march 2020 quarantine progress

Well getting some things done while in  stay at home order. We have the grandsons Dylan and Brandon they were here on spring break when the order came out so they are just staying with us in the country instead of going back to the city. There are more things they can do here.  I am doing their home school here new experience for me have not done homework for many years.

My husband and boys are learning to weld from you tube. So they bought new helmets and safety gloves found heavy cotton shirts for them to wear  shortened the sleeves for the 11 year old. They are doing well with it. keeps them busy.  Two friend brought them some steel to work with and just dropped it off in driveway by the barn. 
I made them each a welding cap for under their helmets.  here they are sporting them they are reversible. Read that the welders like funky caps to make a statement and know it is theirs.  So we have basketball/lion king, lion king/blue camo, and dear/blue camo.  They turn the cap backwards so bill is at the back of neck to protect neck.    They said these would be good bow shooting caps too with the short bill.

Between cooking and cleaning up, checking on fiends I have been sewing. I am trying to work on a BOM several friends had started together. It is an Edtya Sitar  Quilter's Garden quilt.  not the easiest one I have made.   here are the blocks I have gotten done while staying in. Have 2 more blocks cut but putting them away for now not enough brain power for this project right now the last block did me in too many pieces.

 Brandon wanted his name on a badge for his army fatigues so we made one on my embroidery machine turn out great. He is happy with it even though he is not smiling...

I finished putting together a charity quilt using Pat Sloan's pattern traffic jam leaving off the outside 4 patches. Our guild is having a challenge of making a one color quilt so made another one of these in all blue fabric.

Last weekend great grandson Griffyn spent the time with us too so 3 boys house was busy.  He is cleaning up with the dust buster.  He will be 4 on 18th of April  not sure will get to celebrate bur we will when we can... 

 I made some sets of alphabet markers in my embroidery machine for myself and some friends  I got one set to a friend but rest will need to wait until can get together. The BOM guild I mentioned above uses the alphabet to label the pieces.   There is a bag to make to keep them in but baggies work too.

 Found these at the store  so fun.  going to make bags out of them when empty.  Something fun for this strange times we are experiencing.  there is one about chocolate that my daughter found.  Something to look for if have to go to the store.

 Yesterday's treat brownies with mini M&M's  pretty yummy with ice cream last night.

Well better finish this up and go sew. I hope to quilt on machine today. 
stay safe and keep sewing
Sharon J

February 2020 progress

well I have made some progress this month. yeah for me. 
I took last Sat to clean in my sewing room. I needed to clean off the long arm so that I could get some quilting done, but you know what happens when you start that.. Yes I did get it cleaned off, but decided to go thru the totes and rolling carts and bins under the front of the machine.  What a treasurer hunt, I moved the  totes out and looked in them and made a list of the UFOs that were in there. I did decide to get rid of a few projects that I no longer wanted to finish or make.  I started a donate shopping bag for these things.   The bag has patterns, fabric, couple kits and couple projects I do not want to finish in it.  Our guild has a show in June so will donate these things to the sale barn that we have.
 I found this project which is the 2012 town and country shop hop all in a binder ready to make.  Wow 2012  it sure has rested awhile. I am cutting the blocks out a little at a time and will put this project together, not sure how I will set it together since there is no finishing kit or directions to put it together  just the picture on the front of binder I do have some of 2 colors that I must have bought  about 1 1/2 each I think. 

 I have finished the top of my Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt for this year.  I really kept up with it this year even if I only did half the units. Then I laid it out and made couple more blocks to make this size.I set mine in a straight setting instead of on diagonal.  Changed the border. I ended up with only  with about 4 pieces of 1 1/2 inch strips left of the neutral fabric  it was down to the wire using it. 
Now it will wait to be quilted  which I hope is not too long.

While I was working on the borders, I had my embroidery machine going. I am making free standing lace easter eggs.  The are really cute and easy except for putting them together.. Made 1 and have another one drying after removing the washable stabilizer away.

I finished quilting  2 customer t-shirt quilts this week now to put the binding on. Then load another one to be quilted.

I have worked on a couple of other projects but they are not done I did not take any pictures of them so I will tell you and show you about them next time.

  I am off to a LQS and lunch tomorrow with a friend. and Saturday my  sewing group is having a sew day so will go sew there but no quilting until Monday. 

Off to sew binding on 2 quilts

Happy stitching
Sharon J

Jan 2020 progress

well now that the new year has started  need to make new list of UFO's do get done this year.   I have made a list of 12 UFO's  to hopefully finish this year plus some other projects too.
I worked on #1  at a retreat first few days of the year.   I blocks and rows sewn together. It is Vintage Farm girl 1 blocks.  Now to decide on border 2  book has it being flying geese like 100 of them  not happening so just picking a plain border then adding another white one and calling it done ready to quilt.  I think I am picking the red one  let me know what you think.

also at retreat I got a Xmas wall hanging done ready for quilting. then I sewed 2 packs of cupcake recipe sheets  using 4 charm packs 2 similar Kansas Troubles packs and 2 kona off white packs.  i got them all sewn at retreat and couple blocks made   they are going to be little.  smaller than I expected but cute each sheet makes 2 blocks.  They will be my sew day project. nice to have a project ready to grab and go sew. 

I am trying to declutter my sewing room so going thru project boxes and totes seeing what is in them. I am making a list of all UFOs, kits, etc  and where they are located.  Boy way more that I thought a few I do not even remember starting. I have may sets of blocks from exchanges and BOMs that I have done over the years and just put them away.  Hope to get some of them done this year.  several will be donation quilts. 

I also am trying to cut up my scraps since I got a accuquilt cutter and 2 1/2 inch strip die and 8 inch cube. I borrowed a 1 1/2 inch strip die from a friend so that I could cut up a bunch of scraps into this size strip for pineapple and court house step scrap blocks.  

Here is what I did yesterday. I took a day to play for myself and try the cutter and embroidery machine. Home alone for the day let you get a lot of playing done.

Also I cut 2 1/2 inch squares for Traffic Jam quilt by Pat Sloan.  this is my leader and ender project for now.  made 4 patches and put together with some plain squares.   so make 2 patches  then into 4 patches.  These will be for charity quilts.

While I was cutting scraps I decided to play with embroidery machine, so I made the Kimberbell demo day project. It was offered at LQS 3 Friday's in a row  you watched a demo and got a part of the project.  Here is what it made. Nice winter mini wall hanging.

Then decided to play some more and make a mini composition book cover. It was so easy  will make some more and also make the regular size ones too.  

I have not got any sewing done today due to errands and grocery shopping, but hope to be back at it tomorrow. Our weather forcast looks like a great 3 days of sewing/quilting for me.  

Keep stitching,

Sharon J

December sewing

Well the year is almost over only 3 more day, my where did the year go.

The family tradition, declared by nephews on Hubby's side of family, is to make them each a pillowcase for Christmas. This year I made 19 of them,  I make them with fabric to go with something they did this passed year or something they like.    here are the pictures of them getting them  Made few extra this year that I normally don't  one for Sister-in-law, oldest niece,and bonus daughter( son-in-law's sister)  these are so fun to look for fabric all year long and then make them and embroidery their names on them.

 in this picture are niece and nephews, grandsons and daughter

in this picture is daughter and granddaughter in front with great grandson on the floor would not hold his up,  in the back is son-in-law, sister-in-law, niece and bonus daughter

My small sew group that meets on 1st and 3rd Monday evening is doing a seasonal block of the month. We got in 2nd meeting in Nov a pumpkin and a tree. I got them done and here is my tree. Going to be fun to make these and display them each month.  I made a bigger border on each to make it look better in the stand I have. 

 I also make memory pillows for sister-in-law, niece and 3 nephews from my brother-in laws shirts.  I put the saying on printer fabric and put it in the pocket instead of sewing it on.   SIL's and niece's(which was from her Dad's shirts) were made leaving the collars on  little more tricky.    They loved them and yes a few tears.    Few more for family members after the new year.

 We had a quiet Christmas week so I got to do some sewing and yes cleaning of sewing room to remove stuff that was put in there out of the way for Christmas.
I had done clue 1 and 2 of Bonnie Hunter's mystery quilt before the 20th  so I got 3 and 4 done last two day.  This is the first time ever that I am staying caught up.

Did some cleaning this morning and put living room and dining room back in order. We bring 2 tables up from downstairs to have enough seating for everyone we have 24 for xmas weekend.  washing sheets now and have ham and beans in crock-pot for supper.  we look forward to the ham bone for beans. All other leftovers have been eaten. Now I will have to think of meals again, but only for few days then I am off to retreat for  days...

Have a Happy New Year  and a great year sewing.

Sharon J

Nov sewing

well Nov sure came in with a vengeance, so great sewing weather but I need to get some more mojo.  Getting a few quilts done for customers. Ready to sew on binding and sew it down for one today.  Fixing another quilt redoing the borders so it lays flat.
I am getting some of my pillowcases made for Xmas presents I make all our kids, grand kids, nieces and nephews one with their names on them. They told me it was traditions to get one every year.   So that is about 15 a year, I try to find fabric that goes with something they have done during the year or  a sport they do in school.
When I just want to sew but not think, I have been using scraps to make wonky court house step blocks form Bonnie Hunter's pattern.  I have made 32 and have 8 more started.  Scraps not disappearing very fast  I think I am just fluffy them up.  They are fun and easy to make. I need to find some more neutrals for the project I have plenty of other fabrics to last a life time. I know I have some just finding them is the trick.

I sure love my little iron and wool mat for pressing. 

Our small quilt group is doing a BOM project  which really is 2 seasonal blocks a month.   They are so cute  most of us are going to finish them to put on a stand. 

These are September and October.   Paper pieced blocks from scraps from stash and sharing with friends. Ready for the next 2 blocks next Monday night. 

off to sew binding.

Happy sitching

Sharon J

sept slow progress

Well September has been a slow start, I have not got very much sewing done due to working on getting MIL's house cleaned out and doing estate sale.  I have sewn in the evening just to relax. My evening sewing has been pineapple blocks from 1 1/2 inch strips. I have 21 blocks done. These are fun and easy not much thinking just grab a strip and sew. The pattern calls to cut the strips in certain lengths for each round but I just sew and cut as I go.   The pieces just have to be long enough to be as long as the side sewing it on then use the pineapple ruler tool by Gyleen Fitzgerald to trim.  Did I say this is so fun and uses scraps.

Tuesday went to a friends house to sew, Four of us are working on a Kimberbell Xmas embroidery project together. I started sewing mine together and others were making the blocks. 

I was hoping to get another project to the border stage but that did not happen due to needed to rip it apart and put it back together correctly. I had 2 sections upside down.   It is back together ready for borders now... 

Well I am off to see what I can get done in the half hour I have before going to help daughter move. 

keep stitching
Sharon J

continued progress in August

I have trying to sew in the evenings and have done a good job of working on something.  I went as far as I can on the deer Xmas wall hanging while waiting for more fabric. Yes it was a kit and did not have enough background fabric to cut all the pieces. I lacked a 2" strip.   This is why I don't buy very many kits  due to running into shortage of fabric before .then having a hard time finding more.
Neither the shop I bought the kit from had anymore fabric and other local shop did not either, so online I and couple friends went to find it.  Luckily I found it without too much trouble.  It arrived today, I also order 3 of the other three fabrics just in case need them and I like them. I want to make some place mats from the same panel and fabrics.  I will not get back to working on it until Maybe Sunday.
Also took all the paper off the table runner I finished. This is not my favorite part of paper piecing but I so love the perfect points.  Now it is read to be quilted.
The last two evenings I wanted to sew but did not want to think about anything so I have been making crumb blocks.  I have 43 blocks done just using up scraps.   I will put them into a quilt for charity.

also cut up some scraps into usable strip sizes (1.5, 2 and 2.5 inch) plus some more strings.

Last week retreat was great and I got quite a few things to the flimsy stage.  I will take some pictures and post in next message.  Great time, friends and  food.

keep on stitching
Sharon J