Santa Gifts

Thursday is our November meeting for the CRQ guild where we are doing secret Santa's.  So for this meeting I made a mug rug for both my Sister (Randi) and I to give to our persons, and then the coaster that Cheryl made for us to give them. C for my person and D for my Sisters person.

I'll be wrapping them up and giving at the meeting.
Then as us four friends are making stuff for each other, I'm making the wool ornaments - I got 2 each of them for Cheryl and Gloria done and gave them to them at the SNR guild meeting last night.  

I need to finish the other two angels and snowmen for Randi and I to give, then do the elves and Santa's for us all to give.  I will keep you updated on all the other stuff we are doing too.  

What else have I done... Well we are getting a new dining room table.  Right now we have a 5x3 glass one and we are getting a 4x3 wooden one.  So I had a couple of scrap pieces of fabric one was flannel so I put them together for a quick little table cloth. 

 Below is the flannel.  More Fall like so can use for longer if I want. 

I have no idea where I got either of these pieces of fabric but it should work well for a Thanksgiving this year.  And now of Course I'm thinking ahead to what I have that I can make for Christmas and Winter.  

As I was sewing I had a helper....

She kept bugging me and wasn't satisfied with just being petted or even laying on my quilt.  

I thought she wouldn't like the sound of the machine as I sewed but she was funny. 

She acted like she wanted to figure it out, tilting her head one way and then the other.  Thanks Pumpkin for all your help. 
I'm going to do some more sewing today so I guess we'll see if I have a helper again or not.  

Have a blessed day - 

Lynn 

Progress and New Goals

If you are looking for "Grow your Blog" Click here!

Well January was the first time in a long time if ever that I published my list of goals for the month.  And I have to say it was a great motivator  to keep me focused and on track.  However it was very revealing to me how much I can get distracted and want to stray from my first of the month to do/wish list.  *grin* 

So how did I do you ask?  Pretty good I think!  
Here goes:

#1.   Baby Quilt for my Great Grandson Benji...  "Monsters"  I free motion quilted all the blocks, which I'm just beginning on that so I am really pleased that I got it ......DONE!!!
  

#2.  The BOM from Peggy Anne's.... No Progress.

#3.  Twas the Night Before Christmas, Santa Block...... there was progress but it is not done - so that will carry over to February.  

#4.   Jacquelynne Steves "Sweet Simplicity" BOM blocks 1,2 and 3 .... Done!!!  

#5.   "Vintage Kitchen"  BOM by Jenny of Elefantz Block 1.... Done!!!  As I mentioned before, I am doing this in a salmon color.  

6.  ABCD Quilt.   I was not sure what to expect on this and so in my goals setting for January, I left it as a question of what would be accomplished.  I went to the class and I made all the blocks at the class.  So I'm going to count this as a goal met.

The process that the teacher uses is that you make a bunch of these blocks and then you have unlimited amount of quilts that you can make from them depending on how you arrange them.  Here is a sampling of the blocks we made in the class.This was a quick lay out and may not be the finished lay out. 

7.  Bears Block for my Sister's "Woodsy" quilt that I am designing. 

Well - I made progress but it's not complete with top stitching that was my goal. It won't look so choppy once I do some thread painting on it.  *smile* 

  

8.  Doll Quilt for "Doll Quilters Monthly" Swap.... Done!!!  I've been doing this swap for a couple of years now, but have decided to take a break for a while, so this is my last swap. My partner has not received her quilt yet so I can only show a peek for now.  

Extra Credit For January -  To finish the binding on a quilt from too long ago.... I didn't get that far - so of course that will carry forward.  :)  

I have to say I am very pleased with all that I got done and the progress I made.  The list really did help me to stay focused.  

So what's on the agenda for February -  This list is going to be a long one, however I have a 3 day sewing retreat to work on whatever I want to so I am planning to be able to accomplish a little more than normal.   We'll see.  *wink*

February

#1.  Carry over from January - the Peggy Anne's BOM Quilt.  I still need to do the last block and it has 96 piano keys for one of the borders.  I want to finish the top. 

#2.   I have been going to a class at the local quilt shop called "Mystery Monday"  in January the project was this 35x35 quilt that could be a lap quilt or table topper and so I picked colors I wanted for a table topper.  We worked that day and the next to get it done but we didn't.  I want to finish the whole thing quilting and all.  

Here are the 2 of 9 blocks needed.  There will be 5 of the one on the left and 4 of the one on the right.    

#3.  Mystery Monday for February will be happening again this Monday the 2nd.  All I know is it is going to be applique, with  our choice of machine or hand.  I've been doing so much fusible applique lately that I want to do this one by hand.  So I will take a gamble and say I'll finish it.  ha ha 

#4. ABCD Quilt - I want to get the blocks trimmed and decide on a lay out and finish the top.  See blocks above.  

#5.  Vintage Kitchen  by Jenny of Elefantz - finish the 2nd Block.  I'm not sure which one it will be, January's block was the top left one. You can still join in click here.  

#6.   Sweet Simplicity by Jacquelynne Steves BOM.  I want to do the final 3 blocks.  This was a 4 block BOM, however she has given us 2 bonus blocks in case we wanted to make this a 6 block quilt.  I want to use this a table topper, so I will be doing all 6 blocks.  The remaining 3 that I will be doing is the top left block and the bottom 2 on the 6 block quilt.  The there I've already completed are above.

#7  Birdhouse BOM  - This is a project for the Stitch N Rippit guild.  I need to do the block for January which is the snowman in the top left corner, and I will get the February one at the next meeting so I want to complete both blocks.  

#8  Carry over from January and continuing on with the Woodsy Quilt, I want to finish the bear(s) block top stitching and thread painting.  Pictured Above. 

  

#9.  Tea Leaf Table Runner.  This is a workshop that we had at the Colorado Quilters Guild a few months back.  It is a Judy Niemeyer paper pieced pattern.  I just need to applique the leaf on the background and then quilt and bind.  I want to complete that.   

10.  There is a workshop in February at the Stitch N Rippit guild for a St Paddy Day Table runner.  I don't know how detailed it is so I want to at least finish the top. 

Before I get to the extra credit - I also need to make myself a name tag for the Stitch N Rippits guild meetings, and I also have a block that I need to make for a surprise gift for one of our members of one of the guilds - can't say more than that.  And I am hosting a give away on my blog post "Grow your Blog" which is open until February 14th.  (Quick - go leave a comment) And I will be making a set of mug rugs or a pincushion depending on who wins.... so there's 3 more things.  :)  

Extra Credit

EX1.  Quilt and bind ABCD Quilt

EX2.  Top Stitch the Quail block I've already done for the Woodsy Quilt.  

EX3.  Start top stitching my Sea Turtles quilt. 

EX4.  Make another block for the Woodsy Quilt.  I don't know if it will be a fox,  a rabbit or a bird.... But make another block towards it. 

  

Well if you made it this far - Thank you and have a blessed day! Lynn

  

New FO - December

Well this is the last New FO.  At least until we catch up on our UFO's and WIP's.  Is that possible for a quilter.  :)


We didn't have Doll quilt swap this month so that isn't one of my New FO's - However I did create a couple other things this month. 


1.  I made a table runner.

2.  I made a needle keep for a friends birthday.  She likes to do red work so I put  a couple of skeins of red DMC  and some embroidery needles inside.

3.  I made a curtain for a sliding glass door.

4.  And low and behold after many many years of sewing I learned how to make pillow cases - So I made 2 pillow cases. 

And since I'm just now getting back into some routines I can't remember for sure if I started these in November or December but I definitely finished them in December so I am posting the finished picture of my Bird Mug rugs that I did all the thread painting and quilting on.  :) 

Thanks so much to Barbara at Cat Patches for hosting this fun New FO give away for so long.  It's been a great way to connect and keep us creating.  Thank you. 


Lynn

May NewFO

It's time for the May NewFO....  

I find it quite odd that some months drag on - but others seem to end and you're really not sure they were ever here.  You know that feeling of "Where did May go?" - "Did I do anything in May?"  Well I'm not sure if you do that, but I do.  And as always each month I tell myself that I am going to do more blogging, because really, it's been a whole month since I wrote a post. :)  But I have a solution to that and some exciting news.......... I am retiring and moving from Oregon to Arizona - so I should have more time to blog. The jury is still out on that, because who knows what I'll be doing with all that time, maybe some of my many UFO's.  (No promises) 

So with out further delay - here are my NewFO's for May, that is why you came here right? 

#1.  My Monthly Doll Quilt for the Doll Quilt Swap 

My Partner Aileen and I decided to go with the theme of "Go Modern" But she then was having quilters block so I said I was fine with anything.  Here is the quilt I made her. 

And here is what she made me. Very Bright and Pretty. 

#2.  I did some more Mug Rugs for a swap hosted by Michele at Quilting Gallery. 

#3. I did two more additions to the Round Robin row by row quilts that I'm involved in. I'm not sure if they read my blog or not so I should probably only show the sneak peeks. Each person had their own fabric and that fabric is sent along with their quilt. The first one is for Patrice, she was going a little with Amish themed blocks so I did some log cabins.  I have to say I'm not sure they are my favorite.  I'll give them another try some day but for now - not the fav. I also did a couple Jacob Ladders.  Here is her peek. 

The next was for Betty my sweet friend from Mississippi, whom even though I've never met has become like a 2nd Sister to me and a very dear friend. She loves Butterflies, Ladybugs and Angels. Others have concentrated on the Butterflies so I did something a little different. Here is a peek of hers. 

#4. On Memorial Day I went over to my quilt teacher and friends house/studio and she showed a couple of us how to me make cloth chalk boards. I haven't finished the hand stitching of the binding, but here are the ones I made.  I want to make one for each of the grand kids, and I thought a smaller one would be great for the fridge. Here they are. 

#5. And the only other thing worked on that warrants any mentioning is I made a block for the months Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  I am using a free pattern that is from "Fat Cat patterns". May's color was Green so here is my green purse. I've been adding a pocket on each one and this time I made it a real pocket. And then each one has buttons on the handle. 

Well that's it for me for May. I am not sure what all June - August will hold. I am working until June 19th. Then packing in the month of July and on July 30th we will be moving.  August will be a time of settling in and getting into new routines. We will be helping out my aging in-laws and so I'm sure there will be new things to fill my day - but I'm sure I'll find a little time to sew somewhere in the day. 

Hope you all have a great month, thanks for stopping by. 

Blessings, 

Lynn 

April NewFO

Well as normal the month end has snuck up on me.  At the first of the month I got a bunch of stuff done that I wanted to do and then thought okay it's only the first part of April with all of this done, I will be able to get a lot done this month.  Hmmm that must have been my burst and burn out.  ha ha  So yes the month was productive but it's still amazing that it's May. 

Okay this is a big one and I have been procrastinating, I mean contemplating my designs. I've talked about it before, but my Sister wants a "Woodsy" quilt for their 5th wheel and wants two bears in the center.  Well the bears aren't coming out the way I want them to, so finally I'm like, Hey move on - do one of the other animals and come back to the bears.  SO I did, and here the first block of many I'm sure.  It still needs the top stitching but being done is not required for the NewFo right?  

Okay next in line is my Monthly Doll Quilt - Hosted by Barbra from Cat Patches  - This month's theme was "Diamonds are Forever" and my partner Karen, from Germany said she likes brights.  

So her is what I made for her. 

Then for my pincushion group that is making small projects I made a couple of mug rugs. 

Then The big thing that was a NewFO is that I am in a Round Robin that is a Row by Row. There are 8 women all around the US that are in this circle.  Each lady picked out fabric then constructed a row approx 9 x 52.  Then you send your row and your fabric to the next person.  Then they use your fabric to add to what will be your quilt.  Then they send it on to the next.  And we are only giving peeks of what we are adding to each persons quilt so it will be a surprise when we get it back.  We're on a two week schedule so it keeps us hopping. 

So here is the row I started and sent off. 

So the row I got that I needed to add to was this. 

And this is what I added to it  - I can't show the whole thing - only the sneak peek. 

I did this needle turn applique and she had the most beautiful batiks to work with - but I had to send on with her quilt.  :) 

Next I did the next purse for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  April was purple so this is what I did. 

And lastly I did have a start for the "Let's Book It"  I am doing this pattern that was in my  Simply Vintage Magazine that I purchased,  but I bought the pattern so I could do this in my wool class.  The pattern is called "My Favorite Things"  from "Primitive Gatherings"

Here is my 1st Block.

I did a few other things on my on going WIP's but nothing to write home about.  

Hope you all have had a great month and Here's to NewFO's for May.  :)  

Lynn