Lots of exchange blocks!

I did complete my blocks for shams from the magazine. These are for ME!  This is how one of them turned out.  I really like it. And the circles turned out well. 

Here are both of them ( 2 blocks for 2 shams or pillows).  I have not completely decided how to go from here. The variation of Thimbleberries fabrics turned out great. It didn't put much of a dent in the 5 inch bag, though. 

All of the rest of these are for other friends

First is a batik block.  I had her box for 2 rounds and ended up making 8 blocks total.

I think there are about 28 made thus far. 

The hard part was putting the right colors together to make 4 different combinations from 4 different fabics. 

This was the pattern she selected and she had a kit from Keepsake Quilting. 

Great colors were included, but  I added a few as well. 

• Here are all my blocks together.
• My layout isn't quite right, but you can see the colors. 
• Color value is key in this block. I need to work to improve in this area. 

This next one was another Cake Mix design from Miss Rosie. 

I just saw the mistake.  It will not be hard to fix. 

I am grateful I took the pictures to find the mistake. 

This is another Cake Mix.  Someone worked ahead, so I have 2 to work on this month.

The pattern made 2 from the same 10 inch squares. So pretty. 

Love the blue and whites. 

I found my sewing machine!

It has truly been a crazy busy last month. What with my anniversary and then the grandkids visit! We have had some great adventures.

Now an old friend asked if we could house his daughter while she did a contract job as a nurse at a local hospital. So for a week we prepared the house. I realize we had not really settled into our extra bedrooms after my son and his family moved out. That was about 2 years ago. So we decorated and cleaned and cleaned. It feels good to get so much done.

And yesterday, I started a new project. I had found this brand new magazine at the grocery. 

It is the first edition of a new series from Fons and Porter. I needed some inspiration and found this awesome pattern.

                 

I need some shams for the quilt in one bedroom. And to match the quilt, I already had a bag of 5 inch  squares.  Many moons ago, I had made the quilt after seeing Pat Speth the author who was known for "Nickel quilts". And I still had a bag full of squares from my collection of Thimbleberries fabrics which were the same as the quilt on the bed.  

My goal is to make 2 of the square designs and then create a setting to fit the size needed for the sham. 

I trimmed down the squares into smaller squares and rectangles to the right size.  Funny how I was not as precise as I am now. Some adjustments were needed to make the sizes. 

I did not follow the applique method in the pattern. But instead I used a technique similar to Lori Holt of Bee in my Bonnet. I used an iron on interfacing which had the circle on it.  I then sewed the right side of the fabric to the iron on side of the  interfacing on the traced line of the circle.  Trimming an eighth inch around the sewn edge was next and then inside it out through a slit in the interfacing.

           

I actually ironed it at this stage, but only lightly and it still peeled off. ( old interfacing) 

Then I folded and iron the squares , placed the circles using the ironed markings.

I hand appliqued the circles while watching tv last night. 

     

It feels good to actually sew again.   Some little hands had adjusted some of the settings of my machine. ( It was turned off so they couldn't hurt themselves.)  But it took me a short while to undo what the curious had touched.  Missing my boys  anyway! 

The cross stitch is still progressing as well. 

End of grandkids visit

 I have worked during the evenings on my cross stitch. But that is all the needlework I have been stitching I have accomplished.  

But I totally enjoyed the time with my grandkids.  

                            

We really had fun taking them places, playing games, building roads, and buildings,  and especially having squirt gun fights and blowing bubbles.  Two weeks is a long time to make memories.

And I already miss them.

 

And now I am getting all the summer projects around the house done. All those yearly cleaning and organizing tasks I have no time for during the year. Let's hope my energy keeps up!

4th of July

I have not done any sewing for the past week.

We drove to the tail of Missouri last week to meet the grandkids and their parents.

We then took the 2 boys and brought them to Wisconsin.

And the rest of my days have been filled with them and we have had lots and lots of hugs and activities.

If I have energy I have been working on this cross stitch. 

It is being completed on punch paper. 

At first I was all gung ho, but progress is being made.

Here I am with them prior to the reverse parade yesterday on the 4th of July

We drove around a block to see various floats, flags, servicemen and patriotic stilt walkers.

Here are some of the assorted activities:

drums, of course, with my husband.

A beach with social distancing.

Assorted other activities:  water gun fights, playgrounds, scooters, bubbles, and balls.

Inside we have done books upon books, blocks, trains, playdough, letters, and patterns, and baking and much more.  What a wonderful time with these to guys! 

And we have them for another week. More fun ahead, and did I say HUGS!

Happy 40th Anniversary!

I'll start with my projects and progress:

First, here is the challenge ornament from my wool group. 

We received the circle shape and a tiny bell and were told to make it into an ornament.

As I missed our initial meeting (pre COVID era), this is what I came up with.

I will have to add the ribbon and bell and back it still. It is a  2 3/4 inch circle.

But I do love the challenge and creativity of this group. We always learn so much from each other.

Second, I made these 2 stitcheries into mini pillows with patriotic fabrics.

I really like how they turned out and have one more to complete.

Then, I thought I would show my purchases. My husband allowed me to stop at Going to Pieces in Appleton, WI. They are a shop that had been featured in Quilt Sampler about 2 years or so ago.

I love their fabric assortment and kits. Each time I go, I find more and more things.

So these are the Kim Diehl fabrics I acquired to add to my collection.

I like her new October something line and the teals, limes and autumn colors are a great add to my assortment.

 

Here is my spouse and I at an inside restaurant celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary.

We have been very careful to either eat outside or take out food.

But this was a special occasion at our favorite restaurant. 

It was handled well with masks on serving staff and tables very sparsely spaced.

We thoroughly enjoyed our meal.

And a special cake had been arranged by my spouse as a surprise.

He even tried to match the original cake. What a sweetie.

We had gone up to Door County the thumb of Wisconsin into Lake Michigan.

It was "pre season" and limited openings.

Our favorite bed and breakfast has totally increased their cleaning regimens without losing their quality breakfasts and ambiance. They only have 6 rooms.

This is one county that has had very very small numbers for COVID.  ( only 40 with 3 deaths total)

We were glad there were limited amounts of people as we walked about outside enjoying the gorgeous lake. Masks were essential to any indoor location as was social distancing.

We had perfect weather in the 70 s and for meals we ate outside or had take out.

No outdoor music venues or events are planned for the summer. 

Many of the marinas were not full, which was surprising.

We went across on a ferry with our car to Washington Island.

Here is Schoolhouse beach, one of 5 limestone beaches anywhere.

The rocks are all very smooth and you are not permitted to remove any ($ 250 fine)

The picture distorts the distance. All the families were sparsely spaced. 

But lots of big and little boys throwing rocks in the water

We also visited a lavender farm. 

The plants do not bloom until late July.

But it was very pretty.

Truly a gorgeous getaway! Certainly not the celebration we had hoped to have, but still very special.

More catching up

Gooseberry Patch

I haven't worked on this in a year, I think.

But I got things to work on this weekend.

The cool weather was perfect for sewing inside. 

This block is the center of the quilt and 30 inches in size, which is hard to see from the photo.

There are 5 different Kansas Troubles greens of the 60 leaves which were cut out and as many red berries for the 50 little berries. 

Then I cut 2 of the other blocks adding the very same holly leaves to  6 by 30 inch pieces. 

To finish these pieces, I just ran a small single seam around the edges using my free motion foot.

I really felt that I could not do a successful solid tight zigzag on these weird shapes.

It feels so good to get some things done and make progress on old projects,

Next, I worked with my wool applique and got the last 2 blocks ready of Henrietta's Fall.

This is such an old project. The original pattern was a free block of the month from Bunny Hill.

The date on it is 2011. 

So now I have some hand sewing for car travel over the next weeks.

And in the evenings I have been doing some outline stitches for some bowl fillers.

This is my 2nd one. 

Summer: what a feeling!   

And it's summer! Time to quilt!

Over the weekend, Buttermilk Basin had a free 3 part quilt to make: 

This is my step one and two.

The stars are 3 inches each. I really liked the scrappy stripes.

You can buy the pattern and kit on their website.

Additionally, there is a wool applique for it.

Then I finally put my sparkly hearts together. 

This will be donation quilt for Healing Hearts raffle in September here in Waukesha.

Each heart is 10 by 12 inches.

Found this great backing fabric for it: also in the cornerstones. 

It is from Connecting Threads and is extra wide. 

They have it in black, too

Lastly, another Blockheads 3 block: paper pieced.