No Birds in The Feeder....

I wonder why?

They're no dummies.  This hawk has been hanging out all morning.

Hugs, Cathy

Another Finish

Since I accomplished everything I had on my January "To Do" list I had time to work on a few other projects.

I finished this UFO from last year.... 

My Trip Around the World.  The directions for making this so easy came from Bonnie Hunter.  I decided on doing the layout a bit differently.  I used Jelly Rolls that I purchased from Connecting Threads.

This is the backing I used on the quilt...Hibiscus Flowers.  It goes well with the front.  I'm so glad to have this finished and I really like how it turned out.

Here's another project I worked on.  

It is a little fuzzy...I guess because I am a little fuzzy today...sinuses.  I started this last November.  It is a Lisa Bonegan pattern.  I finished hand quilting it and it is now ready for a sleeve and binding.

I also made a block from Legend and Lace.

I was worried about the curved piecing.  But I've found if I just jump in and do it and not worry too much I can get it done.  It's not perfect...but neither am I.

The other day I spent the day pin basting my "Trip Around the World" quilt and Ashley's quilt.  I finished my "Trip" quilt and have just started quilting Ashley's quilt.

The yellow looks so much brighter in the picture.  I have backed this quilt with flannel.  The flannel back doesn't go through the machine as easily as cotton fabrics so this is going to take me longer than I planned.  I chose to use this wavy stitch.  I'm happy with the outcome.  I think she will be too.

Well, tomorrow is February 1st.  Let's see.... It's the 3rd anniversary of my blog, my husband and I are celebrating our 25th Anniversary on the 10th and we have Valentines Day.

To honor all three I am going to have a giveaway each week.  I went through my library of quilting books (and I have way to many) and discovered I have doubles on quite a few books.   These will be the giveaway prizes.  I will post on Sunday with all the details.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your weekend.

Hugs, Cathy

Snow again...

I'm sitting here looking out my living room window watching the snow come down yet again.  It's not snowing hard but just enough to make the roads slick.  I saw a flash of red in the neighbors pine tree.  There was a male cardinal sitting in the tree.  They are so beautiful and a welcome bit of color on a gray cold day.

We were suppose to go visit my sister today, however, we did so much sliding on the road before we got to the expressway we decided to turn around and go back home.  We've rescheduled lunch in 2 weeks.

So I am going to get some more sewing done instead.  In the last 2 days I finished up #8 on my list, Quilt Doodles BOM.

It is hard to tell but the fabric I am using is a blue and tan check.  For some reason it reads gray in the picture.  I would have preferred to buy some nice blue fabric....but my goal this year is to try and use only fabric in my stash.  I need 4 yards for this quilt and this was the only blue I had 4 yards.  

Last night I got the blocks done for Lori @ Humble Quilts Midwinter Blues QAL.

Lori's directions were very easy to figure out.  I am really happy with these blocks.

So this brings us to....

My January "To Do" List is done...   This is the first time that I got my monthly "To Do" List done.

Now that I'm done I decided to work on some of the Legend and Lace Basket Blocks.  Next week I plan on getting Ashley's quilt ready for quilting.  

Hope it is warmer where you are and not snowing.

Thanks for stopping by!

Hugs, Cathy

7 Down and 1 or 2 To Go

I had 8 projects on my January "To Do" List.

1. Make 4 blocks for Ashley's quilt.  I not only got the 4 blocks done I put the quilt top together.  I even bought some flannel for the backing and a huge roll of cotton batting.  Hopefully I will get it quilted next week.
2. Finish my Hip Chicks 2013 BOM quilt top.  Done.
3. Finish my Country Threads 2013 BOM quilt top.  Done
4. Make the 1st block for the Sugar Shack 2014 BOM.  Done
5. Make the center block for Pat Sloan's Globetrotting 2014 BOM. Done

I've shown you all of these projects in earlier posts.

Number 6 on my list is the first 3 blocks for the Hip Chicks 2014 BOM.  They are 6 1/2" unfinished.  I can now mark this one as done.

The first 2 were pretty easy...however the third one gave me fits.  But I am very happy with the results.

The 7th project is the Country Threads 2014 BOM.  Like last year, each month has 2 blocks one smaller and the second is twice the size of the first.

This month's blocks are 10" and 20".  They said that the blocks will be different sizes each month.  I love how my blocks turned out.

My 8th project is the Quilt Doodles Sew a Long.  For January I need to make a row of Snowman heads.  I will be working on this today.

Now for the or 2....  Lori at http://humblequilts.blogspot.com  She is doing another sew a long based on an antique quilt.  Mid-Winter Blues.  Even though I said I wasn't going to start anymore new projects I couldn't resist.  Lori does such a fantastic job on the directions.  And what I love is that it isn't a big project.  It is something you can get done in a hurry.  Check it out. I'm sure you will fall in love with it too.

I managed to get one finish this year.  It was suppose to be a Christmas gift but since I was feeling so bad most of November and part of December it didn't get finished.  

So I guess I am ahead of the game for this Christmas....lol  I love this pattern because it is made using 5" charm squares.

The weather here is still very frigid.  The weatherman said to expect it to be this way for a week or two.  I don't know about where you are but here in Michigan there is a flu epidemic.  It seems to be hitting the young adults more than anyone else.  I've been meaning to get a flu shot but every time I plan on it I get sick.  Yesterday was no exception.  I woke up sneezing.  Continued sneezing, watery eyes and my sinuses draining like someone turned on the tap.  Dayquil seemed to help and with NyQuil I got a good nights sleep.  Sinuses still draining but I'm not sneezing as much.

Needless to stay I am staying put, keeping warm and getting some sewing therapy done.  

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and thanks for stopping by.

Hugs, Cathy

I was asked for the link to Joined at the Hip BOM  here it is.

Sewing Marathon

Whew....I'm beat.  I spent the weekend and part of yesterday making blocks and finishing quilt tops.

First up...

It looks a little wonky up on the design wall.  I can never get them exactly straight.  I LOVE how it turned out.  DH loves this one too.  This is my Country Threads 2013 BOM quilt.  Can't wait to start the 2014 BOM.

The second quilt top....

Again it looks wonky.  This one was bigger and I had a heck of time getting the quilt up on my design wall.  I need to get this one quilted right away as it is for my Granddaughter Ashley and I want to take it up to her next month.

The only thing I have left on my January "To Do" list is:

1. 3 6" blocks for the Hip Chicks 2014 BOM.
2. 2 blocks for the Country Threads 2014 BOM.
3. 1 row of snowmen for the Quilt Doodles 2014 Sew a Long.

That should keep me busy for a few days....lol

I'm off to JoAnn's to pick up some quilt batts and backing for Ashley's quilt.  Thanks for stopping by, stay warm and get some quilting done.

Hugs, Cathy

Another Cold and Snowy Day

Although I can't really complain.  When I was living up north on Big Manistique Lake instead of a few inches of snow we would get a few feet of snow...lol  As much as I miss living up there I will happily settle for less snow.

I was checking my January "To Do List" and found I am not doing to bad.

I wanted to make 4 more blocks for Ashley's quilt and so far I have made 3.  One more and I can add the border and get it ready to quilt.

I finished my Hip Chick 2013 BOM quilt top.

And I have all the blocks made for my Country Threads 2013 BOM quilt.

Don't look too close....mine isn't exactly as they planned.  I added a couple of 12" blocks I had from other projects and I didn't want to add as many HST blocks so I substituted some 6" blocks I had from other projects.  I really like how this is turning out.  I have the first row of blocks sewn together and today's plan is sewing the rest of the blocks together.  After that I need to add a border of 2 1/2" black and white squares.

Now for my 2014 BOM's

I made my block for Pat Sloan's Globetrotting BOM.

Yesterday I made the first block for Sugar Shack BOM.

For this BOM I am using fabric I have been collecting designed by Renee Nanneman of Need'l Love.  They are so soft and romantic.  I love the bumble bee fabric I used in the center of the block.

I still have 3 more BOM's I want to work on.  But no pressure here.  If I don't get a chance to work on them it's okay as long as I remember to print up the directions.

My new philosophy is "No Stress".  Life should be fun and so should quilting.

So now I think I will get some sewing done.  Stay safe, keep warm and enjoy!

Hugs, Cathy

Cold and Snowy....

Great weather for staying in my sewing room and making some progress.

One of the BOM's that I am working on for 2014 is Pat Sloan's Globetrotting BOM.  The first block is a 26" center Medallion called Washington DC.

My husband really likes this one.  Seeing he is a civil war buff he likes the red, gray blue and blue.  So happy to have this one done.

I'm waiting on some fabric so I can start the Sugar Shack BOM.  And I will also be working on the Joined at the Hip BOM.

I still have to finish the Country Threads 2013 BOM.  I thought I was further along than I am.  So I need to buckle down and get some blocks made.

Lots of empty holes.  There are lots of half square triangles to be made, but I'm going to use some 6" blocks I have from left over projects so I don't have to make as many HST.

I have Jambalya in the slow cooker for dinner so I can sew without interruption.  My kind of day.

Thank you for stopping by and have a great day.

Hugs, Cathy

PS: Spell check is not working so please forgive and errors. 

A Finish Almost

Well once it is quilted it will be a finish.  But right now it is a finished top.

I really love how this turned out.  I chose the same fabric I used in the basket block in the bottom left corner.  I was going to make each border piece a different fabric but I like this fabric.  I had just enough of this fabric for the border but not enough for the binding.  I'm going to make the binding black.

I finished 2 more blocks for Ashley's quilt.  2 more and I can add the border and then it will be ready to quilt.

Right now I'm working on the center medallion block for Pat Sloan's Globetrotting BOM.  I will post a picture when done.

I also have up on my design wall the blocks for the 2013 Country Threads BOM.  I didn't realize how far behind I was.  So I will try and make a set of blocks every day till it is done.  Photo coming later.

Well our weather has been crazy here in Michigan.  A week ago we had -40 degrees with windchill.  It was truly frigid.  Today we are in the +40's.  We took Sammie out to Metro Beach for a much needed walk.  While there I picked up the new park stickers for my three kids (that live near here) and for Terry and me.  We really love the Metro Parks.

I've got Split Pea Soup simmering on the stove and a pile of blocks to be trimmed so I really need to get busy.

Hope your start to the week is going well.  See you later.

Hugs, Cathy

Baby It's Cold Outside!!!

I don't know what it is like in your neck of the woods but last night with wind chill it was -40 degrees.  Now that is cold.  It has been good days to stay in my sewing room.

I didn't get to show you a couple of Christmas gifts I did manage to finish for my step son Scott and his wife Amanda.

This is a candle mat I made.  It is a Primitive Gatherings pattern.  First one I ever made and I was really happy with the way it turned out.

This Little Twister quilt was made with reproduction civil war fabrics.  It was the perfect size to hang on the table quilt stand I got them last year.

This little quilt came about when I was going through some quilt blocks I had stored in a box.  The background is made up of 4 patches.  Then I designed the flower, stem and leaf.  It's not too big and I plan on playing with it a bit more.

I put my nose to the grind stone and got some sewing done.

I managed to get another 4 blocks made for Ashley's quilt.  They are quick to put together since I had cut all the pieces for the quilt last summer.  I now have 4 rows sewn together (I forgot to take a picture of them before I took them off the design wall).  I just have to make 4 more blocks, add the border and it will be ready to quilt.  These aren't colors I would normally put together but when Ashley saw this quilt on my computer she wanted me to make it for her.  I had her go to the paint store and pick out paint chips in the colors she wanted.  I matched them pretty good.

I now have my Joined at the Hip BOM up on the design wall.  Yesterday I made 3 more blocks for it and got one more cut out.

Once I finish the last 3 blocks it will be ready for a border and quilting.  It was fun working on this.

With this cold weather and snow it doesn't look like we will be going anywhere to soon.  So I get to spend lots of time in my sewing room.  Hubby however has been doing nothing but shoveling snow.  He had that pretty much under control and then last night the snow plow came through and filled the end of the driveway up with snow and totally covered his car which he parks in the front of the house.  I need to go tell him it is time to take a break.  He's not a kid anymore....lol

Stay warm and keep in touch.

Hugs, Cathy 

Happy New Year!!!

It has been a while since last we spoke.  For this I apologize.  I will endeavor to do a better job of posting this new year.

November of 2013 was a bust.  I had so many projects planned to work on and then I got hit with walking pneumonia.  It would get better and then get worse.  It tried to stay around in December...but after a week and half into the month it left.  That left me with little time to finish Christmas presents.  And I'm sad to say that I didn't finish quite a few.

December 31st we took Sammie to the Vet's for a check up and to update her shots.  She is getting fat and sassy.  The Vet said that was okay because she could still feel her ribs but not to let her gain any more weight.  While my husband was paying the bill I took Sammie out to the car.  She made it in okay, I however slipped and fell on my bum in the parking lot.  We had just had a light snowfall and there was ice under the snow.  My legs slid under the car and left me a bit dazed and sore.  Luckily I didn't hit my head.  So that was the end of 2013 for me.

My aches and pains are now gone.  And I am now ready to start some sewing.
I have a list of projects to finish and to start.

Projects I need to finish:



Hip Chicks 2013 BOM



Plaid Jacobs Ladder



Ashley's Quilt





Country Threads 2013 BOM



Finish quilting Henrietta Whiskers



I have also decided on a few new BOM's for 2014:

1. Country Threads is having another BOM for 2014
2. Pat Sloan is having a Glob Trotting BOM
3. Quilt Doodles is having a BOM
4. Stitchery Dickory Dock has a BOM.  This one is $7.95 for the year.

This should keep me busy along with the other numerous projects I want to make.

Well that is it for now.  Please excuse the look of this post.  Blogger is acting up.  I hope I can post this.  Until Later....

Hugs, Cathy