30s Quilt Top

This week's Goal # 1 is BUSTED!!!! here is the 30s quilt top I finally finished for my friend - I got stuck on the border - wasn't sure whether to add a strip of white around the center or not and got some input from quilting friends and here is the finished project with no extra strip of white around the center.

I am happy to have this one done ... now to work on a Christmas Table Runner for another friend for a swap.

until next time ... happy quilting

Finally a Finish!!!

Here's a picture of the Bears in the Farmhouse from Judy's Quilt Along I did the beginning of the year. I am happy to say it is finished. I haven't been able to post a photo due to all the rain we've been having.

Hope you can see the great quilting Tirane did on it.

She is a terrific quilter.

until next time ... happy quilting ... work on those UFOs ;o)

quick baby quilt

I made this quick baby quilt for my neice and yes I cheated! I saw the fabric and thought it was adorable just as it was so I took it home and made it into a quilt and quilted it and finished it for her. I hope she likes it like I think she will.

If you click on the picture it will show a larger picture and it should show you the way I quilted it.

until next time ... happy quilting

UFO Challenge/Contest Week 2 Progress

As I posted about earlier - we are doing a UFO Challenge/Contest for September and I am working away on three different UFOs this month. Depending on the number that is chosen I get to work on a different one each day. It's been fun so far!
UFO List for September's Challenge/Contest
1. crumb blocks -- began with 35 total blocks (6inch blocks and 6.5 inch blocks mixed)
2. string blocks - began with 16 string blocks blocks and 16 TN blocks- this one will be called TN Strings (combined TN blocks and my String blocks together.)
3. red split nine patch blocks - began with 24 blocks
Here's my weekly progress at a quick glance with some pictures thrown in ....



Day 8 -- chose UFO number 1 ... got the sashing put between all the blocks I have made, made one more block and started chain piecing several more. Decided to put the larger (6.5 inch blocks) in a baggie to use for another project.
Day 9 -- chose UFO number 1 ... made 3 completed blocks, added sashing to them and started several more blocks by chain piecing .. my scrap bin doesn't seem to be getting any lower though. Now have 31 of the 6 inch blocks sewn and sashed.
Day 10 -- chose wild card and I chose to work on UFO number 2 ... made the last four string blocks for this top, sewed them into a row and pinned them into place on the bottom of the quilt top.
Day 11-- chose wild card ... I chose to work on UFO number 2 again today - got the row attached and all the extra strings picked up and put away. Now to find a outter border and get to working on piecing the backing for this one. This top now measures 74 inches square.
Day 12 -- chose UFO number 3 ... have twelve split nine blocks sewn into sections now to press and piece those blocks
Day 13 -- chose UFO number 1 ... didn't get to work on this at all today but that's okay.
Day 14 -- chose UFO number 2 ... pressed and cut the final border fabric, cut into strips, sewed the strips together until next time ... happy quilting

Black, White and Red Rows are now a quilt top

I finished this one tonight and have it packaged up to send back to the owner, my friend Kimberly. I am happy to mark this one off my UFO list. I felt guilty for having it so long and not being able to return it to her sooner.

My DD loves this quilt and said if the owner didn't want it she had a place for it ... her bed! I do hope Kimberly likes this one as much as DD does ;O)

It is not the same layout as Tirane did for me .. I just didn't have the extra time to do all those tiny squares. I like the way it turned out.

I can now mark goal #2 as COMPLETED!!! YEAH!!!

until next time ... happy quilting!

Progress on Black, White, Red Rows

Finally got to do some sewing tonight. I put in an hour and a half on this tonight and got the center all together and the first border on it. Whew! Now to start on the outter borders ... lots of piecing but it will be worth it. Gonna do a few more things before bed and then start sewing on this one in the morning. Take a looksee and see what ya think so far. {sorry I laid this one out quickly so I could snap a picture. will do better on the next one ;o) }

TIRANE thanks so much for working this up for me ... click on her name and you will see what is kinda supposed to look like when it is all done and maybe if I am so lucky it will turn out this nicely.
until next time ... happy sewing!!

30s Sampler Top is now DONE!!

I am happy to say that Mother's 30s Sampler is finally a TOP. I put the remaining border on this morning. I took it outside to get a better picture of it. Whatcha think?

It is rather large ... 90x96 I think I measured but they have a full size cedar bed - that is high off the floor so it should work nicely for them.

Now to decide on a backing.......
until next time ... happy quilting

Input - Ideas Please

I am reworking some rows for a friend of mine and need some input. Here they are .. whatcha think ??


when she started the swap she made her row and asked for black and white and red blocks. This is what she got and she is a bit disappointed with the colors of 'RED' they chose. To me there are burgandies in here too, which should have been used but were. I told her I'd try and rework the rows - taking them apart and laying them out differently and so on.


I was thinking of using a white sashing around the blocks to break up the colors and then using black and white prints with various red prints thrown in as bricks around the center. What do you think? Would that look okay? Would that tie it all together?

Finally got some sewing time ....

Doing a happy dance as I finally found some down time and got to sew a bit today!

here is what I finished this morning for my friend for a swap we are doing ... she sent the beige fabric and wanted scrappy and Scrappy I can do!! This block is from Quilter's Cache - it is called Goose Creek. I used from my precut 2.5 inch squares and 4.5 inch squares so everything came from my stash. I really like how these turned out. Another block I'd like to make a whole quilt outta.

Here is also an updated picture of the progress I have made on my Mother's 30s Sampler Quilt I made the last couple of blocks today to surround the center. I plan on adding a thin white sashing between each of the blocks and then a border around this round and then another round of squares to surround the top like I did around the center. I hope this will make it large enough - if not ... I can plan from there or I may call on Tirane and her expert layout-planning skills.

This month has not gone as I planned so I will not be able to complete all my goals but I will be happy to get the things done that I can and let the rest wait. Other things are taking first priority and I am doing what I can around them.

until next time ... happy quilting

lookie lookie what I found

Just look what I found this over the weekend at a thrift store - it is all hand quilted and it is really good shape. It is old but not sure how old. AND I got it for a steal! I think the pattern is the drunkard's path - is this right? If you know can you please post or email and let me know so I can update this.

Ugly FQ challenge UFO

Whatcha think? This is what I chose to make from an Ugly FQ I was sent for a challenge. (remember this fabric Babs?) I made what I call an exploding star - I am going to use this for a quilt for a raffle at school this weekend. I signed up saying I would make a quilt for them and had full intentions of making one this weekend but like every other weekend at my house it didn't work out that way. It is a smaller quilt that I would have liked to have donated but this is all time will allow. I still will need to quilt it and do the binding on it. Wish me luck.
until next time ... happy quilting

Churn Dash Block into a top

Here are some blocks I was sent by a friend to make a quilt outta ....

and here is what I decided to do with them. The colors are not exact but I like the way it turned out and hope that she will too.

This is what I was able to work on so far this weekend quilty wise. The rest of the weekend has not gone to plan but ... life is funny that way.

until next time .. happy quilting

Quilt-Along Finished

Monday I did the HSTs and added that border and tonight I did the outter two borders. Now step 5 of Judy's Quilt-Along is finished and so is this top.
Whatcha think? I did the border HSTs wrong but I guess that is okay - it's different.

You can go here HERE and check out the other's who participated and see how there's turned out - amazing how the same quilt pattern looks so different due to the fabrics we used.
now it's time for bed.
until next time ... happy quilting

another finish

quickly posting of the picture for the Scrappy HST quilt for my sister. I finished the binding last night.

until next time ... happy quilting

gonna have a finish for February ....

I am going to get a finish in February. This one is just about done. I pieced the backing for the scrappy HST quilt ... here are pictures of the top and the backing. The top is now about 84x86 in size.

For the backing I used leftover pieces of prior backings - squares that were cut but not used and pieces of backing I cut off before doing the bindings. This is what I will call a 'leftovers' backing ... lol ... little bit of this one and a piece of that one ... (can you tell the wind wasn't behaving during these photos? we have a storm brewing out today.)

for the rest of the day I am going to do mindless stitching ... I'll be playing with strings .. I need to make 24 blocks for a swap I am doing. Should be able to get part of these done.

until next time.

Project complete ...

I am happy to say that I got the project completed that I have been posting about. I chickened out and added just a plain border instead of the fancier one I had imagined. I just didn't want to mess up this one.

This isn't the best photo - guess the lighting is wrong. I will try after church to get a better on on the other side of the porch. I hope Babs likes it.
I spent part of yesterday sorting through my quilting books - I am finding some to swap out on a site I am a part of. Remember the shelf I posted a picture of previously where I showed my quilting books? Well ... I went to all my places for books and magaziens in the house and now that shelf is all but full and I have three binders of other patterns on top of the shelving unit too.I have more books/magazines than I thought I did. Wonder if they are multipling?
I have also been gathering all my loose patterns that were piled on the top of the small shelving unit. I am going to try and get those loose patterns sorted and put into binders this week. It should make it easier to find a pattern/project when I am doing a new quilty project. This organizing task will take me some time. One small task at a time is all I can handle. I get overwhelmed with it all. Slow but sure wins the race ya know.
until next time ....

a Christmas Runner done ...

I made this Christmas table runner this morning. I had to complete this last project to complete an online swap and now I can really focus on getting the rest of those quilts done up for my brothers and sisters.

Only now I have to find a way to squeeze in another quilt that I was volunteered to make a couple years ago and I have been putting on the back burner. It is so not me and I am having a hard time working on it. I was to make a lap quilt and then they decided to enlarge it after talking to the person who is to receive the quilt and she wants a queen size. Now to figure out how to do this. I will post updates as I get this one further along. If you have suggestions please let me know. I have only nine of these 12 inch blocks made so far. Lots more work needed to complete this one.

Will add more here later on today ...

until next time ......

Scrappy Tennessee Block Quilt Done

November has not been a good month for us. It has been a sad one to say the least. We lost my dear mother in-law early Thursday morning. She was a dear sweet lady. She will be missed. With my situation being as it is ... I have to wait until he is not there to be with the rest of the family. It has been really hard to stay away when I want to be there. But ... I can't change this so I am staying busy here when I can't be there. The services are tonight with the funeral Sunday afternoon.
I took some of this time and finished the binding on my Tennessee Block Quilt. I wanted to do something simple to not mess up. I used the backing, which was a sheet and pulled it forward to do the binding. Not alot of thinking for that so I was able to complete this one today and wanted to try and post something since I was told it has been too long since I've done so. ;o)
Here is the picture - Tirane - a dear friend of mine did the lovely quilting on it. Ya'll need to let her do your quilting - she is amazingly talented lady!


so until next time ... now please go hug your family and tell them how much you love them ... as we are not promised tomorrow.

Halloween

It's today!! Halloween is today!! We've been working up to this day all week. DD finished carving her pumpkin last night and we have them on display on top of our TV. I'll post pictures this weekend. Tonight we are going to do the Trick-Or-Treating thing and then come home and watch movies til we fall asleep. Gonna have lots of fun. Will fill ya in later on all that happens.

I have a couple of goals for this weekend. One is to get the Jacobs Ladder scrap quilt together and piece the backing from my stash. What a great way to reduce your stash of those 'uglies' and 'those what was I thinking' fabrics. Will post pictures of the top soon. Need to work on some other blocks too to help complete another UFO. I have so much still to complete by Christmas for gifts. I had better kick it into gear.
Another goal I have to complete is go through DS's closet and find clothes he can wear. I have a pile in front of his closet where I have them pulled out and if you can wear them they are being put on hangers and the rest into boxes for the yard sale I am planning soon. DD will do her own closet as she has her own style and I don't know what she will wear and won't.
Another goal is to clean off the counter in the bathroom. I noticed this morning I have too much stuff on that counter and I need to thin it down and toss the old stuff I don't use. Anyone else have this problem?? buy a lotion, perfume and thing of makeup try it once or twice and never use it again? That will be my organizing goal for the weekend then, my bathroom counter.

until next time ....

Fall is in the air here ...

The weather has really changed the last couple of days. It is downright chilly here. Just the perfect weather for Halloween, scenic drives, bon-fires and so much more. Tonight after the Candy Extravaganza at church, we are going to be craving our pumpkins, the kids are so excited and they picked out candles last night to put in them. Tomorrow will be trunk or treating and Friday will be Halloween. They are going to have a fun filled week and by the weekend we will need some down time that is for sure. Planning on a bon-fire and hotdog/marshmellow roast to end the fun.
This past weekend I got several thing done but not all of my goals were completed. I did get a UFO done but not one from my list. I finish this Fall tablerunner from some applique blocks I made some time back. It's just right to set off my dining room table and get it ready for Fall. It is my first real attempt to machine applique. I have alot to learn that is for sure.

I got to work some on my Jacobs Ladder scrap quilt and have several rows together and the blocks ready to finish the rest of the piecing this weekend.
until next time ....