Thursday, May 29, 2014

A Couple of Finishes

Well after a week of continual rain the sun has finally come out.  It is a little cool out but it is beautiful.

Since I finished my May "To Do" I had some time to do a few things.

I know I've mentioned the Monday Mystery's I have done.  They are designed by Sherri K. Falls and are on her blog Little Bits of This and That.  I just finished Monday Mystery #7.  And what is great is that she has all the mystery's listed on her blog.



This is the finished Monday Mystery #7.  I did some echo quilting in the center and border of this table topper.

Then I got another table topper quilted.  It is going to be a Christmas present.


This is another pattern of Sherri's.  What I like about it is that it is made from charm squares.  I made a Christmas version earlier in the year.

I got caught up on Pam Buda's Market Day SAL.


The picture is a little blurry...must be the camera...couldn't be me...lol.  I finished it in time for the next part that will be posted tomorrow.

I keep all the projects I am working on in plastic boxes.  I have the project name labeled on the front.  Since I just finished the Disappearing 4 Patch quilt top I have an empty box.  So that meant I needed to start a new project.  However I'm not sure if this project will reside in the box at all.

I was going through some old magazines looking for a quilt and easy quilt to make.  I found one in the Spring 2013 issue of Fons & Porter's Easy Quilts.  The pattern is on page 86 and it is called Strips and Squares.  It is designed by Tricia Lynn Maloney.  It is very easy to make.  You need 30 Jelly Roll strips and 30 Charm squares.  I used a jelly roll and charm pack that I got from Connecting Threads.  This is what I did yesterday.


I think I would have gotten the quilt top finished (cut and sewn) in one day...but my faithful companion "Sammie" needed a little TLC.  She needed some "lap" time.  I should get the quilt top put together today.

That leaves me with a little dilemma...what to put in the empty project box.

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

Hugs, Cathy

Sunday, May 25, 2014

May's "To Do" List

Is done......

1.  Disappearing 4 Patch  


 Once quilted this is going to my Grandson Brian's girlfriend who just graduated with a Nursing Degree.


2.  Work on Lori & Randy's QAL


 It is ready for quilting.

3.  Sugar Shack BOM



4.  Globetrotting BOM



5. Hip Chicks



6.  Country Threads BOM



7.  Quilt Doodles BOM


8.  Aurifil BOM


 9.  APQ QAL



I noticed when I was writing this post that I made an error on one of the blocks.  Can you pick it out.  I also was trying out a different sashing then the one in the original.


10.  Common Threads Series



Next month I hope to work on the next 4 blocks in the series.


I also finished the top for the "This and That" Mystery Monday quilt.  I haven't gotten a picture of it yet.  And I am working on the Pam Buda Market Day QAL.  Still need to do Fridays part.

So now I have some free time.  Tomorrow we are going to a Memorial Day Parade that my father-in-law will be in.  And I will have some time to sandwich some quilts and get some quilting done.

I hope you are enjoying your holiday weekend and thank you for stopping by.


Hugs, Cathy

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Catching Up..

Working on some on going projects... 


I finished this month's Hip Chicks BOM.  The bottom 3 blocks are for the month of May.  


These are my Market Day SAL by Pam Buda.  Today we will get the next hint.

Now I have something I bought a couple of weeks ago and I love it.


This is a portable Light Table by Crayola Crayon.  I saw this on a group posting I belong to on Facebook.  I took it camping with us and it worked perfectly when working on my applique.

Now for my Antique finds.


These are 4 tulip blocks that are from the 30's.  I'm sure the pattern is one that was posted in a newspaper.  


I was thrilled to see there was a template for the pattern.  I want to replicate this block using more modern fabrics.

My next find was a rather bright quilt.


This is the quilt on my bed.  It is basically a lap quilt.


Here is a close up of some of the blocks.

Next up is a quilt top I found.


The top was made in 1934.  I love that it was dated.  


It is a twin size quilt.  I hope to get it quilted (sometime in the future).

Well that is it for my sew and tell.  I just have to make 3 more Disappearing Four Patch blocks and I will have enough to make a lap quilt.  I should be able to show you the top on Monday.

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you have a wonderful start to your Memorial Day weekend.

Hugs, Cathy

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

We're Back....

From a week camping in the rain.  We did have a few hours a day with a bit of sunshine but mostly we had rain.  We had to set up our trailer in a thunder storm.  Both of us were soaked.  But all in all it wasn't too bad.

We took walks, went antiquing, visited some favorite quilt shops, read and watched movies.  It was very relaxing.

On one of our walks we encountered another family out walking.



They were so cute.  We left yesterday and I swear the babies doubled in size.




We had Sammie with us on our journeys and had to stop every so often for her pit stops.  At one park I came across this tree.  I was amazed how much Fungi was growing on it.

We stopped at quite a few Antique shops.  I bought a couple of different quilt blocks (I have one set to show you now), a quilt top and a quilt.  I'll show you
the quilts later.


I fell in love with these T blocks.  I figure they are from around the 1860-1900.  

Since it rained so much I had plenty of time to get some applique done.


This is the fourth block in the second set of patterns for Cheri Payne's Common Threads Series.  I am so happy with this block.

A while back I had prepped some blocks for the Sally Post Quilt.  I started block #1 and had Block #2 prepped.


These finish out at approx. 7 1/8".  Tiny pieces but I am happy with the way they look.  I have the freezer paper templates copied for blocks 3 & 4.  Just have to pick out the fabrics.  I was so terrified of applique...but then I took a class with Karen Stone and it changed my life.  I do needle turn applique (although I use a tooth pick to turn the fabric over).

The WiFi was very temperamental where we were staying so I didn't get a chance to keep up with my favorite Blogs.  So I will be spending a good part of the day doing laundry and reading blogs.

I hope you are having a great day.  Thanks so much for stopping by.

Hugs, Cathy

Friday, May 9, 2014

Bad Week

First I had a touch of the flu...then I carried too many grocery bags and pulled a muscle in my back.  I haven't been able to do to much but sit.  I got a little sewing done the last couple of days but yesterday was a noisy day.  I'll explain.

Last year we got new siding on our house.  It was done in January in all the bad weather.  I wasn't too impressed with the work crew...and rightly so.  Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago.  We had some extremely windy weather.  So windy that it blew all the siding off the side of the house.  Called the company...they sent someone out.  Turns out the work crew didn't use the right nails.  So they are going to replaces ALL the siding.  Yesterday they did the side that the siding blew off.  It just happens to be the wall of my sewing room.   They come back in a couple of weeks to do the other 2 sides.  Can't come next week as we are going camping....YES!!

Now for the sewing....



I have the final side half way done.  Hope to get it finished before we go camping.  Then it will be ready to quilt.


I started working on the blocks 5-8 of Cheri Payne's Common Threads series.


Top row is the first 4 blocks and the second is the next three.  The fourth block is an applique block.  I have it all prepped and ready to applique.  I will work on it while camping.

Finally....


Pam Buda's Market Day QAL.  She is giving directions in 2 different sizes.  She post's directions every Friday.

Well that is it for now.  I will try and post while camping but that's not always so easy.  Now I need to get the trailer packed and laundry done.  I can't wait to go.

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

Hugs, Cathy

Monday, May 5, 2014

Making Progress

I've been busy....

I finished the third applique border of my Lori and Randy QAL from 2013.



I added my initials at the top.  Now I need to prep the applique for the final side and it will be ready to quilt.  My progress was slow but I am so happy with the way it turned out.


Next up is my Sugar Shack BOM.


Here are the first 5 blocks.  The colors are different for me but I am having fun with it.


Up next Pat Sloan's Globetrotting BOM.


The block on the right is May's block.  I am keeping this patriotic looking.


Next we have the Country Threads BOM.


Up to now we have been making 2 blocks a month with 2 different sizes.  This month we made just one block, the one that is bottom right.  This block is 24".  I have no clue how all these blocks are going to fit together.  But I like how they are looking.  I have used mostly scraps for this one.


And finally my Aurifil BOM.  I think I already showed you these blocks.


Again I am using colors out of my comfort zone.  I think I might redo the first block and add some red polka dots to it.

That's it for the first 4 days of May.  I'm hoping to get a lot done this week.  Next week we are going camping.  It is still cool and rains off and on but we can't wait to sit around a campfire.  I plan on prepping some applique blocks so I can get some hand work done and I have a ton of books on my Kindle.  Hopefully it will be a relaxing time.  Until then....it's sew, sew, sew.

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Cinco deMayo.

Hugs, Cathy

Friday, May 2, 2014

May's "To Do" List

Not too many big projects this month.

I did get one of my BOM's done yesterday for May.



Now for my May "To Do" list:

1.  Disappearing 4 Patch quilt.  I have 7 blocks made and need a total of 30.

2.  Finish up the applique border on my Lori & Randy QAL quilt.

BOM'S
1.  Sugar Shack
2.  Globetrotting
3.  Hip Chicks
4.  Country Threads
5.  Quilt Doodles
6.  Aurifil DONE

In my spare time I plan on working on:

1.  APQ QAL I would like to get at least one block done.
2.  Cheri Payne's Common Threads series.  Next 4 blocks
3.  Sherri Falls "This and That" Mystery Monday.
4.  Pam Buda's QAL
5.  Sandwich some quilts.

Tomorrow I will have the house to myself so I plan on setting up the banquet table and get some quilts basted and ready to quilt.

I am currently taking a machine quilting class on Craftsy with Elizabeth Dackson.  I'm learning a lot and hope to get some quilts machine quilted.

Well I hope you have a great weekend filled with some wonderful weather and of course some quilting.  Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs, Cathy