Mary Brown Progress

First up I need to apologize to all the other Mary Brown stitchers. I did not get a post up for December. I had no progress to show! There were several reasons that I will not bore you with, but I do want to share one. A product was recommended to me and it really sounded like it would work and help speed up my applique process. Wash-Away Applique Sheets by C&T Publishing. I found it too difficult to turn under my edges and get them smooth, also not pleasant  to stitch through. I had prepped all my leaves using this product hoping I would get used to it, I didn't and I had to redo all my leaves.
Links to the other Mary Brown stitchers.

Karen HERE
Jennie HERE
Robin HERE
Nanette HERE

Blocks 1, 2, 10, & 11

I have my next two blocks prepped and hope to have them finished in time for our next link up.

Block 3

Block 12, I know it looks like a glob of fabric , but I do have the design marked.

I finished all nine blocks for Barbara Brackman's Hospital Sketches sew along. I need to decide what I am going to do for the borders and if I will use sashing.  I plan on joining in on her new sew along called Cassandra's Circle, the first block is out, you can read about HERE.

I did finish all this stockings in plenty of time to deliver them before Christmas.

I got all the stockings finished in time.

I can't forget about our moose friends! We saw this one we were out for a drive.

We have been having some cold weather for the last month or more. I think we may of had two or three days that got above zero since December 19, 2019.  We have probably been averaging -20*. After a couple of mild winters it seems we are back to normal.  My husband saw this poem on Facebook and I thought it was appropriate.

Happy Stitching, Rebecca

Celebrating Mary Brown - First Blocks

I hope everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving. We were fortunate to spend the day with family.

As I mentioned in my last post I have joined in another sew along. We are doing the "Celebrating Mary Brown" quilt. I finally got a start on the first blocks. Here are links to the other participants: Karen HERE,  Cathy HERE,  Jennie HERE,  Robin HERE, Nanette and Jan's HERE.

Three blocks partially prepped, I haven't decided for sure on the flower colors and will add the stems/vines after I have sewn these four blocks together.

The pineapple block is done. I thought this one was the hardest so got it finished first.

Two things that kept me from completing more on Mary Brown were, Hospital Sketches block #8, Triple Tulips and knitting Christmas stockings. I have 2 stockings done, except for blocking them and adding a hanging loop. Two more to go for this year.

Hospital Sketches block #8, Triple Tulips.

Two stockings done and two more to go.

                                                                 Happy Quilting, Rebecca 

                                         

Progress

I am making a little progress on my list. I finished the Goose in the Pond top on Friday afternoon. I Began this top as part of a SAL with Randy of Barrister's Block blog. You can read about the SAL Part One HERE,  Part Two, HERE  and the finish HERE.  We began on March 2, 2017 and I really wanted make 30 blocks like  the quilt photo she shared. I'm not sure what happen, other projects took precedent I guess, but I only got 12 blocks made. They have been hanging around ever since. It was time to do something with them. I had the soft gray I used for sashing in my stash and of course I had more plaids for cornerstones. I think this is it, unless I find a fabric that will fit for an outer border. I don't have anything in my fabrics that will work. It measures 60" X 78",  just the right size to use as a chair cover. With  2 dogs who like to shed all year round I normally cover our chairs with something. This one will really be a "utility" quilt

Goose in the Pond, 60" X 78".

October's Quilty 365 circles.

Hospital Sketches Block #8, Triple Tulips, prepped and I have started stitching.

And I am making head way on my first Christmas stocking. I had to rip it out a couple of times and start over. It has been a while since I have done any intarsia knitting.

I will be adding in some features using the duplicate stitch.

The weather warmed up and it looked like all our snow was going to melt, but it snowed again and has cooled down. We are expecting our first below zero night this week. Thanks for stopping by! Happy Quilting Rebecca

Quilting Inventory

I sat down the other day, in a good thinking spot and had a good "Think, think, think" as  Winnie the Pooh says. I took stock of all my quilting projects. I know most quilters do this at the beginning of the year, but with Winter setting in here, it is a good time for me to organize projects to work on through the winter months.  I had to make some tough decisions about some projects, some didn't make the cut, I  had to face the fact that I just was not going to complete them.  I think I have a workable plan now,  I have decided to make a few more blocks for some of the projects and call it good. Every quilt does not have to a bed sized quilt!!


The first example of that plan is my Spencer Museum quilt. This was a SAL with Lori at Humble Quilts. You can see her top HERE. My apologies to the other quilters who participated, I seem to have lost track. I had considered making at least two more blocks for this quilt. I got the sashing and borders on and I am calling it good.

This one will go in the hand quilting queue.

I joined along with Angela's RSC2019 Sampler SAL. Here is a LINK to the information about this sampler SAL. I have completed the blocks up to purple and I am stopping there, I just need to sew the rest of them into their settings and sew the blocks together. I made two of each block.

The other projects that I hope finish up include:


Goose in the Pond

Maybe just a wide sashing for these and a wide border.

String Baskets

Maybe a few more blocks with some setting squares.

Scrap Vortex

Add a little more to this top and then a border.

Dresden Flowers

All of these are appliqued except the purple and brown blocks. I may not include the brown one, but will definitely make a few more, a yellow and red for sure.

If I can finish these up over the Winter and continue to work on my current projects I will feel that I am making some progress. I still have some long term projects, but they have been put aside until I clear up some of these other projects.



I am making progress on Hospital Sketches. Only two more blocks to do on this one and then I need to think about borders.

All seven blocks together.

And I have added a new project to the queue, Celebrating Mary Brown. This is another SAL. I will be joining Karen of Log Cabin Quilter blog,  HERE,     Cathy of Big Lake Quilter blog, HERE,     Nan of Chopin - A Passionate Quilter blog, HERE,     Jennie of Over the Hill and Running blog,  HERE,      Robin of  I Like to Create blog, HERE,     Julie of JulieKQuilts blog ( she is doing a different pattern) HERE.   I just got my pattern in so I am already behind, but hope start on the first blocks next week. I plan to use fabrics from my Civil War stash.

My background fabric.

Sorry for the long post, but hopefully this will help me keep on track. Happy Quilting, Rebecca

Has Winter Arrived?

I think Winter is here! We got our first real snowfall on October 6th, only a couple of inches, though most of it stayed.

First snow Oct 6th.

It started snowing yesterday, in the afternoon and it continues as I write this post at 5:30 AST. So far we have a bout 10". You will see tire tracks in the driveway, the roads were horrible, but I HAD to got the post office, I had fabric in!

It is still snowing as I write this post, I glad we have not lost our power.

This is the little quilt I made for our guild's Silent Auction this Summer. It is from a pattern by Lori Smith, Pinwheels in My Garden. The original had pinwheel blocks for the border, I opted for some Kaffe Fassett fabric. It finished at 16" X 20"

I am continuing with Barbara Brackman's 2019 SAL Hospital Sketches. You can read more about it HERE. I did take a break from this one to do the Sashiko stitching on my granddaughter's quilt. I am nor sure at this time how I will finish this one. I do hope to do an applique border of some kind.

Six completed blocks.

Block 7 for Hospital Sketches is prepped and I have started the applique.

I might change the bird or possibly just its wing.

September's Quilty 365 blocks. I am really enjoying making these little blocks everyday, I am going to them when the year is done.

And I am starting on  some Christmas stockings. These are the patterns I will be using.

Thanks for stopping by! Rebecca

Fall Has Come and Gone

 The leaves are gone and we awaiting our first snowfall. We did have a few flakes the other day, but they melted quickly. (Warning: photo heavy post.)

View from my front window, raining and dreary today.

So, I haven't been blogging this Summer, but I have gotten some sewing done. I finished the Wedding Quilt and gave it to them for their first wedding anniversary. I hope to get a better photo soon.

I finally finished my Tumbler quilt.

Quilted and bound!

I also finished one granddaughter's quilt top,complete with Sashiko stitching. This one is called Japanese Flowers by Nerida Richmond. I found this pattern on the Cosy Project site.

And I have started blocks for a second granddaughter's quilt. This pattern is called Kaleidoscope by Lella Boutique. I have a total of 46 blocks done and need to make 18 more.

Not the final lay out.

And I am keeping up with my Quilty 365 blocks. September's blocks are done, but no photo yet.

May's blocks

June's blocks

July's blocks

August's blocks

This big guy has been hanging around a lot lately. He drives our dogs crazy!

More projects to share next time!

Spencer Museum Sew Along Month Four

Month four of our Spencer Museum Sew along, this month was the Wreath block.  I will be linking up with Lori  of Humble Quilts HERE and Karen of Log Cabin Quilter HERE. I need to decide if I am going to make more blocks.Right now I think the quilt would measure about 54" square.  If I do make more blocks they will have to wait until I have complete the applique and Sashiko stitching on my granddaughters Japanese flowers quilt top.

Wreath Block

All four blocks together.

I also finished two  quilt tops:

First one is the Wedding Quilt. I am so very glad to have this top done. I did not have a pattern for this one, so made it up as I went. I really hit a bump in the road with the photos. I tried several processes on my home printer, but did not have very good results. I finally used an online business called "Fotos on Fabric" and I am pleased with the results. Here is a LINK to the web page.

The second top is the Kaffe Fassett Mystery block of the month I did last year. I have had the blocks done for quilt a while and finally got them sewn together. It does not have a border and measures about 82 1/2" X 82 1/2".

And I have been keeping up with my Quilty 365. Here are April's blocks.

Happy Quilting, Rebecca