SAL: New Project ~ Happy Camper

At our last update I had shared the new project I would be starting. It’s this cute camper cross stitch.

Nothing exciting to see but I am off to a good start.

This project splits her time with a Log Cabin and baby quilt I am hand quilting. Oh, and some junk journaling too. I think this will be fairly simple and shouldn’t take too long to do. I am already thinking about what I want to work on next.

Now I am off to check in on the others in this SAL. We post every three weeks to encourage and cheer each other on to a finish. You can join me by clicking on the links below. There are some amazing projects in the works.

AvisClaireGunChristinaKathyMargaret

HeidiJackieSunnyMeganDeborahSharonDaisy

AJCathieLindaHelenConnieCindyMaryMargaret

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!

World Wide Quilting Day 2021

It’s world wide quilting day 2021. I wouldn’t have known it unless on my facebook page a memory from last years day popped up on my feed. I haven’t really mentioned anything about the Pandemic we have collectively worldwide gone through this past year. It certainly has bound us together just as quilting binds us together as a community. Quilting this last year has taken on a new meaning, it has gotten me through a stitch at a time. At times of uncertainty – I quilted. At times filled with fear I quilted. At times filled with tears I quilted. When prayers were needed I quilted. I belong to two wonderful groups, a HQAL and SAL. Each posting at three week intervals our progress on your projects. Those involved are worldwide and I can’t stress enough what the groups have meant to me. Total connection when we had to isolate, quarantine and social distance ourselves. I can honestly say I never felt those things. I always felt surrounded and connected through 2020. Thank you quilting blog friends.

Because it is worldwide quilting day I thought it would be fun to post just a few pics of quilts I have worked with over the years. All of my work is hand pieced and hand quilted unless other wise written.

Wishing You Good Will – a goodwill store quilt top find I backed and quilted.

1970’s – My quilting mentor – Alma Ayres (middle) that’s me seated on the end surrounded by her 2 sons, daughter and son-in-law and 1 grandson. Because of Alma – I quilt!

Pinwheel Progress

Back in April 2020, I shared these photos of pinwheel blocks I was working on. The material was left over from another baby quilt I had made the year prior.

Over the months I have continued – slowly – working on it. The blocks are all hand pieced however I decided to get some use out of the machine and to put her together.

white out photo 🙂

I didn’t have enough of the turquoise sashing to work the entire project. However I found material in my stash I thought would look ok mixed in. A sweet bunny and carrots on a very soft turquoise background. ( the color isn’t true )

It wasn’t until I photographed the flimsy that I noticed something. Have you spotted it yet? Last row – oops how in the world did I miss that? I am leaving it in, as is, a conversation piece 🙂 for the future and mentioning future; this is not for anyone right now but being made for a future grand-baby. This baby quilt reminds me of spring.

There’s 24 more days until spring. I live in WA state where we enjoy all the four seasons so anticipation of the change of weather is exciting. The daffies and crocus flowers are up. I have even seem tulips along my walks and while snow is most likely past, it has surprised us in April.

Time to get back to a few other projects on the burner.

HQAL: The Dahlia Project

It’s time again for an update on our hand quilting projects. At our last posting I shared that I planned to finish the baby quilt for my grandson. Well, I did and I mailed it. Now I am blaming my stupidity on ‘covid’ brain for not having a picture of it. I didn’t take a picture? I know I did. I made the cutest label and thank fully I have that photo to show you along with the last photo, it looks like, I took of the quilt. The binding was fold over of the backing. It really looked adorable all finished 🙂

For my next project I will be working on this gorgeous Dahlia panel called Dream Big Sunset from Fat Quarter Shop. I know I saw this panel being worked some time ago in our group, didn’t I? Was it by Deb? Hand up if it was you because it was stunning  (or something very similar)  I fell in love with it then and then again seeing it on Carol’s blog @  https://frommycarolinahome.com

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I still need to decide on a backing, whether to use something I have already or look for something new. I will also need some batting. Why hadn’t I purchased some when I ordered this?  (It’s that damn covid brain thing again) So while my decision is made, I still have a few supplies to get together.

I am excited to get started and hopefully by our next check in I’ll have her going. Until then please take some time and follow the links below and visit some of the other amazing hand quilters in our group.

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, TracyDeb, Susan,  Nanette,  EdithSharonKarrin, Gretchen, Kathi, Daisy, Connie, Monica and Sherrie

HQAL: Finishing Up a Baby Quilt :)

Good Morning and hello again with next 3 weeks posting for the HQAL. At our last posting I was pleased to write that I had finally finished the Capital T Quilt.

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I had an idea of what I wanted to work on next but instead, I decided to continue and finish a baby quilt I have been working on to welcome a grandson’s first baby girl. I have shown this project before but on my daily regular feed. The baby quilt is for a couple that is fun, funky, comic lovers, off the grid ~ is the best I can describe them ~ so I wanted the quilt to match their personality. The blocks are all hand pieced but I admit that I attached the sashing by machine due to time constraints.

 

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Here we are now for this posting

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I have been working daily hand quilting all of the blocks. In fact I am just finishing up the last block. I doubled up on the quilt batting, a cotton and synthetic blend and it really made the quilting pop!

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The back looks fun and squishy, just what I wanted

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I feel good I will have this completed on schedule for mailing off to Texas to welcome baby Kira on time.

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, TracyDeb, Susan,  Nanette,  EdithSharonKarrin, Gretchen, Kathi, Daisy, Connie, Monica and Sherrie

Please take some time and visit the pages of the other wonderful hand quilters and make some new friends

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Progress on the Fun & Funky Baby Quilt

I’ve been busy with quite a few projects the past few weeks. We’ve seen cooler temps and rain here in the northwest, but it always seems by the late afternoon, the clouds break with the sun bursting through to warm us and remind us, we truly are in spring.

One of the projects I have been working on is a baby quilt for my grandson Kris expecting his first – a girl, due in August. I have shared the photo below, of what I am working on before, a quilt that’s fun, funky, bright and bold to match his and his families personality. I had stashed, massive amounts of the Curious George material and the pink flowered scraps  (picked up at a yard sale some time back) They seemed to be the perfect choice to use for this project.

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Midway during the construction I ordered material from Connecting Treads for the sashing, ordering a few choices, hoping one would match. I wanted the sashing to be in the pink but once the material was received I was disappointed that the 3 choices I ordered were totally off. I had however ordered 2 other sashing choices to go with the other baby quilt I am working on (for no particular person)

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On a whim and a prayer I thought ~ why not try the two turquoise I had ordered, one dark and one light. Since the theme of the quilt was fun and funky, bright and bold ~ throw in comic and outside the box – the dark turquoise seemed perfect to pick up the hint of blue in the pattern.

Here she is pieced together

1938″ X 36″

The backing will be done in the Curious George material. The blocks were all hand pieced together but I admit it – I turned to the machine, the first time, and machine stitched the sashing to the blocks. I will be hand quilting her though. I just felt like time was becoming an issue for me after waiting so long for the material order. I want to get her in the mail to Texas by early July if possible.

Also in the craft basket for the last few weeks has been these 2 Christmas kitchen tea towels

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And this cross stitch Christmas card to go along with them

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Thank you for stopping by

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HQAL: Capital T Quilt Update

It’s been a busy last three weeks and I could have been busier. I completed three more blocks and had to stop as I ran out of thread. Not wanting to go out and hit Joanns, I order from Connecting Threads. My ordered shipped on the 8th and I am hoping it will arrive any day now. If I didn’t match the color right (gave myself a few options) it will be close enough I am sure to continue.

With the three completed, I only have two more left to do.

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I do want to go back around and quilt the inside square of each block.

 

I have been working on two other hand quilting projects. Curious George, bright and bold for my grandson’s 1st child due in August and the sweet rainbow in powdered blues is to have on hand 🙂

 

Also

Hello to Sherrie and welcome

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Below are the links to all participating in the HQAL. Please take a moment and stop in to see what the other hand quilters are working on.

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, TracyDeb, Susan,  Nanette,  EdithSharonKarrin, Gretchen, Kathi,  Bella, Daisy, Connie, Monica and Sherrie

 

The Start of Something New ~ Baby Quilt

The news of great grand baby # 7 didn’t surprise me. My husband use to joke our daughters were in a race for the coveted “Breeders Cup” every time one of the five girls announced they were expecting. What a legacy (sadly he passed many years ago and does not get the joy of experiencing each new blessings) but here I am again, with an August due date for a baby girl.

My grandson Kris and his partner Alice are – unconventional – edgy – funky –

Living in Texas, Kris works on those ‘huge’ windmill turbines and Alice is a cartoon graffiti artist for the lack of not knowing how else to describe her style.

I needed to do something edgy yet girly, out there but traditional, bold yet babyish

Before I proceed with this, I did 3 practice blocks (hand stitched of course 🙂 and welcome some feed back please

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I have lots of the Curious George bright and bold yellow material, enough to do the backing with this material too. At an estate sale sometime back, pre COVID-19 shopping, I had picked up quite a bit of the two pink fabrics. The pinks were precut into 4″ x 7″ oblongs. The inside block is measuring 6″ x 6″ with border 9 1/2″ sq

When I first put them together I thought, omg, no way but those blocks are growing on me. I think it just may be what I was looking for with funky, unconventional, out there, bold, cartoony and fun!

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Also using up some of the material on these smalls (3 x 3) for gifts. I thought I might include with a Mothers Day card for my girls  

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How is everyone doing in this new age of COVID-19 living? While so much has changed in our day to day life, I feel like I can honestly say ‘it’ has afforded me a free pass in a way not to feel guilty to sit and quilt more. There’s no need to come up with an excuse to turn down an invite to lunch out with the girls because I want to quilt instead (for example)

And while all else is failing right now – this quilters saying never seemed more apropos!

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Sheltering in Place, from my home to yours

It occurred to me I haven’t shown to much of what I have been up to while sheltering in place. I have updated you on my projects for the HQAL and SAL that I participate in

but other than that I haven’t shared any of the other projects I have been working on. I finished 2 sets of tea towels/dish towels for two daughters.

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Just last week I picked up a baby quilt I had started some time back. Its done in a simple pattern, the pinwheel, my go to favorite. I had hand pieced the middle pinwheels with about 14 completed and now have added the border by machine.

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I don’t think I had shown you the quilt I picked up from the Goodwill quite some time ago, pre COVID – 19, I have it doubled up and folded over a fence line. It has all been hand stitched.  The back of the quilt is what the pinwheel blocks are photoed on.

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I have continued to make masks for friends, requests are still coming in but more slowly now as more and more people are making them. These two were for friends heading into Seattle to a medical center for a scheduled procedure

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My daughter Marissa (in Japan) had told me about using Instacart for grocery delivery. Monday we had our first delivery. Our experience was perfect, our personal shopper on the ball, efficient and friendly while texting through the store with what was and wasn’t available, replacement possibilities complete with pictures. The best surprise was learning her name was Marissa. It was like having my daughter shopping for me (they were both in the same age bracket too, 30’s)

The weather has been beautiful in our northwest corner of the country giving me lots of time outside and in the gardens. I have two strawberry beds like this one, loving the warmer weather1m

1rThe raspberry are showing their beauty and leafing out. Last year was my first year for them to produce. I have 6 main ?canes? are they called canes? The 3 blueberry bushes are limping along still. Two lone tulips popped up – none of the others yet. The daffies are done.

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There’s a real quietness to the garden this year. Only the established perennials will display their beauty, I will not be adding anything new or any annuals, it’s victory garden time here. On one of my last outings late Feb. to the local rite aid, I picked up some veggie seed packets. I have spinach started and outdoors in pots and these chives are gorgeous coming back from last year.

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I killed 3 tomato plants I put outside to early and the frost got them. I have new seedlings sprouting again. I have radishes coming up, lettuce started, basil and peas all started indoors – a first batch of peas out doors is no more. Carrots and squash need to go in soon – I really have no idea what I am doing; this is a real learning curve keeping me busy.

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The bread machine has been put to great use and while Easter was uneventful and quiet, I managed to whip up a picture perfect Pineapple Upside Down bundt cake.

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Thinking about the virus and all the changes in our lives right now has kept me busy, reflective and thankful. I find I wake anxious to see who has posted what you have been doing and what is going on where you are. Like many I have spent countless more hours on the phone and face timing with family, checking in, confirming all is ok.

We have 2 resident squirrels who have kept us company and amused this spring, stopping daily for their peanuts and corn. And look at this little guy trying his best to get this peanut…..hey you have your own bird seed to eat.

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My hope and prayer is that you and your family members are all well and everyone is safe.

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