Monday Meanderings 9 - 19 - 2022

Busy week here -- lots of progress on my goals list. Here's last week's list. 

9/12/22

✅✅Make 3 more composition book covers — 2 done and one turned up too small 

✅Plan and cut one quilt  — finished ready for retreat

✅Make borders for Sept. UFO Challenge — done 

✅Make 1 RSC block & Sept BOM from A Quilting Life — RSC block done but not the BOM

✅Start sewing down the pieces of the card challenge — most flowers are sewn down 

This week I'm focusing on the book covers and the Card Challenge. So not much on my list. 

9/19/22

Finish card challenge 

Make 3 or more composition book covers 

Quilt and bind turquoise quilt 

Make Sept BOM from A Quilting Life

The first set of blocks from the FCQ Equilters came in this past week.  I am so tickled with them.  Here's a picture of Pam's blocks and a few of my own.  

In this picture you can tell what makes up the block.  But as the piece grows it will look more cohesive.  Go check out The Ultimate Scrap Busting Quilt Block. (You can even view a video of the process.)  Maybe I should cut some of these out to make while I'm at retreat.  

I also made a couple of lotto blocks for the retreat.  I really like this block so I suspect I'll make some more -- I may only enter 5 blocks for the drawing and keep the others for a quilt in the future. It would make a great RSC block too.  This is made with 3.5" squares and 2.5" squares to make the colored triangles.  I've found that I can use triangles made with the Small Value Die instead of a square. I've been cutting scraps into squares and triangles for a while so this is a good way to use some.  (I love when I can use my Go dies. I've also used a die on the 3.5" squares.)

On the home front, Pat has come down with Covid.  Bummer.  Luckily the day or two before he realized he might have it rather than a cold, I was spending a lot of time in the basement (where my studio is...) I've got my fingers crossed that I don't get it.  On the other hand a LOT of things I was going to do I've canceled.  

I'll need to get my finished Card Challenge block to the quilt guild by Wednesday. I may ask a gal who lives fairly close to me to take it rather than take it to the meeting myself. And, that is assuming I get it done. I have 2 small flowers to sew down and back it, stitch down the lace edge, quilt and bind it. It should get done although the quilting might be light.  

So on that note, I'm ready to sign off and get ready for bed.  As usual I'm linking up with the following parties. 

Oh Scrap

Monday Making

Design Wall Monday 

To Do Tuesday 

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie 

Progress Being Made

I've had my nose to the grindstone so far this week.  Here's what I've gotten done or made further progress.

After finding this top I was able to get borders on all sides.  The side borders are the same size as the center sashing.  The top and bottom borders are the same size as the strings in the Roman Stripes blocks. I'd love to get this quilted in the next two weeks but I don't think I have backing fabric. And none of my new backings would work. 

I decided to add a small border on the top and bottom of Picket Stars. You can read about my thoughts and how it looked before the little borders here. I tried something bigger but it took away from the stars.  So this one is also ready to go to the quilt closet.  Yep, no backing for this one either. (Although I could use the turquoise one I showed last week but that means the top I planned to use it for won't get done. Sigh.)

Here's what I've gotten done on the Card Challenge. Doesn't it look weird? 

Every evening I get some of the hand stitching done.  It needs to be finished and turned in Wed, 9/21. Hopefully I'll get all the flowers on, stitch the old linen on to a fabric piece and then quilt and bind the quilt. (Probably by hand. ARGH. Do I really have enough time?) 

This is what it might look like.  Maybe I'll put a few more little yellow flowers in the mix.  After I turn it in I'll post about the finish. It will be hanging in the Virginia Star Quilter's booth at the Virginia State Fair from Sept 23 until Oct 2. (Pat and I will be working the both the evening of Oct 1.) 

Here are the parties I'm linking up to.  Enjoy spending some time surfing lots of quilting blogs and getting all sorts of new ideas. 

Midweek Makers 

Needle and Thread Thursday 

Finished or Not Friday 

Beauties Pageant

Have a great weekend. 

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie 

Monday Meanderings 3 - 3 - 2020

Another month has snuck in.  Even with the extra day last month it did seem to go fast.  I know last week zoomed by!  

Thursday I attended the Mid Atlantic Quilt show with a group of quilting buddies.  We drive down in the morning and come back in the evening.  We don't have a lot of time at the show as it's 2 hours each way if we don't run into traffic. I was tickled to finally get a picture of my music challenge quilt while it was hanging at the show. 

Here's my artist statement for "Let's Sing."

My 2020 Challenge piece was inspired by the song I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing by B. Backer, B. Davis, R. Cook and R. Greenaway. The song started out as a jingle for a television commercial for Coca Cola in 1971 but was quickly released with non-commercial lyrics. 

Choral, or group, singing offers a variety of physical and mental benefits to the singer such as stess reduction, improved mood and lowering blood pressure. This joyous song offers hope and love that encompasses all. 

I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing (In Perfect Harmony) as sung by The New Seekers. 

I'd like to build the world a home
And furnish it with love
Grow apple trees and honey bees
And snow white turtle doves

I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony
I'd like to hold it in my arms
And keep it company

I'd like to see the world for once
All standing hand in hand
And hear them echo through the hills
For peace through out the land
(That's the song I hear)

I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony

I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony

Source: Lyric Find 

So 

My thanks go to my friends Sharon, Beth and Marlyn for being my sounding boards during the making of this quilt.  

I was happy to see it hanging with all of the quilts from Country Piecemakers.  

I spent more time shopping at the quilt show than actually viewing the quilts.  My general impression was there were more challenge quilts than quilts actually entered in the show.  The prize winners were amazing. I've taken pics of several quilts that "spoke" to me.  I'll try to remember to share them over the next couple of posts. 

My purchases ranged from a roll of cotton/poly batting from Pellon, to a wide back, six fat quarters of batik fabric, some cork fabric and a pattern for a candle mat with some bunnies on it.  My guess is I'll use the bunnies on something other than a candle mat as that is a bit too fussy for me.  (On the other hand, it might just be another addition to my pattern collection.)

Since it is now March I thought I'd share my stashbusting, um, stash building with you. Here's the sad news if I look at it from the point of wanting to USE my stash. I've added several yards of patriotic fabric, several other one yard pieces, and two different pieces of wide back to the collection.  Half of one was used as the backing on my patriotic quilt going to TAPS.  I definitely need to control my urge to buy fabric for a few months and concentrate on finishing some pieces! 

2020	Fabric In Month	Fabric In Year	Fabric Out Month	Fabric Out Year	Total In or Out Year
Jan	13.25	18.250	8.625	8.625	-9.625

I've decided it's time I listed a few quilting and other goals each week to help me keep focused.  I find if I've listed my goals I can make sure I get them done or at least further along the path to finishes. 

March 2, 2020
Finish doggie blocks and sew into top
Cut out and stitch table runner to donate to FCQ quilt show
Finish green fingerless mitts
Go to Richmond to visit some quilt shops 
Make next FCQ Equilter blocks 

That list may be way more than I can get done this week but I'll give it a try. 

Although I've shared lots of photos from our trip, we did have an interesting event after we left Panama, but no photos.  Our last port was Costa Rica staying for one day.  Except the seas were running around 15 feet. (rocking and a rolling!)  So when we got to the dock in Costa Rica the ship was bobbing up and down like crazy.  Unlike many ports we had gone to this one was not protected at all.  Unfortunately, it just wasn't safe to disembark.  We were disappointed!  It meant we had 3 straight sea days as we headed back to Florida. Two days at sea was relaxing.  By the third day I was ready to go somewhere again! And the rough seas were with us for the next day or so.  I am not the best sailor in rough water! 

We were on Holland American line and I give them kudos for refunding our excursion fees within two hours (probably less but that's when we noticed it on our account) of leaving Costa Rica.  A bit later in the day our port taxes were returned.  

That's it for me today.  I'm linking up with Oh Scrap, Monday Making, and Design Wall Monday.  I'm hoping to spend some serious blog hopping time this week. (Along with getting all of my goals done!)  

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie 

Monday Meanderings 2 - 03 - 2020 and Stashbusting January

I've been busy trying to get my challenge quilt made.  I usually spend several weeks (months?) thinking about any challenge quilts I plan to make.  The challenge for this quilt is to base it on music and to use a variegated thread.  I came up with several ideas that I could have developed but when I looked at the rest of the lyrics beyond the well known section I didn't like them.  I finally came up with a  song I knew well and was happy with.  I won't be showing much of it yet.  It will be hung at the Mid Atlantic Quilt show in Hampton Roads at the end of this month.  Our guild has been displaying our challenge quilts there for a while. 

Here's a sneak peek of a practice piece.  I'll share more about it in the coming weeks.  But now, I need to get the darn thing done by Saturday.  I'm slightly behind my plan but making steady progress. 

Figuring out the house color...

It was really easy to figure out my stashbusting statistics this month.  I didn't bust anything.  And I added to my stash. But most of the fabric I bought is being used in my challenge piece.  So here are the sad stats. February should be better.

2020	Fabric In Month	Fabric In Year	Fabric Out Month	Fabric Out Year	Total In or Out Year
Jan	5.00	5.00	0	-5.00	-5.00

On to another day on our vacation. Our next destination was Willemstad, Curaçao. We had a half day tour that started on a bus that drove us through the town and deposited us by an inlet.  I'm sure I heard where we actually were but specifics didn't lodge in the brain.  We got on a boat to go to look at fish and coral.  For the ride out to the viewing site we were on the deck enjoying the sun and water.  But once we arrived at it we went below deck to sit by windows to look out at the bottom.  Lots of fish and coral and sand were visible.  Here's a few pictures I took of the inhabitants.

The guide did a great job identifying the fish and talking about the coral.  I have no idea which fish these are!  At one point he got into the water and started feeding the fish which is how I was able to get such a closeup. These fish had yellow green stripe and tail with the rest being light blue.  

Once the tour was completed we decided to walk across the the Queen Emma bridge to Punda. This is a quintessential picture of the area.

Here's a bit of information about the bridge:
"Spanning the St. Anna Bay, the Queen Emma, or also known as the "Swinging Old Lady," is a floating pedestrian bridge that connects Willemstad's two halves, Punda and Otrobanda. Built in 1888, the Queen Emma Bridge is supported by 16 pontoon boats and swings open laterally to allow ships to enter and leave the bay."   https://travel.usnews.com/Curacao/Things_To_Do/Queen_Emma_Pontoon_Bridge_62787/

The bridge did not open while we were there unfortunately. We walked around Punda for a bit and I was able to take a couple of pictures. 

I have no clue why this trio of birds were in a square but they were fun to see. And, here's a beautiful mural that was close to these birds. 

We found a bar to sit in and enjoy some adult beverages and free wifi.  As we walked back to the ship we realized the fuel spill we had been told about was still being cleaned up.  It was rather surprising to hear the captain on our ship announce in the morning that there was to be no smoking on any parts of the ship as there had been a fuel spill. Luckily, everyone was careful. It looked like most of the spill had been cleaned up as we walked back to our ship. (Evidently the fuel supplier had caused the spill when he was trying to fuel a different ship.) 

Here's another view of Punda and the St. Anna Bay taken from our verandah before we left the ship in the morning.  The short turquoise building to the left of the pink one might have been where we sat and enjoyed drinks and wifi. 

I'll share Cartegena, Columbia next week. 

I'm linking up with Oh Scrap, Monday Making, and Design Wall Monday.  Once I get my challenge piece done I'm going to spend some relaxing time seeing what people are working on. I'll get back and link up to Design Wall Monday after it posts. 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie 

Monday Meandering and OMG Success!

Here we are at the last weekend of February and I've actually finished my One Monthly Goals for the month with a half a week left.  My goals (yep, I gave myself two goals) and I finished both of them already.  First was finishing my entry in Country Piecemaker's Calendar Challenge.  Christmas Memories along with all of our Calendar Challenge quilts will be hung at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival this coming weekend. If you are going to Hampton Roads for the show see if you can find our Calendar Quilts.  I saw all of them when I turned mine in.  Here's mine just before I turned it in.

I chose to honor my great aunt Dora. Aunt Dora loved hand crafted items.  From as long as I can remember she would make family members beautifully Christmas ornaments, often from kits from Herrschners.  One year she must have raided her costume jewelry because all of our ornaments were strung beads with gold and silver trimmings.  Those ornaments have glowed on our trees ever since.  Aunt Dora continued making ornaments well into her 90s.  A wonderful crafty legacy for her family. 

Taking inspiration from a paper Christmas napkin, I paper pieced the tree sections.  They were hand appliqued to the backing.   I realized I could actually attached items to the scene using an invisible thread and my machine for the gifts and window. Decorating the tree was all done by hand.  

My second goal was to finish my Valentines Day table runner.  I used a feathered heart in each heart and then outline stitched each square.  I'm not sure why this picture makes the background look yellow -- it's definitely white.

Here is a close up of one heart.  I used Kona White to bind it.  I don't think I'm going to use Kona for binding again.  I had a hard time getting nice corners with it. I'll use something else next time a bind a quilt. 

I did really well on my weekly goals this past week. I actually worked on each project. 

February 18, 2019

Bind Valentines table runner√

Border first Granny blocks quilt√

Make more quarter square triangles√ 

Work on dog tumbler top√

Hand quilt on old Christmas quilt√

Here's what's up this week.  Not as much sewing but I've got several things planned. 

February 25, 2019

Quilt Granny Blocks Quilt

Bind red, white and blue 16 patch

Sew the quarter square triangles quilts together 

Go to QOV sew-in 

Attend genealogy gathering 

Attend Mid-Atlantic Quilt Show 

It's going to be a great week.  I'm hoping I can finish two quilts before the end of the month.  One needs the binding and other need quilting and binding. Time will tell if I succeed!

I'm linking up with my regular Monday linky parties and Elm Street Quilts for the February Finish link up. You can visit Oh Scrap, Monday Making, Main Crush Monday and Moving It Forward Monday. (I'll link up the other parties as they become available -- if I remember!) 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie

Goal Setting

It's time for the February goal for the One Monthly Goal blog. Heck, it's past time. I'm barely getting it posted in time. 

I'm going to have two goals for this month.  

First one up is my Calendar quilt from Country Piecemakers guild in Powhatan, Va. 

All of the calendar challenge quilts will be hung at the Mid Atlantic Quilt show at the end of February.  My deadline is to have it done in 3 days so I can turn it over at the CP meeting on Saturday.  Looking at this picture I've decided the window is too small. And, some of the presents need to be changed.  The tree is hand appliquéd and the other elements are ready to be appliquéd.  Hopefully by the end of today I'll have the quilt batted and backed.  I plan to do a little stitch in the ditch around the elements.  And then it will be on to decorating it. 

My next goal for this month is to quilt and bind my heart table runner from last year. 

Maybe I'll have it done before Valentine's Day.  If not at least it would be done and ready for next year. 

I'm linking up with Elm Street Quilts February Goal Setting post and Midweek Makers.  Spend some time looking at what people are working on these days. 

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie 

It's Quilt Show Time -- Alphabet Challenge

Once again the Faithful Circle Quilters have risen to a challenge.  Last year volunteers were given a brown bag with fabric in it.  The challenge was to make a Project Linus quilt with the fabric given (which had to be used on the front of the quilt) and use the alphabet some how.  All the quilts will be given to Project Linus of Howard County, Maryland.  Here's a few of the challenge quilts being shown at our quilt show. (If I know who made the quilt I have given their name.  Unfortunately, I didn't do a great job of figuring out who made which quilt.  I'll try to get the quilter's name on Saturday. These folks did such a great job they need to get a lot of accolades.)

Lauren Swanger's Quilt

My quilt: 

I hope to be able to post some more shots in some more of my posts.  Enjoy! 

I'm linking up with Needle and Thread Thursday and Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie 

Monday Meandering 2 - 26 - 2018

What a week!  I try to post a blog at least twice a week but that sure didn't happen last week.  It was a wonderful week but I'm ready for a slower pace this week!

First up was Bonnie Hunter's Jamestown Landing class.  I had a lot of the units ready to go so I was ahead of the game.  I was making string blocks in the morning with everyone else.  I had less than half of them done so it made sense to me to work on them.  

My featherweight in the midsts of sewing.  For once my area stayed fairly organized and neat. Well kind of neat

In the afternoon while Bonnie was teaching how to make the half triangle squares I sewed some together and made the broken dishes unit.  Since I am a stickler about ironing I really only got one block together.  However I did continue to make the units.  

Here are some of the finished blocks.  Mine is the light turquoise in the middle.  It amazed me how it really went well with the other colors. 

I got a kick out of these quilty looking shoes.  Sorry it isn't a great photo but I thought they were fun. 

Wednesday evening I went to Bonnie's trunk show.  I know I've seen many of the quilts in books or online but there is just something about seeing them in person. I'll try to remember to share a picture or two in upcoming blogs. 

I was able to sew on these blocks several times this week but not enough to make all that much progress.  I laughed at the one block I made on Thursday.  It was wrong by one turn of one piece.  Sigh. I've put this away for a few days so I can get some other things finished. 

Friday Mary and I went to the Mid-Atlantic Quilt show down in Hampton, Virginia.  We go for the day and enjoy the quilts and the vendors.  I had quite a shopping list and was ready to spend some money if I could find what I wanted.  In the end I was disappointed.  One thing I like to do is get my long arm thread at the Superior booth.  Turns out this year they had really cut back on the colors of So Fine thread they carried.  I had 6 cones I was interested in and they only had 2 of them.  The discount applied to 3 so I didn't get any of them.  Now, I'll have to find another source, hopefully one whose price is lower than Superior's online list price with reasonable shipping costs. 

I did buy a roll of Pellon batting that I've already cut off a hunk to use.  I like Pellon's bats, especially the ones with some poly in with the cotton.  I was able to buy a roll of 80/20 cotton/poly.  Getting it to Mary's car wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be!  

Saturday was a fast trip to Maryland to see Natalie play basketball.  She can't shoot but boy does that girl have hustle!  She's in a kindergarten league. It was a lot of fun to  watch the girls try to play basketball. Amazingly some of them can actually shoot baskets.  Natalie, not yet.  But with her hustle she'll probably be able to eventually. 

Sunday we stayed home.  Phew, I needed a day of rest.  Except I didn't.  I loaded up the backing for the Plus quilt and started quilting it.  I finished 3 rows (or was it 4?) and finally quit as I was tired. Here's a sneak peek.

This quilt, finished, is my One Monthly Goal.  I am really trying to get it finished by the end of the month.  And I am hoping the Alphabet Challenge quilt is completely done too.  Hopefully I will succeed! 

Usually I post my weekly goals on Monday.  I think I'll move them to a different day of the week.  Hum, now which day makes the most sense?  I'm still thinking about that so for now, my goals aren't going to be posted.  Just know that I am still working on them, diligently! 

That's it for me now. With any luck I will remember to share my purchases from the last week. I'm looking forward to spending a bit of time cruising on the Internet this week since I didn't do much of that last week!  I'm linking up with my regular Monday linky parties: Oh Scrap, Monday Making, Moving It Forward, and Main Crush Monday. 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie 

Monday Meanderings 2 - 19 - 2018

Progress is being made on the Alphabet Challenge quilt.  I've got one more "word" to stitch on the top border and then it is on to the bottom border.  

Once the top and bottom borders are done I can bind it and call it done!  Hopefully by the end of this month.  

Big thanks go out to our granddaughter, Natalie, for buying us flowers yesterday.  We had a quick lunch with them and then off to watch her big sister's basketball game.  Then we zipped home (note -- you NEVER can zip home traveling on I 95.  It was a mess for part of the way.) Then we met my best friend from high school for dinner.  We've been in touch infrequently but whenever we get together we have a great time.  They live about an hour north west of us.  It was so much fun to catch up and remember previous times together.  

You might notice I'm not sharing much on the quilting front.  Yes, I've been working away but lots of what I've been working on are half square triangles and string blocks.  You've heard about them -- a lot. You've seen them -- a lot.  I'm closing in on the 840 (or was it 860?) I need to make.  I think I just need to make another 150 or so.  I still need 100 of the string blocks. Not my favorite but I am plugging away on it.  And, surprise!  Tomorrow is the class.  Hopefully I will take some pictures to share from it and the Bonnie Hunter lecture the next night.

And, then there is the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival on Friday.  I've got 2 and a half months of pent up shopping to do.  I've got a list. I'm motivated -- we'll see if I go wild or not.  What 2 and a half months you ask? I haven't bought any fabric since November -- right after Thanksgiving.  Yea, I've got pent up shopping motivation!  

My goals got mostly done this past week.  And my list is pretty selective this week since so much else is going on. 

February 12, 2018

Sew more triangles and string blocks for class√

Sew plus quilt together√

Send Valentine’s cards to the grands√

Keep sewing on the Alphabet Challenge√

Work on Taps quilt

February 19, 2018

Prep for and attend Bonnie Hunter’s Jamestown Landing class (Whoop! Whoop!)

Attend Bonnie’s lecture

Attend Mid-Atlantic Quilt Show

Finish hand sewing on Alphabet Challenge

Put borders on Taps Quilt

Make 2 pillowcases

I'm linking up with my regular parties today: Oh Scrap, Monday Making, Moving it Forward and Main Crush Monday. I'll be sneaking time this week to see what's up with quilters around the Internet.  I'm really hoping I don't find some wonderful quilt I just have to make. I've got enough going and UFOs for now! 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie