Friday Night With Friends

I tried. I really tried to get to some stitching today. But, alas, I made jam, drove into town to do some banking, picked up the mail a kilometer down the road, washed dishes at least 7 times, had a zoom meeting, paid some bills, paid off the bank credit line totally, for now. Did I say make jam? Only 3 batches today totaling 24 jars. I ate 3 lovely meals that someone else cooked, 2 of them outside. I could get used to this. 

The thing with stitching Friday Night With Friends is that their Friday night in Australia begins at night but mine begins here in Canada very early Friday morning. But it is night now and I can sit back and relax with some hand stitching. The newest 3030 Quilt block was released and I have not yet pulled fabrics for that. I could do that now. Maybe.

It is the beginning of July and the year is half over and I was looking at my goals for 2020 to see if I was on track or totally derailed. Among other things, I wanted to complete the 2 Antique Wedding Sampler blocks that I started a couple of years ago. And I flipped through the book Primarily Quilts written by Di Ford-Hall, that has the pattern, drooling over most of the patterns. I think I might have enough fabric in my endless cupboard to make all of them at least twice in several colorways. Also, I cleared off, at least I tried, one of the tables here in my quilt room and put away patterns and fabrics and little girls keep passing through here and asking to play UNO. 

Precious little things. They are having a surprise birthday party for their Dad my son tomorrow at noon because they go to their mom's after lunch. and he knows all about the surprise party but not the real surprise. The girls have been learning to play the ukelele to serenade him. And he is paying for the pizza and all the workers in the strawberry patch will be joining us. But first, they are setting up a white bedsheet on the trampoline outside to use as a screen for an outdoor movie since it is dark now and I have not picked up a needle yet, and my computer was turned off most of the day. If I turn off the lights in here, I could watch through the window. But I could not stitch in the dark.  Not very well anyway. 

So I have had most of an hour here to myself without a needle in hand. But there is always tomorrow. 

Blessings,

Chris

May 2020 OMG Completion

With 3 hours and 19 minutes, I completed my One Monthly Goal  for May. This was to complete 31 blocks. All but the tiny Bright Jane blocks had been started in the past. There are blocks for 5 different quilts.
Corn and Beans, Ella, Book Club Hand Piecing, Bright Jane, and Antique Wedding Sampler. 
The RSC colour for May was dark green/jade. I had a few of those to do and finished up the last of the 98 blocks with the pink. I plan to let the little girls design one or two tops with these after my sister finishes her quilt. She is really progressing. More about that later.

Now to get prep the home learning lessons for the little girls. With this joint custody thing, the schedule has now changed and they are here for a week at a time. This means I have to oversee school for 5 days this week. However, I do not have them here next week so plan to get some serious writing done.

blessings,
Chris
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May 2020 OMG Goal

I have taken the easy way for the past couple of months so for this month's one-monthly-goal I am challenging myself to really get some work done. The plan is to complete 31 blocks. Sort of like a: 

Block-A-Day

for the Month of May. 

I have quite a few blocks started that I can complete. 

The Rainbow Scrap Challenge colour for May has not been posted yet, but I will be working on DJ2 aka Bright Jane.

I completed 7 blue for April and have 2 started. I lost one of the tiny blue triangles for another block and eventually found it in my sweater pocket.

There is the Corn and Beans. 

I have only 20 blocks to go to complete the 100 planned.

I have a few Ella applique blocks started.

And some of the Hand Piecing QAL. I stopped working on them because it hurt my hands.  

I don't think I will have a problem finding 31 blocks to work on. 

My sister is visiting from Pakistan while we self isolate. She is still teaching her students in Pakistan on Zoom at midnight. She is making a quilt while here.  

. 

Which brings me to the next project the girls are working on. The I-Spy quilts they started 2 years ago. They are both so much more proficient at the sewing machine now. Problem is, they both want to sew at the same time. But I only let them use the Bernina with the seam guide

When I became a Gramma I had not signed on to homeschool little girls, but that is sort of what I am doing these days. Two use laptops and the youngest one uses my desktop. It has a 23-inch touch screen. Some days we print off math sheets and I get to review how to count coins and add by 5s and 10s. Other days, we learn about dinosaurs and water or the difference between living and non-living things. There is a science experiment going on in the kitchen. Beans are sprouting in styrofoam cups and are being observed and measured daily. Must spend time in the Animal Shelter and Stuffy Daycare. And, the girls delight in making lunch for Grampa and take it to him in the field on the golf cart.

Good thing Auntie is here so they have their special 30 minutes of alone time with her each day. Among other things, eight-year-old Ellyse is learning to colour hair and goes on walks with her so they both track their steps with their Fitbits. Devan, who turns 7 next week, is working on an engineering project. Not only is she the engineer, but she is the architect. There are cardboard boxes and glue guns and nature scavenger hunts to collect supplies. 

And what does Gramma do at this time? 

Nap of course. 

Blessings,

Gramma Chris

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2019 UFO Challenge

Judy at patchworktimes has posted the ufo number for March and it is #4. But I did number 4 last month instead of #10 so I should do that one this month. I wanted something that did not take much time since I was working on lots of other things including 6 snow days with little children. It has been nearly 25 years since I had to deal with little children and snow days. But I survived and so did they.

For my Feb ufo I hand appliqued the last few bits onto this Antique Wedding Sampler block. I finally found the missing blue leaves and flowers among the stuff as I was looking for something else.

The Shipshewana Quilt Retreat is fast approaching next month and I am starting to prepare  my project boxes. I am hard pressed to not just start working on some of blocks but I am writing and anticipate having the first draft of my new book before I take the 7 hour drive to Northern Indiana.  That has not stopped me from putting blocks up on the wall and dreaming. But then I get so distracted looking at the design wall and trying to figure out how I would put the thing together or quilt it so I have taken everything off all 3 design walls. It looks so bare and boring but I need to focus on my writing.

Number 10 on my list is the Stack-N-Whack Butterflies. The focus fabric has very fine body lines in different colours. I could just add these with a pen. And I can make the antennae with a black pen. Easy peasy. I worked so hard to get all those points to come together. It would be a pity to cover them all up with a thick appliqued body.

I have seen so many new quilt-a-longs that I would have liked to join, but I determined not to start a new project this year. Two months down and only 10 more to go.

Blessings,
Chris

12 UFOs for 2019

Judy at patchworktimes has posted the link for 2019 ufo challenge. But I have a doctorate to complete. At least that is what I keep reminding myself. In case I decide to join in, I will be ready.

1. 1857 Album Quilt

Machine quilt and bind.
This was the  Sentimental Stitches BOM for 2016-17. I collected all the free patterns when they were free. The top is completed, sandwiched, basted and ready to machine quilt. It has been sitting patiently waiting for nearly a year.

2. Almost Amish Irish Chain

There is so much work done here that it would be a shame to not put this on the list. Machine piecing. Machine applique. Machine quilting. Sounds pretty straight forward.

3. Morrell Sampler

Machine applique all the broderie perse blocks that are already prepped. Change that center pinwheel.

4. Antique Wedding Sampler

Complete this one block finally. Been working on it off and on since early summer. But first, have to locate the last bits of leaves and flowers to hand applique on.

 5. Dolls of the World

This is my oldest ufo from 1979. It also is the simplest and most close to being completed of all my 40 some ufos. I wrote about it a few months ago and have some thoughts about completing it. Check back later to see what I do.

6. Dear Daughter

Complete the hand applique, assemble the top and machine applique and bind then gift. Whatever number is called for January, this will be the project. I need it complete and ready to gift by mid Feb.

7. Huguenot Friendship Quilt

Finish the machine applique with silk thread on the 36 center blocks and assemble the center so I can lay out and prep the borders.
This was an impulse purchase last winter.

8. Country Bride 2

Here is my opportunity to practice some machine quilting with rulers on the already pre cut alternating squares and borders. The backing and batting have been cut and ready to go for nearly 22 years.
I still have to do some embroidery for the stems before layering these already machine appliqued blocks.

9. Green and Gold Irish Chain

There really is so little to do on this one to get it to a flimsy. This will be another I can practice my machine quilting skills.

10. Stack-N-Whack Butterflies

Stop being a coward and just make some bodies and antennae so I can add the borders and machine quilt to my hearts content. I think loopy flowers would be nice. But what colour? White to disappear? Varigated?

11. GO Not So Fast 

My goal here will be to get the center medallion to be a square.
I saw a completed quilt using the same Winterthur panels that has given me some ideas.

12. Dear Jane

Last but by no means least, this one. I started quilting it by machine last winter but had much trouble with tension and my machine was in for repairs for a mere 3 months. Turns out if you do not use it, parts seize up. Who would have know?  I want to remove all the machine stitches in so far and start over. No promises.

Bright Jane

Rainbow Scrap Challenge for another year. I plan to put it on the wall to stay when there are 100 blocks complete. As I get sections of blocks done, I will sew them together into 9 units. But for now, the blocks are easier to store individually. And besides, the little grand children love putting them up on the design wall.
I will not be making the pieced triangles for the border. I am planning to make the corner kites.

Beyond the Cherry Trees

This will be my hand applique project for the year. There are 3-4 already started blocks to complete the 25 for the top and then begin the 4 borders. The 200 cherries are all cut and waiting but the 20 yards of bias stems still need to be made. After the stems are cut I can run the left over fabrics through the GO Cutter and make a few hundred leaves. This took a time-out when I started Dear Daughter.

 One Block Wonder

This can be my hand piecing project for the year. After making a whole bunch of hexies, I realized that if I made half hexies, I could easily sew a long straight seam to connect the rows. Live and learn.

I am not planning to start any new quilts in the coming year. That's not entirely true. I have been considering making a couple of tractor quilts for the little boys. But I could start them this year. I am making small goals for these ufos. Maybe only 2 actual completions of quilting and binding.

Blessings
Chris

End of May 2018 Progress

A Heart a Day for the Month of May

I have been enjoying  hand appliqueing hearts onto these 4 inch squares.
This challenge came from Deb at Happy to be Scrappy
I missed one day but have caught up. Have no idea where this will lead,
but it has been an interesting lesson in slowing down and doing one small thing consistently.
 I decided that if I do it in the morning it is enjoyable, but, if I leave it until night, it becomes something that HAS to be done and is no longer fun. There are still 6 to stitch.
This is one of my new 6 & 6 for 2018 Challenge.

Bright Jane

This one came out to play this spring and the  superscrappy RSC  colour for May has been pink/rose.
 I am using one of my Featherweights. I have been doing foundation piecing on the blocks this past year because I have all the foundation patterns prepared and printed onto Carol Doak's special paper left over from my first Dear Jane quilt that I completed in 2014 but am still machine quilting.
And
I added sashing strips to the right side and bottoms of most of the finished blocks
in preparation to assemble the top some day.
The blocks are 4 1/2 inches. There will be 169.

I had all 60 completed blocks and the bright border flags up on the design wall and asked the little boys to take them down and put them into project boxes. They could not reach the top row even on the 3-step stool. But I have new converts to play with my blocks.
 Jonathan had walked into the quilt room and exclaimed "WOW!" when he saw them. 

David had not noticed but came and gave me hugs and kisses first.

Dear Daughter

My OMG one-monthly-goal for May was to complete the hand applique on 4 blocks and add the sashing and cornerstones. I was ahead since I made several extra donuts and 3 alternate blocks. Next month there will be a couple of flower blocks. I intend to make the easier ones and skip the more intricate if I can. But then there will be 2 bird blocks in November and I am looking forward to making them. These blocks finish at 8 inches and the sashing is 3 inches.

Huguenot Friendship Quilt

After sewing on the Dear Daughter sashing and cornerstones, I changed the thread to red silk and continued machine appliqueing these blocks with a fine straight stitch using the Bernina.
 It is really boring but this is an impulse project and I work on it between other things.
It will get exciting again when I can put the border together after
all the blocks are complete and the center assembled.
These 36 blocks will be 8 inches set on point with alternate white squares and setting triangles
with an applique border.

Antique Wedding Sampler

For some crazy reason, I pulled out the kits I purchased from Homestead Hearth 2-3 years ago and started working on just one block. Then, since I was prepping corner appliques for one, it was easy to prep them for 2 others, so I did. I had photocopied the patterns onto extra heavy freezer paper and cut out the diamonds and triangles for 3 sunflower blocks when I was in Shipshewana in April.
I stitched these together by hand using an English paper piecing technique.
 Still not decided if I like doing this or not.
These blocks are 12 inches. There will be 25 of them set on point.

Morrell

Yes. I did work on 2 more Morrell blocks. And I completed them.

All 105 pieces of the 3 Flying Geese units.
 I still have several more blocks that I had prepped ready to foundation piece
a couple of years ago. There will be 60 ten inch blocks and
a 20 inch center block.
Someday.

90 Day One Big Thing

I completed one course for my Doctorate in Christian Counseling
and submitted it. 

I continued working on another only to discover that,
where I thought I was close to the end, there were still no less than 12 more books to read
and
an entire 12 week study to work my way through.
 Sigh.
Oh well. It will be a good foundation for my dissertation.
Good thing I bought all the books when I first started it 2 years ago.
This course is about bringing healing to broken women.

And all this because I stopped playing computer games.
 Imagine that. 

Blessings,
Chris

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Hand Work

 My 18 Hearts a Day for the Month of May

Keeping pace pretty good so far 

making one heart a day not making 31 hearts. 

Although, it's killing me to not be making more each day

so

I pulled out some antique Wedding Sampler kits 

 in anticipation of doing some 

English Paper Piecing

I photo copied patterns onto extra heavy freezer paper. 

In my inexperienced creativity,

I turned the freezer paper over

and ironed over the seam allowance

then whipped stitched the seams together. 

It worked fine for the first triangles

but totally fell apart for the second ones. 

Jonathan, who is turning 4 in a couple of weeks,

said he did not like this one 

because it looked scary.

so I changed the center octagon. 

He likes it better now. 

Still lots of applique to do 

but I am going away for the weekend with a bunch of junior highs. 

And 

since it is easy to prep several blocks once I get started,

I prepped 2 more

however

these blocks will all sit on point

so I have to re position this one. 

Good thing I noticed 

since there is another block exactly like this 

without the corner appliques. 

Blessings,

Chris

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Shipshewana Quilt Retreat April 2018

We left my place at 6 in the morning on Tues and arrived a bit before 3 in the afternoon. Since it was too early to check in we went shopping.

I took along 3 Antique Wedding Sampler kits in case I had extra time and wanted to do some hand work. I cut out all the little bits from extra heavy freezer paper and will do these by English Paper Piecing.

The retreat did not start until noon Wed so we went shopping. I bought a few fat quarters.

Wed night and Thurs  morning I sewed sashing strips and corner stones for Dear Daughter. I completed 2 blocks. I had stitched on the alternate block on the left last week when I was getting the oil changed in my car. I always get the oil changed before a road trip. Decided to leave the snow tires on. Good thing. We went shopping.

Thurs we went to see the musical Half Stitched. It is based on the book by Wanda Brunstetter set in Shipshewana with a quilting theme. We got
front row seats because we could. Then we went shopping.

There are so many of the most beautiful wide backs available these days. I only bought 5. Some of them are 115 inches wide. All these in anticipation of completing a few really big quilts.

Fri I worked on some yellow Bright Jane blocks.

Did I mention we went shopping? I bought a few Di Ford-Hall fat quarters and yardage.

Sat I worked on 2 Morrell blocks. I have to replace that one white piece on the end. And we went shopping.

Sunday I did some machine applique on the Huguenot Friendship Quilt using red silk thread. When the thread broke twice, I stopped.

The original Dear Daughter Quilt came out to play so I got to look really, really close at the blocks and sentimental inscriptions. It took my breath away with its simple beauty. I think I will change the green I started to use and find something softer.







I cannot understand why I did not get more sewing done in the 5 whole days we were there.

There was a severe winter (in mid April) storm in Ontario, but we left for home Mon morning and after 8 hours on the road, we arrived at the Farm where I got my car stuck in the snow.

Until next time,
Blessings,
Chris