A New Year for Finishes

Happy New Year! It is so encouraging and fun to share my love of quilting with you! And to set new goals and priorities for finishing projects that have been started, so let's get going!

And, to up the ante, the weatherman is reporting a big storm coming in this weekend with lots of snow predicted! Yippee! I am one of those who love it when it snows. Like the song goes,

Well the weather outside is frightful,

But my fabrics are so delightful.

I have no other place to go,

Let it snow, let it snow, Let Me Sew!!

I even made a little picture for the sewing room!

I will be linking up this list at She Can Quilt's blog-site for this year's 2019 Finish-A-Long

1. Edyta Sitar's Block of the Month, Patches in Blue

How I love this project. When finished this quilt will stay in my possession. I love blues, I love the blocks, I love Edyta Sitar's style. So why isn't it finished yet? I got behind working on Christmas projects but I am striving for a Patches in Blue finish this quarter.

I may have to rework the large star block pictured. I am not happy with the center points matching up. After making so many Lemoyne stars in my Medallion Ca'rlene, it can surely be better. Do you have a favorite trick for these challenging star blocks?

2. Sunbonnet Sue Restoration 

This is a vintage quilt made by a dear relative that has passed on. My niece has asked me to restore it so I have found various 30's prints to replace those that are worn,  shredded, and gone. It really is in poor shape, and once finished I will advise her to use it as a display piece only. The stitches are sooooo tiny! Aunt Etha was a gifted needle-worker for sure! I hope I can do it justice. I will try to get a better picture for a later posting.

3. On Ringo Lake

Really! I need to finish this! I love the colors and I am anxious to see it on the bed upstairs. I have ONE block completed. All the rest of the units are ready with only 49 blocks left to go. Then sew them into rows. Just a few days of marathon sewing is needed, which is what I like on snowy days. 

This quilt project is the reason I did not jump in on Bonnie's mystery, Good Fortune, this past year. I could not take on another with On Ringo Lake in the line up.

4. Blue Ridge Beauty 

Another blue quilt. I said I love blues. :-) All 169 blocks are completed and are ready to be sewn into rows. No thinking involved here so this will be another marathon-snowy-sew-day at the machine. Queue the audio book!

5. Country Bride Quilt

One of my oldest UFO's from 1998. That is from the last century! I will likely not get this hand quilted, which is what I originally wanted. So it is going to the long arm quilter to be finished finally. Can't wait to see it done. It is a very large quilt. Look at those 90's colors!

Some other items I will be working on but they will not likely make it to final completion...

Montmellik

I got another medallion quilt on my list! I just finished the dotted border and am presently working on the next. It involves flowers made from 3/4 inch hexagons! All appliqued so it just needs some time in the evenings for some fun sewing. Do you love hand applique too?

This was a mystery quilt project from Quiltmania last year.







Charm Square Challenge

Just a fun challenge from our Stashbusters Yahoo Group to get out some of those precuts and USE them. This was an idea I came up with using Moda's Concrete. I have two charm packs so I am not sure how big this will be. And I am short on light squares so I hope to go the LQS before it snows for some backgrounds while they are still on sale.





Hexagon Flowers

Still plugging away at this...but not in a dreadful way. I love this project and am always happy to sit down and work on it in the evenings. I am nearing the halfway mark of appliqueing these flowers to their backgrounds. Then sew the blocks in rows...then borders... No rush here, just enjoying the time spent.




Temperature Quilt

Have you jumped in on this idea? I have been logging the highs and lows in our area since March of last year but have not yet decided upon a block to use. Nor have I begun to chart the fabrics with the temperatures. But I am getting close! :-) Check out some examples at #tempquiltalong for some inspiration to begin your own.


So again, happy new year! (It is still new) Sharing this wild adventure is fun and motivating. And your comments below warm my heart. May your stitches be even, plentiful, and untangled. And may your UFO's be completed throughout 2019.

 

Pillows and Feathers

Now that Christmas is over and all gifts have been given, it is safe to show my final finishes for 2018.

This pillow idea came from Penny Haren of Creative Grids. She did a workshop/trunk show at our local quilt shop and I fell in love with the idea of stacking 3 pillows on a wooden base. 




Now when the kids want to lay on the floor for games they have a cushion, and the pillows can all go back when finished for storage until next time. My husband made the bases out of birch plywood and glued mitered maple ends to the four sides. With 4 bun feet the base was completed.

The backs were made so that they can easily be removed for washing. (not shown here) You can find a tutorial on how to make an envelope backing here. 



My other gift idea was the feather runner. I really loved working on this project. Not only because of who I was making it for but because it such a clean and modern pattern. 

I used strips and strings from batiks and tonal prints for texture all in earthy colors. Stacked 3 blocks running in opposite directions with added sashing and borders. It finished at 22" x 67" and was all hand quilted. 

I should have taken more pictures. These are all I have and would like to show more of the quilting...Maybe for the next one, because I could make another! I really, really love this pattern.

On the back I wrote the quote:
"But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; 
they will run and not grow weary, 
they will walk and not be faint." 
Isaiah 40:31




I hope your Christmas and Holiday season was a happy and meaningful one. Here we are into 2019! May your days be filled with peace, and hope, and may your stitches be even, plentiful and your UFO's complete throughout this coming year!

Happy new year!

Early Summer Fun

Along with the commitments I made on the 2016 Finish Along at She Can Quilt blog, I have also been working on some extra projects...

I love the fabric I found for this dress I made for my darling grand-daughter. The colors remind me of vintage tablecloths. It features open pleats on the bodice and sleeves and I found a little flower shaped button for the back closure. I barely had enough leftover for a matching purse so I made it a bit smaller than the pattern required. 

She was delighted with her new outfit and wears it often. Isn't it fun to sew for little girls?

I will soon be leaving for a trip to Japan. Dear friends of ours work at the New Life Center in Ishinomaki where the tsunami went through. The people in this area lost their homes and families. The New Life Center was created to be a place of hope that offers counseling and other needed services. It was one of the only buildings left standing. 

This August we will be hosting a Quilting Workshop as several people have shared a desire to learn this craft. Below are a couple of the projects we have planned for this time together making new friends in Japan.

 
This is my own personal design and I will gladly offer this as a free pattern once I get back. It is a small project since we our workshop is for two days, but there are several piecing techniques to learn. 

Another small item is this Dresden Plate table topper. It measures 20" in diameter and will brighten any area it is placed in. 

The old fashioned bow tie pattern offers many ways to set the blocks. This will make a charming project. 

All squares and half-square triangles, this runner has many alternative settings. Very basic but a whole world of options using these two patches. 

We have been working on notebook covers, pincushions, and sewing kits to present to each participant. I am so anxious to teach and learn from the people in Ishinomaki.

Christmas Celebrations

Have you ever tried paper piecing? Using a pattern by Judy Niemeyer?  You will not be disappointed! Her patterns are very thorough and have little waste. (well, relatively...paper piecing tends to be that way anyway) I really enjoyed this first introduction into paper piecing! The only complaint I may have is removing the paper backings. But an evening with good light, tweezers for hard to get areas, and the sweeper nearby for clean up makes the chore doable.

This is listed as my Number 2 goal for the 4th quarter finishes. 
Once I had the pie pieces assembled and sewn together. I stretched the backing, wadding, and top on the floor for pin basting. All those pins! My fingers were so sore! They look like tiny ants, don't they?

I began machine quilting this but moved to the chair for hand quilting in the evenings. A task I love to do. My machine quilting - even with a walking foot - needs more skills built. And since I have so much work invested already, I did not want to compromise now.

Binding is on and she is ready for the tree! I'll update this with a final picture once our tree is up.

This will be linked at She Can Quilt as a completed finish. Gather your goals and join us for this motivation and a chance to win some prizes!

 
 

Finishes in November

I am late getting my finishes posted for November. And since excuses only satisfy the one giving them, I'll simply introduce Finish #1 as listed in my 4th Quarter Goals.

Modern Fans Sew Along...This was a project inspired by Suzy Quilts . I did not win anything but I did make a completed quilt that I adore. This was a really fun quilt and went together fairly easy - even though it was curved piecing. Slow and steady progress was the word to focus on. 

I had some Christmas yardage pieces that worked well with this so I did not even have to purchase anything other than the pattern. I'll surely get my money's worth as hopefully I will make another. This quilt design lends itself to many different settings and color combinations.

It is pictured above all quilted (by my long arm quilter) and binding is attached. The back was pieced with leftover fabrics I had stored away and I inserted a stray block so I have no waste. 

It is presently snowing so it will be a special treat to sleep under my new Christmas quilt. Peace and good tidings to you and yours this joyous season!!

This post will be linked at SheCanQuilt at the end of the year. Gather your own projects that you desire to finish and join in the fun! 

 

30's Block of the Month

My very first exposure to quilts was while spending the night at my dear Aunt Betty's house. My mother was tucking me in as she drew my attention to the many pieces that Aunt Betty had sewn together. Being so young, I did not appreciate the work involved, but I was intrigued with the pretty colors and prints. I've often wished I had one of her quilts as I remember they were so toasty warm. I always felt loved and safe in her home. Do you have similar memories of sleeping under a quilt made by a loving relative?


Now, many years later, I jumped in with the making of this project at my local quilt shop. Using designs that were popular in the 1930's, this block of the month sampler quilt was made using reproduction fabrics from that same era.

This Sunbonnet Sue block was described by my husband as Holly Hobbie. I told him no, she came about 40 years after Sue. Well, he tries. <grin> Other blocks include Dresden Plate, Jacob's Ladder, Bow-tie, Overall Sam, Card Tricks, Churndash, Hexagon Grandmother's Flower, and Bridal Bouquet.

I used pinwheels in its borders with the remaining fabrics I had leftover. And I STILL have leftovers! Well, I am presently working on restoring a Sunbonnet Sue quilt top made by another loving aunt for my niece so those scraps will work perfectly there.

My 30's Sampler Quilt finished at 70" x 70" and I used up 10 yards of stash. That brings my total yardage busted in finishes this year to 57 yards so far. I have not included the yardage from the three tablerunners I finished.

It may not be as pretty as the quilts I remember my Aunt Betty made, but it was a fun project. And it is finished. This is my 7th finish this year.

Now it is time for a warm and toasty nap under my 30's quilt...after giving a prayer of thanks for my dear Aunt Betty (1918 - 2013). 

4th Quarter Finish Goals for 2018

It is unbelievable that we are looking at the last 3 months of 2018, but here we are. And there is so much to do before the new year arrives. Between preserving the last of the garden's produce, collecting seeds, and putting the gardens to bed, I have to get busy in the sewing room.

Christmas sewing will be my main focus from here till the end of the year. Some/most of these are for gift giving so hopefully those recipients won't be reading my blog. I don't want to spoil the surprise!

1.) Modern Fans Sew Along 

Finished Here!

I had enough Christmas fabrics in my stash to jump in on this challenge. It has been fun, and surprisingly a fast project. Only a few more blocks to complete, borders attached and she will be ready for the long arm quilter. I may have to make another after the first of the year. I really do like how this design goes together.




2.) Christmas Celebrations

Finshed Here!

A carry over from last year. She is nearly done as the main units are complete. I just need a few days of marathon sewing for it to be completed. I hope to hand quilt this so I better get it to that stage soon. (why it is listed as number 2). Evenings are a favorite time to stitch on the frame. 




3.) Large Pillows on Wooden Base

  Finished Here!

I recently went to a workshop at a local quilt shop featuring Penny Haren from Creative Grids. What inspiration she gave! My head was swimming and this is one idea she shared that I just cannot pass up. It will be a set of two floor pillows, set on a base that my husband will make. Can't wait to report this one as a finish. Pillow forms were ordered and arrived last week so now I need to pick the fabrics and pattern. Don't you love new starts?




4.) Wonky Christmas Trees

Another Creative Grids design that I purchased at Penny's workshop/lecture. Hopefully, it will be a quick Christmas project that will be finished in time for my table top. I will be using several blue and green holiday fabrics along with the Frost charm squares.



6. Christmas Ornaments Table Runner

Still another great idea I found and purchased from Creative Grids. I have the rulers so why not finish another? This is will be made in our Ohio State University colors - Red and Gray. Some Buckeye fan I know will be happy to get this one!




7.) Feathers Table Runner

Finished Here!  
I absolutely adore this pattern. It will consist of 6 feathers for a long tabletopper. I'm using strips from leftover Stonehenge fabrics combined with some batiks in browns, greens, and a few corals. 



8.) Blue Ridge Beauty

Only about 30 more blocks need assembled. Then they can be sewed into rows, simple borders attached, and color this one done! I have not counted the pieces in this quilt yet but it being a Bonnie Hunter pattern, I am sure it is in the thousands. 



9.) On Ringo Lake

Really! I have to get this one done since Bonnie Hunter will begin giving out clues to her new mystery next month! I love the colors chosen for this quilt. It will have a home in our spare bedroom. 




Well, that is my goal list. I'll be linking up at She Can Quilt blog site to participate in her 2018 Finish Along. Check out what others have on their goal list and make a few of your own.