Sampling a Sampler ... Quilt that is

 Sampling a Sampler

I've wanted to make a Sampler quilt for some time now and recently I ran across a book presented by Moda called, Block Heads.

There is also a website and blog posts, HERE is one of them.

I decided that now was as good a time as any to start a new quilt project.

A Sampler quilt project ...

A little hand embroidery

Hand embroidery to label and date my very first Sampler Quilt project.

I used cursive writing for my name. It is sad to me that cursive writing is no longer being taught, handwriting is a beautiful art form. 

These two blocks are actually 12.5 inch blocks leftover from the last two Tribute Star quilt projects that I have completed. I have several other orphan quilt blocks from previous quilt projects that I hope to use in this Sampler Quilt Project as well.

Happy Sampler Sewing!

Garden Gloriousness

 Garden Gloriousness 

I have enjoyed learning gardening and canning and freezing food this summer.

I ordered this catalog months ago, as a new gardener, I thought one needed to order seeds for the garden. I had completely forgotten that I had ordered this catalog so when it showed up in my mailbox on Saturday I was thrilled.  As the summer begins to wind down it is the perfect time to start planning for next year's garden. 

Who knew that quilt patterns and seed catalogs would become my favorite reading materials.

Gardening ... is wonderful!

Fresh vegetables, tomatoes, and canned fresh green beans.

Fresh corn and okra are in the freezer, along with fresh homemade salsa!

Marigolds

I has been a wonderful summer in the garden.

Fresh food and beautiful flowers.

I've really enjoyed the flowers, so bright and so beautiful.

OBSESSED

 OBSESSED

Still ... with Red and White quilts ... but now I have added a pattern that I just can't get enough of. This pattern is by Denyse Schmidt of www.dsquilts.com called Tribute Star.

It is a free pattern

To date I can remember making 5 quilts of this pattern. Yesterday I completed the 5th quilt top of this pattern. It goes together quickly and with stunning effect. Modern, yet traditional.

I love this pattern.

MY Red/White Tribute Star

60 x 60 inches

I love the simple loops machine quilting pattern!

MY Pink-ish/White Tribute Star

60 x 60 inches

I love the backing fabric, it is a Lori Holt design by Riley Blake

A few months ago, I decided to make a Red/White Tribute Star quilt for myself. I gave the one I had made to my daughter. For the one that I made for myself I decided on a simple quilting pattern. My friend, Sharon, is an amazing longarm machine quilter is doing a beautiful job on my quilt.

Yesterday, I decided to make a Pink-ish/White Tribute Star ... now to decide on the quilting pattern.

I just can't get enough of this pattern these days!!!

Getting Things Done

Getting things done ...

I'm the queen of putting off things that I don't particularly enjoy!

Most of the time these things aren't really difficult, they are just things that take time.

Like putting the binding on an otherwise finished quilt.

Until Saturday I had 8 quilts that only needed binding to be FINISHED quilt projects.

I made some binding and gathered up my store bought binding ...

... and I got busy binding 

Red/White Half Square Triangle quilt

I have already gifted this one. I gifted this quilt to my brother and sister-in-law as a thank you gift for teaching me how to garden, can food and freeze garden fresh food. I have really enjoyed myself this summer in their garden.

Sewing My Stash Scrap quilt #9

SOLD

This is such a cute quilt and store bought binding worked beautifully.

SOLD

Sewing My Stash Scrap quilt #6

I made the binding for this quilt from leftover backing fabric.

This backing is an Anna Maria Horner print and I love it so much. 

Sewing My Stash Scrap quilt #8

Store bought binding for the finish!

Booker approved!

I'm pretty sure that HE has decided that this quilt is HIS!

hahaha ...

Now, I only have four more quilts that need binding ....

Adventures In Canning

Canning garden fresh foods ...

Growing up in the small town of Crossville, Tennessee I was lucky enough to watch my grandparents and parents seasonally can garden fresh vegetables

YET ... I never learned how to do it myself!

This past weekend my sister-in-law graciously taught me how to pressure can green beans.

😎😎😎

I won't lie ... I'm feeling pretty good about learning how to can foods.

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed hanging out with family and

packing jars with freshly snapped green beans from the garden.

Green beans that I helped plant in the garden.

We had three runs of green beans, 14 quarts and 9 pints of beans were produced.

My sister-in-law made a wonderful lunch of party chicken and fresh green beans.

Earlier in the season I canned 8 pints of garlic dill pickles.

I also made some refrigerator pickles and pickled banana peppers.

I've been enjoying gardening and canning foods this year. I've enjoyed spending more time with my brother and his family. I've enjoyed learning how to garden from my brother. I've enjoyed learning how to can foods from my sister-in-law. I've enjoyed eating all of the garden fresh vegetables this summer as well. 

Gardening has been a real blessing for me this year. 

#wearefamily

Baby Quilts

Baby Quilts???

As it happens, as of late, I have been commissioned to make a few baby quilts ...

but, I've also ended up making a few baby quilts purely by chance. 

These "by chance" baby quilts are the result of using blocks leftover from other projects.

It doesn't always happen but on occasion I end up with extra blocks, or portions of blocks that end up being just enough for a baby quilt.

My sister commissioned me to make a couple of baby quilts as gifts this summer.

Old Glory

For a baby boy due in July

And I started this Modern Hexagon quilt for a little girl due in June.

But after talking with the mom to be, my sister requested a floral baby girl quilt instead.

As you know I'm working strictly from my fabric stash so luckily I had some floral fabrics on hand.

hahahaha!

Old Glory and Flora & Fauna

***Side note ... both babies were born in July. The June baby girl decided to wait until July to make her debut.***

I had a bit more of the floral fabrics and decided to piece them into another floral baby quilt but this time I used a bright pink-ish border. 

This scrap happy baby quilt is the product of my most recent scrap quilt project.

I had enough left to make this hourglass baby quilt top.

The way I figure it, it never hurts to have a few baby quilt tops at the ready.

#babiesandquilts

Updated - Sewing My Stash Scrap Quilt #13

Saturday Sewing

Scrap quilts are my favorite!

I have really enjoyed making these scrap quilts. 

Taking my fabric scraps and turning them into an interesting beautiful quilt top.

This scrap quilt took it a step further for me ...

In all of the years that I have been quilting, I've never made a quilt setting the blocks on point.

This scrap quilt was not only fun ... I learned something new.

Quilt math was involved but I survived! hahahaha!

These blocks make me think of waterfalls. I really like the way that this one turned out.

Sewing My Stash Scrap Quilt #13

80 x 90 inches

I am considering hand-quilting this quilt top in Big Stitch hand quilting.

Scrap Happy Baby Quilt

35 x 35 inches

Setting the blocks on point for this quilt project meant trimming four of the blocks in half.

I took those four half blocks and made half square triangle blocks and ended up with enough to make a small scrappy baby quilt. Two finished quilt tops in one quilt project.

I love it when a simple idea comes together and works out.

Sewing My Stash Scrap Quilt # 13

Sewing My Stash Scrap Quilt #13

At the end of June before I went on vacation, I started something new ...

Sewing My Stash Scrap Quilt #13

It's crazy to me that I have made 12 scrap quilts in the last two years. All of them from fabric that I have in my stash and ... that I am actually working on the 13th quilt top now. 

I have been quilting for 22 years now and I have never made a quilt pattern where the blocks are set on point. This scrap quilt project will remedy that ...

Scrap Quilt #13 blocks will be set on point.

Here's to learning something new.

Flowers In The Garden Make Me Smile

Flowers in the Garden Make Me Smile

My Grandma Dorothy always had the most beautiful flowers in her garden, at the edges, and in her yard. Her summer time flower beds were truly a sight to behold.

This year my brother is teaching me his gardening ways and I mentioned Grandma's flowers, he said I could plant whatever I wanted to ...

So ....

The sunflowers I planted are beginning to bloom.

Tithonia, Bells of Ireland, Cosmos, Zinnias, and marigolds.

I also planted lemon balm but it didn't make it.

Bells of Ireland are budding ... these flower plants are huge.

Zinnias

Cosmos

Zinnias and Cosmos

Cosmos and marigolds

Marigolds

And a cute little surprise ... this little garden frog sitting on an okra leaf.

Gardening is amazing!