Monday Meanderings -- 6 - 23 - 2025

 

That was the temperature of my car after sitting for 2 hours while I attended the Gathering of the Guilds on Sunday.  Yikes.  The evening news called for 100˚ several days this week.  And it isn't going under 70˚ at night.  Yikes.  Summer hit with a vengeance here.  Thank goodness the studio is in the basement! It's almost always cool down there. On to goals! 

6/16/25

Quilt another quilt

✅Make binding and ✅bind my quilt

Add borders to Whirl

✅Cut Cornerpost top 

✅Attend Gathering of the Guilds 

The most obvious thing about the goals is I didn't do all of my list.  I was listless last week. 😉  I did load the backing of the next quilt.  And I bound last week's quilt. What I am very happy about was all the great comments/suggestions for the Whirl top.  I was thinking it would be a baby quilt but now I'm not sure that's where it will go.  I took Nann's advice to look for a multicolor floral.  When I hadn't thought of that before. DUH!   Guess what I found in my multicolored fabrics?  Yep, a very nice iris print that I think will work well with the Whirls top.  Take a look: 

Since I wasn't very motivated last week I just hung it on the wall.  I think it is actually a directional print and it's upside down in the pic.  I'm pretty sure I have enough to cut 3 to 4" borders and have the design going the same way.  I cropped the excess that was hanging below the top out of the picture. I don't think I'm going to put a small border before the print border.  So, now all I have to do is cut the right size pieces and sew them on.  Yea. (Hopefully I'm motivated to do that this week!) 

I was able to cut out Cornerpost and put it in my stack of kits ready to go on the next retreat.  

Sunday was the Gathering of the Guilds in central Virginia. There were 5 guilds represented. We gathered at a new barn in Culpepper. Here's a link to their website. If you click on Gallery you'll see some pictures of various set ups -- ours was long tables.  It's often used for wedding and other events. The owners of Magnolia Way Farms generously let us use their space for free. Members of the guilds came with bingo blocks, buttons for markers, and food to share.  We had a great time answering some questions such as how many sewing machines do you have. The answer choices were 1 to 2, 3 to 5, and 6 or more.  We were pretty surprised that the most people stood for 6 or more machines! Yikes.  Then it was on to bingo.  I had made one block (forgot to take a picture of it, sorry) and decided not to make two. My seat mate had gone crazy making blocks so I played with two and my bag of buttons.  There were a slew of prizes for bingo and also for drawings as we each got to put two tickets in the basket for prize drawings.  Quite a few people won some great prizes. (As much as I like to win prizes I really don't need more fabric -- I wasn't disappointed that I didn't win anything!) 

Afterwards I took a walk to the goat pens.  Evidently approximately 25 goats live on the farm.  As I walked toward the pens it didn't look like there were any goats in them. But, as I got closer several got up and wandered to the front so I could give them a little scratch on their heads and say hello.  I'm sure they wished they could have been in a lovely air conditioned building like the quilters were! I took pictures of several different goats.  But I'm only sharing one of them.  I'm pretty sure this one was a young one. (And no, I wouldn't want it walking on me if I were doing yoga!) But it was really cute. 

So here is my plan for this week. 

6/23/25

Quilt another quilt

Add borders to Whirl

Make June's block for Cali-Co mystery

Attend Road to Virginia

Begin quilting guild's charity quilt

Considering how hot it is going to be I'll enjoy being in the cooler basement/studio. But will I be highly motivated? I really need to get both quilts listed on Ruthie and get them finished off. I'll keep you posted. 

Here's my 15 Minutes to Stitch statistics.

W/ending 6/22/25. 173 days of 2025

• 15 minute days/June = 22/30 
• 15 minute days/2024 = 173/173 days
• Success rate = 100%

It's time to finish this post up.  Please take time to visit some of these Linky Parties and visit a few blogs to see what quilters are doing around the world. 

Stitching Stuff

Oh Scrap 

Design Wall Monday 

Monday Musings

So fess up! How many sewing machines do you own?  I have 5 which you can see on my 6/13/25 post celebrating Sewing Machine Day. (I only show 4 of them.)  What I might not have mentioned is over the last year or so I got rid of one of my machines. I had what I called a Singer Heavy Weight. My mother had purchased it used in the mid 1950s. I can remember her making me dresses for school on it.  The problem was it weighed so much more than a Featherweight it was never going to work as a travel machine. I donated it to a group from my guild that are teaching others how to sew. Win-win from my point of view. 

Happy Quilting All!   Bonnie 

Monday Meanderings -- 6 - 16 - 2025

52

You might ask what 52 is all about... that's how long Pat and I have been married! Yep celebrating our 52nd anniversary 6/16.  Not sure we're doing anything special -- maybe going out to an early dinner.  Tuesday is a primary election and Pat works at the polls so he'll be leaving the house around 4:30 am or so.  No late night here! 

Now on to my regular blog post. Here's last week's goals list. WOW - look at all those green boxes. 

6/9/25

✅Make dignity bibs with Craft group

✅Finish current hat and start next one

✅Quilt one of my tops

✅Make more string blocks 

✅Sew Whirl blocks together

✅Plan another quilt for future retreat

Last week I brought a couple of flannel shirts home to finish on my Bernina. We learned that a lot of our travel sewing machines didn't have the motor power to sew through a lot of layers. The Bernina handle them well.  I've cut out a few more bibs from cotton like the one I showed last week.  They'll get finished in the next week or so.  

One hat was finished; two hats got pompoms made and applied; and another hat (pink yarn) was started.  I'l be working on the pink hat this week. 

Check out the top I was quilting last week on Friday's post. It's  Button Box a 3 yard quilt from Fabric Cafe.  It's trimmed and waiting for binding this week. 

I got the Whirl blocks sashed and sewn together. 

My next job is to figure out a border.  Do you want to help?  Here are two photos of possible borders for my Whirl top.  Both the pink/purple and light purple are leftover pieces.  I really want to use something from my stash.  If you have other color idea feel free to share them. I'll check the stash! The blocks are pinks, purples, and blues. 

What do you think. Let me know in the comments. I'm leaning towards the light purple... but it isn't fabulous. It isn't bad. Eh, undecided is the best I am right now. 

Yes, I did get everything on the list done this week. In fact I was pretty well finished by Saturday.  I decided I needed to figure out the next quilt I want to kit up. I have a retreat coming at the end of July and I'll need at least 4, probably 5 projects to work on.  I need to see if I have a batch of blocks I can sew together too. That's a great project to bring as I only need to lay them out and then sew. 

So this pattern was next to my sewing machine. It was from Quiltmaker March/April 2001. Yep, I had ripped out the pages, punched holes in them and stuck them in a notebook.  24 years later I'm ready to make it. Here's Cornerpost.   

Here are the major fabrics I'm using. If you note the directions above there are some large rectangles -- the space fabric. The navy, grey and orange will be the rails. I have some charm squares of some of the other fabrics in the line. I'll pick 8 for the center of the quilt and 4 more for the corner stones. The space fabric will also be the borders.  Should be a great quilt and use some fabric I've had for a while. Remember Craftsy? The space fabrics were a kit from there.

This week I've new goals and hopefully I'll be as successful as I've been the last couple of weeks. 

6/16/25

Quilt another quilt

Make binding and bind my quilt

Add borders to Whirl

Cut Cornerpost top 

Attend Gathering of the Guilds 

As you might guess I also did really well on my 15 minutes to sew. Here's the details. 

W/ending 6/15/25. 166 days of 2025

• 15 minute days/June = 15/30 
• 15 minute days/2024 = 166/166 days
• Success rate = 100%

Several quilt guilds in central Virginia are gathering for a day of fun and friendship.  I'm looking forward to it next Sunday afternoon. 

Now, please check out these Linky Parties and see what quilters across the web are up to! 

Stitching Stuff

Oh Scrap

Design Wall Monday 

Monday Musings

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie 

National Sewing Machine Day & Some Finishes!

June 13th is National Sewing Machine Day.  I read that we should share our machines.  I have no idea where I saw it but I thought I'd give my machines a little love and attention. 

So here are my machines from oldest to newest. 

This is my trusty Singer Featherweight.  It is from the early 1950s.  It's a slow workhorse that I take to sewing days and retreats.  Unfortunately it doesn't sew fast at all.  Some day I may see if there is something that can be done to speed it up some but in the mean time it is slow, steady and reliable. 

Meet Ruthie the Nolting Long Arm and her computer.  I've had her for 9 or so years when we traded a smaller one in for her. She's quilting away on one of my 3 yard quilt tops. 

I bought this Viking Topaz in the last 8 or 9 years.  I use it mostly for embroidery. I found I perferred my older Bernina for piecing and some quilting. I keep this one set up for embroidery. 

This is my newest sewing machine, a Bernina B 570. I've only had this one for 8 months or so.  It has way more bells and whistles than I need.  It's been fun to learn what it can do for me.  I want to try making quilt labels with the built in alphabets.  Someday I might buy the embroidery module and then sell the Viking. 

I also have a very old Elna Carina which weighs under 20 pounds. It's also good for taking to sew ins and retreats.  I might start taking it along with the Featherweight and see how it does. 

Now on to the two finishes from earlier this year. First up is the framed 9 patch in blue. The FCQ Equilters made the blocks for me a couple of years ago.  I finished the top last year but didn't get it quilted until this year. (I have a couple of smaller tops waiting to be quilted.) This pic was taken this spring -- note the azaleas in bloom. 

And, a close up view. Below that is a picture of the front and back. 

Next up is Traffic Jam, quilt pattern is by Pat Sloan and a free version can be found on her web page here. She also has a pattern for sale which has 3 additional sizes. You can check out a couple of different colorations here as well as finding the link to purchase the pattern. 

I've made a couple tops/quilts using the pattern. One I decided to use 2" squares since I had a ton of them. But I don't remember if this was it or one of the others I've got hanging around.  I used Susie's magic binding on this one.  

I don't remember the exact measurements but both of these quilts are basic lap quilts.  I'lll have to check my pile of finished quilts to see whether these have been donated or not.  

Please take some time visiting the following Linky Parties.  I used to post often on Fridays and these were my go-to blogs. 

Needle and Thread Thursday 

Beauties Pagent

Finished (of Not) Friday 

Off the Wall Friday 

I'm leaving you with a picture of my friend Sharon's really old sewing machine. She doesn't use it but it is fun to see it and the booklet and supplies for it. 

This is a National Rotary sewing machine that was owned by Sharon's grandmother. Sharon has the Certificate of Warranty dated September 9, 1938. Notice the boxes (tied with string!) and the manual by it. Evidently it had a table it could be set into also.  

Do you have any antique sewing machines in your life? 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie

Monday Meanderings --- 6 - 9 - 2025

Earlier this week I added June Mysteries and Sew Alongs to my Mysteries and Quilt Alongs Page. If you didn't already see it, hopefully you will check out the offerings if you are looking for a new sew/quilt along or mystery.  I've been adding little tidbits of info about free patterns or special quilting info.  Check it out if you want to see what's on offer for the summer. 

I've had a very good results for my goals this past week.  I spent every day doing some sewing or knitting. When Sunday rolled around I had 2 or 3 goals unfinished. So I really got busy and got them at least started if not completely done.  There are a bunch of check marks with this goals list. Yeehaw! 

6/2/2

✅Bind my quilted top — done. 

✅✅Bind 2 placemats quilted after the UFO project — done. 

✅Cut out the project for upcoming retreat — done. 

✅Make additional blocks for June UFO project — 3 purple blocks made. 

✅Add borders to May UFO project — done! 

✅Make some more string blocks — 2.5 blocks finished. 

Here are some photos of my progress. 

Last week I added two placemats after I finished quilting one of my tops. I found a cool rectangular design that Ruthie quilted for me. The quilt and the placemats sat on the long arm most of the week. But finally I took them off, trimmed and figured how to pull the back to the front and have a couple of nice finished placemats. You can see the circular hatching Ruthie quilted on them below.  These will go to one of my guild's community charities. 

And here are the two finished placemats. Yep, the backing was more of my purple bolt of fabric. 

My June UFO project is to make some more Whirl blocks and then make them into a top. Here are the three new Whirl blocks. I've found on way too many occasions that darker colors -- especially purples and blues -- look black in pictures.  All of these are different colors of purple, really, they are! These were my Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks from 2022.  I had 6 blocks left -- 3 pink and 3 blue.  I decided to make 3 more blocks in purple as red and blue make purple.  

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Here's all 9 blocks together.  The blocks are 9" so, as shown it would 36" square.  I'm thinking of using a 1" (or so) finished sashing and adding corner stones in one or all of the colors.  It wouldn't add all that much to the size but it would add enough.  I'll probably make that decision in the next week or two.

Here's the finished top I've been showing for the last few weeks.  It still needs quilting which will happen eventually! I was trying to make the pieces of each border color different sizes but, rats, they look very close to the same sizes. Oh well. 

Sunday afternoon I decided to use the string blocks as a leader ender to the 3 Whirl blocks I wanted to make. I trimmed off the edges of all that I had already finished. The phone book pages were cut to the correct size so all I needed to do was grab my blue centers and then build out -- half lights and half darks.  Here's what I got done on this project.  Basically 3 are done and one more is started. These will end up as 7" blocks. I've got 22 done.  But I'm thinking I want to make the quilt 42" by 56" so I still need to make 26 more blocks.  Hum, I need to step up the pace on this project.  Heaven knows I have bags of scrap strings hanging around. 

So that's all I have to show from my goals last week. So here are my goals for this week. 

6/9/25

Make dignity bibs with craft group

Finish current hat and start next one

Quilt one of my tops

Sew Whirl blocks together

Plan and cut another quilt for future retreat

Keep working on string blocks 

I did make one more item this week that was not on my list.  The craft group in my neighborhood is making Dignity Bibs, now called Dignity Aprons, for people living in skilled nursing homes. These are generally made from button up, woven shirts.  Evidently in the past we've either had many donated or gals were able to buy a number of them from thrift stores. So far our collection isn't that big. So a friend recommended we make some out of our excess fabric.  I took the challenge and made one with a light blue plaid on the front and a royal blue with eidelweiss flowers on it for the opposite size. I had bought the eidelweiss fabric many years ago on vacation in Switzerland. I've been trying to use it up as it is a bit too heavy for quilts. But it's great for these "aprons." Here's what I made. It is approximately 18 x 27.  I still need to put the velcro on top.  I'll try to take some pictures of the shirts finished as aprons.  -- I may break down and make myself one as I am forever spilling food on my shirts! (And, that's just eating at home! Yikes.) 

 I've maintained my daily 15 minutes of stitching this week. I'm not sure whether I'll keep 100% for the whole year but there is a good possibility I might.  We aren't planning any vacation this year so no travel plans that would disrupt my stitching! 

W/ending 6/8/25. 159 days of 2025

• 15 minute days/June = 8/30 
• 15 minute days/2024 = 159/159 days
• Success rate = 100%

I'm linking with my normal parties. (OOPS -- I just realized I didn't remember to link to Design Wall Monday nor Monday Musings last week.  Must have gotten engrossed in something last Monday as I usually link up then.) Hopefully this week I will link up with them on Monday morning.

Stitching Stuff

Oh Scrap

Design Wall Monday

Monday Musing

I'm ready to call it a night.  All the quilting I did today wore me out -- but in a good way! 

Happy Quilting! Bonnie 

June 2025 Mysteries and Sew Alongs

 June 2025 Mysteries and Sew Alongs 

Wonderfil started a quilt along in April called Coffee Break. You’ll have access to all blocks that have already been shared once you sign up. There will be 9 blocks. This is foundation paper piecing and wool hand embroidery. Kits may be available still. Go take a look and sign up here: https://shopwonderfil.com/bom-2025/ .  

Blockhead 6 is starting on May 28th.  Join in the fun as a new block is released each week. Read more about it here: https://modafabrics.com/inspiration-resources/blockheads-6-kick-off

The Fat Quarter Shop has started their newest sew along called Stardust Charity.  It offers a quilt version and a counted cross stitch version. The Fat Quarter Shop uses this event as a fund raiser for their local Make-a-Wish foundation. Check out the pre-start info post: https://blog.fatquartershop.com/lets-get-ready-for-stardust. And also Release 1 post.  

Here’s a heads up for several mystery quilt alongs that the Fat Quarter Shop will be sponsoring.  This link takes you to information about several upcoming mysteries.  https://blog.fatquartershop.com/mystery-quilt-alongs-in-2025/. I’ll post about each before they begin.  

Just some reminders for those who are fans of 3 yard quilts. Fabric Cafe posts one of their patterns free every few months or so. Currently there are 3 of their 3 Yard Quilt patterns and 2 additional patterns. They add a new one every few months. https://www.fabriccafe.com/Free-Patterns-s/2014.htm. You can also go to their home page and click on Free Goodies. 

Material Girlfriends continues their year long event posting a new free pattern. May’s offering is 3Yd Papa.  You can find it here: https://materialgirlfriends.com/2025-sew-along/ . I’m thinking of finding some 1.25 yard fabric and use my die cutter for this one.