Wild & Goosey Resurrected

I'm not sure where my sewing Mo-Jo went, not really sure I found it. I don't even have a REASON why I am not sewing. Yes, I have been knitting & crocheting - but that has been only during my lunch times & late at night when watching TV. Not when I would usually sew. And sleeping. I am tired ALL THE TIME. Even went to the doctor to see what may be wrong. Can't find a thing. I just have the BLAHS I guess.

Anyway - I started this quilt last year, maybe the year before, I'm not counting them anymore. I got half way done & just got preoccupied on other things. I have been working on it this week because #1 I had all day Tuesday off & my friend came over just before lunch & we sewed until 9PM #2 She just finished a Wild & Goosey Quilt & made WAY TOO MANY blocks, so she gifted them to me. Several sub-units more than I need to complete the remaining 36 blocks #3 It was time to get some of my UFO's done so I can start another quilt!

I was originally going to put an inner border of little flying geese on my Wild & Goosey but have changed my mind. I believe I will just make it the muslin from the body of the quilt to the edge. I am planning on having the talented Bridgette Long of Gr8t Quilting custom quilt it for me & I want FEATHERS, FEATHERS & MORE FEATHERS in it! That's really why I set it on point & used so much muslin. It's actually Kona Cotton "Natural".

I have loads & LOADS of scraps cut for Wild & Goosey blocks & I'll do another one. Considering using black instead of any other color (see last photo)

As Always - Talk At Y'all Later!
M

My Hair

I have had long hair all my life. Well I cut it off. It's been, conservatively speaking, 50 YEARS since my hair was this short!

You may NOT believe this, but I have never colored my hair! LOL

Bad Blogger

Missing In Action! That would be an appropriate statement. I have not done a lot of sewing lately. It seems like I have lost my sewing Mo-Jo. I don’t know. I’m easy distracted, I guess. Last week I even CLOSED the door on my sewing room. But it made the hallway too dark for me to feel comfortable, so I opened it back up. I have a lot going on at my day time job. You know…If you can’t say anything nice, say nothing at all….It’s stressful not knowing where your “job” is going to take you or where the powers that be are going to stick you. So I’ll say nothing more on that subject. I have resurrected an old project. Bought fabric for a new project and got frustrated on a different project. So…one at a time. The resurrected project: Ocean Waves. I started an Ocean Waves quilt in (let’s be conservative here) in 2005, maybe 2006. I used a Bonnie Hunter free pattern. My intention was to make 2. One with blue field & 1 with red. I finished 1 – the blue , cost me my right arm to have it quilted by 3 Sisters Quilting. I love it. It’s so beautiful. The red fabric was been gracefully aging in my stash. Took me 4 days to find where I put it away too! So I dug out the HST’s & started working on them. Washed the red fabric TWICE to make sure it won’t bleed. (normally I do not prewash fabric, but I don’t want pink HST’s !) This time I’m using a Edyta Sitar pattern – well actually I’m just using a PHOTO of her Ocean Waves quilt from her Instagram page. I only need about 3000 HST’s. Each HST finishes at 1.5”. Glutton. That’s it. I’m a glutton for punishment. Bought fabric for a new quilt. I bought 25 fat quarters in Kona Cotton solids to make a Bjorn Bear Quilt. Pattern by Elizabeth Hartman. I think I have had the pattern a year? Maybe longer. Not sure. I have several of her patterns, I like bears best. MAYBE I’ll get it cut out. All I have to do is find a good background color. I was thinking of using a gray, but several of the Kona fat quarters are gray. So…I don’t know now. Maybe a tan? Not muslin. But a Kona tan color? I’ll make a test block & see. Lastly my frustrated project. I bought an embroidery pattern to make a quilt on my embroidery machine. Well….my machine is not cooperating! Not one bit. I’ve made every adjustment I can think of & it won’t play nice. Changed thread, cleaned best I could. It embroiders great on the top, terrible on the bottom. The pattern is from Hoop Sisters & it’s the Jacobean Journey faux whole cloth quilt. Beautiful. I want it! But I can’t have it with a non-cooperating machine! Heavy Sigh….Oh Well.

easy 9 Patch Chain Quilt

Bug print fabric from Hobby Lobby. I used the flange method for the binding. it looks really cute!

M

First Quilt Finish For 2019

 

First finish of 2019! Well for a QUILT anyway! It's spread out on a queen sized bed, so it's not really big enough for a queen. Not "queen" like I like them. I like them to cover the top mattress past where the box spring meets up. It's got plenty of length, not wide enough. My intention wasn't for a queen sized bed quilt anyway - It was to make for our RV trailer. The bed in the RV trailer is a standard sized double. this will be really nice. I backed it with flannel. Well, really a flannel SHEET. I bought a king size L.L. Bean flannel sheet at the Goodwill for $2.50 - that was 50% off. Wide width flannel is way too expensive for me to buy - the sheets work great. I have a stash of them now.

No pattern. I saw a similar quilt on Pinterest & just graphed the block out. the blocks are on-point. It's more contemporary than I care for, but for the RV trailer it will be perfect.

M

Shopping Bags

Ok, so 6 years ago I bought a pattern. I fiddled with it because – being the sewer that I am – I didn’t  like her design. I felt that the bag was too small & didn’t really hold what a regular plastic bag did. No sense using something SMALLER – when I had bricitis in my shoulder 6 years ago, I used some smaller store bought bags – the cashiers complained. A LOT. So I modified the pattern & I have made many , many bags with it. I use like 7 or 8. I made my daughter 6, my sister-in-law 6 & a good friend overseas 6. Everybody likes them, nobody complains. But the bags are lined. They are super sturdy being lined, but I also use denim or duck cloth – so that’s where the sturdy comes in. Since they are lined they don’t dry very well. Nor do they lie flat when folded. Not a problem for me. I like using the reusable bags that I have made because they are easy on my hands & they NEVER break! I am continually asked if I make them to sell????? Being lined they take A LOT of fabric and a LOT of time. Neither of which makes for very much profit. So….I fiddled with my pattern – mine since there are so many modifications from the original that it’s not recognizable anymore! – and came up with an unlined version. Same size. Same handles. The bottom is folded & secured just like a store plastic bag. Still in denim or duck cloth – this pink is duck cloth I had left over from making my daughter’s bags. This came out better than I expected! Will I sell them? I don’t know. But they’re way easier to sew now! I have 17 cut out on my sewing room table!

 

M

Same size as a Publix plastic shopping bag.

 

the little loop on the top is for them to hang on their hook when loading the groceries

 

Off To The Quilter

The Chain Quilt in the last post got finished (yah, I know, I can't believe it either) as well as a RAK Quilt. I'm trying a local woman. She's a member of my guild & lives really close to me, so we're gonna try it. I'm only having meandering done. I have 2 quilts I am saving my $$$ for to get custom quilted by Bridgette.

I have about 6 more little dinky AGGRAVATING edge/slice pieces of my Everlasting Wreath Quilt to finish. That sucker is 4 years in the making. I want it done. It's mocking me when I enter my sewing room.

had some surgery on the 28th of December. Deviated Septum / Sinusplasty & Rhinoplasty. I broke my nose in junior high school. REally bad. But recently my nose would lie against my cartiledge & I couldn't breathe. So it had to be dealt with. Ugh. I'm glad it's over, hope I never have to do it again. Still numb on the end of my nose today! Been off since 12/21/2018 & with Christmas & my surgery I didn't get any sewing done. None. I couldn't wear my glasses after the surgery. Way too painful. Glad it's done. Been having nightmares about breaking my nose. Sarah came to visit from texas for  a week. I was glad to see both my daughter's during Christmas & while I recuperatied. Not sure I was great company, but the visit is always wonderful.

No pictures. Sorry!

M

Chain Quilt

I was trolling around on Pinterest & found a quilt pattern that was very modern. Usually modern does not appeal to me. But this one did. I did not really want to buy another pattern. So I didn’t. I graphed it out & shot from the hip & did it. I need 98 blocks. Super simple. Super fast. On-Point is what  gives the pattern it’s drama.

I used only scraps for the darks & found enough of a neutral background print in my stash. I think I’ll use a flannel sheet for the backing!

Oak Leaf Trail

Bock #22 of 32!

M

Welcome Sign

My brother...He can be a jerk. I have 4 brothers, but  1 of them is a jerk. I love him, but he's a jerk. Anyway....My husband was given some old used oak flooring. Originally we thought it might be enough to do my sister in law's house - but it turned out to only be about 400 square feet. Some of it pretty rough. So instead of tossing it out, I asked him to keep it & I have been making signs from the flooring strips. Here is the one I made for myself. Now?? You may ask yourself WHY I mentioned my brother? I sent him a text message of my sign. He said it would look great to welcome the caravan of immigrants coming up from South America. Bless their souls. I don't think they'll make it THIS far. But the sign won't go up until it's sealed anyway.

The wood will get darker after it's sealed. This is a huge sign. It's 2 foot by 4 foot & weighs a LOT! I don't know what Prince Charming will use to attach it to the wall on my deck, but it is going to have to be sturdy. I have already been offered $$ for this sign. I don't wanna sell it... But I CAN make another one!

M

Bad Blogger

I won't promise to do better, because I don't like commitments. Puts a kink in my creativity. I won't go into details, but I have a lot going on in my day time world & I just don't have anything nice to say - so I won't!

On the sewing front, I have been piddling around with a few paper pieced feathered stars. they are really gorgeous. I'm doing mine in various shades of blue. I have been finishing up some charity quilts that were cut out. Turns out that the charity I had planned to give the tops to, likes them SMALLER. Dang it. I have about 12 cut out! I guess I'll have plenty to gift!

My dog, Bourbon, is getting old. He is losing his hearing. the only up side to Bourbon's hearing loss? All those stupid commercials on TV with doorbells. He can't hear them anymore. Which equates to no barking. He is also on daily maintenance medications. His mobility is doing ok. But some days he just can't move. I have an important decision to make, but I'm waiting to see how he fares the winter weather coming up. Yes, I'm likely stringing it out just for me. I don't want to get much more into this explanation, or I'll end up crying. Ugh!

I have been doing a little knitting. Mainly because I need something to keep my hands busy when I'm not sewing. I can do it while I watch TV with Prince Charming. Since I moved my sewing room downstairs, I only do hand work upstairs. I have been knitting little bunnies & bears. A cat & now sheep. All from the same designer. Littelcottonrabbits. I bought the patterns off etsy. they are stinking adorable. About 11 inches tall. I have not knitted anything in over 20 years. Never did anything this small, nor with this many increases and decreases. But they are coming out super cute, so I'm guessing I'm not doing TOO bad.

Sorry. No photos.

TTYL
M

Small Teddy Bear

I was just fooling around in my sewing room & dragged out an old pattern for a Teddy Bear. I honestly did NOT read the instructions & in my mind I was making something 15 inches tall. It's not. More like 10 or 11 inches. I used an old shirt that Prince Charming says shrunk.


The buttons definitely make this something that can not be played with by a child. It does not have real joints. Just sewn thru with thread.


M

Monsters! Oh My!

Started out as a RAK Quilt. Ended up being completed & sent overseas.

This was my first time using the “flange” technique. It’s a little fiddly, but very nice looking.

I’m sorry that there are duplicate photos. I struggle with posting on my blog from my iPad.

Sewing

Very little sewing going on right now. More like straightening up, sit down, get distracted, get up & go find something else to do. Not sure why.


I suffer terrible insomnia. Really terrible. So far MY insomnia is stronger than a few prescriptions, to I just deal with it. I got up last week at 1AM & sewed 7 of the half blocks I need for the top of My Everlasting Wreath Quilt. Now all I need are the little bitty side blocks. the "top" half blocks & the "side" sliver blocks are not part of the pattern. So....It's taking a little brain power to get done. Not such a good thing to be using (brain power I mean) when you are sleep deprived ! LOL

No Posts????

Gosh, I feel like a LOSER! No posts for 2 months! I shall try to do better!


M

Charity Quilts / Comfort Quilts / Random Act of Kindness Quilts...Whatever you WANT to call them!

I have struggled coming up with an easy pattern for quilts that I give away. I don't want them to LOOK like a threw them together. I don't want them to LOOK like orphan blocks, or to seem like they are from cheap fabric. Figuring out the RIGHT size has been a challenge as well. So...after spending way more money , in the past, then I really wanted to, I finally came up with a simple quilt, in a pattern I like - in the size I like (or I'm willing to spend time making...) - and a plan I like! I'm not going to actually PLAN anything - as I am terrible at deadlines and I am really terrible at personal deadlines. Nobody else in my guild, or that I know that sews, is doing them like this. I have made 2 RAK quilts in the last week & a half. RAK = Random Act of Kindness Quilts. I think I could have done 3 but my 1st one came out too big. Obviously ... no pattern....I'm just winging it.


The quilt (tops only - not quilted yet) are shown on the top of a queen size bed.


This brown one is the size I will be making. it's 59x82. This is a fairly passive print. It was easy on the eyes.

This purple print one is BRIGHT! It was very hard on the eyes! It is also too big. I will still give it away - but it's just bigger than I want to spend a whole lot of time making. 70x98

I have several more cut out. I use these as therapy sewing. Really mindless.


Here are some little Peg Dolls that I have been working on. These can't be given to a child. The wings are made of feathers (bought them premade at Hobby Lobby in the floral section) & I glued them on their backs. I also drilled holes & put the wire antenna in. They are just a little too fragile for a little kid to play with. I used a sharpie to make the eyes. It ran when I sprayed the sealer on them. Live & Learn. I'm not doing them for any special reason, just to do them.