Last Finish of 2018

My last finish of 2018 (took the last stitch on binding at 10:58 PM, December 31st) is my QAL, Sweet Land of Liberty hosted by Lori of Humble Quilts.  This challenge began the first week of January. This is the second challenge this year that I actually finished in the same calendar year (both hosted by Lori). Yeah!

I learned a lot doing this quilt. It was way out of my comfort box. The pattern wasn't available any more - it's one by Cherie Payne. She had a Facebook page where many files of her works were offered for free. We were to visit those files and find things similar to what was in the quilt and make our patterns from there.  Also, Lori would post sizes and photos of her blocks and some dimensions to guide us.  The finished quilt is bigger than mine and has lots more blocks. See image on right.  I had to make it to fit the space I have to hang it - about 40" by 54" .

As you can see, I made some changes.  I made a different Lady Liberty block. Also changed the basket to hold flowers instead of another Lady Liberty.  My right row is more simple. And the layout of the stars, houses, and such is different for the bottom of the border.  My angel was not of the right proportion, so I added stars to fill in the block.  The vase on top had cherries at the end of the vines - I used stars.  I added an embroidered God Bless America to the sashing of one block. Then I decided to quilt each block somewhat differently on my Juki domestic.

I wanted to only use fabric from my stash, but alas, I had very few plaids, so I had to buy a few to fill in. My daughter gave me some which helped to round out the colors.  The top border was a quilting challenge as I couldn't find a thread to match that stripe fabric.  Finally, I settled on using invisible thread from Superior Threads and that worked.  I set my pressure bar to zero, my stitch length to zero, and used Bottom Line thread in the bobbin and a 60/8 needle.  Bottom thread for the most part was Bottom Line or So Fine - all Superior Threads.  Here is the back.

and a better image of the print:

That red you see in around the quilt in the photos on the design wall is part of a UFO I finished a week ago.  It will be the next one to be quilted.

Started this Stars and Stripes Sampler by Fons & Porter in 2012 when Judy Laquidara was making it. Again I made a smaller version.  It is good it took me so long to finish because back then I didn't know how to paper piece and my piecing skills weren't that great either. Now was the time.

I'm linking to Design Wall Monday and a few other parties. See my tab above for more of them.
Happy New Year!

June in Review

Lots of family stuff going on, so it was a month with little sewing. Here's what I did get done:
1.  Finished my blocks for Unit 6 of Sweet Land of Liberty

Embellishments of words in tree block and stars on checkerboard left to do.

2. Made some maze blocks, embroidered a bear block and mitered a border to finish a neonatal quilt.

3.  Finally after years, got these log cabin blocks into a quilt top.

And that's about it.  July probably won't be much different as I'm going to Washington state last week of July, and I'll be baby sitting quite a bit earlier in the month - all fun. So for my challenges - didn't work on my UFOs and moved along on my NSO (newly started object).  How about you?

I'm linking to Can I get a Whoop, Whoop? and Oh Scrap. Also Judy's June UFO and 6 and 6 in 2018

Some of This; Some of That on 3/25

With two days less to sew and quilt this past week, my destashing essentially came to a halt. And what time I had was spent  making bits and pieces for my two applique projects.  See previous post. So all I used was 0.10 of scraps and brought my YTD total up to 16.47 yds.  How about you?

This coming week will not be much different because we have begun Holy Week - a reflective time for us as we walk with the Lord during the end of His earthly days.

Today, I've spent making a couple of blocks - one for Covered in Love and one for Block Lotto (will do for RSC 2018 because it's the color for this month). Do you participate in any of these?  I like the challenge of sampling blocks and putting them toward a worthy cause or a quilter's cache.  

Today, I'm going to hand stitch another Anna's Garden block.  I'd mentioned (last Thursday Report) I didn't like how the background fabric is seriously fraying on these units. I finally decided to make a rolled hem.  Because I didn't want to subject the applique pieces to stress and feed dogs, I chose to protect them by hand.

 Beginning the rolled hem. I'm basting it with large stitches as it won't be on there long.

The finished new edge to the block is done.  Once I've hand appliqued all the front, I'll remove the thread, give it a good press, then add it to the pile of done blocks.  Next one to stitch at top of post.

This is my last prepped block.  I'll have to make time and cut out some more to keep on hand stitching.

And I did finish that unit for Sweet Land of Liberty.  I didn't like the cherries, so I added stars instead.

I'm linking to Sunday Stash, Oh, Scrap!, Slow Sunday Stitching, BOMs Away, and Monday Making. Linkys are so good for inspiration.

Unit 3 Near Finish

It's been a short sewing week for me.  Starting on Tuesday instead of Friday, I'm much closer to finishing Unit 3 of Sweet Land of Liberty. I was busy with making all of the parts this required.

 I had a bunch of letters, a basket, an eagle,  and bias stems.  I still have a star and cherries left to add.

Then it was deciding how to place them.  I didn't want my letters over the stems. Now to find a rich deep red that won't bleed.

I've also done a bit more on my Love Entwined - the vase and some flowers.  I'll be linking to Can I Get a Whoop, Whoop,  and Finished or Not Friday. Visit them for quilty stuff.                                                                    

Some of This; Some of That

First the stash report. Made 2 baby quilt tops and found a backing for them. Used .25 for binding one of them. Used .10 for bias for Love entwined and .15 for SLOL, so that's 3.70 yards out this week.  This gives me a YTD total of 16.37 yds. Closer still to the 20 yds out I need to meet my goal.

Here's my progress on Love Entwined:

Doesn't look like much for 3 days of work.  Those 3/32nd bias stems take a while to make. Biggest are 1/8th. But I'm done with that part of the bouquet, and I was able to add the hearts. Now to add the vase, then the flowers.

I also got a bit done on SLOL.

Here it is on my design floor as this is much bigger than I thought.  I'll have to see if I'm going to make all of it.  It's already 50" wide.

Off to hand applique some more on my Anna's Garden block. Hope you got to quilt today.  I'm linking to Oh Scrap, Sunday Stash, Slow Sunday Stitching, BOMs Away, Design Wall Monday and a couple of others. You can check my tab under more in the header to see who else.

Have a wonderful week.

Unit 2 Finish

Besides my Mod-Mod Sampler, I was working on my NFO (New  2 finish Object)for January which is Humble Quilts Sweet Land of Liberty quilt along.  This is proving to be quite a challenge as we have to make up our own pattern to match or come close to Cheri Safffiote Payne's pattern.

I finished Unit 2:

The eagle was done earlier - it was the part on the left I've been struggling with.  

But it's done and I'm happy with it.  Now to do 5 more geese and photograph my stars and I'll be able to move on to Unit 3 which came out today.

I hope you got to quilt today. We've gotten some rain and every one around here is glad.  Not so to the West of us where they had the fires.  Praying they won't have any flooding.  I'm linking to some of the great quilting linky parties out there.  Click on my more tab above and you'll find the page for linkies.

Last week's winner of a fat quarter is Gretchen.  I'll be sending her an email tomorrow.  If you'd like to win some English paper pieces, link up or leave a comment by next Thursday.  Good luck.

Slow Sunday Stitching

Half done with this one block from Sweet Land of Liberty's unit 2.  Words, star and laurel leaves yet to do.  Called for a feather stitch, but I couldn't make it work going on a curve, so I "winged" it.

What are you up to?  Go by Kathy's and link and show us or leave a comment here and I'll come take a look.  Blessings!

6 & 6 in 2018

I was going to make A Small World as my new project for this month's 6&6in2018, however I changed my mind after the first week in January as I started to seriously work on Sweet Land of Liberty.  This one is a real challenge for me. First, it has a unit a month while Small World is more just make at your own speed. Second, while there is a pattern for this quilt, one is encouraged to design your own for this primitive quilt.  I like that - makes it more of a challenge. Thirdly, this is a bit of a stretch (fabric wise) for my stash as I have very few plaids, homespuns, and muted solids in my collection. So here is my first month's unit.

The top row is not sewn on - they will be in a border later on.  I've learned new things already with this project.  Learned a new way to make economy blocks; practiced embroidery and also paper piecing - neither of which are near my strengths.  I look forward to the next month.  I'll be linking with Lori at Humble Quilts and Meredithe and Anne's 6&6in2018

WIPs Be Gone

Almost done with some blocks for Humble Quilts Sweet Land of Liberty sew along.  I like this one because we are winging it for the pattern and all are making their own interpretation of the blocks unless fortunate to have bought the pattern by Cheri.

I also worked on a baby quilt.  It is now
quilted:

 bound

and on its way to the local NICU.

This is my 6th Nearly Insane block and my last.  I've decided to make a different set of blocks into baby quilts this year. More on that later.  

Who wants hexie papers?  Link your eye candy - of any kind, old or new for a chance to win 105 of them - enough to make 15 flowers. Blue button below. Party ends Thursday, midnight.

I'll be linking to Amanda Jean's Finish it Up Friday,  Sarah's Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?, Myra's Finished Or Not Fridays , and Jennifer's Wednesday Wait Loss . Do go by and see all the doings posted.