OMG January Done!

My string blocks for Covered in Love are done. My One Monthly Goal was to make 8, there are 12.  My reasoning was that I found another part of an old sheet for the foundation and the scraps were already all over my sewing room. So I decided to sew until that bag of scraps was mostly gone. I did have to cut a few of the longer strings and in doing so sewed end pieces together to start another set of crumb blocks.  But that is not on any challenge list, it is just an ongoing project.

You can see, I used brights and some darks.  There is white and light tone on tone, some scraps from a Bronco quilt I made, some Christmas fabric, some of the fabric from baby quilts. I love recalling each one.

I hope the recipients of these string quilts with have just as much fun looking at all the different fabrics that will be in the quilts. I have been inspired  to make some for myself and several of my friends are making some also.

I will link this post to Patty's One Monthly Goal link-up, when she posts it in a few days.  Until then,   it will be a stand alone post here.

ps: These blocks are in the mail on their way to Kat in Texas.


Stay Busy and Stay Happy

Scrappy Happy Mug Rugs

A Christmas exchange brought me this pattern and some fat quarters.  There are 7 sayings printed on fabric and 7 simple mug mat patterns.  These are the first two I tried. You can see , I used kind of Christmas fabric but not traditional colors. I think they are really cute. The pattern is from June Tailor.

It's a small finish this week, and I need to learn how to join the end of a binding, not using a diagonal seam. The scraps for the binding were pieced with a straight seam. It can't be that hard! I was worried I wouldn't have enough of the red stripe and I did not have enough of the pink poinsettia fabric. Then when it came time to join the fabric, late Wednesday evening, I could not decide just how to do it. I know there is a way. I will peruse the internet today. Not too  noticeable on these two. My friends say, "who cares".


I will be linking up with:
Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts - Finish It Up Friday
Myra at Busy Hands Quilts - Finished or Not Friday


Stay Busy and Stay Happy

Finish It Up Friday, Finished or Not Friday

I wish I had taken more progress pics. But here is what I have been working on this week. Here I am doing a blanket stitch on the edge of the applique.

I have several of these patterns, some are kits and some are just the patterns. I have a narrow slice of wall in my entryway that is just perfect for the little 6" by 20" minis. Patchabilities has a great selection of seasonal little banners. The kits usually come with special buttons or embellishments. This was just a pattern, so I used some scraps from my stash.

Let me introduce you to Sven. My newest snowbuddy. I still need to add some fringe to his scarf and find a different embellishment for his stocking cap pompom. I am thinking an actual pompom or a pale blue yo yo with a snowflake button.

 My Sven next to the pattern. And don't look and my messy stash of 9 patches~

I will be linking up with:
Crazy Mom Quilts     Finish It Up Friday
Busy Hands Quilts     Finished or Not Friday


Stay Busy and Stay Happy

First Finish of the New Year and #12 on my APQ Challenge.

COLD weather equals lots of sewing time. It was below zero all day New Year's Eve day and New Year's Day. We don't "party" anymore...actually we never did much. I did open a bottle of wine and I made a new oven dish. Chicken, wild rice with cranberry/soy sauce over the top. It was yummy.

I sewed both days. I had a pattern with some fabrics that I had set aside. I decided to "get it done". 

It's called Braid Runner by G.E. Designs. I had some of this green and purple poinsettia fabric that I really like. I had used it several years ago to make a table runner for my son and daughter-in-law. I selected some other fabrics. Several were tried, discarded and then this was decided upon. 

The design is a quilt as you go, technique. Some progress. 

Then came the binding decision. I really liked the gold filigree fabric that was the inner border.. 

Originally I had picked a dark purple with gold stars, but changed my mind. 

 Problem.......I would have to skimp to have enough. The instructions called for strips cut at 2.75 inches. I usually cut binding at 2.5. But I follow directions so, began to cut.  Yikes, it's gonna be close. I decided to sew them together end to end with straight seams instead of diagonally. 

I measured after seaming the strips..I was short by 2 inches. So I decided to use a chunk of the wide border fabric. And I decided to add that one with a diagonal seam. My regular method of ending binding is with a diagonal seam. 

Finished!  I really am pleased with it. 

Can you see where I added the 2 inches(or less) of floral border fabric?  It is pretty subtle. 

I am linking this  with Crazy Mom Quilts Finish It Up Friday. I also will add the finished photo to the APQ 2018 UFO Challenge. January's challenge was #12 on my list! They released the number early, so I got busy. I wanted to show you my list, but Blogger won't let me add the photo.  I will have to research why.

edit: I tried several hours later and now it works. Go figure!

I'll try to post it later

Stay Busy and Stay Happy

Judy

One Monthly Goal January Goal

This is my first time joining  the One Monthly Goal event sponsored by Patty at Elm Street Quilts.   If you might want to join, click this link and check it out!

I hope I can complete my goal, every single month.  I have selected a different goal from some of my other challenges. January's goal is to complete at least 8 blocks for Covered in Love charity block drive sponsored by Kat at Kat and Cat Quilts. Here is how I started:

I cut  8 squares from an old sheet to conform to the guidelines on Kat's blog.  Then I selected 8 strips of fabric for the center strip. Not all the same color, or even the same width.

Then I dumped out my small box of 1 1/2 inch strip and grabbed several handfuls of scraps from a tub gifted to me by my friend Maggie. I think that will be a good start. Today I sewed with a wonderful group of friends. Of course everyone spends some time walking from table to table, checking on what everyone else is working on. Many were interested in my string block.  Hooray, maybe they will make some too. 

I am excited to work on this OMG and join all the other talented quilters. 

Stay Busy and Stay Happy

Happy New Year First Book of 2018!

I have participated in this event for the last couple of years. So I wanted to be a part of it again. This book is one that was chosen by my book club, Page Turners. We will discuss it on the 3rd Tuesday of January. I am not sure, just yet, how I feel about it. Stories about this time in history always depress me. Even though I did enjoy "All The Light We Cannot See", "The Book Thief", "Sarah's Key", "Fall of Giants", and "The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet" I find them hard to read. I have to take breaks pretty often. 

I am only on page 81, but I like the character development.  The quick synopsis from Goodreads, says, " Inspired by the life of a real World War II heroine, this debut novel reveals a story of love, redemption, and secrets that were hidden for decades." I am hoping for some feel good parts. 

I just looked at Sheila's post and there are lost of good book suggestions. I'll be making a list and trying to read some of them this year. My Goodreads goal is 30 books, that should be doable even with my added sewing/quilting challenges. 

Stay Busy and Stay Happy
Judy

Finished or Not Friday last of the year

Christmas is over and so I have started to think about my projects for 2018

 One of the quilts I have planned is a five yard quilt using this focus fabric for the center of the larger block.

It is a print called "go! with dick and jane" by Nicole de Leon for The Alexander Henry Fabric Collection. It is dated 1999. 
  It's been in my stash since I made my first quilt in 2000. I loved it then and I still like it a lot. I had 2 complementary fabrics 

on the left: "Designs: by Jennifer Samipou for Robert Kauffman the gold is from my stash and there is no selvage. 

already and last fall, I began in earnest to purchase 2 more 

Aqua is Micheal Miller's Hash Dot and the brown is Fusions Confetti by Robert Kauffman

to make the 5 yard total needed. Then they sat all together in a plastic shoe box waiting.  I decided to pull out the fabric and at least get the pieces cut. 

When I began to cut into the gold fabric which would be the frames around the blocks and the narrow 1st border, I discovered  this blue mark in various places on the piece of fabric. 
It has been in my stash for ages and I have used part of it previously. I was able to cut the narrow frame pieces around the marked fabric. I didn't think I would have enough to make the border, if I couldn't get the marks removed. So I cut a narrow strip of the mark and washed it with Spray and Wash  and  a couple of other items in my regular wash.  Not a happy ending.  The mark did NOT come out. I think I will put the quilt together, try a different one of the four fabric remaining for the small border. If that doesn't look right, I think I can find another gold of a similar hue.

If it was just one mark, I might be able to fudge the cutting, but there are several more!

I have also started a braid table runner, sadly no pictures as I had to take it apart and baste the batting to the backing as per the instructions. Note to self:  read the directions twice before beginning!!  I'll take pictures and share next week. 

Stay Busy and Stay Happy

Linking up with Finished or Not Friday at Busy Hands Quilts and
Finish It Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts (because getting the cutting done is a finish of sorts, right?)