I love to share my Quilting projects with other Quilters. My goal is to share my progress on projects that I am working on. I would love for you to follow along with me during my endeavors. I hope you enjoy watching me tackle new techniques and projects. Hopefully you can learn from my "hiccups" and mistakes and make your journey easier.
Greetings to all Traditional Quilters! I did a post regarding how our quilting world has changed. Check it out here!
Now on how I am doing with my hand work in the last 3 weeks. Not as fast as I would have liked to but the Vitamin D is kicking in and I am now getting a great Tan sitting in the sun 15 minutes each day. So here goes with progress!
Dresden Heaven now has 35 plates sewn to the background! I chose to work on quilting my UFO stack of tops to be quilted rather than working on the plates. I will start on them after I go take my “nap” on Wednesday at the Endoscopy Table!
in the meantime Autumn Jubilee is a finish! Binding and all! I love this quilt even with the bottom left corner. Humbling to have to show you Boo Boo’s. LOL
Next on the list was the Red, White and Blue Log Cabin Quilt. I am now sewing the binding on. Hope to have it completed tomorrow. Today was another busy day.
Quilted
A Bountiful Life. I have not progressed a lot on this block. Now my thought is to ditch it and do it over with different leaves. I selected the fabric a few years back. Must have been a day before Cataract Surgeries because I do not like it! Time will tell what happens on this one. Either the trash can or finish it.
Again Check out my previous post from this afternoon. Lots of goodies in it!
Hugs, Nanette
This Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piercers to share and motivate one another. We post every three weeks, to show our progress and encourage one another. If you have a hand quilting project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.
Happy Father’s Day and a Happy Summer Solstice Day tomorrow, one of my favorite days when the LONG days begin their journey to normal days! I certainly pray that Texans vote to do away with Daylight Savings Time (DST) in November! Fingers crossed!
I have been working on just about everything but mostly attitude and gathering as much Vitamin D as I can by sitting in the sun 10 to 15 minutes each day and using the Sun Lamp – AND it works! I have decided for the time being to post when I have something to show or say yet keeping up with To-Do Tuesdays, Slow Sunday Stitching, HQAL, and PHD 2021 and other Linky Parties (see below) for the time being. Life has begun to get back to a more relaxed and restful time for me. I am still working on my UFOs and making some progress!
I found a local quilting buddy whom I am now teaching how to quilt. She loves it and just soaks up all I can throw at her. And for a bonus – she and I are 100% Trump Conservative and we have many life experiences that are so very similar. How blessed I am that we connected. The time goes by so quickly when she comes over and it is so much fun and fulfilling when I can share what I have learned in my quilting life. I have really missed teaching and sharing with other quilters. Yesterday when she came over she brought 2 of the most beautiful antique quilts that her Grandmother had made that were in pristine condition! A postage stamp quilt hand made with 1″ squares, and a Cathedral Window Coverlet. What Heirlooms to have from a Grandmother, Jean Shelly! Her granddaughter Lois has taken immaculate care of these quilts. Jean lived to be 103 and passed away in 2018. Lois was so blessed to have her in her life!
Cathedral WindowsPostage Stamp Quilt
Which brings me to something that I realized the other day. When I started quilting in 2000, Three color quilts, hand applique, and hand quilting were extremely popular (called Traditional Quilting). It was around 2003 that the Kaffe Fassets of the world were just beginning to break into the Quilting World with their wild artisan fabrics. Kaffe was one of the first Artisans to cross over from Art to introduce Contemporary quilting into the Traditional Quilting World.
Starting in 2004 the long arm quilting machines and sewing machines with digitizing capability entered into the Quilt World. These three changes had a great impact in Judged Quilt Shows. Changes included, but not limited to, “the backing had to be fabric that blended with the quilt top” (no muslin backings please), Quilts were judged on the quilting and the Judges preferred that quilting be done by a Professional Quilter. Therefore, quilts was judged on how well the Long Arm Quilter did rather than how complex the quilt top was and the work that the Quilter had accomplished in making the quilt.
It became more difficult for the Traditional Quilter to compete for those valued Ribbons. It has taken about 10 years to weed out the Traditional Quilter who wants to enter Quilt Shows and be able to compete with other quilters. They spend hours in making their quilts and they are more difficult quilts that can be very time consuming and expensive to make. Therefore the desire to enter their creations in the shows has diminished. So Sad! In fact, you will hardly find any quilt in a show that has been hand quilted these days, if any at all. The Categories for Hand Applique and Hand Quilted Quilts are GONE!
To add to the demise in Traditional Quilters, around 2012 or 2013 the Modern Quilters came into being in the South Texas area with their Improve (Better known as Improvisational) quilts. They brought the ideas of making the patterns very simple just slapping any color of fabrics and any shape together and calling it a quilt. Personally they give me Migraine Headaches. In 2017 Clay and I visited the Dallas, Texas Quilt Show. I had wanted to enter a quilt for 2018 Show, but after I saw the quilt that won Best of Show I could see the writing on the wall! This is what won. (Oops I feel a Migraine coming on)
Best of Show Dallas Texas 2017 Quilt Show
If that is not wild enough for you how about this one? Looks like a messed up mind to me!
Call me old fashioned or out of touch with the In Crowd, but I prefer to be labeled as a Traditional Quilter. I am one who does not use glue, starch, nor do I quilt my quilts to death, and last but not least – no paper piecing. I can make a quilt and not cut off points just using good old meth and a great ruler! I have a few Jelly Rolls, but I would bet that if I make the few quilts that I purchased them for that the strips will not be a perfect 2 1/2″ wide! Any takers?
To really understand my position on Traditional, Contemporary, and Improve, I started my quilting journey in 2000 watching the “young” Alex Anderson when she was on PBS each week. I taped her shows and learned about all the wonderful quilt Designers and their specialty techniques. In other words, I arrived at the tail end of the last of the Traditional Quilters. I thrived on all I could learn through books, other quilters, and some on-line courses. It was wonderful. Those Designers are now gone and if any of them are still active in Quilting it is very few. They were experts in Traditional Quilting.
Now about the fabric colors currently available to Quilters. The popular ones are the orange, aqua, teal and pinks all of which are not my colors. Of course now that we are close to the 4th of July there are a lot of red, white, and blue colors of which I love to see. But I have had my fill of RAINBOW COLORS! I love Reproduction fabrics and all Batiks as they make beautiful quilts. Kaffe Fasset is still around and in 2007 I did make a quilt from his fabrics but gave it to my Cousin to finish – it was just too busy and loud for me. I currently have 2 fat quart bundles that I will be using someday to make a quilt called Lollypop Trees by Kim McLean (unless I get a wild notion to sell the pattern and fabric – it will depend on how many Migraines I can handle).
At the show we met Artisan Barbara McCraw and were in awe of the beautiful quilt she had made depicting her family heritage! The quilt was titled “Family Reunion” and it won First Place in Masters Category, Viewers Choice Award, and Fine Artist Award for Hand Needle Work!!! NOW this quilt should have been chosen by those Judges as The Best of Show instead of the quilt shown above! The work that Barbara put into this Heirloom was absolutely exquisite and absolutely perfect!!!! An Artisan doing Traditional Quilting! This is a picture of the cover of her book called “My Family Quilt – A Sentimental Journey in Applique”
Sometimes walking down memory lane is fun and going to Quilt Shows has always been exciting to me, but after seeing how our craft has changed, this particular show proved to me that a “traditional quilter” needs to just stay at home and enjoy making her quilts and forget about competing in Quilt Shows. I will be saving lots of $$$$$ by NOT sending out my 4 Quilts designated for Quilt Shows to have them Custom Quilted! End of Story!
Back to the life as it is in 2021. Jaydee is really making great headway on her Civil War Bride quilt. Her hand quilting is perfect. I love the echo quilting she is doing – it really makes the applique stand out. Great work Jaydee!
I began this post early this morning and just now finishing it. I will be doing some more posts on where I am in my projects! We had a wonderful visit with my step-son Ricky whom I love dearly along with his brother George. It was a great day for him to come visit on Father’s Day. He always gives the best hugs and gave one to Clay for Father’s Day.
And a Happy Tuesday to all! It is summer hot here in South Texas now – reaching into heat index’s of over 100! I will be sitting in the sun about 15 minutes each day to supplement my Vitamin D with a fan on me, but it is worth it as each day I have more energy, no depression, sleeping well, and motivation to quilt on my projects! YEA! Life is getting better.
These were my goals last week.
Be happy for all that we have and forget about the bad! √
Sew the binding for Autumn Jubilee √
Load and quilt another quilt (May be my Red, White and Blue Log Cabin) ↓
Work on Dresden Plates (Applique) √
Work on A Bountiful Life (Applique) ↓
Stay on my special diet! √
Happiness has found me again thanks to time in the Sun and more Sun Lamp time! ☀
I have the binding sewn and ready to hand stitch for Autumn Jubilee
I did not get my RWB Log Cabin load, but it will be done this week. It is a smaller quilt and will not take long to complete it.
Patriotic Log Cabin – Moda Stars – Flimsy
AND finally I am beginning to make progress on Dresden Heaven! Amazing when one has energy, creativity, and drive to work on hobbies! I have a total of 26 completed (without the circles) and only 79 small ones to finish! I believe there are about 10 larger Dresdens to applique when those are completed, but the end is getting closer to completion. The push is on as I am working on this project during the day to get it finished!
26 of 109 Dresden Heaven Plates!
I am sticking to my Cluck Cluck Diet and not straying anymore! It just is not worth it.
Goals for 7 – 14 June 2021
Continuing working on Dresden Plates
Load RWB Log Cabin quilt on long arm and quilt it.
Work on binding for Autumn Jubilee.
Work on A Bountiful Life Blocks.
Continue with improving my Vitamin D levels and staying on the Cluck Cluck Diet.
Look through the windshield of life and not in the rearview mirror – Yesterday is gone.
Have a great week stitching and enjoy what you are doing! Take time to sit in the sun for 10 minutes if possible each day! Vitamin D – The Sunshine Vitamin!
Today is 6 years that we lost Darryl to Cancer. He was a very unique guy! I remember the time I first met Darryl Scott Cook! Clay had contacted me on the 3rd of June 1996 thinking he had found a ‘pen pal’ from Harlandale High School in San Antonio, Texas. (Clay and I grew up together and graduated at the same time but never dated.). Around the end of June 1996 Clay flew to Sterling Virginia for a visit. Before he left, he introduced me to Darryl on a phone call! That was my first memory of Darryl! He was so funny and so very easy to talk with, just like his Father. He spoke about the change in Clay since he had connected with me in early June and how intelligent his Father was.
Through the years Darryl provided us with so many laughs with his antics, as he was just a fun person to be around because you never knew what he would say or do next.
Clay told me that he was really something as a child – he loved to get into something that he was not supposed to and then blame it on his Sister. I bet watching Darryl in action was something else.
He had a kind heart (like his Father) and also had the Irish/Choctaw blood in him. Ready to fight, but never did. He passed at the age of 51 – way too young because he really loved life! You just could not be angry with Darryl for anything he said or did because of his personality!
We were blessed to have spent the last 14 months with Darryl before he passed. Clay and Darryl were able to bond together as Father and Son before he left this earth. He is with God and has been these past 6 years.
We both miss Darryl’s infectious laughter and funny ways! He was a blessing to all. He would want us to be at peace today and remember all the fun times.
Clay and Darryl Matching Shirt JacketsDarryl and NanetteFun Times in the Studio (Clay was recuperating from Neck Surgery)Nanette and Clay in the 3rd Grade – Still together after 25 years!
Happy Sunday! We are well into going through another month and this one will probably be a hot one here in South Texas. But we have had a great 5 weeks of rain! We are up to almost 15 inches of rain during that time and we are now out of the drought! Grass is so green and growing each day. We are praying that the rain is not gone for the summer!
For the last 6 months I have been trying to get caught up on all of my 2020 projects, but it seemed that the more I tried to do the less I produced. The first thing I began to notice was the tiredness, no desire to do anything (depression), and especially quilting. The idea of getting up in the morning and running out the door to walk was not in the cards! We figured it was due to the Potassium levels (Last year I really bottomed out and vowed to not let that happen again) and the stress of 2020. I tend to sweat profusely when doing my 1.5 miles each morning in our lovely humid and hot weather. But like an idiot, I quit eating my eggs and potatoes which supply me with the vitamins I cannot take for a month or more. Being a Celiac my diet is very bland and limited. I am only human though and keep hoping that if I try something new that it will be a food I can add to the Cluck Cluck Diet! This is just not going to be possible for me! So I will accept it and if I stray, the I will accept the consequences!
So I had to give up the outdoor walk last week and move to the indoor Exercise Bike because my Potassium had begun to drop again. This Thursday we had our bloodwork done (trying to get back on track from the idiot Chinese Virus with our 3 and 6 month checkups). On Friday we received the results! First of all, on 2 Jun 2021 it has been a year since Clay had his Aorta Valve replaced – great celebration because he is doing great! His bloodwork was excellent – but he needs to drink more water (the ex-heart doctor told him to cut back – mistake). On to my results. My Potassium was at 4.4 – very high for me – so the indoor exercise is doing its job along with lowering my glucose levels. I am still in the Pre-Diabetics range which keeps me off any medications! Yea for me as I was certain it had really gone up again! BUT ALAS, the negative news was the drop in my Vitamin D level! It has dropped to 30 (probably was lower) for some reason and that was causing the depression, sleep problems, tiredness, desire to do nothing and just sit!
About 10 years ago it had dropped to 18 which is a BIG NO NO! I started using a Sun Lamp and could get it up to 40 (have issues with taking replacements because of the things they put into the pills). The bloodwork gave me with the answer as to why I cannot get motivated to do any quilting much less anything else! I knew that I needed to try to find a replacement to increase my lives and I found a Vitamin D that has nothing in it but Vitamin D and Olive oil and will be trying that today.
I do believe that being low in Vitamin D has also caused my white blood count to drop along with the platelets being low. So now when the sun comes out I am sitting in my chair soaking up the sun for 15-20 minutes. Every 10 minutes in the sun will provide 10,000 IU (international units) of Vitamin D to me.
Due to all the stress of 2020, time fighting BAMC, Medicare, Clay’s Secondary insurance from last year, I thought that the depression and lack of interest in life was probably attributed to that. I knew something was not right, but had not thought about the Vitamin D – the Sunshine Vitamin being low again. I also track my steps each day and when walking I was tracking my VOX. I have always been in great shape for my age and all of a sudden in late December things started to change. Now I understand what has been going on and on the way to correct things.
Based on what I am going through I am thinking of all the Quilters who are experiencing the loss of their Quilting MoJo! And how about the children who had to stay home and not go outdoors? Think about it – the Federal Government locked everyone down and told them to stay home. A lockdown like this affects individuals mentally and physically! Freedom to come and go and be outdoors during the summer time (especially those who live in the North where it gets so cold and hard to exercise in the snow) is critical in maintaining our mental and physical health!
So, if you are one of the many who are not motivated and not sure why, have your Vitamin D levels checked. It is a simple blood test and it really is an eye opener if you find out that you need to either get outdoors, or take a supplement to boost your levels! This applies especially to anyone over 65 because as we age, we tend to have a difficult time in maintaining those levels.
So bottom line is that I will probably not accomplish as much as I want to, but it won’t take too long to start feeling a lot better. I am now just beginning to enjoy getting out of bed and heading to the bike to get my workout and trying to stay away from food that makes me ill. Eventually, my energy level will return and I can get back on track with my life.
This week included 3 trips to SA – Clay had hurt his knee about a week ago, so it was Doctor visit on Tuesday, Bloodwork on Thursday, and Radiology on the knee on Friday! He is doing fine, just having to be careful with the knee. They gave him a Steroid shot in the knee and was advised it was Arthritis! On the 23rd of June I am scheduled for my Endoscopy and make sure the tummy is fine, that it just does not like certain foods. Gastroparesis (delayed stomach emptying) is one of my enemies that limits certain foods also.
So for Slow Stitching Sunday I have nothing to show, and not sure if I will have any progress on Tuesday, but I will try! I do know that the sun is going to be my best friend for quite a while! I am just going to quit being so hard on myself until Mr D and I have a better relationship!
Well, Happy Tuesday (Wednesday for me) everyone! A new month! Just think, in 8 months it will 2 January 2022! Maybe the next 7 months will be full of rain and a cool Fall for 2021! I have changed my exercise program to the indoor exercise bike – just too humid and warm for this 76 year old! I do miss the walk, but not the hot and humid weather of which we have more earlier this year with the rain! Absolutely no complaints on the rain. We have had close to 11.5 inches in the last month, so we are very pleased with having some beautiful green grass again!
It has been a year today that Clay had his Aorta Valve replaced. It is a great day in the neighborhood here and much to be thankful for! Although, Clay and I wish our country was not in such a downward spiral!
I have not felt well in May (my fault for trying new foods and problems with Polyethylene Glycol and low Potassium). So I am back on track and beginning to feel better by not losing potassium sweating my posterior off each morning! My glucose is also much lower so still not going to have to take medication for Pre-Diabetics. June is looking good for us.
New and Old Goals for 31 May through 7 June 2021:
Be happy for all that we have and forget about the bad!
Sew the binding for Autumn Jubilee
Load and quilt another quilt (May be my Red, White and Blue Log Cabin)
Work on Dresden Plates (Applique)
Work on A Bountiful Life (Applique)
Stay on my special diet!
I did get Autumn Jubilee quilt quilted but mistakes were made in the cutting of the backing and I had to load the quilt different and will never do that again! You can see the mess on the lower left corner! Grrr! It still is a pretty quilt and no one will know the difference when keeping warm under it!
Autumn Jubilee – Mistakes and all!
I have finished a few more of the Dresden Plates, but not going fast enough so am leaning toward spending the next couple of days doing only had work. If I really work hard at it I could get this project done a lot quicker! I am going to start cutting out the circles for this group and the first group that are completed and sew them on. Then it won’t be so overwhelming doing 105 at one time.
I was planning on getting this post out yesterday as I only had an appointment in the morning in Seguin to drop off my hearing aids for cleaning. Clay hurt his knee on Friday and I was able to get him in with the knee doctor in the afternoon in San Antonio. Dr Heckman gave him a steroid shot in the knee and on the 16th of June Radiology will take care of the Baker’s Cyst.
It was a good day as we checked off 2 appointments and 2 errands that required our attention and a no cooking supper topped it off! Clay had sausage from Bill Miller with Potato Salad and I fixed tuna and had some of his Potato Salad! But at 9PM we were headed for the bed! I mentioned to Clay that we could have gone to the coast for the day with the mileage I drove! LOL
I am not going to add anything new to my weekly goal as I want to get something finished instead of staying overwhelmed with the things that I want to do and what I call “need” to finish! We shall see – our calendar is empty until the 14th of June. I will enjoy the free time.
Please keep Susan in your prayers while she goes through her changes now in her journey of life. Thank you!
Have a wonderful week and enjoy stitching and life!
Greetings – to see what I have been doing (???) (Really?). Click here, and here! It has been a very slow slow month for me! Maybe June will be more productive!
Hey – I figured out how to highlight the links to my favorite blue! I switched them to “Blocks” instead of the Classic! Yea for me – brain is working today – And on a Monday at that!
I guess everyone will absolutely faint on this post! I finally quilted Autumn Jubilee! YES! Even with the crummy month I had, I succeeded in getting this puppy quilted yesterday and very pleased with the outcome inspire of me.
I have not quilted a lot of quilts in the last year or so and it shows! I am not one to load a practice quilt – no patience for that and boy have I paid for that laziness on this quilt! I should remember that when I am not feeling well, or if it has been awhile since the last quilt, the last thing to do is to prepare and load a quilt on the long arm without a practice piece!
Additionally, I always load my quilts with the top of the quilt pinned first – well this time I screwed up the cutting of the back fabric by cutting it 71 inches long instead of 80 inches. After realizing my lovely error, I decided to load the quilt lengthwise, and will never do that one again as you can see that the left corner is not right, but thankfully it is a utility quilt so it won’t matter. I am just happy that it is finished!
Autumn JubileeBack for Autumn JubileeCloser look at my quilting
I will now work on the binding and a label and it will become a nice warm blanket for this Fall!
I want to thank all the Veterans (including Clay) for their service to this country. It must be a very difficult to be an active duty military at this time in our country, so my hat is off to them for serving a Nation that has some serious issues facing us for the next 3 1/2 years. Thank you many times over!
Now to HQAL. Well, I do not have much to show this time. I did work on a few leaves for A Bountiful Life, but not enough to show much progress. I tried Minnie Mouse (Cross Stitch) and have decided she will go away! I was working on the “white” thread, but the holes were so small and background white, I lost the thread count and could not see what I was doing. Time for another pattern and maybe different cloth!
I worked on another grid panel for Dresden Heaven and finished 5 of the 9. Slow going here.
The month flew by and very little quilting. This is mostly due to the fact that I had changed the diet (when will I ever learn?) and that impacted me a lot. Especially when I walk. I am a heavy sweater and I lost Potassium again. This time I avoided a ride in the meat wagon, but have now switched to the indoor exercise bike and eat my potatoes! It will have to do until we get to Fall. I never realized the things that low Potassium can do to a person. I was aware that if it falls below 2.2 that is meat wagon time and if it gets above 5.8 it is meat wagon time but when it falls below 3.6 you will become very tired and that is what happened to me! So I opted to be a good 76 year old idiot and stay out of the heat!
Here’s hoping that all are having a wonderful holiday weekend with your families and MASKs OFF! Enjoy!
Hugs, Nanette
This Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piercers to share and motivate one another. We post every three weeks, to show our progress and encourage one another. If you have a hand quilting project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.
Here are all 3 blocks together on the Design Board – waiting for Block 4!
I finished straightening up one of my fabric stash shelves! Yea for me!
Fabrics!
Next – I have Autumn Jubilee loaded and ready to quilt!
AND I just could not go on without showing you a picture of Jaydee’s Civil War Bride quilt that is already in the frame and she has started the process! She is so excited about quilting it. She does such beautiful work. She started with the bunny rabbit in the border – love that bunny!
Well, not sure what I will be doing this next week as there are a few things going on now. But I will get Autumn Jubilee quilted and maybe a few other things!
Another week has gone by and the rain is still happening. We are really being blessed. But alas, it will come to an end this week and watch out for the 100’s with high humidity for the summer months. It would be great if we have rain breaks throughout the summer because by August it will be a scorcher and dry!
May is getting close to a memory in my life. The months are flying by and slowly but surely we are getting our lives back in order and enjoying getting things done! Always feels good to have accomplished something each day!
I am participating in Melva’s Pieces of the Santa Fe Trail SAL . I am up to date with the first three blocks as I finished Block 3 yesterday!
Block 3 of Santa Fe Trail
I am using Eliza’s Indigo fabric line by Betsy Chutchian for this project. (Scroll down to the bottom of the link and you can download a free pattern that was used for this fabric line by Moda).
One of the fat quarters has large flowers and leaves (in fact there are quite a few in three different color ways) and decided to fussy cut the 3 1/2″ squares on the corners and in the 4 patch. Most of the time I have a difficult time in deciding how to use the large florals that come with the fat quarter bundles so I tend to use them by fussy cutting them in quilts. Time will tell if I have chosen the right fabric for this project! I found the free pattern for Eliza’s Indigo 1810-1830 from Moda on the above link and will make good use of the remaining fat quarters and half yards that I have left over.
Blocks 1-3 of Santa Fe Trail
The 12″ blocks are a nice break from the smaller blocks that I usually work with. Thank you Melva for all the hard work you do for us. Check out here post to see the progress of those who are joining in on the Trail to Santa Fe!
Have a great day and continue prayers for Kathy and Chris and all those who are having difficult times in their lives.
What can I say! Time just flies by when we are having fun and getting older! We have now been blessed with almost 10 inches of rain during the last 3 weeks! YIPEE! Green grass again – and we are hoping for more during the summer! I have been busy trying to stay as positive as I can about life in general and we shut the world out as long as we are on our 5 acre patch of land! Speaking of land – Texas is booming from all the people moving into our state From all over to get away from their control freaks. Clay and I are now sitting on a gold mine of sand based on the new tax appraisal we received advising us how much our land is valued at. It is amusing and absolutely ridiculous that sand would be so valuable! LOL.
I have my stupid health issues under control now and feeling much better – if only I did not get sick and tired of chicken, potatoes, eggs, and lightly salted potato chips! My problem is when I have had enough of that diet that I tend to want to eat an entire chocolate cake – which of course I cannot do and end of eating something with gluten in it and we know that is a killer for a Celiac. But all in all, I am 100% better! YEA!
Yesterday Clay and I cleaned out the portion of our 3 car garage that was a mess, and now it really looks so neat and in order and to see things that we did not need GONE. He had a big burn pile going and the company who picks up our garbage really earned their money today. I really enjoyed doing the de-cluttering at this time because it was something different to do because it broke the “Groundhog Day” effect. In fact, I do believe it will now be the catalyst that moves me back to my quilting.
Here were my goals from last week: (Looks like I did nothing, but I did a lot, it just took time)
Continue with preparing A Bountiful Life Blocks (7) √
Work on Stonefields (decision time) – Next time — maybe. ✘
Increase time spent in the evenings on ABL and Dresdens √
Select Fabrics for A Bountiful Life – Increasing hand work time. √
As I worked on preparing the 6 additional blocks for A Bountiful Life, I found 2 of the blocks that I did not like and decided to redraw them. Here is what I came up with.
Original Block
I did not like the birds and butterflies and the fruit looked awful (my opinion). My block is not as busy and I prefer my birds just hanging around! LOL
My Version – A bowl with 2 oranges on the bottom of nice red apples!
This block did nothing for me – I did not like the fruit in their beaks and the topknots and the thing on the upper left that is supposed to be a bird, or the moth!
Original Version
I chose to do the birds a different way and let the leaves be on the tree trunk.
My Version – not quite so busy
I have 2 blocks ready to applique and the remaining 5 are in a holding pattern. I need to take a break from this project (except I will be appliquéing the 2 blocks) before I select the fabrics. I have all the freezer paper pieces cut out and in bags and ready for fabric selection maybe next week. Getting to this point took a lot of sit down time and I want to start piecing on a few projects!
Now I want to share with you a picture of Jaydee’s quilt top. She started this project in or around 2015. I think I started mine around that time or maybe 2016 – who knows. Her quilt is a stunner and I hope that mine will be as striking. She did her quilt in Reproduction fabrics and I am doing mine in darker shades with batiks (which are my favorites).
Hand Appliqued by Jaydee Price ready for Hand quilting!
This is the backing she will be using for her Civil War Bride quilt.
Interesting backing! Blends with the Civil War Era
Last night I was in the mood to do something DIFFERENT!!!! I started working on the little Minnie Mouse Cross Stitch! YEA again for me. I think I understand it much better! Have a spot lite hovering over your head and very strong peep overs to see what in the heck you are doing! LOL ! Here is Minnie Mouse picture!
Minnie Mouse Cross Stitch Pattern
AND here is what I have done so far (her face and lips)(Took awhile to get it right)
Doesn’t look like much, but I know understand how to Cross Stitch!
Today my original plan was to put a new zipper in a pair of pants for my neighbor (good luck on the outcome of that for her), do some grocery shopping at HEB, write this post, make the 3rd block for Melva’s SAL, load Autumn Jubilee, and of course walk my 1.5 miles. Yesterday I did over 11,000 steps! No wonder I was lazy in getting up this morning! I only accomplished the walk, HEB, this post, and had to spend about an hour and a half on getting Clay an appointment with his Cardiologist in July (required me to download some medical reports for the new doctor). So out went the zipper and the block and poor ole’ Autumn Jubilee, BUT alas, it has made it to the long arm, so I am getting there!
Since I am late in my goals, here is where I would love to be by next Tuesday!
Continue working on Cross Stitch, Dresdens, and A Bountiful Life blocks (2)
Decide on a Squirrel project (like I need another quilt to make) Check out the backlog:
If I can finish these goals by Tuesday I will be a happy person! I feel like I am producing nothing while everyone else has completed so much already this year, but life is different for everyone, so sometimes I cannot meet my desired goals with my quilting.
Now it is 4:10 and I have meat to vacuum pack for the freezer. Here are fingers crossed that tomorrow is a quiet day with no other things to do but catch up on my goals.
Have a wonderful week-end. We are going to plan a trip to Rockport Texas for sometime in July so I need to start looking for a place to stay where I can cook and we are not limited to just eating out (where I cannot partake).
