Lots of baby time!

Since my daughter had her baby nearly 2 weeks ago, I've spent almost all my time at her house, trying to help out. It's been fabulous.  I've really enjoyed the time, which is very special and fleeting!  Yesterday, my daughter came down to our house for an appointment she'd arranged with a photographer she's used before.  This is just one of the pictures I took with my phone...I haven't yet seen what the photographer took but this one is my favorites:

 I can't figure out how to turn the picture, but you get the idea!

One of the other benefits has been all the time I've spent with Ryan. Yesterday I took him to the park and had to snap a picture. Generally the weather in San Francisco in the summer is cold and foggy. But yesterday was picture perfect!

Mark and I are heading up to Sunriver later today for the week so I expect to get lots of sewing done!

And don't forget that the next Sow-A-Long blocks are going to be posted on Wednesday!!  BE READY!!

Love to you all,
Randy

Just Takes Forever blocks

I had a little time yesterday to work on my JT4ever blocks. I still need to do the Aug 15 blocks to be current. I'm loving the project but these blocks continue to challenge me!!

Hope you're having a great week!
Love to you all
Randy

Scrap winners are....

So many of you have been so generous in making donations towards my son's fundraising efforts for the MS Bike ride.  I can't tell you how much I appreciate it.  In an effort to properly thank you, I have drawn 4 names out of the many who donated!  Can you please send me your snail mail address??

Jo Crabtree
Kim Brandt
Janet Olsen (you'd think I'd have kept it, hunh??)
Norma Wlos

And just so you know, I've actually been doing SOME sewing.  Here is one block from a project I'm anxious to work on.  It's going to be a picnic blanket from a recent Quiltmania issue.  Thanks to Debbie Dodge, DarLynn Venne and Pat Riley for making me some blocks, even though I wasn't really in the swap. It will have homespun strips on the corners to square it up. It's absolutely adorable and I can't wait to show you the finished product!!

While in the hospital during my daughter's labor, I was working on a pair of socks I've been knitting. I'll show you those once I get them done...was a lot easier knitting than having a baby, I'll tell ya that!! :-)

Love to you all,
Randy

Baby Girl Emma was born Friday

I'm happy to report that our daughter had her baby on Friday morning.  The darling girl is named Emma Audrey and she is healthy and beautiful.  What do you think??

I have been spending most of my time at their house, although we did get to have Ryan stay with us over the weekend while Rachel was still in the hospital.  Lest you think I am ignoring him, here's a picture of him while he was visiting us:

Thanks to all who donated to my son's fundraising effort for MS.  I will draw a winner tomorrow and let you know who gets some of  my scraps. I might even draw a couple of winners!~!

On another note, today is my 35th wedding anniversary.  It is kind of amazing to think it's been so many years; it sure doesn't feel like it.  If you would've told me that, on the day I got married, 35 years later, I'd be sitting in my daughter's house with her son and new baby, I'd never have believed it. But that's life.  It's all good. We've had a great life; I love my husband dearly and would marry him all over again. What more can you ask for?

Love to you all,
Randy

Keeping busy

I have been very busy sewing various projects.  I am finally able to share one picture with you.

This is a top from a pattern written by my friend Pat Riley.  It's called "Road Less Traveled Too" and is available from her shop, Life's A Stitch.  It was fast, easy and I love it. I am going to quilt it today.

Hope you're having a great week.

Love to you all,
Randy

GIVEAWAY with donation

Here's a novel idea:
I am asking you if you would be willing to make a donation (even $5 works) towards my son's fundraising efforts for a bike ride for MS in September. It's a 2 day 125 mile ride from San Francisco to Sonoma.  He needs to raise money in order to qualify so any amounts are appreciated.

His name is Benjamin Nordstrom.  Here is his link to the MS Ride.

If you donate any amount, I am going to put your name into a drawing for a free box of scraps!  I will STUFF a priority mail box (the small one will hold a LOT of fabric) and send it off to one winner for every 10 donations!!!

How's that for a deal???  I hope you will feel generous enough to make a donation towards this very important fundraising efforts. We are grateful for any amount, however small!!

Thanks very much for considering.
Love to you all,
Randy

Third Wednesday of August: SOW-A-LONG day

Hi everyone,
I hope you are having a great week and are all caught up. It's time for the next three blocks in our Sow-A-Long.

MOSAIC

Background:   Cut (6) 2" squares, cut on the diagonal ONCE
Dark:                cut (6) 2" squares, cut on the diagonal ONCE
We are making 12 hsts, 1-1/2" unf, 1" fin.

Background:   cut (4) 2" squares, cut on the diagonal ONCE
Dark:                cut (4) 2" squares, cut on the diagonal ONCE

Background #2:  Cut (2) 3" squares, cut on the diagonal ONCE
Dark #2:               Cut (2) 3" squares, cut on the diagonal ONCE

Each unit, when sewn together, should measure 3-1/2".

DARTING BIRD SET

We are making 4 sets. For each set:

Background:   Cut (2) 2" squares
Dark:                Cut (2) 2" squares
You are making 4 hsts, 1-1/2" unf, 1" fin.

Background:  Cut (1) 2" square, cut on the diagonal ONCE
                         Cut (1) 1-1/2" square
Dark:               Cut (1) 3" square, cut on the diagonal ONCE (you will have one extra triangle)
                        Cut (1) 1-1/2" square

You may decide to rearrange them in different directions, as in the Barrister's Block!


CHAINED STAR

Background:      Cut (4) 1-1/2" squares
Dark/medium:    Cut (4) 1-1/2" squares
These are the directions for TWO sets of 4-patches.  You need a total of 5 sets---
two sets:  background/medium
two sets:  background/dark
one set:    dark/medium

Background:     Cut (1) 3-1/4" square, cut on the diagonal TWICE
Dark #2:            Cut (2) 3-1/4" squares, cut on the diagonal TWICE
Medium #2:      Cut (1) 3-1/4" square, cut on the diagonal TWICE

Piece together to make 4 quarter square triangles, 2-1/2" unf, 2" fin. Be careful of placement so that background is on the outside and medium #2 is surrounding your center 4-patch.

That's it for this week! These blocks are looking awesome. I'm so glad that everyone is enjoying this process.

Have a great rest of the week. Be back  with new blocks on Sept. 5, by which time I will have a new granddaughter!! I'm still hoping my daughter will want to give me Ryan after her baby is born...even temporarily!

Love to you all,
Randy

Teaser

I don't mean to be a big tease, but just want to remind you that the newest blocks for the Sow-a-Long are being posted early tomorrow morning!

Hope you're ready!!
Love to you all,
Randy

Morning farmers market

I love the veggies and their colors at the local farmers market on Sunday!

Last quilt show pictures

Lori inspired me to share some pictures from the teachers' tent at the Sisters Quilt show, which feels like it was ages ago.  Here are 3 of my favorites:

This was painted on canvas and mounted!

This was like broderie perse...applique

My all-time favorite! It's all quilting. The most amazing thing is that the back side of the quilt shows exactly the same images as the front! Her bobbin thread copied the front design exactly!


I hope everyone has a great weekend. We are anxiously awaiting my new granddaughter's birth, which could be any day!  Will keep you posted.  Get those Sow-a-long block DONE!!

Love to you all,

Randy

First Wednesday of August - Sow-A-Long

FINALLY!! You are going to be so excited by this set of blocks! Hopefully you will feel that it was worth the wait!! I love them!


HANDWEAVE:


Background:  Cut (12) 1-1/4" x 2" rectangles
Dark:           cut (4) 2" squares (red corners)
Medium:       cut (4) 2" squares (my green)
2nd medium: cut (1) 2" square (center)
2nd dark:      cut (4) 1-1/4" squares

MISSOURI STAR:


Background:   cut (4) 2" squares (corners)


Background:   cut (1) 4-1/4" square; cut on the diagonal TWICE
Medium:        cut (2) 2-3/4" squares, cut on the diagonal TWICE
Dark:            cut (2) 2-3/4" squares, cut on the diagonal TWICE
  These are to make the "flying geese". You need to piece the "geese". Note that I made a mistake and switched one pair of triangles around. You need to be consistent.  Fortunately I caught it and fixed it before I sewed it together.


2nd dark:     cut (1) 2-5/8" square (center)
2nd medium:cut (2) 2-1/2" squares, cut on the diagonal ONCE
  You are making a square in a square.  It will measure 3-1/2" unf, 3" fin.



see my mistake in the flying geese on the left side? The dark triangles should be adjacent to the center square in a square!

Before correction

BOXES AND BASKETS:


Background:   Cut (6) 2" squares
Medium:        cut (6) 2" squares, you are making 12 hsts, 1" fin, 1-1/2" unf.


Background:   cut (4) 1-1/2 x 2-1/2" rectangles


2nd Medium:   cut (1) 2-1/2" square (center)
3rd medium:   cut (1) 3-1/4" square, cut on the diagonal TWICE
Dark:             cut (2) 3" squares, cut on the diagonal ONCE
Using 2nd medium (center) and 3rd medium, make a square in a square. It's 3-1/4" unf,  2-3/4" fin; add the dark to create another square around the square. It is 4-1/2" unf, 4" fin.

That's it for this week. I hope you are having fun doing this project. I laid my blocks out so I could see how they were looking. I have to admit that I am liking it. I'm not sure how I'm going to set them: sashing v. no sashing. I think I need more yellow and maybe blue!  

One of these days I'll figure out the link thing and we can share our blocks. Thanks for following along. Even if you're behind, keep doing how ever many you can do. Even one is better than none!


Love to you all,
Randy