Hello August!

What happened to Judy in July.....

what is she doing and why isn't she posting???  

Could it be the dog days of summer?

Or

Could it be because she has nothing exciting to post?

Or 

Could it be because she is playing too hard?

Or 

Is it because she is a champion procrastinator? 

I quilted this UFO wall hanging.

It still needs a trip through the washer and dryer.

Then I'll share the finish.

I've been dehydrating extra broccoli from my small deck garden.

We've eaten a lot of it but I want some for winter too.

We spent a lot of time at the beach.

This is the back corner of our lot and it was a small jungle.

We paid for the whole lot, we want to use the whole lot!

So we borrowed our son's tractor.

I say we like I did so much work.

Nope, I mostly stayed out of the way.

Our friend Bill was a huge help!

I took a big bag of half square bonus triangles 

and cut them to the size I need for my new leader/ender project.

I'm doing the new Quiltville l/e project that can be found in the tab section of her blog.

I forgot my rotary cutter at home and was quite mad at myself over it.

Ernie was going to get some diesel for the tractor 

so I asked if he would look at Jack's for a rotary cutter.

He did, they didn't have one.

So my super sweet husband went to Long Beach and found one at Dennis Company.

Oh how I miss the quilt shop there!!!

The poop deck is gorgeous.

Our friends Pam and Bill comes over and waters when we aren't there. 

I couldn't have flowers without them.

Mean while, back at home,

my hydrangeas exploded. 

Absolutely gorgeous this year.

We've been putting wood stove ash on them all winter and spring.

I think it helped a lot!

I made some wine bottle carry bags as gifts for friends.

They were fun, quick projects.

I had to have one too. 😉

I'm UFO busting some of my embroidery work.

This is quite cute up on my sewing room wall.

I have my next embroidery UFO out and have started working on it.

I've also decided to start some wool applique and 

have a couple of kits ordered.

This week we've had fun watching this silly guy 

at his baseball camp.

We brought him home with us 

and had to have pictures in front of the hydrangeas.

I'm ready now for a big quilt basting party in my living room. 

I am ready to quilt again.

I'll be back when I'm back.

Hopefully a bit more often now.

See you soon, thanks for stopping by!

Finish #6 and Changes To The 2019 UFO Challenge List

While cataloging all of my UFOs and explaining to hubby what was happening

and how depressed it was making me with so many tops to finish, 

he suggested I send a big quilt top out to my friend Jane to get quilted.

So which one do I choose? 

I chose this log cabin top to be finish #6 for my goal of 20 Finishes before 2020.

This log cabin is on my 2019 UFO Challenge list as project #12.

I happen to have a set of log cabin blocks that are ready to be made into a top

so I will replace the old #12 with those for the new #12. 

(Is that even legal? 😀) 

I picked out a feathery design and Jane made my quilt fabulous!

What's a good way to get an extra UFO marked off your list?
Use it for the back of a quilt.

These were a stack of 20 16" Turning Twenty blocks.

I just started sewing them together.

No planned lay out, just grab and sew.

Then measure and add some more fabric from the stash.

With all the quilting and binding I've been doing, 

I've irritated my shoulder.

So it's short binding sessions, and then lay it aside for a while.

Miss Polly is making sure I don't overdo. 

 So while "resting", I made 2 more quilt backs.

I'm ready to having another basting party.

The first quilt to be basted will be the UFO for this month. 

Design Wall Monday

I am on a (slow) roll!

This is finish #3 for me this year.

I am on a mission to quilt at least 32 quilts this year.

I have my UFO Challenge list from Judy L's challenge up in a tab.

I must confess that so far no action has been taken on January's quilt 

other than to get it out of the bin,

choose the backing and buy the thread.

I'm hoping to baste today.

I have a plan of 20 Finishes before 2020 that does not include the Challenge list.

Seriously, I need to not even look at a new project for a while.

I wrangled the UFOs and will not confess the number because it is shameful.

I am very embarrassed to admit how many I actually have. 

Maybe one day but not today.

So this gem is almost complete.

(I  didn't note the book the pattern is from.

I know I still have it in my stash of strip pattern books.)

There is only one more side of the binding to stitch down.

That will happen sometime today.

Then it's a trip through the washer and dryer and 

into the mail to our oldest.

Notice in the upper left corner my glove.

I use gloves even with the walking foot.

It sure helps my arthritic hands not to hurt so much.

I won this jelly roll in 2009 from Sue Hecker.

(Check out her beautiful sewing room.)

It's called Gypsy Rose by Fig Tree.

When our oldest was young, her horse's name was Gypsy Rose.

How could this not go to her.

 I feel so guilty that she has not had it for all these years.

But she will have it soon so no more guilt.

I love being able to surprise people with packages in the mail.

I'm hoping to get good outdoor pictures today.

Of course there has to be a problem with all UFOs.

The binding was cut and with this quilt.

As were the extra fabrics from the jelly roll but nothing from the binding fabric.

No big deal, just pick another piece of fabric and make it work.

Here's a little cutie from 7 year old Corbin.

The kids love word search puzzles.

Corbin is working on his the other morning with his dinosaur watching.

As that thing moves it's head and growls,

I asked if Dino was helping find words.

Without looking up or thinking at all, he says

"No, he's thinking about cupcakes ."

Check out all the great projects at

Small Quilts and Doll Quilts Design Wall Monday. 

Have a great week.

Design Wall Monday

 Last week I said I was taking time off my Good Fortune Quilt to work on some quilting. 

This baby quilt has been delivered.

The Flintstones tie dye fabric was from childhood curtains that belonged

 to my great niece's dad as a child.

He had them hanging in every home he lived in.

After his death, my niece held on to the curtains to make keepsakes for their daughters.

Both girls with have a quilt made using the fabrics.

It was an emotional journey for me so I can only imagine what my nieces felt when they saw it.

I loved making this quilt.

Since I was in the quilting mood, 

I decided to tackle this UFO from 2010 that was on top of Mt ToBeQuilted.

The backing was with the top so when I cut batting for the baby quilt,

I cut for this quilt and Garden Party.

 Quilting was simple and pretty quick.

When it got time to choose binding, 

I decided to trim up the excess backing and use it.

I love a scrappy binding.

I also pin basted Garden Party but had to unpin and repin.

I had a huge fold in the back

How did that happen! 

I had trimmed up the excess backing and batting to make less bulky

and was quite surprised at how big the fold really was. 

All better now and ready to quilt.
Since I was basting,
I grabbed 3 more off the mountain.

Now there are 2 on the ready to quilt pile with 

2 more ready to pin baste.

So Thank You Julie for the idea to get a few quilts basted for when the mood strikes.

That  should use up most of my pins. 

Check out all the fabulous design walls at

Small Quilts and Doll Quilts Design Wall Monday

Design Wall Monday

This past weekend was our annual Spring Retreat.

My projects were all UFOs.

I had 6 blocks for Reach for the Stars all kitted up and ready to sew.

I made 2 full blocks and for 2 more blocks, I just needed to add the last piece on 16 papers.

I couldn't do it, 

I was just too tired to focus so I came home.

Right after breakfast on Friday,

these 2 were finished.

They don't look like the same size but they are.

Here is a horrible picture of all 6 of my blocks.

Next I got busy building the last of my house blocks for Moda Be My Neighbor.

The bee hives (that's what I call them to honor of our bees) were already sewn.

I took all my rows apart and added sashing between them.

The owner of the quilt I had seen the blocks set that way was there.

She said she was flattered at how much I loved her quilt. 

I love the trees in this quilt.

They were so much fun!

The wonkyness of the purple plaid makes me giggle.

And it wouldn't be fun and games if there weren't some whoopsies. 

First those darn chevron!

They were mocking me in every way!

I told myself to be careful because 3 went one way and 3 the other.

Yacking and laughing and carrying on makes a person not pay attention.

I started on the last block and got to a point and darn! 

Where are my other pieces???

So I when I came home that night, 

I recut the 3 chevrons and the extra red pieces.

Before leaving yesterday,

I sewed my chevrons, and when I went to sew them to the house,

Well, you can see what I did!

Time to pack up and come home.

I had to lay finished On Ringo Lake over the fence for a quick photo shoot.

I love how it turned out!

Before leaving for retreat, I started quilting the baby quilt.

I can't wait to get in there and get back to work on it.

We play the greedy gift game.

I made this tote bag for my gift.

As I was making it, I pulled fabrics for 2 more.

One for myself and one for a gift.

The pattern is Fiji from Pink Sand Beach Designs.

They have such cute, cute patterns!!

Of course there was lots lots of new quilting ideas.

I had to rush to the computer one night and order a pattern pattern because I loved it so much!

It was a wild, wild, productive week

and I had a blast every single day!

I'm really glad I went.

I really missed being with my favorite retreat partner.

Can't wait until fall for the next one!

Check out all the fabulousness that is happening in Blogland at

Small Quilts and Doll Quilts Design Wall Monday.

Be sure to drool Judy's new adorable puppy!!! 

2018 UFO Challenge April Update/May Plans

I used April to catch up on Judy L's UFO Challenge. I was a slacker and now I'm an almost caught upper.  That's what I'm calling it.

My April project was to get out my Mischief Quilt and get to work on it again since it is my only hand stitching project. I took parts and pieces with me on the last beach trip and got busy glue basting everything I had cut and kitted. I have 4 blocks remaining to piece with almost 6 added to the pile I already have. Not a bad month.  I'll continue to work on it since I'm enjoying it again.  I am only making it into a wall hanging instead of a big quilt.

For May, Judy L chose UFO 12. I'm super happy about that. Just last week I ordered backing fabrics for 5 more UFOs and picked a brown/cream polka dot flannel for this quilt. This is going to be so much fun. The plan is to  use Angela Walters' method of Dot To Dot Quilting that I learned from her Craftsy class. I haven't done it for a while and I'm really looking forward to playtime on this quilt.

But first I will finish March's UFO. Close, oh so close!

So in a nut shell, the month of April was a huge UFO busting success for me. I started the month with these plans and finished with 2 quilts completed, 1 almost quilted and big progress on Mischief Quilt. I see good things happening in May.

Design Wall Monday

After Saturday's quilt finish, 

I decided to finish this table runner.

I picked this top up when the quilt shop in Long Beach, WA was closing.

It was in the dresser that held all the scraps that I loaded up on.

I knew it would be a good piece to practice quilting.

I started at the end of February and became frustrated with thread breaks.

The blue and dark green quilted nice,

it's that green Sulky in the front that did not.

I powered through and just kept rethreading the needle.

After all I am in UFO Busting mode!

Thread, batting and backing scraps all being used up.

The quilting was finished, 

now to choose something for the binding.

I looked in my fat quarter bin and found this fun black and white batik.

I took almost a whole fat quarter to bind this table runnner.

The extra is added to the scrappy leftover binding roll that is waiting for it's next project. 

After some Sunday evening TV time, this one is marked off the long UFO list.

This is totally not my style but I'm going to use it

at the beach on the picnic table. 

I'm headed over to Small Quilts and Doll Quilts Design Wall Monday 

to have my morning coffee with quilter friends.

Design Wall Monday

2017 UFO Busting continues.

This table runner is finish number 6.

This is from July 2009.

I put it away and promptly forgot where I put it.

 I thought it was gone forever.

Recently I opened a bin to get something else out and there it was.

How long had it been since I had opened that bin?

I asked on Facebook which color binding I should use.

I even posted pictures of a few selections but no red.

Only because I didn't have any that looked good with these repro prints.

Thousands of Bolts to the rescue again!

I finished and wore another new shirt.

I made a design chance,

then neck too low for my comfort so I added a piece of lace.

After wearing it, 

I'll take the lace off and rework the neck.

I have enough fabric to combine with another piece 

and I'll use the lace on that one.

My plan to work on this month's UFO was put on hold.

I chased a squirrel instead.

This is The Mischief Quilt.

I wrote my story here.

I see some great links at Patchwork Times Design Wall Monday.

I think I'll chase a few squirrels. 😀

March UFO Plan

Hello March!

The month of my highest highs and lowest low.

Memories are tricky and 

I am so happy to have my quilting to help work my way through the bad ones.

Judy L picked Number 5 for her UFO Challenge.

This is the 2014 BOM from The Hexi Blog.

Here is my first post about it.

As I sat here this morning drinking my coffee,

I came up with a plan for this quilt project.

First thing it needs is a good pressing.

I have the remaining fat quarters bits from making the sashing.

I plan to cut it all up, add more scraps/strings and make a piano key border.

I have some fun red fabric with paint cans and brushes all over. 

I think. 😉

I'll dig that out and get in through the washer and dryer.

I have plenty of batting scraps to piece together.

I'm excited to get busy on this one. 

Let the games begin!

Design Wall Monday

Jamestown Landing is now a completed quilt top. It was my UFO for the month and I can't believe it took me all month to get to this stage. I can get myself off track so stinkin' fast, it will make your head spin. LOL  Will I get it quilted by March 1? Probably not but I"m going to give it a try. Maybe.

When I finished this yesterday, I needed something quick and easy to work on. I pulled out a couple of table runners that are UFOs and need backs made for them. I had been gifted a stack of muslin scraps that are perfect to make backs from so those were made. Just now I remembered I have another table runner in need of quilting. This one was rescued from the scrap bin at a quilt shop that was closing unlike these 2 that were rescued from the UFO bin. I guess I will make another back and have it ready too. 2017 UFO Busting is in full force!

See what others are working on at Patchwork Times Design Wall Monday.