HQAL - May 26

I want to thank our hostess, Kathy of Sewing, Etc. If you are interested in becoming part of our group just contact her through the comments section on her blog and she will get you set up. And while you are there follow the links for the other lovely participants and see what they got accomplished.

 

 

Four of the seven "signs" for the Girls Getaway have been stitched. I'm on track to finish on time.

 

Two more baby quilts making for a total of six that were shipped to Jack's Basket this week in conjunction with the efforts of Hands 2 Help.

A couple more doll quilts. These will eventually go to A Doll Like Me.

That's it for my past three weeks. I'd say I'm pretty happy with all I've accomplished. There are several other ladies in this group, I hope you visit Kathy's blog to see what everyone else has accomplished. It's a really good way to relax with a tall glass of iced tea or lemonade :)

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a day filled with the things that make and keep you happy.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

2 Corinthians 4:16 NIVUK

The Winds of Change . . .

(image from Yahoo)

Are a blowin'

Newton finishes his junior year of high school this year . . . 

He turns 18 over the summer . . . 

And with any luck will be joining the throngs of the employed.

(Summer, 2018)

As for me, Honey Do and I made the difficult decision to stop planting a vegetable garden. It is no longer cost effective for us. And to that that i really don't have the desire to be outside on hot and humid days pulling weeds. 

(Spring, 2019)

Honey Do was going to help kick start the planting, but the weeds and grass have just taken over. Between the extremely wet and cold spring and the few hot days sprinkled in, I couldn't get a handled on it, let alone get ahead. When he had to mow before he could start tilling, he said we are done. He has enlisted Newton to help de-construct the garden and it will become yard again. 

In the meantime, I'll use up as many of the spring onions that self seeded and that I can.

As for me, I appreciate the help making that decision because I honestly couldn't decide. I'll have to work my way through the guilt I feel for letting my family down. Now hold on, before you all try to come to my defense, I know I'm really not. This decision has lots of aspects besides me not keeping up.

Financial is the biggest one. Plants and seeds are expensive. There is no guarantee they will grow or produce. There are several farmers markets around us and I even found a new one I want to check out.

Time and energy are the biggest reasons though. There are other things I would rather be doing, like sewing, embroidery, quilting and charitable sewing/quilting. I also want and need to make more time to spend with Mom.

So we will be spending this Memorial Day weekend doing much the same things most families do . . . spend time together, remembering the sacrifice of those who came before us, including Honey Do and his own father, who are both veterans of the Army, and being extremely grateful for the freedoms we take so much for granted.

Our country and our world are in immense turmoil. So much evil is all around us. Avoiding watching the news reports doesn't make it go away, but it's so hard to watch.  Pray with me, as one nation, that our Heavenly Father intervene on behalf of all the oppressed, but especially those who have little to no voice in this world for protect themselves.

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a day filled with the things that make and keep you happy.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Prov. 9:10 NIVUK

Hands 2 Help

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labour: if either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no-one to help them up.

Eccles. 4:9-10 NIVUK

It has been my honor and privildge to participate with lovely people to contribute quilted items that are desperately needed by these organizations chosen as just some very worthy causes to be part of Hands2Help.

There are five organizations in the event this year:

1. From My Carolina Home

2. Quilty Hugs for Happy Chemo

3. Victoria's Quilts Canada

4. Mercyful Quilts

5. Jack's Basket

Jack's Basket is my chosen organization. I have had a very fun time these few months collecting fabrics and making baby quilts. I intend to continue this as on going projects for years to come.

Here are the quilts that I've made and will be sending:

 

 

 

I managed to get six quilts made for this event. And they are boxed and posted and on their way with lots of love for I really did love being a part of this challenge to help, but more importantly, challenging myself to make the commitment and seeing it through. 

If you weren't able to join us this year, maybe you can help out again next year. Or better yet, if you can find an organization that pulls at your heart strings, maybe you can just do something throughout the year.

This event has truly blessed me and I'm looking forward to continuing to find and help such worthy causes.

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a day filled with the things that make and keep you happy.

Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.

Proverbs 22:6 NIVUK

I Love Home

 I Love Home 

This design first came on my radar in 2017, probably fairly early so we can get excited and start shopping fabrics. And in my case it was my stash. 

Anyone that knows me knows I love designs that show case houses and this one does. Jacquelynne Steves does an amazing job designing and writing the instructions. There are measurements and photos every step of the way. There are choices . . . We could just piece all the blocks or we could applique the central focal  block or we could do embroidery. I chose to embroidery my four blocks.

 

I was moving along and keeping up. All four houses were stitched.

The first two blocks were pieced and assembled, the third just needed one last seam sewn to complete the block. The fourth needed complete assembly.

Not sure what took my attention away from finishing this project, but it got put away and became a UFO.

It was added to my "12 things" list, which is basically a to do list for this year, not necessarily UFOs. I just knew I wanted to get it done.

I sewed the last seam on number three, and finally put number four together.

I spent the rest of the afternoon figuring out how I wanted to put the top together and finish it. I really liked some of the components Jacquelynne used but wanted the quilt bigger than lap or throw size. I wanted queen size for my bed.

This is what I came up with.

It takes a little time, but I like having some direction. It's always subject to change. I feel like my quilts talk to me as we go along and if things need to changed, they let me know.

Next step was putting all four of the blocks together.

First border . . . 

Alternating 2.5 inch squares. Some color to compensate for all the white.

Next border . . . 

The bright blue turquoise adds a nice punch of color.

And the final border . . . 

I couldn't find the original small raspberry print, so I compromised with this large raspberry print. Same color family but the larger print works in this larger border.

And the top is finished. I need to come up with some backing, batting is ready and waiting. 

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a day filled with the things that make and keep you happy.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:23 NIVUK

HQAL

It has been a busy three weeks, since April 14. My monthly goals keep me busy. I spend as much time behind the sewing machine during the day as I can and then do my hand work in the evenings after dinner and dishes are done. Now that the weather is a little warmer, if not drier, Rocky and I have begun walking too.

Quiet, evening hours are meant to catch up on missed or recommended movies and television shows and hand work.

One of my goals for April was to work on a collection of blocks from JoAnn Fabrics. These go back to 1996, when I still worked there. They published two new "quilts" every year and I think they still do.

This particular set has a lot of hand applique. This is the only one of completed since the HQAL report. These are to represent African violets, just in case you can't tell :)

My other big goals was Crabapple Hill's Girls Getaway 

I joined a group long distance that was doing this. So my blocks are mailed to me while others attend a "meeting" to get their next installment. We had two months to work on this before the next installment. It is finally all stitched. These photos are rough since it still needed a good pressing.

The finished panel. Is measures 38 inches long by 18 high. So it was a big piece to stitch over the two months.

It was challenging to blend the colors and choose colors that didn't make the piece feel too green heavy, or blue heavy or turquoise heavy. I feel like I did okay. I'm sure there is plenty of room for improvement, but that's okay too.

I want to thank our hostess, Kathy of Sewing, Etc. If you are interested in becoming part of our group just contact her through the comments section on her blog and she will get you set up. And while you are there follow the links for the other lovely participants and see what they got accomplished.

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a day filled with the things that make and keep you happy.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Romans 12:12 NIVUK

May Goals

Let's see what I can get accomplished in the month of May.

1.  UFO Challenge #2

Holly Cottage
Began August, 2018

2. 12 Things Challenge #2

Originally this listed my donations, but since I've not had any issues keeping up with them I'm going to continue working on I LOVE HOME from April.

3.  "Believe" Block #4

Applique the pieces

4. "Girls Getaway"

 block 3

5. Baby Quilt

- choose fabric
-make quilt
-mail finished quilts to Jack's Basket

6. Doll Quilt/Gown
Make one more of each

7. "Gingerbread Village"

Stitch/assemble block #3

8. Sweet Land of Liberty (SLOL) QAL

- assemble first unit

9. JoAnn's BOM 
- assemble next block

10. 15 minute stitch challenge

That should keep me plenty busy for the month :)

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a day filled with the things that make and keep you happy.

fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy that was set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:2 NIVUK

April Goals - End of Month Report

I had some pretty big goals, let's see what I got accomplished in the month of April.

1. 12 Things Challenge #11 - JoAnn's 1996 BOM

This is one of my oldest UFOs. That was the main reason for putting it on the list for this year.

To start, none of the blocks were assembled as I thought, so I had to start from scratch. I was hoping just to have the top assembled by the end of the month. I quickly discovered that wasn't going to happen because there was a lot of handwork on these blocks, as in applique on almost all of them. 

I also kept having to remind myself that the purpose of the challenge isn't necessarily to get a UFO finished, but to make some progress on it regardless of how much progress you make. I feel like I made good progress because I have seven of the twelve blocks assembled and number eight has been begun.

 

 

 

I'm going to add it to monthly goals as a block of the month and see about getting the rest of the blocks done by the end of the year. It's not a finish, but I calling it a goal met.

2. UFO Challenge #12  - I Love Home

I wasn't sure how old this project was. I did some digging and found that it goes back to 2017. At least it's in the beginning stages of completion. I'm not sure which project side-tracked me from finishing it. The design is from Jacquelynne Steves.

The goal is to get the blocks finished and the top assembled.

 

I made some good progress on this one. The top is mostly assembled, still needs borders.

I have a planned mapped out on grid paper. I'm calling this goal met.

3.  "Believe" Block #3 

Applique the pieces - DONE

4. "Girls Getaway"

Continue stitching and finish block 2.

Almost made it !! I ran out of time and already have the next block. I'll finish this one first before I move on. All I have left are the flowers in the window box on the camper.

5. Scrap Vortex - in progress

Continue piecing.

Goal met.

6. Baby Quilt - DONE

Choose fabrics
Make #5

 

I was gifted all the fabric for this one from two different friends. The Care Bears front is cotton and the back is cotton flannel. Donation for Jack's Basket.

7. Doll Quilt/Gown - DONE
Make one more of each 

 

These will be donations to A Doll Like Me. 

8. "Gingerbread Village"

Stitch/assemble block #3

no progress

This came in toward the end of the month, so I didn't get to it working on other goals. Adding it to May.



9. One Christmas Gift no progress
- February - choose, make 
- March - choose, make
- April, choose, make



10. Sweet Land of Liberty (SLOL) QAL

- assemble first unit no progress

No progress here, except to purchase new fabric. I couldn't resist. All of these are one yard pieces and were $1.00 each. You read that correctly !! :) :) :)

I just couldn't let them go and the fabrics are gorgeous !!!

That kept me plenty busy for this month :) And I'm not disappointed by what didn't get finished because I still made good progress.

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a day filled with the things that make and keep you happy.

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

Colossians 4:2 NIVUK