baby flannel

I had a jelly roll of flannel, that, I have moved from place to place, until, I was tired of it. I decided I would just use the treadle at night to do a baby quilt with it. It wasn't supposed to be an official project. I was just sewing the strips together. But, it was across the couch for awhile, until, I was tired of it. The only way I could put it away, was to get it ready for quilting. geesh

It wasn't very big, so it just had to have borders. These are not the colors that are popular at Joann these days. I found a plain gray that might work. Not by itself, so I got busy and made piano key borders with the leftovers. 

much better

I found a dark blue piece of flannel in my stash for the back, and, it had already been washed - bonus. I made the binding from a remnant I had. So, now, it is officially a project hanging in the closet for another time.

I am linking:

Monday Making

design wall monday 

oh scrap

boms away 

scrap star

One of my quilts for the rainbow scrap challenge was the scraptastic star. I started it in march of 2019

It seems like I have been waiting for most of the year for the color yellow to finish the last block for scraptastic star. I had all the other colors done for awhile. that makes 12 blocks

I am still catching up with the country roads blocks, using colors that are interesting that I haven't used in past months.

 I did a little black Friday shopping at Joann fabrics. I bought a few flannel pieces big enough to use as backings. The doorbuster price was 70% off.  That made it 2.39 a yard. I remember buying flannel at Joann for black Friday at 1.24 per yard. That has to have been almost  15 -20 years ago. If you think about it, the price has only gone  up a dollar a yard  in 20 years.  Not so with quilting cotton. This time, I ordered some on line, and picked it up at curbside. I also went early to see what was available.

My rainbow projects for 2020 with links:

 Irish chain
Shine
row by row
scraptastic star
country road
and now
postage stamp psp20

ice cream

I am linking to:

rsc20 super saturday
oh scrap
UFO busting

a goal finish

My goal for November and the one monthly goal:

1. quilt big easy Christmas -   I don't have a start date for this one, it was a class at a quilt store that has been closed a long time. I was in love with the Christmas fabric. One of the owners had made a quilt with the fabric and offered the class. I have the back pieced and the binding made.

I was fortunate enough to complete the quilt. It makes a nice lap quilt. And I love the fabrics. My notes say the pattern is in a book called bloom creek.

62 x 80

I quilted it in free motion swirls

backing and binding from my stash

We had a nice Thanksgiving with turkey ( small) and some of the fixins. We did a zoom call with 4 out of 5 children and some of our Grandchildren. It was so good to see them, and hear their voices. I didn't realize how much I miss hearing their voices or their laughs, until I hear them again.

I'm linking to:

TGIFF

TGIFF different     here  and here

Whoop Whoop

creations

phd 20
peacock party
oh scrap
from bolt to beauty
UFO busting

one monthly goal

Today is...

Happy Thanksgiving

#give thanks

tiger tiger

Linda brought a scrap bag to me.... I had found the tiger embroidery at a thrift store...I decided whatever I pulled out of the scrap bag, I would add to the quilt improv style. It has been fun. Some colors, I would not have put together on purpose. But, I like them together here. I think I saw a video on you tube by Beth Shibley from love laugh quilt that made a quilt this way. The last row here of fabric was on the freebie table at the quilt retreat. And I thought it could work.

I am linking to:

midweek makers 

boms away 
Oh scrap

to do: cut more baby wiggle

I had a sew day last Thursday, and, I decided to work on a baby quilt I have had cut for a couple of years. I love cynthia Brunz's wiggle time pattern and wanted to try something with these fabrics. I discovered that I had cut 2 strips wrong, and, that meant, I didn't have enough fabric to finish it. I think it will be ok if I mix background fabrics.

Even though, it is not Thanksgiving yet. I baked bread, and loved the smell of that in the house. It just seems like  the holidays. We bought a turkey, yesterday, for 31 cents a pound at Meijer. It will just be hubby and I, but, it was such a great price. We thought about skipping it this year, but our youngest wanted turkey and noodles, the next day. 

And I am so grateful for his help with the trees down #give thanks

peter vs. the tree

I am linking to:

to do tuesday

chameleon color linky _

oh scrap

this and that

I visited with my endocrinologist, last week, and my diabetic numbers are down from the first part of the pandemic, but still need a little more help. We talked about how I haven't been exercising, with the pandemic rising and cold weather. I have been afraid to go to the gym. She said she thought it would be safe enough, since, they have more than likely been following protocols. hmm.. She is a doctor, so today, I will start going to the gym again. Wish me luck.... that I don't get sick, and that, I can do more than sit in a chair and moan for the rest of the day. I know I will eventually feel better with light exercise, but, at this age, it takes a bit to get there.

I am grateful for medical professionals everywhere who make life decisions a little easier, and work for our good. #give thanks

I've added a bit more to my on going projects. Sometimes, when I want to just sew I grab a few and make blocks. Too bad, this doesn't have the same benefits as exercise, as, I would much rather stay home and do more of these.

easy breezy

wedding ring

I am linking:

Monday Making

design wall monday 

oh scrap

boms away 

irish webbed

 I webbed the Irish chain quilt at retreat last week. This was one of my rainbow scrap challenge projects. I have worked on it for 2 years.

I spent this week pinning rows and sewing the  top together. It is ready for a back and some binding.

My rainbow projects for 2020 with links:

 Irish chain
Shine
row by row
scraptastic star
country road
and now
postage stamp psp20

I am linking to:

rsc20 super saturday
oh scrap
UFO busting

shine quilt top

We had a wind advisory last week, and this, is what we found. This wasn't the part of the tree that we had been worried about splitting. I clean up from retreat and hubby cleans up outside. Four of our dead ash trees in the back blew down as well.

Hubby has been busy trying to clean  the area. We were grateful it didn't fall in the road.

I finished the shine top from this year's rainbow scrap challenge project. This was a great block and easy enough to do, and, it uses a jelly roll or 2 1/2 inch strips. I think, I want to do it again in scrappy colors. One strip makes the block.

picture from retreat

I found the perfect size fabric for the back at home, and prepared the binding. This may have to percolate a while before I can get to the quilting.

My rainbow projects for 2020 with links:

 Irish chain
Shine
row by row
scraptastic star
country road
and now
postage stamp psp20

I'm linking to:

TGIFF

TGIFF different     here  and here

Whoop Whoop

creations

phd 20
peacock party
oh scrap
from bolt to beauty
UFO busting

I am linking to:

rsc20 super saturday
oh scrap
UFO busting

to do: cleanup retreat

Coming home from a quilt retreat is a challenge to unpack and get back to normal. I crammed a lot of projects into my weekend, and my bags. I wanted to pull them out, one by one, and, make sure everything is taken care to put where they belong.

The first project I worked on, was the big easy Christmas. This was my one monthly goal for November. I had it quilted before I left. I used the big tables at the retreat to trim it, and, then, I attached the binding by machine to the back side of the quilt.  I tried a new idea for the front of the binding. I used steam a seam lite  1/4 inch to the wrong side of the binding. Then, I ironed it to the front. I felt that the adhesion was good, but, I wanted to take it home and use my home machine  ( not my featherweight) to sew it in place. That was part of the experiment, also, to see if the jostling to get home would keep everything in place. Now, that I am home, this quilt is part of my retreat clean up. I am working on attaching the binding by machine. So far, I am very pleased with the results and the ease of doing it with the adhesive tape.

I had the top done for the traffic jam quilt the first day of retreat. I found a back, and prepared the binding. I hope to move this to the top of the "to be quilted" pile for this month. It was my one monthly goal for October.

At the end of any quilt gathering, someone always bags up the scraps on the freebie table, and, gives them to me. They know that I love getting new scraps, and that I will probably make them into something... eventually. I try not to take anything from the table until the end, so that, others get a chance first. Later, you will see what I did with the turquoise strip in the bag.

happy scraps

I worked on the Joann block of the month - pieceful paisley. My shine top was finished and the irish double chain was webbed. I need to iron shine, piece the back, and prepare the binding. I will pin 2 rows when I watch tv and then, sew them upstairs in the morning until that is a top. I do't like to pin rows, so, I bribe myself.

I am linking to:

to do tuesday

chameleon color linky _

oh scrap

I am linking to:

midweek makers 

boms away 
Oh scrap

quilt retreat

One of our guild members is a site manager for Indiana Wesleyan University at Kokomo. She hosts a "stay in your own bed" retreat a couple times a year to benefit IWU scholarship fund. We have a  huge room, our own table, a huge cutting table, ironing boards, snacks, and fun companionship. We can even leave our machines overnight. We couldn't have more than 25 in our retreat due to covid, but, with the uptick in cases, we only had 14.

Shelley made a memorial tie quilt for a relative

many quilts were basted with the large tables available

lots of chain piecing and beautiful fabrics

Wanda was making a scrappy string quilt

just four patches

Something new for the retreat, was embroidery machines making fancy things. Two of the ladies actually hauled their huge and heavy machines into the workroom. It was amazing to see what they were making. But, I didn't like the constant noise. Santa has 12 little panels that are sewn together. Each panel takes 2 hours. My goodness.

And, it was funny that while she was making Santa, she was hand embroidering a little piece. 

I put borders on this top at the retreat. I made the blocks and the center at our retreat in January.

my traffic jam quilt is a top

I am linking:

Monday Making

design wall monday 

oh scrap

boms away 

zigging

I had one last row to do for the row by row quilt.  I dug out turquoise scraps and cut 3 1/2 inch hsts. I made the row, and, started joining rows. 

I pieced the top, cut the back, and prepared the binding. It is waiting a turn on the longarm.

All ready to quilt

I am looking to finish webbing the Irish chain quilt at retreat today. I worked on it yesterday, and started webbing the top. I am a little worried that I am too nosy to be working on something that needs a little more attention at retreat. There are those quilters that put their nose to the machine, and never look up until they are done. I am not one of them.

I cut and cut and cut

I was asked more than once, yesterday, how many rainbow quilts did I plan to make? I have plenty of scraps, that I am not sure the question is answerable. I think I will just say... a million. I think it is the best way to make a quilt. While I worked on big goals this year, I was "secretly" sewing blocks by color of the rainbow scrap challenge. And, then, presto, I will have a few new quilts ready to finish. And, I really like the bloggers and inspiration I find every Saturday. Lots of wins.

My rainbow projects for 2020 with links:

 Irish chain
Shine
row by row
scraptastic star
country road
and now
postage stamp psp20

I am linking to:

rsc20 super saturday
oh scrap
UFO busting

project box

I opened another project box thinking it would be an easy decision. This quilt kit was a Joann fabrics block of the month called peaceful paisley from 2013. It was not an easy decision. All the Joann kits come with precut pieces and instructions. I like that, sometimes, as an easy piecing project when other projects become stressful. I found a complete set, and the setting kit, and the precut binding in the box. But, I also found several other block kits.

What I think I did, was use coupons to buy the original set, and, then, I bought odd blocks when they were clearanced. There was not a complete set, so, I just bought any 12 to make another quilt someday. I have 6 sewn together, but, one was missing the pieces for the brown border. I had a couple of fat quarters that I can cut to make the missing borders.

I am a spreader

I took this project box to Friday quilt group so that I could spread it out, and, see what I had. I decided to trade some of the hand applique blocks for pieced ones in the original kit. I plan to finish it and, then, decide about the rest. I am not sure I want to invest the time for an additional donation quilt. I did piece one more block at our meeting. I will take it today, and, play around some more, and, see if I can make a more concrete decision. 

Linda brought her beautiful quilt to show us.

Linda's quilt

I'm linking to:

TGIFF

TGIFF different     here  and here

Whoop Whoop

creations

phd 20
peacock party
oh scrap
from bolt to beauty
UFO busting

country roads blocks

With the end of the colors for the rainbow scrap challenge for the year, I am catching up "other" colors for my country road blocks. I have really enjoyed making these this year. Pleasure versus difficulty is the perfect ratio. I have the cutting measurements memorized, so, anytime I have a scrap pass through the cutting mat, I can just cut a few.

 

With a little more research, I discovered other blocks in the sampler quilt, and, will probably make one of those blocks next year for the challenge. country roads is a free pattern. I have 110 so far, and, I just found a little batch that I missed. They finish at 5 inches so 10 x 12 would measure 50 x 60. That isn't a bad size, but, maybe, I would want it bigger. 12 x 14 would be 60 x 70 which is better. Or, maybe, 2 baby size donations - all kinds of possibilities. I am still sewing these, so, it isn't time to decide just yet.

I am linking to:

midweek makers 

boms away 
Oh scrap

I am linking to:

creative compulsions

needle and thread Thursdays

to do: rug border 1

 I went to a drive through baby shower Saturday. Isn't that a hoot. This sweet lady and her husband have tried for 10 years to have a baby, and thanks to the pandemic ( not really) , they are having a baby girl in December I am so happy for them. We waited 5 long years for our first little treasure and, then, our second. I hated everyone's encouraging words of "just relax" but, in the end...... I wish I had.

I have had a long time rug hooking ufo project. It seems most of the year, without my guild meetings, I have been a slacker in my rug hooking. It was a big rug, but, still....

the center is complete now

I finished the center of my rug here. Now, it is time to get back into the finishing mood, and, work on this cute rug in time for the snow to fly.

I am ready for the rug border on my snowman rug. My quilting has certainly influenced my rug. I want a noticeable "binding" on the outside. I needed to cut the strips, and, join them on the bias. - just like quilting. Unlike quilting, I had to sew the "binding" to the linen before I hook the border. It is impossible to get the sewing machine to sew it close enough, after the hooking is complete. This way, I can hook right to the very edge of the wool fabric.

I also decided to make the final border shorter and just a simple plain border, instead of the pattern's swirls and stars. I just want to move this along and have the focus be the cute snowmen.

I am linking to:

to do tuesday

chameleon color linky _

oh scrap

wedding ring blocks

It was a difficult week last week, and, I escaped as often as possible to the sewing machine. I worked on piecing  the 16 hsts that are in these blocks. I would sew during the day and then, trim and iron in the evening watching tv. My hubby bought the " leave me alone I am watching hallmark Christmas movies" socks for me last year for Christmas. I am practically living in them. haha.

These are part of a scrap bag I had last year about this time. looking back at the blog post, I see why I am having a problem with some of the sets I cut. I was aiming for 12 hsts when I need 16. These are called wedding ring blocks or cross and crown. 

I have a new Grandson, but he was born prematurely ( due in January) and was 3 1/2 pounds and can't breath on his own... yet. They are doing wonderful things with preemies and we are very hopeful. 

I am linking:

Monday Making

design wall monday 

oh scrap

boms away 

guild workshop

 Last Saturday, I taught a workshop for my guild, making the shine block and quilt. I am inspired by other's choices.

all pink jelly roll

really pretty Christmas jelly roll

fun Christmas jelly roll

I did get one row put together while the other's were sewing. But, I didn't get enough pictures of the other choices.

my costume - I was the only one

I made the orange cross blocks that I was missing for the row x row quilt and the rainbow scrap challenge. I am also missing a second turquoise row.

And, it is now, part of a section of the quilt.

what does everyone have planned for next year? I want to finish a few longtime ufos.

My rainbow projects for 2020 with links:

 Irish chain
Shine
row by row
scraptastic star
country road
and now
postage stamp psp20

I am linking to:

rsc20 super saturday
oh scrap
UFO busting

I'm linking to:

TGIFF

TGIFF different     here  and here

Whoop Whoop

creations

phd 20
peacock party
oh scrap
from bolt to beauty
UFO busting