2020 Part 1

2020 came in with all of the best intentions. My plan was to quilt 20 UFO tops in 2020. It was a great plan. I would squeeze in cross stitch as often as I could but I really wanted to finish quilts.

This is a cute Lizzie Kate design called 6 Snow Belles.

I planned to stitch all 6 on piece of fabric and it would be a Christmas present for one of my daughters.

(Spoiler alert--it did and it's so darn cute!!)

I love a good BOM.

This is from Kathleen Tracy.

I think this is both January and February.

I had a box of Thimbleberry scraps from a friend so used mostly those fabrics.

These were my choices for the Moda Blockheads 3 BOW.

I love the mix of the fabrics.

January was a baby shower for Granddaughter Taylor.

I had to make Dwight the Deer for her and her son.

I used recycled shirts on the back.

It is so snuggly soft.

March 10, 2020

Welcome to the family Bentley Waylon.

We adore you.

💓😍😍😍😍

I joined an ornament of the month club.

I picked this cutie from a magazine.

We didn't get much snow.

Just a day once in a while.

This sampler was my oldest UFO.

It was fun to just quilt the blocks and then join them.

Frolic was the 2019/20 Quiltville mystery.

I love that I used mostly stash  on this one. 

It was fun to just get it done before it turned into a UFO.

Smith Mountain Morning was gifted to Grandson Elliot.

Another Quiltville design.

This log cabin was gifted to daughter Crystal.

Moda Be My Neighbor was gifted to Daughter Dee.

I love knitting socks and I love using up all the scrap yarn.

Sadly these are still in the on the road knitting bag but are close to being finished.

There is still scrap yarn to be used up.

My friend Julie taught me about basting party.

Baste until you run out of pins.

So I get myself all set up and get busy.

Under the table fort are 3 dogs.

The roll of batting goes on the recliner and the table is pushed over to it.

See all those quilts over by the tv. I think they are all waiting their turn. 

I also think they are all finished quilts. 

I honestly don't know if these were before or at the beginning of Covid lockdown.

But that's a story for another post. 

Until then.....thanks for your sweet comments on my return.

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...

...and Retreat Report

This past weekend was our annual quilt retreat.

Most of the quilters have been coming to this retreat for several years.

I always look forward to spending time with my friends and 

sewing with my daughter.

Numerous hours of sewing, talking, laughing, eating.

Definitely having fun!

  

I mostly worked on quilts in progress.

These Garlic Knot blocks will complete my quilt after the blocks swap next month.

I can't believe I have them ready ahead of time.

Unlike these log cabin blocks that I made to complete a top from a swap earlier this year

I now have enough to put my blocks together.

 I started these Dresden Plates at our May retreat.

I put them in the box at the retreat and promptly put them away

and didn't even look at them until this weekend.

Now they are ready to applique to the background.

I'm pretty excited to get this one done.

I must have leaders/enders!

I do that crazy reach for something when nothing is there.

I'm working on Bonnie's Garden Party.

Just the flower blocks are my l/e project and 17 were finished.

I started the connector blocks as my last project of the weekend.

Of course I had to put a few together,

just to see. :)

I have a nice bunch of parts for 9 patches now.

I think red  9 patches might be my favorite.

The weather for the weekend was super stormy.

For a little excitement Friday night,

 this tree crashed into the barn.

No one was hurt.

There was a horseback riding class happening at the time.

The kids kept their horses under control,

the instructor did a wonderful job of keeping everyone calm,

despite "wanting to have a nervous breakdown".

We sew in a huge classroom on the other side of this huge barn/covered arena.

That was more excitement than anyone wanted.

Here's a great video of Royal Ridges where I retreat to 3 times a year.

You can see the covered arena and on the far side is where the tree came down.

We sew on the opposite side.

Despite the storm and the tree,

we had a fabulous weekend.

Great to spend time with friends doing what we love to do.

See great design walls at Patchwork Times.

Edited to add...

I forgot to show you my Be My Neighbor blocks~~

The last one is a tribute to my cat loving friend Sue.

I call it the Crazy Cat Lady's house.

Design Wall Monday

I heard a rumor there was a big football game on Sunday.

Hubby watched, I sewed.

I've had Swoon Nora cut out for a few months.

I knew she would take up a bit of time,

 so on Saturday I did all the prepwork

and on Sunday I sewed. 

The fabric was a gift from my friends Marian and Sharlene a couple years ago.

(I'm glad I saved it for the perfect project.)

And vinyl! 

I learned quite a bit about vinyl.

I had to call my daughter for tips on sewing/gluing.

She's used a lot of vinyl in her bag making.

My machine sewed right through it.

Nora is a nice size traveler bag.

Included in the pattern are 2 smaller sizes. 

Before I started Nora and after finishing Pineapple Crazy,

I decided to make my log cabin blocks for a swap with a group of friends.

The last log is medium blue under the yellow.

These things are like Lays Potato Chips,

you can't make just one.

Soon there were 30 blocks ready to trade.

Are you planning to participate in The Splendid Sampler?

This block is a bonus block or can be used in a design/pressing station.

I'm using mine as a bonus block.

I've decided to use lime, black and white for my fabrics. 

I'll be linking up with Patchwork Times.

October Retreat Round Up

This is Royal Ridges Retreat.

Our surroundings are beautiful.

I always go to retreat with a plan of action.

I try to follow my plan...for the most part.

I leave with a big list of new projects I want to do.

First up was to finish the 24 September log cabin blocks 

for Judy L's Back to Square One Mystery.

Next was to do the 12 star blocks.

The half square triangle papers were already pinned to the fabric.

I just had to sew, cut, press, then assemble the blocks.

The first 3 parts were easy. 

I got distracted with the assemble part and ended up unsewing a bit.

But all is well and the October step is complete. 

Yeah me!

The I got busy and sewed the bottom half of the log cabin quilt.

I was a bit a lot giddy with excitement when this was finished.

I love it and my friends loved it and that made me happy.

Sometimes I kind of worry about my scrappiness.

I have the attitude that most anything goes with everything else.

And on here it does. 

Then it was on to the assembly of the Sanctuary blocks.

This went together pretty fast and we all loved how cozy it is.

Now it is on the design wall/bed waiting for the border decision.

Then I worked on the mini quilt on the right called Busy Work.

It was a quilt along at Heartspun Quilts.

You can search her website for this project.

I loved the combination of the black and tan that I saw there so that's what I picked for mine.

The star on the left is block one of Carol Doak's new BOM on the Yahoo group.

You can find the link for the group on her website.

This quilt is called Scappy Scramble.

Perfect for me. 

I'm not happy with the center so I'll redo it today.  

All the while,

I'm working the Split 9 Patch leader/enders.

I couldn't believe I got 15 blocks made.

That's a lot of seams!!!

As always, retreat was a blast. 

Good friends,

good laughs, 

good ideas.

Can't wait for the next one.

Only 2 1/2 weeks.

I know, 

Lucky Me!

Design Wall Monday

I got all 144 8" log cabin blocks finished Sunday morning.

I don't have a big enough design wall to lay out the whole quilt,

so I am doing it in quarters. 

First quarter is sewn together,

second quarter has 4 rows on the wall before I ran out of space.

I'll web these rows together then put it back up on the wall without the first quarter

and lay out the remaining 2 rows.

I'll just lay out the first horizontal row of the third quarter against the first quarter,

then remove it and move the blocks up to finish the layout.

Of course I had to lay out my finished split 9 patch blocks.

These are the current leader/ender project.

See other fabulous design walls at Patchwork Times.

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.

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.

Design Wall Monday

The sewing machine has been busy this week.

The needle and thread have also made an appearance.

Not a steady busy, just a few minutes here and there.

I've been using my timer, sew, move, sew, move.

I added the 2 blocks above to my Grandmother's Choice BOW Sampler.

Yes, I am way behind because the last block was revealed Saturday.

But it is now out where I can see is 

so I've been working on it. 

I don't even know how many blocks I have left to work on,

but they are all printed and ready to go.

The log cabin blocks are starting to really come alive.

I am so glad I jumped into this project.

The new leader/ender project is taking shape.

I love these blocks.

And my hexies! 

The ones I wasn't going to do.

Yesterday 2 of the grands helped me work on these

while we sat outside around the table and chatted.

It was great fun to punch papers while Gramma stitched.

I love times like those!

See other fabulous design walls at

Patchwork Times.