Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Flowers

 

All of the pretty flowers are planted.

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I put up a couple more hooks so I would have room for the baskets and the wind chimes.  The ring propped up against the porch was suppose to be for a fire ring. 

 

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These are my two large pots filled with flowers.  The tall one is the one my son gave me.

 

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I planted the Gerbera Daises and some other plants on the side of the house, along the edge of the driveway.  I can see them from my window when I’m on the computer.  I like to have the flowers where I can enjoy them.

 

The Quilty Fun top is on the quilt frame and I made one pass across and was on the second one when Lydia got up from her nap.  That was the end of my quilting for the day.  I did get the scrappy binding made for the quilt.  And then it was out side to plant all the plants.

Monday, April 28, 2014

Empty Basket

 

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An empty basket!  Does that mean a project is finally finished?!  Yes it does.

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This is what was in that basket.  I like baskets and I like using them to store my current and sometimes not so current projects in.  I also have project boxes.  They stack better than baskets. The quilt top that I finished was the 2012-2013 BOM, Sweet Dreams and Sunbeams, at http://www.persimmonquilts.com.  I just love this quilt.  Of course I had to make it bigger by adding an extra row of blocks at the top and bottom.  It is on my May To-Do list to be quilted.  I’d like to put it in the guild quilt show in October.

 

I made pillowcases to co-ordinate with my purple (eggplant) sheets.

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I think they look nice on the bed. The quilt is one of the mysteries the Quilters’ World did.  Think it is the 3rd one.  They just have finished their 5th scrappy mystery.  I collected the clues, but haven’t done it.  Too many other projects in the works.  Besides, I still have the 1st and 4th mystery blocks to make into a quilt top. 

 

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My oldest son brought me all these flowers yesterday and a planter.  I haven’t decided yet what to do with all of them. the hanging baskets will get hung on the front porch and some will be planted in the 2 planters that I have.  I would like to plant some along the edge of the walkway.

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Not So Much About Quilting

 

BabyChicks4

The baby chicks are growing.  They will need a new home soon.  Waiting for them to start laying eggs.  I imagine that is a while off and only if they are hens.  We haven’t figured that out yet.  These are mixed breed chickens.  I’d like to have some Road Island Reds.

 

I finally got around to potting some flowers to go on the front porch.  I have 4 hanging baskets and 4 in pots so far, plus the poinsettias.  The poinsettias are doing really well.

Flowers1 

The plant on the left had two pretty orange flowers on it and my granddaughter decided to pick them.  There is still one bud that hasn’t opened up yet.  Hope it will get more. The one in the center is a miniature rose. I haven’t had good luck with them.  They always get aphids or some tiny bugs on them.  Guess I will need to get some rose dust and see if that will help prevent them. Or find a home remedy.

 

I’ve been working on UFOs.  Have almost finished a top.  I’m on the next to last border.  Hope I can get it finished today.  The UFO leader and ender blocks are going nicely.  I’m still hoping to get the Quilty Fun quilt top quilted before the end of the month.  I need to concentrate on getting quilts finished for the guild quilt show in October.  I’d like to enter 3 or 4 quilts. Think the paperwork with pictures is due in June. 

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Moving On Along

 

 

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The Quilty fun top is done.  I’m hoping to get it quilted this week.  The backing is being washed.  Maybe I can get it on the frame today as well.  Still need to decide on the quilting design to use.

 

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All up to date on the Delightful Stars.  This is the Lesson 11 block. I’m going to have to open up the design wall soon for this one.  That means finishing the UFO on it. 

 

I just couldn’t resist doing the “Never Enough Chocolate” Quilt Along.

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I was auditioning background fabrics for the dark blocks.  Decided I didn’t like the orange.

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Here are the fabrics I finally decided on.  The are Kaffe Fassett fabrics, except for the background fabrics.  That was the challenge part of the quilt along for me; finally using some of my Kaffe fabrics I’ve been hording.  It will probably be May before I actually start the quilt.  Need to try and finish the UFO on my design wall.

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Almost

 

The Quilty Fun top is almost done.

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I asked my granddaughter if she like her quilt.  She told me “not yet” and started putting little triangle scrap pieces on the top.

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The top is almost done, just have to add the last border. I think the added rows at top and bottom worked out.  It should be twin size when complete.

Have a Glorious Easter!

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Two Projects Finished

 

The Spring Chicks table runner and the Easter Bunny Mug Rug are finished.  Two new projects that I had no business starting when I have so many others that need finishing. 

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Both patterns were featured on Pat Sloan’s facebook group.  The bunny mug rug is a tutorial at http://melissagoodsell.typepad.com.  The table runner is my version of a free Pat Sloan pattern.  Now Pat is starting a Quilt Along with a challenge to it to celebrate her first e-pattern.  The pattern is Never Enough Chocolate and the challenge is to use a special fabric you have been saving for a special project or because you just couldn’t make yourself cut it up.  Do I need to start a new project?  Definitely not!  But I can’t resist a quilt along or a challenge and this has both. I down loaded the pattern, now to decide which “special fabric” to use; batiks, the paisleys or the Kaffe Fassett I’ve been collecting. 

 

But first I need to finish the Quilty Fun top.  Or work a little each day on both of them.

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I swapped the blocks around on the left side so they are back in the correct order.  The blocks to be added to the top and bottom to make it longer are made.  I just have to sew them together with the spacers to make the rows and finish putting the top together.  I’m hoping to call this project completed by the end of the month.

Monday, April 14, 2014

New Project

 

Two new projects when I should be working on projects I’ve already started.  I just couldn’t resist the cute bunny mug mat (no pictures yet) and a Spring Chicks table runner. 

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This cute runner is a free pattern from Pat Sloan.  Her pattern has the two chicks in the center with heart and the chick and flowers on the right.  I added the chick and flowers on the left to make the runner longer. I did all the applique yesterday and still have borders to put on.  And of course layering and quilting. Hope I can get it done this week to go on my table for Easter.

 

All of the April BOMs that I’m doing are complete.  Big sigh!!

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April clue for the M for Mystery BOM.  I like the fabrics, just not so sure I like them together.  Definitely still waiting to see how this one is going to turn out.

 

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Lesson 10, block 12 of the Delightful Stars Quilt Along. So far I have been able to keep up with the weekly blocks.

 

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My new refrigerator.  I’ve been wanting one with the bottom freezer and double doors on top. So far I’m really liking it much better than the side by side that I did have.  It just did fit in the opening after the trim was cut down on the upper cabinet. It is 29 cu ft.  

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Working on The BOMs

 

I just about have all of this month’s block of the months done.

SewRetroKitchenAprilSewRetroKitchenJan-April

Sew Retro Kitchen April block is the tea pot. I’m enjoying doing a little paper piecing every month. Maybe I can hang this in my kitchen when it is finished. I digging through my scrap bin to do this one.  I like doing projects that I can use my scraps to make.

 

AurifilAprilAurifilJan-April

The April Aurifil block is the bear paw block.  It seems a little dark because I didn’t use the white background fabric in it.  Think it was supposed to be used as the “paw”.  I’m thinking now I should have used the white where the red is and the red solid for the corner stones.  Well, I’m not going to redo the block just yet.  I prefer to “wait and see” if it stands out too much when more blocks have been made.

 

ViseVersaAprilViseVersaJan-April

A star for the Vise Versa April block.  I’m really liking these blocks.  I think the reason is the colors I’m using.

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So far so good.  My poinsettias are still alive and have new shoots growing.  It is time to start setting them out side during the day.

Monday, April 7, 2014

April BOMs

 

April has gotten off to a good start.  I’ve complete all but 4 of the BOMs that I’m involved in.  So far I am liking how they are turning out.

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The April Purple Sage block from Persimmon Quilts.  Just the center part of the block changes each month.  I think there are 13 blocks all together. 

 

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The April Delightful Stars block. This is a quilt along and a new block comes out every week with the exception of a couple of breaks.  So, it is a little more challenging to keep up with.

DelightfulStarsStarForMichele

Michele, the designer of the Delightful Stars quilt, asked each participant of the quilt along to make her a friendship star.  Her is the one I made for her.  She plans to piece them all together for the back of her quilt.

 

GlobetrottingAprilGlobetrottingJan-April

Globetrotting with Pat Sloan.  San Juan is the April block. I feel like I should write the name of the city each block represents to help me remember.

 

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Clue 3 of the EVGQ mystery is complete.  Still able to do this as my leaders and enders and keep up.  The next clue comes out the 3rd Tuesday. This is definitely a mystery to me.

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Another Month, Another set of BOMs

 

Tuesday and Wednesday I printed directions for 5 on-line BOMs and 1 weekly quilt along, plus received a BOM in the mail. Then on Friday the Vice Versa BOM will be ready. I will be busy for the next couple of days trying to get them all completed.

TellItToTheStarsAprilTellItToTheStarsJan-April

So far I have made the April “Tell it to the Stars” blocks.  The light yellow doesn’t show up very well in the pictures.  That is the fabric that I got the two accent colors, red and purple, from. So far, I’m not seeing enough purple in the blocks.  Maybe that will change over the next few months.  Right now I’m sort of wishing I would have switched the red and purple color placement.

 

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This top was put together in columns and I switched some of the blocks around on the right hand side at my daughters request.  Now I see that was a mistake, so I will be doing some reverse sewing. I showed it to my daughter and she agreed, as long as she gets the blocks she likes in the top and bottom rows that I will be adding to make the quilt longer.  I also explained why I couldn’t use the blocks that she first picked for the extra rows.  Think we have it figured out now.  Because it was done in columns, the blocks do not line up into rows going across and I will be adding a horizontal row top and bottom.  Those blocks have to all be the same height all the way across the top.

Think I will do my weekly and monthly blocks before I tackle it again.  I don’t want to get too far behind on my other projects, although I want to get this top quilted by the end of the month.