Signs Signs ... Everywhere Signs ...

Autumn 2019

This morning while my coffee brewed I stood before my beloved kitchen window.

One of my favorite spots in my house, because of this beautiful window shelf that my brother-in-law built and installed for me.

There they were ... fallen golden brown leaves ...

Signs that Fall is here!

It's still hot outside though ...

😎😎😎

My Pillow Project ... Explained

My Pillow Project

I'm not sure how it happens really but I tend to end up with orphan quilt blocks.

Sometimes I cut fabric for a block incorrectly and end up with a block that is the wrong size for the project that I am working on.

Sometimes I will make a practice block from scrap fabric before I start a big project.

Sometimes I will end up with a block that I don't really like how it looks - the fabrics don't look that great together and I just don't want to use them in my quilt project.

Sometimes while at the KMQG meetings orphan blocks will be offered up and I will snag a few of them.

Whatever the reason for ending up with orphan blocks I have decided to make them into pillows.
I love pillows!

Red Cross Pillows = 2 orphan blocks where I cut the fabric the wrong size

The Blue Star Pillows = the star blocks were orphan blocks obtained at one of the KMQG meetings. I added some low volume fabrics and made 3 pillows 16 x 12 inches.

One of the pillows was gifted to my friend, Gisele, as a going away gift. The other two are in my living room - along with the 2 Red Cross Pillows.

Presently, I have several quilt blocks in my orphan block stack that will be made into pillows. 

I 💖 pillows!

Strolling Along

Strolling along through September,

I have officially survived Friday the 13th and the following full moon.

Safely I might add ... here in my sewing room. 

Finished this beautiful gem ...

Meadow

68 x 78

This pattern is by Lizzy House 

September of 2015 the KMQG hosted the class that Lizzy House 

gave to learn how to make this quilt.

I loved every moment of the class and getting the opportunity to meet Lizzy House.

I had completed all but the final 3 blocks needed to complete this quilt top before putting it away.

Honesty time ... I was in a horrible marriage that was debilitating.

I was left with barely enough confidence to wake up each morning.

The divorce has been final for 1 year now and I was able to finish this beautiful quilt.

Finishing this quilt top is a huge triumph for me.

I feel successful for the first time in a very long time.

And, it feels wonderful!

💖💖💖

It may have taken me four years to finish this quilt top but that's okay.

The quilt top is finished and I am in a much better place in my life.

It feels good ... real good.

During the class Lizzy House signed my practice block 

and I am making it into a pillow.

This block will become a part of my Pillow Project.

💖💖💖

***Now to go back through all of the old posts of talented machine quilters to find 

just the right person to machine quilt this beauty.

I'm so excited!!!

Taking A Little Break

I have decided to take a little break.

A break from what you ask ... a break from my routine.

Here we are in the middle of September and it is still HOT. It is still Summer.

Even though the days are getting shorter and college football is in full swing ... it still feels like FULL ON SUMMER!

I've been on vacation ... 

It was lovely, absolutely lovely.

I even watched college football while I was on vacation!

Hot Summer Vacation!

So, I have decided to take a little break from the every day ... HOT Summer Every Day ... and wait for Fall to catch up!

A peaceful boycott, if you will ...

A time to reflect and wait for those cooler temperatures.

The beautiful golden leaves, harvest, and apple cider ...

I'm so ready!

🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁🍁

I Think I Have A Problem ...

I think I have a problem ....

This past weekend I completed 5 quilts.

Sometimes once quilts come back to me from my long arm quilter,

they sit and sit until I get motivated to put the binding on them.

Which usually leads to a weekend devoted to doing just that,

... binding quilts.

Moda Love Christmas Layer Cake quilt

72 x 72

Feather Bed

72 x 72

Red / White Quilt Collection

Orphan Block Chaos

72 x 81

Red / White Quilt Collection

Red Brick Road

93 x 97

Red / White Quilt Collection

Moda Love So Ruby Charm Pack quilt

37 x 37

All of this leads to the problem ... quilts ... lots and lots of quilts. Quilting is my joy, my creative outlet but, I (and all of my family members) have more quilts than we need or will ever really us. I should probably sell some of my quilts but I tried that. I had an Etsy page and after a year I only sold one quilt. Having an Etsy page (shop) costs money and it just wasn't worth the expense to keep it open. I also have a few of my quilts and things in a brick and mortar shop, with no real success there either. So ... I now have a closet full of completed quilts and quilt tops that still need to be quilted. I'm not sure what the answer is but I'm sure the problem is only going to get worse because I have no intention of giving up my quilting habit.

😁

Although, I won't be giving up quilting ... I've been considering other avenues of expressing my creativity. Such as watercolor painting, sketching, making my own clothing, luggage, and handbags ...

lots to think about!

😉

And Just Like That ... Vacation Is OVER ...

And just like that vacation is over and it is back to the grind ...

I've been awake since 3:30 a.m this morning...

getting back in the groove of working is hard!

The struggle is real ...

My sister got me some great gifts for my kitchen!

Continuing with the Mexican tile theme. I love all of the color!

It makes me happy!

I also managed to get a couple of knitting projects completed.

This is the cowl ... neck warmer that my daughter started.

I was able to get it completed while on vacation.

Knitted Neck Warmer ... Cowl

Forrest Green, it is very pretty and will keep my daughter warm and snug

this fall and winter.

I also finished this pair of toe up socks ... that I feel like I have been knitting on 

FOREVER!!!

These socks will be very wearable with my work slacks when the cooler weather arrives?

I'm glad that they are done. One color socks are so boring to knit ... and there could not be a more boring color than TAN!!!!

Vacation Mode ... Art

I have been wanting to try my hand at watercolor.

I decided that there is no better time to

begin than while on vacation.

Watercolor

Vacation 2019

Vacation Mode ... Puttering

I haven't felt well since my vacation began on Friday

but I was thinking it was just a virus or

Summer cold ...

Today I am giving in and going to the doctor.

:(

I've been puttering around on my 3rd project since Sunday

Jezebel Approved Quilt Project  :)

Red/White Collection

Cat Faces

6.5 inch blocks

Pattern by Elizabeth Hartman

Cat Faces

There will be 100 6.5 inch blocks

(to date I have 54 of the 100 blocks completed)

I have decided on sashing, this quilt will be one of my red/white quilts.

The exception on this quilt is the two black/white cat faces

in honor of my furry house beasts;

Booker and Jezebel 

Vacation Mode Finish #2

Solid Strings

KONA solid fabrics

68 x 76

The first string pieced quilt I ever made was a gift for my nephew's graduation from high school and I was totally hooked!

I love the process, I love the look, I love scrappy quilts.

Solid Strings

9 inch blocks

As my sister says, "Optical Illusion"

And, this is just one possible look or layout ... just one!

There are hundreds of possibilities with these blocks.

The magic of string pieced blocks. 

Solid Strings

My 2nd finish on my 2019 vacation.

There will also be a pillow for my Pillow Project from a couple of leftover 

9 inch string blocks.

I've not felt very well, I think I may have the flu.

I have a doctor's appointment in a few hours.

We will see ... 

Vacation Mode Finish #1

Sewing My Stash I

There is nothing I love more than a scrappy quilt and apparently buying fabrics with no real plan for using said fabrics.

It is now time to use these beautiful fabrics that have sat on shelves and in bins ... WAITING 

to be used. I love string pieced quilts ... so that is my plan.

LOTS OF STRING PIECED SCRAP QUILTS!

Improv Log Cabin pattern

Sewing My Stash I

81 x 94

I decided to pick a bin and just start sewing.

I used the last of my Lizzy House Peeps and Bracelets fabrics.

I treasured them for a long time not wanting to use the last of what I had

but then I realized that these fabrics are more of a treasure

used to make a quilt.

Sewing My Stash I

... is Jezebel approved!

I love it too!

I'm very excited to be sewing and enjoying

my vacation in my sewing room.

Vacation Mode ... Love

A couple of days before my vacation began I picked up this beautiful

Stack - O - Quilts

from my long arm machine quilter, Sharon.

She does amazing and beautiful machine quilting.

Stack - O - Quilts

Red/White Collection

Moda Love Charm Pack quilt

in "So Ruby" fabrics.

37 x 37 inches

Red/White Collection

Red Brick Road

93 x 97 inches

Made up of Red/White scrap fabrics

Red/White Collection

Chaos

72 x 81 inches

Made up of the orphan cross blocks I had made and then I made improv

blocks to complete the top.

Feather Bed

72 x 72 inches

This quilt is made up of blocks that I inherited from a lovely woman at the KMQG, who after completing a few blocks decided she did not enjoy the process and was 

giving away what she had done and cut out.

Long with fabrics that I had - I cut out a few more blocks and pieced it all together.

I love it!!!

This quilt pattern is by Anna Maria Horner and is called, Feather Bed,

and can be purchased on her website.

Some of my vacation time will be spent putting binding on this beautiful

Stack - O - Quilts