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

I finished and gifted both quilts to the boys I talked about here and here.

We delivered them to Gramma on our way to the beach.

Going to the beach means passenger seat knitting.

I've been working on these Circle Socks for quite a while.

They are so full of mistakes but I took my husband's good advice and 

didn't pull the needles. 

"They are socks. Is anyone gonna know you got the pattern wrong?"

"I'll know but I can live with it!"

Sometimes he gives me great advice. 

At retreat last year, I picked up a little embroidery kit.

I took it with me to the beach.

This was the only sewing I did while we were there.

I mostly had my nose shoved into a book.

Nora Roberts can really hold my attention!

It was a very relaxing few days.

I came home ready to quilt.

Instead I did a couple of experiments.

I tested all the colors from my box of Crayola Ultra Washable Markers.

I also tested a home made basting spray that I read about on Chatterbox Quilts.

If you are interested, search her blog for basting spray.

Then I washed my sample.

I was not happy with the markers.

They did not all wash out.

The red is a definite no.

Too many colors stayed in the white/cream fabric.

I don't think I'll be using these markers.

But the spray baste is a definite yes for small projects.

I sprayed the backing,

then layed it on the batting and pressed dry.

Then sprayed the top and layed it on the batting and pressed dry.

I was very happy with it.

I fiddled quite a bit with it before I did a bit of quilting.

Then I washed it and found no residue from the spray.

Wish I could say the same for the markers.

Check out Small Quilts and Doll Quilts Design Wall Monday.

Judy H's Heart Quilt is AMAZING!!

Design Wall Monday

I finished the Warm Wishes quilt except for about 36" of binding.

It was a super nice day yesterday so I layed it out on the deck for a picture.

Last night when I looked at the pictures I laughed at the shadows. 

I think we are headed back to rain today so I'm glad I got the shadowy picture.

When I was talking to a friend about this quilt,

she said I should make one for the brother.

So that is my project I'll start today.

There is still enough gifted cowboy fabric that includes some panel pieces

that I can come up with a great quilt for brother.

This week at Binding Friends group, I showed off my

On The Road Quilt.

It's nice to have a full picture.

There are some awesome projects being shared at

Small Quilts and Doll Quilts-Design Wall Monday.

Design Wall Monday

Wahoo, wahoo, wahoo!!!

Midnight Flight is finished and headed to my bed today.

I started this quilt in May at a retreat with Bonnie Hunter.

I am thrilled to have it finished.

My friend Jane quilted it.

I told her I wanted gold thread and swirls and to just do her Jane thing.

I love what she did!

I have been working hard on trimming up the scraps.

I am pleased to report that the backing extras are cut to usable sizes and put away.

Each retreat I stop to take a picture of this snag.

It's on the road into Royal Ridges.

I was a bit disappointed that the leaves weren't all orange yet.

Maybe they will still be there when I go back in November.

Like this photo from November 2015.

I worked on the secret birthday project until all the blocks were complete.

They are now stacked and pinned in rows thanks to help from friends.

Next up was Garden Party #2.

I just took posy block kits and I think I completed 30 more blocks.

These are so fun to make.

All the while, leader and ender Oklahoma Backroad blocks were being made.

I think 21 more blocks were completed.

I'm almost ready to lay this one out for real.

Retreats are fun.

Retreats are energizing.

Retreats are exhausting.

Retreats are special.

I get to spend hours sewing with one of my daughters and a bunch of my friends.

Today is catch up at home day.

Lots to do!

Hubs was lucky and harvested a deer on opening day so today is processing day.

And when that's over, you'll find me in my sewing room.

See what others are working on at Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts.

Finish Number 5

Yes, table runners count as finishes.

I started this a little over 2 years ago.

All I needed to do was quilt it.

Why do I put this off?

I'm blaming the squirrel.

Actually I was going to hand quilt this but decided to just get it finished.

This will go to in the bus.

Yeah for UFO Busting!

Design Wall Monday

I have nothing on my design wall.

It will be a week full of quilting.

I had a very successful week of reaching my goals from last week's Design Wall Monday post.

So successful that I was able to start quilting this quilt Saturday afternoon 

after basting it and another in the morning. 

Why not baste 2, the tables were already set up 

and Jersey Boys was on tv.

The elk quilt for hunting club is finished!!! 

(I need to hang it up to take a full picture.)

Yeah-2 months ahead of time.

Monday afternoon I sewed the binding on and started to stitch it down that night.

Then a bit more on Tuesday.

Wednesday I took it go Binding Friends group

and left there with it finished!!!  

Great help from Marian and Granddaughter Taylor 

(who is now officially a Binding Friend since this was her first binding.)

Thank you so much ladies!

Next up I finished the Della Wallets from Swoon Patterns.

I delivered them to Taylor and Lacey.

They both loved them. 

Friday afternoon I made backs for the next 2 quilts.

Goals for this week are pretty simple:

• Finish the batik boxy quilt.
• Start quilting the 2nd Sister's Choice.

Finishes

Goal number 2 has been marked off my list. The top wallet was made for camo and Duck Dynasty loving Taylor.  The bright pink was made for Lacey.  I delivered them this morning and they both love them.

This afternoon I made the backs for the two quilts I want to baste tomorrow.  Everything is ready to start bright and early. I'm crossing my fingers that I can be quilting by afternoon.

2015 Finish #1

I'm so happy to have this quilt finished.

Pieced Hexies started October 2013.

 Finished January 6, 2014.

On The Needles

 Happy New Year! It's really hard for me to believe it's already 2015. I vividly remember Y2K like it was yesterday! Do you?  I didn't know how to knit then. It was still a dream. I quilted and did machine embroidery and crocheted. Now I quilt and knit. Times have changed--not much though.

I did it, I finished the No Purl Monkey Socks before the end of 2014!

I think I'll wear them today.

Since I was in the sock knitting mood,

I found Mojo.

An appropriate name since mine has returned.

Fun, quirky, something any teen (or their Gramma!) would love to own.

I had to finish the Monkey socks before I started these.

(I think that's the only reason the Monkey socks are finished.) 

I also cast on for a pair of Plain Jane Socks.

But decided I wanted something with some texture.

This morning I went searching through my Ravelry favorites for a new sock pattern.

I found Tadpoles.

A couple rows of unknitting and I will be able to start the design.

Or I can be a rebel and start it where I am at right now. 

I'll probably be a rebel.

I can't wait to see what others are working on.

We are sharing our projects at 

Patchwork Times-On The Needles.

Cascadia

Today Lori at Humble Quilts is hosting Cascadia Quilt Along Show Me Your Quilts.

Here is mine....finished!

Ignore the quilt past the red binding. 

My little quilt hangs right here beside me at my computer desk.

It covers up the calendar. 

That's a good thing.

Thanks Lori for another great Quilt Along!

Can't wait for the next one.

The 2014 Bonnie UFO Challenge Finale

 TaaDah!

Two quilt tops finished!

Two quilt tops added to Mt. ToBeQuilted.

Bindings are made, labeled and stored away in the binding bin.

Plans for backings are drawn out.

It started here with a bag full of parts and a note to myself.

(Notes to myself are one of my best ideas ever!)

Actually it started in March 2008.

These quilts will be finished and gifted this summer.

It's always nice to have help from Miss Polly.

Not really!!

Thanks Jo for doing this challenge again this year!

I'm excited to have this one out of the bin!

Soon these will  be UFOs no more.

Check out Jo's beautiful quilt and 

see how others did with this challenge at Jo's Country Junction.

Bonnie UFO Challenge Success!

My version of Bonnie's Sister's Choice #1 is a finished top. It's hard to tell but the border is brown with green leafy vines and itty bitty yellow and blue flowers. I'm going to find some blue for the binding. You can see it here if you want.  Another of my life's simple pleasures.....Miss Polly always posing for the camera.  We'll work on the lighting another day.

Sister's Choice #2 has one of the 6 rows sewn together with part of row 2 under the needle.  I didn't stack these blocks the right way to be able to web the top like I normally like to do. I don't know what I was thinking or even if I was. This is giving me lots of leader/ender action which is a good thing.  I am in get it done mode and I'm running out of time before the mystery kick off.

See how others are doing with their Bonnie UFO Challenge at Jo's Country Junction.

Saturday Sewing

I hadn't touched my sewing machine all week. The last day I sewed was Sunday before leaving retreat. I had great plans but something always came up. This morning Ernie left for hunting. I puttered around on the computer while having coffee and then when in to finish this quilt. I gave myself until 9:00 to sew then I had to do some housework.

Just before 9, Ernie came home with his deer.  There goes my morning! Not in a bad way, just something unplanned.

Everything was done, lunch was fixed and he decided to take a little nap.  I went in and quilted more. Then the phone rang. Plans were being made for more hunting.  Yeah! That means more quilting.

After he left, I kept at it and before long, this quilt was finished!  Binding on and stitched down by machine. Done!!!

I practiced echo quilting. Each flower block got a little better than the last.  I love the look of the back. This is my favorite flannel backing. I buy it at JoAnns. I've used in on lots of quilts and  I have never had a problem with it. My go to backing when I don't know what else to use.

Number 4 marked off the UFO Parade list and the super long UFO list. Looking back on the blog I see the top is finished July 2010. I know I got the book for this is July 2006 and remember working on these during down times at work.  

Next!

Finishes Feel Fantastic!

Time to Celebrate!

Pinwheels Finished!

(Ooohhh, I forgot to use the lint brush before posting a picture.
It's all de-linted now, ready for gifting.)

Fun pinwheel backing found at Thousands Of Bolts.

Scrappy Twin Sisters Finished!

Fun scrappy flannel backing.

Before this makes it to a UFO list,

borders have been added so it is next up to be quilted. 

Time to get out the tables for basting!

That's 3 UFOs off the UFO Parade List-Part 1.

September Sewing-Day 3

I am using National Sewing Month as my excuse to sew every day this month.

I really like having my little list posted on Mondays.

On Monday, I set up tables on the deck and basted my hexi quilt.

I quickly basted the section that was in the sun and covered it up.

By the time I was finished, the whole quilt was shaded.

Then I started quilting until it was time for 2 1/2 year old Corbin to spend the afternoon. 

After he went home, I collapsed in the chair for the rest of the night.

I picked up the hexi box but all I did was open and close it.

After a very good night of sleep, 

Tuesday I quilted and quilted until it was done.

Added the binding and label, then settled down to stitch them down.

By the end of the day, 

I had a finished quilt. 

UFO Parade quilt 1 is marked off the list!

Simple somewhat straight line quilting in the ditch.

This morning I finished up my 9 patch wall hanging #2.

Wednesday is Binding Friends (sewing group) day and 

we laid out my Smith Mountain Morning blocks.

Darn me, I forgot to take a picture.

They are all pinned into rows but I'm not sure when I'll start sewing them.

I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings,

Design Wall Monday

I had such a good plan last week. My first project was to finish the blue stars for Smith Mountain Morning so I could put it away and get to quilting the hexi quilt.  I used the cornerstones for the courthouse steps block as my leaders and enders. That lead to sewing a few more of those blocks which lead to what the heck, may as well finish those up and be done with them.  So that's what I did. Smith Mountain Morning is ready to be laid out.

Then I took a coffee break and read some blogs. I read Katy's blog where she showed her 9 patch wall hanging.  Afterwards, I went back in the sewing room with intentions of putting SMM away but instead...

I started making 9 patches from the remaining 1 1/2" strips. Just a few, and a few more, and a few more. Next thing I knew I was laying out my 9 patches and sewing them together into 2 wall hangings.

One is finished, this one will be finished soon.  Pitiful isn't it! I am such a follower. But they are so cute and one will make a nice gift. I didn't have to store those strips. I used up 2 small pieces of fabric-one for the borders and bindings and one for the back and those scraps of batting I don't have to store. A method to my madness.  LOL

I can't sew without leaders and enders so I worked on more 9 patches. These started out as 4 patches but that plan changed to needing 9 patches.  See those extra blue and brown squares?  I cut the shortie/short strips into squares instead of putting them back in the strip bin.

I am making another plan for my week.  Let's see how I do...

• Finish the 2nd wall hanging.
• The Hexi Quilt--baste, quilt, bind.
• Take SMM to Wednesday group and decide on a layout.
• Sew some Pineapple Crazy blocks. 

See fabulous design walls today at Patchwork Times. Be careful, you could be starting something new!!