Jasmine Bag - Katrina Hadjimichael pattern

 Last night I completed the applique panels on my Jasmine Bag by Katrina Hadjimichael.  On to the quilting step next.  This was a project I took to my Stitchin Friends quilt retreat and so excited to be working on it again after over a year, I think,

Backyard Birds

 My quilt has a UFO Challenge going on for 2026 - but it is a manageable one.  You just list 9 projects that you will work on during the year, setting a specific goal for each project. Each month the project manager (Martee) selects a number and you work on that project during the month.  If you meet the goal you set, you get 2 tickets in the prize bowl, if you worked on it but did not complete it, you get one ticket.  At the end of the year there will be a ticket drawn and that person gets a special prize :)

 For February, the number chosen was #3, and my #3 goal was to complete the quilt top for the Backyard Birds quilt.  I already had all the bird block completed, just needed to do the quilt layout, which involved making 10 checkerboard blocks.  So this morning I met my goal :)

I have decided to make another set of birds but a little fancy ones - using floral and other types of prints.

So far, I have completed two of these birds:

These are really fun to make - Foundation Paper Pieced.   The background is actually a pretty green but just does not show up well in the picturess

Insanity, Backyard Birds and Starry Sampler

 Good gracious, my time is just flying by.  My last post was in November and here it is Feb 3, 2026!  I have been stitching and making progress, just not posting to this blog.   I usually print my blog each year, but the site I have been using is no longer in existence.  I am inquiring with PixxiBooks and hope they will work for me.   

Here is what I have been working on:

Insanity Quilt - I have 11 rows of the center completed which is 61.11% of the quilt center,k but only 22.01% for the total quilt.  I still enjoy working on this quilt and will slowly get it done. Of the 10, 561 half inch hexies in the quilt, I have sewn on the top 2,325 leaving 8,236 to go :)

Backyard Birds - this is one of the 2026 Block of the Month I am chairing for my guild.  I had to get all the birds done in advance in order to prepare fabric cutting charts for each bird.  So far, I have done one workshop of Foundation Paper Piecing and have a make-up session schedule for this Saturday for 5 ladies new to FPP.   I have started putting my rows together and doing something a little differently from the pattern.  The pattern has leaf, twig and worms on alternating blocks between the birds.  I decided to go with a checkerboard block.  I am FPP with freezer paper the vertical columns of these blocks and then sewing the strips being so careful to get a true 1/4" seam:

I also made one Tufted Titmouse block using some floral fabrics primarily to show the BOM participants that they can have a little fun with making fancy birds.  I plan to make one like this each month for the Bird of the Month

We are also doing the Starry Sampler quilt as a 2026 BOM - this is English Paper Pieced.  The are 16 beautiful blocks in the pattern, and we are doing the first 9 blocks.  I have made 8 of the nine blocks and have 5 of them hand quilted.  Plan on putting the quilt together as a quilt as you go.  

Block 6 is in my quilt hoop to be quilted soon, I hope!

I held one workshop of EPP Block 1 of the quilt.  I made a fussy cut block to use to demo how to do the fussy cutting,

Back Yard Birds and Starry Sampler

I have been working feverishly to get my blocks made for the 2026 BOM I am in charge of at my Guild.  The Backyard Birds is a Foundation Paper Piecing project while the Starry Sampler is an English Paper Piecing pattern.  We will begin in January and I am just trying to get ahead of the game  to detect any potential areas of concern. I started sign-up at our November meeting and received more sign-ups than I anticipated, so its going to be a fun year in 2026 trying to stay on top of both BOM's. Some guild members signed up for both BOM's, so they are going to be right busy as well :)

 Below is a picture of the blocks I have completed to date.  I have 4 more birds to make and 5 more EPP blocks.

I have decided to hand quilt each of the Starry Sampler blocks as I make them, and so far have only gotten one quilted.  I am using #8 perle cotton thread and big stitch quilting.  I chose a plain unbleached muslin backing so that the black stitching could easily be seen on the back.

I continue to make progress on the Insanity quilt, but it has truly slowed down as most of my effort has gone to the BOM blocks.  I keep my workstation ready to go whenever I sit and watch TV in the evenings.  Must admit though, I neglect it some as I also use that time to respond to Facebook posts and clear out my messages on the phone, as well as my email.    But with that said, I do try to work a little on this every week.

Bloom and Sew - Gail Pan 2025 BOM

 Finished this project on Wednesday. (APIP#2)

Progress as of today

 Well it has been a little over a month since my last update, and it just amazes me how fast these days go by.  I have bought a few Christmas presents now, but just can't seem to get my mind wrapped around the holiday quickly approaching.

APIP#2 - Bloom and Sew; this one is in the final stages.  I am about half way through the hand quilting  and already made the label and have it attached,  My goal is to have ti done by the end of the month, mainly as I have another one ready to start hand quilting.

APIP #17 - Insanity Quilt - Making good progress on this quilt.  I am almost at 50% for the center section.  

APIP #18 - Wrapped in Ribbon table runners.  Two of the three are completed and I am hemming the third one tonight.  I plan to give the two Christmas runners to my daughters at Thanksgiving Dinner and am so glad I was able to get them done in time.  My good friend, Martee, quilted the two for the girls on her long arm machine.  I will show pictures when I give them to the girls.

APIP #20 - Jasine Bag - no progress this past month

APIP #22 - Backyard Birds  - This is a new project I have just started and will be using it as  2026 Block of the Month for my guild (York County Quilters Guild).  I will be in charge of the BOM for next year and am actually planning to have two different BOM's running consecutively.  I have made three of the bird blocks so far and they are made with Foundation Paper Piecing (machine work)  The designer has given me a good price for the guild and will allow me to make 20 copies of the pattern for the guild members who sign up.  Shown below is the pattern picture and the first two blocks I have completed.   I have also finished a cardinal block but for some reason my computer is refusing to let me open my email so that I can get the picture. 

APIP#23 - Starry Sampler - This one is English Paper Pieced and will be the second 2026 BOM that I will be running next year.  It is all hand work and has 16 EPP blocks that are beautiful.  We will only be doing the first 9 in 2026.  Each member participating must go to the webpage for the TJ Designs and down load the pattern in .pdf format.The designer is giving us a guild discount for all participants.  I have made a couple of these blocks trying to stay at least 4 months ahead of group.  Below are pictures of the two blocks I have completed so far and a picture of the pattern.

My computer is simple being aggravating today and I had planned to go into a little more detail on each project, but guess that will have to await a better day.

Bloom and Sew - Gail Pan 2025 BOM

 Top of my list for this post is APIP#2 - Gail Pan 2025 BOM - Bloom and Sew;   So happy to finally have this in my hoop and hand quilting has begun.  I am using the clam shell pattern.  This was one that my Mom used in several of her quilts and I have always liked it.   Each morning I try to get in 2 hours of hand quilting - but sometimes that Insanity Quilt demands my attention.

Speaking of the Insanity Quilt (APIP#17) I continue making steady progress, working on it nearly every day.  I am putting together Row #8 which has 15 diamonds now.  I had to take a couple of days to just cover white and turquoise hexies as I was starting to run out.  I keep a little workstation I can move to my chair in the evenings while watching tv.   This table was made by my brother Michael and is 1 of 3 stacking tables.

I have also made some good progress  on the Wrapped in Ribbons (APIP#18) this week.   I am making three of these table runners ( one for me, one each of my two daughters) and have decided to also make a single star block as a table topper for my kitchen.  This I am doing to use as a sample with my club on how to do the foundation paper piecing.  Getting my supplies together for the meeting Wednesday, Oct 8th, and hopefully will be done with this project by the end of October.