mini template round 2

I went to a geneology workshop last night and feel motivated to try a little harder to search through my family history. I know it can be important to my Grandchildren who never knew my family. They were all gone by the time they were born. That is what happens to a late in life daughter of a late in life daughter of a late in life daughter. And Yes, I had a late in life child, even though I swore I wouldn't. It's a blessing and a curse......
Playing with the new mini pineapple ruler is addictive. I can make it with the smallest scraps. And I have a shoe box full of little triangles from the quilt wild and goosey.

The size difference doesn't seem so great while I am working on the small one, but when I put them next to each other, wow.

Here is how I started with the mini template.

I am linking to:
to do tuesday

chameleon color linky

Oh scrap

fun day

Big day today, I have both rug hooking and quilt guild to enjoy.
Jan is working on her reindeer

And made this. She wanted us to know that Anita White the designer will be doing a workshop in Indianapolis

I started this rug in July,

I need to make a little progress today

Our quilt guild is hosting a quilt show in October. Most of our meetings until then will be all the last minute planning and organizing. Tonight, we will have a member round robin. Our quilt entry forms are due to tonight, and I need to make decisions about which quilts I want to enter.

I know I want to enter wild and goosey. Beyond that, I don't know

I am linking to:

Fiber Tuesday - 

Free Motion by the River

to do tuesday

too cute tuesday

Friday quilt group

My friend Linda and I were discussing the closing of our local quilt shop (3 years ago already) and we realized that we both had a quilt kit in common that neither of us had started. We both had bought the same kit before we had even started sewing together. We picked a Friday and began the cutting together. I doubt very much that I would have gotten this cut out and ready to go with out the support of doing it together. Quilting friends are the best. Quilters are the best.

The pattern was a bit hard to follow. It was the kind that lists fabric by letter, and we had to keep referring to a chart to know which fabric was which. I think we did it. I hadn't brought any paper or labels so I had to improvise with paper towels from the restroom. lol

Other Friday group happenings:
Connie was cutting for a dresden plate quilt

Sue was working on wild and goosey paper piecing

Shellie was cutting for a scrappy calico quilt

Linda was binding a quilt

I made the center star for the civil war Christmas quilt

Our Friday group meets on Fridays at the public library. It is such a fun time for me. Every little bit moves us forward.

I am linking to:

Making Monday

Moving it Forward Monday 

main Crush Monday

show and tell Monday

design wall monday

boms away

Wild and Goosey finish

I have a finish. And this is my One monthly goal for May and my UFO 2017. So far I have 5 for 5. I wasn't sure I would be able to completely finish this  in one month. But I did! After I pushed past the secondary block, I was just so excited with each step. The wind made pictures a challenge.  I think I am naming it Cross Geese but it is using the wild and goosey pattern from Bonnie Hunter at Quiltville

It finished 75 x 95. I used 48 goosey blocks  or 172 copies of the actual pattern. When I started, well first I said I would never make this one, I don't like paper piecing, but then I had a friend who was making it, and they were so cute...... So when I started, I knew I would never just sit and sew the geese straight through, I decided to aim for one a day. It became a habit to sit down to sew and grab one, and sew, and then move on to whatever project I was planning for the day.. I began to look foward to making them.

There was a crisis moment to the plan, when Bonnie's book addicted to scraps was available. I had started with these from Quiltmaker magazine with an idea of how I wanted to finish it. When the book came, I wondered if I would ever be happy if I didn't do it as awesome as Bonnie's. I decided I was dedicated to the one in my head. Bonnie's quilt would require a bazillion more goosey blocks.

I haven't unloaded my bits and pieces box that I kept by my sewing machine. It is had become such a part of my sewing life that I might actually miss it. There is this inspirational picture..........

I also learned that many small acts can make a big impact. I attached my scripture reading to the same process, If I could make this quilt one block a day, I could read a chapter in my scriptures every day which was more important anyway. And since the older I get, the more I am tired, I need to be satisfied with little bites of energy and time and make the most of it.

I am linking to:
Fiber Tuesday
Free Motion by the River
and one monthly goal
too cute tuesday

Discovery

I needed to clean off the design wall and put it away for a visit from our Grandson. There is a bed behind it. The hourglass quilt just needed a few pieces to finish and would be so much better than dumping it in a box and forgetting what I was doing. However, when all the pieces were done, the hourglasses were wrong in the corner. Oh my, I checked and checked. I counted the little tiny squares on the graph over and over. I walked away three times. I rotated the quilt and replaced everything. The counts were right, the hourglasses were right. I gave up and put on my pjs. I went back. Now it was war. This time I started at the first corner, not the two I had been working to piece. And there it was - a mistake in the very first turquoise row, I had not thought to check the already done part. Since it was all pinned and pinned, I sat on the floor to unpick the seam and started rearranging. And finally, it was right.  Argh  and phooey.

It was too late to actually finish sewing.
Only purple left in the basket to add to the quilt.

All the 4 patch x blocks are trimmed

All these string blocks are trimmed and starched

backing and binding are ready for wild and goosey

One of my time outs included a bit of purging and organizing. I found this in a bag of scraps someone had given me.

It appears to be all there. I just had to check and see. I can't save everything. right? It isn't my style but oh well, it will make a good donation quilt after JUST a few seams. There was a bit of purging too. Not enough but some.
Everything may be on hold while we have our Grandson for a week. We may try to have fun:)

I am linking to:

TGIFF

Finished or Not Fridays   

Whoop Whoop

Crazy Mom QUilts

making a border

I decided on my border for wild and goosey, and it would include a collection of 2 x 3.5 inch rectangles that I have cut out of the last of a scrap. Many of these were cut during my Carolina chain cutting marathon here. Bonnie Hunter suggests this size as one part of her scrap user's system. These are great for bricks in a quilt, or as the base for flying geese. I have a small collection, but I haven't ever used them. They are the perfect size for what I want to do in the border.

I cut 2 inch strips from whites and chain sewed these rectangles and 2 inch squares to it.

I ironed them and trimmed them with a 2 inch ruler.

I sewed them together in a dot - dash pattern. One strip full was about 71 1/2 inches which was close to the size across the top and the bottom.

And I want a little white on either side, now I am excited.

I am linking to:
needle and thread thursdays
oh scrap
I may have a scrap problem

ufos

I am running out of design wall for the hour glass quilt and will need to revert to the design floor soon.

I have 2 turquoise sides on the quilt with a third nearly ready.

I am trimming the 4 patch x blocks a little at a time. I didn't trim until I was ready to assemble, and....they didn't fit. I missed the note in the instructions to measure the block, and then cut the sashings 2 inches smaller. I just followed the instructions for the blocks to be 8 3/4. Mine are 9 inches at the smallest. So I am fiddling with that. I may have to cut all new sashings.  sigh...

I have made a decision about the border for wild and goosey and I have a plan, I just need to get to it.

I am linking to:
WOW
Midweek Makers
Jo's Country Junction UFO
Bee Social

Silly Mama WIP

green leaves

I made a few flying geese to see if that is what I want in the border, and I think I like the zig zag better - you? I could do both, but then we are missing the point.... those great wild and goosey blocks are the center stage not the borders.

I have grown a few green leaves for the cutting garden for the rainbow scrap challenge. I sure enjoy following the colors and adding a little bit at a time to a future quilt.

Oh the yellow iris is out to play with her friends the green leaves.

I have a new spring t shirt - I just love the saying

I am linking to
 SewCan She
rsc17 super saturday

wonky wishes top

Lots of great suggestions for bordering wild and goosey- thank you so much, but I am still just staring at it.

During my hangout with my daughter, I was able to complete the sewing for wonky wishes. Bonnie Hunter didn't use a border, so I won't. It is ready to be prepared for quilting. I can't believe it is done. There is supposed to be agonizing over borders, right? This wasn't even on the list for this month.

I found this buried in a scrap box. I think I will add it to my already long list for maybe someday. I obviously bought it at goodwill. But, it doesn't take up much room, so rather than get rid of it, I will add it to a project box. That way I can be surprised by it again someday. Cleaning out is difficult for me. I still believe I am going to do everything.

I have the top row and a side row on the hourglass leader/ ender in turquoise. Making the corner is a little puzzle. I can sew 2 colors and a neutral willy nilly but when I reach the corner, I have to think a little differently.

I am making room for coral bells

I am linking to:

TGIFF

Finished or Not Fridays   I am featured today!

Whoop Whoop

Crazy Mom QUilts

wonky wishes

Still no decision on the border for wild and goosey. I tried a navy, a lime green and a zig zag pieced border. Still not sure.

At my small quilt group I was able to web the top for Wonky Wishes. It's still hard to get a real picture of what it will look like, but I like it so far. I did 5 rows across and 6 down. I started this in 2012, long before there was a pattern.

These are the mother's day basket flowers from My oldest and family

along with stripey tomatoes with a good start for the garden.

We went from too wet to do anything in the garden or lawn, to dry as the sahara desert over night. We really need to get everything in the soil and watered in earnest. But I love the blue skies, and moderate temps.

I am linking to:
WOW
Midweek Makers
Jo's Country Junction UFO
Bee Social

Silly Mama WIP

Strings and wings

I had every intention of trimming my string sashings for wonky wishes with this ruler, one at a time, It was the perfect ruler - just the right size.

But, then, genius kicked in, and I remembered I have a 3 1/2 inch strip die for my accuquilt.  woohoo.
I did 2 layers- perfect, then 3 layers, still perfect and 4 layers, no problem. A few turns and 58 blocks were trimmed.

I saw these adorable bunnies at the garden center. Surely, I can figure out a way to make them. yeah right.

Wild and goosey is at the top stage. I need to decide on borders. If I pick a print, there is a chance that it will become dated. That is why I love scrappy quilts. Any more scrappy, and it might just be too busy. I have looked at flying geese borders...I don't know yet. I love it, but, I almost wish I had used a solid for the cross blocks. I think the wild and goosey blocks would have shown out more. But, I love it. whoop whoop.

I am linking to:

TGIFF

Finished or Not Fridays

Whoop Whoop

Crazy Mom QUilts