Purple hearts are a finish.

 

I finished hand stitching the binding on this during the exciting F1 race on Sunday afternoon. I had made the hearts one a day sometime last year for a month. They protested being moved from spot to spot last week and got sewn up into a top this week. This weekend I pulled a backing - love when you can just use a yard of fabric! I found some batting scraps and zig zagged them together. A little quilting happened on Saturday night while Emily was at the dance. Then I finished the machine quilting Sunday morning and made and attached the binding. It feels so good to have another UFO checked off the list. 

Progress

 I did manage to get a little sewing time in yesterday and the purple hearts is now a top. Well, I think it is a top. I might add a border to it. I need to put it up where it will hang and see if it needs to be a little bigger. It is a 'different' size as it is a side rectangle rather than an up and down one. Right now, it measures at about 39x32 inches. It will probably stay this size and just have a nice purple binding to set it off. 

Last night I got almost one side of the civil war binding hand stitched. We will see if I can do another side tonight. I have a boy normal pick up from school and then the marching band is rehearsing after school and putting on a run through of their program at 6:30 for friends and family. It is their last run through before the MPA competition tomorrow. 

I have been working on offloading photos from my phone since I am out of space! I never really delete things, so I imported them to the computer. Now to get them off my phone and cleared out so I have space again! 

Thursday....

 I have yet to add a stitch to the binding on the Civil War quilt. Maybe tonight? Let's see what has been going on....

Monday, was a work day and a late pick up for Emily with marching band. I had ordered some beef empanadas from a friend and they were for dinner with some rice and black beans. Aidan fried them up for me while I worked on the sides. I did get the hearts sewn into rows tonight and the binding pressed and attached to the front of the quilt.

Tuesday was another late day for Emily. She had a pre MPA tonight at a local high school that I went to to watch. All the high schools in Marion County attended and presented their show. It ran a little late, so we didn't get home until after 10:30. I don't think Emily went to bed until an hour after that. She said she was finally awake around noon on Wednesday..... yea, she gets to school before 8! Dinner was greek style - greek rub on chicken tenders grilled in the grill pan with salad and pita and tzatziki. 

Wednesday was a half day at school, so they got out 2 hours early. The high school just shortens the 6 periods of classes and throws lunch at the end of the day. The kids opt out of lunch and head to the car line and come home instead. 1600 students would not fit into the small cafeteria. I don't think either goes in there as they each bring their lunch normally and sit at the outside tables. I finished off my work day mid afternoon and then made tater tot casserole for dinner. I ate early, since we had a girl scout area planning meeting last night for the upcoming Harry Potter Event in November. Emily went and attended the GEM's meeting and got 2 hours of volunteering! A stop at Target since we were down that way to refill the soda stream canisters and someone wanted twistee treat on the way home.

Today will be a riding a horse day for me but first I need to walk the dog who keeps bugging me since I am 20 minutes late in bringing him.  *** just got back and I guess he was barking at the real Bear outside last night. He got 3 trashes along our walk route this morning and 2 had bear proof cans!

The hearts should become a top today and maybe I'll start on the binding of the other quilt tonight?

 Emily is a late pickup tonight and tomorrow and then they have the MPA (judged competition) up in Gainesville on Saturday. I plan to go to that to see them so it will be a long day Saturday. At least this one is about an hour away, the last one was 2.5 hours away. I'd better get off the computer and moving or nothing will get done!

Saturday RSC in purple

I have been in avoidance and so not really sewing. The graduation quilt is to the point of needing long borders attached. I really dislike cutting and sewing long seams. I may remeasure.... is it really needed? Sigh. Since I am not letting myself sew other things until that gets done, pinned and machine quilted not much has happened this week. It will get tackled this weekend however - it is mid month and the kids will be overnight at Grandma's to head to the car races tonight.

A few more purple hexagons were added this week and a slew more were prepped. 

The purple Erin's butterfly was made and basted. While out with Emily we picked up a background fabric for these - it is a big white dot on white. I need to figure out the size to cut for applique. It recommends 12.5 but that is really tight with them filling out the whole block so I might go with 14.5 or 15 with extra space around them.

I pulled out the hearts I made last year - hand applique from a charm pack. That left some interesting cuts leftover which I started sewing together. I think I'll cut out that middle that is created and the rest might go into a crumb block of some sort. I believe I have some of those around the sewing room somewhere. I can't touch those until the grad quilt is farther along in the process though!

I found some extra blocks and added a purple border on one that will be finished off into a table topper I think. I also sewed four leftover friendship stars together for another little 12 inch block. That one might become a hot mat if I can find that batting in the sewing room!

Linking up with the RSC where everyone is playing with purple.

Heart update....

You know what happens when you lay out blocks in a house with cats!

They think you laid them out for them to SIT ON! Silly Peanut.  I just counted and have 13 more prepped. So I guess you can get 40 - 5.5 inch squares from a yard of fabric? I have 2 bonus hearts prepped but ran out of the background. I have no clue how these will land in a quilt but they are coming along nicely. 

Greg is having a bad back pain day.... so I took an hour off work this morning to bring the kids to school to drop off Aidan's textbooks and library books and pick up Emily's summer reading - 2 books this year. No ruberic for the report again this year so I asked the 6th grade Cambridge ELA teacher about it on Remind. She was at school and went and checked as she was not happy it was not handed out last year with the book. Turns out they are preparing to be paperless to begin the school year.... makes me wonder if it will be virtual again. 

I took another hour off to meet up with my bowling team captain to collect my money awards from the league I bowl in on Thursdays. I have opted not to bowl in the fall, I'll take a year off and see how things are next year at this time. Enclosed space with a bunch of lovely ladies - but I don't want to be the one to make them sick. I do have to say as I was waiting, there was a league going in, all older (Over 60 - most in the 70-80 range) and ONE single person wore a mask. One...... out of at least 30 that went in! Sigh.... Their choice but I do not want that on my conscience!

Slow Sunday...

No one has graced the rest of the house with their presence yet! It is a nice quiet morning, well, except for the loud Meow's of the various cats wanting food this morning!

I was able to stitch up my last prepped heart for my 'heart a day in May' in purple shades this year! I had a charm pack of purples.... so I will just make them all into hearts - 42 of them I think so this will probably go into June! The white is cut out at 5.5 inch square.

The finished heart. Those holes from the pin will smooth right out.

Well, it was nice while it lasted. The boy has wandered out and grabbed a cat to lay on his chest on the couch! 9AM... I guess it was good while it lasted!

It will be a prep morning! I need to prep more hearts, prep the Claire block for Book Club - essentially 4 orange peel blocks hand pieced! So nervous to make that one. Maybe prep an Ella Maria Deacon block or two - it has been a couple of months since I have worked on that one. 

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

Hearts....

It's purple heart show and tell day today! I'm a little behind on one per day... but a good amount have been made this month.

I'll make another today while in the car at the orthodontist. Emily has a check this afternoon. They really need dental appointments as well, I need to call and see how they have adjusted before I make that appointment.  I did mine the beginning of March before everything got shut down. The boys did hair cuts yesterday since Great Clips where we go opened up this week. They both look completely different with a lot less hair! I forgot how handsome they can be with a clean cut! Last night I told Emily it was a pool day... and I would go in! The pool water was around 83 degrees.... chilly to get in (air temps were much higher!) but felt good once in. The boy came out about 10 minutes after I got in..... (Em got in right off and was swimming around) I was in with them both for about 30 minutes and then they stayed in another 30 while I got dinner. I told them they need to be in the pool every day now to get some exercise and off the devices. Less than 2 weeks of school left. I just need to get (finally) some lounge chairs for the pool deck so I can relax out there.  I think that is tonight's task.

Slow Sunday....

It actually will be a slow and relaxing Sunday for me! I prepped more hearts yesterday and was able to stitch 4 of them yesterday. I'll be prepping some more today and I might get all caught up and have 17 hearts done.... we will see how the day goes!

 I also prepped the Emma block for the Book Club. This one has curves... I have never really done curves before. We will see how it goes. The last 3 blocks are curves.... lets hope they are not too frustrating.

I noticed the kids have not been reading this past week, so instituted a family wide reading time starting yesterday. I pulled out this book. Greg is reading a book on chocolate making. Emily is reading Lilly's Story and Aidan is finishing the 4th and starting the 5th Narnia book.

Linking up with the other slow stitchers at Kathy's Quilts. I would have showed the crochet blanket..... but that is purple too and I figured this post had enough purple in it! Even in the book cover =)

Mothers Day

Wishing all the Mom's out there a Happy Mothers Day.

I had decided to make some hearts in purple during the month of May. I think I made that decision on Tuesday, before life got crazy! I did manage to get 4 of the hearts needle turned applique before my week turned upside down! I have 2 more prepped and one in process.....

I hope to prep more today and relax in a comfy chair and stitch a few at some point today. I see lots of waiting time in my future so plenty of time to catch up for the month! I did finish this knitted dish cloth while waiting in the ER on Friday. Some stitching has happened this week!

Linking up with the Slow Sunday Stitchers.


In other news... and that ER visit on Friday. Hubby was admitted to the hospital Friday afternoon being in extreme pain in the ER most of Friday. The pain was from his back... but he passed out from pain and hit his head on the wall so I called an ambulance to bring him to the ER Friday morning.  Lots of tests yesterday for a final diagnosis late last night. Since he can walk (but is still in a lot of pain) he opted to be released to home rather than transferred to Orlando for a neurosurgeon consult on his back. I see lots of appointments in our future for hand work time.

In sunnier news.... we picked the first green beans from the garden and I was enjoying some cherry tomato's from my plant this weekend.

Greg had started some sourdough starter last week and I took over the feeding of it this week and it is finally ready to make bread. The recipe is a long one..... lots of wait time. I think I should be baking a couple of loaves later today. With some of the starter you normally get rid of... we made soft pretzels last night. The kids said they came out really good. I have yet to try one!

cinnamon sugar

salt

Someone was missing Dad yesterday....

Seems the other one organizes when she is worried - she tacked the hall closet. It looks a lot better now. I tried to get her to head to the sewing room next but she is too smart for that!

Heart a day in May! 2020....

It was a tough decision... I did decided to work on a block a day in May again. I sifted through a few options - drunkard path, circles, hearts, orange peels, nine patches. I pulled different charm packs.... since the red one I was thinking I wanted to play with was not helping me make a decision. Hmmm. I got some from Bluprint a few months ago. One pack of 42 was various purple charms. What about a purple heart quilt? I like it!

Next decision.... the last ones I made were centered on the square. I think these will be set on the diagonal.

Then size.... I could not find the previous heart... in fact, I remember seeing it a few weeks ago and tossed it out! Thank goodness for blogs - I searched on Heart a Day and found where I had a link to the coloring pages. I printed out 2 options and went with a smaller one. This fits on a 5.5 inch background nicely for a 5 inch finished square. I had purchased a yard of a white flowered print a few months ago. I think it will work nicely with the purple.

All the decisions for today are made. Time to prep. I found a ruler with markings for 5.5 inches square and centered the heart and drew around it with a white board marker.

Next it was tracing the heart on the charm square with a chalk. Cut it out and place on the background. Check it with the ruler for placement.

 Remove the ruler and pin in place. Six blocks prepped. 

Florida relaxed the stay at home this week and Emily's horse academy where she rides opened up. There were just 2 people riding in the ring when Emily was there. She was so happy to get back to riding. The stay at home has kept the cases landing in hospitals low in our area. I think 26 total hospitalizations in our county over the last 2 months. The number of cases are going up still, as expected. We as a family plan to be thoughtful and still limit going out. We figured riding is low risk. I don't see us going shopping for anything other than grocery or Lowes for gardening things. We don't plan to eat in restaurants any time soon. Small calculated risks.  It was close to feeling like 90 degrees while she was riding. Thank goodness the arena and where the parents sit are in the shade.

I had today off from my 'normal' job and helped Greg with pool cleaning today. Then it was grab a shower and bring Emily to horses. Home to make Taco Salad for Emily and Taco meat for the rest of us for dinner. It finally cooled down so I got more of the driveway power washed.... this time it was about 1.5 hours. I figure I have about 45 minutes left for the very end of the driveway - we have a lot of concrete for our driveway and it is pretty long! At least it will look clean and bright for a little while before the mold and mildew settle in on it again. A never ending battle down her in Florida.

Must go stitch.

Heart and Nines.... Is a Top!

I finally took a few minutes here and there and got the appliqué hearts sewn into a top today. I look forward to getting a backing made for it so I can start hand quilting it. This is the result of my May Challenge to Make A Heart a Day in the month of May.

The kids decided to do a program at one of the Citrus libraries - a cowboy round up which Emily wanted to go. It was fun and they ended up going to Grandma's for the rest of the day.

June 1 - The end of a heart a day in May!

I had hoped to have these blocks all sewn together.... but ended up working on Thursday to make up for the holiday Monday, ran errands (across town to pick up glasses that were in at the eye doctor, gas in car, car wash and the kids vacuumed out the car) in the afternoon then got my exercise in last night. Some no bake cookies might have also been made. There went the day!

My last heart was a blue one.

 Whenever I lay them out... this happens. Ollie decided to 'help' this morning.

I started sewing the bonus 5 inch charms with hearts together yesterday... but the bobbin thread ran out and I took it as a sign to go outside with the kids. 

I hope all those who played along this month enjoyed the little bit of stitching each day. Thanks for joining me in this challenge. Here is a link up if you'd like to share your hearts from May. I hope to have my blocks sewn together this weekend.... so the hand quilting can start on it this month.

Wednesday May 30

Just got back from a 15 minute walk with Emily...... it ended with umbrella's up and a little rain. I timed it pretty well as it is now a downpour... like it has been most of the day.

I did manage to finally go pick the second picking of green beans from the garden. I asked the kids to do it the last two days.. yup, it did not get done amid the rain drops. Mom - the orange Tupperware salad bowl is filled.... to give you an idea of the amount. Emily also picked 3 radishes. I'll think of you as I enjoy them!

My heart for the day today.

Time to sweep floors as Emily indicated she'll swiffer Mop them for me! Then clean bathrooms and it will be about time to head to gymnastics. Shoot.. I'll defrost some burger meat while doing all that so I can cook up a batch of taco meat for  dinner tonight. I'll have mine over a nice romaine salad with an avocado, tomato and cheese. Yummy.

Hopefully the rains stop after dinner so I can get another walk in... a wee bit longer this time - fingers crossed. I have not hit my 10,000 steps at all this week (or last) with all the rain and thunder storms. 

Tuesday...... or a Monday reboot!

The day after a holiday is always hard to get back into the routine. It is especially hard this week since it is the first week the kids are off school as well. I did get a 30 minute walk in this morning =)

So far it has been quiet... after I asked them to move where they were hammering to find dinosaurs out of something from Emily's teacher like Palentologists (right at the edge of my laundry room/garage area which is my sewing area and office for work!). Then going out to refill my water glass only to find the milk out on the counter along with the blender and the carnation instant breakfast packets. Sigh..... it is going to be a long summer. On the plus side.... Greg will take Aidan to his guitar lesson tonight so I get a break from one activity this week. I'll take the kids to the library this afternoon instead... they need books to read. I told them they still need to read 30 minutes a day... which is like twisting Emily's arm to get her to read. The other one... if he has books to read he will. Complete opposites they are.

On the bright side.....

I have a slew of little hearts on 5 inch squares! I think I will make 4 more to have 36 total and a 6x6 setting of these which will finish at 27 inches square.

My hearts for Monday and today. Only 2 more days left for this heart challenge. Could someone please remind me not to do this in May next year... maybe June.... but may is a busy month!

Here is your link up.

Mom - I ordered an OTT light that is being shipped to you at home. It will give some better light for me at camp for hand work.... you can open it and try it out =). If you really like it..... I can leave it there instead of taking it home with me =)

Memorial Day

It is a holiday to remember those who have served in our military and especially those who have given their life for our freedoms. May we never forget them and may we never stop fighting to keep our democracy alive and our freedoms granted in the constitution. 

I took a nice walk this morning with my favorite veteran - my hubby. He served in the air force after high school. 

The rains just hit.. so happy we got that walk in this morning as the winds are whipping now. 

Time to head back into the sewing room and work on finishing the graduation quilt top, creating the backing and putting it on the boards so it can get pinned for quilting. I have no clue how I will quilt this one.... hope something comes to me in the next week.

I started off the day trimming those hearts I have been making this month down to a 6.5 inch block. I got one heart lined up in the center and drew the shape onto the top of my ruler with an erasable marker. I used that to line up the others to trim them down. I admit I stitched a little ahead and just have one left to make... and 4 of the little hearts.

While I was in there I pieced together strips of the hand quilting batting for the last Dresden plate block and pressed the backing fat quarter in blue. That is all pinned and ready for some hand work at some point today. 

With all the red, white and blue quilts I have been seeing today... it is making me want to pull out my civil war diary quilt I did in those colors. The blocks are done and I think I was in process of putting it together. I am guessing block size variations had it sitting in a time out..... maybe if I get the graduation quilt pinned I might go search for those blocks and see where I was on them..... must stay focused and finish the graduation quilt first. I have 4 weeks to get that baby done!

Sunday...

We are having a rain day today. The kids decided to stay home instead of going to Grandma's house....although she did take them overnight on Thursday so they have seen her this week.

Aidan was returned not feeling well on Friday - after a rough night he was better on Saturday. He did take it easy all day though with a break in the afternoon for some pool time with Emily and me. The pool temps hit 85 and that is when I make it into the pool! We got in before the rain started late yesterday afternoon.

Today I'll putter a bit picking up the house and then will shut myself away in the sewing room for a few hours.... the graduation quilt needs the last borders, a backing needs to get pieced and I want to make my 3 pink blocks for the RSC Challenge sampler before we dip into June! My goal is to get the graduation quilt pinned today for some quilting tomorrow.

I'll also prep my last dresden block for some hand work this evening. I left the dark blue one for last. I finished off the border of the maroon one this morning before everyone else woke up. I'm linking up with the other slow stitchers today at Kathy's Quilts.

I have a few more hearts to share - Friday, Saturday and Sunday. 

There are only a few more days left in the one heart a day in the month of may challenge. 4! I have a few to prep for the smaller blocks and one last one to prep for the big heart. How are you coming along with the challenge? I laid out mine on Thursday to see how they were coming along. I think I prefer the hearts in the corners so I will need all 32 of mine to go with the 31 connector nine patch blocks. Link up below.

Have a Happy and Safe Memorial Day weekend for those in the states. Remember all those who have served our country, especially those who have given the greatest sacrifice for our democracy and freedoms. May their sacrifice never be forgotten.

Thursday May 24.... Last day of school

Today is the last day of school for my kids. They will be in 5th and 4th grade next year! Yikes... how the time does fly! This is the photo before I dropped them to school this morning as 3rd and 4th graders.

I decided to lay out my hearts and nine patches today.. and only got a little help. Looks like I need one more white background square cut out if I decide to put the hearts in the corners.....

Nine patches on the edges.

hearts on the edges.

Here Mom, let us help you rearrange the blocks.... really it will be fun! Said Ollie and Peanut.

I am scheduled to have a girl scout prep meeting this afternoon at my house... but we will see if either co-leader remembers! Grandma is taking the kids this afternoon and keeping them overnight. She will return them tomorrow a little after lunch...Emily has her horse riding lesson tomorrow afternoon.

I suppose I have to go get the little monsters one last time this school year.  Will grab a heart and my purse pouch with my silk thread, needles and little scissors for my last car line wait this year.

Tuesday May 22

We only have a little over a week left in this heart a day challenge! So many pretty hearts are popping up, I thank all of you who decided to take the challenge and play along.

I took some time on Sunday and got all my connector blocks completed and pressed. I decided today was a good day to lay them all out again and see how it is coming along. Oops... guess I made 32 connector blocks... so I can keep them like this or swap the hearts and connector blocks! Peanut decided to 'help' so I didn't play with them.... he was doing enough of that already!

The baby 5 inch squares are coming along well too.

Monday - last week of school!

No, I am not excited to have the kids out of school. It will be interesting but they should be able to entertain themselves while I work in the mornings from home this summer. They only have one week scheduled for Camp Invention and the 2.5 weeks when I take them up to VT.
 I did a bright sunny yellow today... since we just have dreary clouds and rain again today. Looks like another full week of rain.

A few baby hearts got sewn yesterday afternoon while it rained as well. I kept getting knocked off work so it was a movie and stitching day instead.