Jude's robe

 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. 

It was new for me to work with minky for clothing. The "blanket" I used was very shaggy.  

It was hard to pin it like woven fabric especially on the tissue pieces.  I have had lots of experience making clothing including tailored suits  for me as well as smocked dresses for my daughter.  I have made clothing ever since I was 10.

So using magic pins was a real game changer: easy to see as well as long shafts.  And sewing over them was fine with the thick plush.  It didn't stretch like synthetics. 

Thanks for all your support.

Stash Bee blocks

 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. 

And I have started Lori Holt's Flea Market Flowers in the patriotic colors to hopefully be completed by the big celebration next year.  It is my first time to use evenweave.  I have had to do a lot of frogging!!!!

I like to do this in front of the tv each evening with my husband.  I will say he sits way over on the other end of the couch to avoid the movements of my needle.

New computer

 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 entered my Kansas Trouble quilt in the Wisconsin State Fair.

It got Best of Show.   I am shocked beyond belief! 

Me with the quilt and judges! 

Lastly here of photos of recent events:  

Daughter and spouse at Frankenmuth, MI

Here am I also at Bonner's the gigantic Christmas store.

My husband and I celebrating our 45th wedding anniversary.

Goofy Mom avoiding photo taking. I visited her in Indianapolis.

Not bad for 93.

Big finish!

 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. 

Here is a close up of the center:

And here is a close up of the back to see the special designs of the blocks and borders

The color is a beige stitching on the navy background.

Total design on the back with the pieced backing:

(I am working on using up the stash.)

And now it is ready for the state fair.

blocks, here and there

 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.

Additionally, I have been cross stitching in the evenings: 

It is only about 4 and 1/2 inches square. This is a design from Housewives of cross stitching.

I hope I can get thee wooden plaque from Hobby Lobby they have shown with it posted on the front.

I started the new Moda Blockheads 6 with a fabric line, Vintage Charm by Dani Mogstad.

I only have a few fat quarters at this point and will need more, for sure.

9 inch block

And lastly, I have been working on my 16 inch blocks with Tilda Fabrics, having a total of 9 blocks now made.  The pattern, Everlasting by Corey Yoder calls for 20 blocks and some interesting sashing.

The rays of the sun

 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;

Border decisions:

And the top ALL sewn together:

YEAH for me! And all those willy nilly seams went together easily.

Sewing and sewing

 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. 

Lastly, I am in a BOM online for an applique quilt from Fatcat Quilts.  I considered doing hand applique; however, the points are way to narrow for  facilitating that.  So I am doing fusible applique.

Here is my first block: 

Interesting week

 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: 

Outdoors in the sun

Center:

I am so glad to have this together. Such a long project .  Now off to my favorite quilter. 

Spring is here!

 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. 

View in neighborhood of beautiful colors

And look who showed up in my backyard!  We watched for several minutes these 2 and another doe.

We think this was the pair born a year ago.   You can see they are starting to shed their winter fur.

And I do have a red scrappy block to share:  this was for Stash Bee this month. My 9 year old Jensen wants a red and white quilt. So this is where I will start. 

Other than this, I have nothing to show: I have been down with a nasty cold that has sucked my energy, my appetite, and my where with all to do anything except consume cold medication and a box of kleenex.

A few blocks! And a trip!

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. 

All the Huber guys on our hike!

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. 

Last but not least, I have finished a project mesh bag with counted cross done on it. 

Away from home.

I am visiting my sister in Indianapolis. The great part,  besides seeing her and Mom, is that spring has arrived here. Beautiful daffodils, magnolia trees in blossom , yellow Forsythia peeking from corners and some red bud trees:  all make my heart sing with joy. Oh, to smell rain and green grass and flowers again. I needed to borrow a light coat as it is too warm for mine when I left at 32 degrees. 

My sister had her stitches out this week on her elbow where she broke many bones and had 2 replaced. She is having therapy with homework as well.. And we have been out and about some. I do enjoy new restaurants and got to see her family for her birthday.

 And I have brought hand work for the evenings.

The first is a sweatshirt project which I saw on Instagram from Flynn and Mabel. Here is the link I saw:  Video of how to    I had it all prepped at home: I used puffy paint to "draw" the lettering, followed by embroidering over the paint in a satin stitch.

The sweatshirt (for me) is a light blue and the colors are lilac and purple, light and dark teal, and light and dark blue. 

The second is a wool applique for spring also prepped at home as soon as I had been asked to come. 

This is wool applique on a plaid flannel. I shortened it from the original pattern. It is for my dining room table. 

Still home, still stitching

 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.

Hooray for easy finishes. And since she really didn't know the difference between crocheted blankets and quilt, I just stitched in the ditch for the design. Simple. DONE!

And as I always have something to do in my evenings:  I am hand embroidering on paper punching holes for the design.  ( found on Pinterest, of course)

These are for the book sale for my PEO group. 

And then I finally tackled putting my center together for my Blockheads quilt. It wasn't too hard, just took some patience.  Slow stitching on my bias edges  But my piecing turned out accurate on almost all the half square triangle sections.  20 inches!