A Finish on Christmas Day

Hey what's better than finishing up a gift on Christmas day?  I don't know - except the fact that is was my One Monthly Goal and I really wasn't sure this time if I actually would get it done. Because... I also had a personal goal to finish the binding on the bear quilt so I would not have to say that I finished it in 2020.  That would add another year to this quilt that took way too long to begin with.  So here is a picture of the Bear Quilt in it's new home.  

My Sister is so happy with it.  :)
Okay now - the Christmas finish and my OMG Finish. 
Winter Wool Mat (from Primitive Gatherings) with a few changes.

I used monofilament thread on top and a real thin thread on the back to just do enough quilting to hold together.  

She said she loved it.  :) Now on to the "Spring" mat.  I am doing all the seasons for my friend that does so many things for me.  She did all the fusing of the applique and whip stitched them down, then I do all the embroidery and the crazy stitches. 
Well I'm going to link this up to One Monthly Goal over at Elm Street Quilts 

Thanks for visiting - I love comments if you have time.  Then go back and see the other finishes by clicking the link above.
Blessings,
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 

Brick Walls and Bears.

I was going along so good then Bam - I hit an invisible brick wall.  What seemed to be allergies turned into something like a sinus infection.  I think I managed to cover 5 or 6 of the 7 dwarf names during this.  Not sure why Doc is pictured twice in this picture but Bashful was probably the only one I didn't portray last week.

And while that was going on and I stayed at home to sneeze and blow my nose I did work on quilting the Bear Quilt.  I first tackled the middle where the bears are, by doing any additional top stitching that needed to be done.  
Then I added this branch and some leaves.  That also provided me with the quilting design for the first two borders.  (Rust and brown with spots)  Leaves can you see them in the rust area?

On the pieced border, I did one thing for the double blocks on top and bottom and another for the single blocks on the sides. 

I did a loopy thing in the next two borders and then a type of chain for the outer border.  I wasn't sure what to do - the quilts don't always talk to me, like they should to tell me what they need.  LOL.  But then I found this roll of "Borders Made Easy" I had purchased a few years ago and so I used it.  

Here's how it turned out.  

It's hard to see because of the matching thread, but I like how it turned out.  

My Sister requested this quilt way back in 2014.  Together we gathered fabric and schemed ideas of how I would make it.  Originally there were going to be the two bears and then blocks with other animals around the outside.  But each time I tried to make an applique of the bears for the center it just wasn't coming out right.  One of the attempts even made one of the bears look like a raccoon.  Finally in September of 2015 I started "this" version of the bears at a retreat.  

I didn't even get out my sewing machine that retreat I just traced cut and fused.  

I won't get the binding hand stitched in the next couple of days to call it a finish in May.  I usually do bindings and hand work in the evenings while watching TV with hubby.  I haven't been able to get any hand stitching done. Along with the sinus infection, I managed to bruise my tailbone somehow while quilting the bears. I don't think it's from sitting too much, I do that all the time at retreats, but maybe twisting and turning different ways wrestling the king sized quilt.  So I am sitting in a leaning position on the couch and hard to hand stitch while doing that.  So the bears will be a complete finish next month.  I will post a finished picture of the whole quilt then.  

Today I'm going to sit on my little pillow and get the borders on the flag quilt for my daughter in law.  That will be my next quilt to quilt.  

Have a Blessed Day!

Lynn 

Wow it's April No Fooling

I'm always amazed at how time flies anymore.  I blinked and now it's April and a few days in at that.  I have been super busy but not a lot to show for it yet.  
I mostly have been helping my Sister with her stuff and doing stuff for others.  Oh ya and my cooking.  I do have a couple of not so good pictures of two flimsy's I have finished and one of them is big and a big deal.  The Bear Quilt top is Done, that's the no fooling part.  Whew - took over 4 years but the top is done.  

I need to pin it so I can quilt it, I'm hoping to get that started and done on Monday. 
Next Up  I'm at another retreat. My projects this time are to finish up quilt tops that are almost done.  This one just needed it's two borders.  

I'll let you know how I do with this and report how many tops I finish up.  It will be nice to have the tops done - but I guess that means I'll have more tops to quilt.  Uh Oh!.
Have a Blessed Day!
Lynn 

February Omg

Okay - For February's One Monthly Goal I want AND need to wrap up the Bear quilt top.  The idea of this quilt started over 5 years ago. I have been working on it for about 3 1/2 years.  It has taken a long time for various reasons but really - it just needs to get done.  Quilting it will be another issue but I want to finish the top in the next 2 months.  

It is for my Sister, and so I'm letting her pick what goes where.  We decided that on the top and bottom I will put another pieced border.  Then we can put some other borders around the whole thing.  That way while she is still in town to tell me how she wants it done I can do it with out needing to wait for her to look at it.  Then maybe over the summer I can work on getting it quilted.  That would be great. 

I have other things I am doing this month with family coming to town and a retreat - but making this my one monthly goal will force me to not put it aside.  

Goal: Make the pieced blocks (16 I think) and the sashing for the top and bottom border and sew them on.  

Now I'm going to link this up to One Monthly Goal over at Elm Street Quilts.  

Have a Blessed Day!

Lynn

August Line Up.

August is lining to be a busy month for me, but a really fun one.  My kiddo's will be here for the first week, I'm sure there will be a picture or two of them coming up on the blog. Then a  3 1/2 day retreat the 3rd week of the month. 
I've already posted my one monthly goal, the Bag Lady, but what else do I want to work on?   
Well.... 
I really do need to start quilting my Sister's quilt that she made at last February's retreat. 

I intended to do that in July but got side tracked by the quilt for our daughter Taya.  Hopefully I can get it sandwiched and basted soon.
I want to continue on with the Bears. 

I was really having problems with the top stitching. 

Hopefully I'll figure out something and get past that.  I've been googling and talking with other quilters.  I'll be trying threads, needles and whatever until I get it to work. 
Next up - I'll want to do some scrap blocks in this month's color - Orange. I don't know how many scraps of Orange I have because it's one of my favorites, but I'll be checking.

I'll continue on with the wool projects I have been playing with.  One Ornament a month - from the Christmas Present on Facebook.

And the 12 Day's of Christmas- From Rivers Edge Quilt Loft 

I also have a couple of projects I want to play with at the retreat, but I'll post about that later on. 

For now this is more than enough I'm sure. Have a Blessed day doing something fun.

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 

May Day and some Goals

My list of "Want to's" and or goals is always 10 times bigger than what I can reasonably get done in any given period of time.  But at least I aim high. I think that's a good thing. *smile* 
I have been loosely following APQ and the UFO Challenge.  Loosely in the fact that I'm numbering the UFO I want to work on this month to match the number they picked.  (#6)  I am almost done with the top of the Christmas Quilt I was working on last month so I don't want to put it away.  I want to keep going and hopefully get it done sometime soon.  I got the top half of the top done last month. 

So for the next part - and what I want to be my "One Monthly Goal"  Below is the picture from the pattern cover - I have circled the blocks I want to do. 

I want to do the Holly block with holly lettering in it that is on the top of green section.  Then the Wreath and Heart on the left side, the Cabin just to the right of it, the Tree Block just to the right of the cabin, (partially covered with the green line).  Then I want to do the House block on the far right with little tree.  Holly Block, Wreath, Cabin and House will be my One Monthly Goal.

As for my other wishes for the month - I want to do the top stitching on my infamous never ending Bear Quilt.  

And I want to complete 12 more of the pieced border blocks that will go around the bears.

I also want to continue with my scraps and link up to the RSC18, over at SoScrappy. The Scrappy color of the month is Pink so I want to make some of these blocks with pink.

I also will be continuing with my Wool Crazy quilt on Fridays. 

And for my slow stitching in the evenings while I watch TV - I'll continue working on the "12 days of Christmas" and the "One Ornament of the Month". 

I actually have these two blocks mostly done - but couldn't find that picture.  I'll show update on these blocks later in month. 

I'm sure that's enough planned for the month.  because I know myself and some shiny thing of some sort will get my attention and I will do or start it also.   

Blessings,

Lynn