More finishes

Hello Friends

Thought I would catch you up on what I am working on and have completed.  Are you staying in because of Covid-19?  I could work from home but I am going  in to work for now.  I have an office and don't see many people.

I have found time to sew on the weekends though.  I am trying really hard to finish projects before I start new ones.  I think I am doing a good job too.  Here are 2 more Bento baby quilts.

These are for friends.  They are a quick finish.  Just look up Bento Baby Quilt.  One thing on Pinterest has the measurements.

I am trying to make a pillow cover for my office chair for the seasons or holidays.  I needed something for Spring and decided it was time to break out one of my favorite fabrics.

I don't keep up on designers.  If I like something, I buy it.  This blue border fabric was hard to use but that is why I have it, to use.  It's so pretty!

I just used a template from google and scraps for the flower.  This makes me smile everyday.

My friend Charisma is so talented.  She was one of the first people I met online when I started my quilting journey.  She lives in Washington state and has her own long arm business.  Now she is also a pattern designer.  This pattern is called American Country.  She asked for some testers and let me try it out.  She is doing this as a BOM so please let me know if you would like her information.  She blogs at Charisma's Corner.

I think I may have shown you this before, but now it is finished.  My quilter Heather, did a wonderful job on this.  She quilted waves all over.  Looks like the wind is blowing.  I had so much fun making those trees.  I do know that paper piecing takes time and a lot of fabric.  But, the finished product is so worth it!

I am currently finishing my Vintage Christmas quilt.  Wait until you see it!  Heather outdid herself again!  That will give me 6 finishes for the year already.  And Heather has my mom's quilt now too.

Stay safe!

Blessings

Amy

Baby quilts completed

Hello Friends

Hope you are all doing well.  And by all I mean the one person who reads this.  Hi Izzy!  Thanks for reading!  And anyone else who happens to read this.  Thank you!
A coworker had a baby late last year and I wanted to make a quilt.  Also, I found out that my Godchild was also expecting.  I went to Pinterest like a lot of us and found the Bento Baby Quilt pattern.  It won't let me attach a link so you will have to search for it yourself.  I am trying really hard to use the fabrics I have.  I buy them because I love them, but I should use them too.
Here is the quilt for my coworker:

It looks wavy in this picture but it really did lay flat.  I used 2 layers of low loft batting and quilted straight lines on my domestic machine.  For extra durability, I sewed the binding by machine.  These were all fabrics I had on hand.

The second quilt I made is this:

When my Godchild had her first son, I made her a quilt with some of these same fabrics.  She is big into sharks so I used as much of the nautical fabric I had.  I quilted wavy lines and machine bound this quilt.

My mom has been a knitter for as long as I can remember.  She makes a lot of baby afghans and a few larger lap size afghans.  This is the one she sent to my Godchild:

I have a chair in my new office and decided to make a pillow for it.  I had this fabric in my stash and just went for it!  Sometimes, things work out without a pattern.  I printed a shamrock and traced it on my interfacing.  Sewed the green strips together, ironed on the interfacing and cut it out.  I am so excited to be using my stash!

Last summer, my friend Marilyn and I decided to make a Maple Leaf  quilt.  She wanted to swap blocks so we decided on 6.  We weren't sure how big we were going to make it and 6 was an easy make on a weekend.  While I was sewing hers, I decided to sew more for my quilt.  I had made 17 before I knew it.  I sent her 6 and she sent the same to me.  I decided on layout and made the remaining blocks a couple weeks ago.  They are pretty simple to do if you assembly style make them.  I used the free pattern from Fat Quarter Shop.  Here is my layout:

The big border is actually fabric I bought at a second hand store.  I used this fabric as a table cover when Marilyn and I did a craft show together.  It's fitting to put this on here as my friendship quilt.  I have the backing fabric ready to sew together and will get this to my quilter soon.  She is almost finished with my Vintage Christmas quilt!

I have much more to share, but I will do that another day.

Thanks for reading!

Blessings

Amy

Word for the year-2020

Hello Friends

Hope you are not dealing with SAD (seasonal affected disorder) this time of year like I have been.  We had 11 days with no sun.  It was terrible!  I am on Vitamin D3 and that has helped a little bit.  I must say though, having a few snowy days has been nice.  If it's going to be dark and gloomy it can at least snow. :)  We had over 4 inches yesterday.  Luckily the roads were clear this morning.  I live farther from work now and do not like to drive on bad roads.  But I made it.

Yesterday was my son's 23rd birthday.  I just can't believe he is that old.  This time really does fly, especially when they fly the nest.  We got together with my mom, sister, brother in law and Sam and his girlfriend on Saturday. We went to Texas Roadhouse for supper.  It was a great day.

At the end of the year I decided to make my word of the year quilt.  When my local quilt shop went out of business, I stocked up on fabric.  I bought a bundle of shiny fabric.  It is cotton and sews like other cotton fabric.  I had some red with gold dots left over from a Christmas quilt I made.  So here it is:

I am going to be 50 this year.  To me that screams gold.  And we have to SHINE while we still have a light. :)  I used Sam Hunter Designs book Quilt Talk.  I use this book every year and just love it!  The letters are paper pieced and Sam gives great directions.

I was able to sew for the past couple of weekends.  I have 2 baby quilt tops done and 1 of those quilted and bound.  Pictures next time.

Blessings

Amy

Finish Along 2020 Q1

Hello Friends!

Hope you are all doing well.  I am good.  I have 2 quilt tops at the quilters right now.  I think that gives me permission to start something new. I have a long list of quilts I would like to make but I am going to use what I have fabric for and make something with that.  I have a few things that need finishing but I am going to try to sneak something new in too.  Here are my goals for Q1:

• On Ringo Lake quilt-needs more border and backing.  Would like to at least get the borders on.  Hoping to get it to the quilter
• Finish the Vintage Christmas quilt-this is at the quilter so I will only need to do the binding
• Finish the American Country quilt-this is also at the quilter.  Will just need binding.  Will blog about that when it's done.  If you are interested in the pattern, it's a BOM from my friend Charisma.  Check out her blog.
• Swoon Sixteen runner-I made 3 blocks from that pattern and was going to make a runner.  The blocks are pretty big so I am going to tear them apart and turn them into 3 pillows instead.
• Word of the year-I have my word and it's almost finished.

I think that is enough to try to get done this quarter.  I am still working on house projects and I am doing a little more traveling then I ever thought I would.  More on that later.

Since I hate to blog without a picture, I will leave you with this.  I am making a grandmother's flower garden quilt.  This is not mine, but I am using the same color palate.

 

If you are wondering how to join in the Finish Along, please check out Instagram.  They are using hashtags this time instead of having us link up.  #2020FALQ1List

It's been a great resource and motivator to get things finished.  Won't you join in the fun?

 

Blessings

Amy

FAL Q4

Hello Friends!

I have done really well with my list this quarter.  Here is my list:

• Put borders on my Floral Birch Bark quilt and send to quilter
• Do the embroidery and put together Vintage Christmas Quilt and send to quilter
• Finish 2 of the 3 Advent calendars I am working on
• Finish stuffed cow for baby gift
• Bind quilt #10 and hopefully #11 and #12

These are the 12 quilts I finished this year.

So what did I get finished?  I put the borders on Birch Bark and actually finished it!  That was quilt #12.  I did the embroidery and put together Vintage Christmas and that is now at the quilter.  I finished 2 Advent Calendars.  And I did the binding and finished quilts 10,11 and 12.  The only thing I did not finish is the stuffed cow.  That got lost in the mounds of fabric and I am not sure where it is.

I think I did pretty good this quarter.  Things are changing with the FAL.  No more link ups.  It will all be done through Instagram now.  Well, I best be starting my list for next quarter. :)  I am linking up here.

Blessings

Amy

Quilt #12-Goal Reached!

Hello friends!

I will now share quilt finish number 12.  This top was made last year during late night sewing on Black Friday.  I bought this lovely floral jelly roll and got to work.  The pattern is Birch Bark by Sam Hunter Designs.  This is the 3rd Birch Bark I have made.  I made one for my cousin's new home, my friend's wedding gift and now this one.  I don't have plans for this one yet.  It will sit proudly in my cabinet.  So here it is:

 

I used a pretty purple Grunge for the border and cornerstones.  Here are the other 2 Birch Bark quilts:

This is the one I made for my cousin's new home.  It made it into the WI Quilt Expo.

This one was a wedding gift.

 

That makes 12 finishes for the year!! Goal reached!!!  Here are the 12 I finished this year:

3 flannel quilts made from my father's shirts, Milky Way quilt for the owner of the company I work for and her 40th Anniversary, Norway quilt, Rainbow baby quilt, string quilt, Missing U quilt.

Hex on You quilt, Halloween quilt, baby clothes quilt and Birch Bark.

I can't tell you how happy I am to have all of these finished.

I have been working on my goals for next year.  My main goal is to not start something new until an unfinished quilt is at the long-armer.  But I am not putting pressure on myself.  I sew what I want when I want.

 

What are your goals for 2020?  Did you reach your goals for 2019?

Blessings

Amy

 

 

Quilt finish #11

Hello friends

This will be a quick post and you will probably see another one today.  I finished quilt number 11 in November.  I had wood laminate flooring put in my master bedroom.  The guy that did that is a coworker and friend.  He asked me to make a quilt with his son's baby clothes for his wife for Christmas.  He gave me a bag of clothes including one shirt of his, his wife's and the grandparents.  It is hard for me to accept any commission work.  I always have trouble with them liking what I decide to make.  According to pictures and a message, she loved it.  I am so glad.  Here it is:

The red shirt at the top is the mother's favorite Wisconsin shirt.  You can barely read the lettering on it.  I had a hard time cutting that one up since it was her favorite. 

I used a blue Grunge fabric to set the clothing and a Grunge red dot for the backing and binding.  A big THANK YOU to Heather from Blue Turtle Quilting.  She has rocked every quilt she has done for me.
Next post, #12
Blessings
Amy