AWOL

Well, maybe not Absent Without Leave but last month I was certainly absent. Last month I had some issues.  One day I bent over and when I sat up I had the biggest floaters in my eyes and was seeing bright bits of light.  I went to the eye doctors for an exam.  Nothing too bad...but I needed new glasses.  I had also had lots of eye watering so it's been difficult to sew at times.  The doctor noticed a skin tag on my eyelid that has changed since my last exam.  So off to the eye surgeon.  He said it had to be removed.  So this Friday I will have the growth removed and biopsied.  

Next up was my annual Mammogram.  Well it's been longer than a year.  Any way they saw something on my right breast.  They wanted to compare films from my last one.  However, they closed that facility and the films are in storage and no one can find them...go figure.  So tomorrow I have to have another Mammogram and an Ultrasound.  I'm not too worried about it.

Since I have had visual problems it has taken me longer to get some things done.  But here we go...

Up first my Front Porch block for July.  I missed the link up at Humble Quilts.

I wish I had chosen a different green for more contrast but I'm still happy with this block.


I am way behind on my Cabot Cuties.  Hopefully I can get caught up this month.

I do enjoy making these blocks.  These blocks are 4 1/2" finished.


1857 Sampler

You may notice that I haven't added the corner diamonds on any of my blocks. I'm going to try and figure out a different way of putting these blocks together.

This is my Westering Women block.  

Well that is it as far as sewing goes.  We did get to go to our annual Detroit Tigers game with my daughter Kelley and her hubby Chris.  It has been so hot here that I was afraid I would melt in the heat.  We lucked out.  It was a beautiful night and the Tigers won.

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you have a great day and get to enjoy some nice weather like we are.

Hugs, Cathy

Gwennie Times 2

Time sure flies...

It is time to reveal the 3rd round of our Gwennie Inspired Medallion Round Robin.  I got to decide what this round would be....Log Cabin.  You could interpret any way you wanted.

I apologize for the wonkiness of my photos.  I need to tack down my design wall so it is smoother.

For Gwennie #1 I chose an abbreviated traditional Log Cabin block.  I set the blocks in an nontraditional setting.  I'm really happy how it is turning out.

Now for Gwennie #2.  With the exception of the basket block and borders all the fabrics are either batiks or hand dyes.  My border is a variation of a courthouse steps block.  I am a more or less traditional quilter so this design is out of my comfort zone.  However, I am getting more relaxed and comfortable working on this quilt.

We will be linking up with Lori at Humble Quilts this month.  

Now for the theme for August's round.  Katy at Katy Quilts has chosen "Stars".  
So jump on over there and here what she has to say.

I can't believe how time has flown.  We are starting round 4 and only one more to go.

I look forward to seeing what everyone has done with the Log Cabin theme.  I already know what I'm doing for Gwennie #1.  Not sure about Gwennie #2.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs, Cathy

Gwennie Round 2 and Round 3 Theme

Isn't this fun.  I am so enjoying this Gwennie Inspired Medallion Round Robin.

The theme for the second round was "Childhood" memories.  My memory comes from a cross country camping trip my parents took us when I was 13.  We had 6 weeks of vacation...a wonderful vacation filled with so many memories but one still stands out after 53 years.  We left our home in Michigan and traveled to California via the southern route and returned home via the northern route.  Our trusty old stationwagon pulled our trailer...with some bumps along the way.  The car wasn't as fond of the trip as it was to us

We made it to Yosemite National Park.  On the Fourth of July we took a drive up into the mountains.  The car decided to over heat.  Luckily there was still snow up there.  We packed the engine in snow and then had the best snow ball fight of our lives.  Us 4 kids and mom and dad in shorts throwing snowballs at each other.  That memory was the inspiration for my 2nd round.

As before I started with a drawing to decide what size my snow balls should be.

And here it is.  It looks a little wobbly because of my design wall.  I am so happy with the was it looks.

Here is my second more modern looking Medallion quilt.  So different from the first but I'm happy with it too.

I will be linking up with Cynthia at wabisabiquilts.blogspot.com.


Now for the Round 3 theme.  

Log cabin.  Be inspired by all the different Log Cabin blocks.  From the above picture traditional block to Courthouse Steps, Spiral Log Cabin, Quarter Log Cabin, etc.  Or be inspired by the names of Log Cabin Settings, Streak of Lightning, Barn Raising....etc.

Have fun with it.  Make it as simple or as involved as you like.  We look forward to seeing how the Log Cabin block inspires you.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs, Cathy

Front Porch

It's time to link up with our June block's for the Front Porch Sew Along.  This month we made flag blocks.  Thanks to Lori's break down of piecing the blocks they went quickly.  Here are mine.

 I sewed the flag to my house block.  My pictures look a little wavy because of my design wall.  I couldn't get it to lay flat.

Here are the 2 other flags that will be used later in the quilt.  I also cut out their flag poles.  I will be linking up at Humble Quilts.


Another project on my design wall....

Here is a small section of it.  These are the reproduction 9 patch blocks that I received in a swap from Fun With Barb.  I used some in a quilt I made using a pattern from Cheri Payne.  


Now if you are not too bored I am sharing some more pictures from the Botanical Gardens in Ann Arbor.  This time the Tropical room.

The gold fish seemed to glow.

I hope you enjoyed the photos.  Thanks for stopping by and have a great day.

Hugs, Cathy

BOM's

I'm still trying to catch up on my Cabot Cuties and wouldn't you know I got a sew of new patterns today.  So now I need to catch up quicker....LOL

The majority of these blocks are paper pieced.  They finish at 4 1/2"  I've got 3 blocks set aside because they are really difficult.  I'm saving them for a day when I have nothing else to do.


I also finished a couple of 1857 Sampler blocks.

The leaf block was suppose to be 4 separate leaves.  I made it all one piece.

This is the 2nd block for the Red and Green quilt that is designed b Legend and Lace.

Junes block for the Sugar Club BOM.  I may redo it as the top of the leaf doesn't have enough contrast.


Last Saturday we went to Ann Arbor to visit my grandson Brian and his fiance Jess.  They took us out to lunch and then to visit the Botanical Gardens.  I'm sharing a few of the photos I took.  Too many to show at one time.

Brian among the Cacti

Jess among the Cacti

They had a tropical room and a desert room.  These are the desert plants.

 Agave

So much beauty there.  Next time I'll share some more photos from the tropical room.  I also have some from outdoors.  I really love this place.  We are planning to go back again in the fall to see more.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs, Cathy

Gwennie...

...Inspired Medallion Round Robin Revealed

Time to show the center block.  But first....

This is the doodle I did for what I wanted my center block to look like.  

Then I started by cutting out  freezer paper templates.  I folded the paper in half then cut away.  Nothing was drawn out on the paper.  I just picked up scissors and looked at my drawing and started cutting away.

And here is what I came up with.  Unfortunately the bird didn't make it into the final block.  My block is 12 x 16 finished.

Today Cynthia at Wabi-Sabi Quilts is revealing what our next round will be.

"Childhood:

Something that reminds you of your, your parents, your children's childhood.

Examples Cynthia gave are:

Triangles representing apple cores from when you learned to make an apple pie

Checkerboard representing the board games played as a child

Ocean waves remembering the beach...appliqued whales

Anything that brings back a treasured childhood memory.

I know what I'm doing...can't wait to see what you are going to make.

I'm linking up with Lori at Humble Quilts.  Hope to see your center block there.

I so enjoyed seeing all the basket blocks that everyone made.  It inspired me to make another block.  This one is pieced and definitely out of my comfort zone.

I call this one Gwennie 2 and am going to link up on Lori's blog.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs, Cathy

Front Porch

Time to reveal block #1 for our Front Porch Sew Along.

I love the first block.  I needle turned (or toothpick turned) all the pieces.  I am pretty happy with it.  I will be linking up with Lori on her blog Humble Quilts.

Lori is going to post the strip pieced directions for the 3 flag blocks.  The pattern calls for appliqueing the pieces of the flags.  Piecing will be much easier and less time consuming.


Don't forget to stop back on June 6 when we show our center blocks for the Gwennie Inspired Medallion Quilt.  It will then be revealed what the theme for the next round will be.  I don't know about you but I'm getting real excited.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs, Cathy