NewFO - November 2014

I just love it when I can start something new and to have someone tell you can with no stress about it - even better, thank you Barbara. 

My official NewFO was this sweet pattern/kit.  I have been using it for my Slow Stitching Sunday project,too - we all need some slow down time.  I hope to continue stitching with some slow time, while watching Holiday movie time, and just to breath time during December.

And I have enjoyed following along with Lynne with an opportunity to again start Something New as well as finish up Something Old.

For my Something New, playing with the Sew Sweet Simplicity QAL.

For my Something Old I did get both halves of the Lozenges flimsy together, even added another two rows as I felt it wasn't long enough.  But our weather has been so bad I did not get a picture of the full flimsy and it is now tucked away for a 2015 quilting.  Yes, I decided not to add borders to this one - for now.

Although I don't own a lot of books, magazines, etc... - I to have enough to really go thru and use them.  They have been tucked on the shelf too long - too many things catch my eye on the inter-net.

I used my chosen pattern for inspiration and made my own version on a smaller scale.

I completed the Monthly Simple Small Project - a cute pattern for a drawstring bag. Used up some of those leftover candy charms

I participated for the month of November in the Make it Handmade Christmas Challenge - a few plastic bag holders which used up some left over charms.

 Was delighted to get the Row quilt into a flimsy, but this won't get quilted until next year.

And the Charming Star became a flimsy - this one just might jump under the machine in December.

I had fun participating in the Little Letters QAL with Temecula Quilt Company.  This needs a couple of borders to complete the flimsy stage and will go on the 2015 to-be-quilted pile.

And I completed the Cascadia mini quilt - this is just so me!

Of, course I have played with various scrap projects in the works which you may see next month or next year - I am in no hurry to finish those, they are just for fun.

I hope everyone found some time to have fun with their quilting in November.

Sewingly Yours,

Sharon

Let's Book It - November 2014

Some of you are probably making your Christmas Wish List - are you adding more books to it?  Have you forgotten all those lovelies sitting on the shelves?  This is an opportunity to pull them out, dust them off, purge a few, but more importantly - use them.  It could be the perfect quilt, mini, purse, or stuffie has been sitting right there for ????? many years!!

My selection for November's project was this pattern that's been sitting too long in my basket - "Harvest Home" by Jan Patek.  But I didn't want to make it in it's entirety - I want simple and something that is more me.

I used her method of freezer paper template pieces and glue stick for the house.  My glue stick must have been old as I had to pin like crazy to hold things in place while I stitched them with the blanket stitch on my machine.  I have a bit of a crooked house, but my old house doesn't stand straight anymore either.

I love geese blocks so those stayed in the plan, but went with just a simple border to make this a 20" x 18" mini.  And everything came out of the scrap baskets!

I have been asked if the Let's Book It will be continuing in 2015 - Yes!  This is the charm pin that will be used next year and I have a new set of different quilt block charms to go with them.  So while you are on holiday, browse thru those shelves of books, magazines, patterns, even computer files saved.  I'm sure you will find something that stole your quilty heart long ago and forgotten.

 

We have the Barn Quilt Pin and Northern Star Charm for this month's link up.  And I do ship international, so please share your link-up:

Sewingly Yours,

Sharon

Bit Of A Break

I've had some internet interruptions - my modem has 'aged' and to be replaced next week.  And we are due a big snowfall over the next two days - yes, dinner plans may be changing.  So I have scheduled the Let's Book It for the 28th, NewFO on the 30th and the Handmade Christmas post on the 1st.  Taking a bit of a (non)scheduled break.  

Many Blessings to All,

Sewingly Yours,

Sharon

Slow Stitching Sunday 11/23/14

I need a day to finish up some slow stitching.  A binding, hanging sleeve, and label on my Let's Book It project for the month and it will be completed.

I would really like to get to the top of the Button Tree.  I need to leave this set out so I can work a thread a day or I will lag on this one.

And it's a good day to hand stitch, because these two think this quilt is just too comfy to let me finish quilting it.

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Changing It Up

After dealing with all those borders and completing things to a flimsy stage, I needed a change.  This poor quilt has been waiting so long for it's turn under the needle.  I just love my Juki - hard to believe I have had it almost a year.  See Moe in the upper corner?  I had to give him a towel to lay on because he kept laying on the quilt and I just could not move it with him attached.

And I always have to destress by working with tiny.  Most people have to work the other way round, but I find large blocks and quilts make me nervous, so I have to go back to my true love - tiny scraps.

This is the Cascadia Mystery over at Humble Quilts and I saw someone post it on their blog - just had to jump on this because I love playing with tiny.  Yes, those are 1.5" squares and I didn't have to cut them as I have that size in one of my barrels.

And I am up to date on the Little Letters QAL.  These smaller projects I can play with on my other machine - just to take a break from the quilting.  I am so happy my old Brother is working, just getting use to it's little quirks again.

Just a reminder - there will be new buttons added as well some removed, from the sidebar.  Boy, 4 hops going at the same time was a little confusing and tiring.  I am watching out for new and next year projects coming out and will be adding them for your interest.

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon  

Bordering Snow

I want to thank all of you who have sent personal e-mails to see it I was buried in snow. OH.MY.GOSH.  Buffalo NY , you are in my thoughts and prayers.  Some of our are emergency/rescue people and equipment have gone out to assist with clean up and search.  We had a dusting that disappeared the next day.  But it is COLD!  So it is a good week to get those borders on. 

This is the row quilt with Cindy at Quilt Doodle Designs.  There needs to be a lot of embellishing and quilting on this one, but truth be told - I don't think I am going to get to that this year.  I am happy to just get this to a flimsy stage and I really enjoyed participating in this quilt along.

And I got the border on the Charming Star quilt - participating with TERRY in a sew along using this pattern from Moda Bake Shop.  I think there are 4 or 5 different charm lines in this - just needed to use them up and they blended together so nicely.  The border fabric I know is a Moda, but the selvedge had been trimmed, so can't give you the name.  A nice dark charcoal with little color discs that mimic the earthy colors of the charms.  This one will have to wait on quilting too - there are 3 ahead of it - maybe a January finish.

Hope everyone is surviving the cold, stay inside and sew!

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon
  

Tuesday Archives - Jelly Roll Quilts

This week's theme is Jelly Roll Quilts over at Val's Quilt Studio.  As I browsed thru my old posts, I found I did a LOT of jelly roll quilts in 2012.  There was a JR Challenge on-line, fabric companies were pushing JRs, and it was something new to me - which to chose?

I finally picked this fun, colorful quilt.  This was on this original POST.  This was a quick and easy pattern from the Moda Bake Shop - 'Awesome Lap Quilt  - perfect for brights and juvenile prints. 

Go visit Val and see what other's link up - you might just find something new to you,

Sewingly Yours,

Sharon

Design Wall Monday - 11/17/14

I have my Lozenges almost a flimsy (goal for the month) - just have to sew the two halves together.  This will go into the to-be-quilted pile for 2015.

These are the next two blocks for Lynn's CountryCorner's quilt along.  This was block #6 and I have been making two of each, so now there are 12 blocks in the box.

These are all my corner trims (with a few extras made) from the Charming Star quilt in progress.  Many are using them for pinwheels, but I wanted to go with something that will make another whole quilt so using them with some of the left over Charms and background fabric to make some Country Stars.

And with some organization of scraps, I found I could not close the cover on the string tote.  So 20 new blocks were pieced to add to the growing pile. Not sure how many are finished, but I know when that recycled salad container is filled, there is enough for a quilt.  I think the rest of the phone book papers will do that - and there are plenty of strings! 

linking up with PatchWork Times

Sewingly  Yours,
Sharon

Handmade Christmas Challenge - November 2014

OK - hold on to your chair.  There are only 6 weeks until Christmas!  Are you going to be ready?  I just ordered the last couple of items on-line for the grands and I will pick up a couple of gift cards at local shops and I am done.  By participating in SewCal Gal's I have made it a more relaxing Holiday Season.

We are still a State that has plastic shopping bags - what do you do with them?  I like to recycle them as much as possible - or they can be dropped off at the local recycle center for re-purposing.  These bag holders are made with this TUTORIAL.  Great way to recycle those left over charms or scraps and can be made up to suit the recipient's decor.  I have some matching towels and potholders to go with these for a nice set.

The cold is here, the snow is on the ground, and there have been nights of sipping hot chocolate while watching Hallmark Christmas movies. Are you feeling the Holiday Spirit yet?

Sewingly Yours,

Sharon 

In The House

We've had weather like so many, it has been cold, icy, windy, and snow - makes for a great time to stay in the house and sew.  A little more work on 'Harvest Home' and still thinking on the next step.

And a warm speaker in the house.  Our quilt guild - The Schoharie Valley Piecemakers - had the most delightful presentation by Michele Kuhn.  Do you know Michele?  She blogs over at Crayon Box Quilt Studio.  She gave a very inspirational evening about something very dear to her - '100 Wishes'.  You can read more about this from Michele in her special guest post over at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

A big thank you to Michele and her friend, Alana (technical and moral support) for gifting our guild to a special evening.

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Scraptastic Tuesday

When I saw this pretty button on someone's blog, I just had to check it out.  Naturally anything scrappy play grabs my attention so I had to join in with Leanne over at She Can Quilt.

And it helped (or didn't) that my Mother had just passed on a box of scrap strips from a quilt she just finished.  I pulled my zip bags of left over light JR strips.

A lot of cute 3" log cabins - I'm paper piecing these due to the woven fabrics as it give a little more hold to them that regular piecing would.  You can find a lot of free printable size and shape cabin blocks with Google Search.  I'm using a free pattern from Christa Quilts found HERE.

And adding to the pile of blocks - not sure where these will go or how many - will just keep 'logging' until those scraps are gone and maybe by then a plan will develop.

Sewingly Yours,

Sharon

Veteran's Day 2014

In Thanks,
Sharon

Slow Stitching Sunday 11/9/14

I am still house cleaning and winterizing, but I want to join Kathy's Quilts with some slow stitching today.  Maybe I can mix the two as I need to finish up the winterizing with this 'Polar Vortex' coming in.  But I will need to take a breather here and there - so I can sip some Java or Tea and add some stitches.

  
And it may not be handwork, but I would like to get my geese units done, too.  I haven't done much machine sewing all week so maybe a few little units will keep my machine from being lonely.

I will be sure to take a stroll or two outside, too.  My furries would love for me to walk with them - I have terrorized them too many day with the vacumm.

Will you slow down today?

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Feline Friday & Sidling

Since Halloween, here in the NorEast it has gotten cold and dreary.  All one can do is catch a nap where one can.  I prefer to find some place a little more comfortable, but these two will drop off most anywhere. I know, usually Moe is in the box, but Bella claimed this one first. 

I have been sidling with my sewing and stitching all week.  I have been slowly cleaning, throwing out, and winterizing around the house.  On Sunday I did get a start on my NewFO project.

On Monday my Mom gave me a box of solid homespun scraps from an old railfence kit she pulled to finish up.  New scraps - yes just had to play with them.  I pulled my baggy of left over solid lites JR strips that need using up.

In between some vacumming and dusting, I put these little log cabins together.

Tuesday I got me some baby cudding time and a nice quiet visit with my daughter as the boys were in school.  When I got home (and caught a nap with the fur balls) I pulled the fabrics for the Sew Sweet Simplicity QAL.  Button is on the side bar - must sign up (free) to receive the blocks.

These are some left over FQs from a quilt along last year.  One of them is this lovely floral panel that I can get 4 centers from as I didn't want to applique or stitch the center.  I plan on just a 4 block quilt with 2 pillows - or however those few FQs will stretch. 

Wednesday was a day of a lot of errands, mail runs, UPS drop off, groceries - lots of car time.  But I wanted to get a start on my Let's Book It project.  She used the freezer paper and glue baste method - neither of my favorite methods, but sometimes you have to work techniques so I went with the flow.  I am starting with the house section and may change up to a smaller version rather than the whole original pattern.

Thursday was totally a wash as busy with the shop and sewing class.  And I cleaned windows and put up the winterize plastic, washed curtains and hung the insulated drapes.

Today I hope to get some sewing time to put together my Christmas Row Quilt.  The kitchen floor  needs mopping and I have some new table clothes for the dining and kitchen tables - an easier house chore day. Oh, I need to put together my supplies for a Quilt Guild Saturday Class - making a purse from a tie.  

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon