Class Time

Wednesday I attended an all day class with Debby Kratovil with Virginia Star Quilt Guild.  The morning class was Pyramids using a 60º ruler with the afternoon session called Fractured Jewels using leftovers from making the Pyramids piece.  I was happy to attend as it had been scheduled in 2020 and was canceled due to Covid.  It was great fun and nice to get together with quilters again.  

I was losing steam during the afternoon. But I was able to get two of these rows of these pyramid pieces sewn by the end of class. (These were just laid out in this picture.) 

I used set of ombre batik strips.  I am tickled with what I've done so far but I haven't been able to spend any more time on them yet.  

Here's Karen's version in progress. It was fun to see all the different fabrics used to make this little wall hanging.  I'm going to see if I have enough fabric to make mine a little bigger.  Or perhaps I have some other batiks I could add in. 

I came home to eat dinner and rest a bit before going back to the regular monthly guild meeting.  Debby was the guest speaker and shared a Power Point of her quilts along with some actual quilts that showed her great patterns and ideas.  Here's a link to her blog to see what else she is doing.  She designs patterns for various fabric manufacturers and her own line of patterns.

The other big accomplishment this week is finishing the secret project including quilting and binding it.  Check back in on Sunday to see what I have been working on. 

On the home front we've found a new home.  No, we aren't moving.  We have a cardinal nest in our holly tree right outside our 3 season room.  Pat sits out there and was able to watch the cardinal make the nest.  The tree is in bloom and there are bees buzzing all around.  We haven't seen much of the cardinal.  But bonus!  There was an egg in there yesterday or so.  I'll try to get a picture of it soon.  The egg is beautifully speckled.  

I'm linking up to the following Linky parties: 

Wednesday Wait Loss 

Needle and Thread Thursday

Finished or Not Friday

Beauties Pageant

Check out what makers are doing across the web. And, excitement, my improv beginning was featured on this week's Wednesday Wait Loss.  

I hope you can come back Sunday for the reveal of my secret project is.  I can't wait to share it with you. 

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie 

On a Roll!

This is at least the third Friday in a row I've posted a finish to the blog.  Whoot! Whoot!

A while ago I bought a collection of purple fabrics through Sew It's for Sale. A groups.io group that is dedicated to selling and buying sewing "stuff."  I've bought thread, patterns, and fabric from individuals who are selling their "stuff." I bought a couple of collections from one gal over the years.  Now I keep trying to use the purple fabric, in particular.  Here's one I've recently finished. 

The "purple fabric" I bought was actually pink with the purple rocking horses.  It was in strips so I cut several to add to the yellow and purple solid I had on hand. 

Pattern: My variation on MaryQuilts' quilt Quick Strippie.

Quilt Design: Ginger Heart by Apricot Moon.    

Thread: White Omni by Superior Threads.

Aren't the azalea peeking out gorgeous?  It's one bush that blooms in both light and dark pink. 

Although I don't remember doing it I probably show it every spring because it is just so beautiful!

I have enough of the baby fabric to make another strippie.  The fabric on the right is one I purchased from Marshall Dry Goods.  You can read about the fabric here. I've been really happy with it.  Eventually I will buy more from them but mostly go withs.  

While I was snapping the quilt pictures there was a robin that was really irritated with me.  Here he is on our neighbor's fence. He was hopping around and chirping at me.  I'm guessing she? has a nest in the backyard somewhere.  (Truth be told, I didn't even go all the way down the stairs from the deck!) Hum, I wonder if she is the one that ate all the berries off the holly tree in the winter?

Today I'm off to a friend's house and attend guild meeting.  We're learning how to use the Deb Tucker's Studio 180 LeMoyne star ruler.  I've already made one but I figure when I have access to a certified teacher I'll learn some cool tips on how to make it perfectly.

I'm linking up to my regular parties: Midweek Makers, Needle and Thread Thursday, Can I Get a Whoop, Whoop?, Finished or Not Friday, and Beauties Pageant. Wow!  That should keep us busy for a while won't it?  Hope everyone can visit a few more blogs this weekend! 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie 

Monday Meanderings 2 - 24 - 2020

Lots of stitching got done this week.  Nearly everyday I spent time in the studio.  Be prepared for some peeks at what I got done. 

First up a flannel monkey quilt that I made with my friend Marlyn.  I didn't get a pic of it finished but here it is on Ruthie.  I used Modernish 3 by Barbara Becker.  It's available from Urban Elementz.  We started and finished it in 8 days! Lucky for Marlyn all the fabrics were from her stash.  I found a bunch of flannel in my fabrics so we've started another one.  But, we won't be that fast. 

Next up is the Challenge quilt from Faithful Circle Quilters.  Participants were given a bag of fabric and were told to make a quilt.  The finished quilts will be donated to the charity of our choice after being shown in FCQ's show this April.  My bag had a big piece of dog fabric (3 yards if I remember correctly), a 1/2 yard of big elephants, a slew of partially used solid fat quarters in browns, blacks and cream.  There were two metallic fabrics and a couple of multicolored geometric pieces.  I am focusing on the dog fabrics and the go with browns and cream.  Here's what I've done so far. 

 This is considered one block.  It will finish at 16" in the quilt.  I'm planning on setting it 3 x 4 which will end up 48 x 64".  If I have enough left of the dog fabric I might try to make it larger.  But I suspect I will run through all of the doggy fabric and all the go-with fabrics.  I've already been cutting up some of my solids that will work.  (Hey, I'm always up for using up older fabric!)  Half of the larger pieces have been cut horizontal so that the smaller blocks will be either on top of the bigger piece or underneath it.  It should work well to highlight the dog fabric.  It needs to be completed before the gals come for the In House Retreat in March.  The gals from Columbia can take it up to FCQ along with the quilts I'm entering in the show. 

I've also been knitting like a fiend.  One of the gals in the stitching group at our clubhouse mentioned there was a need for fingerless mitts for chemo patients.  She shared the pattern and I've been knitting up some leftover yarn that works fine for these.  First up the first pair I made. (This is a more mellow color than what the pic shows.)  I took these on vacation to finish but couldn't figure out where I'd put them.  I finally decided I must have left them on the ship.  No, I had them hiding beside my dresser out of view.  

I've made two other pairs since these.  Here's fourth pain on my needles now.  (And, no these aren't really teal -- they are kelly green!) This is such an easy pattern to make up.  I usually can finish a pair in 4 nights of watching TV for 2 hours a night.  I like the idea of using the yarn I have on hand for a good cause.  One pair I made the ribbing of the cuff and fingers a different color but decided that didn't work so well.  (plus I pretty much ran out of the extra color and had to make the second one slightly different.) 

I plan to stop working on these after I finish the green pair because I still have a 20 year old quilt I'm hand quilting.  I would LOVE to get that thing done.  I haven't touched it for quite a while but I "think" I'm getting close to the end.  

When last I left my "travelog" we were in Panama sightseeing around the Panama Canal and Lake Gatùn.  Here is a collection of animals I photographed in Panama and Cartegena, Columbia.  When the tour bus returned to the cruise dock we were let off quite a distance from the ship.  We had to go through a little forested area and a shop to be able to walk back to our ship.  I was complaining about having to walk so far until I saw these peacocks. 

I decided this was pretty cool and took several pictures of the various animals there. These parrots were especially beautiful. 

And, how about a flock of flamingos? 

The next three pictures were taken while on our tour after we went through the Panama Canal.  First up is a sloth that was lazing away in a tree in a nature walk at the Panama Canal Expansion Visitor Center. Yes, I took this picture.  Since they don't move much I was able to get a pretty decent picture of him (her?) 

There were beautiful butterflies flitting around too.  When they landed on a leaf or branch they closed their wings so they pretty much blended in with the tree.  But when they were flying around their beautiful vivid blue on top of the wings showed. I tried to talk one into posing but he just wasn't interested in it! 

Next we took a small boat tour around a cove on Gatùn Lake.  And, golly gee!  We sighted another sloth. Our guide said one was a two toed and the other a three toed.  Ok, I admit, I can't see the toes on either of these guys.  

As we motored around the lake our guide was watching for other interesting animals to share with us.  We did see an alligator but he was pretty hard to see and my picture barely got him.  We also saw several monkeys cavorting in the trees.  Here's the "best" shot I could get on any of them! 

Yep, he's got his back to us sitting in the tree.  After we finished the boat tour of the lake we took a walk in the rainforest.  I took quite a lot of pictures but nearly all of them were trees or vegetation and I have no idea why I took the pictures.  I'll save you from the tree pictures!

I'm linking up with my regular linky parties: Oh Scrap, Monday Making, and Design Wall Monday.  I'm hoping I can spend a bit more time browsing the internet this week.  I'm looking forward to going to the Mid Atlantic Quilt Show in Hampton, Va on Thursday.  Since our local quilt shop went out of business, I've got a pent up desire to buy some things.  (um, did I mention I bought some solid red and solid blue cottons for a QOV and a hunk of flannel for a backing of the next flannel quilt?)  It is not going to be a pretty month when I report my fabric use statistics in March.  Sigh.  But, when I try to grab go with fabrics for some of my fabrics I just don't have all that much.  

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie 

Reuse!

Some people know that I am a semi-fanatic recycler.  Pat and I both make an effort to live green.  Heck, we have huge solar panels that help supply the electricity to our house.  So, what do you do when the lovely satin coat hangers you have had for ages start to fall apart?  

Well, I recovered them.  I have had one or two hangers taking up space on my cutting table for too long.  Earlier this week I decided it made sense to actually recover one, especially since I had a new knit cover ready.  I used leftover yarn and cast on 25 stitches.  I did the stocking knit stitch (pearl a row, knit a row) until it looked like it would cover the coat hanger.  But wait, these had been nicely padded coat hangers.  Yep, I could recycle some left over batting to make this a padded coat hanger. 

First I wound 2 1/2" strips around the wooden part.  I put an extra piece to cover each end.  I did that twice, I had a pretty big knit cover to get on it.  Next, I put a big piece of batting over it all to control the strips. See that hole in the batting below?  I actually got a whole punch out and made that.  I think I'd just cut a slit next time. 

Next, I whip stitched the batting down making a smoothly covered coat hanger. My, doesn't that look nice?  

Finally, I put the cover on.  I just folded it in half length-wise and width-wise to figure out where to put the hook part through.  Again, I whip stitched the knit cover which will keep it on the coat hanger.  Darn, I should have thought about the fact that this particular coat hanger has the hook covered with pink plastic. 

So, I should have left the second wrapping of strips off.  This coat hanger looks like its been taking steroids for too long.  I have quite a few wonderful coat hangers my grandmother made which I patterned this one on.  Many are falling apart so I will be knitting new covers for them.  Wait until you see the next one. Grandma used some type of foam to cover the hanger and it is still in really good shape despite the knit cover falling apart.  The great thing about these covers is they aren't slippery.  It you have a garment made of a slippery fabric it won't fall off the sides.  I can remember looking in my grandma's closets and all of her dresses were hung on these.  This is a great way to use up bits of left over yarn, batting and get some nice padded hangers. 

We had a bit of snow overnight.  The birds weren't really happy about it as I think it froze this feeder so they couldn't get to the seed. It's pretty much all melted off now. And the birds keep swooping in. 

I'm trying a new linky party today.  Click here to go to Needle and Thread Thursday.  Or the link below to find out more about it.  


I'm planning on working on a UFO today.  I hope to get the top completely sewn together.  Of course, I also need to clean off the cutting table -- it's a mess! I'll need to stay focused on this!  

Happy Quilting All! 

Catch these birds

We were eating breakfast and looked up to see George looking through the sliding glass doors.  George visits several of the restaurants in the morning searching for hand outs.  

Here he is in all his glory.  The second day, George got lucky because people at an adjacent table left some food out for him.  He rather turned his beak up at the eggs but chowed down on the toast.  Can't blame him re - eggs.... he probably isn't much of a cannibal!  

When we were at the Mayan ruins of Tolum we noticed this bird up in the trees.

  Didn't get exact name of him but he is some type of jay.  

While wandering the streets of Key West we found 

ROOSTERS!  

They were just hanging out.  Should have taken more pics of them but did get this showy guy. 

When we got home our birds had eaten through the seed in the feeder and were very happy when we refilled it.  Of course, I don't think they like this bird seed as much as the stuff we had been buying.  They seem to pick out the sunflower seeds and leave the rest.  

I am working on a postcard swap for one of the groups I am in.  I hope to have it done today.  I've done the back, put on a base fabric so just need to decorate.  I might even try a bead or two -- I bought some.  It may make it difficult to mail though.  I'll keep you posted.  

I've also been knitting like crazy.  I am working on a new pair of socks while listening to a book on my mp3. But, I should be watching Mama Mia from Netflicks.  Maybe this morning.  

Happy quilting all!  Bonnie