"Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning, the devil says...."Oh crap! She's up!" Unknown

Friday, November 15, 2024

No Sewing Machine Again

 I had my sewing machine in the shop in September
for its annual clean and service.
They had it for almost 3 weeks then,
which was fine because I was gone for part of the time.

Two weeks ago I was quilting a baby quilt
and it began acting up on me.
I was using the serpentine stitch to quilt 
and as I was sewing, it would switch to straight stitching mid row.
The only way I could get it back to serpentine was to turn the
machine off and back on again.
After the first time, it would switch back to straight stitch frequently.

So, back into the shop it went and the time frame is
four weeks this time.
:(

Thankfully, I wasn't planning on doing a lot of sewing
for Christmas.

Before I took it in,
I managed to piece this quilt for my great-nephew.
My sister-in-law (his grandmother) saw this kit while we were on
vacation in September.
I told her if she bought it, I'd make it.




It's been sent off to my quilter and should be back in a couple of weeks.

I really need to get a back up sewing machine!

Happy Quilting!

Saturday, November 2, 2024

Three Completed Baby Quilts

 These three quilts have been hanging in my
Hidey Hole for quite some time.
It feels so good to have them finished
AND delivered!!


 
 
I didn't follow a pattern for this one and can't remember
how large I made the triangles.
 
 

 
 
This quilt is made from "The Charlotte Quilt" pattern by
Kitchen Table Quilting.
 
 



This quilt was made from an old pattern from
Moda Bake shop.
Is that even still a thing?

Now, I can begin a new pile of baby quilts.


Happy Quilting!

Thursday, October 31, 2024

The Charlotte Quilt

 The other day I posted a baby quilt made using
a Kitchen Table Quilting pattern,
"The Irene Quilt".
Today I have another quilt finish using a
Kitchen Table Quilting pattern,
"The Charlotte Quilt".

Both quilts were made using the same jelly roll.
I think the jelly roll is called "Willow",
but I'm not 100% sure.


 
 
These colors are so soft and soothing...
Not my usual color palette. 



 
My pile of "to be quilted" quilts is growing,
so I really need to get going on this.
 


Happy Quilting!

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

Chasing Dreams Finish

 I am excited to say that my
"Chasing Dreams" quilt top is finished!
The final stitches were sewn
and I can finally cross this off of my list.


 
 
This was made exactly like the pattern and kit.
It was too intimidating to think about changing anything.
Plus, I love it like it is!
 


The batiks in this kit are so rich and luscious.
I'm thinking of having this custom quilted,
so will be chatting with my long arm quilter.

Woohoo!!

Happy Quilting!

Sunday, October 27, 2024

Chasing Dreams

 Several years ago, while on vacation,
I found this kit for the Chasing Dreams quilt
by Jacqueline de Jonge.
I have pulled it out and put it away more times than I can count.
It intimidated me so much that I just couldn't make it.
 
Finally, it was time.
Before quilt camp I cut all of the pieces
and prepared to make this one.
 
I did take other projects in case I just couldn't make it again,
but pushed myself to start it.
 
 
 
 
The first step was making the big star in the middle.
It's all paper pieced, which helps with the precision. 
I finished that and was pretty happy with the results.
Next up was the small star and then the flying geese outer band.
The most difficult part was dealing with all of the paper!
I finally thought to use some clips and folded the unused paper
until I got to those sections.



 
 
This was my sewing set up.
I remembered to bring my light box,
which made all of the difference.
 
 

 
 
Isn't my trash pretty? 



 
 
These beautiful borders took HOURS to make!
 I could not be any happier with them
and was very glad to have them finished.



 
 
The pieced border pieces will go on after two narrow borders of
the black and white striped fabric and a black and
white star fabric.
 
Onward and upward!
 
Happy Quilting!

 

Thursday, October 24, 2024

Baby Quilts

 For the first time in a long time
I do not have any quilts that I have to be making,
so I am taking the time to make some baby quilts
for donation.
 
My church helps support a free health care clinic
and they have requested baby quilts and blankets
to give to their patients.
 
 
 
 
This quilt is made with a Kitchen Table Quilts pattern,
"The Irene Quilt"
and went together in no time.
I had a jelly roll of Willow and used half of it for this quilt.
The other half is being used for another baby quilt.
 
Last year at Quilt Camp I used the
Jelly Roll Sampler pattern by
A Quilting Life
and made all of these blocks.
I used the Tula Pink fabric
(I'm blanking on the name)
for the sashing and setting triangles
and put it all together.
It will be trimmed once it's quilted.
 

 
This last baby quilt has been waiting to be sewn
together for some time.
I had some of the Kaffe fabric and
pulled pinks and blues from my stash for this
triangle quilt.
I don't know what it is about triangle quilts,
but I just love them.
 
The edges will be straightened once it's quilted.
 


 
Now to get all of these quilted!

Happy Quilting!

Sunday, October 20, 2024

Quilt Camp 2024

 I have no idea how we are almost at the end of October!
This has been a crazy busy month,
but with good things.

Last week I took my annual trip to upstate NY for Quilt Camp!
Six of us get together and rent a house on Keuka Lake
(in the Finger Lakes region)
and sew and chat and laugh and sew for 4 days.

At last years quilt camp, we decided to draw names and
make a quilt with a fall theme for the person whose name we drew.

It was so fun to see everyone's quilts!


 
 
Kathy, on the left, made this quilt for Shelly.
 

 
 
Irene, on the right, made this quilt for her daughter, Missy.
 

 
 
Missy, on the right, made this adorable quilt for her mom, Irene.
How fun is it that they had each others' names!
 

 
 
I made this quilt for Holly, who was unable to join us this year.
She fell a couple of weeks before camp and broke her left hand
in two places.  Ouch!!
 

 
 
My sister in law, Shelly, made this gorgeous quilt for me.
I had commented that I loved this fabric line,
not knowing that she was using it for my quilt!
 
 


Holly made this beautiful quilt for Kathy.
We are hoping that we all will be able to attend next fall.
The theme for next years quilts is Spring!



While we are in upstate NY, we were able to see
the northern lights.
It's the first time I've seen them and they were so beautiful.


Happy Quilting!

Monday, September 9, 2024

Acorns and Woven Quilt

 Wow, it's been a while since I've posted anything here.
Things have been made in my Hidey Hole,
but I can't show them yet.
Yesterday I pulled out a bag from my cabinet of projects
and decided to make a baby quilt to donate.
Years ago (I can't find when in my photos)
I made a quilt using these parts and pieces.
There were a bunch left over, so I put them in a bag
with the pattern and there they have sat.




This baby quilt went together in no time since
everything was cut.
It was mindless sewing while I listened to a book.




The pattern is an old Moda Bake Shop pattern.



We had our two oldest littles here a few weeks ago
and while they were here, we picked up
some acorns at my church's playground.

I dried them and was able to easily take the caps off
of the acorns.
After looking on line, I combined a couple of ideas
and made these fabric acorns.




 
Another mindless project that was fun to work on in the evenings.
I need to get a few more acorns, as I made more bodies than I had caps.
 
 
Hopefully, it won't be as long in between posts next time.
 
Happy Quilting!




Tuesday, August 20, 2024

More Hemingway Pouches

 Making Hemingway Pouches is such a fun project,
especially when I use the vinyl or faux leather
(The zippers and pulls came from Zipper Valley, too.)
 
The one change I made to the pattern is to sew the binding
to the outside of the pouch, which eliminates the
need to turn the pouch inside out after the binding is sewn in place.
 
 
 
 
 These pouches were gifted to a few people
and all were very pleased.  :)


 
 
Since I stitch the binding to the outside,
this allows for me to use the top triangle
that is cut from the bigger bag to make a smaller bag.
These would be great for coins, chapstick, hair clips, etc.
 
 



This eye glass case was made with quilted fabric and
will protect my sunglasses nicely.
 
 
Happy Quilting! 

Friday, August 16, 2024

Red, White and Blue Veterans Quilt

 These past few weeks I've had the time to cut and sew
another Veterans quilt.
 
This one was made with some of my collection of
red, white and blue fabrics.
 
 
 
 
 
The block pattern is the Disappearing Nine Patch
and it went together so quickly.
(Notes for me... I used 4.75" squares for the nine patch to 
make the 48x60" quilt.)
 

 
 
I quilted it with the crosshatch using my walking foot.
 
 


 It is labeled, laundered and ready for delivery.

Happy Quilting!

Tuesday, August 13, 2024

Birdie Baby Quilts

 A few blog posts ago, I mentioned that I had received
parts of a stash of a quilter who died.
In her stash were some unfinished projects and blocks.
Two of these unfinished projects were these adorable quilt tops.

They are now finished and have been donated to a
local organization that needs baby blankets.




These fabrics are so fun and the design makes a great quilt
while showing off the various fabrics.



 
 
Here is the second quilt that is equally as cute.
I'm going to have to remember this design for future
baby quilts.
 
 



And who does not love these birds??


Happy Quilting!

Monday, August 5, 2024

Go Blue!!

 My youngest brother is a huge University of Michigan sports fan,
especially football.
A while ago I saw this bundle of Michigan fabrics and knew
I had to make him a quilt.
The quilt was made and this past weekend I delivered it to him.


 
 
I used "The Olivia Quilt" pattern by
It was a great pattern to use with the larger print fabrics.
The quilt measures 60x73.5". 
 

 
Jennifer at Peaceful Hill Quilting quilted
little footballs all over the quilt.
Perfect!
 



This was a really fun quilt to make
and should keep him warm while he's watching
Michigan football this fall.


Happy Quilting!

Sunday, July 14, 2024

Double Cross

 One of the most fun things I do, quilting-wise,
is to belong to the Gridster Bee... an on line quilting bee
made up of 12 quilters all around the country.

May was my month to be "Queen Bee" and I asked my
bee mates to make these Double Cross Blocks,
using black and neutrals with little pops of color.


 
 
I just love the blocks everyone sent and added more to make this
52x63" quilt.
The pattern is free and can be found

 
 
The original quilt was made with bright fabrics
for all of the crosses, but I wanted a black and white
quilt with little pops of color.
 

 
 
did a beautiful job quilting it with yellow thread.
I chose the swirling, circular design to soften the crosses a bit.
 
 

 
 
Each member of the bee sends a signature block along
with their block.
One of the bee mates sent an orange block,
made by mistake, so I included that along with an extra block I had made.
The pieced backing looks pretty cool, if I do say so myself.  :)
 
 
It sure is fun being Queen Bee!
Until next year!
Happy Quilting!



Friday, July 12, 2024

Christmas in July

 For the last number of months my evening hand work
has been working on these ornaments.
 
The patterns are by MMMCrafts and Larissa writes the best patterns.
They are so fun, whimsical and  make me smile.



These ornaments are part of her
"Twas the Night"Series.
 
I made Santa and Mrs. Claus several years ago.
 
 


I made two girl elves and one boy elf for my grandchildrens'
ornaments for this year.
 
One set is for me!
 
 


One of the tea cups is for my daughter and son-in-law and
the other is for me!
 
I'm hoping to get the "All Through the House" ornament done this
year, too, but we shall see.




I have wanted something new for the top of my
tree for several years and Larissa's Lodestar is the perfect topper!




Is it too early to put up my Christmas tree??

Happy Creating!