More blocks and New QAL!

I thought I posted the most recent blocks I finished for Pat Sloan's Grandma's Kitchen, but I must of just thought about writing the post! Did you ever do that...think about doing something and after awhile THOUGHT you did it!!!! I've been doing it more often than I'd care to admit!!! So with out much further ado here are the blocks!

First block # 18 The Fridge. I probably should have used a solid color in the corners because just like my fridge it's sure is busy!!!! 

 This is block #19 Mending Basket. I'm very happy with how this one came out! I think the points lined up pretty good!

 Here is block #20 Lovely Dishes. I thought about making this one bigger and putting it in the center of the quilt, but I'm worried I won't have it finished in time and I'm not sure how long it would take to make the adjustments...maybe I'll make another bigger when I have a free moment.

 

I was caught up when I finished #20 on Sunday the 19, but now I have 2 blocks to do... It's ok! I'm not too far behind! At least that's what I keep telling myself! I joined another quilt a long. It's with Bonnie Hunter at Quiltville. This years Mystery Quilt A Long is called On Ringo Lake. I love how she suggests colors using paint chips!!! Computers are notorious for showing the wrong color! Here is the majority of my material. I just love how these colors look together!

  

Tonight I complete Part 1 and I am amazed how these little beauties came out! She gave tips and tricks on how to shave some time off your cutting and still have the blocks line up beautifully. Plus I'm getting better at my 1/4" seam allowance. Well with all the sewing and quilt a longs I'm doing I better be getting better! So here's my finished Part 1s...

 Aren't they cute! There is so many of them there! Shhh it's a mystery! ;)

Happy Quilting all! And I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day! We sure did! Lots of eating and family time, you gotta love that!

These are my blocks and this is me,

Sheila!

 

What a weekend!

I had a good weekend! I was determined to just quilt this past weekend and that's pretty much what I did!!! I've gotten a little behind on my Grandma's Kitchen quilt a long and I wanted to get caught up. I finished 3 blocks this weekend, plus cut out the fabric for the fourth. All in all pretty good since I didn't actually get to do only quilting, people want to eat around here! Here's the blocks I finished:

 

Here is block #11...well not quite. It was suppose to be three peppermint candies, but I'm not fond of circles and applique...well not yet! And I wanted to do a block more like the others. I'm pretty happy with the out come!

 

This is block #16 it's called Small Change, but I'm calling mine Rose Garden. I think it's self explanatory! I'm happy how everything lined up nicely.

 

 And here is block #17. I love the blues and white of this block and my points are getting better!

So how was your weekend? Did you get a lot accomplished? I really love when I can work on a project and see progress! I should show you the bookshelf hubby and I made for Little T's room. He does love his books and now he has plenty of room for them!

So this is me, Sheila!

Solstice Quilt in Batiks

I LOVE color! White walls make me nervous and beige is just a tad better! So when I first saw batik fabrics I was instantly smitten! The colors are so vibrant and they have a look of nature to them. Ever since I saw and held my first piece of batik fabric I knew I wanted to make a quilt with them. Not just a block here and there or a piece intermixed, but a whole quilt made up of batiks. So the collecting began!!!

When I found Pat Sloan's blog and QALs I was ready to use what I had so far. I found her blog just before Grandma's Kitchen started and the Solstice QAL was just finishing up. I had never did a quilt a long before so I wasn't sure what to expect. I decided the Solstice one would be perfect for me to use the batiks on and it would be all mine!!! Ok I'll share with hubby if he gets cold...he is a polar bear though so that won't happen often. No seriously he is! It'll be in the 40's and he has on a t-shirt! What normal person would do that!!! I'm bundled up with layers and a winter coat and he just makes me cold looking at him! Now back to my story... As I waited for Grandma's Kitchen to start I started on the blocks for the Solstice Quilt. I printed them out as I was planning on what to work on and what colors to do them in. I started with one and was going to go in numerical order than decided I wanted the big blocks to be some of my favorite batiks and color combos and I wanted to make sure I had enough fabric to complete the big blocks. As the weeks went on and I was also doing Grandmas Kitchen I would finish one or more blocks of the Solstice. Finishing the last block was exciting, but I must admit I had bought more batiks along the way, I mean seriously how could I not buy more! I love the way Pat laid out the blocks in a asymmetrical layout, but also gave a layout that was symmetrical if people would rather do that. I had my eye on what I thought was the perfect fabric for the background and binding. I also decided the color I used for the binding I would use for a 5" border around the quilt to make it bigger...for those days I did share with the polar bear! It ended up being 96"x96" and covered our queen bed with extra to fall down the sides. Then came the quilting...wow I didn't think I would ever finish quilting it! If I did just a meander I would have been finished so much sooner, but I would have been bored. So I played and planned out blocks and looked for patterns. Many of which I found from Angela Walters. If you are just starting out with FMQ I encourage you to watch everything she has! She is very entertaining and has my kind of humor! So after 2 needle replacements, 16 bobbin changes and over 40 hours on my Tiara III here is my quilt!

This is the front...

and this is the back.

 My hubby thought he was being funny having the back out. Little did he know I wanted to take a picture of that too! Notice the strip of color across the top. I used scraps from the fabric I used in the blocks on the front, framed it with the same fabric I used to bind it and not only gave the backing fabric enough inches to be able to cover the back, but also tied the back with the front. Plus it gave me more color!

I've slept under it a couple nights and I believe I've had better nights sleep or maybe I was just so tired from all that quilting!

Another thing happened to me since my last post that made me very happy...My sunflower block (go down to Thursday, September 21, 2017 to see it)  was picked in the Aurifil 2017 Designer of the Month QAL!!!! I get a box of Aurifil thread straight from Italy!!!  I love Aurifil and it's what I use all the time!!! So if anyone is interested my favorite colors are 2600 Dove I use this for all my piecing, 2783 a medium delft blue and my very favorite 2140 Orange Mustard which is a golden color. I used it on my very first quilt I quilted. I was brave and used it with a dark green background.

See all the sparkly stars! It's not perfect, but I love it! It's the very first quilt I quilted and it makes me smile! The quilt pattern is by Lori Kennedy at theinboxjaunt.com. She has some wonderful patterns and tips and a bunch of quilt patterns!!!!

Well It's taken me all month to get this post out! I'll see you soon and we'll chat again!

 

This is my life in Batik and this is me!

Sheila!!!

 

Sanitary Commission Stamps and Quilt A Longs oh my!

I've been busy with my quilt guild for a while. There is a civil war reenactment that goes on every year in Perryville KY. This year our quilt guild planned to have a civil war quilting reenactment that ran along with it! I've learn so much about what the ladies part was in the civil war. I was part of the committee to help organize and get the word out. Then I was made aware of a stamp that was used by the US Sanitary Commission to stamp the back of the quilts used at the hospitals. Well, since it is my job to make stamps I was put in motion to do just that! In looking up images of the stamps used I've learn about a few things, which is always a plus! I made one stamp that is a pretty good replica if I do say so for my self and I made a second stamp, more of a commemorative stamp for the event. Unfortunately I wasn't able to attend the 3 day event, but I heard all the stamps I sent sold! How cool is that!

Here is a image of the two stamps I made for the event. I usually take photos of the actual stamps for my shops, but I was in such a hurry to get them done and to the reenactment I forgot! I'll see about getting that done and loaded onto my shops very soon! 

 

As soon as they came to pick up the stamps for the reenactment I went right to work on blocks! Thank goodness the material was already cut out, all I had to do is sew them together!!

Pat Sloan's Grandma's Kitchen block #12

and

block #13

 

I guess it's a good thing I didn't post yet!!! I finished up two more blocks from Grandma's Kitchen!!!

Here's block #14. I really love how this one came out!!!

 

And block #15. I enjoyed this one too, I just confused myself with the two different mediums...one looks more light than medium! But it's still an interesting block! and I'm glad I threw those big yellow and blue roses in there.

 

 

 This block below is from Aurifil's Designer of the Month QAL. Also hosted by Pat Sloan! This is the block from February's designer. I really love batiks!! They have such a natural, unplanned look and they go so well with each other!

 

I have some more blocks that I need to sew up. They are also ready to go just as soon as I decide what I want to work on next. I have the solstice quilt under my needle waiting for me to finish quilting it and since our quilt guild meets a week from Tuesday I'm going to do what I can to finish it so I can take it to Show and Tell!!!! I'm really looking forward to finishing that one up! It's all batiks and the blocks were pure joy to work on. I think I've learn so much by doing that QAL even though it was already through. There was so many HST that I was doing them in my sleep!!!!

 

Well, this is what I've been working on and

this is

Sheila from KY!

I just finished a block I'm so in love with! It didn't turn out perfect, my points are a little off, it isn't quite 12.5" like it's suppose to be and me and Jack had a rippin' good time with it, but I just love it anyway!!!

I mean seriously! How can you NOT love a sunflower block!!! This was from Aurifil's 2017 Designer BOM This months designer is Vanessa Goertzen and I just love the block she made for September! I used Batiks I have in my stash and since I don't have many yellows I went more toward orange with blue as the background. To top it off I was lucky enough to have what I think is the perfect center for a sunflower!!!

Well that's it for today...I'm behind on my BOM, QAL, Weekly challenges, monthly challenges...oh you get what I'm saying! I need to get back to work!

 

This is my sunflower block and this is me!

Sheila

Just keep sewing, Just keep sewing!

Sew, that's what I've been doing! You wouldn't think I had enough projects...I'm actually hunting down more Block of the Months and Quilt A Longs to join! Some I haven't participated in, but I am saving the patterns...You just never know! As if that isn't enough, I woke up the other morning with a quilt idea in my head. Good thing I always keep a pad and pencil by my bed for just such epiphanies! I love when ideas come in that half wake plane of existence! Well it took a few days after sketching out my idea that morning, but I got my grid paper out and laid down my idea. I did change one block to a star block, just seem so appropriate. I started stitching it together but it will probably be awhile before I post it here...if I ever post it at all! I mean it is my first idea, it may be a real stinker. I have to say it does look cool all drawn out and colored in though!
   So here is what I have been working on....Grandmas Kitchen by Pat Sloan. I forgot to post the block from last week. I actually finished it the Wednesday the next block came out! I'm happy to say I have both blocks done and I'm all caught up!

     This is block #9. I love the window blocks!!! The white fabric with yellow roses came from a woman in my quilt guild and I'm so happy I got it! It works great with the colors I have going in this quilt! Here's Block #10:

     This block was a lot of fun! It's Grandma's recipe box, but since I didn't get to know my grandma Bagwell or Nana very well I'm doing it for my mom. After all she is a Grandma too! It's funny looking at these two blocks I didn't use any of the fabric from the Dutch Garden collection that I originally started with! But they all play nice together so it's all good! Pat mentioned it was going to be a large throw, but I plan on making it big enough for mom to use it on her bed. As soon as Pat puts up the layout I'll be able to get an idea of how many more blocks and how big they need to be to get the size I want. I have to admit when I first started the Quilt A Long I was nervous about the unknown, but now it adds to the excitement of waiting for Wednesday to get here!
I'll post more of what I've been working on...besides making stamps and filling orders! Until then...

 

This is sew Sheila!

and I hope you stop by again!

 

 

 

More quilting going on!

I've been busy...when am I not! I completed block #8 from Pat Sloan's Grandma's Kitchen Quilt along. It took me a little longer as I was trying to finish up a lap quilt. I started that in the spring and finished the top, but just laid it aside after quilting another lap quilt and little T's quilt...after that monster quilt do you blame me! Well I needed a show n tell for the quilt meeting and I figured I'd just finish it right up, fat chance! I even did a simple quilting on it. Well I guess the design could have been bigger! The design is actually from Angela Walters (love her quilting philosophy). If you are wanting to learn Free Motion Quilting I strongly recommend her videos. She is wonderful and makes it fun! I can't get enough of her videos!!! We also had a sew day with my quilting guild. Only about 6 showed up, but it was still fun. I worked on three civil war blocks for a quilt the guild is putting together. It will be raffled off at the Perryville Civil War Reenactment that goes on in October. So here is the lap quilt...

I believe it's called Jelly Roll Race and here is Grandma's Kitchen block #8...

 

 

and here are the civil war blocks...

 

 

I'm pretty happy with how everything came out. I'm getting better with every new project and for being a quilter for less than a year, that's not bad!

So this is me quilting!

Sheila

Life in motion

How in the world did it become 2017? It's crazy how fast time slips away from us! So much has happen in the last 3 years. My mom came to be with us!!! We now all live together and have the perfect set up. She never thought she would have a dog, but as much time as Indy stays down stairs with her you might as well say he's her dog too!
He's a good dog. Happy as can be, especially when it's cool out. Actually the colder the better as far as Indy is concerned! Our house sits on top of a hill and Indy is the happiest sitting on top of the hill and keeping an eye out on all the land he can survey. After all if he can see it, it must be his! His baritone bark sure gets the neighbors attention! We have wonderful neighbors so it's all good! Our one neighbor has show dogs...6 to be precise! So our one noisy pup isn't too bad.

I'm not sure if I've mentioned what I do. I'm a rubber stamp maker, designer, Etsy seller. I enjoy what I do. I like to take an image or drawing and turn it into something that can be used over and over. I also like that I can share my designs. This November will be 10 years of making and selling stamps!!! Hard to believe I've been doing this for 10 years!!!

This past fall I found myself on a new creative path...Quilting! I've been wanting to try it for a very long time.
Well, one day I went to Hobby Lobby to buy some fabric to make Little T a new pillowcase for his body pillow. Apparently 14 year olds don't want Thomas the Train pillow cases anymore. hahahaa While I was looking at all the beautiful fabric I thought how fun it would be to make a quilt of places he always talked about going when he was younger. And then it started! I went online and looked for travel, adventure themed material. I found so many different fabrics that I had a hard time decided what I wanted. I decided to put a plan together and limit color choices (didn't work so much!) and to find a pattern that would be easy for a new quilter, but would also show off the travel material. I found a version of Turning 20 Again and altered it slightly to accommodate what I wanted. After all the material arrived...I purchased most of the fabric online to get the best variety, though picking the right color was a challenge! I started working on it in November and by February Little T's quilt was finished!...well not quilted, but the top was done. I joined a quilt guild and met a bunch of wonderful women and thanks to them I found out about a exhibition (no ribbons or judging). I worked feverishly to get the quilt done in time for the show and by June it was done. Here's a picture of my first and second quilt...front row!

So as you can see I'm hooked! I have made a few more and I have another large quilt I will be finishing up as soon as the backing material gets here. That's the bad thing about ordering online, the wait!

Do you want to see what I'm working on now...

It's from Pat Sloans blog. She does a quilt along and I'm having so much fun following along. She put's out a new block every Wednesday...boy it sure takes long to get here! So to appease my desire to quilt I also decided to do the Solstice quilt she has there. The good thing about it is they are through with that quilt a long so all the blocks are up! In fact I just finished that top and that is the one I'm waiting on the backing fabric for! If you are a quilter or your interested in trying it out check out Pats blog. People post their version of the blocks they have made and let me just say they are beautiful! Well off to quilt!

and This is Sheila! slightly lost, but found!