First 2020 OMG

My head has  been going round round trying to decide which of my hundreds of projects I want to be my "One" monthly goal for the first month of 2020.  With a new year I get so excited I make my lists ready to conquer ufo's and new projects.  If you read my last post I was really in a tizzy about staying focused, getting stuff done and only starting new stuff I already had.  Uh hmmm 5 days ... I only lasted 5 days. Oh my, does it count that I'm using my stash to make the new thing.  I'll post more about that later but you're really here to see what my OMG is.  So with out further delay...my goal this month is to make progress on the "Spring" Wool  Crazy table mat. 

Okay to be fair I need to point out how much progress I want to make.  All of the applique has been stitched down.  Next I need to do the embroidery in the blocks and the crazy stitches. I want to get half of that done. I've put arrows to point out areas that I intend to do. 

1. The branches and blooms on the tree.

2. The vine and leaves around the word spring.

3. The vegetables by the shovels.

4. The raindrops with the umbrella.

5. And then the crazy stitches of vine that goes around the whole center. 

That's my goal for this month that I'm linking up. 

Now head back over to Elm Street Quilts and see the other goals. 

Have a great day! Lynn 

December 2019

Another new month - and the start of winter, at least according to Google.  :)!  As one month ends and the new one starts it's time to set my wishes and goals for the next few days and weeks.  Last month I met and exceeded my goal(s) so of course I want to do that again.  And even with the Christmas holiday coming up, I believe I can get some stuff done.  
At this moment I don't have items I am making for Christmas gifts that need to be finished up -  but that's always subject to change.  :)
My granddaughter wanted matching aprons for her and her oldest daughter Nellie, however she hasn't given me the measurements I need yet so it's on hold.  
So what do I want to try and accomplish this month - I would like to finish the wool Winter Table Mat - 

Here's how far along I am with it right now. I have crazy stitches on two joining seams.

I will need to finish the crazy stitches on the remaining seams ( Nine more)  and the center.  Then I can but the back on and bind.  I want to get this done - it is almost officially winter you know. 
This will be my One Monthly Goal.  To finish the Wool Winter table mat. So I am linking this up over at Elm Street Quilts.  


I also want to finish the binding on the Bear Quilt so I can finally give to my Sister and Brother in law.   It is sewn on I just need to do the hand stitching. 

I may submit it to the quilt show that is happening in March. 
I also want to continue with "A Little Porchtime" the UFO that I have been working on.  Would be great to get the top done. 

Not sure what all else the month will hold - but that will give me a good start. 

Now go back over to Elm Street Quilts and look at all the other entries. 

Have a Blessed Day! 

Lynn 

WIP on UFO

As you probably realize from the last few posts I've made, I am pretty focused on getting some UFO's done.  
For what ever reason, after finishing the top to the Black and White Pinwheel quilt, I really wanted work on my "Little Porch Time" Quilt.  

Where it is at my restarting point on this:  I have the left side done.  The house, the two tall flowers and 9 patches, the churn dashes and the hands.  I also have the blocks prepped for the 3 vases in the next row and the star block is done. 

So here's what I've done in this last week since I picked it back up. 

The Sun flower in the bottom right corner. 

Then I made the background for the middle row where the big long flowers will go. 

I've started appliqueing the basket that is just above the star to the left of the blue line.  

As for now - our youngest daughter is here for the Thanksgiving holiday, and I'm all about soaking up time with her, so it will be a few days before I get back on this. Until then....

Have a Blessed Day!

Lynn 

A Flimsy and OMG

I love it when I meet my One Monthly Goal - I love it even more when I exceed it.  Happy Dance.  
Okay my One Monthly Goal was to make the remaining 2 pinwheel blocks for my Black and White Pinwheel Quilt. 

Then make 80 sashing units out of HST (half square triangles) 

Ta-done.  But instead of letting it go there and work on something else, I kept going. On somewhat of a mission to get all these UFO's and half started things done.  I know I still need to quilt all these but just getting them to flimsy stage is a relief. 
I had some issues with cutting of blocks being wrong you can read about that in my last blog post or click  Here. 
Despite the hurdles I worked and just kept putting row by row together on the diagonal.  I had 3 rows and the sashing rows to put on yesterday along with borders but was able to finish it up. 

I was having a hard time getting a picture that showed the it real well.  I have it draped on our king bed. 

And then here it is on the guest bed where it will be when it's done.  I actually like it turned side ways.  I fits the way I want it to and will still be long enough on the sides when I'm done quilting it. 

Well I definitely met my OMG and so at he end of the month I will be linking it up, over at Elm Street Quilts. 

Now to figure out the next UFO I want to tackle.  
Today I have some household things to do and my Sister and Brother in law are coming over for dinner.  I'm going to make roasted Chicken and Vegetables and not sure what else.  
Have a blessed day!
Lynn 

Pinwheel Quilt

When I was growing up, there was a cheesy joke: What is Black and White and read all over?  A newspaper!  Because when you tell the joke you don't know you are saying read and not red.  :)  Okay what does this have to do with quilting you ask - Well I will tell you.  
The Quilt is Black and (Off) White...  The read all over is the fact that when I finished all the components (blocks and pieced sashing units) to assemble the quilt,  the triangles that were the ends to each row do not fit.  

Here I've laid out a few blocks to see how the row go together on the diagonal.  

I read - and read - and measured and Re-read and texted a friend.  Here's the instructions for #4 fabric.

Here are the layout instructions - 

I don't know what's wrong, this pattern was a block of the month and is really old so there may have been a correction and I didn't get - but the cutting instructions do not work no matter how hard I tried.  I can't cut a 5 1/4" sq twice and get it to fit a 4 1/2" block.  SO.... I have enough fabric and ended up cutting more pieces.  I did have to change the smaller triangles to #5 fabric instead of #4, but actually that way the whole outside is the same fabric so it works fine.  Here are the first few diagonal rows sewn together. 

I keep you posted on how the rest of it works.

Blessings,

Lynn 

Pinwheels and HST

Today is my "Plan-a-lot-amus" (nick name from my daughter) day but also my plan of action day.  Tomorrow the 3rd of 3 retreats in a row starts.  This one is 4 days and I am staying over so I'm trying to make sure I have everything I need.  I do only live 30 mins away if I have to come home, but who wants to take an hour out of their sewing time.  :) I usually cook all day on these days, but hubby still has lots of food left over from the last one so other than making him a big bowl of salad, he should be set.  

At the 1st retreat in this trio I started working on a ufo that was my Black and White Pinwheels from 2009 or 2010.

There are 2 more of the pinwheel blocks that need to be made and then there are 640 Half Square Triangles.  At the 1st retreat I got several HST done, and some trimmed.  At the second retreat I got more sewn and this week I've been trimming them.  However - I still have this many to sew together.  

Then I will have them and these to trim. 

Once that is done I can start sewing them together to make a square 

Then two of the squares will make this little sashing unit. 

There needs to be 80 of these units.  So now that I have listed all these steps - what I want to do is link this up as my One Monthly Goal over at Elm Street Quilts. 

 

The goal is to make the 2 Pinwheel Blocks remaining and get all 80 of the sashing units sewn together. Wish me luck  :). 

Now head back over to see what others are sewing and what their goals are.  

Thanks for stopping by - Blessings, Lynn 

River Quilters Retreat

All of our retreats except one are held at the Tropicana Laughlin Hotel and Casino.  The retreats which are mostly held in the Coranado Room differ in lay out depending on who the host is. This one is put on by River Quilters which we refer to at the Helga Retreat.  Helga Brown, Judy Jorden and Susan Sacco are from Lake Havasu City and they are the ones that put this together and call the group River Quilters.  This retreat normally includes 30 people and the layout works to not crowd us. 

 Here are the welcome gifts. 

And our name tags.  

Here are the lay out pictures I took while people were setting up.  I am facing the front of the room from the middle of the room and taking pictures from the right going to the left. 

This picture I am standing at the door look straight back. 

This picture is from back of room looking to the right. 

 This picture is from back of room looking towards the door. 

  This picture is from back of room looking to the left.  My seat at this retreat is just beyond Ann next to window. (See the turquoise jacket on the chair) 

I did not work on the project(s) that I thought I would so I guess I'll have them for the next retreat.  I was just going to do a couple steps on my old mystery bom ufo, then bring home do trimming and get set up for the next steps.  Well I got excited and kept going.  :)  

I was going to just make these units and then bring home to cut. 

like this, because it was using a special ruler/template ....

but I went ahead and cut.... and then I was able to do the next several steps - 

At that point I was able to do everything except the 2 borders. 

I didn't bring it with me because I wasn't going to go that far.  LOL.  

After I got that done - continued on with the HST that I thought I was going to work on.  I wanted to get them sewn so I could trim during the week and then I'd be able to start putting that ufo  together.  

Sunday - the last day of this retreat was my Birthday!  Happy Birthday to me.  My daughter asked if I was having fun I told her yes I was in my happy place - sewing.

And what are the chances - there was another lady there, that got into the retreat because someone canceled and it was her Birthday too.  

It was a super fun weekend and retreat.  They had games, raffles and door prizes.  Oh and lots of sewing and laughter.

Time to gear up for the next one.  

Have a Blessed Day! Lynn