Stitching Sunshine Blog Hop

A new blog hop is coming up June 22-25th, hosted by Carla @ Creatin In the Sticks.  It is celebrating sunshine and the color yellow.  If you might be interested in joining contact Carla at the link above.  I'm already working on my project.

Thanks for stopping by!

350 Blocks, April Report

The goal for this month was 30 blocks.  Here is how I did. 

Frolic Mystery Quilt:  8 blocks  I actually finished the top.

Hands 2 Help Comfort Quilt Drive:   34 blocks/3 baby quilts.

Cassandra's Circle:  1 block

Ella Maria Deacon:  4 blocks

Pieces from the Past:  2 blocks

Private BOM being done with friends:  2 blocks

Buhl-Bushong:  8 blocks    I counted each flower group as a block,  hand appliqued.  There were 4 flowers and 4 of the center blocks.

Stitchery by Kathy Schmitz :  1 block

So my total was 58 blocks.  I will be reporting my total to Prairie Moon Quilts.  

Slow Sunday Stitching

Time to report in again for Slow Sunday Stitching @ Kathy's Quilts.  My favorite day of the week to visit blogs and find out what everyone has been up to. 

I have been quite busy, working on Hands2Help comfort quilts during the day.  At night this week I worked on my Ella Maria Deacon blocks.  Not sure I am happy with the broderie perse, I might redo that one.  Still deciding.

Today I prepped the block for Cassandra's Circle.  This one should be pretty easy to do.

Next up, I am prepping a new applique project (like I really needed another), I came across on Instagram.  It is a Sunflower Sew Along, @fixer_of_old_quilts.  The original block was from a quilt dated 1863 in the collection of Cathy Erickson @quiltingcat2, which is being used with her permission.  If you might be interested, check out the post @fixer_of_old_quilts.   I might do 4 blocks instead of 1.  

A few pictures of blooms in my yard.  I still need to do some weeding, but the flowers are pretty.  The foxgloves apparently reseeded themselves because I have more coming up along the fence.  

And the irises are blooming.  

Hope everyone is staying safe and is well!  Thanks so much for stopping by!

I will be linking up at Slow Sunday Stitching @ Kathy's Quilts.    Pop on over there and see what everyone has been up to.  

One Monthly Goal

Time to state your goal for May for One Monthly Goal @ Elm Street Quilts.   I continue to appreciate this method of keeping myself on goal, and many thanks go to Patty for all she does to keep this going,  getting sponsors and sending out prizes.  I  was informed this morning I won one of the prizes for an Aurifil thread pack from last month!  Thanks so much Patty! 

My One Monthly Goal for May is to make a boho purse for one of my granddaughter Kyleigh's friends who is graduating this year.  I have known Isabella since she was a toddler, and Kyleigh is 2 years older.  I made her sister Madilyn a quilt, but Isabella expressed an interest in a boho purse.  She requested an ocean theme,  in purples.    This will be a crazy quilted bag with extensive embroidery. 

I haven't even gone through my stash, but I have a feeling I don't have much purple or lavender.  I have made about 7 of these bags and they are time consuming, and it will really be a challenge to start from scratch.

These are two of mine I have made in the past.  Ocean theme is a favorite of mine so that shouldn't be a problem.   I know I'm going to need to search for the trims online, as I have none in purple. 

So that is my One Monthly Goal, to make and finish a boho bag!    Linking up with
One Monthly Goal @ Elm Street Quilts.

Hands 2 Help Comfort Quilt Challenge

I've finished a couple of the quilts I am going to donate for the Hands2Help Comfort Quilt Challenge coordinated by Sarah @Confessions of a Fabric Addict.     I have the first 3 quilted.  These are going to the Little Lambs Foundation, who provide a backpack with comfort and hygiene items for children being placed in foster care.   They asked for baby sized quilts.

These were all made from scraps from granddaughter Kyleigh's graduation quilt which used a Laurel Burch line called Jungle Songs.  Believe it or not, I still have scraps left!  That oddball first one, uses blocks leftover from Kyleigh's quilt too.

I moved on and have another top made, this is from a long ago (1997-1998) Folk Art block swap coordinated by Susan Nixon @ Desertsky Quilting!     I used 12 of those blocks, and then surrounded them by Maverick Stars,  one of Bonnie Hunter's free patterns which I was making as leader-enders.  I had just enough to border this one.  This quilt will go to Quilty Hugs for Happy Chemo for patients undergoing chemotherapy.

I have more orphan blocks, and swap blocks I hope to get made into quilts before this drive is over.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Hand Quilt Along, Slow Sunday Stitching

I don't know where this year is going, nevertheless the past 3 weeks.  Time to check in again for the Hand Quilt Along.  

This past week I worked on finishing up the border on my Buhl Bushong Quilt.   This did finish off the fourth border.

I started working again on the centers of the quilt.  I got one of these blocks done this week.  This one I still need to applique the blossoms around the edges.  This will be my Slow Stitching for Sunday.

I will also be working on this towel, the embroidery from Stitcher's Revolution .   

I also wanted to share one of my pretty indoor orchids.  It never fails to bring a smile to my face. There is a begonia beneath it.  I think I need to stake that one up better, it is leaning a lot, but the blossoms are so gorgeous!

Please visit the links below and see what everyone is up to.  I'd also like to welcome Monica to our group!

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

I will also be linking up at Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching, another great source of inspiration.  Head over there and see what everyone has been up to over there!

Thanks so much for stopping by, and Stay Safe!

Hands 2 Help

I'm participating in the Hands2Help Comfort Quilt Challenge again this year, organized by Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.  

This past week I have been working on the quilts I plan to donate.  So far they are just baby quilts.  But I have gotten 3 tops done, and one of them quilted. 

These are all three hanging on the fence.  The majority of fabrics were an old Laurel Burch line called Jungle Songs.  I had these leftover from granddaughter Kyleigh's graduation quilt several years ago. 

Very bright, much brighter than anything I usually work with.  The one int he center used some orphan blocks from Kyleigh's quilt.

I did finish this one.  I fussy cut jungle animals out of one of the prints.

The back was a Riley Blake print I won in a contest last year

Right now I have this other one on the frame. 

I got 2 rows quilted, and it was one of those days I just felt like I could not do ONE THING MORE.  So I stopped working on it.  Hopefully with a good night's sleep my neck spasms will leave.    Last Sunday, walking behind my husband as he took the 1 step down into the living room where he sleeps, and spends most of his time, I had my hands on his hips, and he put his walker down the step, but somehow it got away from him, and he fell backwards into me, taking me down too.  He is a fall risk, that is why I follow  him, especially around that step.  We had to have the Fire Department come and help him up because he can't get up by himself.  But I have been sore this week to say the least.  He is okay though, a little sore too.

Anyway I have been doing a lot of yard work, and looking for essential supplies like the acetaminophen 325 mg he takes, looking for the Delsem 12-hour cough syrup he uses when his inhalers aren't doing the trick, and having to go to 3-4 stores looking for just a few item.

Anyway, hope to have all 3 of these quilted in the next couple of days, and will start piecing the next one.    My goal was to have at least 5 done for this charity quilt drive. 

I will be reporting in at Confessions of a Fabric Addict when the link is up.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

One Monthly Goal-April

I need to report in for One Monthly Goal before I forget to do it.   I love this monthly motivation by Patty @ Elm Street Quilts.

My One Monthly Goal, which I stated here for April was to make my Frolic Mystery Quilt by Bonnie Hunter into a flimsy.   The beginning of April I had most of the components made, I just needed to assemble it.    This was where I started.








I was able to finish it up.  Didn't have anyone to hold it up for me, as I we are still isolating from our children and grandchildren.

So happy it is done!  I might eventually add on another border or two, still thinking about that.  This was as far as the mystery went.  I wanted to make it a little larger I think.  A former coworker is getting married in September I think and it would make a nice wedding present.


Linking up at:  Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal - April Finish Link-up

Slow Sunday Stitching

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

Tonight I watched an inspiring program called One World Together At Home, paying tribute to the healthcare workers,  those that are staying open to provide us with food, mail etc.  There were artists from all over the world singing, doctors and nurses providing information from the front lines.  I particularly liked the performances by Stevie Wonder, Jennifer Lopez, Celine Dion, and Rolling Stones, and numerous others.  I think I only saw 2 hours of it but parts of it brought tears to my eyes. 

What I have been up to this week was getting to work on my Hands 2 Help quilts hosted by Sarah @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict.  

I have 4 baby sized quilts cut up.  I have been trying to cut up scraps and use those as much as possible.  I pulled a bunch of child themed scraps out and I haven't made a dent yet. 

But today I finished up my first top.  It is using Laurel Burch Jungle Songs scraps leftover from granddaughter Kyleigh's graduation quilt. 

The middle section was just leftovers from Kyleigh's and the two blocks at the side. 

This week I finished up my Kathy Schmitz stitchery from last week.

This week for my Sunday Stitching, I will be attempting to get these last two flower sections on my
Buhl-Bushong quilt border done.

Before I got, I wanted to show this orchid I adopted from my daughter Katie's MIL when she moved to Arizona.   When I received it, it had several stalks of flowers which promptly fell off within a week of the move to my house.  This is what it looks like now.  It brings a smile to my face every time I see it!  

Don't pay attention to my brick walkway that appears to be growing weeds.  I need to take care of that next!  

I'll be linking up with Kathy's Quilts and Slow Sunday Stitching.   I really appreciate this now more than every with this social distancing and look forward to visiting/chatting with others that link up to her site.  

Stay safe!    Thanks for stopping by!

2020 Finish-A-Long, Quarter 2

2020 Finish-A-Long, Quarter 2 Goals

While the organizers of this finish-a-long have decided to do everything on Instagram, I like this record to keep things straight, so I will list my goals  here too.

1)  Make 5 quilts for Hands2Help Charity. This is organized by Sarah  @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict.  

2)  Cassandra's Circle BOM for April, May and June.   This is the 2020 applique BOM by Barbara Brackman @Civil War Quilts.

3)  Ella Maria Duncan BOM for April, May and June.  This is the BOM offered by Gay @ Sentimental Stitches.

4)  Pieces from the Past BOM-keep caught up every 3 weeks.   This is being offered by Melva @ Melva Loves Scraps.

5)  Buhl-Bushong Quilt BOM for April, May and June.   This is being offered by the Virginia Quilt Museum

6)  Make 1 Father Christmas Block.  

7)  Quilt Fall Into a QAL

8)  3 Kathy Schmitz One Stitch at a Time Embroideries.

9)  Make Boho Bag.  This is a CQ bag I promised a 2020 graduate, a good friend of my granddaughter Kyleigh's.

Think that will keep me out of trouble for awhile.  

Slow Sunday Stitching

Another week has flown by, I spent most of it trying to get my Frolic quilt done, which I finally did.  I kept running into all sorts of problems, of my own doing, by sewing HST's wrong, sewing a whole row on wrong.  Me and my seam ripper had a thing going this week.  So glad that is finished!

The other thing I did was make a lot of masks.   I sent one to my BIL Roger in North Carolina, and he shared a picture:

I made some for my SIL's employees that are required to start wearing them on Monday.   I also made some for my daughters and their families.

And Kyleigh and I the other day.  I made some for her brothers, mother and father this morning.

I also wanted to share, that same BIL in North Carolina sent me these yesterday that he had stitched for me.  He knows I love lighthouses, mermaids, sailboats.  When he was here at Thanksgiving, he ran out of his project he was working on, and I invited him to look into my stash of cross stitch, in which I had bagged projects, fabric and thread together.  He chose this one, and sent it back finished. 

And he also sent me this one!   They are already prepared, I just need to frame them.

So what I will be working on this Sunday is another Kathy Schmitz One Stitch at a Time Club embroidery.    I hope to finish this up.    I also need to prepare the last border of the Buhl-Bushong quilt.  I just had nothing else in me today to get that done.  So I have this embroidery to work on until then. 

Thanks so much for stopping by, and please stay safe. 

I will be linking up with Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts when the link comes up tomorrow.  Pop by over there and see what everyone has been up to!