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 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!