Orange You Glad ....

... I finally got to sew with orange? Here's my version of the Block-of-the-Month that I am following along with Sherri of The Quilting Life blog. We're making 6" blocks and there's a choice of finishing. You can either only make 6" blocks which will finish as a table runner OR enlarge the block log-cabin style into a 12" block which will make a quilt. Here's this month's block:

Most of my time this week was spent SILL CATCHING UP with the mystery quilt offered by my LQS. Have you tried Tiger Tape? My friend gave me a roll to try and it sure is handy for HSTs and stitch-n-flip corners.

And, of course, the cross stitch project continues to get some attention.

I'm happy to see the farmers in our area have finally had a bit of a reprieve from all the Spring rains. Fields have been planted. I hope we have some corn by Labor Day this year! Ha!

My guild's quilt show was last weekend. Thought I'd show you my Awesome Land quilt hanging. I think it's an awesome RSC quilt!

I'll be sharing this post with all my friends, including the gang at SoScrappy. Here's wishing you a peaceful weekend.

This Week's Progress & FNwF

Sadly I really didn't make much progress this week for Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I did pull my RSC 2025 Tracking Sheet out and discovered that I need to make the May Green Gemstone blocks and now also the June Orange Gemstone blocks. That means there needs to be some green/orange sewing happening soon! I'll sort my colors and start cutting for those.

According to my sheet, I'm behind on A Quilty Life's SAL too. Those are small-ish 6" blocks so I should be able to pull that off easily as well. I didn't realize how far behind I'd gotten until I looked at my sheet. Thank you, Angela, for keeping us organized. You can find the RSC 2025 Tracking Sheet and all the colors so far this year right HERE.

As if that weren't enough, I discovered that I was also behind on the MQAL which my LQS is offering. I was happily making stars and apparently had only cut out point segments for half. Here is my stack of points for the other 20.

That's 80 Background Rectangles &
160 Scrappy Yellow Squares

I'm just about finished with the embroidery of Aunt Jane's Best. Only part of one leaf left to go. With the end in sight, I decided to starch up the cotton pieces in the kit so I can maybe -- just maybe -- finish this up this month?

The Bottom Right Floral was Finished
During Mom's Friday Hair Appt.
The Orange Flowes & Centers for RSC Win!

Bottom Left Needs That Last Leaf Done

 
Progress was also made on the Georgian Floral cross-stitch project. It's been with me during all the Roland Garros Tennis Tournament TV-watching. As you can see, I made a good dent in it this week! So happy that Coco Gauff won the Women's Singles Final this morning. ❤️

Photo From Last Week

Look How Far I Got!

I've continued to read when I can, especially before bed. My recent finish was "The Waiting" by Michael Connelly. He's a great author and this book was very good too. I recently put my name on the list for Connelly's newest book that just came out this year.

GoodReads Synopsis HERE

In the meantime, my library notified me that I had another book waiting. I've been anxious to read this one, "Winter Garden" by Kristin Hannah. She's a wonderful author and, 50 pages in, I'm enjoying it so far.

GoodReads Synopsis HERE

Last Saturday we enjoyed a picnic 50th birthday party with our niece. The cake was wonderful but the company was even better. What a great day!

Birthday Girl Blowing Out the Candles

My Piece of Cake -- YUMMY!

Our Gang with the Birthday Girl
(Mom, Me, Tanya, & Fred)

That's enough from me for now. We're off to the races -- watching the Belmont Stakes on TV, that is. Have a great weekend.

Linking up with Cheryll for FNwF and Angela for RSC. Check it all out on the links!

On the Brink of June

Well, May certainly dissolved into "Huh?" Being gone for a couple of weeks certainly made it challenging to get much sewing accomplished. All the prep work of going away plus helping Mom get ready along with her weekly appointments ate up the majority of this month. I did manage a bit of sewing at the beginning of the month which I'll share. Also, there was a bit of hetel and car-riding time to manage some handwork.

In Janauary I took a class with Tina Craig through The Applique Society. She is known for her Wonder Window technique for English Paper Piecing. It was a great class so I decided to go ahead and make the bigger project. Instead of a mug rug/candle mat with one block, I went with the table runner making three blocks. Also, RSC friends, please notice all the green!

Tina Craig Workshop
Wonder Window EPP Table Runner

Close-up of One Block & Backing
Love the Green Grunge Binding!

My First Block
Kitties All Around

2nd Block with Doggy in the Middle
Leafy Triangles are Fussy-Cut Too!

3rd Block - Kitty in the Middle
Dogs All Around
(Ran Out of Dogs to Fussy-Cut. Rats!)

On to some handwork now. Recently I started cross-stitching Georgian Floral Basket. I've made some progress but this one is tedious. The pattern by JBW is postcard-sized and tiny. There's also a lot of counting involved with this one. I'm looking forward to finishing this one up because it so pretty though.

Progress Earlier

Progress To Date

While waiting during Mom's PT, hair, and podiatrist appointments this month, I've stayed steady embroidering Miss Jane's Best (pattern by Lori Smith).

Last of the Flowers Coming Along

My mornings start quite a bit earlier than Fred's & Mom's. When we're on the road, you can find me in the hotel lobby, drinking coffee and sewing. I had started this one a while ago and recently pulled it out and started making some headway.

Keeping Organized with My 4-Pocket Case

Green Hexie Block

Whoa! Another Green Hexi!

More Hexies Completed

I'm not real sure where I'm going with this one. Just enjoying the ride. The hexies are large, I'm using 1.25" hexies. If you look back at the picture with the organizer, you will see the turquoise hexies that I've prepped for connecting these all together. I'd like another green or yellow block to round out this set before I decide what's next.

When we got home, I started cutting for this month's clue to the Mystery QAL I'm participating in at my LQS. No pictures, just cutting. No sewing, just cutting. Ugh!

That's it for me this month. I see Angela has decided that orange will be the color for June. I'm ready for some sewing to happen around here next month. I'm thinking of a Halloween kit that I bought a couple of years ago that I've been wanting to start. I'm such a good starter -- need to work on being a finisher! Lol!

Linking up with Angela at SoScrappy.

Sunshine Finally!

We here in the Midwest have certainly seen our share of rain but this weekend -- Mother's Day weekend -- we have nothing but sunshine! What a joyful surprise! Have you noticed how a sunny day brings out the best in everyone??? Lots of smiles everywhere.

Not a lot of machine time for me this week. Truth be told, no machine time. So let me show you what handwork projects I worked on instead.

My take-along project when Mom has appointments has been this Lori Smith pattern that I've worked on for quite some time. I bought the kit several years ago from Lori's booth at the Paducah AQS Quilt Show. Here's the pattern and my progress.

Miss Jane's Best
Finished Size 14" x 17.5"
Block Size 3.5"

Working on the Last Block Here

Need to Embroider the Leaves
on the Bottom Left Block.
Forgot to Trace It Originally

While I watch TV with the family, I started another cross stitch project. It's a beautiful pattern but the pattern itself is not recommendable. It's itsy-bitsy and the symbols are similar and difficult to tell apart. At first I thought it might just be me. However, there are several of us doing this one and there are other similar complaints. Anyway, here's the pattern and also my progress.

Georgian Floral Basket
Beautiful, Isn't It?

My Progress So Far

While I watch TV on my own -- think Survivor which everyone else in this house BOOs! -- I started a hexie project. Nothing to really show so far but here's how I'm storing it. I think it'll accompany me on our next road trip.

This week we celebrated Cinco de Mayo. Mexican food is not a favorite of Fred's so I have to be careful. I made these Taco Stuffed Shells. I only used 1/2 the taco seasoning pkg and definitely no bell peppers. Instead of having salsa lining the bottom, I used 16oz tomato sauce. Then Mom & I smothered our shells with salsa for the "zip" that Fred doesn't like. Lol!

Cinco Yummy!

That's my world this week. I hope you have a sunshiny weekend too!

Sharing with my Rainbow Scrap Challenge friends even if I'm not actively participating right yet. Lol!

It's Been a While

I've been absent lately and I'm sorry about that. I feel like there's a lot to catch up on but at the same time nothing much has happened worthy to blog about. Has that ever been the case for you? Probably, I'm sure.

Last month we were gone for a week to Texas to visit my sister and brother-in-law. No pictures were taken as it was such a short trip and we wanted to enjoy the moments with family. Mom sure loves to see her "baby"! Lol We were also taking down a load of stuff that my sister wanted of Mom's. We're trying to shed some of her belongings without acting like her things don't matter. There's just so much that I can keep and, truly! We need to get her house off my shoulders. Unfortunately there's one more load to to take to Texas and maybe a couple more loads to bring up to me. Next step -- getting an estate sale set-up and then sell the house. So much to think about.

We leave later this month to take Mom to her 70th college reunion in Pennsylvania. Can you believe that -- 70 years???? From there we'll visit family in NewYork and then on to see the kids & grandkids in Maryland/Virginia. Let's see if I can remember to snap a picture!

I did have a little project that I started and finished the end of last month. Earlier I'd bought two flannel pieces that were 1.25 yards each. I washed them both, trimmed to make them the same size, rounded the corners and set about to make a baby blanket. Then I sewed both pieces right sides together, leaving an opening to turn right side out. Then I stitched all around 1/8" to secure the opening and then around again 1/4" in. I scrounged around in my yarn stash -- yes, I have fabric AND yarn stashes! -- and found something suitable. I button-holed all around the edges and then just crocheted an easy shell pattern. What do you think of this simple, soft baby project?

Super Soft Flannel Baby Blanket

Close-up of the Flannel and Crocheted Edging

Sneak Peek of the Back

This was also the first Friday of the month meaning time to join in with Friday Night with Friends. I had started a cross stitch project that I really wanted to finish up. The pattern is Rose Garden Mini Sampler offered by Melisa of PinkernPunkin'. I changed some of the colors and I think it's really pretty. Hope to finish it soon.

Where I was Friday Night

Finished this Weekend

This weekend was the 151st Kentucky Derby. Did you watch? It was a great race. I learned on Sunday morning that every horse that ran in the race was a descendant of Secretariat, one of the best race horses ever. I found that fact fascinating!

Mom & I Enjoying Our Hats & Mint Juleps on Derby Day

Close-Up of My Mint Julep & Hat

Hummingbirds have arrived and Mom's azalea and rhododendren bushes are in full bloom. In spite of all the rain we've been getting, I guess Spring has officially sprung!

I took a class last month through my guild. I love the Quick Curve Ruler by Sew Wonderful Curves. It's the ruler that I made all those pineapples! Anyway, we worked on Posh Penelope. So fun!

My Station for Class

Posh Penelope Project with Our Teacher, Norma

My Block

We've also been involved in a complete, total master bath renovation. I'll share pictures of that 3-week project another time. I think this has been more than enough.

I hope you had a good April. Time to pull our Green for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge color of the month.

Please don't get too worked up over what the media reports. Have a little confidence in our government leadership and faith in the Almighty. Stitch on!

And Red It Is PLUS a Finish or Two!

Angela has chosen RED as the color for April. We Rainbow Scrap Challengees try to use as much of the monthly color as possible, trying to use up our scraps. Do we really think that will happen? I have to say that some of the participants have actually made dents and that's progress!

I haven't started any red sewing as of yet but I have looked over my possibilities for the Gem Tones. You know what? I've decided not to make any red ones. I just can't get into light, medium, and dark reds. I did play around and found one color combination but I was really struggling with a second block. This hobby of mine is supposed to be fun so I'm opting out of red. Let's see what we can come up with in May.

I do have a finished quilt to share with you though. This quilt pattern was an AccuQuilt pattern by Eleanor Burns called Grandma's Star Quilt. The fabrics were bought when I went on a Shop Hop in Melbourne FL with my friend Vickie. Our husbands were there for a military reunion and we were all there in April 2023 to enjoy memories and past friendships from our Hawaii assignments in the 1980s.

Then in October 2023, Vickie and I joined our friend Sharon at a Kinderhook retreat. Sharon was the instigator that the three of us should make a quilt together, a friendship quilt. We each started working on our quilts at that time together. By the end of retreat, we shared our progress.

Mine (horrible photo)

Vickie's

Sharon's

All versions turned out so pretty. I even like mine now that it's finished. Quilted, washed, and ready for snuggles!

Close ...

Closer ...

Closest!

After I washed it, I folded it up. That's why there are a few wrinkles but, honestly, it lies straight. Maybe I'll fluff it another day and take better "beauty" shots. Yeah, maybe. Anyway, this one finished at a nice 56-1/2" x 69" after all was said and done.

My backing was just a bit shy so I inserted a strip of the orange fabric. Looks so good with the black & white backing fabric I chose.

The back is so pretty!
Love the orange strip with the orange binding.

A couple more pictures to show off the block, the fabrics, and the quilting.

The backing is full of friendship phrases and was the perfect choice for my "friendship" quilt.

Now I'm ready for the next clue of the mystery quilt being offered at my local quilt store. That'll be on Monday. I'm also ready for the next block of The Quilting Life quilt-along which I believe will also drop on Monday. I'm signed up for a class on Wednesday called Posh Peneope. It uses the Sew Wonderful Curve ruler like my pineapples used. I love their projects and I plan on using several pieces of gradient fabric that I think I got from a free table during guild or retreat.

Speaking of class, I forgot to share with you my 4-Pocket Case. I took this class at my local quilt shop and discovered zippers and vinyl are not to be feared! Lol!

4-Pocket Case
Love the Dragonfly Fabric!

Pouch Opened
Two Zippered See-Through Pockets on Top

Two Open Pockets Under the Zippered Pockets
So Convenient!

I'm sure you're wondering about the pattern. Here's a picture of the cover. The one I made was the large size. Someone made the smaller size and it looks very useful too. I'm planning on making one of those also -- another day.

Pattern by Aneela Hoey (#AH116)

Don't you think I've rambled on enough by now? It's rainy here in the Midwest. My rain gauge measured 6-1/2" of rain since Thursday. I emptied it out this morning to see how much more we receive. I can tell you all the docks are underwater around our pond! YIKES! I think it's a good day for sewing.

Have a great weekend. I hope we dry out soon. Catch all the RSC sewing blogs HERE.