November is here

I have always liked fall: the warm colors that remind you of comfort foods, the family holidays (Thanksgiving both Canadian and US) and my birthday.  Oh yeah, I should have said that first.
This year is truly strange: we still have snow.   And leaves. and cold. And it is only the first week of November not the last.

So two things have been on my mind.

One: Christmas.  I need to get things going.  I usually have a project or two started. And this year I need to mail to Louisiana. Yikes.

Two:  the more important in a quilter's mind are the two quilt along-s I want to participate in:

A) Bonnie Hunter's Frolic. 

 😊😊The colors just sing to me this year. And I really like how Jo Kramer has selected batiks to make them her link: Jo Kramer's selection process.  I keep saying I dislike her many seams at the intersections, but I love how the quilts turn out. I have completed 2 of them: Roll, roll Cotton bowl and EnProvence. So I am thinking batiks and that is as far as I have gotten.

B)  Bea et Cecile   Bea et Cecile Quilt along  I have also participated in the past 2 years. The first year was log cabin blocks Flowers around the cabin!   ( Blog post on the completion.)

 and last year's flowers. I used up some of my Fig tree fabrics. Or at least I cut up and appliqued some: the box still seems full.

 It's parameters are to make 2 blocks a week for January and February  ( total of 16) and then put it together in March and quilt it is April.  I think.
But I love the fact that it is international as the organizers are from France and there is a facebook group. This year's theme blocks are stars. No other restrictions.  I have been searching for what to make. So many ideas.
Here are the "instructions"https://patchworkinspirations.fr/   There is a translation button on the blog for those of us not fluent in French.

And besides that I am finally back to my sewing machine after a couple week hiatus.

Making some  quasi hunter star blocks for an exchange.  It was fun to select the colors.

Crazy week

Back to  a regular school schedule was hard.  After 3 weeks at school with less than 5 days, it was a change. Plus on Tuesday night I had conferences which seemed to make the week drag. But I felt very good about the parents I spoke with. It is a great affirmation to know that you are helping kids you care about so much.

Then the weather took an abrupt change AND IT IS ONLY OCTOBER. Never have I had such snow this early. And I mean in my lifetime: here are pictures:

It was a beautiful sunset despite the combination of snow and fall colors.

 It was so strange to have such an accumulation of inches of snow that are still lingering after 4 days. Usually snow disappears because of the warmer ground. But no, we still have temperatures in the 30s.

 Have you ever heard of shoveling leaves?  Well there were leaves on top of the snow which needed to be removed for the trick or treaters. Then the leaves underneath were frozen to the sidewalk so that was cleared to prevent more slipping and sliding.

 And yes, the trick or treators still came albeit dressed in winter garb as well. I will say that it ended after the first hour or so. Too darn cold to remain outside for long!

The only sewing I have gotten done was to prepare the wool for some applique.

It is a facebook group and the patterns are free. 

Trip to Louisiana

Sewing machine off to the hospital  Well, I actually sent it off to be cleaned and tuned up. I have a repairman who has kept my 1985 Bernina running well. It is such a hard working machine... and I really love it. I only wish it had a blanket stitch on it.  Otherwise, it is consistent and does everything I have asked of it.

So I get to deliver the quilt to my grandson and can't wait.  It will be our first trip to Louisiana to see them all down there. The weather will be a nice change from 50s during the day here to 70s and 80s there.

There is nothing in the world like filling your hug jar.  It was the best time and I just loved being with these 2 grandboys. My hubby and I had a blast sharing our hotel room with them as well.
 Lights out for them also meant we slept , and boy did we need it.

I had so much fun holding their hands as we walked places, having them sit on my lap, reading books and having fun with toys or water, or even the pancake machine at the hotel.

They have both grown taller in only 4 months. The older one is much slimmer and doing so well on reading and math skills. I am amazed and thrilled to see how much he is learning. The "little" one is egging to be in school and do things with his brother but is the sweetest of personalities.

Here is my son's family and my husband.  Notice I am missing as I am the recorder of  memories and I take the pictures.

The only pictures I am in are the selfies.  Too much fun!  

AND lots of love.

                     

 

I forgot to get pictures of them with their new pillowcases and the new quilt for the older one.

Finishes, YES 2 of them

First of all, here is my grandson's quilt...only 3 years late.  But I really like how it turned out.

I had to take pictures indoors.  We have fall for sure and almost a frost last night as well. I saw the quilt online and designed my own measurements using 2 and half inch strips for all of it. But no, I did not have any jelly rolls. I had some beautiful kona solids from a kit I never made, and had to buy a second batch of colors. The main fabric is more of a vivid light aqua not a gray or light blue.

Here is a close up of the quilting detail done by a long arm quilter, not me. I love how it compliments the patchwork design.

Here is the back which was pieced in between the fabric I also used this fabric print on his brother's  quilt made last year. These are 10 inch blocks. 

And the best part is that I get to deliver it in person to Louisiana.  Can't wait to see the boys! 

Secondly, I finished the lap quilt for my daughter's beau:

Here is an up close so you can see some of the fabrics, the fabulous Wisconsin border, and the inside border which also became the binding. 

This is an overall photo also done indoors. The pattern is Yellow Brick Road, an oldy but goody.

This is the back pattern which is an overall elongated geometric swirl quilt also done by a long arm lady. And the back is  a nice soft gray minky in extra wide so I did not piece it.

And since I am on a roll:

Lastly, here is the old pillow cases I made my daughter eons ago. It is faded, and not at all attractive. Plus the 2nd one actually had rips in it. 

 So I made her 2 new ones. I used a wide red rick rack as the division between the cuff and the main fabric. It is a really nice print that incorporates all the colors of the quilts I have made her. One which had had a bottle of foundation spilled on it.  She loves the black and white and bright crayon colors.

Phew!  Lots done in the last 2 weeks.

slow stitching aka binding

I am so excited.... I picked up my grandson's quilt from the quilter.  I had the top and pieced back done way back in August. The quilter had 50 quilts dropped off that week. And she had just had her knee replaced. As I was busy with the beginning of school, it was no issue.

But now I get to finish it.  So here it is at the sewing machine with all the binding to be added.

Here is a picture of some of the quilt so you can see the quilt pattern. Very geometric with squares and circles.

And here it is much closer and you can see that the binding is ready to be turned under.  The first picture shows more of the true aqua blue background color.

More pictures once it is all done. 

Fall quarter goal

I am doing fairly well on getting things done lately. Last month, I was able to finish the one top below, 3 pillowcases. and finish the patchwork for placemats.  Not bad for one month.

This week, I completed the borders on the Wisconsin quilt and gave it to the quilter Friday.
She said she would have it done this next week. Hooray! 

Plus I am finally getting my grandson's quilt back from the quilter which was dropped off August 25.
I want to take it with us when we visit in the middle of October. That way I don't have to pay postage.
Plus they will be moving into their new digs soon after.

So my first and second  goals is to bind those 2 quilts. And fortunately both bindings are already prepared. That was the project I did last weekend during the football game when Green Bay actually won.

This photo was not yet fully assembled and without the borders.

Third goal is to assemble the placemats now that I have the patchwork completed and the background selected.  The left is the inspiration from pinterest. The right photo are the patchwork lengths on top of the background fabric.

      


Fourth goal is to assemble my flannel quilt Over the Moon, by Thimbleblossoms. Blocks are made and sashings cut out.  I still have some flying geese to make.  I really want this to be finished for my couch.  And I already have a minky chocolate brown backing.

And if I even get to it, my fifth goal is to get my last 3 blocks for Henrietta and her pumpkins ready to stitch.

And if by chance I switch moods, I have my Gooseberry sampler to finish. It would be nice to have it for Christmas.
       

So here we go:

A week flies by

School is in full swing.  Grades are coming in for my students and that means vigilance for me. Algebra 2 is our hardest subject, not that we don't have APs and all kinds of other difficult classes.  But it is the hardest required subject. And I have many students needing support.

My school was rocked by hazing by our football team's seniors. It seems it has been going on for several years without our coaches knowing and despite instruction by the athletic director.  The appeals of the students and the suing by a parent are unfortunate and time consuming for our administration

So this week has been more tiring than anything else, and I have not gotten to the sewing machine since last weekend.


We went to an art/craft sale last weekend and saw this;

We as a family do so love the Muppets so I had to take a picture!

The only hand sewing I did was my last wool hexie for our round robin.  Here is the finished table topper.

And here is the block I made.