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

My OMG Progress

Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal - March Finish Link-up

It doesn't look like I will be completing my snowflake quilt in time to use this winter, because my long arm has been giving me fits this month! I broke 2 needles and it's out of time again! I barely got started as you can see here...

This is the topside

And this is the bottom

I finished my son's space quilt though and I just need to bind it. That will be after hiding all the threads from the problems my machine was giving me!!! I love how the border quilting turned out! I used Sew Steady 1 1/2" spine ruler and put washi tape on it, lining up the edges of the border as seen here...

and here are some other pictures of the quilt, mostly of the back with inspector Mittens!

I love the happy moon face in this block!

A view of the quilting on the back

More quilting on the back. I like how the rays look with the ripples!

Inspector Mittens. Everyone's a critic!

I think he approves! But then he is a cat and it is a quilt!

When I get the binding on I'll post the full quilt. Hopefully that will be sooner as opposed to later!

 

I'll have another post coming out after midnight...sorry for bombarding your email! I don't usually post that close together!!!

Sheila

March's OMG, Block Count And What Is My Latest Finishes

First my OMG for this month is to finish my Jelly Snowflake. I have the binding made and the top, back and batting sandwiched together. I just need to quilt it and bind it and then we can use it! Hopefully we will be able to use it this season...our weather has become a little warmer lately. I'm sure we will have at least one more snow before the weather changes for spring, at least that's what I hope! 

 

I highly recommend joining in on the OMG! It's a great motivator and you have a chance to win some awesome prizes!

Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal March Link-up

 

I'm also linking to Quilting Gail and her PHD, another great project completer motivator! I didn't complete any projects in February, but I'm set up to have at least 2 finishes this month!!! I'm very excited about that!!! One of the projects I will be completing this month is the Jelly Snowflake (above) and I'm currently finishing up the quilting on my son's Out Of This World quilt that he will be taking to college this fall...yes my baby is heading for college this year! A whole lot of mix emotions going on there! 

Here is the space quilt under the needle. I used Aurifil 40/3 #2110 Light Lemon and 50 wt #2783 Medium Delft Blue in the bobbin. For the outer border I switched to 50 wt #2780 Dark Delft Blue since the material was so dark.

and this is the back of the quilt. It's my first time using Minky and I love the feel and the look of the quilting on it.

And here are my bullet journal pages and my sweet model Duke!

Here he shows the projects I started this year...well I haven't actually started The color challenge yet, but I will this month!

 I am also counting my blocks and posting them with Prairie Moon Quilts. This month I only finished 23 blocks. That gives me a year total of 55. Spending time quilting the above quilt took time away from making blocks, but you have to get the projects done!

That and I think I need to either fix one of my sewing machines or buy a new one. I'm using my hand crank one and while it does stitch nice and help me keep things straight, it does stitch slow and my shoulder blade has been aching. 

Isn't she a beauty! I took this when I first got her in 2019. She is a Singer model #99 and was "born" on Nov. 28 1928. To the right is Sigmund my sea green sea monster! I call him a monster for a reason...He's a heavy machine!!! He is a Singer 185j and was born sometime in 1954. I loved sewing on him, but I wore him out and now I can't get him to sew past a certain point without having to push the wheel, then it will stitch until he gets to that point again. I need to get him up and running again, he stitches beautifully and I miss sewing on him.

Here is a breakdown of my block totals...
Five blocks were from the Jelly Snowflake, six blocks are from Home Is... QAL and 12 are from my Star Dancer quilt. I hope to get caught back up this month. I think I'm on target so far, but then it is the beginning of the month anything can go wrong!

These are who I'm linking to...

Elm Street Quilts  OMG

Quilting Gail PHD

Lizzie Lenard Vintage Sewing Free Motion Mavericks

Prairie Moon Quilts The 350 Blocks Projects

Check out these blogs and play along... It's a great way to get projects done, be inspired and have fun meeting new people!

See ya later!

Sheila

My Month In Review, Counting Blocks, Phd Finish and OMG

 I feel pretty good about what I got done in the quilty part of my life, not so much in the packing and getting rid of part! And that stresses me! But onto my block count and project finishes and what is in store for February.

First I'm linking up with Prairie Moon Quilts to keep track of my block count. And I'm happy to say my count is 32! Most of the blocks are from my new/first pattern! Sorry no pictures at this time. I hope to start writing up the pattern this week along with continue to make more blocks and completing it. I made 4 blocks from Pat Sloan's Home Is... QAL and 2 of the Merry Mini blocks more on that below. I posted them on my last blog post. I think I have to figure out a better way to get my posts scheduled!

 

I'm also linking up with Quilting Gail who runs the PHD on her blog. PHD stands for Projects Half Done...LOVE IT! And I'm happy to say I actually finished one of my projects from 2019! I know I posted it yesterday, but I'm posting it here too otherwise I'll have nothing to show!!!

This is the Merry Mini quilt from The Fat Quarter Shop. You can still access the pattern here.

Here is one way I'm tracking my Projects.

The first project on my list, Out Of This World quilt has it marked that I quilted it, but I just got carried away when coloring it in! I will work on that next along with #12 Jelly Snowflake.

Here's my Jelly Snowflake that I have done so far. The four corners are complete and all I have are the fourth section and the center block to do, then quilt and bind and it's a finish. Hopefully in time to use it this winter!!! And to help me get it done in time for us to use this year, This is my OMG for February! I want to get the top pieced and ready for quilting.

Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal February Link-up

 

 

I thought I would share my tracker for sewing everyday. I don't put a time limit on how long I have to sew, I just have to sew. I set this up the beginning of the year with the date in a box. That is the most extensive time I put into this. Then all I have to do is color in that date. 

It may not be pretty, but it works for me and makes me feel good about staying on track.

Another way to track your progress on your projects is with TRELLO. If you like apps and doing things digitally this may be the way for you. I use it to keep track of my projects, what quilts I finished and what quilt books I own. I have it on my phone and I can access it on my computer. I like that I can work on it on more than one device and I can actually post my pictures in it. I'm a visual person and like to see what is going on, besides the colors always cheer me up!

This is my Trello quilting page, called boards. I can click on the project and it will open up to let me see what I have done, needs to be done and if I need to add anything like a completed block or new photo. The other nice thing about this program is when I complete a project, let say The Out Of This World quilt, I just move the "card" to another board...The finished quilts board under the list for 2021 finishes. You can also share sections if you are working on a project with others. I haven't done this so I can't give you much info on that. I thought this was a nice way to track your projects if you like digital instead of the manual nature of a journal. Or like me want another way to look at your projects. The section I have on my quilt books helps me NOT buy the same book! I'm sure no one ever does that!

That's all for today!!!

Sheila

Getting Back In The Groove

  And getting projects done! 

First my OMG for January... I'm so happy to say I finished it!!!! 

Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal - January Finish Link-up

 

Here is a close ups of the quilting. I did a swirl with snowflakes/stars.

 

I used Aurifil 50 wt #4655 Storm at Sea, a variegated thread of blues and light grey. I can't tell you how happy I am to have this done and hanging on the wall! I've linked up with Free Motion Mavericks.

I was going to start on the Valentines heart everyone is working on, but it's a little larger than my quilt shelf and I don't want to put a lot of time in figuring out how to make it smaller.  

Did you get any UFO's done? Are you working on the Valentines heart? 

I am staying caught up with Pat Sloan's Home Is... QAL, but it's early and I usually do good until about the end. Mainly because I put off doing the setting blocks. Here are my blocks so far...

The first two are 14.5 x 14.5 and the third is 12.5 x 12.5 square.

And this past Wednesday has to be my most favorite! She has an applique template for a dog or cat and when I saw the dog template I thought immediately of Indy. 

He loved to sit on his hill, so I made my own template for the block.

This block measures in at 16.5 x 16.5 and went together very easily. I will add more detail to Indy either with fabric markers or thread, maybe both. I've been wanting to do thread painting and this may be the perfect project to get my feet wet. So we will see!

My next UFO I want to get done is the Jelly Snowflake. I believe I only have one round and the center, possibly 5 blocks. It would be nice to get that done while it's still cold out! I also would like to get my Out Of This World quilt quilted. It's for my son and it'll be the first one that I have made with minkie type material on the back. 

I have to post this pic...

It snowed! And Duke was enjoying himself. This picture makes me laugh and thought it would make you smile too.

I'll be posting in the next couple days, maybe tomorrow. I'll be linking up with The 350 Block Project, OMG, Free Motion Mavericks and PHD and I'll be posting more from my journal. I'll see you then! 

Sheila

Getting Things Done...

 Though I really don't know how I am getting anything done!! A lot of the time I just sit in front of my machine, lost, dazed and confused! I know I'll pull myself back together, hopefully sooner instead of later!

I did finish my quilt top for Cozy Things QAL that Pat Sloan ran. You can get to the blocks from HERE. With this link you can also check out her next QAL, Home Is... that starts January 6, 2021 and runs until June 2, 2021. 

I have the backing and the binding ready. The binding is a diagonal peppermint candy stripe. I've never used striped binding and I really like the candy cane look of it. I can't wait to see it done! The backing is red polar fleece with white swirly snowflakes for cozy cuddling! I'm just waiting on the batting and I'll stitch up a quick swirly pattern to get it done and on the couch!

Another quilt I finished on December 6, but haven't posted yet is The Ultimate Beginner Quilt that Fat Quarter Shop ran a year ago July. You can find the pattern HERE. I used Finding Nemo and Finding Dory fabric that I found on clearance at Fat Quarter Shop. The quilt will go to a local charity as soon as I can find out where to go! Usually our guild handles that, but with them not meeting and my friend who has the contacts and used to take my quilts has moved! Bummer! Here it is... I'm calling it Finding Nemo/Dory.

I really like how this came out...I'm a lover of the ocean and I also love both Finding Nemo and Finding Dory movies. What can I say, I'm a kid at heart!!!

Here are some of the blocks close up to show the quilting. I did a swirly wavy pattern to mimic water. Some parts came out watery, some I just don't know! hahaha

I used Aurifil #4663 Baby Blue Eyes, a variegated thread, in both the top and bobbin.

My goal for next year is to get my patterns written up and available for you. I have several planned already, all in different stages of progress. My son will be going off to college in the fall and I'm hoping to help him out with the sales from my patterns. I hope you'll follow my blog so you won't miss my goings on!

I linked up with Pat Sloan, Wednesday Wait Loss and Free Motion Mavericks

Until next time...Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming,

Sheila

 

It's October! OMG For October And A Finish!

Happy October! How's the weather in your world? It's chilly here. Wonderful for cozying up with a quilt and watching some old TV shows. But who has time for that! There are quilts to be made, binding to be added, designs to be put to paper and quilting to be done!

 

For this months OMG I would like to finish my Jelly Snowflake. The Fat Quarter Shop ran the quilt-a-long in July and Pat Sloan is running it again. I wanted to do the QAL when the Fat Quarter Shop was running it, but I had a few too many projects going. But then I always have too many projects in the works! ahahaha I wouldn't have it any other way! When Pat said she was running the QAL again I figured now was a good time. She started it September 8 and ran until October 6. I know, only a few days left and I only have the first blocks done and over half of the second blocks done. I decide to change them a little and it caused more work, but I don't mind and it makes it even more unique. I also plan on changing the other blocks too, so I know I won't get it done by the 6th! I do plan on having it pieced by the end of the month though! That's my goal! 

 Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal October Link-up

 

On the finished side...

 Kitty and Pumpkin, my design that I started last year! I put it aside since I didn't complete it for Halloween and so many other projects  awaited my attention. Now I'm waiting for a wall mounted quilt rack to hang it up on. I plan on using the rack to hang small holiday and seasonal quilts on. I guess I better get busy making more wall hangings!

I enjoyed quilting it. I added texture like hairs  on the kitty, veins in the leaves and swirls in the sky to give movement. I put buttons for the pumpkins eyes and filled in the mouth except for the lower part to give the look of a tongue. I used Aurifil thread in 2692-Black, 2890-Very Dark Grass Green, 2135-Yellow, 2235-Orange, 2425-Bright Pink,  2715-Robin Egg and the bobbin thread was 2600-Dove. 

I've also linked up with For The Love Of Geese and her Put Your Foot down! Join in, it's on Thursdays!!! And Free Motion Mavericks!!!

 

Time to get back to designing my next wall hanging!! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a lovely weekend.

Sheila

October Color Challenge!

 This is my month of Jen's Color Challenge! This month is the Ruby-crowned Kinglet or the color olive green.

This is a wonderful block and not as hard as you might think! I think a whole quilt of this block in different colors would be so beautiful!

I like to match up the threads to each months block so that if I decide to quilt it with the coordinating threads I already know what colors I need. My go to thread is Aurifil 40wt. The bottom thread color is 2887 Very Dark Olive and the second is 2890 Very Dark Grass Green, but I think 2892 Pine would be a better match. Sounds like a good reason to buy more thread!

Head to Jen's blog to get the directions for this months block and then to the other fine quilters for their blocks

Jen Shaffer of Patterns By Jen

 

Fawn Benzing of Quilty Creations By Fawn

Roseanne Nelson of Home Sewn By Us

Stephanie Jacobson of Steph Jacobson Designs

 Alla Bianca of Rainbows. Bunnies. Cupcakes

 Kathy Bruckman of Kathy's Kwilts And More

Kathy Nester of Penny For My Thoughts 

Joanne Hubbard of Everyone Deserves A Quilt 

 

Sponsors October thru December

Said With Love - PDF Pattern

For The Love Of Geese - PDF Pattern 

P&B Textiles - Fabric Bundle of over 60 fat quarters

Quilters Dream Batting - Dream Blend - 70% Cotton 30% Poly - 60" x 60"

Warm Company - Warm and Plush - 45" x 60"

Warm Company - 1 package of Lite Steam -A- Seam 2

Island Batik - 3 1/2 yards of assorted fabric

Patterns By Jen - Superior Thread S-Fine 50

Patterns By Jen - PDF Pattern

Wow those are some great sponsors! So don't forget to share your block for a chance to win.

I hope your October is wonderful! See you later!

Sheila

End Of Summer

Where did the summer go!

As for my OMG from August I'm still working on it. Yes I know it's almost the end of September! I had some issues, besides having my son always in my studio doing his school work I had issues with skipped stitches. Of course when you put things off there will be problems! I'm not sure if it was me, my machine, batting or the backing I was using. The batting is a less expensive muslin I bought online from Marshall Dry Goods, it's good for trying out patterns for clothes without using your expensive fabric. The batting I'm using is a thin batting and the thread is Aurifil, but in a 40 weight for the top thread. With all these things it's why I have a headache from the skipped stitches. But as far as the muslin, I'm happy with it. I used it to make the pillow, the back of the quilted top and the back of the pillowcase, all for the dog so I don't want to use expensive fabric. I'm also going to use it on the back of two wall hangings that I'll share later.

 

I'm not too crazy how I quilted this, but I had to stitch close since it's for Gracie our dog and I want to make sure it stays secure. It gave me ideas how I will quilt my bed quilt that has the same material from Tula Pink in it. It's huge and heavy and I'm having a hard time spray basting it since I hang them on the wall to do that. I may have to lay it on the floor and spray baste it like that, but my knees are already crying about the thought of that!

I have some happy news on Tuesday my new laptop will be here. My other laptop died on me in February and then March brought Covid-19 (son home daily and using my studio for school) so it's been hard for me to get on my computer that is in my studio to do much blogging. I tried doing as much as I could on my phone then get on the computer and polish it up, but that got old very quick! I thought about getting my laptop fixed and I still might, but I'm thinking it's the motherboard and I'm not sure they can fix or replace that in the laptop...I will have to ask my computer guy. Anyway, I have Gracie's Improve Quilt to post and give you instruction on that and I'll have an update on our newest foster dog. I have a couple other quilt designs I want to work on EQ8 to finish, so a new laptop will be a lifesaver for me!

 

Here is a sneak peek at our latest foster...though it looks like we may be keeping him!

I hope your Sunday and the rest of the week will be wonderful for you. Enjoy the cooler temperatures if you got 'em! Fall never seems to last long enough does it!?

Sheila

August! Time for OMG

 WOW, did I fail keeping up my blog or what! But I have good reason, I've been fostering a Great Pyrenees puppy! I'll have to post more about him later and about our newest foster. For now I just wanted to post my OMG for this month since I've been MIA the last few months.

I haven't been able to find a pillow big enough or fluffy enough for Gracie...well at least one I wouldn't have to break the bank to afford it! My husband suggested I make her one so here is the top I came up with....

 Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal August Link-up

I'm calling it Gracie's Semi-improve Log Cabin Quilt. But instead of a quilt it'll be a quilted pillow top. My OMG is to finish the pillow this month! I used left over fabric from my Stay@Home QAL Pat Sloan hosted in April. But really I have so much more Tula Pink fabric left I can make another queen size quilt...OK a king size! The solid is Kona Cotton in black. I've written up some basic rules/directions that I followed so it's not completely improvised and would resemble a log cabin block. I'll post the instructions soon! Be sure to follow my blog so you won't miss out on it or if your interested in what's going on with my fostering efforts, which very well could be another foster fail!

Hope to see you again!

Sheila

A Good Month

I love a busy month, especially when it means getting projects done! I finished a secret sewing project earlier this month and yesterday I finished quilting a friends quilt and the Out Of This World top by Pat Sloan...

I'm thrilled with how it turned out. I used Northcott's Stonehenge in orange and yellow. I'm not sure of the color names because I've had them for awhile. I love how it picked up the colors in the Starlight fabric collection by First Blush Studios for Henry Glass & Co. I bought that bundle a while back waiting for the perfect project for my sweet boy. He's always been fascinated with space and even talked of being the first to go to Mars....eeek! Honey lets watch the Alien movies!!!

I added the constellation fabric from Hoffman called Out Of This World and half way through I found this wonderful blue fabric from QT fabrics called Intergalactic Space Time designed by Dan Morris. I think it was the perfect addition to this quilt! And last but not least, my go to for background fabric is Silver from Kona Cotton by Robert Kaufman. And since this was my OMG for this month, I'm very happy to get it finished!!!
 Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal - October Finish Link-up

I also finished Septembers and Octobers blocks from Aurifils DOM... 

 This is Septembers block by Lissa Alexander called Inside My Window. I love the widow of color! The other one I used a bright yellow for the warm and welcoming glow of home.

This is Octobers block designed by Alyce Blyth called Advent block. I love the simplicity of this block and I used the same light color as I used in the house block. A nice neutral, but still has a design through it. Check out the Designer Of the Month for some fun blocks. You can even look at previous years for more inspiration!

Since this post has gotten wordy I'll post my friends quilt in a couple days...besides, I have a whole bunch of threads to hide!

Keep your machine humming!!! and Chat soon!

Sheila

October's OMG

I can't believe it's already a week into October!!!! Little T is off school for fall break, which means a break for me getting up early! It also means my routine is a mess now! Oh well I can never have too much time for my baby. 

Now for the OMG! 

Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal October Link-up.

This is Pat Sloan's BOM called Out Of This World. She just posted the last block and I have a couple more still to do! After seeing my Instagram friend @amaurer65's finished flimsy, I'm eager to get mine done!! So my goal for this month is get my Out Of This World flimsy done. 

And if you don't keep up with Pat Sloan, she has a new QAL started!!! It's called Winter Fun and it runs from Oct 2 to Dec 11 and is only 9 blocks. A quick one if you would like to try one of her QALs!She also has her past QALs still available if you don't like to wait!

Here is my block #1 Building Snowmen

I fussy cut my snowman, it just seemed so appropriate! I'm using all batiks and most have snowflakes on them! They also have gold and silver stamped on them, but it's hard to see in the photo that they are metallic. I love how this turned out and can't wait for Wednesday!!! That's when block #2 is released!

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful week!

Sheila