June 2016 Goals

I'm a flip-flop gal - looking forward to making that flippety-flappity sound while walking outside this June. This should be a quieter month spent at home, so I hope to get my machine really humming along.

 

This month's color is Aque with an accent of lime.  I should have just enough scraps in this combo for the column quilt.  Something about a split pinwheel design which should make for some fun play.

I have my next row ready for this week and want to make it a nightly bit of needle work to unwind with or I can use it for the Slow Sunday Stitching.

                               

I'm combining these two challenges into one project - hey, that's allowed.

I have this tub of scraps that needs serious taming if not emptying.

This is my source for inspiration and one of the quilts on the cover caught my eye.

A colorwash rail quilt - love it.  And I know it will do great work on that tub of scraps.

And I will have a project to share with this Hop

June 01
Tweety Loves Quilting
Quilt In A Not-Shell
Life in the Scrapatch
Kathy (at Seams To Be Sew)
My Quilty Musings

June 02

DesertSky Quilting
RidgeTop Quilts
Words & Stitches
VROOMANS QUILTS

June 03
Elizabeth Coughlin Designs
A beautiful day
MooseStash Quilting
Patchwork Breeze

June 06
Ravelly1
Mary Mack’s Blog
Tea Time Creations
123 Quilt
Sew Many Yarns

June 07
ICANQUILT2
Marjorie’s Busy Corner
Finding myself as an artist
Seams To Be Sew

There is this pile of quilts (think there are 4) to get some quilting done on them.

Over the holiday weekend I managed to empty all of these containers and little baggies to hopefully finish up a project that has been four (?) years in the making.

If I can get Moe to move, I can get the last few rows sewn on and then those quandrants together for a flimsy.

I was hoping to attend this (some of my pieces are going though), but with no vehicle I will be managing the storefront and sewing away.

And I haven't been vending in a long time, so participating in this local venue.

A good month of stay home time - keeping it local.  And I am going to be sure that some where in the mix I am getting myself an icecream cone.  I hear the local Stewarts shop has a new flavor for summer - Blueberry Blush - that I just have to try.

Sewingly Yours,

Sharon

Ending May Mania

They say when it rains, it pours - that was the month of May.  I am so glad this busy month is over, but hate to think June is marking half way into the year.  AND my relaxing days at the end of the month were nerve wrecked with severe storms, heavy rains that cause flooding, lightening that caused fires, people injured with hydroplaning cars - and my own car deciding that just because it was going in for a re-call repair that it totally had to go hay wire (scared the poop out of me).

This mess got cleaned up with the Scrap Challenge.  Well a lot of blocks got packed up and shipped out.  Other projects got moved along into their next stage - basically they need to get finished.

The circles for '365' are done, quilts for others got quilted and out the door, all QAL blocks up to date, Hands2Help quilts got mailed off (early), and Let's Book It became a flimsy.

I'm hoping June will offer me more of 'Do More of What Makes You Happy'.

Sewingly Yours,

Sharon

Let's Book It - May 2016

I hope you have enjoyed pulling those dusty books, magazines, forgotten saved files, or printed 'gotta do' projects.  This is the first time I used two months to stretch out a project and so glad I did.  Yes, you can use  how ever many months needed and it's doesn't have to be a finish either.  Just enjoy your resources.

Hill Side Houses was a challenge - working only with solids and with a bit of a tricky pattern layout.  Notes, tabs, and using the coloring sheet helped.  I would love to make this again, but using tiny prints.  Also, I have made notations where a number of seams can be eliminated by cutting/piecing sections differently.

I did swap out the center blue house for another tan house - too many blues across the middle.

I google searched finished quilts to see how people quilted them.  Most just straight or organic quilted, but I think I am going to do something  other - some areas really need definition and texture.  I'm hoping to get to it in July - there are more waiting their turn.

This month's Pin will be paired with the Hunter's Star Charm

                     

Now it's your turn to share

An InLinkz Link-up

Catching up on QALs

Since I finished up my Hillside Houses (viewing tomorrow), I thought I best catch up on the QALs I am following.  I love this 'Adinkra' with Deb Kratovil.  I am using a zig-zag to finish the edges on the fuseable pattern - not something I normally do, but we all need to try different techniques.

And the next 'Westering Women' block with Barbara Brackman.  I still haven't decided what I am doing for sashings.  I do like the simple layout Barb has suggested, but I may wait for all the blocks to select fabrics.

I had the geese and wings cut out long ago and they have sat until now.  The next row of the RSC16 Column Quilt is now attached.

The next little blocks for 'Circa 2016' with Temecula Quilt Co.  I have half of the 2" HSTs done, too.  I did change up those top blocks as she had 4 units within a 3" block - I like doing tiny, but that just was not working for me.  So I cut out a row and column.

Since the circles were prepped, I stitched those (needle turn) inbetween the machine piecing blocks.  I will need one more circle to be up to the end of May, but since I am working a row of 6 at a time that will be caught up next month.

There's still how many days left in May?  No new projects - I have a stack of quilts that need quilting!

I will be posting up the linky for 'Let's Book It' tomorrow, but basically I am taking the rest of the month off for the Holiday weekend. 

Happy and Safe Memorial Day

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon 

Done Traveling

My last travels for the month of May was the Spring meeting of CMQHOF.  Wrapping things up for the annual picnic, fall quilt show, and special featured quilter exhibit in Roxbury(my mother).

I was only able to grab a quick photo as things were starting to come together because once we were ready, I was busy scribbling taking minutes (I'm secretary).  The lady sitting in the back with the pink jacket was the quest speaker, Shelby Mattice, curator of Bronck House Museum, Coxsackie, NY.  She spoke on 'Under the Quilt' - 1650-1850 which was very interesting.  And later she came up to me - she grew up in Schoharie and was in my oldest sister's class - small world.  

It had been asked that if any members did classes or willing to teach - to bring samples, contracts, etc....  I fell in love with these 3-D flower pieces and I am hoping we can book this for a class in Spring 2017 for our quilt guild.

I took a day to rest!  BUT, now to reality and business.  First things first - my Hillside Houses project for 'Let's Book It'.  I just have the top sections to piece and add.  I just might make my goal to have a flimsy by linky (May 29th).

My furries are glad I have landed, but are snubbing me for a bit.  Maybe a can of tuna will melt them.

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon 

Hands2Help - Final Link Up

I have participated in Hands2Help every year since it's conception by the lovely Sarah over at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.  This year is the largest sign up and I hope it puts us over the top with number of donated quilts. 

This year I decided to donate two quilts to Em's Scrap Bag for Happy Chemo in memory of the two quilt guild members we lost this year to cancer. 

First was 'Dottie' - a free Jelly Roll pattern from Moda.  Just a fun and bright quilt that I hope makes someone feel special and comforted.

And my 'Nifty Nines' quilt made when Sarah was sharing so many wonderful 9-patch patterns and quilts.

I sent my quilts out early this month as I knew I would be on the road a lot.  I received a lovely Thank You card upon their receipt.

Be sure you link up your donated quilt for Hands2Help as well as visit to see everyone's lovely quilts.

Sewingly Yours,

Sharon

Whoop, Whoop Friday

I'll be Whooping up with Sarah today as I managed to get some things done before I am back on the road again.  First, a baby quilt with simple grid quilting on the center and a loose meander in the border - for one of our students.  Ready for her to pick up on Tuesday.

I managed to get the log cabin blocks not only done, but into a flimsy as well.  This will be going in the donation box with some blocks and other flimsies to head out to Sarah's group.

While the table was cleared, I dumped the baggy of triangles for the Wild & Goosey blocks - I need a lot more blocks.

The big baggy emptied and gone!  I have a few lites for the corners left (don't worry, I know where there is more) and bagged the few pastel triangles for something else down the line.  I know I have more donated triangles somewhere - but I have to pick this project up for now.  20 geese sub-units done - well, sort of.  BUT an empty baggy makes me dance. 

I'm hoping the weatherman finally gets a prediction right - warm and sunny just hasn't happened YET!  I need some outdoor time and vitamin D.  A roast will go in the crock pot so I can make up meals for the next few days, laundry to do, a bit of housework (dusty old houses), and some extra kitty time.

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Help for Hexie-Aholics

I wanted to link up and share with Sarah that I did finish my class projects.  I only had one more hexie to add to the 30's style.  I struggled with the Batik one - not because it was a little more at task to needle, but I really hate working with Batiks (they make me shudder and my hands sweat and itch).  I did cheat on the jewel cuts - machine sewn.  Not sure I am a Hexie-Aholic yet.

After a few days of just hand stitching and lots of travel/meeting time, I needed to connect with my machine.  Using the Scrap Challenge I wanted to tame my string tote (again).  I have made enough string blocks to choke on, so went with log cabins.  Just the last strips to add and then this can go into a flimsy.  And now I can close the lid on that tote. *yes, those 30's JR strips in the back just might (I said might) become a Grandmother's Garden.

Because the furkids have been missing of late (they have hated that I have been away too many days), Moe was my sidekick - of sorts - while I stitched those log cabins.  Bella is holding a grudge and hiding upstairs.  She cracks me up, as soon as the machine stops, she runs downstairs to see if I am still there.  If I speak to her, she runs back up - snot!

I have to clean up and set the banquet table back up again - I have a baby quilt to do for a student and I might as well get one of mine done as long as I have things on a roll.

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

The Secrets Out

Some of you knew, some guessed, some scratched their heads - if you know about her Bibliophile posts, Help for Hexies, and Feline Friday - you know who Sarah is.  And this was a year in the making.  Do you know how hard it is to keep a year long secret when you are both bloggers?

Sarah Ballinger of Castile, NY travel to our little neck of the woods to give a Hexie class in the morning and then a trunk show that afternoon.  Our local quilt guild, the Schoharie Valley Piecemakers, did the hosting.

Some of our class participants - Emily (in the blue shirt) stitched with us and then headed out to her College Graduation.  AND yes, she took her hexie class project bag to the ceremony and worked on it during the l.o.n.g. ceremony.

I think we surprised Sarah with a man in the class - we have four men in our guild.

Everyone hard at work - concentrating on a very new technique to many of us.

We held this in St. Mark's Lutheran Church, Middleburgh, NY - lovely hall they provide our guild to use.

Most of the class with their rosettes - some of us were taking photos and a few had to leave early.

We got to drool all over Sarah's trunk show pieces.  I think this one was the favorite.

Althoug this is not a Hexie - the fabrics are all hexie prints.  Sarah had put a call out on her blog for people to send her hexi prints and this is the result.

I cropped this out of one of the photos - we had a miniature version of a 'bed turning' .  Sarah's cute little antique bed for her kitties - all the miniatures, which I love.

Please be sure to visit Sarah Did It as she has some things to share today, too.

Thank you Sarah for a lovely class and trunk show.  You opened our eyes to another venue of quilting.

Sewingly Yours,

Sharon