Design Wall Monday

I'm pressuring myself to get caught up with the 2018 UFO Challenge.

I'm starting to write this blog post Sunday morning.

I am working on the borders today.

This is the UFO for August.

I was so afraid to start quilting it.

But after a heart to heart with myself,

I decided to go for it!

I wanted to use rulers.

My machine did pretty good for a while.

Then we started to struggle.

It was no fun anymore so I took the ruler foot off and went to free motion.

Now that was fun!

Lots of fun.

Not perfect by any means but neither am I.

And this is my quilt so no big deal.

Of course the seam ripper has to come out to play.

The machine has to be threaded right to get a good stitch.

At least it was an easy take out.

Sunday morning the borders have begun.

Can I do it?

Can I get the binding on it so I can take it to the beach to finish?

Not if I don't get back to it....

To Be Continued. 

It's so fun winning the bobbin chicken game. 🐔

I knew I must be close so when I was ready to turn to the next border,

I checked.

I win!!!

This time... 😀😀

and the next 2 times, I was the looser. 

That black stuff...

That's a Teflon oven liner. 

I need to replace my supreme slider so I tried this.

It works great.

I bought it from Amazon last year and finally tried it out.

I just marked the needle hole and made it larger 

and tape it down with painter's tape.

Quilting is done, binding is sewn on.

Waahoo!!

I was going to get the next UFO out to baste today but
a cute little 6 year old reminded me that I said I would make her a new apron.
So a new apron will be made instead.

Visit Small Quilts and Doll Quilts Design Wall Monday
to see some fabulous work going on in Blogland!

Design Wall Monday

After finishing the tumbler quilt last week,

I am in the mood to quilt!

Problem was I need to cut batting and make a couple backs.

During the week, I made 2 backs so

yesterday was the day to cut batting. 

I lugged out the big roll of batting and dropped it on my bed.

Before too long, I had 4 quilts cuddling with their batting and backs.

Most of the binding is already made,

I just have 1 that has the strips cut but not sewn or pressed.

This quilt is big. and will use up most of the 98" width of the backing.

I used a sharpie to mark the top of each piece.

I don't want to get it almost all pinned and notice that something is turned wrong.

Been there, done that, don't want to do it again.

Funny thing about basting Millifiore is that she was the August UFO.

I did nothing to her except get her off Mt. ToBeQuilted.

Same with Grandmother's Choice Sampler -she was July's UFO.

That sweet little 30's sampler, she was included in my grand plan

with these other 2 on August 1!

Sometimes my grand plans go south on me! 

So what if it takes me 2 months to get my plans back home,

they are here now and each has taken a step forward.

They are all off Mr ToBeQuilted and ready for the finish line.

Judy L chose #9 for this month's UFO.

I thought that was last month but her list says #4.

So I guess mine for this month will be #4 which is my On The Road Quilt.

Check out all the fabulous design walls that are shared today at

Small Quilts and Doll Quilts Design Wall Monday.

UFO Challenge Report

Holy Cow! How did it get to be August so fast.

Wasn't it just Christmas?

Judy L has pulled the new UFO number for August.

Lucky me, my #3 is Millifiore. 

I'm excited to get this finished but terrified at the same time.

There is a bit of irony for me about this selection.

You know on Facebook how your memories show up?

One of my memories this morning is this photo.

It was 2 years ago today that I was at this step.

I have however reached the point in my life of just get it finished.

Don't worry so much about it.

No one can use or appreciate all the work if you don't get it finished.

So Millifiore, you're next.

The first step in to add the outer borders.

Thank goodness the fabric is with the quilt top.

Then I'll cut the batting for all 3 tops in this post.

(Once the roll is out, may as well cut them all.)

I previously bought a wide back for this so I'll be ready to baste.

The quilting design is already layed out on paper.

That will help a lot!

Wish I could say I made progress on Grandmother's Choice.

This is all the progress I made, I pulled it off Mt. ToBeQuilted.

That's as far as I got with her.

It's been super hot here so we've spent a lot of time at the beach.

Not much room for quilt basting there.

Instead I finished this sweet quilt top.

Take a top off the mountain, add another. 

Cross your fingers that this can be a 2 or 3 month UFO finish month.

I'm certainly going to try.

March UFO Progress & April UFO Plan

Well the March UFO Plan didn't exactly go as planned.

I didn't have enough leftover sashing fabric for piano keys.

I did have enough to make a fun pieced scrappy border though.

Some time early in the month, 

my quilting mojo went missing.

Pardon my folding creases as this had been folded (with seams to the inside)

and put back in her storage bin.

My mojo is back now so maybe the quilting will happen in April.

Or maybe not. 😉

Some UFO project is better than no progress. 

That's my story.

Judy L chose #1 for April.

My Millefiore!

I love this quilt so much.

I have great plans for her.

First is the border. 

This picture does not show the gray fill in pieces for the edges.

They are on there, I swear.

I can't believe I didn't take a picture of that!!

Here's my plan.

Press one edge at a time.

Remove those papers.

Applique it to the inner border of the same color.

After all four sides are finished,

attach the outer border.

The quilting plan and thread have been mapped out for months. 

That's going to be a big project

so prep work for quilting is all I plan to do this month.

I have to get other things ready for retreat in May.

See how others have done with their UFO projects at

Patchwork Times.

Design Wall Monday

Guess what!!

I've got Millefiore almost all done.

I was pretty excited when I got the final rosette stitched on Monday.

After last week's DWM post, 

I parked myself on the couch with the tv remote and

went to town on her.

By 4 pm, she was ready for the outside fill in pieces.

As of Saturday night,

one edge has been completed.

I chose to do the half hexies first because I like instant gratification.

She says after a whole year + working on this quilt.

I needed something a little smaller than Millefiore to take to my

Wednesday Binding Friends group.

Mickey Depre of MD Quilts has a new On The Road project for 2016.

You can find the link for it in a tab at the top of her page.

I have been thinking for a long time what I would do next with hexagons.

Since I have already done one Pieced Hexi quilt for Taylor,

I wanted one for myself.

This new design is right up my alley.

Scrappy, pieced hexies and fun.

Back in March, My friend Mary of Quiltin' Grandma fame,

won this batik and posted that she didn't like it.

I commented that it would be perfect for my next hexi project I was planning.

Guess what showed up in my mailbox!!!

Quilty friends are the best!

So I've been basting centers for one of the steps.

So this is all I've worked on this past week.

I have a couple things planned for this week.

I want to pull a quilt top off Mt. ToBeQuilted and get it basted.

But first,

I need a new swim suit.

It's time to pull out some of that fabric out of the stash and sew it up.

Head over to Patchwork Times to see what others are working on.

Design Wall Monday

It feels sew good to have the sewing mojo back again!

I've had this Harriet bag cut out for weeks.

I splurged and bought myself a steam press

 and was happy to have something already cut out and ready to use it with.

It made ironing the interfacing a breeze.

Once that was done, 

it was all about the sewing!

I absolutely love Swoon patterns and have bought almost every one of them.

I still need to put the rivets (an optional feature) on the handles.

I can't wait to use her!

I have a Brooklyn handbag almost all cut out.

Welcome home Mojo!

I finished up 5 more Splendid Sampler blocks.

I kept wondering how I could have gotten so far behind.

I only have to finish an embroidery block and do the current block, #49 to be current again.

Here is the final block for Millifiore.

I was so excited to be this close to finishing that I sewed the top 2 hexies on wrong.

It won't take long to take them off and sew them right.

One to finish sewing and 2 to fix, sew this to the mothership and then on to the side pieces.

I don't think those will take too long.

Being this close to finished, I will work on it every night until she's a completed top.

In my head I hear Lady threat your needles 

in Drivers start your engines tones. 

I'm such a goof!

This morning I'm going to take a little stroll through Blogland.

I'll start at Judy L's Design Wall Monday post and go from there.

Have a great week.

Design Wall Monday

I finally had face to face time with my sewing machine!

I had 5 applique blocks prepared for The Splendid Sampler.

I set up my machine for applique and started playing!

I had sew much fun and loved doing every block!

Then I played with decorative stitches. 

The machine doesn't have very many but I had fun playing with the ones it does have.

And hand appliqued hexagons!

How happy that makes me.

(Whoopsie, I just noticed I forgot Mr Bunny's flower stem.

The power of pictures.)

In the evenings I've been slowly stitching on Millefiore.

I'm so close to the finish line.

There is one more partial rosette to make.

I thought I had the perfect fabrics and when I double checked,

my focus fabric was in the rosette right next to where it goes.

Oh well, time to dig in the stash some more.

This girl right here, Taylor, spent a few days with us.

I had bought a tank pattern from Patterns for Pirates for her.

I highly recommend these patterns!

We learned how to tape a pdf pattern together. 

do measurements,

find your size, trace, and cut our your personal pattern.

Then we dug through Poppy's old tshirts for one to cut up and sew.

I got out my big heavy Morse machine and sat her down in front of it.

She learned how to oil and thread it.

And then she started sewing her tester Free Spirit Tank!

This is her new sleep shirt.

We've learned what to do for the next shirt,

where to make adjustments,

what she likes and dislikes.

I can't wait until she comes to play again.

Next time she will learn to use the serger to sew Peg Legs and 

another Free Spirit tank to go with them..

I'm going to spend some time at Patchwork Times this morning.

I love having coffee with friends in Blogland.

Design Wall Monday

Not much time was spent in the sewing room last week. We did a mini vacation/road trip to Neah Bay, Washington so Ernie could go out salmon fishing. Not the best catching trip he's been on but he sure has a good time fishing. I spent some of my time stitching this partial rosette for Millefiore. (And knitting and reading and movie watching.)

I had to stop at the last 2 hexies on the left when I discovered my dark blue fabric 

was too skimpy so I finished it at home.

This little one was fun to sit down and get finished last night.

Rosette 12b is the TaaDah!

The final rosette to do.

I started with the greens, then found the butterflies 

so my selections will probably change once I get back to it.

When this one is finished,

I'll have 5 partial rosettes to sew to the Mother Ship and 

then start the fill ins for the border 

as soon as I figure out what fabric to use for that!

Pretty excited!!!

The sewing machine is starting to feel lonely.

I have some serious plans for her this week. 

Check out what's happening at Patchwork Times.

Oh Judy L, that quilt top is fabulous!!!

Design Wall Monday

There are Mondays that I think I didn't sew much last week.

Then I look at the pictures.

I finished the broken dishes blocks for Jamestown Landing.

They are all clipped into groups for the next step. 

 I got out the string bucket thinking I'd make 10 or so blocks.

I needed 70 more and Saturday afternoon, 

I sat down and knocked out 40 of those.

I love mindless sewing and Netflix. 

I'm not binge watching Lost.

In the evenings, I'm stitching away at Millifiore.

I had this rosette all kitted up to take on our next road trip.

I will be kitting up the last 2 blocks this week so I have something to work on.

I'm going to spend some time in Blogland this morning.

Visit Patchwork Times and see what others are working on.

I think it's great that Judy L has continued  to do Design Wall Monday for such a long time.

It's my favorite day on the internet.

Slow Stitching Sunday

It's mostly been a good slow stitching week.

I've worked on Millefiore and The Splendid Sampler.

These are for rosette 10a.

I love pink and black together!

I believe I only have to sew 2 of these.

This goes together pretty fast.

This is for The Splendid Sampler.

Those itty bitties are very itty bitty.

This block will finish at 6".

But first I have to take off my hexies and put them in the center.

When I was trimming the block, 

I was being so careful to get it all centered,

got distracted with the cat and didn't recheck.

We moved the ruler and I didn't notice until after I trimmed.

No tears were shed but they were right there.

This was a fun block to do.

Go to Kathy's Quilts to wish her a happy anniversary and

to see some great Slow Stitching projects.

Design Wall Monday

It was nice to finally finish this Splendid Sampler block last night. 

I just needed to finish the butterfly and add the frame.

Why did that take me so long!!!

Today I will start those adorable little tiny hexies.

I stated sewing the foursies for Jamestown Landing.

I  need to spend some quality time with the iron before this pile gets out of control.

After completing this Millefiore rosette

I am cutting and kitting for the final 4 small rosettes.

3 almost down, 1 to go.

I'll be spending time in Blogland this morning, 

checking out Design Wall Monday links at Patchwork Times.

Slow Stitching Sunday

This is rosette 11b for Millefiore.  I'm pretty excited to only have 4 small rosettes to go--10 a, 10 b, 12 a and 12 b.  I have decided on the colors I want to us, I just need to pull fabric and kit up the pieces with the papers. I worked on this one a little bit in the bus but mostly at home. I really feel the need to get these last ones kitted up for our next trip. I never know what mood I will be in--either stitch or knit--while I watch movies. LOL

It's been a lot of fun working mostly with my stash. Once in a while I buy a fat quarter or so to add to what I have but mostly this quilt is from stash.  The gray triangle fabric was one I spotted at JoAnn's a while back and knew I wanted to include it somewhere. It was perfect to fussy cut those triangles.

I'm hoping to have this attached to the quilt this week. We'll see what happens.....

Check out the fabulous slow stitching projects at Kathy's Quilts.  There are some beautiful things happening in Blogland!!!

Design Wall Monday

I finally was able to lay Millefiore outside to see my progress in full

Needless to say, I was pretty excited.

I made my (final?) decision on colors and hope I don't change my mind again.

I think Rosette 11a may be my favorite,

but I've said that about each one.

I made a bonus block for The Splendid Sampler.

I still need to set up my machine for the applique blocks.

Maybe today.

It wouldn't be any fun if there wasn't a great big whoopsie in my world.

I paper pieced the center of Micheal's Block.

Then I started to sew the units together and found this.

I decided since this project was all about learning, 

I would cut the itty bitty pieces and make a new center.

I was shocked at how easy it went together.

I was really excited when I counted my half square triangles for Jamestown Landing.

As soon as this last bunch is trimmed, 

I will move on to the next step and start making the blocks!

I'm thinking it might be time to recover the ironing board first. 

I'll be linking up with Patchwork Times today.

I love touring Blogland on Monday.

Slow Stitching Sunday

Since I spent so much time stitching during our weekend away, I've been in a slow stitching mood. I am working now on the small outer sections for Millefiore. This is section 11a and I think my favorite color combo from the quilt. There is one more hexi to sew on and then it's on to 11b which is orange and gray. I'll move right on to the next section instead of sewing this one onto the top.

I am so close with this quilt top. I am constantly thinking how to quilt it. I'm pretty excited about it. I wonder how many needles-I don't like a dull needle-and how much thread I have used. Hmmmm

Kathy is talking about needle disposal today. I use empty pill bottles and have one in each of my sewing spaces/bags. It holds pins, needles, staples and blades. Anything that I don't want to cut myself on. When it's full, I glue the lid on before putting it in the trash.  For rotary blades, I use a blade case and tape it shut when it's full. It just makes my whole body shudder thinking about ramming my hand into something sharp.

Today I am liking up with Kathy's Slow Stitching Sunday post. I love reading these posts and seeing the fabulous work of others.

Design Wall Monday

Since Judy L started doing Design Wall Monday, I think I may have missed one posting. Today I almost missed posting because I forgot it was Monday!!!  We had spent the weekend away from home and just now I realized I hadn't done my post.

Before we left, I finished this Splendid Sampler block.

She was a challenge but I love how it turned out.

Ernie went out halibut fishing with friends,

I stayed in the bus and worked on my stuff. 

I took our little dvd player and season 1 of Heroes with me.

I took my basket of HSTs to trim and a bunch of fabric to cut more for Jamestown Landing.

I also took my Millefiore rosette to work on and have almost all the hexies made 

and ready to start joining them.

This was my view.

Saturday it rained sideways all day long.

They still fished.

Sunday was a beautiful day and this is the results.

Thank goodness they all had Canadian licenses and were able to bring these beauties home.

Ernie, on the left, with his buddy Bob, the boat owner and good friend.

I"m linking up to Patchwork Times.

I'm glad I remembered today is Monday.