Group which is from the Virginia Quilt Museum's collection of quilts. 

I have 8 of the blocks done so far, and the border

7)  Redo Hospital Sketches Civil War block by Barbara Brackman.  I'm redoing the bottom middle block as I am not happy with how it looks with the other blocks.  Figure out plan for finishing quilt

8)  Put together One Stitch at a Time blocks into a quilt.  These are blocks I have been stitching from the Kathy Schmitz One Stitch at a Time Club.  I want to have this finished for Christmas.  These are some of the blocks I have done so far.  I have 1-1/2 more to do.  

9) 2 Christmas panels put together for Christmas.  These are panels I got years ago on clearance.  I had it on my list last year and they didn't get done.  I'd like to get these off my to-do list.

10)  Quilt Crow's Foot.  This was designed by Cheri Payne.  I'm going to get this quilted as a warm-up to Nutcracker Suite above.

11)   Quilt my Fall Into a QAL, designed by Partners in Design from last year.  This is another warm-up, but I am also going to gift it at Christmas.

12)   Mermaid wallhanging for Kyleigh for Christmas.  Kyleigh loved my mermaid wall hanging so much, I told her I would make something similar.

13)  Project for Virtual Cookie Exchange.  This is hosted by Carol at Just Let Me Quilt, and my day will be December 6th

I think I had better stop here,

Thanks for stopping by.  I will be linking up at Throw a Wrench in the Works when the link-up opens.  

Slow Sunday Stitching. Buhl-Bushong, Sweet Land of Liberty

It's time to link up again for Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.  I do so appreciate this weekly link up and seeing what everyone has been doing.  

I've been doing a lot of slow stitching this week.  First I finished this month's assignment for Sweet Land of Liberty.  

I've gotten 4 of these Buhl-Bushong blocks put together.  I am paper piecing the crowns, and the rest is hand applique.

I have 4 more to put together today for my hand stitching.

I'm also blanket stitching these pieces for a penny rug called O My Stars.  As this is one my list for the 2019 Finish-A-Long for Quarter 3, I am trying to get these done too.  

I'll be linking up with Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching.  Pop on over and see what everyone is up to!

My grandson Jaeger this week was kind enough to make room in his already crazy schedule of school, water polo practice and water polo games to come help me put my Handiquilter back up.   I bought one of the Handiquilter frames right after they came first came out.  It involved taping some rails to a table and then attaching the units that hold the rails with clamps.  At the time they did not have any machines to be used, and I bought a Juki TL 98E.    DH elongated the rails, so I can quilt up to about 92 inches.  When it is up, it is in my dining room.   The rails are attached to a laminated particle board and it resides in my guest room when not in use.  And also the banquet table it attaches too.  I need some help getting them out of the guest room but I can set everything else up by myself.  

I had put everything away in August because we were having a family dinner, and then I thought I was going to have Bunco here last week, as it was my turn to have dinner and Bunco.  But our Bunco disbanded this month, as members have other activities they need to do.  So I've been trying to get Jaeger to help me get my tables back out.  I'm back in business now, and quilted one of my friend Nerissa's quilts yesterday, and will be ready to load the other one up.  

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Slow Sunday Stitching

These weeks have been flying by, and I don't know where this one went, other than I had 3 appointments this week, which took up part of my days.  I also watched the grandchildren 2 days before they headed back to school.  

It's time to check in again at Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching.

Part of my week has been spent in applique prep work.  I still need to trace around my freezer paper, but I have it ironed on my fabric.  


First up is this month's assignment for Sweet Land of Liberty.  I have everything cut out, and have been slowing working on stitching the pieced blocks.  I have the applique block prepped and ready to trace around the pieces.  Lori from Humble Quilts had a quilt-a-long last year on her blog, and is giving us the assignments/hints on the Quilts by Cheri Friendship Group on Facebook.

I've also prepped the pieces for this month's assignment of the Buhl--Bushong Quilt, which is from the Virginia Quilt Museum's collection of quilts.  It is being offered as a BOM download from the museum's Facebook Page. 

I still need to trace around them, but they are all ironed on the fabric.

My main focus this week has been daughter #2's BD gift.  She said she wanted me to do a crazy quilt piece with a vintage mermaid.  I found this one free vintage image with 3 mermaids, but it was sort of faded out, so I have spent the weekend enhancing the image a bit.  I had an assortment pack of various silk, organza pieces that were pre-treated, and can be run through the printer, which I purchased from Dharma Trading Company.    I noticed I am almost out, and need to reorder.  I usually use these sheets when I am working on CQ

After I finished off working on the mermaid section, I started embellishing with laces and stitches.  My friend Nicki Lee does gorgeous hand-dying of laces and motifs, and I have an assortment of her goodies.  Her shop is here.

Two days this week, I spent embroidering out the little poem. which I actually copied off a stencil I had, onto some teal fabric, using some variegated thread.  The trouble with that was that when it got to the light end of the variegated thread, you couldn't read the words.  

So I decided to print it off instead onto the last piece of pre-treated fabric from Dharma, which happened to be an organza.   

The poem reads:  "Through the rhythm of the waves, you can hear the Mermaids softly chanting their sea songs, gently whispering each to each Poems of the Sea"

Anyway this piece is what I will be working on this week, trying to finish it up.  My daughter's BD is the 24th, but they will be going to Disneyland.  Granddaughter Kyleigh's BD is the 17th so we wanted to have a family dinner.  We are waiting for Kyleigh to get back from a trip to Cabo with her BFF and her family to set the date for the dinner.  She gets back tonight.   

But I have a feeling the dinner is going to be this week, and I will need to get this piece done, and clean up my stuff so we can have some tables to eat off of!

Linking up with Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching.  Be sure  and stop by and see what everyone else is doing!

Hand Quilt Along, Slow Sunday Stitching

It's hard to  believe another 3 weeks has flown by, time to report in for the Hand Quilt Along.

This week I finished up June's segment of the Sweet Land of Liberty designed by Cheri Payne.  Lori of Humble Quilts is guiding us along and giving us dimensions.  We are doing this on the Facebook group Quilts by Cheri Friendship Group.  Lori did this same quilt-along last year on her blog, and she is referring us to those directions each month.  Can't really see my hand stitching on the sawtooth star, but it is all hand-applique.  The

The other thing I have been working on this week is my Father Christmas blocks.   I started one in 1997, came across the blocks again, and want to finish 3 this month.  Just laying his belt/sash across his coat, I'm thinking i need to go with more contrast on the belt/sash.

                                  These are the first two guys.  I love this so much.  

One of my favorite activities is to visit everyone's blog and see what they have been doing.  You can see the other participants in the Hand Quilt Along below.

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 and Kathi


I'll also be linking up with Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching.  If you have a chance, be sure and head over there and check out those links for more inspiration.  

I'm having a Father's Day Lunch today, so I need to get the pulled pork on.  

Thanks for stopping by!

Slow Sunday Stitching, Sweet Land of Liberty

Time again for the Slow Sunday Stitching linky party at Kathy's Quilts.  I so much enjoy this weekly event, seeing what everyone has been doing.

The first part of the week  I finished up my pineapple block, the Civil War Quilts BOM by Barbara Brackman.  I think this is one of my favorite blocks so far.

I also was able to finish my section of blocks for the Blessings Quilt and attached it to what I had already done.   Can't really see the stitching very well

Right now I am working to get this month's Sweet Land of Liberty blocks, designed by Cheri Payne.  I am working on this as a quilt-a-Long over on Facebook with the Quilts by Cheri Friendship Group.  Lori from Humble Quilts is guiding us in this, as she did last year on her blog.    I've still got 2 more stars to add to my pineapple and need to applique my girl holding a flag, but haven't started that.

What I will also be working on this week, is to get 3 Father Christmas' prepped to applique.  I cut all the templates out last week, I just need to choose my fabric and iron my templates to the freezer paper and trace them.

Starting tomorrow I will have 3 grandchildren for the summer twice a week, so I guess I need to go pick up my stuff in the kitchen and put it back in my sewing room.  My sewing room is so dark and the kitchen so bright, that I like to sew in the kitchen better. But I guessat least until August, I need to change my habits, so they have a place to play board games and Play Doh.

I'll be linking up to Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching.   If you have a chance stop by and look at other's projects!

Thanks for stopping by

Sweet Land of Liberty for May Done, Nutcracker Suite, Sew Lets QAL

I have a bunch of things to share today.  First, I finished my installment of the Sweet Land of Liberty, Cheri Payne's design.  We are working on it as a quilt-a-long on the Quilts by Cheri Friendship Group on Facebook.  Lori of Humble Quilts, had a quilt-a-long last year, but I came in when they were finishing up.  She is doing it again on the Quilts by Cheri Friendship Group on Facebook again this year.  Last night, I finished up stitching this month's assignment.  I did my letters and basket, hand and birds this month with wool applique.  

Also the past several days, I have been working on a BOM I am getting from Shabby Fabrics called Nutcracker Suite by Cheri Leffler Designs.    I'm keeping sort of current with this one.  The past several days I have been fusing the laser-dye cutouts to the background fabric.  All I need to do now is get them machine sewn down.  

Even though I have innumerable BOM's  that are years old, I had to get this one as I collect nutcrackers, and I loved it!

Also, I have been working on the Partners in Design Sew Lets QAL.  We get a block every two weeks.  Every two weeks, one of their designers has a block for us to do.  This block is binding clips along the edge of a quilt, designed by Jennifer Fulton of The Inquiring Quilter.  I posted this on the Partners in Design Facebook group last week, and someone pointed out my green clip was wrong.  I forced myself to get this block done last week when I was battling migraines.  Yesterday I thought, no problem, I'll just take the green one apart.  I did take the green one apart.   Then I realized the green and yellow half-clips were correct,  the other three were wrong.  The big rectangle is supposed to be holding the binding, not the other end.  

So I just decided to start all over and pay attention to what I was doing. 

I'll  be linking up to Monday Making at Love, Laugh Quilt , Moving it Forward Monday @Ems Scrapbag, and BOMS Away Monday @ What a Hoot.

Thanks for stopping by!

Slow Sunday Stitching, SLOL

I'm joining in Kathy's Quilts Slow Sunday Stitching again.  I really look forward to this weekly linky party

I meant to last Sunday but my washer difficulties got me down and I couldn't seem to do it.

I got my Hands2Help donations mailed out this week, so I have been happily working on my other projects this week.

I found myself without applique prepped again, so I am determined to finish this last nursery rhyme block I am giving to my dear sister-in-law to put together for her first granddaughter.  I have made a plan for myself to work on it at least 1 hour in the evenings.  I'm about half done.  It is Yankie Doodle.   I never knew there was a nursery rhyme, I remember the song.  This is sort of a violent block with this guy shooting this other guy and blowing his wig off.  

The other project I am slow stitching is my Sweet Land of Liberty project designed by Cheri Payne.  Last year Lori of Humble Quilts had a sew along.  I found out about it when they were finishing up.  Lori is repeating it this year on Facebook and I am determined to finish it this time.  This month's assignment was to do the vines, birds, basket, hand and lettering for "Sweet Land of Liberty" and "America".  I decided to do these appliques with wool, so I have been stitching everything down.  I need to stitch my berries and things down before I do the lettering.

I loved this spotty wool I used for my birds.

Thanks again goes to Kathy of Kathy's Quilts for this link-up and I look forward to seeing what everyone has been up to!

Thanks for stopping by!   Karrin