Baby Boy Quilt Update

Back in August I shared a picture of a block for a new baby quilt design. It’s a simple nine patch. I had been gifted some fabric scraps and was hoping I could get a nice size quilt out of one. I just love the fabric with the children, it’s so precious – and scraps it sure was. It was touch and go to get enough squares cut out from it. I had enough of the blue print on hand that complimented the other perfectly.

But I managed – I framed in the the blocks with solid blue for a bold baby boy statement 🙂

The blocks measure 10 x 10. The sashing is 3″ with a 1/4″ seam, with the quilt measuring 40″ square.

I found a fun children’s print at Joanns for the backing. Now to sandwich it with the batting and get started. I think these whales are the perfect match. It may be hard to see but the children are at the sea, there is a boy fishing too in the blocks above. You can see in this block I have 2 of the children with their sand bucket and shovel. I am showing you my ‘faux pas’ of placements. It happens and you just go with it and smile…. in fact it may never get noticed!

The quilt is for a nephew who is expecting baby #2 in January.

Quite soon now, I will begin another baby quilt but I am waiting on the gender reveal before I start. This one will be for ….. a new great grand baby due in April. Soooooo excited!

HQAL: Jane’s Quilt Update

It’s HQAL update time for progress on my project. You may or may not remember that I missed the last check in because my daughter and grandchildren were here visiting after living in Okinawa for 5 years. In addition another daughter, granddaughter and great grandson were up from Oregon for a wonderful family reunion.

As for Jane’s Quilt I have gotten very little done in these past 6 weeks. This is my photo from last time. I am now working on the white blocks there on the left side corner with 9 logs finished.

I don’t usually share to much personal information on my blog but 6 weeks seems like quite some time for so little accomplished. My BH has very advanced COPD. Taking a bit of a downward turn he underwent a bronchoscopy to take a look the day before family arrived. He didn’t really bounce back and a few other things began to crop up, all that to say this past week he landed in the hospital. To both our surprise and his pulmonologist, he had internal bleeding and had lost quite a bit of blood requiring 8 units and a bunch of procedures to discover the source. There’s so much more I could say about what is going on for him but you get the point – its been a very hectic this past month with little time to think about the quilt. They (hospital) were unable to determine or find any significant bleed spot so we are still in the process of trying to find out where he is bleeding from. He is home now and will be swallowing a pill with a camera in it to take a look at his small intestines. There are lots of follow up appts.

Oh how I would have loved to have taken Jane’s Quilt to the hospital. Couldn’t you just imagine the amount I could have gotten done?

Now it’s off to check in with the others and catch up on all they have gotten done. Please join me 🙂 by clicking on the links below.

Hand Quilt Along Links

This Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piecers to share and motivate one another. We post every three weeks, to show our progress and encourage one another.  If you have a hand quilting project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.

Kathy, Margaret, Deb, Nanette, Sharon, Karrin, Daisy, and  Cathie 

SAL: Snowman and Reindeer Update

We have entered the ‘ber’ months and its time to update once again. You may remember I missed last months posting as my daughter and two grandchildren were here visiting after living in Okinawa for the last 5 years. The visit was wonderful, filled with lots of love and hugs. I’ll share a picture after I update you on my progress. I began working on the snowman and reindeer in January and I can hardly believe I am still stitching away. I think I am close to completing this and hope to have a December finish for the holidays. Here is where I was in July at my last posting.

Since then I got very little stitching in and didn’t pick her up until this week. I have to admit, regardless, it’s been slow going on this project. Here is where I am now

I have added a bit of the background along the right side. Finished a bird that doesn’t look like a bird and added a 3rd bird along with some background stitching in the middle. I also got in some backstitching around the reindeers nose and facial area. I have discovered I have made a few counting errors around the antler area but have decided to leave it as is. I am not happy with the snowman and will probably work on him some more. I don’t like the way he is so open in the middle. Any thoughts on that?

It is so close to October now and is anyone else feeling the crunch to get these holiday themed projects completed?

As promised a photo from the visit.

Daughter Marissa taking the selfie, Liam, Me and Tori

Wrapping up this post please join me in visiting the pages of the others participating in this SAL. We will be posting again on October 9th. Stay well and see you then

Avis, Claire, Gun, Constanze, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, 

Megan, Deborah, Sharon, Daisy, AJ, Cathie, Linda, Helen, Connie, Cindy, MaryMargaret

HQAL: Jane’s Quilt Update

It’s that time again, three weeks has quickly passed and I have nothing to report on Jane’s quilt.

I never picked her up. Summer finally hit with high temps both inside and out. I just couldn’t drape this beauty over my lap to work on her. We have no air conditioner and the inside hit the 90’s. Adding to the temps for no progress ~ finally after 5 years deployed to Okinawa, Japan, my daughter, husband and grands returned. Station at Camp Lejeune, they are living in Swansboro, N.C. now. They arrived for our family reunion on August 23 and left this past Wed., the 31st. Another daughter, granddaughter and great grand came up from Oregon for 3 days, we hadn’t seen them for 3 years. You can imagine the excitement, dinners and visiting we did.

There was no time for quilting only for visiting

Taking the picture – daughter Marissa, grandson Liam, me, granddaughter Tori

Great grand Wyatt, granddaughter Heather, Me, grandson Liam, granddaughter Tori, daughter Marion (Heather’s Mom) and daughter Marissa

Now it’s time to get back to Jane’s quilt and make up for lost time. Please take a peek at the others in this HQAL by clicking on the links below.

Hand Quilt Along Links

This Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piecers to share and motivate one another. We post every three weeks, to show our progress and encourage one another.  If you have a hand quilting project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.

Kathy, Margaret, Deb, Nanette, Sharon, Karrin, Daisy, and  Cathie 

HQAL: Jane’s Quilt Update

Three weeks and time again to update you on Jane’s Quilt. This beautiful log cabin was pieced together by Jane Rogers – mother of one of my dearest friends, Jeanine Rohder. The quilt top was given to me as a gift by Jane’s granddaughter Raeleen. I started the task of hand quilting this beauty in January.

At our last posting I had completed 31 darker colored log blocks of the outer ring of the medallion middle. I had already completed the lighter ring of blocks. This was the picture I shared. ( I am not sure if I realized Skye – our mini schnauzer was in the picture, regardless it came as a surprise to me posting this picture again)

I added 13 more log blocks to this amazing log cabin. It’s been difficult for me to photograph this as a whole. Stretching it out as best I could I got a good look at my progress. I feel like I am close to half way done in quilting the whole piece. You can see from the picture below that I have moved down and completed the outside darker blocks. I will continue to work on this corner.

I will be passing on our next posting date as my daughter and 2 grandchildren will be here visiting from North Carolina where her husband has been stationed on the Camp Lejeune Marine Corp base. They just returned in June from Okinawa where they have been for the past 5 years. So much time has passed and so many changes in all our lives. Ross made Lieutenant Colonel and has just taken a command post at Lejeune. Liam left as an 8 year old and is returning a teenager/young man. Tori was 14 and now is all grown, out of high school. Joining our celebration visit will be another daughter, (her daughter) my granddaughter and her 3 year old little boy (who we have never met do to covid) coming up from Oregon. There is so much to celebrate and little quilting time 🙂

And now while I have the time, I am off to check in with the others in this HQAL. If your not a part of this group please join me in seeing some beautiful hand quilting projects by clicking on the links below.

Hand Quilt Along Links

This Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piecers to share and motivate one another. We post every three weeks, to show our progress and encourage one another.  If you have a hand quilting project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.

Kathy, Margaret, Deb, Nanette, Sharon, Karrin, Daisy, Cathie and Tracy

SAL: Snowman & Reindeer Update

August hello to everyone 🙂

Time for another SAL update and I am here continuing with my Snowman & Reindeer project. At our last check in my project looked like this

I have been a bit slack in working on her but added a sweet cardinal sitting on the antlers.

This project has really taken form but it is a lot more slow going than I anticipated.

Before I sign off and head over to check out the others in the group I wanted to give a heads up and say I most likely will not be posting and missing next weeks check in. My daughter and grandchildren will be here from N.C. visiting and it has been 5 long years since we have seen them. In fact, they just recently returned from living 5 years in Okinawa where my SIL had been stationed. 5 long years, lots of changes to both households, ours and theirs. He is now stationed at Camp LeJeune and I am proud to say he has just accepted a Command 🙂 They bought a home in the town of Swansboro and are settling in. Very excited for the upcoming visit.

Now I off to indulge in some eye candy.

Avis, Claire, Gun, Constanze, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, 

Megan, Deborah, Sharon, Daisy, AJ, Cathie, Linda, Helen, Connie, Cindy

The next updates will be posted on the 28th August 2022.

About the SAL

Please note this SAL is not accepting any more new members until further notice but this is what it’s all about anyway. This SAL (Stitch Along) is slightly different to other SALs in that we don’t all stitch the same design at the same rate. We choose ONE unfinished project, or ONE new one, and show progress of its completion over a series of three weekly updates. There are no deadlines and no set amount to stitch. The result is that the space in our drawers full of WIPs (works in progress) is gradually being freed up to store lots of new crafty goodness. It’s surprising how much motivation I’ve gained from being in this SAL.

Weddings and Babies

It has been a busy week with cooler temps bringing relief from a 3 day heat spell. Here we are in August and I feel like summer has actually arrived. The big news this week was a sister in law is expecting a 2nd grand baby. She had posted some birthday gathering photos on her FB page and the ‘couple’ were photographed and I thought – hmm do I spy a baby bump? Our phone call – “I may be out of line but” “I know what you’re gonna ask, I have been getting quite a few calls” “do I need to start a baby quilt?” “Yes – we were waiting to let everyone know till they found out the sex” …. The picture was so cute. The couple standing with Dad behind Mom and his hands and hers were cupped under neither her tiny baby bump. It was not meant to indicate a baby and was purely accidental. Now we know the sex, its a boy!

So this week I got busy looking through my fabric stash. Most of my fabrics are flowers and feminine prints and patterns, lots of Christmas too. I was able to come up with a few choices, mostly bits and bobs of stuff but enough of 2 to make a simple 9 patch baby quilt. I had just enough of the sweet material with the children to get enough blocks for this. So far I have 4 made. I will need to get to the store to find backing and sashing material.

I wanted to share another journal I made that I am presenting this evening. We had a wedding in our family back in January. My husbands brother was married and this late afternoon much of the family will be gathering for a bbq and surprise party for them. I am all prepped and ready so I thought I would share the journal with you. It is a 2 ring bound book made from a cereal box. The cover is from a Chagall themed calendar. Many of the printable are from thegraphicsfairy.com and wedding photo prints from my collection of wedding photos.

All of the wedding photos are from my wedding photo collection

Taken from the 1903 edition of The Woman’s Magazine

A best wishes vintage postcard for the couple

Using my newspaper.com subscription I found articles on wedding menus from the 1930’s and printed them on coffee dyed paper

Envelope for tag below when opened

There are a few more blank pages specifically for journaling and all of the tags have space for jotting down a memory or two.

Quilting and Journal making ~ so many fun things to do!

Obsessed With Mini Journals

I am obsessed with mini journal making. They are just so cute, simple and fit in the palm of your hand. This mini is a compact 3 x 5.5″ Milliner themed journal. It is a no sew journal with 3 signatures, each constructed with one standard size sheet of paper, giving me 4 pages in each signature, (8 front and back), also allowing for top and side pockets. The cover was constructed out of a cereal box, then covered with book pages and some bits and bobs. I used silver metallic cord to secure the signatures.

Lots of cream lace and ribbons add to the feminine feel of this mini.

Mrs. Drums two daughters, Hattie and Minnie

Mrs. Drum is a milliner and dressmaker in Toledo, OH. After working for 13 years at one of the top milliner shops in town, she had decided to leave and open her own shop. This was quite a leap of faith and a bold move for her as she was a widow and her income was her families sole support. In the years that followed, she had become very successful and decided it was time and worth her while to make the trip to Chicago and enter the Milliners Convention being held on March 9, 1910.

Mrs. Drums daughter Hattie wearing one of her hats. The small photo up top is of Mrs. Drums mother who has since passed away.

Mrs. Drum knew just how she would set up her displays at the at the convention.

Above is Mrs. Brown, one of the finest lacemakers in the state who worked for Mrs. Drum. She was disappointed that Mrs. Brown was not able to accompany her on this trip. Mrs. Drum assured Mrs. Brown, who she affectionately called Teddy, that she would give her credit for all her beautiful laces adorning the hats. That is a picture of Mrs. Brown peaking out of the side pocket when she was much younger.

Here is Mrs. Drum in all her finest. There was a lovely opening dinner for the convention and she decided to wear her smart bolero jacket and dress with her finest hat. For the closing evening ball, she wore the beautiful pink gown her daughter Hattie had fashioned with the lace trim around the neckline that Mrs. Brown had sewn. Gloves, fan and a bit of lace adorned her hair. She had the most agreeable evening and was delighted when she was given recognition as one of the top Milliners in Ohio, and rightfully so I might add. (she was quite surprised by this)

Birds were very fashionable at the time and often adorned hats. Mrs. Drums daughter Minnie thought it was quite a ridiculous fashion.

Hattie and Minnie in their evening wear for the ball. Mrs. Drum always made sure she had extra buttons for mending

This journal has lots of tuck spots and mini journal cards. The printable are from TheGraphicsFairy – The Milliner Collection along with some of their other beautiful printables and lots of collected ephemera I have on hand. There is plenty of journal space on the backs of the pocket tags to jot down a date, a memory, a thought, a wish or a prayer.

They served the most expensive Champaign which was quite a treat for Mrs. Drum and her daughters.

Minnie and Hattie loved seeing the latest hat fashions and all the beautiful dresses the woman wore. Even the dogs wore their finest.

Lace by Mrs. Brown (affectionately Teddy)

On the right is a close up of Minnie arriving at the closing ball.

The most surprising and exciting part of the whole convention had been the arrival of the wife of Mr. Maurice Lajeunsses, editor of a fashionable dress design magazine in Paris, France. Her arrival at the convention had been kept a secret as her mission was to find a top milliner to design hats for one of the finest shops in Paris.

I am sure you have guessed it and it came as no surprise that while ‘Chantecler Hats’ took precedence in the newspaper article, Mrs. Drum received that honor!

Christmas In July: Week 4

Christmas in July has quickly wound down with week 4 being our last update on our project for this ‘craft along’. I picked a lap quilt I had started in January, a Christmas gift for a daughter. It had been slow going up until now, a stitch here and a stitch there – no rush – I had 11 months to go to get her done. I was thrill when Kathy of Sewing Etc suggested a Christmas In July stitch along. You can link to her page here –

https://livinginrapidcity.wordpress.com/

I am hand quilting Hoffmans Dream Big – Poinsettia. I have successful completed all of the red leaves. I am now moving on to the green background leaves. I plan on going back to the red and adding some more detail to a few of them but for now it’s finish the green.

You can see from the picture below that the red leaf simply does not pop! One of the problems is the batting is rather thin and I could have gone with a double layer. I am hoping a wash can help with that also.

I want to thank Kathy for hostessing this Christmas In July stitch along. It has really motivated me to continue with this project and get her done.

HQAL: Jane’s Quilt

Time to report in again on my progress with Jane’s Quilt. At our last posting I had reported that I had quilted 10 cabin logs/strips. I am working on the outer dark ring.

If my counting is not off I have now completed 31 logs. I threw the quilt over the couch back to get a picture of the progress. Skye, our mini schnauzer is looking quite annoyed I would dare to disturb his nap. Nap time disturbed, I am feeling good about my progress this go around. I have just about completed 1/4 of the that outer ring. Looking at the picture above, I am thinking instead of going all around with what I am working on, I may decide to complete the corner.

I hope everyone is doing ok in these high summer heats. It’s awfully difficult to thinking of quilting these heavy wintery beauties in the summer; so thankful for this HQAL and Kathy hostessing it to keep us motivated and on track. Thank you 🙂

Hand Quilt Along Links

This Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piecers to share and motivate one another. We post every three weeks, to show our progress and encourage one another.  If you have a hand quilting project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.

Kathy, Margaret, Deb, Nanette, Sharon, Karrin, Daisy and Tracy