Design Wall Monday

Well, thanks to Craig, my Janome is back home. I'm a little embarrassed to say how much I missed it.  I sat down last night to work on my block for the AMB Blog Tour! I still need to tweak it a little bit. Hopefully, Tuesday night I will get it down to perfection. lol Is that possible?

Be sure to check out Clothworks to read all about it. There will be a give away of 8 fat quarters at each of the 50 blogs that are participating. That's a lot of chances to win. 

Now that the Janome is back, I can also work on the border for this quilt.

I have most of the flowers sewn on the points of this border. I think I just need the yellow centers in the buds. I just couldn't get my old sewing machines to make a good satin stitch. I think I have decided to add a simple 4 or 5 inch white border with a mini block in each corner to finish off the quilt to a size I will be happy with. 

What is on your design wall? Check in at Judy's to show us.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Suggestions Needed!!!!

Thank all of you for the kind words of comfort given to me during the past few weeks.

In the midst of all, I started a new project to keep me occupied.

The quilt is from this book . . .

Here is the quilt from the book . . .

I want the quilt to be bigger than the pattern, so I plan to add some borders. My thought is to add a 1 inch pink border.  Then,  a 4 or 5 inch pieced border.  I would like that border to be a pieced block. I was thinking maybe star blocks or pinwheel blocks.  Then I would add another inch or so solid border.

So, my friends, the question is "What borders to you suggest I add?" Star blocks? Pinwheel blocks? Or another idea altogether?

I'm linking to Judy at Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.

Spring Break

What a great feeling!

I spent last week working on the sashing for this quilt . . .

I finished it late Saturday evening and spent Sunday afternoon putting the borders on. I was even able to get it sandwiched and ready to go.

So today, I plan to clean house (a little bit) and then begin quilting.  I haven't cooked in awhile, so I would really like to find something good and different to cook for dinner tonight.

I'm heading over to Patchwork Times to see what everyone is working on this week.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.

Double Wedding Ring Update

I spent most of Sunday afternoon in the sewing room machine quilting on the double wedding ring. I think I have all of the center completed now.

I am still wanting a mid arm machine one day. I have arthritis developing in my pinkie fingers and they are beginning to hurt after I quilt or sew for awhile.

I think I am going to cross hatch in the applique border. On the last one I made, I did a large stipple but I felt it distorted the borders some making them wavy. I think the quilting was more than on the inside causing it to be flatter.

I'm linking with Design Wall Monday with Judy.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.

It's coming right along . . .

Just a quick update.

Two borders complete. Working on the third one. I just love how this is turning out. I'm linking with Judy's Design Wall Monday.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.

Design Wall Monday

These are 4 1/2 inch blocks

I now have 9 of them finished. And below is one block that is completely finished with the bible verse machine embroidered. 

The quilt will consist of 56 mini blocks--all different patterns with a different bible verse on each. There will either be a white square or sashing between each block or I will add an additional white border around each block to attain the size of quilt I want.

Visit Judy at Patchwork Times to get way too many ideas for new projects.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.

Since I missed Christmas in July

I am working on Christmas now.

I was able to quilt a few more blocks last night. It is really good to get back in the groove of quilting. 

I had no idea how to quilt it. The pattern suggested stitch in the ditch around the blocks to stabalize, then stitch around the houses. Then they followed the patterns in the fabric. So that is what I am trying to do. But some of the fabric doesn't really have a pattern so I just quilt what comes to mind.

It's been a very long time since I participated in Design Wall Monday. But I do check in almost every week.

Looking forward to an extra day off today.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting. 

I've got that joy, joy, joy, joy

down in my heart that comes from warm weather and sunshine. It is amazing how much better I feel.

On the design wall this week. Well, both projects are off the design wall.  See Patchwork Times for many great ideas.

I finally have one side of the border quilted. It seems to take forever and my hands were aching this morning, so I think I'll let my hands rest from hand quilting.

I have a tabletopper/wallhanging pieced and sandwiched--waiting to be quilted. I'll do it on the machine some time this week.

We had state testing last week so many students have the idea (attitude) that nothing else matters from now until the end of the year. Unfortunately, some teachers feel that way also.

I am trudging right along and continuing to teach -- in a little more relaxed way -- and will continue until the end of school. I do tend to add a few more fun projects that we don't have time for during the rest of the year.

I'm feeling sick about the bombings during the Boston Marathon. It saddens me that someone would even think about doing such a thing. Prayers to the families of all present there today.

Design Wall Monday

I can't believe it has been almost a week since I posted. Time flies during the summer.

On my design wall is a baby quilt for a friend.

I really slipped up on this one. I made her this quilt for her first child.

And I really planned to make one for her second child. I have just put it off. I received a text from her this weekend offering to pay me to make one. I told her I would be happy to make one as a gift. So I spent time on Saturday looking for and resizing a quilt.

This is the inspiration quilt. I just had to decide what size I wanted to make it and resize everything. I just love the Moda Bakshop Recipes. There has to be something for everyone.

Don't forget to check out Judy's Design Wall Monday.

Happy snipping, stittcing, and quilting!

Two Finishes

I told myself that I could not work on anything else until I finished this quilt . . .

And this one.

Yippee.  They are now completely finished.

We are planning a camping trip as soon as school is out. So, I decided that I would get another quilt ready to hand quilt. I decided on this one because I am not in a real hurry to finish it.

It has been hanging around the house for 3 or 4 years now. The pattern is a Star Quilt Along from Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts.  I added one border this evening and have 2 more to add. Hopefully, I'll get to it tomorrow evening.

Drop by Judy's to see what is happening in the quilting world. 

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Design Wall Monday

I have begun quilting on the "Walk by Faith" quilt. It is about 1/2 completed.

I have the borders sewn on all of the Fat Quarter Star BOM blocks.

It is Spring Break this week. And that feels good.

I have a doctor appointment today. Over a two hour drive--one way. So the day will be gone quickly.

More Design Wall Monday at Judy's.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.

Design Wall Monday

I had a very productive weekend. I spent the majority of the weekend working on the Tiger Lily quilt. It is now a flimsy. More about that later. 

Today is Design Wall Monday over at Judy's. Be sure to drop by and leave comments. We all love to read comments. 

I'm not sure if you remember this project. 

It is the Fat Quarter Star BOM provided by Moose on the Porch. If you recall, I picked out my fabrics and then decided I didn't want to have to make the decision of which fabrics to use for each block. So I put them in bags (by color) and pulled out the number of fabrics I needed for each block.

This worked until I got to the outside borders. The blocks were all 12 1/2 inch blocks. The final instructions were to add a 1 1/2 border of the background fabric and a 1 1/2 inch colored border around each block. When I got to that step, I just cut strips from the fabrics I had enough of and then matched that fabric to the blocks.

All blocks are made now, but I still have to sew the outside border on some of the blocks. I want the quilt to be larger, so I think I'll add 3 or 4 borders. But tonight, it is back to the Tiger Lily Quilt.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Weekend Update & Design Wall Monday

Talk about time flying. I was busy all weekend, which means I didn't have a lot of down time. But that is my fault because I do schedule my time.

I had a nice walk after work on Friday and then I hit the sewing room. I got one side of applique border finished.

I spent most of the morning on Saturday prepping the face of the stairs to paint. I had country blue on the wall and stair faces and have decided to go back to a neutral color. It is almost white--just a bit of tint.

That afternoon I went shopping for a few hours so that blew a bit of time. When I got home Saturday evening, I did sew a little more and completed the second side applique border.

And that is my Design Wall Monday.

I did finish the stairs on Sunday and with Larry's help almost got the downstairs hallway and den area walls kilzed so I can paint them this week or next weekend. They were a bright purple and they are also going back to a neutral color.

I finally got to sit down and sew around 7 p.m. I was able to finish the rest of the applique for the two remaining side borders.  I haven't sewed them together yet.

Head over to Judy's for more Design Wall Monday.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Design Wall Monday

Not much sewing went on this weekend. Saturday morning I decided that I needed to do some major cleaning. I started with the living/dining room and continued until I had all of the dust I could take.

I did get in a good mile walk. The day was beautiful.

That evening, I was able to get the rest of the applique pieces for the Tiger Lily Quilt cut out and the Seam-a-Seam attached. Then I remembered I needed to stitch the binding down on the last baby quilt I made. So I did that.  I have a wedding shower to go to today so I will take the baby quilt with me to give to the baby's grandmother and she can deliver it for me.

Sunday was a full day but I did get started appliqueing the final blocks for the Tiger Lily Quilt.

I have redesigned this quilt about 4 times for various reasons. The last reason was because I didn't have enough of the orange fabric that you see at the top of the quilt. I am going to wait until I have the last three blocks appliqued, the center of the quilt sewn together, and the first two borders sewn on the quilt to decide for sure what the next few borders will look like.

Be sure to stop by Judy's for Design Wall Monday. 

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.

Design Wall Monday

Be sure to stop by Judy's for Design Wall Monday.

My design wall has the first 7 blocks of the Fat Quarter Star Quilt-a-long. I am now only one block behind.

I'm going to have to move  the design wall out from behind my large storing unit cabinet. I'm running out of space to put these blocks up. Keeping them displayed reminds me to work on them and check for new blocks.

I spent the weekend working on Becca's Birthday Quilt. I am proud to say that the quilting is complete. I need to add the border and a label.  Hopefully, I won't forget the label.

After I finished it, I was going to start on one of the baby quilts, but I realized that I was using some red fabrics and it would probably be a good idea to wash it first. So, all of the fabrics are washed and I will be ready to start the personalized embroidery tomorrow evening while I cut out the other pieces.

I also got the Tiger Lily fabrics back out and will work on those applique blocks in between the two baby quilts.

Have a great day!

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.

Tiger Lily Quilt and Design Wall Monday

I am in the middle of designing a wedding quilt for my niece. She is having tiger lilies as the flowers in her wedding. When she saw my poinsettia quilt she mentioned she would like one like one with Tiger Lilies.

I have designed this quilt in EQ

and have not totally decided if this is how I will make it. But I do know the tiger lily blocks will look like this

or this . . .

Which do you prefer?

Stop by Judy's for Design Wall Monday.

A Full Day Planned

My design wall has the Fat Quarter Star BOM on it waiting for the next block. So I am working off of my sewing table right now. I have three rows put together on the Orca Bay Mystery Quilt. I think it is going to be fabulous.

Most of the black and white fabrics I used are left over from the Orange Crush quilt, so they definitely will be connected by both the designer and the fabrics.

My sister is coming back over today so we can work some more on her daughter's wedding quilt. I have two quilts waiting requested that are waiting to be made. One is a quilt for my daughter-in-law to put on the back of her couch to protect it from the cats and the other is a quilt for a wedding gift for my niece.

I am designing the quilt for my niece. (If I were a good fabulous aunt, I would make here an applique wedding ring quilt. lol) The quilt is in my head but I need to get it into EQ so I can begin cutting. I haven't yet decided if it will be primarily applique or if it will be a mixture of pieced blocks and applique.

Be sure to visit Design Wall Monday and the Ocra Bay Mystery Monday Link Up. Beware, each week I find new ideas for quilts that I want to make.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Design Wall Monday

Larry and I went Christmas shopping yesterday and other than 2 gift certificates he needs to pick up in our town today, we are finished.  Yippee!!!

I didn't have much sewing time last night, but I now have 40 of the 72 string blocks completed for the Ocra Bay Mystery Quilt.

I may have enough strings cut to complete the other 32. We'll see how far I get tomorrow evening.

Don't forget to drop by Judy's for Design Wall Monday. 

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Poinsettia Quilt & Design Wall Monday

The blocks are all sewn together. Hopefully, it won't take me long to cut and sew the sashings. Then I have a wide green border to add.

I will use it as a wall hanging in the dining area. I would love to use it on the main wall in the living room behind the TV but I still have one of those bulky TV sets. And I refuse to get one of the new thin ones until it goes completely out.

I really planned to sew all weekend but other things got in my way.

Friday evening Larry and I went to watch the local high school football team in the playoff game. It was quite windy which made it pretty cool. Larry was freezing so we left at half time.

I planned to get up and begin sewing early on Saturday morning, but then I decided to get my Christmas village out and put it up. This year, I put it above my kitchen cabinets. It took me almost 5 hours to complete that little project.  I know it is early, but if I wait until after Thanksgiving, I feel like I have to take the decorations down as soon as I get them up.

After that, I sat down to rest for about an hour. Then I was able to sew for awhile.

On Sunday, I went downstairs and picked up the stuff Craig left laying in the middle of his bedroom floor. Then I vacuumed the carpets, going over it several times. After that I went up and cleaned a little bit in the living room.

Kelsey and her boyfriend came to visit for a couple of hours. He seems to be a very nice young man. Although she does say he is a little bossy. (Not that she is bossy at all.) Surely she can break him of that. Lol. 

After they left, I spent the evening at the machine.

Hurry on over to Judy's for Design Wall Monday.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Design Wall Monday

Once again I pulled the fabrics from the paper bags to use in the 2nd block of the Fat Quarter Star  Quilt-along.

Actually I drew out four colors but realized I only needed three and the background fabric. The pattern called for a light colored fabric so I put the darker green back in the bag.

After I completed the block and set it next to the first block, I realized that I must have put two pieces of the same fabric in the bag. So now both block 1 and block 2 have the same light green floral fabric. That's okay because I am going to have to use each fabric in two or more blocks anyway.

That's it for today. Stop by Judy L's for more Design Wall Monday goodies.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!