Where did the week go?

I can't believe it's been a week since I last posted.  We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with our 3 adults kids, two spouses, 4 (!!!) grandchildren and my 89 yr old mom (who is still living on her own and driving, which is a scary thought, to tell you the truth!).  It was nice.  Everyone got along, which is no small feat.

Ever have a problem with adult kids either not getting along?? I'm not going to get into any in depth conversation today but I just wanted you to know how much I appreciated our calm and mostly fun Thanksgiving.  I hope yours was equally wonderful, whether you had company, stayed home or went to a restaurant with just the two of you (or by yourself!!).

My dh and I went up to Napa on Sunday and went wine tasting (one of our favorite things to do.  No, I'm not an alcoholic!!  We enjoy buying -- and drinking-- wine!  VBG).  Napa is a beautiful place to visit, especially off-season.  I saw this in one of the wineries.  I have a lot of corks I've been saving for Emma's preschool and think I could put this together.  Isn't it really darling???  Definitely NOT for $295, though!

I have done a little sewing.  The next Primitive Gatherings block was finished while we were driving up to Napa.  You may notice that two leaves are a bit lighter... GRRR.  When I was almost done, I realized I was missing two leaves so I had to wait until I got home and found some scrap wool to use.  Oh well.

My DiFord Mountmellick quilt is not getting done very quickly.  I did cut the first border stripe and settled on the half moons;  then I started playing around with flowers. They are just glued on to play around with the colors.  I didn't realize how popular this quilt was.  There is apparently a Facebook group (should I be surprised??) which did this quilt when it was first published.  

My quilt of valor is the project I've been working on in my spare time.  It's been challenging because I don't have a pattern.  I saw the quilt online and am replicating it.  I think I mentioned that it's a Primitive Gatherings pattern and when I called them to ask them the width of their strips, they REFUSED to tell me, letting me know I could BUY the pattern.  I was disappointed, to tell you the truth.  I decided to just keep my strips at 2" cut, but then I'm cutting the squares down to 7-1/2".  My challenge has been the light triangles.  They are actually squares and I'm sewing them on as squares.  I'm not used to sewing setting triangles as squares!! vbg.  I will just chop them off after all the rows are sewn together.  I'm liking it and It's great to be using up some fabrics I had gotten for another project (a kit) I have no intention of making!! I'm sure this quilt isn't making a dent in my stash (seriously!) but I did get rid of the kit I had, so that's a good thing!

Can you believe it's December already???  

Holiday goof ups??

I just read a funny article online about holiday screwups and I thought I'd ask you to share your funniest mistakes at a  holiday.

I'll tell you mine:

Several years ago, we were up at the cabin in Oregon for Thanksgiving.  There wasn't enough room in the refrigerator for everything so I put the pumpkin pie into a cooler sitting on ice in the garage.  When we went to eat it, all the ice had melted and the pumpkin pie was SUBMERGED in water.  Talk about soggy!!!  My kids will never let me forget that one!

What about you?  Ever done anything that didn't quite work out as you'd planned???

Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday, whether you are sharing it with friends or family, large gatherings or small, at home or out... it's a time to reflect on how lucky we are to have all that we have.  

I am blessed in so many ways, not the least of which is having you in my life, as a friend I know I can always count on. 

 I had some rough spots this summer and I was touched beyond measure by the outpouring of love and support from the few bloggers I had shared my pain with, women who I had never met in real life, but you nonetheless went out of your way to offer a helping hand.  I know I could count on all of you and I hope you feel the same way about me.  Much love to you now and forever!

A little sewing, a little babysitting!

My son and his wife had their baby last Sunday so I've been pretty busy helping them out.  I stayed over in their apartment (on the couch... vbg) for 3 nights and thereby let my son sleep all night and I got up with the baby and the new mom.  I was pretty tired!  My son is adamant about not letting me post any pictures of the baby so I'm sorry.  Let me tell you that he's really cute, though!

And then I went on Friday and picked up the 3 darlings who spent the weekend with us.  WHEW!! 

I am in between projects, having finished the baby quilt last week.  I HATE being in between-- never know exactly what to do. Should I pick up a UFO or start something new??? Know what I mean??

I decided to tackle this quilt I've been planning since I bought the pattern in April from Quiltmania.  This was a mystery last year, which I didn't participate in.  They had an exhibit of many versions of the quilt and I thought it was just a gorgeous quilt.




I know it looks pretty abysmal and my handles aren't symmetrical!  Story of my quilting life!  I'm sewing all the pieces down with machine appliqué, so it'll go faster.  Next step is the flowers, which are broderie purse.  I have a wonderful DiFord fabric I bought in Wisconsin earlier this year that I'm planning to use.  This is definitely a slow project!

While I was helping with the new baby, I did work on another Primitive Gatherings wool appliqué block!~

This has really been a fun project, I must admit!  There are 12 of these little ones and I think I've done 7.

Then I decided I'd make a quilt of valor quilt, using a picture of a quilt I loved from Primitive Gatherings.  Problem is that I couldn't figure out the size of the strips.  I cut them 2" but I think they are too wide.  I'm not loving the size of the blocks... 8"!

It's a really cute quilt and I may call them tomorrow to ask them the width of the strips.  Maybe they're 1- 1/2"??

On another note, I went into a shop that used to be a Noah's bagels the other day.  They now sell cupcakes (yummy!) and I couldn't believe how fabulous the floor was.  I never noticed it when Noah's was there!  VBG

Very cute, don't you think??

speaking of hexies, my new Quiltmania project has 4 hexie flowers in the corners and I don't have the precut hexies that are the right size.  I need 7/8" finished... 28 of them.  Do you have that size?  I'll be happy to pay you.

Hoping to get some sewing done this week.  Having a grandchild with your son, rather than your daughter, makes a HUGE difference.  ;-)  We went over today to see them and my son made sure I wasn't thinking of staying overnight this week again!!  hmmmppphhhhh...

And then it's Thanksgiving on Thursday and we will have all the kids as well as my mother! The age range is from 89 to 1 week!! SWEET.  Is that 4 generations?  Or 3?  Not sure but it's still impressive.  I'm going to make sure we get a family picture of everyone together even though I always wind up twisting arms to get everyone to cooperate.  Ridiculous!!

Quilt works small quilt show in October

Last month, when we visited our cabin in Oregon, I went to see the little quilt show that's always changed every month at Quiltworks.  (if you are ever in Bend, make sure you take the time to stop in at Marilyn's wonderful shop and go upstairs to see the monthly quilt show!! well worth the stop!).

Here were some of my favorites:

pretty amazing quilting going on in these quilts!

And the winners are...

thank you to everyone for throwing your names into the hat to win the two Primitive Gatherings little wool appliqué kits.

The winners are:

Michelle and Scrappy101.

I have Michelle's email address but I need Scrappy101's.  I need your snail mail addresses.  Email me:  randyiris@gmail.com


I finished the baby quilt just in time!  My son's wife went into labor this morning!  We are heading over to the hospital in a little while.

This is made of 4" squares of fabrics which are kiddie in nature and/or related to things my son and his wife enjoy (i.e., biking), hockey and baseball.  I'm going to deliver it to the LAQ next week.

Now I still need to make baby Jack (now 2-1/2") his baby quilt because once my daughter finds out that new baby's quilt is already done, she will not be happy!

What to work on next?  I hate being in between projects!

My Circa 2016 and little wool applique blocks

I finally got my Circa 2016 top all put together in a way that I am quite pleased with it.  I changed the setting fabrics, the outer border and the arrangement of the borders.  Other than that, it's almost like the pattern.  VBG. Of course I have to change it... following directions was never my strong suit!! ;-) 


I thought the half square triangles were too small and I liked the idea of repeating the hour glass blocks.  I didn't like the grey in the center, even though I love the fabric.  I cut them all out and laid it out and thought it was too dark. (note to self for the future: don't cut them all out-- audition first!).  I had a light print to replace the setting squares/triangles with.  I also didn't like the grey in the center on the border and happened to locate in my stash a French General fabric with pink and grey. VOILÁ!!

When my dh and I drove up to the cabin in Oregon a couple of weeks ago, I worked on the Primitive Gatherings little wool appliqué blocks (are you interested in receiving one?? See my last post on Monday for giveaway info!).


My appliqué stitches aren't perfect -- but they are good enough. vbg






The centers of these flowers need french knots or something else!


For some reason, this one didn't come out exactly according to plan!

I use Valdani threads which are mostly variegated.  I go back and forth between wanting the thread to match exactly and wanting it to complement the piece being appliquéd.

There are 12 small  5" blocks;  the rest of them are all cut out and ready for sewing--I've got them in the car to take with me when my daughter in law goes into labor!~~  There is also a very large center block which I've yet to tackle, as well as a fairly elaborate outer border--all wool appliquéd, of course!

And, on that front, I've started working on a baby quilt for the new little one.  I'm hoping to get it done this week, before he arrives!

Remember if you are interested in the GIVEAWAY of the Primitive Gatherings little summer freebie wool appliqué giveaway, send me a comment with your email address, please!!

GIVEAWAY!

As I mentioned yesterday, I received duplicate kits of the Primitive Gatherings freebie patterns with wool and I'm delighted to offer them to anyone who would like to do something with them.    





They finish at 5" and the kits come with the full size pattern and all the wool you'll need (as well as the background).

All you'll need is the material of your choice (I've been using Soft Fuse, but you can also use Steam a Seam Lite 2, or whatever you prefer) to trace the pattern pieces onto the wool.

Please leave me a comment with your email address (!!) and I'll pick a winner for each on Friday (depending on baby's arrival, of course).

Next up will be my finished Circa 2016, which I just love!!

More Shelburne Museum quilts - Part III

Here are the quilts that are in the Shelburne Museum collection.  They are all seen only through glass.  They are displayed in large "pockets" similar to the way you'd see posters displayed.  So please forgive me if they aren't great shots or if they have some reflection showing.


































There were two kid quilts that I just loved!


They are row by row quilts, I think!


As I was racing through the building, I saw these samplers that were amazing, as well.




postage stamp quilt...


not quilt related but an adorable hat box display!~  The Shelburne Museum was really an amazing experience and place to visit.  Thanks to Wendy Reed and Cyndi Black for taking me along;  thanks to all those women in the AQSG who allowed me to join in for the day.  It was an experience I will never forget!

And while not from Vermont, here are Lori and I, meeting for coffee in Bend last week!



Here is a quilt I made as a donation for some friends in Hawaii.  I usually bring it in person but we aren't going this month since I'm awaiting the arrival of our new grandson, due Friday!!  This will be grandchild #4. I  am so lucky!!


It started out as a wall hanging, but I felt that at 48", it was too wide to hang on a wall so I added 7 rows on the top and bottom.  I needed it done ASAP and my friend Claire graciously allowed me to use her new APQS longarm last weekend and I did a quick, overall stipple (not very artfully done, but good enough!).  Off it went into the mail on Monday.

I was babysitting both Emma (4) and Jack (2) all last week because the sitter was off.  We had a great time.  One place I took them was to the zoo in San Jose.  Of course, I got little to no sewing done.  But at what price?  Priceless!





My next project to show you is my Circa 2016.  I'm changing it up a little bit and trying to finish all my extra touches.  I also have been doing a little wool applique and am anxious to share those blocks with you as well.  I have the rest of the blocks all kitted up and am planning to take them with me to the hospital when my son's wife goes into labor and I am at the hospital waiting the baby's arrival!

The blocks were part of the Primitive Gatherings summer block of the week (that's a misnomer--there were 44 blocks/week), to which they threw in these freebie wool applique 5" blocks.  They inadvertently sent me three duplicates and I'm going to give them away this week.  I'll post the pictures next. Keep an eye open if you are interested in doing some little wool applique blocks.  You could make them into a very nice pin cushion or a small little wall hanging.