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: 

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. 

2nd Place finish

 Hooray! My triangle quilt ( Ocean Waves) won a 2nd place finish at the Wisconsin State Fair!  YEAH!  And although I went to see the judging; I goofed AGAIN and went on the wrong day.  But I will get to see it at the fair in August! 

So I had better get working on next year's entries. 

Dear Jane block A 12

Paper pieced on newsprint

Back of Block

Finished block  ( 5 inches)

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If you are interested, Susan Gatewood has a EQ version of it for free 

Link to her A blocks

                                                                                                                                                                        I also have added more blocks to my New York Beauty:  

Chandelier flimsy and more!

 Still working on UFOs. I am excited to finish my navy quarter square chandelier quilt. (I am not great at naming quilts.) I had it almost done at retreat which was posted.  But then I came home and found the missing parts of blocks which were about 15 blocks left on the cutting table. I used 9 of them  to add another row to the bottom and the missing corner . Some deconstructing ensued followed by adding more blocks. Hooray! So happy to get it done.  Twin size 65 by 91  No additional borders will be added. The setting triangles give it space. The larger blocks are 4 identical quarter squares and the smaller ones just a singular one. 

Next up : getting  the 2 flimsies to the quilter. She is such a special friend. And she already has 2 of my other quilts.  NO RUSH!   I like getting it off my plate. Plus I am slow at getting the few finished that I do. I am trying more machine quilting  and like the challenge, but it definitely takes longer. 

And I completed one more block for my Dear Jane quilt. 9 done and many many more to go.

For this block I utilized paper piecing. There is a free site. 

In the evenings I have been cross stitching.  I think I am getting better at counting, although I do take out stitches here and there. 

I love the warming weather as our birds, squirrels, kittens, and deer have returned to entertain us in the back yard.  It sure is nice to open windows and feel the breeze while listening to the croaking of the frogs or the rustling of the leaves. Hello summer!

I love the warming weather as our birds, squirrels, kittens, and deer have returned to entertain us in the back yard.  It sure is nice to open windows and feel the breeze while listening to the croaking of the frogs or the rustling of the leaves. Hello summer!

Enjoying the creativity

 I am back to quilting. Not that the vacation to Hawaii wasn't wonderful and I missed quilting while I was there, but sitting at the machine is fun and I so enjoy it. 

So here are some projects I have been working on: 

Stash Bee: for those who don't know, it is a group of women who sew for each other once a month. Every month, I new person decides the design or block and colorway. This month is a Terry Rowland block designed to use up scraps. Here is a video of how she makes the blocks for the colorwash quilt: here. it was also made by Kate of The Last Homely House in England. Here is her instructions: scraps. Each block within the block is 3 inches finished making the 9 patch 9 inches.

Anyway, our queen bee of the month wanted a block of 9 individual blocks together in a colorway. We only are asked to make one block.  But I love sharing with others so much, that I always make extra. 10 blocks does not a quilt make. 

And I got out my Dear Jane box and forged on for more blocks: 

These are 5 inch blocks and the last one needs hand applique.  Evening work. 

And lastly,  working on a seasonal wall hanging for me: 

Each block is 4 inches.  This is creativity in progress. Center design is to be determined. 

Winter Quilt Show part 2

 Here are a few more quilts I enjoyed at the Winter Quilt Show February 3.

So many little triangles!  Oh my!

such fun quilting and design

A modern feel that might be good for a gift to make

Very cool bias made strips in a Celtic design.

Wonderful design by Sarah Fielke

And yes, I did get a few new projects at the show.  There was so much inspiration, plus we went to a fabric shop near by.

Here are my new starts.   

I borrowed the Dear Jane quilt book from a friend this summer and saw a pastel version at a quilt store.

The blocks are both pieced and applique.

These are 4 1/2 inch finished blocks.  I need to redo the gold one. 

I saw this line of tiny muted pastel checks called toolbox something?  and knew that they worked for the project I wanted to complete.

And lastly I saw this cute little cross stitch pattern. I had to have it.