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!!! 

Design Wall Monday

What a full, full week!

I picked up On Ringo Lake that my friend Jane quilted.

Lots of TV binding time and it's now finished.

Pictures next week after the reveal at retreat.

Of course there has to be a mistake that you find after the quilting is finished.

Thank goodness I'm not a perfectionist so it will not bother me that it's there.

Tuesday was a full day at home alone.

I picked up ORL and sewed the binding on

I made backs and bindings for this quilt and a baby quilt.

I pulled out the tables and got busy pin basting.

Before he came home, both quilts were basted and tables put away

and I was DONE! 

EXHAUSTED from a full day of taking major steps forward on 3 projects!! 

I'm hoping to start quilting this week but

retreat starts Thursday so that might not happen.

Needing another project to take to retreat, I pulled out my Moda Be My Neighbor UFO.

I'd seen one at the church where I picked up ORL and loved the way the sashings and borders were.

I decided to take my rows apart and add sashings.

I haven't worked on it since the November 2016 retreat.

The instructions were all printed, even some fabrics were chosen.

Now the last 5 blocks are kitted and ready to go.

I think it takes longer to choose and cut the fabric than it does to sew these awesome blocks.

It's fun to be excited about this UFO again.

I went to my favorite on line fabric store and bought the sashing fabric (It's a light gray)

 and 2 pieces for outer border, binding and back.

Maybe I can get the sashings cut before Thursday, just in case I get that far on the project.

I tell ya, I am in UFO busting mode!!

No sewing over the weekend because I was with these people while their parents

worked their booth at a craft fair.

What a fun, exhausting weekend we all had.

I got to sit outside and enjoy this view with my morning coffee.

Later in the day, friends brought their horses over to pasture.

I think it may have been the highlight of the kids weekend.

Enjoy your week.

Now I'm going to fill my cup and start visiting friends at 

Small Quilts and Doll Quilts Design Wall Monday.

Design Wall Monday

The sewing mojo has returned home! 

On Ringo Lake is a finished quilt top!

Even that one sashing block has been turned the right direction.

I'm waiting on the backing to arrive this week and the basting will begin.

After ORL, I grabbed the board the had these cute 6" calendar blocks layed out on it.

These were our Christmas Club exchange blocks for 2017.

I knew all last year how I was going to sash them!

This will hang in the bus at the beach when it's completed.

Then I started sewing Oklahoma Backroads blocks into a top.

I've been making these blocks as leader/enders for a while.

The pattern is at Quiltville in the free patterns tab.

Sorry for the horrible picture.

It needs a good pressing and then the sashing will go on.

Lots of tv time with the Olympics and then yesterday was the Daytona 500.

We have really missed watching NASCAR the past couple years.

I sat down thinking I could get the last row finished on The On The Road Quilt

(found at MDQuilts)

but I was wrong.

I had one yellow/orange rosette stitched wrong so unsewing and resewing had to happen

before anything else.

I have the final 4 finishing rosettes and 1 little edge section left.

Today? Maybe~

Snow and ice and freezing temps are here again.

Spring tried to show herself around here.

Daffodils are up with buds ready to open, trees are starting to grow their buds,

then WHAM!! Winter tells us who is still boss.

These days are perfect sew days. 

See what's happening in Blogland at

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts.

Design Wall Monday

On Ringo Lake is becoming a quilt top.

Slowly but surely!

3 long center rows are sewn together.

The 4th row blocks are stacked and ready to assemble.

Eating the elephant one bite at a time.

The Olympics have taken over my TV.

Now I wish I had a TV in my sewing room.

I am soooo very close to working the bottom row of my On The Road Quilt.

I'm only 2 rosettes away from finishing  the last blue row

but I got stalled when I needed more piece neutral hexies.

So I grabbed my neutral scrap bucket and went to work.

I'm not sure how many I have but I'm thinking more than enough.

You know how that works, right!!

Last night I basted all the remaining hexies.

I hope, I might need to make a few more grays and a couple of lavenders 

 but they are easy, 

just cut fabric and baste to the paper.

I'm ready to finish this top!

Bring on the Monday evening Olympics.

Check all the fabulous design walls at 

Small Quilts and Doll Quilts Design Wall Monday.

Design Wall Monday

My mojo went missing for a while, but I found it again.

Yesterday I spent most of the day with On Ringo Lake.

If you want it, you'd better head over to Quiltville and get your clues.

It will be gone shortly!

As I'm sewing more blocks together, I see a pair of geese flying backwards.

I'm surprised I only found 1 pair like that.

All blocks are complete! 

Next is to finish sewing the sashings together.

You know neutrals are my favorite colors!

Quilt inspector Polly needed some serious attention.

So we headed to the couch to work on hexies.

On The Road is so close to being a quilt top!

Only a 3 more major rows! 

Check out the fabulous projects linking up to 

Design Wall Monday

at

Small Quilts and Doll Quilts.

Mystery Monday and Design Wall Monday

I've been working on my Quiltville mystery On Ringo Lake

here and there.

Not like I have in the past where I sit down for hours.

I'm so excited to be putting my blocks together

and had to put some up on the wall.

One afternoon I sewed with my friend Trina via Messenger.

It was so much fun.

She sent a picture of some of her blocks on the wall,

I had to send her mine.

I love my mix of medium to darker blues.

I love my reds and black on blacks,

I love my creamy neutrals that are quite washed out here.

I'm excited to get the remaining blocks and sashings sewn.

It's going to be a fun day in Blogland today.

Mystery Monday Link-Up, Parts6-9 at Quiltville

and 

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

Quiltville Mystery Tuesday Link Up

I'm just getting started on part 5 of On Ringo Lake.

All clues for this mystery are available for a limited time at Quiltville.

This clue was released Friday but I was deep in to Christmas happenings

and playing with some quilting.

I knew I'd have the rest of this week to get my parts sewn.

I pulled out the appropriate size neutral strips 

(most received from our strip swaps)

to use with my Go Cutter.

Then I cut into my blacks for the geese

and got to crankin' and cuttin'.

All the pieces are ready to sew. 

Machine was given a once over with the dust brush and the oil bottle.

A few bobbins were wound and a new needle inserted.

I've got Alias Grace on Netflix ready to push play.

Check out all the progress at today's 

Mystery Tuesday Link Up-Part 5 at Quiltville

and see the fun my friend Mary is having at her sew in. 

Hey Mary. 🙋 

Design Wall Monday & Quiltville Mystery Link-Up

Have I said I am loving each step of On Ringo Lake???

If you haven't started yet,

check out the tab at Quiltville.

This is one of my favorite quilt units.

I made a whole quilt of this block with a larger half square triangle added to make it a square.

You can see what I mean as I start my own quilt from this block.

My finished quilt is here.

The Ultimate Scrap Quilt Like Julie's.

+

I love chain piecing.

I love creating the mountain behind my machine.

I love chain pressing.

I also love a hot iron and this pressing pad.

I learned (again!) not to lay my arm on the pad after pressing my pieces.

Owie, owie!

After finishing my units,

I pulled out my Tumbler's Leader/Ender project.

It's time to get this made into a quilt top.

It's already on my UFO list for 2018 but it's in the front of my brain 

so it's time to just get 'er done.

After all, I only need a few more rows.

How long can that take???

Maybe I'll have a top before Friday.

Maybe I'll have to choose something different for UFO #9 before the Challenge starts!

Wouldn't that be fantastic!?!

Check out all the fabulousness at

Small Quilts and Doll Quilts Design Wall Monday

and 

Quiltville Mystery Link-Up 

Design Wall Monday and Mystery Monday Link Up

I am loving each step of On Ringo Lake, the current Quiltville mystery.

(Link found at the top of her page.)

I never count when I start cutting pieces.

I'm a guesser.

I always guess wrong. 

Usually I start way under and then go way over.

I love having the extras in another project or pieces for the back.

 I want to cut into these piles today.

And the pile of neutrals that are waiting their turn.

Christmas shopping is top priority today.

I have my driver and shopping companion. I am ready with my list.

We'll have a great time and a late lunch out, 

be home in plenty of time for him to go to his meeting.

I will cut and sew and press until he comes home.

 I press and clip into 10s.

I am having so much fun visiting old fabrics,

using up the last of the chunks that I haven't yet cut for my Scrap Users System.

(Have you ever read the Scrap UsersTestimonials?-Mine is there. 😃 )

So many fabrics pulled from my blue and neutral strip bins.

So many fabrics acquired through swaps with friends.

Today is link up day and my favorite day in Blogland.

Quiltville's Monday Mystery Link Up Part 3

and

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

Have a great week everyone!!!

Quiltville Mystery Link Up-Clue 2

Everyone that knows me knows that when mystery time rolls around,

you will find me working on my clue until it is done.

Clue 2 to On Ringo Lake (found at Quiltville) was finished Saturday.

Remember, I don't have a full time job or any children at home.

I have lots of time to sew.

Or should I say, I take lots of time to sew.

First thing I did was get out the appropriate Go dies.

With each die, I write on the package the fabric chunk size.

I cut my chunks and stack them in a layer of 6.

This took me about an hour.

Then it was crank, crank, crank.

During one episode of Switched At Birth,

I had all my parts cut.

Sew, sew, sew.

Binge watch my show.

OK, part 1 of sewing and pressing was enough for day 1.

Someone thought he needed dinner. 😉

(Honestly, I did do a few things other than sew, but not many.)

Day 2 brings me stacks of 10 1 winged geese.

I sew 10, grab a pair of tumblers to get this leader/ender to completion,

(since I'd love to mark this one off the 2017 UFO Challenge list)

sew 10 more.

And sew on and sew on until all my stacks of 10 are complete.

Then it's press and clip, press and clip.

All flying geese are complete with a few (23) extra.

Lots of progress was made toward completing my UFO.

I'm happy to have Clue 2 finished,

because it's going to be a busy week. 

Thanks Bonnie for another fun clue.

Check out everyone's progress at Quiltville's Mystery SUNDAY Link Up.

Design Wall Monday and Quiltville Mystery LInk Up

I kind of got carried away with my 9 patches for the On Ringo Lake mystery at Quiltville. 

Why make 50 when 75 are so easy to do. 

I love sewing the short strip sets.

And then cutting them with the Go Cutter.

I haven't finished my tumbler leader/ender yet.

Thinking I needed more blocks, 

I cut a bunch more.

Only to find a bin full of them all ready to go.

LOL, sometimes I amaze myself.

Oh well, they are seeds for another quilt.

Before starting the mystery, I decided to complete the baby quilt top.

I wish I would have gotten a good picture but again,

the rain and dark interfered with my plan. 

This week I'll get the back and batting ready for it

and maybe start quilting.

It all depends on how this nasty cold treats me. 

I'm  linking up today with Quiltville and Small Quilts and Doll Quilts.