OMG Success

YeeHaw!  I was able to finish the two blocks I had planned for the OMG.  And, surprisingly, I finished them really early -- maybe in the first week.  I don't remember.  I actually looked at doing more blocks but as usual I was overcome with indecisiveness.  It takes me longer to pick the fabric for each block then to make the blocks.  Sigh.

This block was already cut out, ready to iron down.  Because it is small it didn't take much time to finish, even sewing down the ribbons.  (If that dark blue looks familiar it can be seen as the background on this piece. I noticed I also was mentioning my upcoming goal and there was a picture of this block before I started on it in August.)

Much of this block was already done -- letters were cut out and some of the backgrounds were already chosen.  The majority of the time was spent stitching down the letters and making the tree.  Excellent.  Now if I could just get going on some more blocks.  

Which comes to my September goal:  I'm going to get two more blocks done from the Christmas Favorites book. Yes, really.  I'll pick the colors and get two more done. I may work on pieced blocks instead of appliqué but it's picking the fabrics that always gets to me.  I was thinking of using a block kit I bought in Alaska in the mid '90s but I'm not that in love with it and its mate.  (What was I thinking when I bought an Alaskan version of Sun Bonnet Sue?) I have it on the goals for this week so maybe I will spend time sewing it down but we'll see.   

I'm linking up with Red Letter Quilts and Let's Be Social.  Take some time to see what others are up to in their studios.  

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie 

Monday Meanderings 8 - 29 - 2016

I have a finish.  Ok, it's a small finish but it is done!  It's not a UFO anymore.  Now I need to decide how I can hang my little quilts.  The only sad part of this finish is it wasn't on my UFO list so I can't cross it off.  This design is #595 from Bloomin' Minds.  They have a lot of very clever little quilts.  It won't make much of a dent in my stash but at least I can enjoy seeing it on my wall.  (well, soon...) 

No more pictures of quilty stuff today.  I did get much of my fabric loaded onto my new shelves.  Some of my books are now on a shelf but I need to move them around a bit.  At this point I'm just stashing them on the shelf. I've still got a lot to do to get the shelves filled up. 

I've made more progress on the RWB quilt and hope to have it off the design wall by the end of the week. (Note to self, quit goofing off and head to the studio earlier each day!) 

August 22, 2016

Quilt Jenny’s Heart Quilt for Pulse √

Finish the “Online Friends” piece √

Begin Shadow Box Mini Quilt for quilt along √

Start filling my new shelves √

Enjoy Sophia and Natalie visiting us √

And I hope to continue to get everything done on my list this week! 

August 29, 2016

Finish sewing rows of RWB together

Put books away on shelves

Begin sewing another block for Christmas Favorites

Work on Shadow Box Mini Quilt for quilt along

Work on Alaska Blocks (pulling out a new UFO!) 

Do you enjoy making mini quilts?  Take a look at the Shadow Box Mini Quilt Along.  It is really easy to make and should be a great leader/ender project.  I've made a sample block and am ready to cut the whole quilt and get it sewn.  Sign up at Color, Creating and Quilting to see what it is all about. You won't have much time but it really is a fast little quilt. 

That's it for me today.  I'm linking up with Monday Makings at Love, Laugh, Quilt and Main Crush Monday at A Place to Create and Share. (Oops, Monday Makings isn't up yet.  I'll add the link later. She's camping and the linky party isn't coming up. Check next Monday.)  When I'm finished posting this I plan to spend a bit of time cruising the internet to see what's new today.  

Sophie enjoying new markers and sporting her new NEON shorts and shirts. She starts first grade today.

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie 

Heart Quilt√

It has been a very busy week up until Friday afternoon when I flaked out napping and reading! 

First, I got Jenny's quilt for Pulse quilted -- in one day.  I tend to take a couple of days for most quilts bigger than baby size.  But I was focused so I finished it up Tuesday night.  A lot of Jenny's quilting buddies sent her hearts to incorporate into the quilt.  Some hearts were on the front, others on the back.  I chose a very loose pattern called Mermaid Fingers to quilt.  This is my go to pattern for a fast, easy to do design.  I probably should have tightened it up a bit but it definitely did not distract from the great hearts. (Hum, I'm pretty sure the two I made her did not make it in the quilt. Sigh.  They probably were both grayed fabrics instead of bright.) 

You can see the quilting a bit in this closeup taken before I took it off the frame. 

We picked up the Grands on Wednesday evening.  Rush hour around the DC/Northern Virginia area is never fun.  We met for dinner and then took the girls home with us.  I won't go into details but the first 12 hours were not fun but after that we had a great time.  Our pool time Thursday was great fun except I forgot to put sun screen on me even though I did both girls.  Sigh.  I still have a slight burn.  Hopefully I won't have peeling skin later! 

I've filled the shelves with fabrics, UFOS, scraps.Next up -- Books! 

The Grands enjoying cookies at the pool.

I'm linking up with Can I have a Whoop, Whoop? That's it for me today.  

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie 

Monday Meandering 8 - 22 -2016

Great things happening here today.  First off my shelving has arrived and is installed. Here's the left side. 

And here is the right side. Now the hard part comes -- deciding where everything goes and getting it all put away.  That may take a while ... lots of other things happening this week.  

Including the first quilt going on Ruthie since we moved in. My daughter Jenny has made a quilt to send to the collection for Pulse night club.  She asked her friends to send her heart blocks and she put them together.  Hopefully I'll have it quilted for her and will be able to give it back to her on Wednesday when we meet for us to take the grands for a few days.  Here's the back being loaded. Tomorrow I'll start the actual quilting. 

I did pretty well on my goals last week but I bet I've put too many goals on the list for this week. 

August 15, 2016

Continue on the RWB project√

Work on the “Online Friends” piece√

Work on another block from Christmas Favorites- planned one of the blocks

Clean out “stuff” stored where new shelving is going√

Finish the last 3 blocks for secret project “B”√

August 22, 2016

Quilt Jenny’s Heart Quilt for Pulse

Finish the “Online Friends” piece

Begin Shadow Box Mini Quilt for quilt along

Start filling my new shelves

Enjoy Sophia and Natalie visiting us

Today I'm linking up with Monday Making and Main Crush Monday.  Go take a look.  

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie 

Forward Progress

I've been tickled with my progress on my Red, White and Blue quilt.  I ran out of room on my design wall to layout the entire quilt.  It's sewn on the diagonal so that makes it just a little more "involved." I started in the top right corner and sewed rows together.  

So this was suppose to go into a post Wednesday or Thursday.  Um, didn't happen. After I get three or four rows done I start another section. See the baseballs near the middle?  That row is part of the third set of rows already sewn together.  Making steady progress! 

Meanwhile, back at the farm (um, the rest of the house) Pat's been putting in custom closets.  This one's mine. Yea! 

And the dogs have been learning about their new backyard and having an electric fence.  They are very unimpressed with both.  I think they would prefer their fenced acreage at our old house.  Sorry guys.  That postage stamp is your yard. 

One last thing in closing -- do you like to do quilt alongs?  I've joined one over Color, Creating and Quilting. Janice, along with Jen at A Dream and A Stitch are sponsoring a Shadow Block Mini Quilt Along.  The pattern was designed by Debora at Studio Dragonfly.  So are you up for making what Janice promises is an easy fast quilt?  Drop by Janice or Jen's sites to sign up.  The reveal date is Sept. 5th. AGH!, you say?  I checked the pattern out and it really will be quick to make and finish.  I'm thinking the hardest thing for me is to decide on what fabrics to use.  I just had a moment's inspiration.  I always give a donation to FCQ guild for a fall silent auction.  This would be the perfect thing to use for that and I would be done with it really early! Hope you'll join me. 

I'm linking up with Can I get a Whoop Whoop over at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.  I may come back tomorrow and see what else I can link up with.  

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie 

Monday Meandering 8 - 15 - 2016

Here's what's next to the design wall today.  These are the "secret" project I'm working on.  The grey (tan?) and blue is a note pad I put over the design so I don't give it away.  It's still secret.  I need to make 3 more and I'll probably make more than that.  These blocks are fun to make.

I'm still working on the red, white and blue quilt.  Many of the rows are sewn in diagonals.  I'm going to have to move all the rows up to get the bottom done. UGH.  I'm looking forward to getting this to top stage so I can move on to something else.  It doesn't need to be done until April or May so I can move it to the back burner once the piecing is done. (The sad part, to my way of thinking, is I have another set of blocks that need to be pieced on the diagonal that is waiting in the wings.  I'll probably do something else before I start that one.) 

I did pretty well on the goals again this week.  (Although, honestly, I didn't put much on the list last week!) 

August 8, 2016

Continue on the RWB project√

Make 4 more blocks for secret project “B”√ one's done, one's cut out

Finish “Believe” block from Christmas Favorite√

Work on the “Online Friends” piece√

Here's this week's goal. 

August 15, 2016

Continue on the RWB project

Work on the “Online Friends” piece

Work on another block from Christmas Favorites

Clean out “stuff” stored where new shelving is going

Finish the last 3 blocks for secret project “B”

I'll be linking up with Monday Making and Main Crush Monday. Take some time to look around and enjoy what folks are working on this week. 

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie 

Slow Stitching

I've been making progress on some hand stitching so I'll share that with you today. 

Part of my success comes from taking this project to two different sewing groups in my community this week. 

 I need to embroider all of the top knots on each crow and I need to figure out what fabric I want for the wire and buttonhole stitch that to the design.  By then the end will be in sight! (Of course I do have a ton of other projects started that I can work on after this!) 

I'm linking this up with Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching.  Take a look what folks are doing by hand this week. 

Happy Quilting All!