Monday in Blogland

Design Wall Monday and Quiltville Mystery Monday on the same day! How great is that!!!

I wait all year long for Quiltville Mystery/Black Friday.

Clue 1 is released and I sew and sew and sew.

Expect this year.

This year I had the flu so I watched from the sidelines.

But I pulled out my bin of 2" strips and knew I would be OK.

My friend Trina and I have been swapping 2" strips for quite a while

so I have some really fun strips and lots of variety.

We never know when the other one will hand over a little bag of new strips.

Saturday I sewed strips together.

I cut my long strips in to smaller pieces for variety.

I sewed and sewed and sewed.

(That's a nod to a special little girl as she talks about her Auntie 

who is very busy as she sews and sews and sews.)

After many breaks, I ended the day with 60 fun four patches.

Sunday was more productive with more four patch fun..

I now only have a few more to press and I can call step 1 complete.

En Provence is off to a great start!

All information for this mystery is available at the top of the 

Quiltville blog page in it's on tab section..

It's a fun link up day today.

Judy L's Patchwork Times Design Wall Monday

and 

Bonnie's Quiltville Mystery Link Monday Link Up.

Bring on the coffee...I've got some reading to do this morning.

Design Wall Monday

I love a great BOW and Moda Be My Neighbor is just that.

I was 5 blocks behind and decided if I was going to start the Quiltville Mystery,

I had to get caught up!

So I did.

These blocks are big.

My blocks are scrappy.

I spent 2 days sewing time kitting up the blocks.

Then they sat for another day before I started sewing.

Once I started sewing, 

all of the sudden I was caught up.

Only 5 blocks to go.

I wanted to lay them out on the floor to get a decent picture,

but I have 3 dogs and a cat and no floor space.

I also have florescent lights and a cel phone camera.

Check out other design walls at Patchwork Times Design Wall Monday.

Slow Stitching Sunday

Holy Guacamole! It's been a long time since I've done a Slow Stitching Sunday post. Since August! It's not because I haven't been stitching, it's mostly because I haven't been in a blogging mood. Isn't that strange.

I have been busy making piece hexies for my On The Road Quilt. I work on this almost every day. Either basting a hexi, making the pieced blocks or connecting the hexies into a rosette.  Last night got the best of me and I HAD to sew some rosettes together!

I learned that I am making my pieces too big. I need to section off the gray and cream units and not do the whole great big blue pieces.  Then I can do them in smaller row. I'll go ahead and finish connecting the big ones I have stitched up-I think there are 7 of them now. Then I'll work smaller and smarter.  Again, I've learned a lesson the hard way!

Another lesson is to stitch right sides together. LOL  I had only taken a few stitches before I spotted this big whoopsie!  I am so good at laughing at myself!

Today I am going to take some more slow stitches while I enjoy a girlie movie. I went through Netflix yesterday and found a few I'd like to watch or listen to while I stitch. 

See some fabulous stitching at Kathy's Quilts: Slow Sunday Stitching. 

Design Wall Monday

This week has been filled with production sewing. My daughter and son in law are soon vending for the first time at a craft sale. I am making a few things for their sale.

I'm making fun Runaround Bags-pattern from Lazy Girl Designs and New Clutch Wallets-pattern from Emmaline Bags. I have a few more of each ready to sew.

It's been fun since I haven't done this type of product for a sale before. When our kiddos were little, I used to do the bazaars quite a bit. I made the cutest stuffed animals and dolls. I don't think I ever took a picture of any of that stuff. 😦

First thing I'm going to do is fill my coffee cup and take a little tour of Blogland via Patchwork Times Design Wall Monday.

Design Wall Monday

Retreats are over for the year.

See my big sad face?!?

I couldn't help but smile every time I walked past this guy.

I spent the weekend with my middle daughter, Crystal.

It's always fun when one of your own shares your passion.

I worked mostly on Garden Party.

My goal was to finish all my blocks.

I did it!!

I asked (a bit loud) who wanted to see my Garden Party Quilt 

and then held up my box full of blocks.

I love when my friends understand the silliness.

Finally on Sunday morning I got to working on my Jamestown Landing blocks.

These blocks hadn't seen the light of day since the last retreat in May.

I sewed the broken dishes blocks into pairs.

Then it was time to come home,

I think I made some pretty good progress.

I'm excited to get both of these projects up on the design wall.

Check out the design wall posts shared today at 

Patchwork Times.