Its been good and bad this week

Well my 75th birthday was Wednesday and its a blessing I am still doing well.  The day started out bad as our power was off for 5 hours due to trees down from a storm...but good it came on in time for me to get a shower and meet Friends at Ruby Tuesday to celebrate - but bad because while they were all here, my husband fell in the bathroom and we had to call EMT for help to get him up and to the hospital...but good because he did not break any bones and is now just dealing with some soreness.  We were in the ER for 12 hours!  But Thanks be to God, I have been blessed with fairly good health and able to take care of him.

Yesterday was our 51st anniversary and we simply spent a quiet day at home.  He was not up to doing much.

APIP #1: Meryton - Whoopee - I have it in the hoop and did a little quilting on it this morning.  I just love hand quilting, find it so relaxing.  And I needed some relaxation this day.

  

APIP #2 : Bloom and Grow - I did complete all the stitcheries and had hoped to start putting the blocks together - but life happens!

APIP #13: Rose and Tulip Applique (Tote Bag)

This started out as a demo to my Guild and club using Golden Thread as an applique "underlay."  I liked my sample so much, I turned it into a tote bag, with the applique on the front anda Bolar Fusible panel on the back.  I had made the panel in a recent workshop and did not know what I wanted to do with it. So here is the finished project;

APIP #14 - Bright Hopes Crochet lap quilt - I won't attach any pictures as they pretty much look the same, but this week I did finish enough blocks to make one row, and maybe next week I can show you that!

APIP#15 - Hues Clues Challenge (New) - I guess I needed something else to do, so I signed up for a block challenge at my LQS SewEndipitous.  Its called Hues Clues and you draw a color card with four colors and have to make a 20" block using those colors.  Its a light, medium and dark of a particular color and one complimentary color.  You do not pick the card you want, you just had to choose it and only found out the colors after you chose.  I am happy with my draw, and decided they looked like earth tones to me and with a complimentary color of Turquoise, reminded me of Native Americans.  So between yesterday and today, I completed  a star block and then one side of a border using Seminole piecing.  I have the one border and another couple borders fabrics to see how they look.  Its a fun project, but has interrupted my progress on other projects as I am so excited to see how it turns out.  I plan to do a little beading in the Turquoise color.  Has to be done by June 21 - Yikes!

So now, I think I am done for the day.....hmmm...maybe go and hand quilt some.   There is always something for me to work on so makes it hard to find time for cooking, laundry, cleaning......

Bright Hopes and Bloom and Sew Quilt Progress

 To day is May 18, and three more days and I will be 3/4 Century old.  So hard to believe.  We celebrated May birthdays in my family yesterday and it was a fun day.  My birthday is the 21st, my Granddaughter Tess's is the 22nd and my Daughter-in-law Holli's is the 24th.  Add to that my 51st wedding anniversary is also on the 24.  

This past week I have worked primarily on my Bright Hopes quilt and the Bloom and Sew Block of the Month by Gail Pan.

APIP #1 - Meryton; this quilt top is now in the hands of my friend Martee who is going to baste it for Hand quilting on her long arm machine.  It is so nice to have her do this as I know it will be basted straight and without wrinkles.  When I thread baste them myself it can take all day to complete the basting on a Queen size quilt, not to mention the back ache that results after that is done.

APIP #2 - Bloom and Sew;  I completed two stitcheries, have two more ready to be blocked and then another in the hoop, almost done.  That leaves one more to get stitched.  Hopefully by the end of next week all stitcheries will be completed.  I would like to have the block completed by the end of the month.

My three blocks in process

Two completed blocks

APIP #13 Bright Hopes Quilts - I have decided to call this quilt the Bright Hopes quilt after the name of the block.  I now have all the blocks made, and have started the blanket stitch around the blocks and then the crochet.  I find I am really enjoying the crochet as I used to crochet a lot.  Since quilting took over my life most of my other hand crafts have gone by the wayside.  Lately I have gotten more interested in doing embroidery and crochet and enjoy incorporating them into my quilts.

 The instructions call for the blocks to be blocked and I ordered this blocking board to accomplish this task.  I have never had one of these before and look forward to blocking all my blocks.

 I have been playing around with how to arrange the blocks.  

This is option one, with the Bright Hope blocks making up the quilt top.

Option 1 - the floral side making up the quilt back.

This is option 2 where I flip every other block over to put the floral in between the Bright Hope blocks.

Guess I will study the pictures a little more before I make up my mind.

Happy Mother's Day

 I hope all you Mom's out there have had a good day.  Mine was very nice, with dinner here at the house, my daughter Jennie brought over some delicious brisket, mac & cheese and roasted potatoes.  I fixed fried okra, cookies and rolls and my daughter in law, Holli, brought a delicious lemon cake and green beans.  It was a very nice family gathering.

APIP #2 - Bloom and Sew:  I received the 5th block instructions from Gail Pan yesterday and got the stitcheries all prepped and ready to embroider.  Started on one this morning.  Nice one to do today, as I am very happy to have had my family here today!

APIP #14 - Bright Hopes Quilt:  I have primarily been working this week on the Bright Hopes quilt, completing all 36 of the Bright Hope blocks and getting the blanket stitch around several of them,  I had to go back and re-read the instructions a couple of time just to figure out how the blocks will go together, and I think I have it straight now.  I am not to the point of putting the blocks together yet, but its nice to at least think I know how to do it.

APIP #1 - Meryton: I had to order the quilt backing and batting and they arrived this week.  Now to get the quilt to the long arm quilter and maybe get it in my hoop and start the hand quilting this week - or maybe next week.

Meryton Quilt Top completed

 I completed the quilt top this morning.  After much debate, I decided not to add a final border primarily as I have not been able to find a border fabric that I think would enhance the quilt.  Katrina's design is so beautiful, I am happy with it just as it is.  I hope to get it long arm basted in a week or so, and then I can start hand quilting :)

APIP # 13 - Bright Hope:  I completed one block just to see how it would look.  Have not had much time to do much else - well I did get all the blocks cut out .

A little off schedule

I missed another Sunday, but have been steadily moving on.  

APIP #1: Meryton  - I have made some good progress on the Meryton.  All the outer border blocks are made, but I do still have to applique the Whirligig blades to the pieced blocks for the outer border.  Three are complete, 5 more to go.  Then I can start putting the top together, have it basted and then start the quilting.  

These are two of the completed blocks.  They are machine pieced and I am right proud I got them to come out right with all the points in place.  I had to make 4 of each.

The are the four outer border blocks together,  The border with have 4 of each of these blocks.

APIP #2: Bloom and Sew - I have completed blocks 4 of the BOM.  Block 5 will be here May 11, so I have a couple weeks to work on other projects.

Completed Block 4

Blocks 1 - 4 together

APIP #14 - Bright Hopes with Crochet Sashing:  Not sure what to call this quilt.  Bright Hopes is a block I found in the Quilt Maker's Gift book and have chosen this block to use in a quilt that is in the May 2025 Magazine, called Leaping Fences.  This quilt had 5 1/2" rail fence blocks with a crochet sashing.  I had been wanting to do a little crochet lately, and this quilt just caught my eye.  I am using a Bright Hope block instead of the Rail Fence.  I think it will be fun and different from any quilt I have made before.  The blocks are quilted as you go, then a blanket stitch added around the border as a base for crocheting a sashing to hold the blocks together. 

Thread I will be using for Crochet

Bright Hope Block

AQ Magazine Picture of Quilt

Catching up

I have missed two Sunday posts now.  I took a bad fall Thursday, April 10 when a cart I was pushing down the hall simply collapsed and I fell over it, face down.  It was the kind of cart that folds flat, and I pushed it over a threshold in my house, it folded flat with me on top.  It was  a painful fall, and for about 4 days I could barely walk or breathe, but remained confident that I had not broken any bones.  Fred finally convinced me to go to the hospital, and no broken bones, but I had sprained all my ribs and sternum and the muscle tissue around these bones were inflamed.  A true blessing that I did not break anything, and the doctors gave me some medicines that relieved the pain. 

So I lost about a week of sewing just lying around the house.  By the time I got better, Easter was upon us  and I needed to get a scavenger egg hunt together for the grandkids as well as getting groceries and cooking for Easter dinner.  My granddaughter, Tess, helped me get the groceries and egg hunt together and my daughter, Jennie, helped with the meal - so it all got done, and we had a blest Easter.

APIP#2 - During this time, I only worked on the Bloom and Sew project.  I completed four of the stitcheries for BOM Block #4 and have two left to go.  I hope to get all the stitcheries done today and get started putting the block together.

APIP #13 - Tulip & Rose Applique block.  I have the pattern for this block up on my design wall and stare at it a lot, trying to decide what fabrics I will use and how I will use the block.  I had decided to make a pillow out of it to go with my Meryton quilt (APIP #1) but I was befuddled if I really wanted to do this.  In the meantime I finished a block I had made to demonstrate how to use Bolar fusible to Stitchin' Friends.  I really like the sample I made with batiks and have decided to make the Tulip & Rose block with the same vibrant batik colors.  I have been wanting a tote bag to carry my projects in, and voila, I decided to do this.  I will be demonstrating to my guild's First Friday sewing group how to use Golden Thread paper for an applique underlay and I plan to use the Tulip & Rose as my example.  I already have the pattern traced onto the paper, so now to prepare the fabrics for applique.  Its so nice to finally have a plan!

This is the block I made to demo this technique to my quilt club. These are the vibrant colors I will use in my applique and I am thinking of using a black background.  I want the bag to have sides and a squared of bottom, but not too big.  Maybe just 3 inch sides made like the piano key border on the block and using some of the bolar fusible to make the sides. 

Here is the pattern pattern for the Tulip & Rose block, and behind it is the Golden Thread paper pattern I traced for the underlay.

We shall see, I have been know to change my mind, haha.

Rose and Tulip Block

 Well I am day late with this post, but honestly was so tired yesterday I took a long nap and then forgot to post. This past week I have been busy preparing a demo for my club meeting this Wednesday (9th) on how to use Bolar Fusible grids for block making.  We will just be doing a small block using a 6x6 two inch grid which yields a 9" block.  They can then make a hot mat, pot holder or add a border and make a pillow.  I think it will be a fun meeting and I hope they enjoy making the block.

This is the front and back of the sample I made.  The class I took clipped the seams a little differently, but I really prefer to press mine open and have a simple method for doing this.  I will demo both methods and let them choose what they want to do.  I also provided them with sample designs I drew in EQ to give them ideas of how they can make their own designs. All they have to bring to the meeting is 36 two inch squares and at least 36 straight pins.  I will set up ironing stations and they can use my two machines for the little bit of sewing necessary.  Most like to do their sewing at home, but they can get at least 3 seams sewn at my house and cut so they know how to press the seam open, or to the side, which every they prefer.

APIP #1 Meryton - I completed the third Star Flower block, just one more to go and I can start working on the machine pieced blocks.

APIP#2; Bloom and Sew; I completed block 3 and should receive the fourth block in the BOM from Gail Pan on the 11.  

APIP#13; Rose and Tulip Applique Block  (NEW APIP).   My guild has an open sew day on the first Friday of each month at a local church.  It is open to all that want to come, and visitors are welcome.  I was working on one of my Meryton blocks and they asked if I would do a demo at the next meeting.  I use a Golden Thread paper to make an "underlay" of the pattern and this is primarily what they want me to demo, but I will also have to explain "prepared edge applique" as that is an important piece of the process.

I have chosen a Rose and Tulip block, from a book titled Rose Sampler Supreme by Rosemary Makhan.  This book was gifted to me by my wonderful friend, Darlene, and I have always wanted to make some of the blocks in the book.  I plan to turn this one and maybe two more as bed pillows to use with my Meryton quilt.  I am not going to use all the same fabrics that are in the Meryton, but the colors will coordinate.

This is a picture of the block I took from the book.  I have the pattern and underlays completed, and hopefully by next week I will have more to share on the blog. When I have a demo to do, I like to get it all prepped and ready to go asap, just incase life happens between now and the meeting and I run out of time :)