Stonefields – Chopin – A Passionate Quilter From Texas

September 14, 2021

To Do Tuesday, HQAL, Slow Sunday Stitching All in One Post

Good afternoon! What a weather change today from yesterday! The last 3 days were rather cool with lower humidity, but today it is heading to a 100! UGH! I am back to walking and each day I am getting closer to my 1.5 miles each morning. I have done 1.25 for the last 2 days, takes me a little longer, but in time I will be back to my normal 20 minute mile. I can certainly tell the difference in how my days are better! I also believe that I will start losing the 10 pounds that need to go away.

Today I finished Stonefields quilt top! Anyone wishing to purchase the pattern can have it for $125.00 with postage. I never mark on my originals so it is just as it was when I purchased it at $200.00 (2015) and Sentimental Stitches now sells it for $190. If no one wants it I will keep it as a memory pattern. I purchased this pattern in July 2015! Amazing when life goes South and we end up with long awaited UFOs to be completed! So finish date is September 2021! I would have never thought it would have taken me this long to make the quilt.

I changed the border as I did not want to put anymore time into this project. This is the fabric I used – it is a Robert Kaufman border fabric that came from Japan called La Scala. It is a rich gold and I fussy cut the fabric and it went together beautifully.

So here is Stonefields Redesigned by Nanette! I am very happy how it has turned out and it will go on the rack for hand quilting.

Starting tomorrow I will cut out the border for A Bountiful Life. I am pleased with my decision to not add anymore blocks to this quilt as I am burned out working on it! The border will be vines and leaves. I may get creative and add either flowers or something else, but I want this one finished and do not want to spend 2 months appliquéing the border.

The background is not quite this dark! A Bountiful LIfe – shortened – ready for the border!

Then I plan on getting A Quilter’s Dream marked for hand quilting and loaded on the Z44 – any bets going on out there that maybe by October this will be accomplished? LOL

I am still working on Dresden Heaven. I have 6 of the 16 large Dresdens sewn to the background grid. I am hoping to be in the mood to complete them this week. I hope that I could have this quilt completed by next Tuesday as it would be a large relief. I started this quilt in August 2016!!! You can see where I am in this UFO here.

The very last UFO will be the completion of the top for Stars Around the Garden! I have the Medallion Center completed and all the star blocks finished also. This LAST UFO was started in the March 2020 timeframe and the Medallion was finished in early 2021. After sewing the top together, the border will require more applique, but not difficult. My goal for completion for these 3 projects will be mid-October and hopefully sooner. It has been a long 9 months trying to finish all of my UFOs, but the end is near and I can start making something new. Heck, I may even pick up with Mary Brown quilt! We shall see as I no longer set short time goals because life always provides Unforeseen Requirements for me as I get a smidgen older! But take heart! I will be back to 100% soon!

Am I glad that I stopped making new quilts this year so far and deal with all the UFOs? You bet! I still have quilts to quilt, but that will also come in time.

So I leave you with a wish for a Happy Stitching week! I am so looking forward for Fall weather and am sure most all!

Hugs, Nanette

Linking To: My Quilt Infatuation; Confessions of a Fabric Addict; Finished or Not Friday ; Em’s Scrap Bag; BOM’s Away; Sew Fresh Quilts; Crazy Mom Quilts; Oh Scrap; Scrap Happy Saturday; Slow Sunday Stitching Quilt Fabrication Mid Week Makers; Peacock Party; Design Wall Monday, Scrap Happy Days, Quilting Patch Linky Party To-Do-Tuesdays;PHD in 2021;

September 10, 2021September 10, 2021

Stonefields is on the Design Board!

Greetings! It was 68 this morning with lower humidity and a nice breeze. I am back to my walking, albeit a little out of shape (lung wise). That will be easily fixed by doing some breathing lessons and walking every day. It has been about 2 months or more since I had to ride the indoor bike which does not require near the energy that my walking does. But I digress from the subject matter!

Last week I made a decision to finish the last 3 UFOs. Dresden Heaven is “close” to being ready to hit the design board, but I have taken a break from it at this time. I then decided that it was time to just ‘FINISH’ the other two. So the second one is Stonefields, one of the most expensive patterns that I have ever purchased and will not do that again! This is a pattern that is not for a beginner, it is a pattern for a Master Quilter who loves math and enjoys a challenge! There are 121 blocks (6 1/2″) in this pattern. I made it to 81! First of all, I became frustrated and tired of the pattern when I quit it for awhile a couple of years ago. I had forgotten why it remained a UFO, but when I picked it up and started making more blocks, I remembered why it had become a UFO! There are absolutely no directions, no measurements, only copies of graph paper with the design hand drawn with this $200 pattern. Colored pictures of the blocks were sent through the internet and Susan Smith is definitely not a proficient hand Appliquer. The quilt is unique and very popular, but as I previously stated, it is not for a beginner quilter. Here is my version of the 81 blocks on my design wall. You will note the Center with 5 Eight Pointed Stars, Cameo pictures, and the cutest Bunny Rabbit. This was my design choice.

I changed many of the blocks in this quilt. Some of the blocks were not my favorites, so I made the quilt for me to enjoy! I will not be doing the border that is on the original quilt as I want to get this one done and out of the way. It will be hand quilted with long stitches.

The next and last UFO will be A Bountiful Life (ABL). I am also sticking to my latest decision to not make any more blocks as 9 blocks will be great as this quilt just needs to be FINISHED! I have selected the pattern for the border which will be vines with leaves and some flowers. As soon as I finish Stonefields ABL will be next.

I have a lot of choice words for the idiot who is turning our country into a Marxism country but will keep them to myself. BUT I will say that this country just may not survive him, Susan Rice, Pelosi, Schumer, Obama and all the idiot Democrats who voted this idiot into office! I just keep on praying that God will intervene and help this Nation return to a Democracy. Yesterday was the most threatening speech to the American public given by a President of the United States that I have ever witnessed. I am only glad that I am retired now and they have no control over me other than to tax us to the poor house.

Have a great week-end and enjoy stitching!

Hugs, Nanette

June 29, 2021June 29, 2021

To-Do Tuesday – 29 June 2021

Warning – Status of Things to make you Depressed! June 2021 is almost over with and we are now 6 months and 2 days until 2022! Are you ready or that? Well, if not you should be, and in fact, you should be praying for 2024 to come FAST! Clay and I realized how dangerous this country is dangerously getting close to another 1929 Depression! Our first experience that gave us the first indicator was the visit to Durant Oklahoma when the Choctaw Nation had a job fair and was offering a $1,000.00 bonus to ACTUALLY ACCEPT a job with the Casino. WOW what an eye opener in April 2021 to see that they could not get people to take a job without paying them to come to work.

We had to come home early from Durant because of the Illegal Aliens who cross the border were being dropped off with 6 miles of our home and these Illegal Aliens who cross our border are not really nice people – they hurt US Citizens and break into our homes. One cannot enjoy a vacation knowing that this is going on so close to our home. Texas is just one of the border states for the Illegal Aliens to start living off solid American Citizens with our hard earned tax dollars. Do not be dismayed though if you live north of Texas and beyond, because we share and they are also headed throughout the US! This is compliments of the Democrats.

Now let’s fast forward to our day yesterday. If we thought that we had a shock in Durant, and the Illegals, nothing compared to what we experienced at the furniture store. We had decided to purchase a double recliner love seat and one single recliner. The first store we stopped at only had 7 recliners on the floor (when they used to have over 50)! Then we were advised it would be a YEAR if we placed an order with them! WHAT??? We had wanted to replace 360 feet of fence line last month but found out how the prices had tripled for materials, but never figured it had hit the furniture industry (DUH!).

Now on to the second store! We found a perfect (or at least we thought we did) Recliner Love Seat, BUT they did not have a matching single recliner we wanted. Another shock – this time they said it would be April 2022 before they would receive any orders placed now! We spent about one and a half hours to sit in the different chairs trying to decide if we wanted to pay close to $2,000 for the double recliner. I noticed that one side was a little higher than the other so I sat on one side, then the other, only to find out that one was softer! When I mentioned this to the Owner and asked him to do the same thing and let me know if it was me or the chair, he quickly stated that he did not need to because they were made by humans and one was different. Well, out of that store and it was a Lazy Boy Recliner that has poor workmanship!

Now you may not want to read something like this on my Blog as I know it is not quilting, but if you were not aware by now, this is not the time to purchase any big ticket items because the prices have tripled and most not available.

Now is the time to just sit and wait it out and pray for our country that our economy does not tank. I am surprised that it has not hit the Quilting World. Maybe it has but I am blessed and do not need any supplies for a long time.

OK enough of that depressing news – I have had enough of it by just trying to purchase a chair. Just let us stay on our 5 acres where we are well protected and make a short trip every now and then. No shopping because there is nothing available to purchase!

Goals from last week for To Do Tuesdays!

Continue with Personal Fitness and Attitude Goals√
Continue with Dresden Heaven blocks↓
Continue with A Bountiful LIfe blocks√
Make Block 4 (titled Snow) for Santa Fe Trail with Melva√
Drag out Stonefields Pattern – Sections 7-10 need to be prepared.√
Quilt my Autumn Leaves Quilt Top that was one of the first quilts I had made in 2000.√

I had some life interruptions last week that took 2 days so I am a little behind. I will be quilting Autumn Leaves today. The backing is ready and I have taken the time to make sure that the quilt will not be out of square! I was a beginner when I made this quilt in 2000 timeframe.

Another well know beginner mistake found

I still have a problem trailing off from the seam line!

I understand that these are little errors, but they really can ruin a quilt top! It looks much better now. The border was done at 5 1/2″ but after quilting I plan on reducing it to 5 inches unfinished, 4 1/2″ finished! I am not sure exactly how it will turn out because of the button hole hand stitching, but I will do my best!

The top is looking much better and I love the backing that I picked. The green is Kona Bay fabric from 2000! I loved it at the time, but never could figure out what to do with it! Now it has a home on the back of Autumn Leaves quilt!

Santa Fe Trail Block 4 is completed. I am following Melva‘s Quilt Along!

I am almost finished with Block 10 of 16 for A Bountiful Life. Just need to do the flowers and a few stems.

Goals for 28 June thru 5 July 2021 are:

Finish Block 10 of A Bountiful Life
Work on Block 11 of A Bountiful Life
Finish Quilting Autumn Leaves and do the binding
Work on Stonefields
Tack on more Dresden Heaven plates to background fabric

I will make another attempt at Stonefields, but no promises hard and fast for me on this one. Depend if I can get excited about it again. We have Thursday and Friday filled with Doctor Appointments again, so that takes care of 2 days. If other days are peaceful and quiet, I just may reach my goals.

I hope everyone is looking forward to some celebrations for the 4th of July! Maybe next year our lives will be back in order and things won’t be so unpleasant. This one is difficult these days!

Hugs, Nanette and enjoy stitching! I AM!

May 21, 2021

To-Do Tuesday – (Oops Friday) 5-18-2021

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) √
Straighten Fabric Stash – Tomorrow.✘
Load Autumn Jubilee – Tomorrow.✘
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.

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!

I chose to do the birds a different way and let the leaves be on the tree trunk.

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!

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)
Make Melva’s 3rd block
Make a definite decision on Stonefields
Load Autumn Jubilee quilt and get it quilted!!!!
Sew Stars Around the Garden together
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).

Hugs, Nanette

April 6, 2021

To-Do Tuesday – Happy Day 6 April 2021

Greetings! April is turning out to be a great positive month for us! Things are really getting back to normal. Weather is acceptable and we have a trip planned for this month! Finally something to look forward to for fun!

Yesterday I took time to evaluate my weekly and monthly check out my thought process for my UFO goals. Taking the time to do this has encouraged me that by June I just may be caught up!

Applique Jacobean Lights – Work on the 3 large blocks by Goal by 20 April or forget it
Sweet Stitches Borders and into a finished top – Goal 12 April
A Bountiful Life Border – Goal 12 April
Dresden Heaven – prepare fabric background grid – Goal 12 April
Stars Around the Garden – Begin working on Setting – 12 April
Stonefields – Either finish the last 4 sections or forget them – May
Celebrating Brown – prepare 2 blocks for applique -May
Antique Blue and White Quilt – New Project – May
Kaye England’s Mystery Medallion – New Project – May
Quilt Autumn Jubilee

If I do not complete the 3 remaining blocks for the Jacobean Lights then they will be put in the “never never’ drawer and I will put the other blocks together for a top. The other 3 goals will be doable in the next week and it will be great if I can achieve that goal. As far as quilting tops, my RF has been delayed until the 15th of April. I should be able to quilt at least 1 top this month. The trip will prevent me from accomplishing other things, but the getaway is worth it! I will come back ready to get on the “Catch up” quilting train!

Now for the finishes! I am thrilled that I am completely finished with OMIGOSH!

This quilt was my challenge quilt and so glad I did it! I will say that I have never seen so many strings and raveling of fabric in my 20 years of quilting. This quilt will be quilted soon as possible because anytime you touch it there are more strings on the floor!

I love being able to hang my quilts when taking pictures, but have not figured out how to get the bottom from appearing wavy. The quilt is square even if it looks wavy! I forgot to measure it and will not until it is complete finished but it is close to 60″ x 70″.

Next goal completed! I have finished hand quilting the main part of Indian Summer. I have decided to put it away for awhile to let my fingers rest. I also need time to study the borders and decide the best way to quilt them. The quilting will be 1/4″ to prevent flaring, so I need to allow myself the time to do it correctly. The last last time I hand quilted a quilt was in July 2013, so I have really enjoyed the hand quilting and moving this one into the finished column by June. I remember when and where I purchased this fabric in 2002, and I never thought I would ever complete it but I am close to the finish line!

Have a wonderful day and today is hair cut day for me – long time in coming!

Hugs, Nanette

January 1, 2021

A Year for Completion of Projects (COP)!

Good Morning and Happy New Year – Again! In my last post Happy 2021, I listed all the quilts that I want to quilt this year. Now I am going to list my UFO’s by Technique that are PHD (Piled High and Deeper) waiting to become completed projects.

As far as goals go, I have THREE! Number One is to Be Happy and No Negative Thoughts (BHNNT).(Maybe) Number Two is to QUIT BUYING FABRIC AND PATTERNS (QBFAP)! FOR SURE THIS TIME. NUMBER THREE is to limit the time on the computer! This is why I am calling it a year for Completion of Projects (COP)!

Applique Projects: In Various Stages of Completions:

- Jacobean Lights – 4 blocks remaining – 95% complete
- Stars Around the Garden Medallion – 90% complete waiting on Medallion
- Dresden Plates – Applique Plates to background fabric – 75% complete
- Stonefields – Finish Sections 6-10 – 60% complete
- Celebrating Mary Brown – Continue making a block a month – 10% complete
- A Bountiful Life – Decision on doing a Border or make more blocks – ??

Pieced Projects: In Various Stages:

- OMIGOSH – 10 Blocks Completed – Working on 12 more.
- The Arrowhead Block project – This will be a new project. NEW
- Sweet Stitches – All blocks completed – Need to decide on setting.
- Antique Blue and White Quilt – Started in 2019 – Restart this year. NEW
- Eleanor Burns Egg Money Quilt – 1930 Fabric! NEW
- RSC Challenge 2021 – NEW

Embroidery Projects: Prepared in 2019 – New Projects

- Happy Little Things – NEW
- Aunt Bea’s Parlor – NEW

Sashiko: Pre printed panels

- Sashiko Reef – Sylvia Pippen Designs. NEW
- Nordic Christmas Tree – Sylvia Pippen Designs. NEW

Knitting:

- Knit more dish cloths – NEW
- Work on re-learning how to knit socks – NEW

New Techniques/Hobbies:

- Lap Weaving – I have all the materials just need to DO IT!
- Cross Stitch – I tried it in early 2000 but did not stay with it.

I will start the year with To-Do Tuesdays with Roseanne to get me back in the groove. I will attempt to join One Monthly Goal in February.

I am really trying to finish up these projects and getting finish the 30 quilts that require quilting. I want to finish the hand applique projects first and then start on my embroidery along with the one hand quilted, Indian Summer quilt that needs to be completed. A lot of work but it either “finish them” or give them away for someone else to complete! We shall see how I do. I should not be bored with any aspect of my hobbies this year!

Have a great 2021!

Hugs, Nanette. Linking To: My Quilt Infatuation; Confessions of a Fabric Addict; Finished or Not Friday ; Em’s Scrap Bag; BOM’s Away; Sew Fresh Quilts; Crazy Mom Quilts; Oh Scrap; Scrap Happy Saturday; Slow Sunday Stitching Quilt Fabrication Mid Week Makers; Peacock Party; Design Wall Monday, For the Love of Geese,Scrap Happy Days, Quilting Patch Linky Party To-Do-Tuesdays;PHD in 2021.

January 9, 2019

My 2019-2020 Project List

Greetings from South Texas where we are now enjoying some dry cooler air and I love it. My walk was so enjoyable compared to yesterday when the Humidity was so high! I am slowly catching up on the ‘mundane’ things like updating my Blog and doing this post! Maybe you will see something that sparks an interest for your quilt making projects.

I have been working on reviewing a stack of quilt patterns to work on in the next 2 years (yes I decided that if I chose them now and say 2 years I am ahead of the game) so that I do not feel I have to finish them all (which would be impossible). Here is what I started with and ended with:

Now for the 2019-2020 “List”. I have no time frame for finishing the list just hoping to finish all by the end of 2020. As I studied each pattern I labeled it from an Easy to Complex quilt. This allows me to easily pick out what I want to work on at the time – NO THINKING or INTENSE WORK!

1. Enduring Love by Carol Hopkins book Vintage Legacies. Easy. About a week (I want to remake the borders on this quilt)

2. Make 2 baby quilts – Use Jewel Box Quilt book by Eleanor Burns Easy 2 Weeks.

3. Stonefields – Complete Sections 6 through 10 Rest of the year Easy

4. Feather Star Quilt – Marsha McCloskey – Challenge Quilt: Blue and White Star of Chamble. Fabric is in the drawer by the design board. Plan on a month!

5. Bear Mountain Cabin – Intermediate – Log Cabins, Flying Geese and Bear Paw blocks.

6. Love Warm by Pam Buda – Easy Lots of 2″ squares Scrappy Quilt –

7. Infinity by Eileen Wright in Twist and Turn Bargello Quilts – Red and a Teal One! Maybe Nebula from the same book Intermediate – New Technique

8. Terracina Fabrics – a Panel Play quilt! Will take some up front time for placement and fillers. Use Panel Play by Barbara Becker for ideas on the setting – A fun project Easy

9. Ancient Stars – Sue Garman Requires Lots of Stars and HSTs – Need to decide if I am going to do it all at once, or space it out like a BOM. This quilt requires at least a month or more to make. Intermediate

10. Double Wedding Ring by Sharlene Jorgensen – Templates provided. Intermediate/Advance – At least a month.

11. Lynn Wilder Patterns – Lynns patterns are great and instructions excellent! I will pick one and maybe the wall hanging! Time consuming due to colorway selections.

The House on Edgewood Lane Intermediate/Advance
Country Sunshine Intermediate/Advance
Country Charmer Intermediate/Advance
Heritage Intermediate/Advance
Cute as a Button 31 x 31. Easy

12. Star Dance by Jilly Studio – some applique on the border. Easy

13. Eagle – Cheryl Phillips – Challenge Quilt – Circular quilt – New Technique

14. Liberty Homestead. 36 x 36 Wall Hanging – Easy and Fun pattern. About 2 weeks Purchased hand dyed fabrics from Liberty Homestead in March 2018 at the Dallas Show

15. With This Ring – Linda Ballard – 9” blocks! Easy Pattern – About a week or so. (Also known as Cog Wheels Block)

16. Boston Commons – Heritage Quilts – New Technique 2 weeks, maybe 3 weeks

17. Karen Combs Illusions and 3-D Fun with Pandora’s Box – New Technique – 3 weeks

18. Jelly Roll Book – Both Sides of the Pond. Unique Block Easy Fun to make 2 weeks

Appliqué
A Bountiful Life UFO from 2015
Dresden Plate UFO from 2018

New Appliqué Projects: Sue Garman’s – Maybe in 2020

Mama Said – Advance Applique
Yuletide Joy – Intermediate/Easy

On-Line BOMs

Blue Delft – I will download this pattern for a future project.

Capital “T” BOM – 1 Block a Month! This is my only BOM to work on each month!

If I participate in So Scrappy RSC 2019 Challenge this year, I will be using their colors With This Ring pattern (See Number 15 on the list above)

My Goals for January are:

Capital “T” BOM – 1 Block a Month! I am behind 3 months and plan on getting caught up today!

Baby Quilts for my Cousin’s great grand babies Addison and Brooklyn!

Remake the borders for Enduring Love (a 2015 quilt that I had given up on the Star Borders)

Have a wonderful day and a great week!

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; Quilt Fabrication

January 21, 2018

Progress on Stonefields

Good morning – back to shorts and T-Shirt! Nice break, but drizzling and overcast for the day – Maybe some sun tomorrow. This is a very short post which is unusual for me, but I forgot to add my SLOW work on Stonefields in my previous post!

There were 4 blocks in this Segment that I did not care for and replaced them with Mini-Dresden’s. I like the Fusions fabric and pleased with the way they turned out. I machine sewed the Mini’s and then hand appliqued them to the background squares.

I am still not in the mood to do a lot of handwork in the evenings maybe the desire will come back as I progress through the maze of Flu and SI joint problems. Today I will be working on the remainder of Stonefields as we watch the football playoffs as I am so far behind on my applique projects. Tomorrow my Kaufman Premium Cotton will arrive and I can then begin on preparing Aunt Bea’s Parlor embroidery project I enlarged the pattern just to make sure I would not mess it up. Then that means adjustment to the entire quilt when adding the corners – good challenge for me!

Have a great Sunday, hoping that winter is not over with yet here in South Texas.

December 27, 2017December 27, 2017

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and 6 in 6 in 2018!

Merry Christmas (belated) and a Happy New Year – 2018 is 4 days away and I could not be happier to see this year over with! 14 days sitting in the chair, not wanting to do anything of value is on a downhill slide – Still have to continue taking it easy so my immune system can get over the shock and awe of the wonderful 2017 Type A Flu! I do not recommend this trip for anyone – In fact, carry a container of wipes and hand sanitizer around your neck along with a mask. Run from anyone coughing! If you see a nut job in public with all these goodies hanging around their neck it is ME! Thank goodness for HEB Curbside! Go on-line, order groceries, drive up and they load you up! I will be doing that until the Flu Season is GONE!

We had a quiet Christmas (all cancelled due to illness). But Santa was good to us. I upgraded to an iPad Pro 12.9″ with 512GB and purchased a Space Black Milanese Loop watch band for my Apple Watch! Then as a bonus for being sick, I ordered a Dooney and Burke handbag! Santa brought Clay some things that he had on his list and a 1950 Kenmore Heavy Duty sewing machine (coming today or tomorrow) for his leather work! Talk about 2 spoiled kids! We will share our Christmas with Melissa this coming week-end! Santa has left some gifts for her also!

OK – now back to the world of quilting, and hopefully I will have a very productive year!

I am going to attempt to do the 2018 Challenge – 6 in 6 in 2018. This will fit right in with my very low productive 2017 year of quilting.

So here goes:

6 UFO Projects from 2017

A Bountiful Life (version of Civil War Bride) I have 6 blocks completed, 4 ready for applique and a remaining 10 to finish the quilt.
Nesting – 2 blocks completed – remaining 2 blocks waiting for applique
Stonefields – About 6 blocks waiting for applique (they are small blocks) and Section 5 will be complete – AH half way through the 10 Sections
Sweet Stitches – trying to convince myself that I love the black embroidery thread (although getting bored with it) 6 more blocks to embroider
Brinton Hall – I really need to get with the program on this one – just more hexies for the side panels and then I will be piecing the remainder of the quilt. I would like to have it completed by May – not sure if this is doable!
Mountmellick – Will be starting Border Number 3 in January – This one is a must finish if I am going to enter it in a quilt show this summer.

6 New Projects for 2018

Aunt Bea’s Parlor – Embroidery – I am looking forward to working on this one as it will be multi-colored thread – not just black!
Star Dance by Jill Finley – Piecing
Plantation Stars by Heartspun Quilts – Piecing (hum could be the blue and white quilt)
Afternoon Delight by Sue Garmen A mixture of applique and piecing
Work on my Stars and Churn Dash Reproduction quilt – it will need a design setting also.

There could be some changes for the new projects and will update as I make the final decisions. But as you can see I am really behind on my hand work. Could it be those pesky surgeries? I have more projects that I am thinking of working on, but will wait until I am at 100%. I would also like to participate in OMG and 12 in 2018. Maybe I can do without that 8 hours of sleep……

Have a wonderful day – it is nice and cold here in South Texas – 38 degrees for the day and no sun. It will be this way for a week. I am enjoying winter so far – much better than the 100 degrees each day this past summer! Now for more rain!

November 2, 2017

One Monthly Goal – November

Greetings from summer again in South Texas! Where is that Fall weather anyway we are now 59 days away from January 2018 – Time passes so quickly now. DST is this Saturday so we do get an hour back – maybe I can do more with that hour each day!

I have a feeling that my productivity will not be as good as October, but that is OK. A trip to Galveston for a week, and of course Thanksgiving means a few days that will not be sewing days. Hopefully I can meet some of my goals for November.

Mountmellick – I am working on preparing the EPP flowers for the Medallion and will then sew them on in the corners of the Medallion. Next will be the first border that is a mitred border from border fabric. The next border consists of the small circles and hopefully those will be finished and the 2nd border completed. I have already appliqued the circles and ready for the flowers.

The background is 12 1/2″ x 16 1/2″ and the circles will be small. Then each block will be cut and sewn together with HST’s to make a border!

Continue on with Sweet Stitches. Currently I am working on Block 5 and should be able to complete it and Block 6. – Then I would be halfway through.
Aunt Bea’s Parlor – Start preparing the blocks for embroidery

3. Stonefields – Start preparing Section 5 for applique. I really need to do a push on this quilt as I would love to have it completed by early 2018! If I can finish Section 5 I will be half way through! There are 121 blocks for this quilt!

4. Stars and Churn Dashes – I want to continue making these nice little blocks – no set number – I am just making a lot!

There are other projects to work on, but if I can achieve the November Goals I will be happy!

Linking up with One Monthly Goal

October 10, 2017

Doing the Happy Dance!!!

FINALLY! We are back into a BORING routine of retirement life! I am always ready to take a short “getaway” but not this month! I am through with the hand surgeries and Clay and Melissa are healthy and Melissa started a great new job yesterday! What else could we want? Well, OK – only one more trip to the hand doctor tomorrow and a few errands in SA and hopefully that will be it for a while. It was a long long LONG 5 months and without a few quilting buddies I think I would have really gone crazy. Thanks to Jaydee and Gretchen! Great friends and quilters!

So one might ask – what does a quilter do when back to back carpal tunnel surgeries and dealing with only one hand to use for a short period with all of those projects gathering dust! PUNT! I had time to work on my RSC 2017 project which was not difficult to do and it was something I could work on between surgeries and all the lovely trips to SA! I worked daily on trying to get this quilt finished by Monday and I achieved that goal! When I started making the 4 patch blocks, I had no idea where I was going with the quilt. Originally I had intended to make 28 blocks of 5 colors, but ran out of patience to just sit and sew 4 patches all day long. I only used 4 colors and could no longer bring myself to make anymore blocks in other colors. Here is the final outcome! Anything that reminded me of this quilt that was not used is in the permanent UFO file!

RSC 2017 Challenge Quilt – Completed but not perfect!

One would think that since each and every 4 patch and 2 1/2″ offsetting squares were squared and doubled checked during the process, that the quilt would come out perfect! Did not happen here and that is a big frustration for me as a Type A personality! The quilt is lucky to have survived the same demise as its leftovers!

Also during this time I have been able to finish preparing the last two blocks (Blocks 1 and 2 the ones with the wreaths) for the Nesting quilt and have started appliquéing on block 1. I love the Red Birds in this quilt. I have only one more block to go and then I will start on the appliqué border. This is an old pattern of Darlene C. Christopherson’s and so pretty. Each block is different. Blocks 1 and 2 had wreaths for the birds to sit on, but the pattern was not accurate so I quickly decided to change that and leave them off.

Moving right along, I found out that I could embroidery as soon as the cast was removed, but took it slow and easy. I have finished 2 more blocks for Sweet Stitches project. Today I have prepared the April Easter Bunny Block. This was a BOM that I purchased in either 2013 or 2014. It is fun and really fast to complete. Kathy provides embellishments for each month that are fusible and really add to the block!

I have 3 projects going concurrently for appliqué, Nesting, Stonefields, and A Bountiful Life. I still have to prepare Section 5 of Stonefields though. I also have other projects that need attention, but am thinking that I am ready to start on a Di Ford quilt – something that will be more challenging than 4 patches. (Hummm if I have the problem with 4 patches, maybe this will not be a good idea – LOL) I am going to start on one of the quilts from her books Primarily Quilts and Primarily Quilts 2.

In 2014 I purchased some of the beautiful Dutch Chintz fabrics to use in her quilts and it is now the time to get back to that time when I first started with Reproduction Fabrics and the Australian reproduction quilt patterns. I have fabric for 3 of her quilts in the books so it will be fun to work with them.

All in all, I am finally at a place in 2017 where things are peaceful and calm and uneventful. It has been a long 9 months of a not so good year. So this is the beginning of my 2017 and I only have 3 more months in this year to produce! I have almost forgotten that I have that wonderful new Grace quilting frame waiting for a quilt, but think it will be December before I attempt any hand quilting.

Our trip for the year will be in November as we are going to go to Santa Fe and Gallup New Mexico and on to Winslow, Flagstaff, and Sierra Vista, Arizona. We will enjoy the new scenery and visiting for a week with our friends Doug and Jean who have already arrived in the Sierra Vista area for the winter. Then back home for the winter, or whatever we end up with for cold weather. It will be fun and a great chance to visit with our friends. I miss our RV travel, but not the work involved!

An update on my new toy the Cutter Pillar I purchased at the SA Quilt Show. It is a great and must have tool for quilters. Today I used it as a light box – unbelievable! To be able to use it as a cutting mat and then for the light box for tracing patterns for appliqué and embroidery is great and a time and space saver to boot! To see how it works go to Cutter Pillar!

Have a great week and enjoy stitching!

August 21, 2017

Moving Right Along to Insanity and Back Again!

Greetings from lovely HOT HOT HOT South Texas, and I mean HOT! Quilting here since May has been SLOW SLOW SLOW with not one quilt finished since May! It has been like hanging from a tree waiting for the bear to quit biting at my feet so I can climb down and start my life again! Enough of this! I THINK that by the middle of September I may be able to get back to my quilting and OH am I ever wanting BOREDOM in my life again. I am sure that Clay does too as we both just hate those UFR health issues that seem to come more and more as we get older!

Here is an update on what little quilting has been going on in my Studio in the last month! I have been working on RSC 2017 Challenge – a 4 patch quilt. I wanted some mindless sewing but yet work on a quilt project. I have completed the following for my RSC 2017 project – 28 blocks of purple and white; 28 blocks of blue and white; and now working towards the teal and white blocks, but only 5 blocks finished. I am not going to do black or neutrals. So maybe I will have all completed by October (what a dreamer I am)! I am going to put this project away as I am tired of mindless work and want to do something different. I have no idea how I am going to set all of the blocks – guess that will be done when I am completely finished driving myself nuts with mindless work!

RSC 2017 Challenge Only 61 Blocks – Seems like it should be 100

I did complete one block for Ms Potts and have two ready to appliqué. There are 2 other blocks that I have not worked on and will probably change the blocks as I do not like the pattern so those are definitely on the back burner, in fact they may just go into the fire!

Ms Potts Block – No I did not mess up the Vase – that is the way the pattern is!

Today I am going to start prepping some embroidery work (if I get off the computer). I have a BOM that I purchased from Kathy Schmitz in 2013??? I completed the January Block and had started working on the February Block, but never finished it. I am in the mood for embroidery so today I am going to prep another block just to have it ready to work on in the evenings and hopefully it would be nice to have both completed by next Wednesday before surgery.

February Snowman – Whoops – Needs his hand!

I want to prep Section 5 of Stonefields but that may take me a day or so to do that as it means selecting fabric and cutting out the freezer paper. I also want to try Sashiko but of course I have been wanting to do that since 2014 so I am hoping that I will find the time to work on that technique before the end of 2017! Where has the time gone? I have found out that being a one-handed quilter just doesn’t cut it! LOL

As you can see I am like a squirrel gathering nuts for the winter time by preparing my projects to work on in the evening time during the winter evenings IF we have a winter (for South Texas that may be NEVER!). We have had nothing but 100+ and high humidity along with horrible heat indexes. I have had to give up my early morning walking and now I am doing a Stationary Bike inside – which is fine with me until we have “cooler” weather!

In 2018 there are two quilt shows that I hope to be ready to enter, New Braunfels and Austin Shows. I was unable to enter the San Antonio Show this year due to those lovely UFRs, darn! At least I will be able to attend the show and see what South Texas quilters are working on.

My Carpel Tunnel Surgery on left hand has been delayed until 31 August, so now I have about 7 days to really relax and quilt, as long as no one finds out! Phones off the hook and the gate lock!!! LOL We went through a tough month again but it turned out fine Clay missed the bullet. I wish I had his immune system! So healthy!

Were you aware that there are ONLY 132 days until we have an opportunity to start a new year – 1 January 2018! I remember in 1992 how much I wanted that year to be over with and was so happy to bring in 1993 – it ended up being one of the best years of my life!

Vacations to the Gulf Coast are scheduled for the week of Thanksgiving and Christmas! We have rented a Cottage with 2 bedrooms and a full kitchen and living room at Fulton Beach and are looking forward to the Holiday Getaways! I am sure there will be a short get away in October to ABH (anywhere but home) to celebrate being through with Doctors for 2017!

If I am lucky enough to complete some of my little short goals between now and 31 August, I will do one more update, if not, it will probably be in mid-September or a little later when I will do another post. Until then, happy stitching, keep cool or warm (if you live in Iceland) and see you in September! (I think my Scorpio humor is showing today!!!!)