Final finishes for 2023

 The last week end of 2023 and two quilts are finished!

The National Parks quilts numbers 3 & 4 are quilted and bound.

All 4 of these quilts have flannel backs and graphic posters from 5 different National Parks.

Above on left is quilt # 3 and on the right quilt #2.

They have been washed and dried.

This is the back of quilt #3.

I used a variegated thread for quilting and binding.

I washed the flannel backs before sewing them.

This is quilt #1.

It is the only one with batik sections.

I won a stack of batik fat quarters and used the earth tones as sashing

on the other 3 quilts.

I am keeping quilt #4. 

I used off white thread for the quilting.

The flannel back of quilt #4.

So glad to have these quilts finished.

Next Friday I'm making a floor quilt at the Sewing House.

2023 - that's a wrap.

Making plans for 2024

I made another pinwheel twirl block.

I'm going to use it as the center of the SAHRR that starts in a few weeks.

January is going to be busy with sewing workshops.

I have signed up to make a snowman floor quilt on the 5th.

The Oxford Fiber Fest is next where I'm taking two classes on the 20th.

Then on the 27th I'm taking a fabric coloring class with Lisa Thorpe.

Wrapping up the sewing for Christmas - fleece hat, mittens, and snuggly throw.

Documenting some of the fabric gift bags I made.

The last two star ornaments from this fat quarter.

The two tone fabric gift bag I made for UTQG.

In 2024 I want to finish -

1. The two National Parks quilts

2. Tinsel wool applique wall hanging

3. Hand quilting My Small World

4. Quilt and bind 2 charity quilts

5. Paper piece the tea cup and teapot wall hanging

6. The Stay at Home Round Robin as a mini

I will miss linking up with the Peacock Party.

Happy Sewing

 

Christmas Miscellaneous Finishes

The hall to my sewing room is now a mini quilt gallery.

We finally took the time to hang up these mini quilts.

I have one more hanger and I know where it will be placed.

Now I need to get to work on that quilt.

One of my guilds has a tradition of giving the out-going guild president blocks of her choice.

I finished this one for Dawn.

It is a very easy block - just looks complicated.

Several years ago I was given the kit for this candle mat.

It is a By Annie kit and has materials and directions for two mats.

This round mat is going to our daughter and her family.

Above are some of the fabric gift bags I made for family.

I used the snow globe ornaments as gift tags.

Everyone knows how much scissors mean to quilters.

I could not find this pair and searched all over.

Surprise! They were hiding in plain sight.

Oh, my OCDness.

Happy Sewing!

 

National Parks Quilt #2 Finished

The second National Parks Quilt is finished.

This is the first NPQ started but I got tired of quilting it and put it aside.

Then I decided to finish my brother's NPQ since he was going to be visiting.

This one is going to our daughter's in-laws as a late 50th anniversary gift.

They have done lots of traveling and I hope the posters bring back good memories.

It is backed with a flannel print.

Below is a quilt back that I finished as part of the Modern Quilt Guild backing challenge.

One day I'm going to make a tea themed wall quilt and this will be the backing.

I could not resist making some snow globe ornaments.

The hardest part was finding 'snow' that looked good.

When I hung my Christmas quilts I found one of my early quilts.

I was just starting to finish my quilt tops and the binding looked terrible. 

Each side was bound separately.

There were no nice turned corners.

I could not find the label on the quilt and looked through all my photos 

and blog posts to find out when it was made. I found the pattern in a notebook. 

I took off the binding, then I saw my attempt to document this quilt.

I found some of the backing fabric and cleaned up the binding I removed.

I changed the binding strips to facing and used the extra fabric for corner triangles.

I like the look of the facing on this quilt.

I was very proud of my piano key border.

I changed the block layout on the quilt top.

This top was made as a Saturday Sampler offered by Bernina Sewing Etc.

The Sampler worked like this- the first block had a small fee 

and if I finished it by the next month, that month was free.

Each month we were instructed on how to make the next month's block and listened

to pitches for various tools and quilting extras.

Above is the new finish. I love the no-binding look.

I thought I was so fancy with this border.

The new label covers the old label but it can be read. 

Finally finished the last two felt mitten ornaments started in the fall of 2019.

These will be sent to our NYC grandsons.

I'm making fabric Christmas present bags, too.

The bag above is fun but takes longer to make than the one below.

I've got three more bags to make.

Two more National Parks Quilts need to be finished.

Check back to see if I stick to the plan.

Happy sewing!

 

A Quilt Finish-at long last

The first finished National Parks quilt-

Now I'm inspired to work on the others.

The backing is flannel, so I hope it is very snuggly.

Label done. Ready to give to my brother.

I decided to make a pillow with the scraps from my Good Fortune quilt.

Just random leftover bits sewn together in columns.

I made the pillow cover with a zipper, a first for me.

In other sewing, I made some star ornaments to give my little choir kids.

Wooden ornament from MS Quilt Association

for participating in the summer Quilt Bingo Game.

I used fancy markers to color the sections.

These kitchen towels are going to darling daughter.

It was fun to pick through the fabric scraps and choose complimentary rickrack. 

Trying out an idea for a garland made with gold cording and star ornaments.

That's it for this week.

Happy Sewing1

 

Catching Up

Last week end was the Davies Manor Quilt Show.

I had five quilts in the show but was out of town so didn't see the whole show.

I took these photos during the set up earlier in the week.

My mini, Memphis #3, is the middle one on the left column above.

Most of these mini quilts were shown at the Cotton Museum in October.

None of my minis are in the photos above and below.

My Memphis #1 is the 3rd down on left column.

Memphis #2 is 2nd down on the middle left column.

We went to Foley/Fairhope, Alabama last week end for a 50th anniversary celebration of my friend Becky (Rebecca) and husband Jimmy. Their younger son Frank and his wife Amanda arranged the surprise party. 

It was lots of fun to spend time together. Becky and I were in Sunday school 

together when we were very small.

So many memories.

I made two of these little mug rugs to commemorate the day.

I took these two small quilts but wasn't sure if Becky & Jimmy were quilt people.

The quilt above I called 'Which Way Up'.

I made it to be a sleeping bag but changed my mind.

It was done as a Sew Along during the pandemic.

This one was made from my mother's fat quarters that I always admired.

Making this pattern was like putting a puzzle together.

I called it 'Helen's Flower Garden'.

My mom grew lots of amazing flowers and loved to share them.

She also had a special place in her heart for Becky 

and I know she would be happy for her to have this quilt.

This week I finished the second Silent Night felt play set.

This is actually the first one. I will post a photo of the second one next time.

Happy Sewing!

 

October Stitching

The first week of October was spent traveling so no posts on this blog.

The second week I worked on this Halloween Mini quilt off and on.

I was inspired by a mini quilt I saw on another blog.

It was just a Dresden plate with Halloween fabrics. 

The problem- I didn't have the same Dresden plate pattern and my slices would not lie flat.

I kept removing one house until the circle was flat.

Then I added roof, door, and windows to each house.

I bought a small pack of Halloween buttons-

not sure how I will use them.

I'm working on echo quilting around the houses and stitching around the doors, window, etc.

Hope to finish in time for Trick or Treat.

Longtime friends are celebrating their 50th anniversary soon.

I wanted to make something small to mark the occasion so I made mug rugs using book fabric.

Trying out different fabrics for binding.

I liked the one above for the binding.

The backing is book related, too.

The pattern was a free project from Stitches of Love.

I am very happy with the binding.

But the letters were disappearing on the busy background.

I tried gold gel pen and black gel pen to outline the letters.

I think the black worked better.

I made three- one to keep and two to gift.

Miss Ava had a chance to come over after school Friday.

Penguin needed a new coat/cape.

Miss Ava choose the fabric and buttons. She made a sketch and pattern for the pocket.

Most important of all, she used the sewing machine to attach the pocket and reinforce the armholes.

Thanks for viewing all these photos.

Look for the finished Halloween mini soon.

Happy Sewing!