July OMG Finish

Well if you have been reading my posts this month you know that I got side tracked started and finished a quilt for my daughter that was not any part of my goals for this month.  That being said it made me fall behind on all my other goals and I was uncertain I would be able to finish my "One Monthly Goal"   
My goal was to finish 3 of my Bag Ladies that I already started stitching.  
#7 Finished

Here is what it looked like when I started - 

#9 Finished

Here is what it looked like when I started -

#10 Finished

Here is what it looked like when I started-

I was amazed I was able to get them done but happy I did. Now I'm going to link my finish to One Monthly Goal at Elm Street Quilts. Please head over to and check out some of the other finishes.  
 
Now to decide what will be my OMG for August.
Have a Blessed Day!
Lynn 

A Little Extra for Taya

When I first started making the quilt for our daughter Taya - I had three pieces of fabric with scripture.  "The Lord is my Shepherd" (the start of the Psalm 23) the "Serenity Prayer" and then "I'll dwell in the house of the Lord forever" (the last line of Psalm 23).  I was going to put them in that order with the Serenity Prayer in the Middle.  Well then the friend that gave me those pieces of scripture fabric gave me the rest of Psalm 23. Well of course I put it in the center.  Now I have the piece I had originally decided to put in the center - so - I had the idea of making a pillow or a wall hanging out the left over Serenity Prayer. I settled on a wall hanging.  

 I was able to put it together quilt it, bind it and put a little hanging sleeve on the back.  This will be a little extra to go with her quilt.
I also did a little extra quilting on the modern trees. It's keeping those free motion skills going. Hopefully I will get a chance to play with it some more today.
Have a Blessed Day!
Lynn 

Modern Tree Distraction

Modern Trees is a quilt pattern offered by Christa Watson in 2013.  It was a Quilt A Long (QAL) in an attempt to help us design and work on our Free Motion Quilting.  I got the top done, Pin basted, all of the trees stitched in ditch and the Red and Green trees quilted. It's been like that ever since.  I pulled it out of the closet a couple of months ago thinking it would be a good match for my finishing UFO's and working on Christmas this year - Double Score.  I hadn't gotten to it yet since I was finishing other stuff, but yesterday it was a great distraction. As I was working down my July goal list I pulled out the Bear quilt and was going to finish the top stitching.

  After all I've been doing so good with my free motion quilting I was pumped up and ready.  Well after discussing the layout again with my Sister whom this quilt is for - 

I started in again and like last time I worked on the leaves - it's not going so well. I don't know if it's the fusible I used on the leaves.  I don't know if it's the thread.  I don't know if it's the fact that I only have one layer of stablilizer on the back and not batting and backing.   But.....

After a few of these same results I am frustrated and irritated and need a break. This is where the Modern Trees came in.  It was pinned and ready to go and I needed some reassurance that I could still quilt.  

Good News - I can still quilt.  Whew!  

 Bad News - I need to figure out something for the Bears.  I will try some different threads.  I have tried a couple different needles but will try different needle thread combos.  And I guess worse case I'll rip the leaves off and use a different fusible or method of getting them on.  I might be better hand appliqueing them on.  With all the time I've spent trying to get this top stitching done on them I could have already hand stitched them.  I'll figure it out I'm sure - but have to say it's more fun working on the Modern Tree's that is was the Bears.  
Have a Blessed day!
Lynn 

UFO #5 Christmas Quilt

I am loosely following the All People's Quilts UFO number of the month - but that is not what the #5 is referring to. This is my 5th UFO completed this year.  Yahoo- Hallelujah!
Christmas Quilt is a pattern by Cheri Saffiote Payne.  I started this in 2011 I think.  Well it is done, quilted and I finished the hand stitching of the binding this weekend.   Ta-Done!

I am not 100% sure who this is going to... AFTER I enjoy it for a little bit. All the hand applique and free motion quilting I need to enjoy for a bit before giving away.  But if I had to pick, I have a sneaking hunch it will go to my other daughter Stacy.  She loves all the primitive stuff I make and knowing how much she loves and appreciates it - makes it worth letting it go.  So we'll see.  
It's been a productive couple of weeks and everything came together in the last few days.  This quilt, Taya's Quilt, the scrap blocks and the 12 day's blocks... But next - I need to get going on my Embroidered Bag Ladies.  They are what I picked for my "One Monthly Goal" (before I got side tracked with Taya's Quilt) So I need to get in and get them done.  
Have a Blessed Day!
Lynn  

Psalm 23 Quilt

Well in my last post I shared how I got distracted and ended up starting a whole new quilt that I hadn't planned.  Well I am happy to say that the "Shiny Thing" distraction is Done! I think you can click on any of these pictures to see more detail.

With each quilt that I quilt myself I get a little more confident and a little more pleased with how it comes out.  I really worked at taking my time with this one and I have to say - I am very pleased with it. 

Is all my quilting perfect - No! It never will be but being as critical that I can be of my own work can call it good.  Here are some close ups of what I did.  Look at the birds!  I  got the bird design from Lori Kennedy at the Inbox Jaunt Free Motion Quilt Tutorials. 

Here on the lavender, I just did some angled lines.

Here is a close up of one of the feathers I did.

I did loopy things in most of the dotted borders but in the outside borders I did swirls.

And I liked the bird design so well that I drew on for the label.  

I had a lot of fun making and quilting this one.  It made it better knowing that my quilting was coming out good but even more special knowing I'm making for my daughter. 

We will be picking them up from the Airport on the 31st but won't be back home until some time on August 1st.  It will be hard to wait until then to give to her. I'm sure I'll let you know her response.  

Have a blessed day!  

Lynn 

Seven Swans a Swimming

I have been following Rivers Edge Quilt Loft's Free Block of the Month "12 Days of Christmas". 
I am a little behind on getting them stitched, but have been fusing them on the background each month.  Here is Month 7 - Seven Swans's a Swimming.  I got it cut out and fused.

Here is the picture from the pattern

Here my other blocks. 

Now just to carve out some time to get them stitched. 

Monthly Scraps

As I stated earlier this month, this month's scrap colors are Red's and Maroons.  

 

Whoops....

Okay that's better. 

And the final one!

Putting them with my other blocks until I decide how I want to assemble them all. Now to check the list and see what I need to work on next.  :) 

Have a Blessed Day!  Lynn 

Shiny Thing

Among my quilting friends we have a saying when we get distracted from our goals.  You know, when you start new projects despite having many UFO's (UnFinished Objects) - PIG's (Projects In Grocery bags) or PIN's (Projects I Never Started). We call this a "Shiny Thing"  
I've been so good at staying focused this year, I guess that in the 7th month I can have a shiny thing.  My Shiny Thing is "Psalm 23 and the Church Ladies". 

The top is done, it is pin basted and I am half way done securing it by stitching in the ditch. Who is this for and why did I have a shiny thing this month? 
Well the "Who" is Chantaya (Taya) our youngest daughter. 
She and her two kids are coming on the 31st of this month to visit for a week.  I've never made her a quilt mainly because she doesn't know what kind she wants.  Well she has not asked for this but I feel pretty certain she will like.  She is and has been pretty active at church, the one we went to before we retired and moved here.  She works in the coffee bar, helps out with young group, sings in the choir once a month and has a prayer group for recovering addicts called Celebrate Recovery.  
"How" did the shiny thing happen.  Well a friend of mine gave me a couple of pieces of fabric with scripture on them.  The Serenity Prayer and then these two pieces. This was a couple of weeks ago.

At the time I had no plan for them just said ya I'll take them and put them in my bag.  Well... a few days later I was looking for a piece of fabric that I thought I had (I don't even know what now) and came across this partial panel of the Church ladies.  

I am not sure why, but I hadn't looked at this panel real well and thought it was the Quilt Diva Ladies.  When I found out it was church ladies of course the thought about pairing it up with the scripture blocks came - and then I thought of Taya. And then because she's coming at the end of the month.... Well Shiny thing is in full motion. 

 After I started putting the blocks together the friend gave me the rest of the panel for Psalm 23. 

So I took out the Serenity Prayer and put the rest of the Psalm in. 
Can you tell he guest bed is my design wall.  :)
I think I will take the Serenity Prayer block and make it into a pillow. 
So I have a couple of weeks to finish it up before she gets here and as for the rest of this months original goals.....hmmm ummm - Well I guess I'll wait and see. 
I finished the Christmas Quilt, I just need to hand stitch the binding.  So that's good.  I'll post the picture when done - hopefully this month.  
And I am still working on the Bag Ladies... I finished one of the 3 that I have for a goal for this month.  Again pictures later on that too. 
So I'm busy and I'm doing stuff - and I'm still having fun even if I deviated from the original plan for this month.  
Have a Blessed day!
Lynn 

More for July

In my last post I listed my One Monthly Goal.  The one I'm really going to push to complete.  But I also have some other items I want to work on. 
I am almost done with this Christmas Quilt. 

 I just need to quilt the borders and bind.  It's getting better but I'm still having trouble with my holly leaves.  When I can finally decide on them or something else, and feel comfortable with it - I will quilt borders, bind it and be done.  Another UFO done Yay!  I do want to finish that this month.  
* I also want to do a few scrap blocks like this -

in this months colors. "Red and Maroon".  I am kinda following Soscrappy and the monthly color choice. 
I haven't decided if I'm going to do a rainbow type quilt with all my blocks .....

or pair them up and do a few quilts.  I guess I'll figure it out. 
* Next on the list - I want to continue on with completing the Bear quilt top. For this month top stitching the bears and getting the pieced border on. 
I wanted to have this much done by the end of June but with my machine done and needing repairs it delayed a few things.  

This will be the pieced border.  

* Then because I don't want to wait until the last minute, I need to think about getting this quilt quilted. 

My Sister made the top when she came to the retreat with me last February.  She made it for her Mother in law and wants to give it to her in December.  Since she is not a quilter and is just starting, I told her I would quilt it for her.  I want to get it pinned and figure out a design to quilt on it.  And it I can start quilting it. 
Other than that I also have some "Works in Progress" include the 12 Days of Christmas BOM from Rivers Edge Antiques and Quilt Loft 
Here are the blocks so far - 

and I'm doing and the One Ornament a Month.  It's a Facebook group called "Christmas Present"

As always I've lined myself up with 3 months worth of projects for one month.  That's okay - isn't doing what we want to what retirement is for. 
Have a great day Stitching!
Blessings - 
Lynn 

July 18 OMG

It is really hard to believe half of the year has already past.  Even more reason to get these monthly goals done.  Last year I started these embroidery blocks called the Bag Ladies of the Fat Quarter Club.  It was a BOM however I purchased the whole kit and was working at doing one a month.  Well don't ya know, I got behind.  I have done 1-6 and #8.   Numbers 7, 9 and 10 have some stitching on them and then 11 and 12 aren't started.  I kept starting the next month thinking I would finish the previous one and get the current one done.  Hahahaha.  
Okay well here it is - a big OMG... I want to finish the ones I've started.  

If you have been reading my blog for a while you will know that I am giving them different names to match some friends I sew with.  I got hung up on on the stinking dots.  Finally as you can see on this one, I am just doing french knots in each dot instead of trying to stitch around each one.  This will be Rosemary.

This next one will be Donna - 

And this next one is still undetermined.  

This is a lot of hand stitching for one month, especially considering that I know I will be working on my wool ornaments and BOM's too but I'm going to give it a try.  If I can get back on track with it I may be able to finish it by year end. 

Now I am going to link up to One Monthly Goal over at Elm Street Quilts and get going. Make sure and go look at everyone else's projects.

Have a Blessed Day - Lynn