April Showers

 

 I would like to thank  JOAN for being the hostess of this month's HOP.  She give us a pretty big window to create our own piece.  Baby shower, wedding, rain,  etc......

April here has been pretty much RAIN and more RAIN.  Like when it rains, it pours!  Which leads me to.................

                 

The little Morton Salt Girl.  I immediately thought of her and then a light bulb moment - I used her for another April Shower Blog Hop in 2018 (had to really search  this one),

 She became a mug rug for a swap.  It was hard to let her go.

But we need something NEW which brought to a fun pattern that I've done several times as it is a great scrap eater.

The Chandelier Block or Cascading Beads Block.  There are a number of free patterns, torials, and UTubes on this pattern.    It certainly looks like rain drops to me OR the drippity drip drops that fall from a roof in such a pattern.

It can look so differnt in pastels for baby quilts, or bright solid colors for a teen.  Colors of a new homeowner's living room for the perfect Welcome quilt. 

OR change the color back ground.  I like to make the dramatic change with black.

Thank You for visiting and be sure to stop by today's other hosts:

Just Let Me Quilt

Inflorescence    

Quilted Delights

Vroomans Quilts

Scrapdash

High Road Quilter

It;s Raining, It's Pouring

Monday April 22

MooseStashQuilting

Words&Stitches

Quilting Gail
Quilt Doodle Designs

Kathy's Kwilts and More

 

Tuesday April 23

Karrins Crazy World

BeaQuilter

Selena Quilts

Songbird Designs

Just Sew Quilter

 

Wednesday April 24

Quilted Snail

Ms P Designs USA

 Days Filled With Joy

Quilting Between the Rails (Facebook)

Bumbleberry Stitches

 

Thursday April 25

Just Let Me Quilt

Inflorescence    

Quilted Delights

Vroomans Quilts

Scrapdash

High Road Quilter

Up and Down

 

Yes, our weather has been up and down - and even back and forth!  March is such a fickled month for sure.

Our region was lucky to get this last storm on the 'small' size.  It would snow for a couple of hours, then rain and sleet to ice it over, then a repeat a few times over.  The icing was pretty on the trees, but so it too damaged them and took a lot down over several areas - along with the power.

I find that I rather do bindings completely by machine, but with power loss they were tackled by hand rather than sit.  And you make yourself sweat over 'is that binding long enough' just for giggles.  Geesh, I could have had something with color!  3 black and one dark brown for these grey days BUT they are all done.

Sewingly Yours,

Sharon

Give It A Whirl

 

First I'd like to thank CAROL fir organizing this HOP.  The challenge was anything that whirls or spins - use your creativity and imagination.  With March winds, so perfect - and we have had winds here!

Also, at this time our guild's program was about quilting rulers.  Members to bring in a ruler or template and share it's use (good or bad experience) and a project you made from it.

The perfect ruler to cover both venues.  This was one of my first bought rulers many years ago and like all things, it seems to be back in style again.

Some members said they had tryied it, but there was so much fabric waste.  Well, I don't waste and I showed a solution.  *I was luck to have another member bring many of her small projects - so we tag teamed* 

 I happen to have all three size rulers.  The largest for the 10" squares, the medium size for the 5" square fabrics, and the tiniest for the 2.5" squares.  If you cut your largest carefully, you get nice 5" squares to use again, and so with cutting the 5"  carefully (my trusty mini rotary) you get 2.5" squares left for a mini project.  Very little waste and three projects out of one.

This quilt was made using a layer cake (10" squares), some Kona black, and the largest ruler.  I have saved the left overs to play with another time.

They have so many fun pattern layouts for seasonal projects, flags, hearts, and even the popular gnome.

Thank you for visiting  and be sure to 'blow' in on all the hosts:

                                                  MARCH 18  

Just Let Me Quilt

Quilted Snail

Pattern Princess

Days Filled With Joy

Quilted Delights

A Quiltery

Bumbleberry Stitches

MARCH 19

Selina Quilts

Inflorescence

Words & Stitches

Quilting Between The Rails

Sew Many Yarns

Vroomans Quilts

MARCH 20

Quilting Gail

Just Sew Quilter

Karrin’s Crazy World

Scrapdash

Time 4 Stitchn

MARCH 21

MooseStashQuilting

Ms P Designs USA

Songbird Designs

Beaquilter

High Road Quilter

Kathy's Kwilts and More

Homespun Hannah's Blog

Wind Blown

 

As I was preparing my project for the next HOP, this popped up in FaceBook.  So true to our weather the last few weeks.  OH THE WIND - yes it goes with the HOP, but I could do without that blast!  Pinwheels would certainly fly, but I didn't like my shingles all over the place.

 And I have been prepping things for this big show.  347 quilts and 22 vendors - I can't wait as this show has been on hiatis since Covid.  I actually have 6 quilts entered - five for judging and one for display only.  The EQF has been doing a super job in highlighting on  FaceBook - each vendor, past winners in various catagories, and soon each of the host guilds.  Our little quild is one of the hosts and our job was to  make the vendor award ribbons.  Our representatives pulled together the vendor venue and they did a great job.

It's going to be windy and rainy today - a good sewing day and I do have something fun to play with.  Some relaxing, no heavy thinking play time.  I hope you all get some stitch time in on World Wide Quilting Day.

Sewingly Yours,

Sharon

It Moose Be Love

 

I hope you are enjoying a very different Hop this month.  The challenge was hearts, or moose , or combo of both.  Thank you JOAN for such a fun and inspirational new Hop.

No hearts on my post, except for the love of my Dad and eldest brother who we've sadly lost too soon.  I made this quilt in their memory for the GUY HOP.  They had an experience with a moose on a hunting trip - goosed the moose with the car and the car paid for it.

I had the honor (gosh back in 2016) of being a guest on the Henry Glass fabric site for their 'Desire to Inspire' project.  They sent me the greatest fabrica.  It really represented our love of the Adirondack Mountains and we camped/fished there often.

And it had the best Salvedge that I used to make some zip pouches.  I thought I would revisit my salvedge jar for a new project for this hop with a quick tutorial.

I pulled the jar and my tote of strings.  You need two 1.5" by size - I'm planning a 12.5' piece - so a bit longer for wiggle room.

 I used a 14" square of backing and 13.5" square of batting.  To help keep your strips running straight, mark a line every 2".

I found a moose on a free clip art site, some fuseable, and piece of black.  Follow the directions of the fuseable you are using - I use Steam A Seam 2.

 

I put my machine's portable table on to help keep the piece flat while sewing.  You start with the scrap strip, just lay your choice of salvedge on edge (1/8 or 1/4" overlap). and with walking foot stitch close to edge.  Just keep sewing your salvedge strips across the batt/backing sandwich until you get to the end and stitch the second scrap strip to end your piece.

**I always cut my salvedge off with at least 1/2" to 1" fabric print on for using with these types of projects**

Then square up your piece - all quilted for you.  That simple.

Cut out your silouhette and fuse in place.  You can stitch around the edges, but this piece is small and will not get the wear or washing a quilt would.  Use hanging sleeve or corner hangers, binding, and done.  And easy afternoon project.

Be sure to visit todays hosts:

A Quiltery-For the Love of Geese

Quilting Gail

Quilted Delights

Words & Stitches

VroomansQuilts

Kathy’s Kwilts and More

Sewingly Yours,

Sharon

Moose Crossing

 

The February Hop should be 'moose'tastic!!  Can't wait to see what these creative folks come up with

Monday February 19

MooseStashQuilting

Pattern Princess

Karrins Crazy World

Quilted Snail

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs

Tuesday February 20

A Quiltery-For the Love of Geese

Quilting Gail

Quilted Delights

Words & Stitches

VroomansQuilts

Kathy’s Kwilts and More

Wednesday February 21

Selena Quilts

BeaQuilter

Ms P Designs USA

Kathleen McMusing

Days Filled with Joy

Quilt Schmilt

Thursday February 22

Just Let Me Quilt

Inflorescence

High Road Quilter

Just Sew Quilter

Scrapdash

Sewingly Yours

Sharon

Lost in Traffic

 

I find it hard some times to get into Blogger - and then there are days I just shut off the computer completely.  So days get away and I get lost in traffic. 

If you live in our area, this chart is just too real!  We went from a week of cold and lots of snow right into a week of rains and grey, then blessed with a few days of FINALLY seeing some sunshine and getting up into the 50's.  Now we are going into our second Winter phase as temps are dropping, it's gray and snow is in the future.

The paperwork went in for an upcoming show in April.  A few quilts have been quilted, and now making binding for them.  This is how I keep bindings while they wait.  Hang tags that indicate the quilt and help hold them onto the hanger.  The larger pieces with no tags are waiting to get under the machine - there is one in progress right now.  Then it's bindings, bindings, bindings!!

And do you find that you totally lose your technique' when you just haven't used it in a while?  I have my piece ready for the Moose Hop and thought I would do a little piecing (before all the bindings).  OMG  I think I need a week or two of just piceing my brains out to get back on the bike, so to speak.

Sewingly Yours,

Sharon

White Rabbit Hop

 

I would like to thank CAROL for hosting this month's HOP.  First hop of the year and so appropriate that it is rabbits and white.  We have been very 'white' for many days here in the Nor'East - snow, cold, winds, and ice. Hey, that's our kind of weather for January here.  SO..... let's hop right to it!

The Challenge was either rabbit, white rabbit, or white quilt - be creative.

I actually have a white rabbit.  Well, she isn't quite so white these days.  She has to be at least 50 yrs. old (0h, shouldn't give a gal's age away).  Many, many years ago I made rabbits, folk dolls, and primative kitties and bears.  I've held on to this gal all this time.  I think I should give her a real good bath and spuce up.  The velvet dress and lace have faired well, but maybe she deserves something new.

But the white quilt is going to be an honor to my Mamma who at 95, it may  be her last quilt.

My Mom's love is hand applique' and this is the book/pattern she used.

This is the full quilt.  Now my Mom pulled this old wicker case out with the book, all the fabrics and the center design done.  How long ago did she start it?   Now she had a major stroke 5 yrs. ago, so knew she could not do all the applique' still to go, but wanted to finish this.  

Now our sewing gals made a number of suggestions - mainly to just add 2 or 3 borders and be done.  BUT that would make it square - not my Mom.  AND it would make it smaller - not my Mom.

This quilt is so big I couldn't get it in a space to hang or get full shot.  She did make the applique' header, but knew she couldn't do justice to the rest.

Now my Mom has always hand quilted, but I am amazed she even finished the applique' with one hand.  One of our guild member's quilted this for her (has the super size frame) and I hope you can see the quilting as she did a beautiful job on this monster.  Thank you Betsy for coming and sitting with Mom, discussing this quilt and how you planned to work on it to make her happy - such care is greatly appreciated.

 

Of course, the back had to be white even though I got a pretty pink on white voile for it.  Again - not my Mom!  And yes, she always labels!

So folks, don't give up - keep stitchin'!

Be sure to visit my Bunny Buds today:

MooseStashQuilting
Domestic Felicity
Pattern Princess
Elizabeth Coughlin Designs
Highroad Quilter
Kathy's Kwilts and More

Sewingly Yours,

Sharon

A White January

 

We didn't get a White Christmas, but we have had a very White January so far.  Every weekend has been a storm - you dig out and then face another. An overnight system has left me with some shoveling to do this morning.

So why not a White Hop to start the year off???  I'm Ready!!

                                                              JANUARY 22

Just Let Me Quilt
Inflorescence
Quilt Schmilt
Sew Many Yarns
Days Filled With Joy
 
JANUARY 23
Quilting Gail
Beaquilter
Ms P Designs USA
Words & Stitches
Lake Girl Quilts
Homespun Hannah's Blog
 
JANUARY 24
Selina Quilts
Karrin’s Crazy World
Quilted Delights
The Life of Grammy
Quilting Between The Rails (Facebook Page)
Quilted Snail
 
JANUARY 25
MooseStashQuilting
Vroomans Quilts
Domestic Felicity
Pattern Princess
Elizabeth Coughlin Designs
Highroad Quilter
Kathy's Kwilts and More

Some snow humor - You probably  heard of the "lake Effect Snow Band"on the weather reports, but don't understand.  Someone in Buffalo - that gets hit by a lot of snow from the Lake Effect - wanted to clarify.

Sewingly Your,

Sharon

New Year-New Plans

 

After a rough year, I need a year of easy and fun.  I do have a big show in April to prepare for with our Guild being one of the 6 host Guilds.  So happy to see this show finally happen as it has been on hold since Covid lock downs.  Then the Hall of Fame Show in October.  I'm on the committee for the raffle quilt and am the one who schedules where it is taken for ticket sales over the months up to the show.  So some travel time!  

So I'm keeping to working on just miniatures this year - oh boy do I have the scraps for that!  I will be back on the Blog Hop bus again and see minis and whimsy for the year.

I don't mind people bringjng my Momma food, as long as it is within her dietary, allergy free realm.  BUT to bring a whole chicken, large ham, turkey, large caseroles, etc...... for a lone, elderly person - well !!! 

So yes, I have been cooking and meal prepping.  Having one large sit down meal and then turning left overs into proportioned meals she can pull out and reheat.  I much prefer to use the crockpot when I can and boy it has made a lot of soups and stews.  I don't recipe anything - dump and cook is the game.  You just can't go wrong in a crockpot.  I've even done dump cakes and breads in this baby.  

Everyone is hyped again about the 'big storm of the year' this weekend - from Florida up into Maine.  I think we will just get rain.  Hey, we are the Nor'East and get storms - you get what you get and you can't do much about it but be prepared.  We have food for sure!

Sewingly Yours,

Sharon