HQ Day 79 - Brimfield Block

Finished my first English Paper Pieced Brimfield block today while sewing on the back porch with my good friend Darlene.  I plan to make 20 of these blocks.  I am thinking a dark green background, but really still pondering over that.

HQDay 78 - Secret Garden Thread Keeper

 My newest project, designed by Katrina Hadjimichael, is a thread keeper.  The front and back are hand embroidered

 I did substitute magnetic snaps instead of the string ties in the pattern.  Unfortunately for me, my spools of Coats and Clark threads are too stubby and round to fit in the pockets.  I can get them in the pockets, but they are tight and difficult to get out.  So fortunately, for Darlene, this will be a gift to her for her Gutermann threads which fit it perfectly.  I did talk, via on-line messaging, with Katrina about how it did not fit my spools, but then I should have realized this would be the case when I was making it.  She suggested making only 4 pocket on each side and that would give room for the stubby spool. 

I am thinking I might just make a second one, with four rows of pockets, more to the size of my spools.  I could have two rows on each side just have to make the holder a little deeper.  I might even do EPP blocks instead of the embroidery. 

Katrina also suggested pulling a thread from each spool through the mesh and that way would not have to take the spool out.  An interesting modification.

Whatever I do, it was a fun project to do and I think I will make another for my applique threads.

HQ Day 72 - Granny's Garden Folder Cover

Today I completed a Granny's Garden Folder Cover, a pattern by Katrina Hadjimichael.  This is one of the patterns she is offering on-line workshops for and I had so much fun making it.  One thing I learned is that notebooks sold in Australia vary in dimensions from those sold in USA.  I would have thought they were the same around the world as I am sure the manufacturers probably export them to other countries.    Katrina helped me understand how to make the adjustments based on my dimensions, and it came out just right.  This will now become my English Paper Piecing project notebook - first up is the Brimfield Quilt .

Each of the flowers is English Paper Pieced then appliqued to the cover front and back. The quilting on the front and back is hand quilted and the spine and flaps are machine quilted.

Front

Back

Inside flap

Spine

HQ Day 70 - My 70th Birthday !

This is so ironic.  Today is my 70th birthday and wouldn't you know, it is also the 70th day of home quarantine.

The bluebird fabric was given to me by Darlene, my sister of the heart.  She knows how much I love Bluebirds.  They remind me of my Momma, who collected Bluebird plates, which I now have many of, and Momma always said that Bluebirds bring happiness.  These Bluebirds are even acrobatic - some flying upside down.  Appropriate for my topsy-turvy Coronaville.

For Day 69 I made a haunted house.  The Casper I downloaded off the internet  - my house has a friendly ghost.  There are bats flying around in the attic though, thanks to a quilting friend in NC, Elizabeth F. 

HQ day 62 - Coronaville Topsy-turvy

This morning I decided to get my Coronaville and my Seasonal Temperature Quilt caught up.  It amazes me sometimes how fast these days seem to go for me, you would think they would just drag by.  Today is 8 weeks, 6 days of quarantine.  My friend Darlene gave me some fabric scraps with birds and I had a couple in my stash, so I made a bird house today.  I will use some of the other pretty fabrics with birds in future houses.  I have to search my stash for a cardinal, I think I have some Christmas fabrics with cardinals.

I watched some of the hearings yesterday with the health care folks, and its makes me feel like things are just going topsy-turvy.  Between our economists, our health scientists, our government leaders and our family/friends...how do you know who's advice to take??  I try to find a sensible approach to this crazy world and have decided my quarantine will last until I feel safe going out.  Right now, SC is re-opening, maybe Phase 1 opening, but number of cases and deaths continue to rise.  And now the scare about the children and I sure do not want to take a chance giving the virus to my grandchildren.  I am ok staying at home and I do get to see my grandchildren, although they have been instructed not to give hugs and kisses.  My hair is almost to my shoulders now, longest it has been in quite awhile. 

Looking at my Coronaville blocks on my design wall, I decided it was too orderly and organized - so I came up with a new layout.  I call it Coronaville Topsy-Turvy and will do my whole quilt like this.  I will have to come up with a little square to put in the middle.  Still not sure how many blocks will be in a row.  I guess it will depend on how many houses I end up with. I may put a little sashing between the blocks - but then I may not. 

HQDay 57 - Pineapple Punch Table Runner

Well today has been a somewhat quiet relaxing day.  Spent the morning in the kitchen making a pot of vegetable beef soup and then giving my refrigerator a thorough cleaning. When that was enough of not-so-fun stuff to do.  I spent the rest of the day completing a Pineapple Punch table runner, using the Pineapple Punch blocks designed by Katrina Hadjimichael.  It was part of her first month of on-line classes, actually the last class of the month and now all my projects are finished.  That is a good thing as the second round of classes has begun.

I never have understand the best way to take a picture of a table runner, so here are two different  views.  H,mmmm, neither looks too great, but I do like the way it turned out.  Guess it is time to take down the Winter decor in the house and put up Spring.  With this virus, I just have not felt like taking down the quilts and other Winter things to change out with the lighter color Spring.  Maybe tomorrow will be the day.  I still have Christmas plates on display in the dining room!

HQ Day 55 - Coronaville - Construction Boom

Wow, my Coronaville Village is growing bigger than I thought it would.  I originally started with enough blocks for 46 houses and thought that would be plenty.  Well tomorrow will be 8 weeks, 56 blocks!

Some special houses are cropping up. I hear there are plans in the work for a Haunted house and a bird house.  Gonna be an interesting village.

Animal House

Nut House

Green House