December 2015 Goals

The last month of the "Keeping it Simple" year and I am keeping it simple.  

Last year it was baby's First Christmas stocking, so this year I need to make Miss Cutie Potooie a selfie bag like I made her brothers.  You can find the free pattern HERE.  The only thing I changed is rather than the drawstring feature (which is simple to do - the pattern directions are super), I take a sneaker lace and just fold in half and catch it in the side seam.  Then it can be wrapped around the bag and tied.  

And I need to clear my mantel so I can start decorating.  So the last two minis need removal for their finishing.

That's it!  Simple!  I will have those bindings to do (and maybe I'll get interested in those dang orange peels) for Slow Sunday Stitching.  There is a break from 'Let's Book It' - I have already picked out my first project for the New Year.  My SIL even finished up her last project yesterday, so her sewing area has been cleaned and packed up.

I am in the Santa Sack Swap again ( have joined every year) and my package of goodies arrived and she has hers (totally forgot to take photos).  That's why I need to decorate - want to set these out.  I have many lovelies from past swaps for the season and they need to come out of storage, too.

Our Quilt Guild party will be a fun self time this month and I do have an Executive meeting for Hall of Fame (will do some Christmas shopping on this trip).

I really put the blinders on all the cyber sales - BUT,,,,, I did finally break and just couldn't pass up 60% off (and found a code for an extra 20%) quilt kits at Connecting Threads and to fill in thread needs for the New Year.

AND WISHES

well just for fun

Sewingly Yours,

Sharon

Bye, Bye - How Time Flies

She thrilled us with her colors that soon turned into muted hues.  She gave us some warth, some blustery days, some rain, some snow, some cold, the last of a season's harvest bounty, and a time for us to reflect on being Thankful.  And today, with a whisper of a wind, she will be gone.

I managed to get the 'Heritage Star' quilt top together using Barbara Brackman's Stars in a Time Warp - history of vintage fabrics that I found so fascinating and perfect to work this piece.  Still no full photo of this one and it will have to wait for it's finish in the new year - then you can see it in it's grandeur.

My 'Let's Book It' project was finished (although a finish isn't necessary) just in time for the linky party.

'Tucker' was a finish with the sew along with Heart Spun Quilts.  She will be having a parade of Tuckers December 15th and I can't wait to see how everyone finished theirs off.

I got some pillowcases done for collection at our next Quilt Guild meeting.  I used the Hot Dog tutorial (many on the internet).  These go to a local charity for Christmas baskets and we usually collect an average of 60 pillowcases.

And I made one of each animal binky bibs with this pattern for one of our sewing students.  They are very quick to make, but they certainly are smaller than what appears in the photo cover.  I ended up making them exactly to the pattern - hanger and velcro - rather than change things.

The next four blocks with the Moda Shuffle Sampler.  Two blocks come out every Friday, but I wait for every other release and then pull 4 layer cakes to play with the 4 blocks.  Although I found I tried to use some of the left overs from the last group into some of these - no waste!

There was some other block and scrap play while cleaning, clearing, re-organizing - but that was just for fun stuff and long term projects.  I took part in the 'Pup' parade and the 'Trunk Show', too - but that was just photo stuff.

I slacked on the hand stitching and really want to get that back into my work ethic.  Maybe that pink star quilt needs to come back out as the orange peels just don't strike me right now.

How was your November?

Sewingly Yours,

Sharon

Let's Book It - November 2015

This is the book I chose for my November project - I believe I won this in a give away so long ago (or did some one send it to me?).

I was tempted by those star blocks on the cover, but chose this cute wallhanging.

 

I really wanted to do this in needle turn technique, but these fabrics were very slippery and ravely and just made me tear my hair out in frustration.  So I changed to fuseable and a machine blanket stitch.  

I managed to get this pin basted on Thanksgiving - I didn't travel or have quests - home alone to play.  That's one of my drawers from my thread cart, ready for some walking foot and FMQ.

I got lucky - the two furkids decided this was the better place to nap and all of the quilting got done on Friday - well, all of it got done (wasn't sure I would make it folks).

I had cut all the pieces to make the border like in the pattern, but when laid out against the middle, it took over and you lost the cute flowers.  So I just went with a scrappy mock log.  The piece in the book is called 'Happy Flowers', but I called it Whimsical Flowers.

Remember we are taking a break for December - give you folks time for those gift sewing projects, food prep, and holiday stress enjoyment.  So there will be two names pulled for November.  The Vintage Sewing Machine Pin and

         

The Sewing Angel and Rose of Sharon Charms

Now it's your turn:

An InLinkz Link-up

Slowing Down

While others get into the sewing Christmas frenzy, I actually get into a slow down mode.  I like no stress thru November and December.  So I have just been playing with some of my long term projects here and there.  I made a few more Goosey blocks to add to the pile.

And I need to work a little more on this - my Let's Book It project.  I had to ditch the needle turn on this as I just struggled.  So now it is being done with my machine's pretty blanket stitch (I have 4 different ones on my Juki).  I may not have this completed by the end of the month, but will hopefull have it to the 'sandwich/quilting' stage.

I don't like to sew clothing, but one of our student's asked if I could make a couple of these with this pattern.  I think I will try one of each.  And we discussed changing the way the 'binkie' is attached as well as switching out the velcro to a button/button hole.  I think this will be my Thanksgiving Day sewing project.

I will be off-line until Saturday, everyone have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Feline Friday 11/20/15

Moe has decided to irk Bella by napping on her favorite blankie, but he doesn't blend into it like she does.

While he napped I pulled my fabrics for the 'Shuffle' sampler quilt along.  I like samplers, but I hate making a block or two at a time even if these do come out two blocks every Friday.  

So I plan to work them every other week - so I have 4 blocks to play with at one sitting.  I can pull four different fabrics (layer cakes and scraps) and make four blocks.

And Bella - she decided to take out her ire with Moe on me and nested into my little box of little blocks so I couldn't get to them.  

How do you get rid of two furkids in twerkie moods?  Pull out the vacuum!  They scattered to higher ground and I got to play in my little box.  I have 200 of these so far.  Where will I go with them?  I have no idea, but they are fun.  

I have no desire to start anything new and/or big, so little things here and there are good play time.  I've been using more energy (I still have this stinkin' virus) to clean and purge.  You know - you pull out one thing and clean that area, which leads to pulling another thing and you have to clean that before you put things back - after all that, you might just as well have moved everything out of the room and done a thorough clean and THEN but things back!

Now the spare bedroom needs a perk up incase it's needed - hope you have a lovely weekend.

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

A Little Finish

Yes, I shoved that fat cat off and finished up 'Tucker'.  The button is on the side bar and you will have to search for the 3 parts, but this works up so quickly.  And you don't have to use those tiny 1.5" squares, use a 2" or 2.5" and you still get a really cute wallhanging or runner.

This is the back - a Barbara Brackman 'Civil War Jubilee' collection -  this is Lincoln's Legacy. Quilted with a light grey Metler thread top/bottom with my walking foot.  The binding - a scrap we found when cleaning the shop and it kept getting tossed from one chair to the other.  I finally put it in my pocket and gave it a home.

A little finish gave me time to play for a bit.  I was having closing the shoe tote for the HSTs (bonus triangles), so I made up over 30 pinwheels - just enough clean out right now so I can close that tote.  Yes, I'm boxing some of my block play which will head out to Sarah's group once I fill it over the next couple of months.

I hit up another tote that was rather stuffed - my kitty fabrics.  Our quilt guild will be collection pillowcases next meeting for a local charity, so I best get started.  These are a variety of prints from Connecting Threads' "Parlor Pets" and Studio E's "Witty Kitty" - 2010 and 2011 - time to move them on.  I like to use the 'Hot Dog' pillow case pattern which you can find for free all over the internet.

Some little finishes to fit into the day,
Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Monday's Wall 11/16/15

I had all these bonus HSTs from my Heritage Star quilt and I liked this block on the Moda Block Shuffle.  Plus, I'm using up some cut-off muslin backing.  Just some block making play with no plan.

I was sorting thru a bag of scraps my Aunt gifted me and found she had a lot of partial projects she must have gotten tired with or maybe just not enough fabric to continue.  I think this was an attempt at either a Disappearing 9-patch or a Puss-in-the-Corner, but the pieces (and piecing)  weren't consistant and I had to pull things together.

I used what I could find in the bag and added some of my own fabric (you can see the differences in the blacks).  And I went with a new block.

Some of the rows assembled and you can see where the design is going.

And if I can get this fat cat to nap elsewhere, I might get the last bit of quilting done so I can put the binding on and my 'Tucker' will be finished.

Yes, that's my very first cutting matt under the table - well used.  It's purpose now is a pad under my other machine which happens to be put away at the moment.

May your Monday be full of stitches,
Sewingly Yours,
Sharon 

In for a Windy Weekend

The last couple of days have been a wild ride - like much of the midwest.  And this storm front is coming in over the Great Lakes which makes for some serious storms for our area. High winds, heavy rains, mix of snow and ice. Besides doing some 'winterizing' (along with cleaning) of the house I have some small projects to play with inbetween.

I pulled some fabrics for my Let's Book It project and have the basket (blue check) prepped for hand stitching.

This is my 'Tucker' - a sew along with Pam Puda at Heart Spun Quilts.  I will be making some changes and then need to get this quilted up.  She will be hosting a little quilt show of all the Tuckers in December.

This little project was shared by Debbie on one of her Friday Finds.  You can find the free pattern HERE at Havels Sewing.  I want to add an applique 'welcome' to the bottom and then get this one quilted up.

And there still is that applique sampler from our guild meeting that needs finishing.  Yup, there they are hanging eyeing me every day begging to be finished.

Moe I think was napping somewhere upstairs, but I found Bella in her camouflage nest on the couch.  Neither of them care to be out in this weather.

REMINDERS:

The Christmas Hop is going on over at Seams to be Sew - I need to catch up on that one.

The Virtual Cookie Exchange is over at Just Let Me Quilt - Maybe you can share a favorite recipe.

You can go vote for your favorite Dog Gone Cute quilt over at Sew Fresh Quilts  - my entry but I have another fav over there!

And there are some new buttons on the side bar to take a peek at.  I want to start the 365 circles, but not until the new year.

AND let's hold France in our heart and prayers as they endure this devistation and horror.

Sewingly Yours,

Sharon

Trunk Show

I think this is the most fabulous idea ever!  Bloggers getting to put on a trunk show without the traveling - whoot!  Please be sure to visit Whims and Fancies for some real Eye Candy - hey, join in while you're at it.

I am a bit of an eclectic quilter - I like to play with it all.  BUT what really defines me as a quilter:

I am a SCRAP quilter

Who sometimes works MINI

And has a PASSION for CHARITY work

Thank you for visiting,

Sewingly Yours,

Sharon