Time to slow down..... and stitch for a bit!

So many choices....

There are the light blue hexagon flowers that are so fun and relaxing to stitch onto their black background. These are the last color - all the others are done and waiting.... 14 to go and the one on the right is a finished one.

Binding..... That graduation quilt of chevron blue and yellow got quilted this week and is waiting for binding to be hand stitched to the back... might be a wee bit hot so this one might wait for later tonight.

Linking up with the slow Stitchers over at Kathy's Quilts.

The reason it is time to sit back and relax? The office area (10x10) got painted a nice summer yellow this afternoon. I have a few blue quilts to hang and some paintings I did at 'Painting with a Twist' hanging in my office and they will look great against this sunny yellow.  Mom - reminds me of my yellow spare room in my Colchester house =).

We also picked up my new flooring (honey oak look) and a few painting supplies late morning. I plan to do the sewing area and all that open room that is really a finished 2 car garage (20x20) under AC but I have tons of stuff in there and it was easiest to start with the office paint. Coat 1 is on. Coat 2 will be applied later tonight. I'll have to uncover my desk for working this week but.... that carpet will get pulled up and the flooring will be laid down probably next weekend. I am so excited! Then.. I'll move onto the rest of the room for painting then flooring in there. The painting might happen sooner... with help from the kiddo's some afternoon this week.

RSC in blue....

The fourth blue umbrella was completed this week for all 4 blues completed in June! I do believe I am all caught up until the July color is announced.

I went ahead and got the brown hexagons stitched to their backgrounds this week as well. That leaves me with just a stack of light blue to go! I pinned them to the black Wednesday night and they are right by my recliner ready whenever I have a few minutes to stitch.

Linking up with the RSC Challenge on Saturday morning.

Graduation quilt..... ready for binding!

It was a successful day in the sewing room! The graduation quilt got quilted, there was a long break as the kids wanted to create stuff and we had lunch out. Aidan made a fabric coaster (there was lots of muttering and I had to help a lot). Then Emily was working on the pillowcase... I think we pinned that thing 5 times before getting the first sewing right. Lunch may have been the break we needed on that one.

Once their projects were done.... I finally got the table and machine back and made and attached the binding to the front by machine. I have a lot of hand stitching to go but have plenty of time to get it done.

I also played bobbin chicken and won! It finished right at the end of a row! The other part..... broke a needle but was able to find it all. Some tweezers to get it out of the bobbin area and a new needle and I was off and running again on the last part of the binding. I may have also used a whole gutterman thread that ran out on the third side of binding the quilt. 

It feels good to have that part done and just some hand stitching to go! I'll post the photo of the quilt once it is finished and washed.

Hand piecing curves????

Ok, I know I need to finish up a project (or 3!) first... but I am thinking ahead to a new hand piecing project. I am tempted to try curves... hey, if you are going to hand piece you might as well make it interesting.... right?

Apple Core Quilts..... should I or shouldn't I?

I found this link of how to make your own template.

Hmmmm then what colors..... I'd want to do a bigger one so the curve was easier....

I'm sick of green....the tumbler quilt last year and the log cabin earlier...

Not sure there is enough of the Kansas Troubles Fabrics.... have to go check out that drawer. That would make a pretty quilt.

There is always lots of blues hanging out on the wall....


There is also the drunkards path as well. Hmmmmm. The apple core is appealing more (sorry for that pun!)

I'll keep thinking while I finish up those other 3 projects.....

Tiny Tuesday...

I could use some snow.... it was feels like well over 100 yesterday with a heat index warning hitting my phone in the morning. This fabric will have to do!

Hoping all who are in a heatwave across the world are able to slow down, stay cool and be safe.

I just have one more blue umbrella to stitch and I will be all caught up! Next Tuesday will be a new color... I do wonder if it will be pink, purple, light blue or browns and black?  Whichever color comes up there will be 5 weeks of it in July!

Slow Stitching Anniversary!

Kathy has been hosting the Slow Stitching Sunday for 7 years now! Wow! I went back to my posts and it looks like I started linking up in July 2012! I had 'known' Kathy from the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I have to give her a shout out for encouraging me to try hand quilting back then. I am so grateful that I took a chance... as I really enjoy hand piecing and hand quilting and hand applique! All new things for me in the last 7 years.

I was hand quilting the Quilt Square Along blocks I was making with a quilt along with Jo's Country Junction that year. I believe the patterns were a Lori Smith design and I made them with a bundle of Kansas Troubles Fabrics. I did a quilt as you go to connect them all together. Lots of pre-K car line waits for this one!

One of my favorites is still my apple quilt. I think this might have been my second hand quilting project.

Of course... Hugs and Kisses is on the list. This one I love and it lives in my room...when someone doesn't snatch it for snuggling on the couch! This photo shows the quilting better than the finished photo. All those peels were hand applique.

Hand piecing.... another fun thing to occupy your hands. I have made 2 trips by hand... well a 2 inch top waiting for quilting and this 2.5 inch top that is half way quilted on the frame. I really need to get back to this one....

This is the latest hand pieced quilt along that is also in the queue for hand quilting. So many quilts, so little time!

My current project is the baskets. They are all quilted and it is time to move onto the border triangles. I hope to be binding this one next weekend.

I did a lot of binding yesterday for the bow tie finish. It was a 2 Harry Potter movie afternoon and evening.

Of course... the hexagons are all prepped to get appliqued onto their black background. I just have 13 brown and 17 light blue to go on these as I finished off the purple ones this week. 

The end is in sight... so exciting. Then the decision... sew them together by hand or machine? I am thinking machine as they are black... and it will get them together quicker. I think this quilt will get colorful thread with the quilting...not sure if it will be all yellow or a mix of colors surrounding each one....

Thanks for reading and a big Thank you to Kathy and all who have encouraged me over the years. 

Bow Tie quilt completed!

I decided to put a flannel backing on this and tie it rather than quilt it. I am so happy with how it turned out. It is 46x54 a perfect snuggle size. Aidan even helped me tie it and then trimmed up the ties for me. Emily was happy to hold it up for me.

Trying out how good it snuggles..... both kids have approved it for snuggling. I think this one will be traveling up to Vermont next month and will reside at camp for a lap quilt for the parents.

Linking up to the Rainbow Scrap Challenge and Oh Scrap on Sunday.

Hand quilting progress....

The last basket got quilted! Now it is time to stitch the setting triangles. I always hate to stitch near the edge.... as it doesn't catch well in the hoop. The options - baste on the edge,  add a piece of fabric so it will work in the hoop or stitch without a hoop.

I started basting along the edge as I was finishing the last basket. Not sure it will work but I'll give that a shot first. I need to find my herra marker and make some stitching lines.

I do need to 'fix' a few baskets. When I cut out behind the baskets I got a little too close on a few and they are pulling out the applique stitches. This will be a wall hanging so not too many washings.

I also went ahead and got all my purple hexagon flowers stitched. I know, purple has not been called but I am almost done.... brown and light blue to go and the brown area all prepped to stitch and the backgrounds are all cut for the light blue.

Linking up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

It was yard work morning... in the feels like 100 degree. I am wiped out but... one more load of weeds and brush to pick up and bring out back and I am done for the day. The front bed is now planted and Aidan and Emily were trimming the bushes. Another hour tomorrow should have the side of the house done as well.... we sill see how hot it is at that point if I try to work on the back or not! I guess we should have started a little earlier... but we all slept in (after 8!) and someone wanted crepes... so she made a blueberry compote while I made crepes for everyone. They were yummy. Time to go pick up the rest of the front and then it will be jump in the pool time!

Tiny Tuesday.....

A very unstable connection to work today led me to a little stitching time each time I tried to log back onto the VPN server.... now it is giving me errors so I'm giving up. Hopefully it is indeed on their end and it is resolved for working tomorrow! I am done for the day!

It did allow me to stitch up this little umbrella - I did parts each time I had to log back on which takes a few minutes each time..... it has been a long morning! Ollie has taken up the back part of my chair so I put the umbrella on him and took a photo. The other one was in with me this morning but I think he has gone under the bed for his afternoon nap.

Aidan called today and let us know he will be home tomorrow after lunch. He has guitar lessons tomorrow afternoon.  He has been at Grandma's since Sunday as Emily has horse day camp all this week... and Dad and I are working and he would be bored. I'll do something with him on Thursday since I have the day off... he is on his own on Friday though!

Hmmm about 45 minutes before I have to go pick up Emily... horse camp is about 35 minutes away. Her Dad has been dropping her off in the morning (I work 8:30-1:30) and I do the pickup for 3PM.  Think I'll go piece the backing for the bow tie quilt and cut the batting out.

Sunday.....

It is a busy weekend in my family. June 15th is always busy.... It is my parents 56th Anniversary, my nephews birthday (he was born on their 29th anniversary as the first grandchild) and yesterday my niece graduated from High School with honors and got her schools scholarship to UVM! Great job Sally!

Today - Happy Fathers Day! Hubby got breakfast in bed (coffee and everything bagel with cream cheese) and the kids homemade gifts at 7:10. They were so excited and were busy for a few hours making things yesterday. 

Happy Fathers Day to my Dad.... so many games played with his kids after a long day of work, trips to the dump on Saturday morning with 'going to the dump music' and special stops at the little store to chat with neighbors and I got Swedish fish =).  Great memories!

This is the 20th basket of 25 that was finished off last night. The heart is a little wonky and off center.... but I am ok with it. 

Linking up with Kathy and the other slow stitchers.

Dark blue hexagons are all done!

I managed to get all the dark blue hexagons stitched onto their black background. I am getting a little anxious to get this one done... so will continue on with another color this month I think. I went ahead and did the pink ones already. I have light blue, brown and most of the purple left to do.

Linking up with the RSC on Saturday.

Bow Ties...... take 2!

Stubborn quilt.... was insisting it was not 'done' yet. So... I added a little blue border and then used up pretty much all of the red star print with a 2.5 strip.  I was debating a darker yellow... but tried it out and it is big enough for a 'snuggle' quilt as is. I am estimating it is about 46x54 right now... and I'll pull some flannel for the backing and use the yellow as binding.  It is a drastic change between the 2 photo's!

These bow ties were started a year or two ago with that challenge - one color a month for 10 months. This batch has red, orange, yellow, pink, green, aqua, light blue, dark blue, purple and black. There is one of each of those color ways in each set of the 2 rows (10 blocks every 2 rows)... which is how I spread out my colors when I lay things out on the floor. Then it is moving things around within those 2 rows for lights, medium and darks to try and get it how I think it looks good.

I know Mom.... I do need to trim and finish up Sally's quilt.... which I will just bring with me next month! Maybe Sunday will be that task =) I am debating on big stitch hand quilting it or machine quilting it.......

Linking this one up to the RSC on Saturday.

Bow Ties are now a flimsy! 40x48.

I made a couple more blocks to get a total of 30. That is about 3 blocks in each of the 10 color families. I actually measured the block and turns out they are 8 inches finished not 6! That makes for a 40x48 size little quilt... right now. It might 'need' something for a border. We will see. It might just get finished off with a colorful binding. I'll link up Saturday with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.

These bow ties were started a year or two ago with that challenge - one color a month for 10 months. This batch has red, orange, yellow, pink, green, aqua, light blue, dark blue, purple and black. There is one of each of those color ways in each set of the 2 rows (10 blocks every 2 rows)... which is how I spread out my colors when I lay things out on the floor. Then it is moving things around within those 2 rows for lights, medium and darks to try and get it how I think it looks good. This was the winning layout while I was waiting to get logged back onto work this morning. I got them sewn together after work and before it was time to go pick up the kids... speaking of which, I better head out to get them!

Tuesday Umbrella....

I know, it is orange but I needed one more to finish up last months color. I guess I'll get right to work on a blue one since I am on guinea pig supervision duty while Aidan is finally cleaning the cage.

Funny shaped umbrella.... lets pretend it is windy! Flower and Jimmy Jr in the guinea play area ... and yes, they are both boys!

Sophie is about 2 feet from the cage, watching.......

Edited..... got the first dark blue umbrella done - last weeks block.

Slow Sunday...

I plan to get a couple more of my blue hexagons stitched up today. Look at that! I got 2 done while waiting for the computer to charge to post this!

Then I'll settle in and get a basket or two quilted. I have 13 of 25 done so far.

Why does this always happen?

Linking up with the other Slow Sunday Stitchers.

I am so tempted to start the embroidery I purchased earlier this year with Blueprint.... but figured I should finish a hand project before starting a new one. (Crazy I know!) I'll start it in July.... probably in Vermont when all the hexagons are stitched onto their background. It will be my first try at embroidery.... and with my tutorial video....and Mom who did that back when she was younger I should be able to tackle it!

Yesterday the boy wanted Mom time and Mom wanted machine time! I got the last of the bow tie blocks sewn and he decided the layout.

He wanted 4 together in the same color way in a circle. There were 12 of each color so we have 3 blocks of each color. The blocks of 4 are now 6 inches.

Might need to make another 8 bow ties in the black color way to get 30 blocks instead of the 28 we have. I went ahead and made one more set in black yesterday but the numbers were not working out. It was taxing the boys brain and we gave up. I'm going to add 2 more black and grey blocks today to make an even 30 for a 5x6 set.

The girl was playing UNO with Dad in the afternoon and they also made the meatballs for dinner last night. The boy and I handled the making of the french bread. With some angel hair pasta and marinara sauce dinner was done! Mom - the zucchini cake with cream cheese frosting came out really yummy..... you know the one from the Taste of Home magazine =)
I had to play Bingo last night with Emily.... my kids love to play games!

I also gave her churn dash blocks to play with..... did I mention I tend to collect blocks? Hehehe....

Linking up with the RSC Challenge and Oh Scrap.

A rainy blue Saturday in Florida....

I can't complain - we really do need the rain since it has not rained in weeks. We have a quite a few forest fires burning throughout the state so this will help in putting them out. Unfortunately... this morning was to be our girl scout horse riding. We ended up cancelling and I'll reschedule it. Hopefully as many can make it again... I had 9 of 11 girls able to attend, which is amazing!

Instead, it will be a day of indoor things. Emily is making a star crystal in a jar. I hear the oven will get a workout as well.... zucchini cake with cream cheese frosting will get made. They overrode my zucchini bread idea. They also turned up their nose at dinner using chicken tenders..... and wanted home made meatballs with spaghetti and bread for dinner with a salad. I hear we are making the bread too! Good thing I have my double oven!

I hope to steal away and sew the last 4 blue bow ties to make the 12 I need for that pile. I might also do the 2 light blue and 8 reds I need. Maybe that will keep the boy occupied laying those out for a quilt design as well? So nice of Peanut to hold those down for me.

Aidan was busy pulling fabrics for me yesterday for the 4 umbrella blocks on the right - I might need to make one as it is pretty rainy out today!

I also got all 12 of the hexagons basted and the first 3 done. When we went to horses Thursday morning I saw a scrap of black and pink in the bushes....I had been working on pink the last time I went and it was really windy. I guess one got away from me! I know, pink has not been called yet... but there were 21 of them and I seem to have gotten them all done over the last month or two!

Linking up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. Head over and see all the blue people have been playing with this week.

Graduation quilt is a top!

After lots of bending and twisting..... I got the graduation quilt all sewn together. The photo is not great - way too hot out yesterday late afternoon and a wee bit windy.

I had to have an empty house to lay out all the blocks onto the living room floor. I had sewn the color sets into one's, two two's and the rest into threes. Laying them out was a lot of bending and twisting on my back but it got done. Boy was it big! (70+x95+) Then it was pulling and sewing into strips and then sewing them together. I really hate sewing long rows together..... especially on the diagonal!

It needs pressing, trimming and then I'll have to find a backing and get it quilted. It will not be done in time for graduation June 16... but it will be done to fly up to Vermont with me in July.

Sunday....

It's all about slow stitching on Sunday. With it being a new month at the Rainbow Scrap Challenge dark blue was the chosen color. I love blue.... and I have a couple of blue things that fit the RSC Challenge and Slow Sunday Stitching! Hand quilting and basting and applique!

I am hand appliqueing my hexagon flowers onto their black backgrounds this month and the dark blue were the only ones left that need basting so they can continue their journey onto the black. I started a few last night and will finish up the rest today then pin them to the backing so they are all set to sew whenever I get a few minutes.  I hand pieced these quite a few years ago and they are so close to being blocks to put together into a quilt! Sew exciting!

I also started quilting this little basket last night and it should get finished up this evening..... or afternoon if I need a break. So nice to have options when you have a few minutes here and there to stitch on something.

Linking up with the other Slow Stitchers over at Kathy's Quilts who has been hosting this wonderful link up for 7 years! I just want to thank Kathy and all who have posted and encouraged me in this hand stitching process. 

Yesterday..... someone decided it was time to get her ears pierced! It was to be her 10th birthday present back in April (my rule you have to be 10 and then if you want them pierced you can) but soccer season was in full swing and no jewelry. She had her heart set on Justice piercing them and had picked out a pretty aquamarine post. The nice lady mentioned her ears were thick so would need a long post which they did not have. We walked down the mall to Claires where they had a couple with long post. Chatted with the staff there and they mentioned you could bring the earring of your choice to a piercing place and they could do it. Then she mentioned it was a tattoo parlor and Emily got all nervous.... like ... no way, Mom!. We said thanks and took a walk. The boys headed into Yankee Candle and the girls sat and chatted. The chairs were next to a Padoga jewelry kiosk. I went up and saw they do piercing and had some long posts that were cubic zirconium. Very pretty in 14KG in gold or white. She looked at them. We sat again. Then I mentioned why don't we ask her what the process is... she liked that idea. The lady was super nice. She said she has been doing this for 21 years and a coworker there for over 10. They could even do both ears at the same time. Everything was explained and all questions answered. We sat again. She was thirsty....we walked to the food court and got her some water. A few sips later and then it was 'Are you doing this today or another time?' The boys had moved onto Bath and Body works at that point (Aidan loves his smelly stuff and was looking at candles. He will be making a batch of candles tomorrow with some melts he purchased on Saturday). She said today... we walked back and the boys met us there. It was go time. She waited for a few customers to finish up, we paid and then she got her ears pierced. Good thing it was at the same time... she was a bit terrified and one of them stung for a bit after for a few minutes. All better now and she will go back in 4 weeks and have them take a look. Just a solution and turn morning and night and she now has pierced ears! I keep telling her I am stealing them when her 6 weeks are up... they are really cute earrings!

Saturday.....

It has been an interesting week. I seem to have done something to my back on Tuesday night/Wednesday..... So no walking since Tuesday.... when I was so good to get up at 6:30 and out the door before the temps were extremely crazy in the mid 90s and feels like over 100. Yup - it's summer without any rain to cool things off in the afternoon. It is better today (I can walk upright!) and an advil soon and walking in the pool before the sun hits it by 11 is in store shortly. We had a sleepover of one of Emily's friends Thursday night. Everyone was cranky last night, so they got a full night of sleep (almost 12 hours for each of them!). Much better moods this morning.

I still have 2 orange umbrella's to make this weekend before I switch to the dark blue ones.... so I'm showing you Aidan's coral rose which has a couple of blooms right now! Seems one has gone past the pretty stage so you only get to see one of them!

I sent him out for a photo with my phone and he wanted to show his other flower in bloom as well.

Since we are in blue.... I'll show what I have been hand quilting! My blue baskets that I made with this challenge a couple of years ago in July the summer of 2017 while up in Vermont. I have 8 or 9 of the 25 blocks quilted at this point. Maybe it will be done by the end of June? I am hand quilting on the inside of the basket, on the basket along the edge and two echo's around each basket. Then I decided to stitch on the edge of each square block... just to stabilize it a bit more. I think each block is 6 inches finished. It fits great in my round hoop.

Our visitors Friday morning. Greg came into my office and said to look out the glass side door in the garage area (finished off into an office under the air conditioning in the house). 2 Wild turkeys and their 6 babies were walking along! 

Linking up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I do plan to work with some blue and yellow today.... I am sewing the blocks together for the graduation quilt this weekend. I have a feeling she will be receiving this quilt in July when I am up in Vermont rather than June when she graduates! I also hear someone wants to go to Justice today and finish getting her birthday present since soccer season is over. She is a little nervous to get her ears pierced but would like to have it done. We will see if it happens or not!