I finished it!! Whew! I am so relieved.
I was avoiding it. Crazy I know.
But I am so glad it is ready for when Jude and his family arrives tomorrow.
My blog about my life while quilting
I finished it!! Whew! I am so relieved.
I was avoiding it. Crazy I know.
But I am so glad it is ready for when Jude and his family arrives tomorrow.
I finally got back to the sewing machine. And as it is the start of a new month, I need to make my blocks for Stash Bee. This time we had a lot of freedom to make our own pattern just use greens and blues and make a 6 inch block. I really like 6 inch blocks; I find they are easier to be precise in the piecing.
The project I most need to finish in the next 3 days is to cut out and sew a robe for my grandson. I promised him at Christmas. His brother received a robe, but he only received fleece blanket. I volunteered to make it into a robe for him. I ordered the pattern and a coordinating fabric for sleeves and such.
Oh, my! I have been missing in action due to my computer being at the repair shop. And then it was just taking too long. It IS an old laptop. So upon recommendation, I purchased a new one. YEAH!
It will take some time to learn all the ins and outs of the new one. But I am back.
In the interim, I did finish my mini mini quilt. The piecing is pretty good considering each square is 1/4 inch. However, the quilting did not work the way I wanted it. But it is DONE!
I have 2 big finishes to celebrate:
First is my Blockheads 1. This was started in 2017. I truly enjoyed making each block and learned so much from the postings of each of the 6 block creators. It improved my piecing skills so much. Now you can get the full set in a printed book. All the other series session 2 through 5 are on the modafabrics.com site. ( And you can start Blockheads 6 which has 3 blocks already.)
I got it back from my long-armer about 10 days ago and quickly attached the binding. But then left for a trip to a lake with my daughter and husband to relax.
I have been completing lots of individual blocks, not any main projects. But I have been keeping busy.
First off more blocks for Baltimore Bliss from Fat Cat Designs: These are fused and will be outlined?quilted in the final step as a quilt as you go kind of project in rows.
I am so happy to show you a finished top. One which has taken a few years to finish.
In January of 2021, I started this New York Beauty quilt of Karen K Stone's for a challenge online.
And with the distractions of so many projects going on as well as the recovery of Covid, it was set aside with a beautiful box of assembled fabrics. And I finished all the curved blocks last year.
At the beginning of the year I tackled it again, although I have not blogged about it. And after finishing the top to my Blockheads, I was on a roll to finish this one. Only then I found out, I had not completed all the border blocks. I got pretty good at paper piecing.
But pushing ahead, I then got productive and completed the assembly:
Center;
I am so thrilled to have finished the top for my Blockheads. And finished is better than perfect. I just couldn't more to it.
But it has refreshed my joy of quilting and I am back working on several things. ( As I just can't do one at a time.)
First off, I am glad to also have also finished them embroidery of my Crabapple Hill Pumpkin. Now to put it in a pillow with a cool border. The pattern features a scalloped fabric border. Thinking, thinking, I need to find the right fabric.
And I also hand pieced a Dear Jane block. I need to practice my hand piecing skills.
This is a 5 inch block.
Last but not least I have done another Tilda block.
I was so excited that my daughter wanted to come and spend a week with us. I was totally looking forward to spending time with her, going out for dinner and shopping. We are lucky because she works remotely and can go anywhere. But I had come down with this cold after visiting the grandkids. And it lasted ALL week when she was here. So I did get to have many conversations concerning her job search and beaux. Tough decisions for anyone.
But I finally got better the day she left. Oh well.
The only thing I was able to do was read and I finished a good book by Chris Whitaker, All the Colors of the Dark. Very good book full of twists and turns. All the chapters were less than 5 pages; something you normally don't see.
But now I am back to my self and fulfilling regular tasks around the house.
But most importantly, I have completed the top to my Blockheads 1 started way back in 2017 as a block of a week by 5 fabric/quilt designers. There were great instructions as well as hints for better piecing, working with small sizes, and use of color and design within the block pattern.
I had selected my design for assembling them together a while back and arranged the final layout last December and pieced the center early this year.
Drum roll please:
While it may be almost the end of April, I am so excited to really see the spring season show her colors. Lots and lots of daffodils, some forsythia, magnolia blossoms, and even a yard full of dandelions are showing their soft spring colors. And the promise of leaves has arrived in the buds on the trees. Oh, I couldn't be happier.
We made another trip; this time to visit the grandkids again in Louisiana. It was wonderful to be with them for spring/Easter break. Really warm weather ( up to the 80s) and my son took off the week to be with us. We celebrated both my son's birthday as well as Easter making a ham dinner . Zero needlework done all week.
In the meantime, I have completed 2 of my Tilda blocks which are 16 inches. That gives me a total of 6. I still need a few more fat quarters to finish all the blocks. The fabrics are such a wonderful collection of colors and prints.
And after seeing all the Dear Jane blocks last weekend, I pulled mine to to assemble a few more. Lots of different techniques: applique and tiny machine piecing this time.
Thanks for all your kind words. My sister's surgery went well and she is recovering the best she can. I leave NEXT Monday for assisting her. The sister in law has been holding on, doing ok and has moved from hospice to have her final days at home.
So winter has taken hold of me. We have been lucky enough to have sun and lots of birds in the backyard. But I dislike hate this cold forlorn weather between seasons without any new growth and temperatures in the 40s. Ugh. My mood is affected; yucky me. I should not complain; I am lucky for my life.
Anyway to happier, more fun things, I finished a baby quilt for my daughter to give to her hopefully future sister and brother in law. It is not your typical baby quilt; I was given a photo of a crochet blanket for inspiration. I really would have done any color or theme. And I found some Bonnie Sullivan flannels that were perfect for it and the shop owner showed me an easy pattern resembling it.