America the Beautiful

I've been told that as you start quilting more and more that the quilts will start speaking to you and telling you how they should be quilted.  Well I don't know if I am there or not, however, yesterday as I started quilting this quilt, not sure what I wanted to do I started getting these Ideas.  I knew I wanted to do stars and so I practiced them then started in.  But all the sudden I had this urge to use words.  I'm not sure if  I've free motioned words before.  Oh well it's what was calling to me - so I'm giving it a try.  I am still in the beginning stages so not all my loops are smooth, but I like what I did.  

It's hard to see but if you zoom in you can see the words.  

So I'll be working on it a little more today - and I'll see what I come up with.  
Have a great day!   
Blessings. 
Lynn 

PS  I'm not always good about leaving comments either - but if you can say Hi and let me know you were here.  :)

Thursday - Friday and Beyond

Well I figured I could get away with finishing out the week in my title.  :)  And very fitting to explain what all I've been up to. 
On Wednesday I woke up feeling like I had the flu - so other than taking our normal walk, I stayed pretty close to home.  I tried to do a little sewing, but for the most part I just took it easy and took a nap. 
Thursday I felt a little better so we took our walk and then I was able to do a little more sewing.  In fact I was able to finish the top to the CRQ Charity quilt.   It is hard to see but I used the strips to make a rail pattern around the flag and strip of soldier fabric.  Then I had enough strips left over that I ended up piecing the back.

Here's the back!

Then Friday I sandwiched it and pin basted it.  So I can start quilting it any time now.  After I got that pinned, I put the borders on the next charity quilt, this is for the other guild I belong to the "Stitch N Rippits".  Then I needed to Piece the back and it was ready to sandwich.  By the time I got that done the tables to spread out on were filled so I worked on some other stuff.  

Then yesterday (Sat) I went to my free motion quilt class at Fabrics Unlimited. I asked and they didn't have any more classes for the day so they said I could spread out.  So I took advantage of that and pin basted that 2nd quilt too.  

I didn't make this quilt, only the borders and back.  So now I have two quilts to get quilted.  I used to just make the tops for charity and then give them to someone else to quilt.  But one of my friends said it's a great way to practice your free motion quilting on, so I not only decided to do one - I'm a glutton and decided to do two. One for each of the guilds.   

Today we're going to church and then I will start on these this afternoon.  We'll see how far I get.  

I'm sure I'll keep you posted on that. 

Have a Blessed Day!

Lynn 

Mon - Tue - Wednesday

Well I wasn't able to show you what we did Monday for "Mystery Monday" because I had left it at the shop and hadn't taken a picture.  See we we have Open Sew on Tuesday Mornings, so it's just easier to leave our machines and supplies at the shop over night, hence not having the project.  
We got two little fabric bundle kits for the class and we were able to complete one of them in class and I finished up the other yesterday morning in open sew.  

It's a rotary cutter holder.  However I think I'll make more to hold sunglasses.  I keep scratching mine by putting them in my purse with out a case.  This little pouch won't take a lot of space and when I told my husband of my idea he said he wanted one too.  

Then after I finished the second one yesterday morning, I started on my charity quilt project for the CRQ guild.  I started with this pile of fabric.  

Then I trimmed the flag panel, and put some of the soldier fabric around it.  Then I took the strips and made strip sets.  I want to do a rail pattern around the center.  I laid part of it out to see what it looked like. 

So if all goes well, I will start sewing the rails around the sides. 

Have Blessed day! 

Lynn 

2015 UFO Busting Update

All people's quilts is doing a random number UFO buster. At the 1st of the year you were supposed to list 12 of the UFO's you wanted to work on and hopefully finish or get a lot farther on during the year.  Then on the first Monday of the month they randomly pick a number and whatever number they pick you work on that UFO as much as you can that whole month.  Well I did really good in January and February, I was able to complete each of those projects. March had a mind of it's own.  :)   But I did make progress.  It's a quilt called "Ruby Red Dot".  It uses applique, wool applique, and piecing. At the time of starting it, I was in a wool club.  Each month we would receive a pack of wool containing 6 or 7 pieces about 5x7.  It was hand dyed wool that was a specialty of the quilt shop I went to.  Anyway - the wool that we got at the time was nice and bright and didn't really match the blocks that were in the book, but I decided I would try to make the quilt using the colors we got anyway. 
So at the start of the month I had 8 1/2 blocks already completed. 

After working on it around other projects this last month I got the 1/2 block done  and one more block.  Not as much I wanted to get done. 

 I had hoped to be able to get the sashing pieces done and some of the friendship stars.  But that didn't happen.  
So I really thought about continuing on with it again this month, however I decided to go ahead with this months random number which is # 8 and according to my list that means a Quilt called "Folk Art Gathering"  by Shari Saffiote Payne.  It's a primitive quilt using homespuns and wool and also contains a lot of hand applique.   Here is what I have done so far, 

I chose to do mine in teal, brown and creams with an accent color of the muted burgundy to rose color.   Here's a close up of the bottom two left blocks - this row has the alphabet and I've started it.  

Can you see it around the crow and pineapple? 
Here is a picture of what needs to be done. This is taken from the pattern photo so it does not reflect how it will really look.  

  
I'll try to update through the month and let you know how I'm doing.  I don't think I'll be able to even get the top done this month, but It'll be fun to get back on this quilt and see what I can get done.  Have a Blessed Day!  
Lynn    

April - A Lovely Year of Finishes

I don't have any particular deadlines for anything right now - and sometimes that makes it harder to get going and get things done.  *smile*  So I had a hard time figuring out what I wanted to do for this month's ALYOF.   I have been trying to use this to get some of my UFO's done - but I have a couple of charity quilts I need to get done, so I am going to make the top, quilt and bind it, and that will be my ALYOF for this month.  

I was given a couple of panel pieces and a lot of strips and told just do what I want with it.  So here is the material that I received.  And I'll show you what I come up with when I'm done.  

Today was Mystery Monday, and we had a great time.  We made rotary cutter cases.  However I left mine at the shop and forgot to take a picture so I'll have to show you that tomorrow.  And with any luck - I'll have an update on what I've decided to do with the Charity quilt.  

Have a great night - 

Blessings,  Lynn 

Goodbye March, Hello April

When I still lived in the Pacific Northwest - March, April and May were hopeful months that the rain would settle down, flowers and gardens would take over the focus of some quilters time and the beauty of the area would flourish.  Now that I am in the desert of Arizona,  it's hot season gearing towards A/C Season.  There will come a time in the next couple months that we will be stuck in the house.  Shucks, guess my sewing time is coming.  :)  

Okay how did I do with my goals for March, that's what we all want to know.  

1.  Jacquelynne Steves -   Sweet Simplicity BOM - Done  Yahoo!

2.  Jenny of Elefantz - Vintage Kitchen block 3 - Done Yahoo x 2!

3.  SNR  Guilt BOM  February and March Birdhouse blocks - no progress at all.  

4.  March Mystery Monday - It was a tote bag - Done  + extra credit made a 2nd bag. 

5. St. Patrick's Day Table runner - Done! 

6.  SNR Guild Workshop Frog Pincushion.  I missed the class due to some issues that came up - I did pay for the pattern and supplies so I will be picking that up and hope to add to Aprils stuff to do. 

7.  Woodsy Blocks.... No Progress

8. Embroider Santa Block .........  No Progress. 
  

Then I had a UFO goal through Project quilting - they pick a random number and that's which UFO or WIP that you work on all month.  I had hoped to do more but I did make progress of 2 blocks of applique on it.  
***********

Extra that I accomplished in March - 

I took the class and started the Gray Heron. 

I did make a set of pillow cases and the extra tote bag, for my Mother in law for her Birthday. 

I did spend one of the workshop days for the SNR guild putting together quilt tops with borders, backing, batting, and binding for members to take home and quilt. 

We had some issues that came up this month that did take away from our regular routines and I lost a little more than a week of my sewing time.  My Dad had another stroke and was in the hospital for a little over a week, and another family member moved so we spent several days packing and moving stuff  calling and making changes to utilities and all that fun stuff moving involves.  So considering that I still got about 1/2 of my stuff done - I feel pretty good.  :)   

Dad is home now and doing pretty good.  He has a little memory loss and some loss of dexterity with his right hand and leg but otherwise is doing good.  

So I'm going to try not to over do my list for April - ha ha  - we'll see how that goes.  

                                     APRIL

1.  Project quilting - Random # UFO - WIP  to be announced the number will be picked on Monday. 

2. Vintage Kitchen Block #4 

3. SNR - Charity Quilt.  Quilt the kit I made up and brought home to completion. 

4.  Mystery Monday - Don't know what it is but complete it!  

5.  CRQ - charity Quilt top.  Make one,  if time allows, make a back and quilt it myself, instead of just the top. 

6. SNR guild workshop  the frog pincushion that I didn't get from last month.  Make it.  

7.  SNR guild workshop - this month we are making a travel bag.  I'll say start it.  

Extras that I want to do and need to be done.  

* Work more on the Gray Heron

* Work on the Woodsy quilt

* Make a spring or summer table runner to change out for decoration.  

Not a lot of pictures this time - but I'm hoping that things are settling down and I will be able to post more than I have been and that I'll be able to show you more as I go - I guess that's a goal too. :)
Thanks for stopping by -  Blessings - 
Lynn 

By Some Threads

Well this is a wonderful finish that almost didn't get done.  I worked through the month and I had such fun continuing to practice my free motion quilting during the middle of the month.  Then life got in the way and I wasn't sure if I was able to get this done.  But.......  Yahoo, last night and this morning by a few little threads of binding, It is done.  I am linking this to A Lovely Year of Finishes. 




This is a pattern that was offered as a free Block of the Month from Jacquelynne Steves called Sweet Simplicity.

I'm not sure if you can see the quilting or not - but since I consider myself still relatively a beginner in the Free Motion quilting I am excited at how this came out.   And it's done, that's the most exciting part.  Okay  Thanks for stopping by  - Leave a comment and let me know you were here - and have a great Blessed Day!
Lynn 

Tuesday's Paper Piecing

I am re-visiting some of my paper pieced quilts so I can link up with Val over at Tuesday's Archives.  

My most recent paper pieced quilt was the the Tea Leaf Runner by Judy Niemeyer.  I started this last fall as part of a guild workshop, and finished it last month at a retreat.

Here's a close up so you can see the points a little better.  

Here's another one that I made, for a doll quilt swap.  I really liked how this turned out. 

Here is a close up of the points.  

And another - this one was also made for a swap, that Michele from the Quilting Gallery hosted back in September of 2012 called "Skater Sue"

Well as always thanks so much for stopping by and have a blessed day!

Lynn 

Green Green - Anything Green

Today is Tuesday which means it's time to link up to Tuesday's Archives !  

This weeks theme is "Anything Green"  and immediately 3 items came to mind.  So I went through some of my pictures and here they are:



My Most recent finish is the St. Patrick's Table runner.

My 2nd to last project I've finished recently the Green - lap size - quilt I made for a table topper, that I free motion quilted.

And then finally this there is this Doll Quilt I made for a swap last year.  The flowers are wool applique.   This is the one that I am using for the link up.  

Thanks for stopping by - Have a Blessed Day!

Lynn  

Bags, and Runners and Sewing oh my

I knew it had been a few days since I posted but didn't realized it had been that long  :)  Oh well - not sure where to start but - update coming.  

Last week on Tuesday I auditioned a new fabric for the border of my JS BOM... I didn't like what I had picked out. 

On Thursday I went to a workshop for the CRQ guild and we made blocks for  a quilt we are auctioning off at the 2016 quilt show.  

Mine are the 2nd row 2nd block and 4th row last on the right.  

Friday we played cards so no sewing there.   Not sure where the weekend went but spent some time with my DH.  We went to Vegas on Sunday after church and went to the Bass Pro Shop.  That was fun.  Kid in a candy store.  Whoa!!!

Monday was the once per month "Mystery Monday"  and for this month we made a Tote Bag.  I have to say it was a very fun easy project.   It was nice to be able to finish it there and it made for a nice picture and post on facebook for the shop. 

Yep that's me bottom left, pink top, yellow and red bag with turquoise straps. 

On Tuesday I finished up my St Patrick's Day table runner, at our weekly open sew day at the shop. 

I used a simple zig zag for the top stitching and let that work as my quilting as well.  

Wednesday was my DH Birthday so no sewing - we did a 6 mile walk (normally we only do 3 miles) then we relaxed for a few hours and then got ready and went to play bingo.  We hadn't done that in a long time and it was fun.  We had dinner, dropped a few coins in a slot machine and then came home.  Nice day. 

Yesterday I made a smaller version of the bag we made on Monday for my Mom in law.  Her birthday is Saturday and she loves bingo more than anything - so I made one for her to carry her daubers in. 

I also made her a set of pillowcases but she hasn't gotten those yet. 

Today I am heading to the Cottage for open sew.  I actually think I'll just take some hand work.  My machine's light bulb went out and I don't want to have to pack up my light and everything so I can see while I sew.   

And with that I need to get ready!  

Have a Blessed day everyone and thanks for stopping by.

Lynn 

March Link Up

I mentioned this in my March goals, but wanted to add a couple pictures and make it easier for linking up.  My link up for ALYOF

for March is the Jacquelynne Steves "Sew Sweet Simplicity".  

I am doing the 6 block version and I have 5 of the 6 blocks done and the center applique for the 6th block. 

Here is what I have so far: 

So I want to complete Block 6, then quilt and bind. 

Thanks for stopping by, 

Blessings, 

Lynn