Happy Memorial Day

A few days early but the weekend is here.

We went camping last weekend...another baseball tournament.  But guess what no pictures.  Spent the majority of the weekend walking.  My daughters and myself have fitbits and they keep challenging me.  I always loose but my step count keep rising.

I have a few things to show you.

I finished 2 of the 4 1857 Sampler blocks for May...2 to go and the month is almost over.

This is the May block for the Sugar Club BOM.  Paper pieced.

Last months Westering Women block.  I'm hoping to get the current block done this weekend.


I don't know about where you are but here it is soooo hot.  When we were camping Sunday was so cold we had to put the furnace on in the camper to take the chill off.  We came home Monday and the temps were the complete opposite.


Speaking of Monday...my sugar levels had been in the 300's so I went to the doctors.  They gave me a few explanations.  One was that I was walking so much that my body was breaking down fat which released sugar into my system.  The second reason is I wasn't eating correctly.  I now am eating every 2 hours.  Smaller meals and 3 snacks a day.  And guess what...it is working.  My sugar levels are now under 200 and getting lower everyday.  I also lost 3 lbs.  Bonus!!!


I have finished my Gweenie Inspired Medallion center block.  I can't wait to show it to everyone.  If you look in the upper right had side of my blog you will see a button that Lori designed for us.  If you are joining in on the fun go to her Blog - Humble Quilts and grab the button.  Soon the center blocks and the design for the next round will be revealed.  


I also joined in one the "Front Porch"  quilt sew along with Lori.  Finished my block while camping.  Hope you are joining in too.


Thanks for stopping by and have a safe and happy Memorial Day.


Hugs, Cathy

My Big News, Celebrating Autumn and A Giveaway

Ah...Autumn.  It's my favorite time of year.  It's my birthday month and (Here's my big News) it's the month my husband Terry retired.  Yep, as of October 1st he is retired.  It's early but we've hoped for this day for sooooo long.     He worked at the same company for 44 1/2 years.  We are so looking forward to spending time together. 

Yesterday we went to Hudson Mills Metro Park.  It is over by Ann Arbor.  The weather couldn't have been better.  Sun shining, slight breeze and good company.  The park is along side of the Huron River.  Not a lot of color change yet but we still enjoyed ourselves.  We saw 3 deer but none of them were very friendly.  Every time I got my camera ready they would run off.

We just got back from Metro Beach Metro Park after taking our morning walk.  We are planning on doing this at least 4 times a week.  It was a rather chilly 59 degrees and over cast.  We even felt a few rain drops, but we enjoyed our walk.  We like walking along the boat docks.  I had to laugh at all the seagulls lined up on one boat well. 

I have gotten a little sewing done.

Here are 2 of the Barbara Brackman blocks I finished.  Now I hope I have the time to do the latest before a new one is posted on Saturday.

I joined my good friend Freda at The Adventures of the Empress of the Universe for her Jacobs Ladder Quilt Along.    I'm doing mine in homespuns and neutrals.  It looks like it is going to be fun.

Now for the giveaway.....To celebrate my husbands retirement and my birthday month I am going to have a giveaway every week.

This weeks giveaway is a copy of .....

Inspired by Tradition by Kay Mackenzie.  I love this book.  If you love to hand applique or do fusible applique it is great.  And it comes with a DVD to print templates in 5 sizes.  I love my copy and know you will too.

Now how to enter.

1.  Leave a comment to say you are a follower.
2.  Leave a comment that you just became a follower.
3.  Blog about the giveaway and then leave a comment telling me you blogged about it.

You can receive 2 chances to win a copy.  Leave comments by Friday and I will draw the name of the winner on Saturday morning.  Good luck.

Wishing you a quilty day!

Hugs, Cathy

So Much Done....

First of all a question.  What do you think of my new header picture?  It reminds me of the end of summer.
I've been busy this last week.

This is September's EQ7 BOM.  It was a difficult block that I made easier by dividing up the block into squares and triangles. 

Here is the nine blocks all together.  It is going to be a nice wall hanging when its done.

I got behind on my Barbara Brackman CW Blocks.  Now I'm up to date. 

I really love the 15 minutes play BOM.  I ran out of cheddar and bought some new fabric.  It is slightly different but I think it will work.  This is the Anvil block.  Victoria posted a tutorial for the block on the 15 minutes play blog.  The link is on my side bar.

Here is Cowen's quilt.  I just finished sewing down the binding this morning and had to hang it up to get a picture.  I love how it turned out.  I machine quilted in the ditch on the pieced blocks and had quilted either a heart or star in the plain blocks.  I backed it with some flannel fabric.  Now we await the arrival of Cowen.

I've mentioned before that I belong to a group called "Quilters, Books and Bindings".  We are all reading the same book and then we are making a quilt from some aspect of the book.  The book is The Lover's Knot by Clare O'Donohue.  It takes place in a town on the shores of the Hudson River.  In the book there is a scene along the river where the main character in the book is re-proposed to .  This is what my quilt is based on.  I made it small so I can kill two birds with one quilt.  When I'm done it will be my September AAQI quilt.

And finally.....

I'm changing out my quilts again.  I love this Log Cabin quilt.  I was given a ton of strips from a quilting friend.  At the time my daughter, Kim, was just starting to sew so I offered them to her.  She declined by saying you can't make anything from them.  Well I just had to prove her wrong.  This is what I came up with.  You know my scraps are getting bigger so I think it is time to make another Log Cabin quilt. 

I hope you have had a nice time visiting with me today.  I've enjoyed sharing. 

Wishing you a quilty weekend.

Hugs, Cathy

A Happy Quilter Indeed

I'm the happiest when I'm sitting at my sewing table happily sewing away.

As you may or may not know I am a contributing member of the 15 minutes play blog.  We are doing a BOM using made fabric.

This is the latest block.  See Saw.

Flower pot block.

I took this picture prior to making the see saw block.  I still have to make the triangle block.  I love how these blocks are coming together.  Not sure how I will put them together yet.  Each block is 12".

Victoria at 15 minute play asked if we would make a block for a charity quilt.

I chose the flower pot.  We are to use bright colors and a green background.  Anyone who knows me well knows I do not have a lot of bright colors in my stash.  I am more a country colors kinda girl.  But I think it turned out nice.   It is now on its way to Victoria.

I am all caught up on my Barbara Brackman CW BOW.  I tried, oh how I tried but I just couldn't get that Y seam done right.  So I did HST's.  I feel you need to enjoy what you are doing and I just couldn't doing the Y seam.

Now for some strange reason I had NO PROBLEM with this block at all.  I printed the pattern on freezer paper, ironed it on the fabric, cut it out and sewed it together in about a half hour.  Usually I sew this block by hand, but today felt brave enough to do it on the machine.  I love it.  But I will probably do it over again in different colors.

I have my AAQI  quilt,  "Midnight Garden" all machine quilted and just need to sew down the binding.  Once done I will post a picture.

Wishing you a quilty day.

Hugs, Cathy

A Few Things I've Been Working On...

This is the latest EQ7 BOM.  I worked on it after I did my last post.  After I made it I put all the blocks from this BOM on the design wall.

I really like how these blocks are looking.  Can't wait to finish this one.

The latest Barbara Brackman CV BOW.  I was going to try an easier way but I really liked the way the stripes looked.

I was asked to show all my Floribunda blocks that I finished.  13 all together.  You know it is funny how they look so different in person than they do in a picture. 

Today I played around and did a border on my Follow Your Bliss Quilt-a-Long.  I was going to make log cabin blocks but really didn't want to do paper piecing for this.  I like how this one works.   I'm working on this with Sarah Vee @ Sew Joy (a link is on my side bar).

The heat has been terrible here.  Then last night we had rain, today we had rain, and now it is cooler but still high humidity.  Hope it is comfortable where ever you may be.

Just heard that my Nephew Nate who is stationed in Germany with his wife Ashley and adorable son Talin are expecting there second son.  Now I can start the baby quilt.

So as always, I wish you a quilty day.

Hugs, Cathy


Go Detroit Tigers!!!!

Playing Catch Up Again and AAQI Auction

Before I start showing my recent projects I want to remind you today starts the AAQI Auction.  As you know I have been making quilts for AAQI.    They recently sold this quilt I made, HUGS AND KISSES.

This quilt was dedicated to my Cousin Jack.  I recently found out that the quilt was bought by his daughter Judy.  It made me cry.  Anyway...I just wanted to remind you about the auction.  So either make a quilt or buy a quilt.  It is truly a worthy cause.

I took hand applique projects with me on vacation and never got a thing done.  And now that I'm home the heat and humidity has been horrible.  And as you know Cathy don't do heat and humidity.  I turn beet red and am soaking wet all the time.

But ha ha....I do have air conditioning in the bedroom and my sewing room is directly across from it.  So I put a sheet up in the hallway opened both doors and put a fan in between.  I must say it worked.  My sewing room is now air conditioned (at least until I get the next electric bill, lol)  Necessity is the mother of invention.

Now to Quilty stuff.

I made these 2 blocks for the 15 minute play BOM.  I'm having so much fun making fabric, cutting it up and making blocks.  2 down and 2 to go.

I made 2 more Floribunda blocks.  That makes a total of 12. 

Here are 2 of the latest Barbara Brackman CW blocks. 

I signed up for a quilt-a-long called "Follow your Bliss"  with Sarah V. at SewJoy.  Her blog is on my side bar.  Of course this started the first day of my vacation so I am playing catch up again.  Looking forward to making a sweet quilt to hang on my sewing room wall.

That's it for show.  Now for tell.  I've got the background block for July's Bunny Hill BOM and have all the pieces prepped to start appliqueing.  I have the directions printed out for the current Barbara Brackman CW block and printed up the rotary cutting directions for the August EQ BOM.  So I will be busy today. (In my nice air conditioned sewing room)

Wishing you a quilty day, not too hot and not too humid.

Hugs, Cathy

Floribunda, Primer and more

"Floribunda".  Don't you just love how the name rolls off the tong.  This quilt comes courtesy of Bonnie Hunter.  She figured out the pattern for an antique quilt and then posted the directions on her blog and on her website.  It is done in yellows and florals.  I am using all kinds of yellows, some plain, some checks, some florals.....  Check it out and then come play along.  It is soooo easy to make.  I'm going to make 2 blocks a day till I like the size of the quilt.

My Primitive Primer is coming along very nicely.  I started sewing sections together.

Today I am going to work on the house block.  Then I just have the Starburst block and the Vase with Flowers.  Last but not least the appliqued border.

Here is the latest Barbara Brackman Block.

I was originally going to call this post...."Really, I mean Really?"   But while reading blogs last night I came across my friend Em's blog and that was the title she chose....lol.  She tells a nice story that I am part of.   I emailed her and told her how much I loved her story about "Story Quilts".  She emailed me back saying she was thinking of me and  checked her email and there was an email from me.  Can't wait to see her next story quilt.  Clue:  It has something to do with "Big Girl Pants" aka: Me.  Check out her blog "Em Celebrates".  A link to her blog is on my sidebar.

Now the reason I was going to call my post Really is.....I've been thinking of all the projects I'm working on and I signed up for another....Really"?  Here they are.  Not in any particular order.

1. Bunny Hill BOM
2. EQ BOM
3. Barbara Brackman Civil War Blocks (weekly)
4. Farmer's Wife Quilt-a-long.
5. 15 Minutes Play BOM
6. 15 Minutes Play Block Bee (starting in September)
7. Primitive Primer
8. Floribunda
9. Log Cabin Bow Ties
10. Regular Bow Ties

These are the ones I am actively working on.  I really want to start the Kaleidoscope blocks and I have just signed up for a Blog Hop quilt-a-long starting this month hosted by Sew Joy.  Her link is on my side bar.

You know I can't understand why my husband is so concerned about housework and meals... doesn't he know my art comes first....lol   Maybe I should cut back on my projects....Nah!

Hope you all had a safe and wonderful 4th of July weekend.  I did but I am soooo looking forward to my vacation in a couple of weeks.  We are going to my beloved Upper Peninsula to visit my Son, Daughter-in-Law and granddaughter.

Wishing you a quilty day and thanks for stopping by.

Hugs, Cathy

I've Been Thinking....

What inspires me in my quilting.  The answer: YOU.  I have had so much fun in blogland and have made so many wonderful friends.  You have all inspired me to try different techniques and just let myself go.  For this I thank you all.

Now for some quilty pictures.

The latest Barbara Brackman CW block.  It is hard to tell from the picture but the stripe in the center pinwheel is blue and white and the stripe in the outer star is red and white.  Can't wait to see what block Saturday brings.

I'm still working on the Primitive Primer quilt.  And having a ball.  The tree block on the right is finished and the on the left needs 2 more triangles.  What I really like about this quilt is that everything does not have to be perfect.  So I can relax while I work on it.

After the trees comes this block.  I have it all basted down and ready to go.  There are three more blocks after these and they are a tad bit more involved.  A house and tree block, a vase of flowers, and the hardest block.....Star Burst.  Oh I almost forgot...the border.  Part of which has applique on it.  Can't wait to finish.

In my last post I told you I had finally found the Lil Twister ruler. 

I gathered up 9 5" squares (I have bags and bags full of them) that I thought might go together.  And cut up some 3" strips of a dark brown for a border.  I could not believe how quickly this went together.  Within a half hour to 45 minutes I had this little top.  So much fun.

Now I have some questions for you:

1. What inspires you in your quilting? (I told you what inspires me above)
2. What was the first quilt you ever made?  A doll quilt for my daughter Kelley.
3. What is the smallest quilt you ever made?  5" x 7"
4. What is the largest quilt you ever made?  King Size.

Well I hope you have a quilty day.  The sun is shining, there is a slight breeze and the temp is around 73.  All in all a perfect day.  Going for a walk and then off to the sewing room.

Hugs, Cat

Hot and Humid in Michigan

Rain yesterday, more rain this morning and now it is very humid.  But it won't stop me from sewing....lol

Here is the latest 15 Minute Play BOM.  "Courthouse Steps"    I plan on embroidering the name of the BOM, my name, and the date finished on this block.  I love making fabric from scraps. 

The latest Barbara Brackman CW block. 

This is Block 13 of the Farmers Wife quilt.  I draw the blocks up on EQ5 and then print up the rotary cutting instructions.  I made the mistake of printing up the instructions for an 8" block and didn't realize it till I was finished.  So I reprinted instructions for a 6" block.  Now I have one to go with my CW blocks and one for FW blocks.

Today I plan on finishing up blocks 14-16.

And finally......Drum roll Please.......

My granddaughter Cassidy turns "9" today.  Hubby had the day off yesterday and was able to go to his first Cassidy baseball game.  She went 4 for 4. 

Happy Birthday Cassidy....We love you.

So I'm off to my sewing room...  Hope you are able to do something quilty today.

Hugs, Cat

It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Up early, sun shining, walking shoes on....Hubby and I headed out to Metro Beach and had a wonderful walk.  Then we went out to breakfast at a new restaurant.  Great food.

Now here's what I finished during the weekend.

I finished June's Henrietta Whiskers block.  I love these blocks.  My hand applique is getting so much better because of all the small pieces. 

Here are my first 6 blocks.  It is going to be so cute.

I decided to clean my sewing room on Saturday....lol  There aren't enough hours in the day to put a dent in the mess I have going on.  Anyway while shifting piles I found these blocks.

These blocks were suppose to be joined with 8 others.  However I lost interest, or lost the pattern or misplaced the green checked fabric.  So I decided to make a wall hanging/table topper out of them.  I am going to put them together and applique a circle in the center.  Then I need to add a border, possibly applique some leaves on it.  Do you have any ideas?

Last but not least I made the latest Barbara Brackman CW block.  After a year of 8" blocks I think we will have enough blocks for a couple of quilts.

I also made the heart log cabin block for the Primitive Primer quilt and have the angel block all set to applique.  I will post a picture of both once the angel is done.

Today I will begin a new adventure.  Em is you are reading this....I am going to try some of your fabulous quilting.  I have my big girl pants on, my favorite threads, a couple of 12" blocks all ready to start machine quilting.  Thanks for the encouragement.  Love Ya.

Enjoy the sunshine, breath in that lovely fresh air and have some fun today.

Hugs, Cat

PS( Tomorrow night I get to go see the Detroit Tigers play.  Thanks to my daughter Kelley and Son-in-Law Chris.  It is my Mother's Day gift and Hubby's Father's Day gift.  Woo Hoo...I am such a fan.)