A New Year......Hopefully, a good one.

 I have not blogged in forever.....it seems if I was sick my husband wasn't and if he was sick I wasn't.

Then a week before Christmas  we both came down with Covid.  I have to tell ya....it was not pretty.  In the 42 years we have been married we both have not been this sick at the same time.  We think our little 12 year old house guest brought it home to us from school.  She was really tired one night and then she started complaining of not being able to taste anything....that is the extent of her sickness.  The not being able to taste for her lasted about a week.

Our son and his family went to see our other sons  a week befor Christmas so we were on our own.  Our little house guest was able to return to her family.

Thank Heavens for grocery delivery.  We had all kinds of cough medicine and easy foods to eat delivered.  Neither of us felt like eating and our smell and taste totally disappeared.  Everything tasted like cardboard.

My taste has not come back and all of you will be shocked that I don't really care for chocolate now....in fact, it kinda turns my stomach.  Strange huh???  It was my staple of life but not anymore.

Well...I am not going to show what I was doing before Christmas because Christmas is gone and I was not able to finish some of my projects let alone deliver them to the intended person,

So I will show you what I have been up to this month.

Country Chic by Sew Kind of Wonderful.  I have used Java Batiks from Inchworm fabrics and Island Batik Fabrics as well.  I had started this before Christmas but put it away to make Christmas gifts.

I saw this sewing table around November, it was at Lowes or on their website....It was so inexpensive that I just had to get it.  In fact, it actually adds more room to my room and looks so much better than the plastic table I was using.  Although I have a need for speed and sometimes my table rattles...haha

This next quilt is Jump Rings from Missouri Star Quilt Company "BLOCK."  This was so fun and very very fast.  Very little waste.  One fat quarter can make up to 4 rings, just depends.

Here are the fabrics I used....oh my gosh.  In fact, these are the fabrics that my sister, Jeanette, from Inchworm fabrics sent me to advertise for her.....kinda like an ambassador.  Who wouldn't pass up free fabric and such pretty fabrics.

I hope that my computer will do better this year but I doubt it.  My son called and we were talking about my computer...he said, why don't you just buy a new one.  I said I was toooooooo cheap.  He said, well, I have an old computer in my closet.  Now I have to tell ya....when my son says old, it was probably last years model.  It is probably very very nice, much nicer than one I would buy.  We will see...everyone cross your fingers!!!

Hope all of you have a very Happy New Year.

STARRY NIGHT BY SEW KIND OF WONDERFUL

 Christine, Jeanette's daughter, has joined the Inch Worm Fabric team, I think she is going to try to blog for Jeanette.  I am excited, I get to use all the awesome fabrics in the store and Christine gets to blog about them.

I will say that when I was in her store I noticed that she had a fat quarter bundle of "Anne of Green Gables" fabric.   Below are the fabrics ..... aren't they wonderful?

Last year I finished the "Starry Night" top, I was wanting to do some fancy quilting.  I kept waiting and waiting....moving the top from one place to another.  I know all of you out there do not do that....  Actually, I was kinda nervous to do ruler work and also, I knew that it would take me forever and I have so many other things I want to do....was that a whine?

So I decided to swirl it.  Let me tell you, even swirling it took a lot of time and bobbins, I went over 12 bobbins, lost count after the 12.

I convinced my son to hold it up for me.  I sooooo Love it.  I will tell ya, the fabrics look kinda dull but they are not....they scream brightness.

Rainy and cold today.

Posh Penelope by Sew Kind of Wonderful - family quilt

I just wanted to show you the completed "Posh Penelope" by Sew Kind of Wonderful.  I did the binding yesterday morning.  YEAH!!!!

Not perfect but I love it!!!

I also want to say since some have asked, I used Java Batiks from Inchworm fabrics, most of the background fabrics and a few of the flowers is Island Batik, and I did use one batik from Timeless Treasures for a background.

Next I want to show you just two squares.  One year, can't remember when but it has been a while, I am guessing six years????  Anyways, several sisters, mother, and nieces decided to pull one name out of the hat each month and then that person got to chose a block.

Then that month we all sent that block to the person's whose name was chosen.

As you can see, I chose the Tree of Life.  Yesterday I spent my afternoon trying to figure out who made which block.  There are twelve blocks.   Just a suggestion, if you by chance do this, put the name on the back somewhere???? Since we all have a group message on our phones it was kinda easy.  Eventually I figured it out and started embroidering  the name and what relation they were.

 Here is my mother's block, maybe you can see that she did not follow the rules (funny huh)?  I think it was right on the beginning of her dementia....but I love the block anyways.

So this is my quest now, to find a sashing fabric and border fabric.  I am going through all of my fabrics, thinking of organizing them as well...so this project may take a while.

YESTERDAY WAS A GOOD DAY TO HAVE A GOOD DAY!!

I don't know what happened to me yesterday.

I work up running.

I cleaned the house at break neck speed.  My husband asked what the hurry was?

I didn't know but I wish I could bottle it for today.

So......

I finished this quilt.  I put the border, quilted it, and put the binding on.

Star of Bethlehem quilt.

39" x 39"

This quilt below, I quilted and put the binding on it.

I used the Hunters Star Accuquilt Go die and Island Batik fabrics.

27 1/2" x 27 1/2"

 This was the first thing I did yesterday morning.  Had started 8 log cabin blocks, finished them up

I decided that it was easier to do it in groups, searching for the right fabric among all of the cut pieces was tedious for one and I just felt it would go faster if I did it for more at one time.

 I have 28 blocks made, here you see 23.  They go really fast, the only thing that takes time is searching through all of the fabric I cut.  I should have figured out a better way to do this but for now, it works for me.  Music helps me stay focused.

I woke up yesterday thinking that it is almost the end of January and I had nothing to show for it, hence the two finished projects.

I also put two borders on a quilt I have not shown, or don't think I have.  It measures 90" square.  I am going to try to have it on the frame today. I am piecing the backing.

Sometimes I wonder to myself why I don't take the time and do some fancy quilting and I believe I said this before, if I did, things would never get done.  I am not out to make a trophy quilt.  That is one reason it took so long to get that one Hunter Star quilt finished, I was planning to do something fun on it.  Finally decided to just get it done and out of the way.  On to greener pastures.

Don't know what happened to that energy today.....I feel like a deflated balloon...haha.

 

STARRY NIGHT AND PALM TREES

I am just too excited not to post.

I finished Joseph from "Starry Night" by Sew kind of wonderful.

Then I went on to the Palm Trees....oh my gosh, this block is so fun to make.  I see a whole quilt with palm trees in my future.

Island Batik Fabrics were used in the palm trees.  In the Joseph and Mary I used Java Batiks (Inchworm Fabrics) and Island Batik Fabrics.  I would say that I am mostly using Island Batik Fabrics.

This was my first full day this week to be able to sew, well, I should say afternoon.  I had some chores to do since I have spent most of my time outside helping my husband setting fence post for two days, by the time we got in I was too sore and tired to do much else.  These old bones aren't what they used to be.

A LITTLE CURVE AND TWIST IN THE ROAD!

Jelly Roll Twist

52 1/2" x 60 "

My nieces decided they wanted to make this quilt last Saturday.

I joined in.  As it turned out, it was only me and one niece.  No matter.  This was such a fun quilt to make.  It goes so fast.  This quilt is great for a beginner.

I used Riley Blake"s "Root and Wings" jelly roll.  Free pattern on the fat quarter shop.

You really can get this done in one day and even quilt it if  you don't mess around but I took an extra day to quilt it.

Don't you just love this pattern?

I just knew I had to try this pattern!

Below is the Quick Curve Ruler and the 6" Sew wonderful ruler.

Here are two of the blocks.  It took me all day yesterday just cutting out all 42 blocks.  My hardest problem was finding enough different fabrics.  I used Java Batiks from Inchworm Fabrics, and Island Batiks,  a lot of them I purchased from Hancocks of Paducah.

I know you all will find this hard to believe but my hand always gravitated toward the bright fabrics for the corners.  I guess I have a problem with darks and an addiction to brights.

                         Then this is the MOD ORNAMENT

I made this a few weeks ago.

You can get the free pattern on the Sew Kind of Wonderful site

You use the mini curved ruler for this one.

 

Not only do patterns have curves and twist, so do our lives.  My husband and I put our house on the market.  He spent 2 and a half days bush hogging the property, another day our son and his friend came and helped do a few things around the house.  I started cleaning out and organizing, I took down all of my quilts, trying to make it all a blank slate.  Anways, the twist is, my husband came to me after we got all of this done and before they came to take pictures and said, "Do you really want to sell", I asked him if he did and he said no.  So no we are not selling.  Go figure.   

ISLAND BATIK 3D CHALLENGE

This will be my last post as an Island Batik Ambassador.  I have been an Ambassador since 2014,  one of the first of many Island Batik Ambassadors.

I have enjoyed every minute of it.  Sometimes stressfully enjoyed.

I will continue to love and use their products.

I love Hobbs Batting, which I have a huge roll in my sewing room as we speak.

I love Aurifil Threads as well and I appreciate having the opportunity to use all of these products.

I have had an Accuquilt Go cutter since 2009 (guessing here).  I love my Accuquilt Go cutter and do have a few patterns on the Accuquilt site as well.

3D CHALLENGE

Sometime around 1995 (guessing here again), I was given a partially constructed quilt top from my best friend.  Her mother had started it but passed away.  I was very close to her mother.  Her parents were like grandparents to my sons.

At that time I was just dabbling in quilting.

I didn't know anything about the 1/4 inch seam allowance but I went ahead and put this quilt together.  When I got the top finished I realized that one side was longer than the other.

So I put it away in the closet to never bring it out again until two years ago.

I decided to go ahead and finish it for my oldest son for Christmas two years ago.  I knew this would be very special to him.

I don't know what happened to the pattern.

Fast forward to 2019.

At the time of finishing the quilt I made this drawing. I had wanted to make this quilt again.

                                           

Here is the quilt I made using Island Batik Fabrics.  The green and Black/purple fabric is Magical Reef and the turquoise is from Island Batik as well but not from the Magical Reef Fabric line.

I decided that I wanted to make this quilt using the Accuquilt Go cutter.  I used the Accuquilt Go 8" Cube, from that I used the 2 1/2" square, 4 1/2" rectangle, and the half square triangle.  Boy did it make fast work!!!

                                           

When I had finished this quilt for the first time, I noticed something was wrong....OOOPS

I had to take the rows apart, just the rows, the blocks were sewn together right but I had to take the rows apart and flip every other one.  Shewee....at one point I had just wanted to scrap this quilt but Gene Black another Island Batik Ambassador convinced me to continue on.  I knew that if I didn't the quilt would just be in the closet for another 20 years or so.....  I am so glad it is done.

                                                    

                                             I used Hobbs Batting as you see here and Aurifil #2810.

One thing I loved about being an Island Batik Ambassador is that I actually finished things as well as it stretched my imagination and had me doing things that I would not have done otherwise.  It was fun being a part of such a creative group of Quilters, artist, and designers, I will truly miss that but so grateful to Island Batik for the opportunity.

BLOCK 1 AND BLOCK 2 OF "AWESOME OCEAN" - KATHLEEN MCMUSING SEW ALONG

I have to tell ya, nothing like losing your cut out blocks pieces!!!

I have searched high and low!!

But no blocks.

So.........................

I just cut out some more.  As sure as I am living and breathing, those cut out blocks pieces will show up now.

I guess if you were to see my sewing room you would go....

No stinking wonder she can't find her blocks, look at the mess.

No, I am not going to show you a picture of my sewing room.

                                     Here is block one of "Awesome Ocean" the sea kelp.

   Kathleen McMusing Awesome Ocean Block 1 and her linky party

I am not using a certain fabric line, I am just using Island Batik Scraps.  In the case of the kelp, I do have yardage.

                                                     Block 2 of "Awesome Ocean"

         Kathleen McMusing Awesome Ocean Block 2 and linky party

                                               I am totally using Island Batik scraps here.

We will see how my quilt turns out using scraps. If you were looking close you could see where I sewed two pieces of fabric together to get the pieces I needed.


It is not too late to join us......

CHRISTMAS LOG CABIN QUILT

                               

I have always loved the look of the Log Cabin Quilt but have never really wanted to make one.  For one, cutting all those strips was daunting to me.

Last year for the month of November the Island Batik Ambassadors were given the challenge of making a log cabin quilt.  You can find the post here

Sooooooooooo not looking forward to cutting out all those strips I purchased the Accuquilt Log Cabin Die.  Yeah me!!  or LAZY ME!!


                                               ACCUQUILT LOG CABIN DIE
                                     

Trust me, this made the process so much easier.

After I made the log cabin quilt for the November challenge of last year, I decided to make a King size log cabin quilt for my bed.  I had been carrying around with me for YEARS (I know that most of you never do that) some fabric I had purchased from Connecting Threads, two of the same kit and about four yards of the red fabric that was included in the kit.

Unfortunately, I didn't have enough to make a king size quilt but I did get a quilt 100" x 100".

                                       

I was not looking forward to quilting on my domestic machine but I am not able to get to my longarm.
Doesn't look so hard starting out???

                                   

                                                        Decided to do loops.

                                                Using Aurifil Thread #2870

                      Hobbs Batting Cotton 80/20, did I tell you how much I love this batting?

                                              

Getting closer to the middle and is getting kinda crowded under the neck of my machine.
I only had difficulty when I got to the middle width way and length ways, other than that all went well.

                                    

                                                   Here it is on my king size bed.

Doesn't look to bad at the end but on the sides it is a little short for my liking but I have a solution and when I finish what I have planned in my head, I will show you.


                                              
With the weather being so ugly outside I can not go and lay it out flat so you can see the whole quilt.
                                             

Here it is on a double bed and boy am I ever thrilled with it.  Drapes
 so nicely on the sides and back but my husband loves this quilt so much that it only going on our bed.

I can't believe we are already in November.  If I don't get another post up by Thanksgiving, do have a wonderful one!

If you are looking for a fun project, Kathleen McMusing is having a fun "Awesome Ocean" sew along.  Her first blocks came out today!

                               won't you join us?

PLEASE JOIN ME IN MY SCRAP BIN DIVING!

So as I stated in one of the post below, I wanted to do something that was quick and didn't want to really start anything new...

so join me in my scrap bin diving!

Fabrics left over from Candy Cane Lane

I had wanted to make this one a king size quilt for the blog hop in January but ran out of the yellow Island Batik Fabric and could not find any of it online at all, just my luck!

So I made a second quilt since I had made all of these curves from the Quick Curve Ruler by Sew Kind of Wonderful.

So here comes the extra projects from my scrap bin diving

I just finished this small quilt 49 1/2" x 49 1/2".  I had several checker board blocks, so I just added them together.  I had fussy cut the quilt bove to get the reindeer just right so I had some fussy cut strips left over so I just used them here.  Since they were left over scraps from the fussy cut the reindeer just don't quite line up which gives the illusion of a wonky quilt.

What to do with all of the extra curved pieces?????    I decided to just blanket stitch them together, I guess I could have sewn them together and have gotten the same thing.  Added the reindeer and there you have it.  Love the curved ends.

                                                

Here is a table runner with more curved blocks, trust me, this runner looks way better in person than here.

There projects were so fun and it certainly emptied my scrap bin of some unfinished blocks.  I still have curved blocks left, if you are reading them and want them, I would be happy to send them to you.  I think there are around 24 left.  That being said, I have just about used up all of the fabric line of Candy Cane Lane. 

Did it make a dent in my scraps?  NOOOOOOO but it was oh so fun!

I had almost purchased this book on Amazon but lucky for me my Sister Jeanette sent me this book for my birthday.  YEA ME!!

                                             Love this flower block!  Loved making it.

Love this Bee hive, someone on instagram said it looked like stairs but I didn't ask for her critique but I love this anyways.

Boot

                                                                       Crossstitch block

Pumpkin

                                                                Pie and oven mitts

I just love this book, you have the option of 6" or 12 " blocks or both, also I love that you can make this quilt anyway you want.

DO YOU EVER JUST HAVE A HANKERING TO DO A FUN FAST PROJECT?

Last night I got a hankering to do a small project.

So I went to my Island Batik tub and started digging.

Fabric Line is Island Batik Candy Cane Lane

I had left over squares from this quilt.

12 1/2 " x 36"

Put them together and here you have it.

Now when I tell that this picture does not do the little runner justice you will just have to take my word on it.

I used the Quick Curved ruler to make the curved pieces.  You can go here for the original quilt

I got a call from my cousin who wanted 20 of these microwave bowls.

I made 30 so she could have an option am I crazy or what?