Lots more binding and UFOs

 I spent half of one football game and all of the second NFL division playoffs putting on the binding of my snowmen quilt...plus one side of the rod pocket.  

I have yet to add all the eyes and some embroidery details.  I have discovered it will need some  machine quilting in the large motifs.  It shouldn't be too hard.

Additionally I have layered  50 inch wall hanging to quilt.  I needed to do it, before we begin cat sitting for my daughter. This is a UFO from 2 years ago. It was a Stay at Home Round Robin challenge by Quilting Gail and a number of other ladies. I am debating putting small dresden fans in the corners. HMMMM?  Suggestions??

And then as Valentines Day is approaching, I recalled another UFO sitting on my pile.  

So I pulled it out to see where it stands.  This was an exchange with a group of wool quilters.

There were 6 of us and each month we passed around our boxes for each to add something to it. 

Here is where it stood and below are the 2 hearts I will finish with embellishments. 

And I created 2 labels for my newly finished  and almost finished quilts. 

Valentines Day is coming!

 Since Mom has moved to Indianapolis/Carmel last fall, I have made a goal of making a wall hanging either for Mom's door to her room or her room.  It was the least thing I could do from a distance using my skills. I have made so many things over the years for her. I have done 3 mini wall hangings already: her birthday cake, a Christmas tree and then an embroidered snowman with wording for January.

So now I have finished a cute Valentine one and made a spare for my sister who lives close to Mom.  I thought I would do something for her since she does so much for Mom. 

The newest edition of American Patchwork and Quilting magazine had a pattern for one.  I felt it was perfect for this situation but reduced the blocks from 3 inch to 2 inch making my wall hanging 16 inches square.  I had a good time digging through my assorted reds and white prints with red to make it. 

Here was the webbing of rows:

And here are the finished quilts.  The lighting makes them look dingy, but you can see in the photo above that they are in did crayon red and bright white with a lovely light coral for the lettering.

The quilting was done in red, because I ran out of white thread.  Oh no!

In between sewing, I am starting to clean and organize some of my supplies.  Today, I cleaned behind my cutting table. My scrap basket is overflowing. That despite just using up a lot of it in my 9 patch wonder. Today I sorted through my patterns and filled a plastic shopping bag to donate to the guild's quilt show in March. I have been slowly going through my pile of magazines. My how much we accumulate over the years. 

In addition, I have been sorting a few UFO's and trying to get them moving along to a finish. 

I added the borders to this quilt top. I had made the blocks 2 years ago from small packets of fabric and instructions from a quilt store at 2 dollars a block. I had found them at a rummage table of a quilt show. I purchased the setting blocks and borders to go with them. I love the reproduction colors. 

Now to  assemble the layers and quilt it.  I even found a stencil for the between/setting  blocks

( So much for starting new projects; this feels good to get things done. )

A BIG Christmas Finish

 I was so excited to finish my 9 patch pretties.   So I dropped it off at my long armer. And at the same time, I picked up the 2 quilts which had been finished.  It was delayed several times due to health issues on her end, my trip to Louisiana and then my long lasting cold.  But here is the first binding finish. 

So I have been sewing like crazy trying to get the binding on. My big finish is the Sewcialites Christmas.  This was a block of the week by Fat Quarter Shop, a free pattern which I made in 9 inch blocks. I enjoy doing these kind of projects and have 2 still needed to be put together. The setting is also a design from them, although I don't know if it was for this series or a previous one.  It is  a slight variation of theirs. 

Center blocks up close

This is a large quilt ending up at 100 inches squared. Which means I spent 3 nights watching football playoff games hand sewing the binding on. ( And the Packers lost in a very exciting game. They were not favored. ) 

Beautiful edge to edge quilt in swirly design with holly leaves and berries. The backing was a wide back thatched fabric by Robin Pickens in Scarlet. 

The binding as leftover strips from many of the  Christmas fabrics in the quilt alternating colors. 

A very big finish.  I am so happy!

Just needs the rod pocket and label.

I can breathe again.

 Today, Thursday, is the first day I slept without numerous cold/cough medications. And I can breathe without the stuffiness in my nasal passages.  There are still some residual effects, but such a welcome difference. 

So I am trying to get back to my New Year's goals. 

Great News!!!!!! I have finished my 9 Patch Pretties!  All borders are on and all the papers are removed.  

Hooray!     Hip Hip Hooray!    Hip Hip Hooray!

Sorry only indoor photos without an assistant.

And I get a cold!

 Sidelined,  literally.....

I pushed myself to do tooo much on Monday, Jan. 8. It was a busy day with 2 meetings and I squeezed extra errands on top.  It was so good to get so much done. My New Year's Goals were finally starting.  But after a long day, I felt tired. I even pushed myself to undecorate the Christmas tree. We had done the outside and various other adornments. I sat on the couch all night, and deteriorated slowly. Even my husband noticed after he came home from his concert. 

I have been sleeping, drinking lots of fluids and just doing nothing....DARN COLD.        For 4 days. 

Today is the first time I am actually thinking about things.  So I have been going through my stack of magazines to select patterns I still want to make. And making a pile to DONATE.  This is part of my decluttering...Yes!

And rethinking my ambitious goals.    I think I am dropping my crazy patch cats. It just isn't speaking to me.

It is now the next week Jan 15. And we have SNOW, and  more SNOW.  15 inches of it.  And it is beautiful!  I have never seen it stick to the woods for such a long period of time.  So pretty and magical when the sun shines.

We are talking 15 inches. And I don't shovel.  My husband is a God send.  Even 3 times in one day with the snow blower. I have been in this house 25 years and this is the MOST ever. And here it is Wednesday and it is still stuck to the trees. And this has branches falling everywhere impacting power lines. And it is VERY cold. We are up to single digits with chill factor added. 

OK Now it is a week.  I have cut out 2 valentine blocks for my Mom and sister. This is an adaptation of the American Patchwork and Quilting for this month.  I have reduced the blocks from 3 inches to 2 inches. 

 And I have attached my pieced border to my 9 patch pretties. with the last borders as well. 

Slow progress....especially removing half of the paper pieces. 

And so the year begins

 So glad to be home in my own surroundings and starting a new year.

I am trying to set goals for getting things organized and decluttering the STUFF of the many years past.

So far, I am just getting Christmas put away and returning gifts that didn't work out. Plus a few meetings and such.  I had a very long day yesterday, but felt good about ticking things off my list. 

Unfortunately, I have also come down with a doozy of a cold. It may be a couch day, although those quilt projects do beckon me. And I can't get far away from my new friend, the kleenex box.

On the sewing front, I did rejoin Stash Bee this year. I really liked the first block and made 2 only to find out I switched positions of the medium and dark blocks.  So after some frogging I remade them.  Now to send them off to New Zealand. 

I am also pumped to finish a few WIP projects.  I will see how long that lasts. This is my 9 patch pretties.

Planning for the new year

 January always brings a flurry of activity AFTER the bustle of the busy Christmas season  and this year's trip to see the grandboys. And this year will be no different. 

I ONLY have 3 new projects to get started on: 

1) Corinne et Cecile  Quilt Along (A  French online group on facebook) Here is the announcement for the new year's theme:   Corrinne et Cecile Quilt along    The theme is   ANIMALS.    Yes! , I found a pattern to do a crazy quilt with little cats in corners. This will be for my grandson.  8 weeks of blocks, and then assembly and quilting by May 1. 

I have  participated in several of their quilt alongs each January : 1) stars ( in process of quilting), 2) flowers, 3) circles/curves which is still not pieced as I had started a New York Beauty,  4) 9 patch which was my first and favorite and 5) applique and piecing which is my Christmas gnome quilt I just finished from this 2022.  So this will be my 6th year WOW! 

2) Fatcat Designs of a beautiful filigree kind of applique. I just got the pattern and am still choosing colors.  A friend of mine was working on it at retreat, and I fell in love with it.  It is a free pattern called Southern Gentlemen.  Email Sindy at sindy@fatcatpatterns.com if you are interested in the pattern. There is also a closed group on facebook to see the incredible different colors and blocks. 

I bought a gorgeous pale blue background for it and need to assemble some batiks to go with it. 

This is a photo of block 1 in black and white

3)  And I fell in love with Crinkly Quilts latest quilt which is version of a wedding ring quilt that I saw on instagram. She is hosting a sew along and I have already received her pattern and templates.  I had a 3 yard quilt backing that did not match a recent quilt just sitting. So I found some grunge bright fabrics to add to it. 

There is a scrappy version that I will be making from THESE fabric:

             

And I really want to take a cue from Maggie Fellows at Making a Lather who this year made of goal of only working on UFOs and picked 5 each month to work on a little at a time.  Wow,  did she make a dent completing I think 30 quilts this year.  So impressed with her dedication and focus as well as her finishes. 

Need more inspiration.....                            Always being tempted by the many projects you do!