Patriotic Quilt Finish

 I have the first finish of 2022 and the first

quilt totally made in my new Hidey Hole.

The room is pretty much put together and 

I am thrilled.

I need to put up a peg board wall and my design wall

and that's it!

My quilting mojo is back now that I have a room to use again!

Back to the quilt...

This was a kit I had purchased long ago.

I don't know where, or when or why.

This is not my typical type of quilt to make.

The kit quilt looked like this...

I knew it would be donated, but it wasn't that large.

Vicki suggested donating it to the local

Veterans Hospital, but it needed to be larger.

When I decided to do this,

I added the borders.

What a difference they made in the overall appearance!

I decided to quilt it with a grid and get if finished.

It's been a while since I've quilted anything,

so easy was the name of the game.

 

 

It took an evening to get it quilted

and I worked on the binding yesterday

while it rained.

The binding strips had been cut for the smaller, no border version,

so I needed to add one piece.

I had enough of one of the fabrics used and added

that for a bit of a scrappy binding.

 

 

The backing came from my stash and used up all of the stripe

and most of the solid blue.

It will be washed and delivered to Vicki to add to the quilts they donate.

I'm linking to Design Wall Monday today.

Happy Quilting!

Kit #2

 After I posted my first quilt top finish for 2022 the other day,

Vicki suggested that, if the top is large enough,

I donate it to her quilt group that makes quilts for

the local Veterans hospital.

Well, the quilt top wasn't large enough,

so I added two solid borders.

I like it so much more now and will get

it quilted and sent to Vicki to donate.

Thanks, Vicki!

After adding the borders to the above quilt,

I went to the kit cabinet and pulled the next one to make.

This one is one I put together and have been waiting to make

it for some time.

My bestest friend LOVES sock monkeys.

Years ago I made her a sock monkey quilt

and have leftover fabric.

I knew that I would want to make a baby quilt

for her home when she became a grandmother

and the time is here!

Out came the fabrics,

along with my Accuquilt cutter

and the pieces are ready to arrange.

 

 

 

 

 

I had cut these triangles from scraps when I was putting 

all of the fabrics away, so they were ready to go.

 

 

 

 

 

Several of these fabrics I had placed in the bag with 

the cut triangles and the rest I pulled from my stash.

I love using the AccuQuilt to cut triangles

because it cuts notches and makes assembly very

easy and accurate.

 

 

 Now it's time to play!

I don't have a design wall yet,

so will need to use my design floor while

I'm watching college basketball this afternoon.

Happy Quilting!

First Kit Done

 In my first blog post of 2022

I stated that one goal is to work on the 

cabinet of kits I've accumulated over the years.

There are purchased kits and kits I've put together.

 

The first kit is done! 

Well, it's a finished top, anyway.

This kit was purchased...

I don't remember where

and I'm really wondering why.

It is not anything I would buy today,

but it's done and will be quilted and donated.

 

 

 

This was actually a good one for me to start with

since it was small and easy to make.

I had to knock some rust off of my sewing!

 

 

 

 

I am not fond of the large square fabric at all,

but used it to move it out of my stash.

 

 

This quilt is not large so won't take me long to quilt it.

This year I was invited to join the Gridster Bee

and am so excited.  It's made up of quilters,

mostly in California,

but there are two of us who are not.

Each month someone is "Queen Bee"

and the others make blocks that she requests.

This month Patti chose Ayumi Takahashi Envelope pattern

from "Patchwork Please"

and asked that we think of them as "Love Letters".

These are paper pieced blocks and went together pretty quickly.

These will be mailed off to California today or tomorrow.

 

Happy Quilting!

Olivia's Quiet Book

 One thing I have wanted to make

even before I had a grandchild is a 

felt Quiet Book.

 

I'd seen these online and have looked at many

patterns and pages.

 

My granddaughter turned one on Dec. 27th and

it was time for a quiet book!

 

I found this pattern on Etsy and a friend

helped me cut the pieces on her Cricut.

(Boy did THAT save some time!)

 

Because life has been crazy

I didn't get working on this until this past week.

 

It is finished and ready for delivery!

 

In making this, I learned many things

that I will use when I make more pages as 

Olivia gets older.

 

I hope she likes this as much as I enjoyed making it for her.

 

 

These are the pages of her book.

I decided to put them into a book form

differently so the pages can be removed

and added to easily.

The tabs on the left side have big button holes

and I made a strap to go through those to hold the pages together.

Some pages have little activities on them

and others have crinkle fabric between the felt pieces

or beads to move.

I know buttons should not be used for little ones,

but these are sewn on so tightly that I'm not sure

I could get them off if I needed to.

The lady bug has a little lady bug on

a ribbon behind the zipper.

 

 

The bee is velcroed in place with little

things to find under the flower petals.

The beads move under the netting on the fish.

The owls wings move up and down

and there are things to find in his belly.

 

 

The apples are velcroed in place on the hedgehog. 

 The door on the mushroom opens

and the beads spin.

I have the next set of pages picked out to make

and these will have more advanced activities

as Olivia gets older.

Happy Birthday, Olivia!!

Happy New Year!

 I've read that whatever one does on January 1,

this will be done throughout the year.

(I made sure I didn't clean today! :D)

My hope for 2022 is that I get back into my sewing and quilting.

I have really missed the lack of creativity in my life this past year

and am excited about playing in my new hidey hole

and making new things.

That being said....

one thing that happens with moving

is one really sees just how much stuff one has.

As I was putting my fabric and things away in my

new hidey hole,

I really saw just what I have!

This shelf is crammed with kits I've made myself

and kits I've purchased over the years.

I had not idea I had this many.

One goal I have for 2022 is to get through these kits. 

Some will go together quickly and some will take some time.

There is a variety of designs, fabrics, sizes, etc. on this shelf,

so there should be something for just about any mood.

To start the year off, I chose the oldest kit in the bunch.

I don't remember where I bought this or really why I bought this,

but it's going to be a quick finish and it will get me started on my goal.

 

 

 The cutting and sewing has commenced

and I'm so happy.

My soul needed to be fed with some creative time

and playing with fabric.

May 2022 bring you good health,

many joys and lots of time sewing.

Happy Quilting!

End of 2021

 I have no idea where 2021 has gone.

One day it was January 1, 2021 and the next it's 

December 28, 2021.

 

It was a year of big changes for my family...

most were good changes,

but there were some sad changes.

We just kept moving forward and look

forward to each new day.

 

My quilting adventures sure took a back seat

to life this year.

I had all good intentions of creating more,

but time and energy just did not allow for that.

I'm hoping this will change for 2022.

 

My Hidey Hole is getting settled.

The boxes have all been unpacked and things

are finding their place in the new space.

 

In the mean time I've been knitting a bit.

 

My granddaughter turned one yesterday (!!)

and I knitted her birthday dress.

(I wanted to smock her a dress,

but hadn't unpacked my pleater yet!)

Her party will not be until Sunday

and she will wear her dress then.

It has been given to her and is ready for wear.

 

 

This pattern is called "Lil Rosebud"

and purple seems to be her favorite color.

(My daughter's middle name is Rose

and is "Rosebud" to us.  My granddaugther's

middle name is also Rose, so the pattern name is perfect.)

 

 

 

These little polka dot leggings go perfectly with the dress

and will help keep her legs warm.

 

I hope to be here more in 2022,

sharing new creations and inspirations.

 

Be well and Happy Quilting!

Little Henry's Quilt

I realized that I had never posted about Little Henry's quilt.

My goddaughter and husband had this little man the day after my birthday.

Henry was born at 30 weeks and has been in the NICU since his birth.

All is going as well as it can go

and Henry is growing and getting stronger.

 

After he was born,

I was able to deliver his quilt to his mom.

 

For some reason I didn't take a photo of the finished quilt...

only the back.

 

 

My goddaughter had picked this pattern a while ago

and we were able to go fabric shopping together.

This was before the Deco QAL began!

(My floors are not orange! For some reason the

color of just the flooring is off.)

 

 

 

 

As I was quilting and praying over this quilt,

I added some hearts and some

words to the quilting.

They are little hidden messages.

 

 

  This batik made an awesome backing!

I may have to go back and get more of this.

 

 

Welcome to the world, Henry!!

 

Happy Quilting!   

A Mouse Invasion

 I haven't been able to do much sewing these past few weeks,

but I have been able to get my ornaments finished.

This Bucilla kit is my favorite!

These little mice are so stinking cute

and just make me smile.

They have invaded my home and I may need to order more!

Everyone to whom I've shown them wants one or all six. :D

Here they all are...

This one is my favorite!

It's going to be difficult to give these little

cuties away!

 

Merry Christmas!

New Hidey Hole

 Progress on my new Hidey Hole has been very slow,

but there is progress!

 

Last week we went from this...

 

 

to this!!

It's a small room,

much smaller than my previous Hidey Hole,

but I will have a dedicated sewing room.

 

 

So you see the pillar in the photo above?

There were two of these.

Now there are none and this is happening!

I will have a wall with pocket doors!

It is very, very, VERY important to be able to close the doors

to my Hidey Hole!

 

For now, all of my things remain in the dining room

and sunroom.  Therefore, not much decorating is getting done.

Or sewing, for that matter.

 

One day very soon, I hope!

 

Happy Quilting!

Guess What??!!??

 It's FINALLY happening!

I am Finally getting my new Hidey Hole!

We moved in April and my hidey hole has been in 

boxes and bins and piles.

They have all been moved out and the room

is ready for the cabinets to arrive.

 

 

The dining room is across from where my 

hidey hole will be,

so a lot of the things ended up in there for now.

Do you think I'll have it empty in time to 

use it for Thanksgiving?

The boxes and bins ended up in the sunroom.

 

 

Hopefully after Tuesday this room will

look totally different!

 

I'm so excited!

 

Happy Quilting!

Advent Calendar Finished

 These last few weeks have not gone according to plan,

but I was able to sneak in some stitching here and there.

One thing I really wanted to finish was this

Advent calendar I was asked to make

for a good friend of my daughter.

It is finished!

My goal was to get it done by the end of this week

and I finished it last night.

 

 

This was made by using part of a pattern

and part original design.

Most of the felt designs came from the pattern,

but the construction was my own idea.

 

 

 

I bought a Cricut machine and that helped immensely with

the lettering and numbers.

The felt I used is all wool felt.

 

 

 

The little designs are so cute,

but were so tedious to cut out.

If I make another one,

I will want to come up with a different

way to cut these out.

They were too small for the Cricut. 

There are things I would do differently in the

construction, too, that would make things

go more quickly and look a little better.

 

 

This will be delivered soon..

Just in time for the start of the Advent season.

 

 

 

In the ornament corner, these little cuties are being made.

Yep... .another Bucilla kit.

There are six of these little mice.

They are much easier to make than I anticipated.

 

 I am linking to Design Wall Monday today.

Happy Creating!

My Mom

 Two weeks ago today my family lost our anchor.

My mom, who was 81 years old, left this earth

for a much better place.

It was a sudden death, thank God.

She would not have wanted to suffer

and become more of a burden to us.

My five siblings and our spouses,

along with her 13 grandchildren and spouses,

her 18 great grandchildren

and her last remaining sibling,

along with a few friends

all gathered for her funeral. 

It was a sad and joyous event.

My family always finds reasons for laughter.

There were many, many tears,

but so much laughter, too.

 Mom would have loved that.

And after her funeral we all gathered at a park

and grilled cheeseburgers while the

kids all ran and played.

Mom would have loved that, too.

Cheeseburgers were her favorite food.

My mom was the best grandmother I've seen.

No matter what her grandchildren were interested in,

she was interested and read up on the topic so she

could discuss it with the grandchild.

Nothing brought her pleasure like being with her family. 

 

My cousin, who is a Baptist minister,

had some wonderful words for us.

He said those of us here are suffering from separation,

but my mom has had a wonderful reunion.

This is so true.

Mom,

you are greatly missed,

but I know you are loving being back with dad,

your parents and brothers

and meeting all of the ancestors you've researched

and had questions for over the years.

We love you.