Happy New Year!

 Out with the old, in with the new. Are you ready for the new year? Are you ready for 2022 to leave? This past year wasn't as bad as 2020 and 2021. Hopefully next year will be even better for all of us!

This years finishes are few, but I do have finishes!

There are a bunch of links (they will open to a new tab), most free and I'm not affiliated at this time to any.

In quilts, Valentine's Day wall hanging, Oh My Stars table runner and I finally finished the Jelly Snowflake from last year... or was it the year before!? I still have to hide the stitches from the problems I had with my quilting machine. But I can get nice and cozy will I do that. Here's a picture of it, I'll have a better when when I'm finished with the thread mess.

I completed a flimsy of the String Bean quilt from Pat Sloan's block a day in March. She does this every year. I believe this was her third year and she is talking about 2023's block, or at least trying to decide which block would be good. She picks an easy block, beginner friendly and easy to keep up. I don't think I have a picture of it yet, but I will post one as soon as I get one.

Other projects are; several cloth napkins, Tilda Duck from Tilda's Hot Chocolate book and fabric eggs. I finished another Rhapsody shirts from Love Notions and in the crochet department I made the Chill Time cardigan.

For Cross Stitching I finished Chicken Love, Stitches in aquas and Little Quaker Christmas.

The Love Chicken pattern is free from Fat Quarter Shop. Head there for that and other patterns.

Stitches and Little Quaker Christmas are free patterns from Aurifil <follow that link to their site of not only these two but a bunch of cross stitch patterns that are free!

I have several QALs I've started this year, you have to add to the WIPs! Most are Pat Sloan's QALs including Sweet Dreams (4 blocks left), another String Bean Block A Day (10 blocks left), Summer Camp (all blocks done), Hometown Charms (3 blocks left). A couple through Fat Quarter Shop that I started but haven't quite finished are FlapJacks and Christmas Time Mystery QAL both are free quilt a longs. The Christmas Time mystery link will take you to a page that also has the cross stitch patterns, they are patterns are separate so you'll have to go to several pages.

I also started a pattern I designed and hope to get that up and available for you. 

That is basically my year in crafy review. This didn't include my drawings because I didn't track them, but I will from now forward! I'm hoping for more finishes next year, but then aren't we all!

The very best New Year to all! Love Y'all and thanks for stopping by!

Sheila

Color Challenge For May, Easy Potatoes O'Brien And A Month Distracted

 

First I have to show off May's Color Challenge block. Yes! I was last months block ambassador for Jen's Monthly Color Challenge and I'm doing it again this month!!! Her patterns are very beginner friendly and come together quickly, which for me is a plus since I'm such a slow sewer! This month block is brown and Potatoes is the produce that goes with it! I'm using batiks in brown and cream, just like a potato!

Did you ever look at a block and think that would be cool as a quilt? That's what I thought of this block. So I got on EQ8 and played around and here is the results!!!

I love it when one block can give you so many extra designs! I may have to make this quilt!!! To get the instructions for this block visit Jen's blog. The pattern is free for the month and you still can get previous months for $1 each block! Not bad!!! Just head to Jen's blog!

May Bloggers

Bea - Bea Quilter

Kathy - Kathy's Kwilts N More

Raylee - Sunflower Stitcheries and Quilting

Andi - True Blue Quilts

Crystal - DayBrook Designs

Ashli - Quilt 2 End Alz

Joanne - Everyone Deserves a Quilt

Sponsors

Jen has gathered together a bunch of wonderful sponsors. They are broken down into quarters and winners are chosen quarterly; April 1, July 1, Oct 1 and Jan 1, 2022. To enter you simply add your block to the Link Up at the end of each month. One entry per quilter and it needs to be the block from the current month. Finish each month and you will have 3 entries each quarter and at the end of the year you'll have a wonderful quilt!!!

Dragonfly's Quilting Design Studio - Goodie Bag*

Bea Quilter - PDF Pattern

For the Love of Geese - PDF Pattern

True Blue Quilts - Book: Monochromatic Quilts Amazing Variety*

Make Modern Magazine - 6 month subscription

Island Batik - Fat Quarter Bundle*

Benartex - Fabric Bundle*

Quilters Dream Batting - 60 x 60 Dream Poly*

The Warm Company - 90 x 108 Warm and Plush 100% Cotton

Appliques Quilts and More - $10 gift certificate

Fat Quarter Shop - Gift Certificate

DayBrook Designs - 2 PDF Patterns

Patterns By Jen - Tucker Trimmer 1® ruler*

Those marked with * are for US residents only. Prize laws vary throughout different countries.

Potatoes O'Brien

I make these on a sheet pan and in the oven set at 500.

 Southern style O'Brien Hash browns (I use Walmarts Great Value brand)

1 Tbls melted butter

Olive Oil

2 Tbls Italian Seasoning

Paprika

Onion Powder

Garlic Powder

 

1. Spread the Hash Browns in a single layer on a baking sheet and pre-heat oven to 500.

 

2. Melt the butter and add olive oil to make about 1/2 cup. Mix in Italian Seasoning.

 

3. Drizzle the melted butter mix on the hash browns to cover evenly. Mix the hash browns and butter and spread it back out. If there is dry areas you can you a little olive oil.

 

4. Pop in the oven for 20 minutes or until the desired crispness, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes.

If I'm in a hurry I will skip step 2 and put slices of butter on the layer of hash browns then sprinkle with seasonings. After about 5 minutes I stir up the potatoes and spread them back out.

 

 

Now for my distraction... Let's just say I had a very confusing month! I had no idea what day it was! I didn't get many blocks done, but I did sew! I joined with a group on Instagram (< follow me!) and they were having a month long sew a long of Tilda Dolls. I never heard of them, but I had a wonderful time making these little dolls!

 

My first one is this cow...so cute!

Here is my second one. I had to make it look like my Duke!!!

Duke doesn't like when I take pictures of him with my phone! Which made for funny pics of him!!!

I did make a pair of overalls for "Duke" too along with a bandana. Then I made Tilda's Beach Bella.

Here are all three, but there is more that are in different stages of completion. You can find the patterns for these three and many more at Tilda's World just go to the Free Pattern tab. She has quilts, pillows too. Each cuter than the other!!!

I hope your month was more organized than mine! But the next few months don't look much better for me! We plan on moving soon!

 

Sheila