Retreat

I had the pleasure of 2 days away fully devoted to quilting and friends. I can't  tell what joy it was to be with such talented ladies sharing meals and ideas together.

We listened to old musicals and Broadway hits while hunkering down to our machines and tools creating quilts.

We had a great facility near Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It was a side by side new building each having room for 6 quilt/crafters which can be opened up to 12 all together.

We took turns with meals, snacks, and such and had a wealth of good food.

Here is the quilt I pieced together while there.  This is my RSC challenge from 2017.  Each month was a different color and I chose the  muted tones.  These are 2 of the blocks: each is a finished 6 inch block.  

I had completed 112 blocks of which I put together 108. All I worked on was sewing the finished blocks into a 9 x 12 arrangement, having laid them out on New Year's Day.  I need to check my corners and resew as needed, press well and then add the 3 inch half square triangle border. 

Here are a few of the projects the others were busy on: 

This is a Kaffe Fasset fabric collection. It is from a quilt store in Mukwonago called Quilt-agious and is featured on their website: http://www.quilt-agious.com, if you are interested. I don't know the pricing at all. 

The next is the beginnings of our guild's raffle quilt for 2020 featuring an Edita Sitar pattern from her book on Patches of Blues and the fabric line to go with it.  The outer border will be applique with lots of vines and small circles. ( I prepared 400 or so inches of bias strips.)

This is a T-shirt quilt by a friend for a nephew who attended Loyola University in Chicago.

I hated having to return home and go back to work.

Red stop signs

Red blocks  

I am pleased to say I have actually done quite a bit of quilting this weekend.

First I made 400 inches of blue bias tubes for applique. Here are the first group of them.

Second I laid out my RSC 2017 blocks and then forgot to take a picture.  They are all picked up and ready to piece into rows. 112 blocks made: 108 used. Each block is a different fabric and an additional 2 half square triangles were made per color.  I did make a row around the quilt, and have so many more left. 

Next week I am going on a quilt retreat for 2 days during the week. I am excited to be with friends and have uninterrupted quilting time. And this is the first project I want to finish there.  I am in a mood to get the UFOs going.

So my big almost finish:   I found a bag while sorting through various projects and found this:

Many moons ago, I had made a red and white quilt, and with the leftovers started this pattern from a Kim Diehl book. And there it sat. 

So I pressed it up and added an additional row of background blocks.  I knew I just wanted a little quilt for Valentine's Day.  And since the evening was still young I proceeded to quilt it with my walking foot. I just outlined the stop signs in rows.

Here is the back:

And here is the final product: each side is 21 inches long, made of 3 inch finished snowballs and 9 patch blocks. 

All that is left is to hand stitch the binding.  It shouldn't take too long.  

Any ideas for a name?

Looking ahead to 2019

It is hard to believe it will be a new year.

So here are some of the projects I could/ would like to finish:

1) Blockheads setting.  I have the fabric with a few of the sashes started. Started 2017 in spring


2) Christmas tree skirt.  I am so bad!  Ugh!  for wedding last October



3) Row by row for me!  Needs a little modification and some wool applique. The  last row was finished this spring


4) Row by row started for a quilt group.  ( all the rows are made even) Black and brights, several years old

5) Valentine blocks.  already pieced. Just needs organizing into a wall hanging


6) 30s hearts and strips: log cabin pieced hearts with strings of 30s in between

   
7) Halloween row by row for guild:    started November






8) Christmas quilt: several sections made. Pattern by Kansas Troubles
I didn't realize it was a full bed sized quilt, and was thinking it was just a  wall quilt for Christmas.

                      

9) Flannel quilt for new couch.     New project

To be made with woolies layer cake and brown tweed instead of navy


10) Another Christmas tree skirt for  March wedding

11) Wisconsin lap quilt using Yellow Brick Road pattern



12) Quilt for 4 year old grandson 2 years old Transportation blocks: 8 made



13) Rainbow scraps: needs to be put together from 2017



And so on and so forth.

Yes, there's more.  But how many can I make in a year?   And I will find/start some new projects.

I do have bags of projects,  a stash of fabric, boxes of patterns, and shelves of book.   All waiting to inspire me. ....   You understand.


Here's to the new year and the open slate ahead of us!

Goals in review for 2018

First: year in review 

Here are the quilts finished: completely finished.  ( Note, not all were started this year>)


         

Dresden spin needed quilting and binding

Christmas tree skirt                                               Jude's nap blanket

 
Magnolia Mystery


Started as a log cabin quilt along almost 2 years ago.  Favorite quilt of all time for me.


Baby quilt for niece

Old round robin exchange



Jensen's big boy bed: started as Stash Bee block this spring

Pattern from the first issue of Primitive quilts and projects. 


Wall hanging made with leftover blocks from guild's raffle quilt



All in all : 2 table runners ( both gifts), 3 baby quilts. ( one small size of garden fence) 1 Christmas tree skirt, 3 wall quilts, 3 lap quilts.

Other goals done: 1 Stash Bee block for 11 months, 5 rows for row by row quilt challenge.
finished all the blocks for the first Blockheads Quilt along total 49ish.

Donated: 1 baby quilt, and 1 top for a veteran, and 1 wall hanging for guild

3 UFOs finished.

End of the year to 2018

End of the year! 

First of all, Happy Holidays to everyone!  I have been absent from the blogging and quilting scene.
No tragedies or excuses. Just life getting in the way of doing the things I love. And a case of I don't know where to start.

November news!  My
spouse officially retired from his job.  And he is so happy! 
And I am so happy for him. A little jealous, maybe, but mostly happy.

We have had great holidays and are spending  lots of time with my grandboys and family.
So we have cookie baking time, craft time, and lots of blocks, cars, and toys. All good!
And the traditional Christmas Claymation video and the Muppets' version of a Christmas Carol.

But there is nothing like a snuggle with a little boy.  Or a Christmas song and book, or even the manger as a playhouse.  P.S. the figures are not breakable.


It is a little different for Christmas without Gary's mom and mine who is real foggy with Alzheimer's.
Every time I speak with her, it just tears my heart out. And her spouse is just struggling to communicate with her. Even with live in help, it is hard.  And 700 miles away makes it even more frustrating for me. A phone call is not second best. But a trip is not in the projected future either.

My DD has a wonderful beau and we like how this relationship works. The holidays with both families have gone well. And we get to take care of her cat.



So as far as sewing and quilting and such.  Not much.  But here are the few things that are in progress:

All I gave away that was made : 1) Christmas table runner made last January, 2) dish towels with applique made in May and November.
Of course, the list to have been made is long, and now in the plans for NEXT year. Maybe more will be made:

So I do have a finish: ( only a year and a half for this panel)
This is the 2nd panel of Over the River by Crabapple Hill.
All that is left is the 3rd panel with the words"Over the river and through the woods".



Here are 2 patchwork squares to be made into pillows. 7 by 7 each square 2 inches finished.

Over the river...

I have not posted my progress on this in some time. My Crabapple Hill project is into its 3rd year of work and sits next to the couch.

This is the second of three panels. The last one being only the word panel. 

Almost done! And appropriately, during the holidays. Over the River and through the woods to Grandmother's house we go!
I have the entire center and right side completed. 

Close up!

And I was so blessed to have family together for a Thanksgiving meal: only my daughter in law was working at the hospital.

And thanks to my daughter for a great camera and apple pie. 

Happy  holidays!

Retirement!

My husband came home in the middle of the day!  ( I was home as a comp day for  conferences.) What?  " I retired." He had been counting down the days now that all his medical appointments were done. And social security health care is in place. 

I am so happy for him. 

Now a couple more years for me.

But I am working on the little projects here and there.

First some appliqued tea towels.  DONE! 

Next a crane for my Stash Bee. This will be my last block.  I am stepping back for now.

I have had a great time making blocks for 2 years.