February could have been a better month!

I haven't done much quilting as such, but have been doing a lot of handwork. It has been very comforting for me. I've had some bad tests results lately and will have to have surgery very soon, and then some radiation, I think. That is the plan right now. Everything seems to change in a heartbeat, so I'm no quite sure. More tests and doctors this week!  But sitting and stitching has been a calming influence since the first of the year.

 I have started my Tula Pink Hex on the Beach now, and it's killing me. I've done hexies before, but these seem a little short on fabric! Someone I read even did them with glue stick since it was so short. I've never gone right through the hex before, but I don't guess it will matter in the long run. I'm just getting started, and I hope it gets faster cause I'm working slow right now!!  I do love the fabric.

Just a few more to do!!

I finished all 12 of my Hocuspocusville blocks during January and February.  I enjoyed them so much.  I've even thought about doing another one! How is that for punishment!!

Only one cut down to size so far.

I changed the names on the buildings to grandkid or family names.  This was Spooky Lou's but it's now Spooky Joe's!  That was an easy change!!

My granddaughter, Grace, thought this should be Onnie's Stitches instead of a child.  I'm Onnie to the kids.  A grandson tried to say Nana and it came out Onnie, and it stuck.

Here's Ruby's candy shop.  She will be so happy!

Grace has a beauty salon and Georgia has an apothecary.  That is all I could work in.  I used the girls and the youngest boy.  Hope nobody gets their feelings hurt.

So I am trying to decide what to work on for now.  I think I will try to get Hocus Pocusville top done as soon as I can.  I was thinking about hand quilting it, but I'll have to see.  I think it's 60x60 so that's a lot of hand quilting!

I'll appreciate all the positive vibes I can get!  The next few months will not be fun.  But I will be sewing when I can!

Design Wall Monday

I really haven't been feeling the sewing lately. I have all the pieces cut out and half sewn for a row on my row quilt, but it's just been cold, and dreary, and it seems like it's too much trouble to get going. Also my Gracie was in the middle of her peace sign pillow, and I didn't want to take out her thread. How's that for making excuses?

 But I have really been enjoying my handwork. I'm working on my Hocuspocusville quilt that I think will be so cute for Halloween around here. We have our hayride every Halloween season, so there are people in and out all fall. I think it will get use.

Almost finished with this one.

I think the Morgana may be getting pulled out and a grandchild's name inserted.  Grace thinks that's a great idea!

Next one!

I wish someone would give me some advice on tracing.  The instructions on the the pattern say to use a permanent pen.  That scares me.  I've been using pencil.  Sometimes it smears.  What do you use?

Here is Grace's peace sign pillow top.  I couldn't convince her to make an envelope.  She wants to stuff it.  Oh well! She is such a blessing to me! I gave her a machine for Christmas and she had watched the DVD on threading,etc. We were having some tension problems, and she was sure she could fix it. Love her!

Here is her choice for the back.

This is my first block from the BOM by Fat Quarter Shop.  I'm using Flying Colors by Laurel Burch that I bought years ago.  I was in a group and everyone loved butterflies, so I went for it.  I have the whole line, not just fat quarters, but half yard cuts.  I'm glad I finally decided to use it up!

Hope you all are having a productive winter sewing season.  Better than mine!  I'm having some pretty wicked medical tests coming up, so positive vibes are appreciated.

I'd love to hear from you.  Anyone?  Bueller?

2014 Projects

So I have been thinking this over and deciding what BOMs to jump into.  Decision made.  Well, so far.

I'm going to do the Fat Quarter Shop "Wishes" quilt.  It's right here!  There is a picture of the finished quilt along with January's block.  I'm going to use a bunch of butterfly fat quarters that I have had forever.  I also bought a white butterfly background that I don't think I have enough of, but I'm going for it anyway.  I think I'll just fill in with another white on white, or plain white, if I need to.

I've also decided to do one that I found this very morning on Cyber quilters.  It's at Country Threads Chicken Scratch..  I like this one because you make two blocks a month.  One is half the size of the other.  This year's will be a 10" block and a 20" block.  I looked up the sampler from last year, and I love the different sizes in the layout.

I'm also a little nervous about my Curly Top quilt.  I hate to sound so selfish when she is obviously struggling with cancer and other family problems.  I understand.  I will give her a while longer and then I'll just try to figure it all out on my own.  The Curly top I'm doing for Ruby.  Guess which one she is!!!  And I've decided to design my own straight blonde hair and do one for Georgia.  I have the background and I'm about ready to start it.  Love my girls!!!  (We always do a funny face picture after the "real" picture.  That's where this came from.)

I don't know how many of you read this, but I'd love, love, love to know what BOMs you are doing.  I love to be tempted!  Hope you are not too snowy and cold.  We are excited here in TN to get our tiny bit that stays on the grass!  Happy sewing!

Secrets Revealed!

So I was hand sewing binding at 10:00 pm on Christmas Eve, but I got everything finished.  All 4 of my kids and their families received a quilt and I even finished Grace's quilt.

This is Eva, Mom to two boys and 3 cats (and 3 dogs).  I started these cats for her about 10 years ago.  I had all the blocks done and just had to put it together.  In fact I had so many cats that I still have some left.  I could have made a bigger quilt, but was going to quilt it on my machine so I stopped.  Then I took it to the long-arm quilter.  Go figure.

 This is my son, Chad, and his wife, Sarah.  Sarah's mom is from Korea and I have learned a lot about their culture.  So I made this quillt for them out of Asian themed fabric.  They were very surprised.

 This is Bub and his wife, Ginger.  They are Grace's parents and also have sweet Georgia.  I gave them the Christmas quilt I pieced last January.

 This is Holly and her husband Dennis and a photo bomber, Joe.  Holly and I did this Merry Mayhem (I think) Superbowl mystery a couple of years ago.  She cut and pressed, and I sewed.  We got the fabric at her LQS in NC to go in her den.  It was more work than we could get done in a weekend and I brought it home, put it on the shelf, and forgot about it.  We had it the blocks done, but I had to put it together.  She was surprised.  She said she had forgotten all about it!

And here is Grace with our finished product!

Hers is the one I was finishing up on Christmas Eve.  I think she was happy to see it done.  I quilted it on my machine and did a cross hatch diagonal pattern which was harder than I thought it would be.  Grace and I both learned something.  I bought Grace her own machine for Christmas.  She is coming to spend the day today, and I hope she brings it so we can learn all about it.

So thinking about 2014.  Think I'll do the Fat Quarter Shop BOM for starters.  I have a bunch of butterfly fat quarters that need to be used.  And I need some handwork.

I hope you had a wonderful holiday season.  Mine was fantastic and exhausting!

Almost Christmas!

Well, I have finished all 4 quilts, and, if my luck holds, I'll get Grace's quilt finished before Christmas Day when everyone shows up at our house.  I'm so glad to have them done and hope the kids will like them.

And I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and New Year celebration.  Pictures will follow soon!!

Goals

So I'm sitting here drinking my morning coffee and I realize I am planning for January.  I mean, December is a write-off at this point.  I am working quite well and have the end in sight for Christmas projects.   As soonas I finish a binding and a couple of labels I must, must, must finish machine quilting Grace's quilt so it is ready for Christmas, too.  I will probably work on that today and do handwork tonight.

Before I start with the goals, I'll share a finish! Here are my handsome son and gorgeous daughter-in-law on their anniversary with their quilt!  Whew, was that ever a job! Even my 10 year old grandson mentioned that I sure was sewing on that quilt a lot!!

For next year here are the things I need to do FOR SURE!
1.  Finish Comfort and Joy.  I just have the borders to machine applique and then sew it together.  So I will actually have it ready next Christmas.

2.  I am waiting on Carol from Ewe's Quilting so I can finish Curly Top.  I am worried about her because November and December aren't up and she has had so much sickness and heartbreak.  Does anyone know anything about her?

Here are my two babies that I adore and have no quilts from Onnie.  I'm such a loser.  Anyway, I am doing Curly Top for my curly Ruby on the right.  Then I'm going to do Blondie Top for my Georgia.  I am going to design some new blonde hair or Curly and make another one.  Fun ahead!!!

3.  I found a beautiful medallion quilt I started several years ago.  I have all the pieces  made and the challenge will be to get the pieces all figured out and put together.

4.  I need to finish my row quilt from Patchwork Posse that got pushed aside as I figured out I wanted to finish things by Christmas. I have 7 rows done and it won't take too much for me to finish it up.

So those are the finishes.  A post about the ones I want to start will be up pretty sure.  And the list is long.

Hope you are all chugging along on Christmas chores.  I love the season, but it is hard to shop for 15 people, but I am so lucky to have them all!!

Still at it!

So I am still hand quilting. I won't even let myself go to the sewing room. I miss it!! But this is number one on my list. I have 10 days from today.

 Every time I finish something, I decide to add something else.I did the inside  border, and thought, well, I just can't do anymore.   Then I did the outside border, and thought, that's it, I'm finished.  But then I looked at the negative spaces in the blocks and knew I wasn't finished after all.  I'm certainly not very good, but I'm getting better. I'm not using a frame right now.

9 more of these and I'm finished.  Really.  Except for binding.

These were so easy.  I could go one direction!!

I'm going to have to add some batting in the left corner.  Seems like a little poodle thought it would be fun to chew that stuff up!

I've already been to several design walls.  There are so many things I want to do, but have this to finish and then bindings, bindings, bindings!!

Desperate Times! Where are my desperate measures?

So I am desperately hand quilting. My fingers are raw. I have been working hours every day. Who knew this took so darn long. (Everyone but me?)

 Since this is Quilting Confessions, I will confess. This is a wedding signature quilt. I am trying so hard to finish it because this will be their....oh, I'm so ashamed....10th anniversary this year. Tenth. I know.  Peyton, who drew that cute heart and wrote his name....he's driving  I think you can now call me the queen of procrastinators!   I thought it was such a small quilt it would be a piece of cake to hand quilt.  I thought that 10 years ago!  I need this finished completely by the 28th.

Anyway, I am just about finished with the blocks and am ready for the border.  I don't know how to keep the border tight to quilt it.  Any hints would be appreciated on how to do that.  I also read last night that some people are using Press N Seal to trace their patterns and then quilting through it so you don't have to mark the quilt.  Has anyone tried that?  I got mine out last night, but decided to watch Walking Dead instead of trying it.  (I have my priorities!!)

He drives.  He's a junior in high school.  

I have a stencil to quilt a pretty design in all the empty blocks.  I think I'm over it, though.  I'll just be happy to finish!

Wish me luck.  Something tells me I need it.  All hints and tips appreciated.

November Goals

I have been thinking about this for several days, so I  might as well go for it.
I gave up and took the secret quilts to the long arm quilter.  I'll get them back about the middle of the month.  Then I'll need to start binding them.

1. Finish hand quilting a ten year old wedding quilt.  I'm just so pathetic.
2. I am cross hatch quilting Grace's quilt, and not doing a very good job.  It is my first time.  I think I'll put Grace and Onnie learn to quilt on the label.  Anyway, I want this finished for Christmas, too.
3. I am starting to pull out UFOs and want to get them done.  It feels good to even have that in my head
4. I want to continue to keep up with Curly Top from Ewe's Quilting.  I got tired of machine quilting so I got the October block done this morning.  It is so cute!

That is probably enough for November, and, of course, the Christmas secrets will come first.

Hope everyone else has things for Christmas all lined up and will get it done in time.  I, myself, and enjoying looking at Thanksgiving quilts and thinking.  I'm always thinking!!!

Fall!!

I have enjoyed the Wicked blog hop this last week. I like seeing what everyone else is doing. It just seemed like a good idea to show my fall projects, too.

 I saw a picture of this from a quilt show on a blog this morning. I am so anxious to start it, but I have some hand quilting to finish before I will let myself even think about starting it. But I have the most beautiful fabric all ready to go and I can't wait!

Hocuspocusville

Here's a closeup of one of the houses!

I started this years ago and it was my very first hand applique project.  It may be my last since I've now learned to machine applique.  It is supposed to be a bag for trick or treat, and I probably started it back when I had one grandchild instead of seven!  I am thinking now that it wouldn't be too hard to turn this into a small quilt with blues and oranges.  Or maybe a table runner?  I'm thinking.  (Always thinking!!)

Here are some blocks I started years ago.  (See a pattern here?)  I think it's from Judy at Patchwork Times.  I don't know if the pattern is there or not.  I have a whole sackful of beautiful orange, green, and brown batiks to make leaves.  I need to work on this one!

Layout for finished quilt

Last year we spent Halloween in Oaxaca, Mexico, for Dia de los Muertos.  It was a wonderful and we wish we were back there now!  Their attitude toward death and skeletons (caleveras) is so different from ours in the US.  It was a wonderful 3 week trip.  Anyway, I managed to find some fabric shops while I was there.  It was so much fun!  I have several pieces of fabric for Day of the Dead, and even some lace and wall hangings.  I'm going to do something with all these skulls, but I don't know what.  Always thinking!

And, last but not least, my one finished project.  I made this quilt several years ago out of some beautiful charm squares in fall colors.  I just set them on edge, made it too long for the backing, and have used it ever since!

Well, that concludes my fall/Halloween round up.  If you have some fall things up and aren't on the Wicked blog hop, leave me a note so I can come look.  

Happy Halloween!

Rest time!

I can't post a single picture, but I can report progress!!  I'm working on Christmas presents!  Just taking a break for a few minutes now.

Desperately need to hand quilt.  Every minute.  Now.

Have 2 quilts totally ready to quilt with tops and backs made.  Just can't decided to take them to long-arm person or do them myself.

Grace's quilt is all pinned for me to do.

3rd of 4th quilt....top finished today.  Almost finished with back  I'm having to be creative!!

4th quilt.  Finished.  Have to do back and then decide who/how to quilt.

And I actually won something.  Oh, it was an exciting day!! Go here to see Carol's beautiful Counting Sheep design at Fun Threads Designs.  I hope to do it soon.

Left to do.
1.  The quilting.  Oy, the quilting.  What do I do?
2.  Get at least 1 of the two Christmas quilts finished for Christmas.
3.  Hand quilt.  Hand quilt.  Hand quilt.  Hand quilt.

That's all for me!  Isn't this fall beautiful??  Our hayride is next weekend!

October!

Well, I know it's been a long time since I posted.  I was sewing like crazy....hours every day! I was getting so much done!! And then we went to see my grandbabies, and since I've been back I'm a lump.  The inspiration left.  And I just have to get going.  I sit here thinking about what I need to be doing, yet I don't do it!  I'm mad at myself.  I'm even thinking about moving my machine into this living area so I will sew a little bit just on a whim.  I hate to bring the mess, though.

I have a decision to make.  I have some quilts all ready for quilting.  Now what to do.  I am not good enough at free motion to do them, but I don't like my long-arm person.  So they sit there, all folded, with me deciding.

Things I need to be working on:

• 2 projects to be quilted
• 1 backing to be pieced
• Gracie's quilt to be quilted
• 1 quilt top assembled, blocks made
• 1 smaller quilt hand quilted

And that just takes me to Christmas and not even finishing my Comfort and Joy.  Maybe it's the decisions that have me hung up.   Hope you all are accomplishing more than I am.  I enjoy your blogs and projects.

Comfort and Joy

Well, I think Judy has forgotten all about Comfort and Joy, but I haven't! I have had a lot of fun with this pattern. When I first got it I just about panicked, but after quite a bit of obsessing about how to start, I have loved it.

I believe this is the block we were supposed to finish this month.  It was fun and easy.

I hadn't been able to figure out how to do the angel's hair or crown or whatever, so I just jumped into it and did it.  I'm going to embellish it anyway.

And here are the blocks sewn together. I got on the green outer border and have the appliqued outer borders ironed down.  I'm appliqueing a little every day.  Then I can worry about quilting it.....or not quilting it!!

I have several other things going that I can't talk about! Christmas is coming!

Free Motion Quilting

I'm soooooo over sending out my tops to be quilted. I never was really comfortable wit the people who did mine here in town, so I've just been saving tops. I have tons all ready. Some are even basted. Sometimes I just quit toward the end of making a quilt so I don't have another one, but I end up with UFOs.

 So a few weeks ago I took a free motion class. I think I may have mentioned it before. I enjoyed the class, and I learned a lot about thread and a start on patterns, but out of a class from 10:00 to 3:00, we only practiced about 20 minutes which was totally not enough. I was pretty darn disappointed. I was depressed a couple of days, but I practiced some, but never really found my rhythm.

 But I did find this wonderful site I want to share. It's by Leah Day and it's a Gallery of Free Motion Design.  It has 396 free motion designs with short videos to show you how to do them! It goes from Super Beginner (me) to difficult.  I've  been looking at the designs and practicing on paper.

Last week I went to the 70% close out sale (sob) of a nearby quilt shop, Sew Bee It.  I got the panel below and the coordinating fabric for a border and maybe the back, depending!  I'm going to go with some sort of spiral I think, practice a little, and just go for it.   I'll probably try different designs as I go.  My grandkids won't care what it looks like.  They don't even notice the quilting! Ha!  (As proof I could show you a favorite that is just a mutilated stitch in the ditch, but I won't.)

I'm really looking forward to get good enough to dig out all those tops!!

Handwork

Last year I was working on the Row quilt along with Patchwork Posse. One of the rows had a redwork snowman. I had so much fun sewing at night and listening to TV. So I went looking for a cute one to do for Spring.

I found the Rabbits Prefer Embroidery and went to work.  I enjoyed every stitch!  It's a Bunny Hill Design and cute as it can be.  So all I've done is the top row.  I have all the embroidery done, but haven't put any more together.  Soon!! Soon!!

Anyway, I found Hocuspocusville, and I feel in love with it!  I ordered it immediately from Crabapple Hill Studio.  I went to my favorite go-to shop and spent a small fortune on fabric, but I'm about ready to start on it!  I'm really looking forward to it.  To warm up, I'm going to work on the silly angel from Comfort and Joy.  I just have to get her hair done, and then I'll start this!  Yea!

Design Wall Monday

This is my first post for Monday in a long while. I have been sewing, but just haven't posted.

 I am so happy that Carole is feeling better and posted some Curly Tops blocks. This is for my granddaughter with her own curly top. Her hair falls in ringlets and I just love it. So this quilt just was begging to be sewn!

August with a surfboard, sun-bleached hair, and a sunburn and July with a flag

I changed the tractor block to a Gator since she loves ours so much!

I get several blocks that need the same color and then I applique that color on as many blocks as I can.  Today I did black and am slowly working on the hair now in brown.  All those wavy lines are slow going.

This is how I store my thread and the bobbin that goes with it so I can change threads easily.  Anyone have another idea that will work easier?  (See the red marker scribble on my machine instruction book?  That so easily could have been on blocks! Whew! A close one!)

And I am still plugging along on Comfort and Joy.  The last block is on the bottom right.  I am going to frog sew and take it apart.  It seems to have some waves in it and there's no wind!!!  The angel is still missing on the left because her hair isn't done.  I stopped because I didn't like how it looked and haven't ever started again.  Maybe soon.

I absolutely love to read on Mondays.  I haven't been commenting much lately, but hope to today.  I'd love to hear from you!  Have a great week.

Busy, busy!

Much has been going on around here, and, believe it or not, sewing has taken place!! Here's the list!

 First, Grace, my almost 10 year old granddaughter,  made a quilt from a jelly roll. She sewed her little heart out. She wanted her name on it, so I found some letters on the web that she liked and we are now ready to quilt. There is a little problem there. I don't know exactly how and what I'm going to do, but here it is all sandwiched.  She even helped me do this!

Which leads me to the 2nd thing....I took a class in free-motion quilting.  It was an all day class, and to be honest, I was disappointed.  We only practiced about 20 minutes in all the time we were there.  I did learn a lot about thread and weights, tension, and more, but really felt I wanted to practice a lot more with someone there.  I did get help with my darning foot, and I've been practicing a little every day.

Carole at Ewe's Quilting got to feeling better after her cancer treatment, and she got caught up with Curly Top.  I was so excited.  I have one more block to iron down before I start the applique.  I changed the tractor to look like our Gator since little Ruby loves the Gator like crazy.  I am using all stash for this, and it hurts my feelings sometimes since there are so many bright fabrics I'd like to use.

Here is what I want to work on now....

• Finish the Curly Top blocks and begin the machine applique
• Finish the quilt that Holly and I are making and get it sandwiched.
• Do 3 more rows for the Row by Row quilt (see upper right margin) and call it a day on that one.  This might be the first one I try to quilt.
• Get the last Comfort and Joy block done and start on borders
• Practice the free motion patterns I've decided to try.
• Start some secret Christmas stuff!!!  

I've really been enjoying sewing.  We've been busy with company, grandkids, and yardwork, but there is still time for quilting.  I'm so grateful for my blessings!

I'm planning a trip to Atlanta to the quilt show in September.  I'm going to check out the longarms, but something tells me I'm not going to want to pay what they cost.  Does anyone have one they just love?  I'd love to hear about it!  Pretty please!