Wait for it!

 I haven't  forgotten to post...I was busy working on a baby quilt top along with other stuff - like trying to clear some workspace.

I'll be back to post hopefully tomorrow...with something I'm excited to show.

Ok, testing this out....

 Man, it's been over a year since I've posted anything so I'm going to try again. I just checked and the photos I've taken recently with my phone are also showing up on my tablet so I can share. (that's part of the reason I quit trying to blog - I had to type out the text on one device and then try to add the photos with another device - it just got too frustrating for me.)

So, I haven't done much quilt wise since before Thanksgiving...I just didn't feel like it. That has changed a bit - I think at least partly because I quit taking all my medications, both OTC and scripts. I'm still having a bit of a problem sleeping at night but it's getting better (I am still taking Tylenol pm most nights - the only way I can get to sleep some nights).

OK, on to the subject of quilting. I found a panel about hair stylists somewhere/ sometime last year and decided I'd make a wall hanging with it as a Christmas gift to my neighbor who's been doing my hair for the past year. It didn't get done before Christmas so I gave her an Amaryllis instead. Now, since I'm getting some energy back, I decided to finish it so I could give it to her.

Looking at it again, I realized that it was too big to hang by her station so I thought, well, I'll just make it a lap quilt instead. The day before yesterday I looked at it again and thought... " I'll make it into a tote bag!" and I did.

I spent the afternoon stitching and doing math...then finished it up yesterday. Wanna see it?

The last photo is the inside of the bag and each side has a pocket cut from the same panel as the sides and back of the exterior. 

Oh yeah, and the red heart is something I thought of and appliqued it on after I quilted the panel.

I'll be taking it to her at my next appointment this coming Wednesday and calling it a belated birthday gift - six weeks late :) .

Now, speaking of birthdays, my cousin who has a computerized long arm told me again last summer to pick out one of my tops and bring it, batting and backing over and she'd  quilt it for me as a birthday gift to me. She and her husband were gone a lot this fall so I didn't get it to her right away but I told her that I wasn't in a rush.

She got it back to me just before Christmas but I didn't do anything with it until today because of my lack of energy. All it needed was trimming and the binding & label made and sewn to the quilt but it was just too much work for me.

I got it done today! I LOVE IT!!!!

BQ4 by Maple Island Quilts

But before I could work on my birthday quilt, I had to finish a job one of my neighbors hired me to do.

One of her nieces apparently went down to Shipshewana and saw this quilt (bottom pic) and bought it for her aunt. My neighbor brought it to me and when I first saw it, I was gobsmacked - it is gorgeous. It looks pieced, but it isn't..it's a whole cloth print - but still gorgeous! Anyway, she wanted to hire me to make and install a sleeve on the back so that she could hang it in her home. It was going to require handstitching to attach the sleeve and I really don't like that much hand stitching ( I get bored and start taking bigger stitches) 56" x 2 sides plus the ends. But she's a sweet gal and didn't even blink twice when I said $25 for fabric and labor...yes, I might have gotten more but she's on a fixed income, too and I figured for her that was plenty. It didn't take me as long as I thought it might but I still have a very sore finger from the needle and I had to take a break overnight because my left hand kept cramping up ( all it was doing was holding the quilt, but " arthur" said "stop or else!".

So, that's it for this week. Hopefully, my tablet and phone continue to be cooperative with each other - and me so that I can get back to blogging. I've already started a baby quilt for the young gal who lives across the street from me...she's expecting a girl in April. Good time for me to check my project bins and find a cute quilt pattern with fabric, which I did! I'll have to show you later though...

Great to be back! 

Have a great - and safe - weekend.

Not much to report

 

I got the borders onto this quilt and made the label & cut the binding strips....that is basically all I've done quilting wise.  Haven't got a lot done otherwise either.  I had big plans to clean the kitchen today but after waking up at 3:30 a.m. and not getting back to sleep until almost 11, I've just been puttering around - breaking down Amazon boxes, tossing junk mail, etc.   

My son finished my bedroom today - except for the closet that will be done at a later date.  It will look really nice once I get everything clean and reorganized. My son is right,  I have way too much stuff! I'll be sleeping in the recliner for another night or two.  Moving back to the bedroom doesn't involve just me...there are two dogs to include in the plans.  The new dog, MissBee, still sleeps in her crate at night and it has to be where she can see me - that means moving the crate back to my bedroom and hoping she won't have a fit because the other dog, Buddy, will probably sleep on my bed. If I can make space for the older dog's bed, I'll put it in the bedroom so maybe he'll sleep on it (he does now but didn't until I started sleeping in the recliner). MissBee was banned from my bedroom because she chewed up and removed the wiring from my electric blanket along with chewing up my flip-flops, my Sketchers, and a throw rug.

Speaking of the dog's, it's almost dinnertime so I'm going to close this for today.  Stay warm - it's 20 degrees here BRRRR.

New Year = fresh start

 I know it's been months since I've posted on here.  I was in a lot of pain in my left shoulder/upper arm for several months before finally having surgery in July.  The pain lessened after surgery but then I had about three and a half months of physical therapy.  Im still having some difficulty but at 75 years of age, I can't expect to be able to do all that I did 20 or 30 years ago.

Anyway, life happens.  I finally got back to sewing in Nov.  One of my cousins has a computerized long arm and she told me back during the summer that she'd quilt a top for me as a birthday present.  I went through my tops but couldn't find one that I wanted done edge to edge in something fancier than I can do on my midarm.  In November, I came across a pattern that I decided I'd like to try; I had all the fabric needed for the top but had to go to Joann's to get the backing fabric (on sale, of course).

Now that I was back sewing, I decided to make little zippered bags for the gals that I meet for lunch every other week.

And I kept going....next up was placemats.  The centers came from a panel that I had found on sale and it made 6 placemats...two were a Christmas gift for a neighbor (she loves them but doesn't want to get them dirty lol) and the remaining 4 are on my  dining  table.

Still working....next up was a smallish wall hanging

And then 

Followed by

Yes, all done before Christmas.  Most were pretty easy. 

 Then, it was this small quilt top -I call it lap size 40something by 59" give or take.

Finished it on the 30th but friend and fellow quilter, Katie caught an oops that I was able to correct the next morning before starting on I Know....

Then yesterday, I started this...the pattern is called Little Genius...These are just the blocks waiting to be sewn into rows and having a blue border added.

And that's pretty much it for now....other than to tell you about MissBee.  I adopted her back in March and she's a pistol.  Part Chihuahua and part what I believe is Jack Russell. My older dog, Buddy, probably still wonders what I was thinking when I brought her home.  She is way too hyper for him and tries to get him to play with her...she just doesn't understand that he's old (12 1/2) and doesn't want to play.  They are getting along a little better...they will sometimes share the same bed.

Buddy's mouth looks a little fuzzy because he was moving...I had to take three

 photos before I took this one and gave up.

And on that note, I've got to scoot.  The B's are whining to go outside.

Glad to be back.

Beginnings and Ends

 I have to keep looking back in my photo gallery to see just what I've done since my last post and it's not because I've done so much that I've lost track - it's just the opposite.  When I was having problems with the sashing on the then current WIP, I  put it and myself into time out for about two weeks.  Well, I did work on my sashiko project but even that was hit and miss.

Eventually, I took the Shadowbox quilt back out and managed to get the sashing on with the help of pins.  Even got the borders on.  Now, I  just need to get some backing fabric.

It's hard to see in the photo, but the print is white and yellow daisies on a blue and green background.  It was yardage left from a quilt I made for my oldest daughter about 14 or 15 years ago.  

Next up, was the Jan. BOM from AQS magazine.  I haven't done any of their BOMs before and thought that since I liked this years and it looks like I can use my scraps for at least some of it, I  thought "why not?"  Here are the first two parts.

No pics of the sashiko yet...maybe later.  

Next up was a finish.  It's one I thought I  had started last fall, but when I  looked up the name, I  saw that I had just started it in December so finishing it in January wasn't too bad of a time frame.  I'm not real happy with the quilting part because I did it on my domestic which was giving me a hard time and I really should have warmed up on a practice piece.  It is what it is and it's done; I even hand stitched the binding on the back!  Shocker, right?

Bountiful Blessings 

Once that was done, I allowed myself to start a new project.  It's a pretty simple one, especially since I have a small bin of 2 1/2" squares and it finishes at 43" ×54".  

So far, I have sorted out 200 of the 252 squares needed and have about half sewn into pairs and then four patches.

Now that I  have a little more space on my table, I  can pull out the remaining blocks I  need.  I don't have the light blue yardage needed for the background, but I found some pale yellow that I  think will work just as well.

I still haven't done any long arming since I got Mo'e back home...hoping that I'll feel more up to it one day SOON.  I'm blaming this lousey Michigan weather for my aches & pains...gotta blame someone/ something.

Just noticed the time... I've got to get dressed and take Buddy to his groomer appointment.  Also have to stop at Walmart for essential chocolates and bananas and also to see if they carry clear LED bulbs.

Take care...

TTFN 

NEW YEAR New Challenge

 I signed up for TQS (The Quilt Show)'s yearly Block of the Month.  First time in about 9 years. It's called Homeward Bound and designed by Sarah Fielke.  I bought the background fabric from TQS but am going to try & shop from my stash as much as I can for the other fabrics.  After a shaky start (I ordered the required 1/4" bias tape online but when it arrived, it was 3/8" wide and a darker than I expected), I  got things back on track by simply making my own.  Sarah recommended bias tape with fusible backing but neither what I ordered online or made myself had it - I just used my Roxannes glue baste it and it worked just fine. Month One is completed.

Now, I  just need to find my Karen Kay Buckley Perfect Circles that are here SOMEWHERE in my home.  I can borrow a set from one of my cousins - or I could just buy another set, but you know that as soon as I do either, they will show up.  Or at least that's how it usually goes...I say this because, while looking for the circles I  found the stencils thats I couldn't find about a year ago and ended up having to buy a new set.

Oh Oh!  I have to share this with those of you who aren't Katiemaytoo.  She presented me with these yesterday.  Thank you, Katie :)

There's kind of a long story that goes with it, but to make it shorter....one time when she was checking on our cats while hubby and I were on one of our trips, I came home to find this guy...

sitting on a table next to the couch.  Actually, our dog, Buddy, noticed it first and was hoping it was for him. No, it was for me....I get distracted easily - apparently like the dog in the movie UP.  

Got a call early this morning from 'the spa' Mo'e is at ...he's ready to be picked up...just as soon as I sell my first born child (who needs two daughters anyway).  Just kidding...it's more than I thought it would be but still not outrageous.  We're going to try and pick him up on Saturday while we're on that end of town visiting my nephew at his new apartment.

OK, got to give Buddy treats. 

Take care

End of the old year

I was able to finish both of these by New Years Day. The top one was completely done in flannel and finished before New Years Eve and the bottom one only needed binding and a label sewn on..along with a small patch on the back where there was a small hole.

 

This Scotty one was kind of a disaster because of the sashing and borders..they were just a hot mess and I don't think I'll do another scrappy sashing or border again.  Other than that, the only problem I had was not noticing when the bobbin thread slipped out of it's place so I  have a little railroad track in at least one spot and just some yucky stitching in other spots on the back.  I was checking, but obviously not often enough. 

This was one of my #3s for this month's American Patchwork & Quilting UFO Challenge for 2023.  I decided that my goal this year should be all my tops that have been waiting to be quilted... 1 done and still about 40 to go (I'm sure there are at least a couple that are in hiding).  

They won't be the only UFO that I'll be working on, but I  hope to quilt at least two a month, maybe more since almost all are on the smaller side - think large crib or maybe a twin size.

Today, Mo'e went in for his 'spa' day..which is more like a week.  I told Jason (the manager) that Mo'e has been running so good that I almost didn't want to bring him in

and he told me that I probably shouldn't have, but it's been at least three years since I've had anyone look at him and I'm sure it can't hurt ( unless they mess with my tension settings).

Then, on the way home, my car got rear ended (again!) I saw it coming - this little car was right on my rear end and kept on coming closer even as I slowed down and then stopped for the red light.  If there hadn't been a car in front of me, I might have been able to make a right turn and avoided getting hit.  As soon as she hit me, I put the car in park and jumped out to look at the damage (she hit quite hard), but I couldn't see anything except where I was rear ended several years ago.  She got out of her vehicle and started saying something about having two artificial legs and I just waved her off while telling her to drive a little slower and pay attention.  She didn't listen to my advice as she was still behind me when I got on the freeway.  I tried to put more distance between us, while not going too fast myself.  I kept checking my rearview mirror to make sure she wasn't getting closer and saw her exit the freeway - then I was able to relax and breathe again.

Anyway, so back to quilting.  Now that Mo'e is off the frame, my son, Chris, is going to help me make some changes to the frame...like taking the rear bar apart if necessary to straighten it out and taking off the old velcro that holds the leader canvas onto the bar and replacing it.  We may even adjust the height of the frame so that it stands a little higher. We're also going to see if there's something we can do with the power cords so they're not such a jumbled mess.

Well, can't think of anything more for today...time to fix Buddy's dinner.

Take care

Stay Safe