Funny How Time Slips Away

I can't believe how fast the tie is going by,.

Almost a month since I last posted. 

Not because I had nothing to say,

I just didn't write it.

Here is another UFO marked off the list.

I sure love my new to me Sweet Sixteen! 

This is Friends and Companions Designers Sew Along by Marcus Fabrics. (2014)

Here is the link to Marcus Fabrics page about the quilt but I didn't go down the rabbit hole to see if the links to the designers leads to the blocks. 

I do remember it was a fun quilt to make. 

I was ready to quilt a smaller quilt so I jumped ahead on my Judy L Challenge.

I used flannel for the back. 

Daughter Crystal and I attended our retreat last weekend.

I decided to focus on this UFO designed by Judy L and the September project for her challenge. 

I did a quick search of her page and found it here.

I had the center complete and the framing pieced border was on and border 3 was pieced.

I cut fabric for all the other borders and made this my first project.

I took all the extra fabric thinking I could piece the back.

Wrong, so  I pulled out a new project that I can't share yet. 

When I came home at night, I went into the backing stash 

and found a 6 yard piece of flannel. 

That wasn't enough so I grabbed all my flannel that went with my flannel.

That was my project for because I wanted to pass it to my long arm quilter friend Jane.

I take a picture of this old snag at each retreat. 

I had a blast hanging out with my daughter and my friends. 

I love these gals!!

Today my dear sweat friend Pam (Hey Pam!) read me a text from a high school friend Ruth.

So here's a message for you Ruth.

Heeeyyyy.  I am so jealous of your planned trip. 

Thanks for reading my blog.
One of these days we have to get together! 

Design Wall Monday and...

 ...November Retreat Roundup

 And what a retreat it was.

I got so much done while having so much fun.

I have nothing on my design wall but I have great completed projects.

First thing I did was make the block for Wishes Quilt Along.

Then I did the borders for Tell It To The Stars.

Next up I made my final block (the one I just knew I had already made!

and will probably find someday in a different project box!!) 

and made the connector blocks for Friends and Companions.

Then put them all together, added the setting triangles and borders.

I love a good retreat TahDah!!!

And how fitting that my Friends were with me when I finished this top.

I added a few more Pineapple Crazy blocks.

(Not these particular ones,

I'm too lazy to get the bin out and take a picture.)

And added quite a few new to me scraps from friends.

It was fun to see when they found their fabrics.

We do strip swaps.

Usually 2 1/2"  black/whites, neutrals and batiks

but this retreat we added a new category.

1 1/2" neutrals!

Look at that selection.

35 different fabrics.

I am the swapper so I get the up close and personal look at all the great fabrics.

I am trilled to have added 60 strips to my stash!!

I had to stop Friday morning on my way in to Royal Ridges to take pictures.

The fall colors with the sunshine streaming in was just gorgeous!

I looked out my window to see these beauties up on the hill.

I will miss retreat season but

I am ready to hunker down at home for the winter.

Of course it hasn't officially arrived yet but it sure feels like it has.

Check fabulous design walls at Patchwork Times.

Tell It To The Stars

(Please forgive my horrible photos.

Poor lighting and cell phones combine to make this happen.

And me, I broke my camera.)

I have Tell It To The Stars sewn together.

Quilt Inspector, Shirley approves.

Next up are the borders.

Knowing Judy L, she is going to have an amazing pieced border to add to this.

I will sit back and wait for November's mystery clue.

It feels good to be ahead of the game.

There is no place in my house to lay out the quilt top and get a full picture.

It's raining outside. Boo.

I love the colors I chose for this.

It will be a wonderful fall quilt when it's finished.

Check out other Tell It To The Stars participants that are linking up with Patchwork Times. 

National Sewing Month Recap

My goal for National Sewing Month was to sew every day. 

I did it! 

I am celebrating.

Seriously, I cannot believe how much I accomplished.

Most days I was able to sit in front of the sewing machine.

Some days were spent with a little time, threaded needle and Circle of Jewels in my lap.

What did I work on?

In the collage you can see red/white/blue blocks for retreat lotto drawing, under that is the Quilt Retreat bag, next to that is Shirley checking out Tell It To The Stars, Batik Boxes (UFO blocks) top was put together, Wishes BOM was caught up, 2 minis, more Pineapple Crazy blocks made. Retreat fun happened. Smith Mountain Morning top was completed, Batik Hexies quilted. Circle of Jewels added to and a butterfly bag  (the black and white bag was made by Cheryl).  

Each day sewing time was found.

I'd love to keep that up for October.

For no other reason than

.

Sewing Soothes My Soul.

National Sewing Month-Days 15-17

3 more days of sewing and not much progress to show. Tell It To The Stars has another row attached and another row sitting and waiting it's turn to be sewn.  Last week's block for Friends & Companions Sew Along is finished.

This bin full of 1 1/2" batik scrap strips was dug into. A bunch of us are making our own bag at retreat, I needed some strips and couldn't resist joining a bunch of these to turn into a fun focal point for my bag.

There is another project in there but I can't show anything yet. Stay turned...

Time for me to pack the car and head out the 3 1/2 miles to the retreat center.  I know, I'm a bit spoiled by the distance I travel to my fun weekend. The fact that I can go, come home for a while to care for the animals and return until I come home to my own bed is priceless.

I shall return but in the mean time, I will be sewing away......National Sewing Month continues with daily machine time for me.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's off to sew I go.........

Design Wall Monday...

...National Sewing Month-Day 14

My quest to sew every day is still going strong but on days like the last couple, if I hadn't went in early to sew for a bit, nothing would have happened. This photo is where I left off Saturday,  Sunday I sewed sashings to the blocks for row 3 of Tell It To The Stars and part of the sashing and cornerstone row are together. I'm going in early this morning again to hopefully get the row completed.

Last night I cut blocks for the Wishes BOM that I am so far behind on. I have 2 more to cut along with this weeks Friends and Companions block and these will get sewn up this week. It's so easy to sew them up when they are cut and ready to go!

Each evening I work on Circle of Jewels. It's kind of hard to do with those two little stinkers though. Laying out the next row will involve closing the door so the helpers cannot help. I still need to figure out the sides. I have lots of time for that. I would never to jump into a project like this with it all planned out first. That just isn't my style.

The list for last week:

• Work on Smith Mountain Morning   DONE!!! And I love it!
• Work on Tell It To The Stars    Working on it.
• Lay out next row for Circle of Jewels  Done and the row is mostly sewn on.
• Baste UFO Parade project #2  Looked at it and thought about it but didn't touch it.

My list for this week:

• Keep working on Tell It To The Stars
• Finish cutting Wishes and Friends and Companions blocks
• Lay out next row for Circle of Jewels.
• Finish packing for retreat
• Attend retreat

That's right, it's retreat week!!! I cannot wait. I have my list of projects and supplies readdy. I just need to load them in the car and mark them off my list.  

I'm headed over to Patchwork Times to see what others have on their design walls.

PS: Happy 42nd Anniversary Dear Husband. We showed them, didn't we?!?!

National Sewing Month-Days 12 & 13

I have wanted to make Smith Mountain Morning since I first saw it on Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville blog I don't even know how long ago. The top was finished Friday and I am thrilled with it.  I had hoped to take the class from her when she was in Portland in June but couldn't get in. So we cut our fabrics while our other friend was in class. I'm quite happy that both Cathedral Stars-the class I took and Smith Mountain Morning are ready for quilting.

This afternoon I started putting together this year's mystery from Patchwork Times, Tell It To The Stars. All the blocks are laid out in their rows waiting for sewing machine time.

This morning was spent watching 3 different soccer games-so much fun but a little too warm. Then we went out to lunch and ran a few errands before coming home. Hubby napped, I sewed. I am so lucky to have an air conditioned sewing room.

This evening I am going to cut blocks for the Wishes Quilt Along. I am way behind on that one and hope to catch up during retreat next week.

Design Wall Monday

I've had a pretty productive week in the sewing room considering

 I am still dealing with this hacky cough and cold. 

My list for last week:

Goals for this week:

• Finish last 2 months of Tell It To The Stars.  Done and excited for the September clue.
• Make back for hexagon quilt.  Done!!  Used lime green shirting that I'm sure my recipient is going to love
• Baste hexagon quilt.  Nope. 
• Re-arrange sewing table.  I worked on this for quite a while.  Scraps that were out of control are now in control.  I still need to move machines around the way I want them.
• Do a UFO Parade blog post--want to join in and make your own list?    Done (it's here) and printed off, pinned so I can see it while at the machine.  :)

I refilled my Circle of Jewels box after working several more jewel sections. Now I'm working on 3 more flowers before going back to the jewels again. This one is finished and the 2nd started.

While working on Tell It To The Stars, I used these 3 blue star blocks for Smith Mountain Morning as leaders and enders.  Then I was on such a roll that I sewed 7 more using the border pieces as their leaders and enders.  Yes, Bonnie and Judy L playing together again this week.  

After seeing someone's Pineapple Crazy picture on Facebook, I had the urge to work on mine. So I pulled out the box and made these border blocks.  Now I really want to work on this again. (See how easily I get sidetracked.)

Right now my design wall is empty but others are not. See them here at Patchwork Times.

Goals for August 25 through August 31:

• Baste Hexi quilt.
• Quilt Hexi quilt.
• Bind and finish Hexi quilt.
• Finish blue star blocks for Smith Mountain Morning.
• Sew 5 Pineapple Crazy blocks.

This will keep me busy enough.  Have a great week.

Working The List

In Monday's post, I made a short list of things I wanted to get finished this week.

I'm happy to say I've marked everything off my list and then some. 

This is the back for the lime green and brown quilt. 

Notice the pins?

The quilt is basted and ready to quilt.

Here are 6 blocks-3 months- for Tell It To The Stars.

I have 2 more months to do and I'll be caught up,

ready for September.

Can you believe that's only a few days away!

September!!! Already!

I got my brown stars sewn for Smith Mountain Morning.

Here are 11 blue stars laid out on my little design boards ready to be sewn together.

I used the brown blocks as leaders and enders for Tell It To The Stars.

Bonnie and Judy L working together. 

snicker, snicker

I'm going to a retreat next month so I made the lottery blocks.

These are Exploding Blocks from Missouri Quilt Company.

These were so fast and fun to make.

Now I want to wind bobbins, 

clean and oil my machine, 

insert a new needle

and start to play.

Design Wall Monday

 Last week I made a short list of things I wanted to accomplish this week.  

I got 3 of my 4 things done.

I completed my Cathedral Stars top that I started at Bonnie Hunter's class in June.

I finished my Twisted Mystery.

Now a sweet little 6 year old wants to hang it in her bedroom when it gets redecorated.

I think we will use the share plan.

I was way behind on my Tell It To The Stars Mystery.

Now everything is cut and ready to sew.

And.....

August is compete!

I knew if I cut this and put it in the bag, 

I would be so confused when it came time to sew.

So I hunkered down and got it done.

I loved this step.

I chose my next quilting project but did not get it ready to quilt.

This quilt has aged since April 2013

and it's time to warm someone special.

My plan for this week:

• Sew 2 months Star blocks
• Make back for green and brown quilt
• Baste this quilt
• sew more Smith Mountain blocks

See what other's have on their design wall this week at Patchwork Times.

Sweet Surprises

On Monday, I set a few goals for myself for the week.

On Tuesday, I crossed one of them off.

Today I started cutting my blocks for Tell It To The Stars.

I am such a procrastinator!

I am not happy about that!

Last week I printed the instructions and as they come off the printer,

I picked them up and stapled them together.

I didn't even check to see if everything printed.

I love that my printer prints the last page first.

This morning it's all quiet

 (meaning the kittens are taking a nap!)

and a good time to cut some fabric.

I cut blocks for 3 months

(Yes! I am that far behind!)

 and pulled out the June instructions.

I was reading them and this is what I found on page 3.

When the grands are here and want to draw, 

they get paper from the printer.

When they leave, I put the paper they didn't color on back in the tray.

I missed this paper in the stack and I'm glad I did.

2 1/2 year old Corbin likes markers and he drew Gramma a picture.

He must have put it back in the pile of papers for me to find.

Totally made my morning!

Back to cutting,

3 months kitted, 3 months to go!

I know once these are all cut and ready to go, 

I'll want to sit down and sew like a mad woman!

Who knows,

I might be caught up before the next clue.

Design Wall Monday

I had a FAB-U-LOUS!sewing week.

Yesterday I finished my Celtic Solstice top.

Now to make the backing!

All week I've been stitching on Pieced Hexies.

I have the last 4 basted, ready to stitch together.

Then it's time for a quilt top.

Or another re-design because I love stitching these together!

I finally started my Tell It To The Stars BOM from Patchwork Times.

Wednesday I made these 2 blocks.

They weren't hard at all but 

I spent more time with my seam ripper than I did at the machine!

Just another of THAT kind of day.

Thursday I did the blocks for February.

I did 2 for each month because that's what the instructions say to do.

You know Judy L designs the most fabulous quilts so I will not question.

If it says make 2, I will make 2. LOL

Today I will sew a Monkey Counting Book for 2 year old Corbin.

The boy loves monkeys and while shopping last weekend,

 I found a soft book that was made just for him.

I will spend time watching all the Olympic coverage I can find.

Someone in my house doesn't enjoy it.

BooHiss.

Find other great design walls at Patchwork Times.

I love Monday in Blogland!

Tell It To The Stars Blocks

February Tell It To The Stars Blocks

January Tell It To The Stars Blocks

Information on Tell It To The Stars project can be found here at Patchwork Times.

Thanks Judy L for another fabulous year long project.