OMG For 2023!

 If you never heard of OMG that is run by Patty of Elm Street Quilts then I encourage you to look into this!

Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal January Link-up

I didn't get to participate much last year, but I really wanted to! I get so much more completed when I play along. So this month I will be trying to finish Pat Sloan's Hometown Charms QAL. I have three more blocks to finish and the sashing that has some piecing.

Do you participate? Wish me luck!

Sheila

Well darn I missed getting this in on time. I keep forgetting I'm now on CST and thought I still had an hour. That'll be my improvement this year, watch my timing!

Time Flies!

I can't believe how long it's been since I've done a post! Bad Blogger, bad! So much has been going on, working in the garden, doing home improvement projects, trying to organize my studio and getting chickens! The last one is something I've wanted to do for a long time, more on that later.

As for my quilting, I seem to be stalled. I started doing cross stitch and not being a fast stitcher I've fallen behind (I was doing The Fat Quarter Shops stitch alongs). I decided that stitching before bed would be the only time I would work on it and if I fell behind it didn't matter, it's not going anywhere! But the time it took away from my quilting has made it hard for me to get into my room. Yesterday I decided enough foolishness and got back to work! Pat Sloan's QAL just posted it's last block this past Wednesday and I am two blocks behind. Not bad considering! I cut out the fabric for those and should have them done today or tomorrow. I've also been dragging my feet about the sashing and cornerstones. I think I have it figured out so I'll get on that too! 

I'm also working on a two quilts I designed one is for a coworker of my husband and the other is for a friend of ours. It's a ocean theme. HERE is the original post for it. I do have a lot more done then that, but it's pretty sad this post was back in November 2020! I did stop for a time, especially due to the move last year. I believe I only have 6 more blocks to do, then sashing and cornerstones. The one for my husbands coworker is a quilt that I started back in March! I made the blocks to look like sunflowers so I'm calling it Sunflower Field. I am trying to write up the instructions for it, but I'm new at it so it's taking longer than I would like. I'll try to post a photo of the finished block later. Right now I think I have enough Foundation Papers pieced to do 4 blocks... I need 18! I need to figure out how to sew faster! 

Here's a stack of sunflower petals.

And this is one of my favorite blocks in the ocean quilt. Sorry for the wrinkles, I grabbed the pile and took the photo not realizing it needed an iron taken to it and I just wanted to get this posted.

I'm thinking of calling this quilt either Picture This or Snapshot. What do you think? 

So those are my two designs I've been working on. Now for Pat Sloan's QAL...

Here it is up on my make- shift design wall. I was/am trying to see what I like for the sashing and border and if the block placement will work. Hopefully I can get this turning into a flimsy and start deciding on how I want to quilt it.

And now for the chickens!...

They are peaking out to see if I'm coming to let them out of the coop!

The light color one on the left is Rose, the one in the front right is Blanche, the tall black one is Dorothy and the one between Dorothy and Blanche is Sophia...you can see below Sophia has a pearl necklace 😂When she was younger it was two rows of white that made me think of pearls, she has since gotten more pearls. 

 Yes I named them after the Golden Girls!

 So that's it for now. I will try not to stay away so long. I'm a big believer in schedules and routines. I just have to get mine back together! 

Have a wonderful day and I'll see you soon!!

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

Color Challenge Block for April And Cranberry Salad

Hi ALL!!! This is my month to make and blog about April's block! And this year we are posting a recipe to go with the block!!! How fun! 

To get the pattern for this and all the blocks head to Jen's blog. But don't leave me yet!!! This months block is red and the theme is cherries. Yes I know my title says Cranberry Salad, but it uses cherry jello! So let's get started...

Here is my block.

I love how easy it was to put together and how nice it turned out! Since I used two shades of red I used Aurifil #2265 Lobster Red when piecing it together. This way I don't see the Dove grey thread (Aurifil #2600) I usually use when piecing peeking through here and there.

Here are the other bloggers. Make sure you head to Jen Shaffer for the blocks instructions!

 

Jen Shaffer    Patterns By Jen

Kathy Nester     Penny For My Thoughts

Kris Driessen     Scrap Dash

Joanne Hubbard     Everyone Deserves A Quilt

Raylee Bielenberg     Sunflower Stitcheries

Andi Stanfield     True Blue Quilts

Crystal Drummond     Day Brook Designs

Sarah Myers     Quilted Diary

Ashli Montgomery    Quilt 2 Endalz

Join the fun and don't forget to visit all the wonderful sponsors!  

For some reason I'm having issues loading  links, but if you to

Jen's blog she has a complete list of the sponsor HERE. 

And now for the Cranberry Salad recipe! My mom made this every year for Thanksgiving and Christmas to have with our turkey. I don't know about the rest of the grocery stores, but I buy the jello in October because I can never find cherry jello in November or December! Maybe because this is a small town or this is a more common recipe than I thought!

Cranberry Salad

Ingredients:

1 small box Cherry Jello

1 can Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

3/4 cup Hot Water

1/3 cup Cold Water

1/2 cup Chopped Celery

1/2 cup chopped Walnuts

Directions:

1. Mix hot water and jello until dissolved. 

2. Add cold water and let it cool. 

3. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir. Put it in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes then stir and return to the refrigerator for another 15 to 20 minutes. Continue to stir every 15 to 20 minutes until it thickens.

4.  It's best to make it the day before so it has plenty of time to set and chill!

I hope you join in and get a chance to win these great prizes! Don't forget to visit Jen's blog for this months block, all the other bloggers to see how they made the block and get their recipes and of course visit the sponsors!!!! And I hope you have enjoyed my post, take a look around (many post with dogs!), stay awhile and I would love if you followed my little blog!

See ya soon!

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