Cataract Express is starting tomorrow. Not sure how much I will be doing with projects between now and the 1st when I get on the Express Train.

I have made progress with Christmas table runner. Almost through.

I have finished the 2nd place mat with exception of the wick.

Now for progress with Celebrating Mary Brown. I finally had time to work on preparing the blocks! These are Block’s 1 and 9.

I will be participating with a group of other Bloggers with this project. Next post I will list the group headed by Karen.

Have a great week. I will post as I progress with Mary Brown and Alexander Bean Pot.

Nanette

I am a little late in this post, so here goes!

I have been working on old UFO applique projects.  See my previous post  Holiday Lights for more background information.

This placemat lacks the candle wick before it is ready for a border

This is the finished placemat waiting for a border

I am still working on the Table Runner!  It is not a difficult pattern, well written, and fun to applique!

I am now working on preparing blocks for Celebrating Mary Brown.  There is a great group of ladies who will be participating.

Have a great week!

Nanette

Please take the time to visit each quilter listed below to check on their wonderful hand work.  HQAL is a group of ladies who check in every 3 weeks showing their progress on projects and those completed!

Kathy, Margaret, Emma, Tracy, Deb, Susan,  Nanette,  Edith, Sharon, Karrin, Gretchen and Kathi

I had the greatest day on Wednesday with my September goals so do you think I could have 2 productive days back to back? NO! I had one of those lovely Ocular Migraines. I did some research on them this time and I have found out that if I close my eyes and see the jagged black and white jumping line that I will be OK. So if it happens again, I know what to take immediately. This time it fired up all issues along with the most horrible Meniere’s Brain Fog! This one was different that the other 3 I have had. This one was a classic Meniere’s Ocular Migraine!

No worries because I am fine today – just some allergies! So to show you what a great day I did have here are some pictures. I was checking my blocks for Stonefields and look what I found! 20 blocks for Alexander Bean Pot (ABP) that I had made a year or so ago when I started working on this quilt. I evidently had decided to make 4 of each instead of 2 each. ,.

I have 16 blocks ready to sew and will then cut out another set of 2 of each of these fabrics. Wednesday evening I marked all of the 1” squares to make the Square in a Square corners.

Next I traced 10 of the 13 Bitty Blooms by Jacquelynne Steves for a modified Happy Little Things BOM. Check it out as it is a cute quilt with many possibilities. She is selling the Bitty Blooms for $6.00 and it is downloadable.

Next, I washed and ironed the background fabric for Celebrating Mary Brown. I have 9 background blocks cut, marked and ready to complete the prepping process – and that will hopefully be today for the first 4 blocks!

This is the fabric that I purchased for Mary Brown in 2016. It is the same fabric that Corliss used in her quilt! Thanks to Jan, it was one of the great pieces of fabric I purchased on that day – along with some of Di Ford’s fabric line from 2016! I cut and then mark my blocks in order to keep each block on the same grain! Sometimes I forget but with this quilt I am marking each as I go along!

I am glad to be back to ‘almost normal’ today and hoping to produce even more! Time will tell! Have a great week-end and happy stitching!

Nanette

Linking To:  My Quilt Infatuation; Confessions of a Fabric Addict; Finished or Not Friday ; Sew Can She; Em’s Scrap Bag; BOM’s Away; Fiber Tuesday;    Sew, Stitch, Snap, SHOW; Sew Fresh Quilts; Crazy Mom Quilts;  Oh Scrap; Scrap Happy Saturday; Show and Tell Monday with Bambi; Slow Sunday Stitching Quilt Fabrication Mid Week Makers;Peacock PartyKevin

Please check out my quilting buddies for this Sunday’s HQAL. They do some fabulous hand work!

Kathy, Margaret, Emma, Tracy, Deb, Susan,  Nanette,  Edith, Sharon, Karrin, Gretchen and Kathi

I do believe that we can forget Fall for the month of September in South Texas.  Weather forcast – Hot and Hotter!  I am getting used to riding the exercise bike in the morning and it is so much better than walking in the horrible humidity and heat at 6:30 in the morning!

I have approximately 27 days before I will be having a vacation from all quilting projects (cataract surgery), so I am trying desperately attempting to get some projects either finished or prepped for applique for my on-going projects.  I am hoping that setting this schedule will get me back on track from the summer time blahs with all the heat.  I do believe that I have had Heat Fever (opposite of Spring Fever).  I have just not been disciplined with my projects!  So here goes – a One Monthly Goal for September.  Clay will have his cataracts done this month, so there will be time to do a lot of hand work and I want to have things prepared

1. Happy Little Things BOM – Just need to do it!

2.  Celebrating Mary Brown – Karen is leading a group of us in starting this beautiful quilt.  I have had the background fabric and a huge stash of reproduction fabrics sitting around since 2016 (along with the pattern in the ‘do me next’ drawer!) so it is time!   I would like to get 8 blocks prepared for applique.  This will at least help me keep up with them if at all possible after surgery!  (being optimistic now).  This will be a long project as there are 56 + blocks to applique!  The quilt is 90″ x 90″.

3.  Holiday Lights table runner – This is doable as long as I continue to work on it in the evenings!

4.  A Bountiful Life – I really need to get the border going on this oldie but goodie!  A decision on size and setting is needed!

5.  Alexander Bean Pot – Continue making blocks for this fun quilt!

Remember the blocks that I posted about on Sunday?  The name of the quilt will be Texas Deer Crossing!  I will work on this quilt starting in December.  I love the blocks and have a setting already ready to go.  Tune in after October for more information.  NO I am not going into the design business, nor am I going to do patterns! This is just for fun!  

Yesterday Clay and I were talking and I told him how much fun I have had in August just doing whatever I felt like doing.  I think I am beginning to enjoy Retirement Relaxation after 20 years of it!   But this fun attitude did not help me get more projects accomplished, but it sure was enjoyable!  Now to get serious again!  Summertime is over with and time to produce!

Have a great week.  I will see how I do the next 16 days.  I am hoping for success in my goals!  We need to get these surgeries done and over with.  It will be eye drop fun and games, but the outcome will be great – no more double vision and I will be able to read street signs!

Nanette

Linking To:  My Quilt Infatuation; Confessions of a Fabric Addict; Finished or Not Friday ; Sew Can She; Em’s Scrap Bag; BOM’s Away; Fiber Tuesday;    Sew, Stitch, Snap, SHOW; Sew Fresh Quilts; Crazy Mom Quilts;  Oh Scrap; Scrap Happy Saturday; Show and Tell Monday with Bambi; Slow Sunday Stitching  Quilt Fabrication Mid Week Makers; Peacock Party Kevin

Yesterday an animal decided to go on a shooting rampage in the Midland/Odessa area and shot up to 25 people with 5 dead.  That animal is no longer walking this earth but he has affected so many lives.  What makes someone do this is type of killing is beyond my capability to understand.  All the families will be in our prayers.

Today I have reached a milestone in my life – Clay and I have been married 23 years today!  A huge Milestone for me as I have never lived in the same place for 23 years my whole life.  Clay was a gift to me from God.  Such a sweet and wonderful man.  He loves me and worries about me and has me so spoiled.  We are celebrating a wonderful 23 years together and filled with of all types of good times and those pesky bad times,  but we would not trade them for anything because we are always together!

Where do I start for the quilting news?  The other day I made 2 blocks that I really love and want to make a quilt with them.  These are the blocks that I made using the Biased Half Square Triangle (HST) Method – Here.  Hopefully sometime before Christmas I can have a quilt made.

I will use Moda Marble Stars either in Red White and Blue blocks, or Blue and Beige!  I have enough of the fabric left over from my Log Cabin qilt to make 5 more quilts – it is called over-buying!!!!

Patriotic Log Cabin – Moda Stars – Flimsy

I have changed eye drops for my Dry Eye which improved my vision a little, so last night I finished appliquing the flames on a long ago UFO that was patiently waiting to be completed.  The pattern is one that I must have purchased in or around 2013 in Durant Oklahoma and was able to purchase the fabric that Kate used in making them at the local quilt store!  Kate has 3 kits available for sale in her Etsy shop.

I had the 2 place mats completed except for the candle flames, so I finished them last night!  I started the table runner after I made the place mats, but it is still in the UFO stage!  This is the project that I will work on and hopefully have it finished next week!  The Stonehenge fabric is perfect for this project –  Of course I need to add the borders, but that will be when the table runner is complete.

When we visited Bobby and Belinda last week, they had a portable evaporated cooler that sat on the porch and really kept us cool along with a portable air conditioner.  We ordered one from Amazon and it finally came Thursday.   Clay set it up Saturday morning and I love it.  It was so nice to have that cooler air blowing our way while we sat on the porch.  Nice place to sit and have a cup of java and enjoy the outdoors without burning up.  At least I can now go outside and enjoy fresh air during the heat in South Texas.  It has been known to reach 90 degrees plus in January so I am very pleased with this purchase as it will be used on and off during the year!   It looks like we will continue with the 100+ heat index temps and next week end back into the 100’s for the temperature – probably 105 for the heat index!  I am just so happy!

While sitting on the porch enjoying the cool air, 3 of the deer came up to feed.  I have given the Doe the name of Daisy and her fawn is Daisy Jr.  The young Buck is one of Daisy’s off springs from last year and I named him Blackie!  They definitely know who feeds them and we know they suffered while we were gone but after a week of eating corn they look great again.

I do believe this all that I have to share today for Slow Sunday Sunday!  Have a great Labor Day and if you are on the East Coast or in Florida, I do hope that you are safe and sound!

Nanette

Linking To:  My Quilt Infatuation; Confessions of a Fabric Addict; Finished or Not Friday ; Sew Can She; Em’s Scrap Bag; BOM’s Away; Fiber Tuesday;    Sew, Stitch, Snap, SHOW; Sew Fresh Quilts; Crazy Mom Quilts;  Oh Scrap; Scrap Happy Saturday; Show and Tell Monday with Bambi; Slow Sunday Stitching  Quilt Fabrication Mid Week Makers; Peacock Party Kevin

Ask me if I was shocked when Sharon left a comment on my last post and told me that my Enduring Legacy had been showcased on Barbara Brackmans Material Culture Blog.   I loaded the quilt in late July Enduring Legacy Ready to Quilt and started quilting it only to continue to have issues seeing the threads.  This is how that problem ended up –  An Oops!  I am Back on Track and ready to quilt.

Enduring Legacy

If you follow my Blog, you are aware that Clay and I both will be undergoing Cataract surgeries the next 2 months.  We do everything together, but to have this happen at the same time is just too funny!  He will have his done on 17th and 24th of September and mine will be on the 1st and 8th of October.  I am thinking I had better make good use of the next 30 days in getting some things finished, started, and accomplished as it may be that I am out of commission a couple of weeks!   I think the eye drop schedule will be a full time job!  Enduring Legacy will be quilted in November or December depending on getting my eyes fixed and new glasses!

Thursday I was playing around with some blocks that required 1″ HSTs.  I wanted to share my technique in making those tiny HSTs.  Maybe you can try it and save time if you are in to making small blocks.  I used this technique for my Star of Chamblie by Marsha McCloskey.  I started with a 12″ square of a light and dark fabric for the HSTs.

Then you sew the like strips together

Press all seams open

Starting from the right side cut out the HSTs all the way across the bottom of the strip set

I cut 32 HSTs and still have some fabric to make more – I think I could have cut out 50 HSTs from this process using a 12″ square of both fabrics.

Here is the link for the tutorial by Quilted Treasures

Today I will be working on Alexander Bean Pot Blocks.  I also want to start preparing my blocks for Celebrating Mary Brown that I will be working on with Karen and Cathy starting in September.  I am trying to get my friend Jan to join in the fun!  I also want to work on Happy Little Things BOM and Prism Quilt quilt.  They are not difficult and maybe I can get a head start on them before eye surgery!

Have a wonderful Labor Day Week-end and let’s pray for those in potential harm’s way in Florida with Hurricane Dorian!

Nanette

Linking To:  My Quilt Infatuation; Confessions of a Fabric Addict; Finished or Not Friday ; Sew Can She; Em’s Scrap Bag; BOM’s Away; Fiber Tuesday;    Sew, Stitch, Snap, SHOW; Sew Fresh Quilts; Crazy Mom Quilts;  Oh Scrap; Scrap Happy Saturday; Show and Tell Monday with Bambi; Slow Sunday Stitching  Quilt Fabrication Mid Week Makers; Peacock Party Kevin

Greetings! Weather is still hot, no rain! Same old story! One hates to wish for a Hurricane, but we would settle for a tropical depression in the Gulf and that we would be the receiving of 10 inches of rain! All our pretty green grass is now brown. But that is summer in South Texas. We are blessed that this horrible 100+ did not hit until August!

I wanted to work on my Alexander Bean Pot, but I knew that there was a lot of paperwork (on-line) that needed to be accomplished before we start on our Cataract surgeries in September and October. Calendars had to be updated and I would be required to enter our medical history into the hospital’s database! Other ‘little’ things also needed my attention so all in all, Monday and Tuesday were non sewing days, but all things are completed and I do not have to do anything else regarding the surgeries except show up!

Now to what I have accomplished on Alexander Bean Pot quilt and it isn’t much, but hopefully today will be much more productive! I am so happy to be home and the break did both of us worlds of good!

I only have 7 blocks completed but they go fast as long as I do not have a lot of unforeseen requirements come around!

I really enjoy making this block. It is a 5″ unfinished – 4 1/2″ finished block. I am making 2 of each of the color-ways that I have selected and of course as you can tell they will be in Reproduction fabrics.

I have so many things I want to work but will probably do mostly machine sewing, as hand work is not up to my expectation due to the eyes being a little ‘off’ for awhile. We shall see. I tried to work on the last block of Stonefields from Section 6, but am not happy with how it looks, so it will be redone.

The only QAL will be doing will be Happy Little Things BOM. I ordered her Bitty Blooms embroidery patterns to go along with this BOM for $6.00. You can download the patterns! They are so neat!

I am thinking that a good project for the evening would be some Sashiko or Embroidery since it is not as detailed as my applique projects. We shall see what I can get done before my surgery on 1 October.

Have a wonderful day and a good week – Happy Stitching!

Nanette

Linking To:  My Quilt Infatuation; Confessions of a Fabric Addict; Finished or Not Friday ; Sew Can She; Em’s Scrap Bag; BOM’s Away; Fiber Tuesday;    Sew, Stitch, Snap, SHOW; Sew Fresh Quilts; Crazy Mom Quilts;  Oh Scrap; Scrap Happy Saturday; Show and Tell Monday with Bambi; Slow Sunday Stitching  Quilt Fabrication Mid Week Makers; Peacock Party Kevin