June-A Month of Finishes

Finish #1 

Quilt for the hunting club's picnic prize pool.

Finish #2

Mae's Grandmother's Flower Garden

 Finish #3

Lacy Market Bag

Finish #4

In Love With Color Throw

Perfect size for cuddling in the recliner.

What will I do in July?

I could finish the pair of No Purl Monkey Socks that are on the needles.

But instead I am starting on Stitch-cation Summer Challenge.

This is a crochet sampler afghan.

I will be using the extra yarn from In Love With Color.

I am also going to start quilting this Sampler quilt

while I continue to work on Cathedral Stars.

Design Wall Monday

Back up on the wall are some of the blocks for Cathedral Stars.

Here are blocks laid out on my little design boards ready to sew together.

This is a pile of 14 blocks that need to be taken apart and sewn the right way.

The diagonal center against the red is supposed to be the colors not the neutrals.

2 sewing sessions wasted!

No wasted was the time spent finishing Mae's quilt.

Granddaughter Taylor won the elk quilt at the hunting club picnic!

It was a great week for these 2 girls!

No time was wasted here either.

wink, wink

I've been hand feeding these cuties over a week now.

Hard to believe they are already 3 1/2 weeks old.

I'm happy to report they are all fat and sassy!

Good news is they are starting to nibble at the food.

Best news is they are starting to use the litter box.

Check out other fabulous design walls at Patchwork Times.

It's Official!

Mae's Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt is finished and hopefully she is cuddled under it right now.  I started this last August , worked on it through my knee injury and finished less than a year later.

I think this may very well be my most favorite quilt I have ever made.

It helped knowing how much she wanted this and how bad she wanted it before she turned 7 which will happen this December.  It's funny how kiddos get something stuck in their little brains. I should have kept track of how often she asked if it was done yet. But my Sweet Little Mae is ever so patient with her Gramma and now she is thrilled with her new quilt.

Design Wall Monday

Last week was a very busy Judy week! Monday was my class with Bonnie Hunter.

You can read about that here, if you want to.

Tuesday was spent cutting another quilt with a friend,

Wednesday was Binding Friends day,

Thursday was grocery shopping and general running around,

Friday was stay home day-finally!

I spent lots of time making 4 patches and half square triangles.

When I thought I had more than enough 4 patches, 

I clipped them into groups of 10 and counted.

I did this 3 times before I had enough.

This quilt takes lots of 4 patches.

Then onto the HSTs,

those went faster.

On to the block construction.

I used my little design boards

(learn about them here)

and layed out the blocks.

I had a stack of 7, sewed up those blocks,

layed out more.

I have 5 more Jacob's Ladder blocks to sew together.

I also worked on my star points.

These are ready to pick up and sew side two.

There is one more stack that needs both sides.

But these are on hold for a bit because....

Saturday morning I basted Mae's Grandmother's Flower Garden and

started quilting it.

I think I am about half done now.

I didn't work on it much Sunday because we had a house full.

Can you see the quilting in the flower?

I am  having a blast using my new machine.

I just have to remember to relax my shoulders

and take breaks.

This is why I didn't get much done Sunday.

Poppy brought home a new toy!

Littles were trying to convince the Teenager to play.

She wasn't having any part of that dirty thing!

See fabulous Design Walls today at Patchwork Times.

Design Wall Monday

Taylor finally saw some of her blocks on the wall.

I wish I would have recorded her.

It was awesome!

All the blocks are finished.

Now it's time to lay it out.

Last week Gari asked what I meant when I said I had to cut the centers out.

This is what I meant.

I trimmed the fabric from behind the hexies to reduce bulk.

Major progress happened this week,

the first border is on Mae's Flower Garden.

Careful measuring, marking, pinning and blanket stitching happened.

Last night I cut the second border

and will get that on this week.

But the weather has turned nice and

there is so much work to be done outside before the rain comes back.

So sewing will be put on hold.

I'll be checking other design walls linked up at Patchwork Times

as soon as the linky is working. 

Slow Stitching Sunday

It's official! The slow stitching has been completed on Mae's Flower Garden. We are both so excited! When she saw it folded up, she asked if it was done. Well part of it is, now I'm ready to start the next part.

"Will it be done tomorrow?"
Sadly, I said  "No but we it will be soon."
"The next day??? Cuz you know I am SO excited!!!!"
Hahaha

Well, Gramma messed up and has to buy some more white. That is on the top of my list for Monday. Since I didn't have any large pieces, I ordered the border/back/binding (and several other pieces!) from Thousands Of Bolts. So as soon as the borders are on, a quilting we will go. I will quilt this with an edge to edge pattern on the longarm. Will a 6 year old mind? No, she is to excited to have her new quilt that her Gramma made just for her.

Hopefully next week I will show you the completed quilt.

See other fabulous Slow Stitching projects here at Kathy's Quilts.

Slow Stitching Sunday

I can't believe how long it's been since I blogged about Mae's Grandmother's Flower Garden--way back in January when we laid it out on the floor. (I'm not counting when I admitted to my big whoopsie the other day. That has been fixed and forgotten about.)

Row 5 was sewn on last night and blocks for rows 6 and 7 are ready attention.  She asked me the other day if her flower quilt was ready for her to cuddle up in. I had to admit that I hadn't been working on it much. She tells me in her super sweet voice that I need to forget all this other stuff--imagine a cute little toe head waving her hand over my knitting and crochet projects--and only work on her flowers. She is in such a hurry for her quilt. It makes me smile every time I remember out conversation......I told that story here.

Since that conversation, this Gramma has been stitching away every evening. It takes one good evening to stitch the blocks into a row. Then a night or 2 to sew the row on.  So there has been a lot of Slow Stitching here at Gramma's Quilting (Living)Room.

Read Kathy's inspirational post today at Kathy's Quilts: Slow Stitching Sunday and then visit others as the Slow Stitch on Sunday.

Oh Boy!!!!

Oh Boy! I made a big Whoopsie! I am happily stitching away last night joining blocks to form row 5 for Mae's Grandmother's Flower Garden. I think I'll be attaching the row when I pick it up again.

This morning I wanted to measure the row to figure out how much backing to order...I picked up the row and see it's crooked!  I will be spending time with the Ott light that has a great magnifying glass attached to it and some super sharp pointy scissors. Those stitches are tiny and very hard to see.

On a brighter note, I am going to be ready to attach row 5 soon.  Only 2 more rows to stitch together and attach to the main quilt. Then it will be time to fill in the bottom and top edges (the newest plan), applique it to a narrow inner border then add the outer border. I think I'm on a good pace to have this finished before she is (gasp!!) 7 in December. If you remember, that is a very, very, VERY long time to wait.

Time to get picking!

Design Wall Monday

Finally we got to put all the flowers on the floor and play. Mae was so excited as she and Elliot played with the flowers. Leland was "too busy". Meaning he was cuddled up with me on the couch explaining his game to me. He is so funny!  It wasn't long before Elliot found something else to do too.

Mae was very excited. We twisted and turned and exchanged things around. I see the bottom row needs more twisting. I laughed at myself as we got to the end. I was so careful with counting and guess who counted wrong. Looks like I need to make one more.  Good thing I have lots of fabric.

The top two rows-the rows on the left-are about half stitched together now. I've clipped each row with it's number so I don't confuse myself. I will probably sew each row of blocks together and then stitch it to the top before doing the next row. Another exciting step taken in Mae's Flower Garden.

See other great design walls at Patchwork Times. I love Monday in Blogland!

Design Wall Monday

 Very little time has been spent in the sewing room this week. Instead I have either been working on these hexies or knitting. I am so close to getting everything ready to lay into rows.  The half hexies on the right side need greens on the bottom. There are 2 of these. The left half hexies are done.

 I layed these out this morning to see how many more greens I needed on the whole right side flowers. I'll just pick 3 more flowers and finish them off. Then we can be ready to do the final lay out. When this is all sewn together, I will decide what to do with the edges. I just don't see myself binding all those little angles. What I do see is a nice border.....maybe pink. Something more to think about.

When I did sit down at the machine this week, I worked on my Chevron border for Celtic Solstice. My goal for the week is to get this top finished and get the backing made. The other day Jo shared a link to a really cool way to make a backing. I've already pulled some hunks of blue to use and I'll make the center a star block and use it for my label. My back will be more scrappy than the instructions since most of my pieces are less than a yard. 

See other fabulous design walls around Blogland at Patchwork Times.

I've also linked up at sarah did it!: HeLp for Hexie-aholics.

Design Wall Monday

(another old pic)

I spent the weekend with 4 Grandkiddos. I took along my hexie box  to work on the last 2 hexagon flowers for Mae's Grandmother's Flower Garden. I had white and green hexies to glue baste so I worked on those for a while then I wanted to stitch while they watched a movie.  I hadn't been stitching long when Mae came to sit by me and talk about her quilt. She is quite excited about laying it out this week.

Then she wanted to play with the basted hexies. So I gave her the last baggie kit for the half flower and told her to make it just like the one I had with me. Pretty soon she was adding whites and then I gave her the printed hexies I was working with. She made up her own designs and was having lots of fun. I asked if she wanted sew a little but she passed on that. Maybe next time. I was to hurry and get this done! Because she is so excited to look at it!

So hopefully some time during the week, we will get this all layed out and the rows will start being sewn together. I have one row already sewn so that should speed things along. :)

See other fabulous design walls at Patchwork Times.

Slow Stitching Sunday

I am sooooo close to being finished with the hexi flowers! I have 1 more full flower and 2 more half flowers. Then the real fun begins! I'm going to have Mae come over and we will decide on a lay out. And then I will explain how these all have to be sewn together. And I will explain that it will still take a long time.

Remember this sweet child wants this before she turns 7 because that is a long time to wait for a quilt. She turned 6 twelve days ago.  I started this quilt in August and right after was ordered to rest my knee for 6-8 weeks. I spent some quality time with the needle, thread, fabric, ice bag and recliner. I became obsessed with these hexies. I still am.

My wish for 2014 is to see Mae's Flower Garden wrapped around Mae before she turns 7. I can do it!

I am linking up to Kathy's Quilts: Last Slow Sunday Stitching for 2013. I am so looking forward to Slow Stitching 2014!!

Slow Stitching Sunday

I'm still working on Mae's Flower Garden. It's getting closer and closer to the big layout. I have the last few flowers and the half flowers all kitted up in snack baggies. There are some that still need to be basted but not many.

The first half flower is complete. I will have to add green to 3 of them but I'll wait until I have them laid out to decide which ones to do.  I'm kind of excited now to get the remaining flowers completed.

Check out what others are stitching at Slow Stitching Sunday at Kathy's Quilts.

Design Wall Monday...

...And Retreat Round Up.

I didn't spend as much time at retreat as I had planned. 

I felt guilty leaving poor Ernie home alone to recover.

Since retreat is only a few miles from home,

I'd drive up and spend a few hours and then come home.

I only took hand work and made great progress on

Taylor's Pieced Hexies.

She was here the other day and chose her combination of colors and designs.

I spent time early in the week getting them ready to stitch

and did all but the 3 on the left this weekend.

They really do go fast. 

I also stitch 3 more flowers for Mae's Flower Garden.

I am so close to having all the flower rounds complete.

I think I have 4 left.

Then 6 half flowers for the sides and the fill ins for the top and bottom.

Then the real work will begin with setting them into rows 

and a quilt top.

See other fabulous design walls at Patchwork Times.

Slow Stitching Sunday on Saturday Night

It's been a month since I've had all the hexi flowers on the wall. I've added 8 more and the top row is stitched together. The remaining flowers have been cut and kitted up.  I'm anxious to get them all finished so we can get them all laid out the way we want them instead of the way they come out of the box.

I love showing Mae the progress. It's so fun to see her excitement. Each time she has new favorites. I think my favorite flower is the one that is newly finished.

Design Wall Monday

This isn't up on the wall yet but it is on my sewing table. It's my Back To Square One Mystery. I am behind and hope to get caught up today with Clue 8 and 9. Cross your fingers.

You can see under my Clue 8 instructions is a layout guide for the Log Cabin quilt. Half of that is sewn together and the blocks for the second half are ready and waiting to be made into rows. But I want my forgotten mystery to jump to the front of the line today.

Still up on the design wall is Mae's Flower Garden. I wrote about this yesterday and you can read our cute conversation here. Last night I started putting the remaining green path on the flowers for the top row. She thought it looked funny without green. So what's a Gramma to do but sew green hexies. I'm sure with each visit she is going to want to see if I've made progress. This girl is going to keep me on track.

See other fabulous design walls at Patchwork Times.

Slow Stitching Sunday

Yesterday I had a house full of grandkiddos. We were quietly watching a movie and you know I cannot just sit, so I pulled out a flower to stitch on. Mae wasted no time checking things out and soon the movie was forgotten as all the finished flowers were being put up on the wall.  Each one was inspected and oohed and awed over. Each one is her favorite.
When she showed the wall to her Mom, I was almost in tears as she explains everything about her quilt. This is becoming a true treasure for both of us.

The other day we had a conversation about this quilt. She will be 6 in December.

Mae: Will I have my quilt when I am 5?
Gram: No baby, it takes a very long time to make this quilt.
Mae: What about when I am 6?
Gram: I certainly hope so, I'll try my best.
Mae: You need to sew faster cuz I don't want to wait until I'm 7!!! Cuz that is a VERY long time to wait. And I LOVE this quilt!!!

So I will continue to stitch on this every day when I can. How can I make this precious little thing wait all that time until she is 7 for something she LOVES so much.

It's a very rainy Sunday here so I will quietly sit and stitch and watch the rain.
See other great stitching projects at Kathy's Quilts.

Design Wall Monday

Nabby's Dowry blocks are patiently waiting for the layout that will be posted on Friday.

I have no clue what that will look like so I layed it out simple.

Then I looked at Kathy's this morning and really like how her's are layed out.

Guess we will just wait and see.

I spent lots of time sewing logs and 

only have the final 108 logs left to sew.

Then the fun really begins, the layout.

Do I want a light center or a dark center?

I like it both ways.

I spent some time cutting white hexies.

I cut in batches.

This time I cut 12 strips-that's enough for 12 flowers.

I have 10 more to sew the white and green to-for a total of 20

and then I will start the last 19 flowers and the half flowers for the sides.

I haven't gotten bored with the white yet,

I think it's because I am so excited about how each one looks.

Have I said how much I love this project???

See other fabulous projects at Patchwork Times.

Slow Stitching Sunday

So far I am not bored with stitching the whites and greens.

I am still stitching on hexies daily.

After all it is National Sewing Month!!

This is how I the greens go on until I get them

all stitched and have a lay out,

then the remaining greens will be added.

These beauties are patiently waiting for their next steps.

My challenged to myself is to finished these before I start any more,

even though they are each kitted up and ready to baste.

I think sometimes they taunt me a little but so far I've ignored them.

Today I will cut the whites and greens for these and start glue basting.

Honestly I am a whole lot farther along than I thought I would be.

See other fabulous Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.

Design Wall Monday

 In the true spirit of National Sewing Month, I have sewn every day. Yesterday I finished the 9th block for Nabby's Dowry. Only 2 more installments to go. I am caught up and waiting. I'm wondering with all those half square triangles out of my bin why it doesn't look like I took any out.

 

Then I pulled out my log cabin blocks and sewed on those for a while. I had to cut more strips for this last bunch. I know I will need to pull out more background fabrics and lots more color fabric and cut more strips. 

 

Everyday I have worked on Mae's Flower Garden. Yesterday she saw it on the wall and asked if it was hers and will it be done tomorrow. Precious little thing!!! I was very honest and told her that I was working hard on it but it will be a long time before it is finished. But knowing my sweet little girl, when she sees it again, she will ask if it will be done tomorrow.

And the Baby Quilt from last week is a complete top. Today I will get the back for it and get it quilted this week.

See other fabulous design walls at Patchwork Times.