Monday Meanderings 11 - 25 - 2019

Busy week.  Nothing new with that.  I know I'm not reading as much as I usually do.  But I've got a book due in 5 days and I haven't even started it!  Must get to it. Tuesday I spent part of the day working on Quilts of Valor with the Virginia Star Guild.  We are trying to get a bunch of quilts done and ready for giving to start 2020. I'm turning cut off triangles into 4.5" (unfinished) pinwheels.  I use them as leaders and enders, the Bonnie Hunter way. But I won't make much progress on them until after Christmas.

 I'm contemplating this pattern: 

I've got the Spotsylvanians concert coming up in  3 weeks.  I could use a new skirt that is a little  fuller.  In 4 weeks a subgroup is singing dressed as Victorian carolers.  Thus the cape makes some sense too.  (Sans the fur collar and muff.)  I've got a nice black wool hanging around that I could use for the cape.  I'd need to buy a black fabric that would be cooler for the skirt.  Decisions, decisions.  I haven't had much luck making clothing for me in years.... but how hard could a skirt be as long as it fits at the waist and has room for the hips? Yea, I know if could be a disaster. 

I made progress on three of my seven highly secret projects.  Unfortunately, none are finished because it dawned on me that I was going to help out with my grandkids on Tuesday.  And if I were smart I would get the embroidered shirts done to take up.  Well, yes, they are mostly done. 

Both of these designs are from Designs by JuJu.  The Mehndi Reindeer is from Mehndi Christmas.  It sewed up pretty fast although I did have some issue with various threads.  (I thought I put in a new needle but maybe I need to replace it before the next two.)  The truck is from Vintage Trucks Holidays also from Designs by Juju. I'm sorry to report this one gave me fits.  My thread shredded on several occasions and there were too many instances where the embroidery overlapped other parts of the embroidery and the machine had a hard time.  My last thought is I don't like how messy the back looks on these.  I think for the next group I'll turn off the automatic top thread cutter and do it manually.  It will make the back look much better.  I need to put a backing on the designs -- makes the kids itch without one. 

Here's what still needs to be done, oh rats, most are secret projects.  Hopefully, I'll get the three that are almost done finished up.  Each might take three or four hours at the most.  Then I can proceed to the next secret items.  And, also make two more Christmas shirts and decide on the skirt and cape. (Well not all this week, really.)

There is hope for most of the secret projects.  We'll be home by ourselves for T-Day which is fine as it gives us more time to do our projects. (Pat's got a secret one going too...) 

I'm linking up with Oh Scrap, Monday Making, and Design Wall Monday.  Last week I linked to these different sites but only linked back to mine on one.  Not the smartest move.   I did enjoy checking some blogs out and came away with a few too many good ideas.  Sigh. 

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie  

Monday Meanderings 11 - 18 - 2019

Not much piecing and no quilting was accomplished this week.  Here's what I did get done.  Doll clothes for Ellie for her birthday. 

I was really happy with the end result and most fabric came from my stash except for the netting for the petticoat and the Velcro® for the back closure.  By Thursday afternoon I was pretty well finished with the dress except for needing to buy the Velcro®. I thought, hum, I have a doll sweater in pieces just waiting to be put together.  I'll finish that too.  Except, wait, Ruby, the doll, would need a pair of pants to wear with the sweater.  So on to making a pair a "jeans." 

The sweater got sewn together and the snaps were done on the back.  It's a good thing I have all sorts of odd ball stuff from my previous days of sewing clothes because I had the perfect size of snaps to sew on the back.  

Ellie loved all the clothes and immediately put the pants and sweater on Ruby.  Except evidently she doesn't like the patch pockets on the jeans because she put them on backwards.  Sigh.  

As I said, no piecing but a very productive week.  Between Monday's morning long Veterans Day program in our community and pretty much a full day rehearsal for the Spotsylvanians on Saturday, I've had a really busy week!  

My goals for this week is to make more progress on various Christmas presents which will remain unnamed.  Just know that I have a list of several things to be done and some planned time to work on them.  (Hopefully, I've planned enough time!) I'm also going to sneak in one more top to be quilted this week along with working on QOV at the guild on Wednesday. 

I'm linking up with Oh Scrap!, Monday Making, and Design Wall Monday.  When you have a spare moment, take a look. 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie 

Veterans Day 11 - 11 - 2019

Let us always remember the sacrifices our military members and their families - active, reserve and retired - made (and make)  to keep our country free.  I add the families because my dad was in the Navy for 30 years and my mom, brother, and I moved a lot thus making new friends and seeing new parts of the United States.  But, I think of my brother who went to 4 high schools.  While at that time I was just in elementary school and two different middle schools.  I moved my senior year of high school and to this day don't really think of the school as "my" high school.  Dad went to the University of Southern California in the Navy ROTC just before World War II broke out.  He didn't finish college but went active duty instead.  He retired as a Captain having commanded a fleet of destroyers, an oiler, several different destroyers and serving on admirals' staffs.  He saw duty in World War II, Korean war, and Viet Nam war.  "We" also saw a lot of duty at the Pentagon.  He led an interesting life, to say the least. Both of my grandfathers served in World War I and my brother served during the Viet Nam war but was stationed stateside.  That's quite a legacy of service to my way of thinking.    

On to quilting. I wish I could say I've made all those churn dash blocks into a quilt top but, no didn't work on those at all.  In fact, I put them away knowing I wasn't going to get to them at all for a while.  So instead, I'll show you what I did get done. 

I cut this out to take to retreat in October.  Diamond Chain is one of Missouri Star's patterns.  You can see Jenny demonstrate how to make the block here.  I had all the dies needed to cut this out with my Accuquilt Go. Bonus!  I've been taking this project when I go to my community's quilt group.  

We were at the beach house this weekend attending some property owner meetings so I grabbed these, my Featherweight, and set up a sewing nook overlooking the back yard.  I finished all of the units (at least I think I did) and got these blocks made.  I'll be at community sewing again on Thursday so hopefully I'll finish all the blocks then.  I thought they were going to look duller when I made my sample block but I guess I threw in a lot of fun colors so that livens it up a lot.  

With Christmas sneaking up on me I'll probably have to spend more time finishing (heck, starting and finishing) presents.  I've got a list to remind me what to do.  I've actually made some progress on two projects.  There is hope! 

I've noticed a lot of the Monday linky parties I've been linking with have stop posting. So today I'll be linking up with Oh Scrap, Monday Making, and What I Made Monday. 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie 

Going Crazy Making Blocks

Remember my Halloween post? I mentioned it is my turn for my FCQ Equilters group.  I get to ask for a specific block and give my color choices to the gals and they make blocks and send them off to me.  

I asked for Happy Blocks.  They are very easy using a novelty fabric and a reads as solid go with fabric. I admit I've been going crazy making my own Happy Blocks.  First, I started going through my stash of novelty fabrics and then I pulled go with fabrics.  Here's one of my pulls. 

The only one I've actually made is the bugs in the center front. I haven't been sewing all that much over the last few days but I still have gone crazy making these blocks between everything else I've been working on in the studio. 

Eight blocks so far:

I took this picture late in the day so no natural light was in the room.  These are all brighter in person.  But I'm more than half way to having enough blocks to make a baby quilt.  I'll be ironing and cutting some of those match ups. Honestly, it takes more time to pick the fabric pairs than it takes to cut and sew them!  Mary Quilts gives directions for three different sizes of blocks.  I've asked for "Happy Blocks for Maine" size.  I'll probably trim my blocks to 9.5" even though they should finish at 10". Don't forget to check out other blocks/quilts Mary shares. She even lets you know which blocks are Go Cutter friendly. 

I'm looking forward to receiving more of these fun blocks over the next two months.  However, I've got a few things to work on for Christmas so I better not continue to go too wild making these blocks! I'll be sharing more pictures as I receive my blocks from my friends. 

I am linking with: Midweek Makers, Needle and Thread Thursday, and Can I Get a Whoop, Whoop. (Whoop, Whoop should be available on Friday.)  And, I'll be spending some time surfing to see what's been happening with quilters around the world. 

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie 

Monday Meanderings 11 - 4 - 2019

October was spent in a determined effort to finish off a few quilts.  I actually quilted 3 smaller quilts, one was a donation quilt made by someone else.  But here are the other two.  No, not big quilts at all but DONE quilts! 

First up is what I'm calling Stripes.  Many of the blocks came from an opportunity block drawing I won several years ago. I made a block like the top left one but in pinks and purples.  When I got the bocks I had the center row of blocks and the bottom center and right blocks.  That pink and purple thing did not look good with them.  So I made the brown and stripe star.  Then made the other two on the top row and the bottom left one to make enough blocks for a small lap quilt.  

Quilt design is Ariana using So Fine  437, teal.  40.5" x 43". 

When one of our Powhatan guild members died her daughter (also a guild member) was trying to give away some of her fabrics and works in progress.  I took the 5 blocks with the darker prints in them.  I added the Ohio Stars. I think there was one more block but I took it apart to have the dark centers on the top and bottom border.  I don't often work in pink so this was a lot of fun to play with pink! 

Quilt design is a basic stipple.  Thread is So Fine 518 which is a pale green.  The backing was an aqua piece I bought last year and was tickled to find a good use for it. 

Both of these will be donated. The top one will go up to Faithful Circle Quilters for where ever they choose to send it.  The bottom one will go down to Powhatan to give to a senior citizens home.  (Just think of it as one senior sharing with another senior!) 

Here's where I'm linking up with today: Oh Scrap, Monday Making, and What I Made Monday. I'm off to spend some time surfing the quilting world on the World Wide Web. Hope you can too. 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie