PHD Report - July 15

Well, what do you know? We're halfway through July. Hopefully I'm keeping on schedule. Let's see what I hoped to accomplish this month.

1. Quilt, bind, & label Winnie the Pooh - Don't have anything to show but I found some Winnie the Pooh fabric from a previous project. It will be incorporated into the backing so I'm anxious to get it pieced and ready to quilt!

2. Finish Patriotic Wall Hanging 100% - Yes! Finished and hanging! See my post HERE!

3. Get Star in a Star top assembled. This quilt is due at my LQS on August 25th. It finishes as a queen-sized quilt. For credit at the shop, it will also have to be quilted, labeled, and bound. Definitely a big job for July & August. Currently, 5 of the nine 24" blocks are assembled and the top & side borders are complete. What's left? Assemble the final 4 blocks and finish the 4 border cornerstones. They are hand appliqued Celtic knots. Sounds like a hospital project to me! - Progress here has been slow but steady. The final four blocks need the final seam sewn and then on to assembling the main part of the quilt. The cornerstones have been prepped but not sewn. The original plan was to hand applique these as recommended by ones that have finished theirs. The directions explain how to machine applique these. I'm thinking machine at this point. Maybe give it a go tomorrow?

4. Quilt, label, & bind Hope. - Nada!

5. A little more progress on Eva Grace would be nice too! - Nada!

So there you have it. Thank you, Gail, for keeping us on track. I'm looking forward to seeing how everyone else is doing and motivating all to get those Projects Half Done DONE! Will be joining the linky party HERE.

See you August 1!

Mid-June PHD Report

I'm feeling pretty good about my June progress so far, but I'm starting to get a little nervous about Kyoto. It is due June 23 for a show 'n' share on Zoom with my local quilt shop. But hold on! I'm getting a little ahead of myself here. Let's review my goals for June.

My To-Do List for Mid-June:

1. Finalize quilting plan for Kyoto. Um, I have ideas floating in my head but nothing is final ... YET!
2. Select a backing fabric and pin-baste Kyoto. I couldn't find a piece large enough (that I liked) for Kyoto so I measured, figured, drew, and then sewed up a backing. So some progress but need to cut batting and then get out the pins.
3. Make the binding and the quilt label for Kyoto. Nope!
4. Quilt, bind, & label Hope. Nope!
5. Finish, quilt, bind, & label Patriotic Wall Hanging. I did finish the piecing for Patriotic Wall Hanging. Also, I found enough fabric on the clearance rack at a local quilt shop for the backing. Need to get this moving again too.

So there you have it. Progress on my To-Do List but need to start thinking about getting them completed 100%.

In the meantime, I've picked up Eva Grace again. She's on my PHD list for 2020 so that's OK, sort of, but I think I'm supposed to be concentrating a bit harder on my To-Do List. And as if that isn't enough, I started a new project. Did you just hit your forehead with the heel of your hand? Hahaha!

Quilting Gail, who is our fearless leader for our PHDs, started a Winnie the Pooh Sew-a-Long. I know of a couple of people that just had or will be having soon babies. How could I resist? If (and yes, that's a big IF) I keep up, this should be finished by the end of the month. Oh brother, here's another thing to add to my To-Do List! I better start listing things and be a bit reasonable ....

So there you have it. No finishes and one new start.

To-Do List for June

1. Get that Kyoto to the finish line!!!

2. Get Pooh finished too!

3. Cross Patriotic Wall Hanging from my list!

That ought to keep me busy! I'm heading to my sewing room right after I link up with Quilting Gail to turn in my report. Wonder how everyone else is doing? We can find out right HERE!

Have a great week!

RSC = PINK! Glorious Pink!

Hot diggity! Angela chose pink for June's color. Since I didn't get any pink sewing done the first week, I made an extra effort to have something to show today. And I do! First up are my Awesome Land blocks, which I used as leaders & enders.

Oh my! Did you happen to catch that dark green one in the mix? Yes, I discovered the pieces for it PLUS another set of green pieces for the last (I hope) dark green Awesome Land block.

These blocks were made while piecing a couple of things. First, did you catch my most recent post .... a couple of hours ago? I'm sewing with Quilting Gail and making a Winnie the Pooh quilt. You can find the pattern by Sew Fresh Quilts HERE. You can also join Gail & me & probably more right here on Quilting Gail's blog. It's going to be adorable!

I'm making the large size and here is Winnie the Pooh! Ta! Da! We are now working on Piglet with Tigger and Eeyore to follow.

I also used my leaders & enders to get this far on Heartfire blocks.

One more round to go on these followed by three more and I'm done with them for the month. I'm linking up with Angela at SoScrappy to share my pink projects and to check in on my RSC buddies. You can too right HERE!

This week I also joined some friends for a little sewing one afternoon. It was my first face-to-face meeting with quilting buddies and it was so refreshing. Thank you, Millie, for inviting me and thank you, Sharon, Karen, and Judy for joining me. Your friendship is dear to me.

I brought applique to work on, Eva Grace specifically. I don't know why I put it aside but it's really coming along now.

I got most of the leaves sewn on during medical procedures being performed on my husband and also during his trips to the ER and doctor appointments for check-ups. Applique is very therapeutic for me.

Speaking of hubby, at our last appointment it was determined that since there has been no significant signs of the kidney healing in the past 2 1/2 months, it will be removed. We are waiting to hear from the hospital scheduler as to when that might be.

On a happier note, our grandson Brody turned one last week. There was a big party to celebrate, of course.

Brody with his other Grandmother

Waiting on Cake!

He had a pool party!

Last week also marked my Baby Girl's 40th birthday. I cannot believe how quickly those 40 years have flown by. She will always be my #1 daughter. She keeps me on my toes and often off-balance, but always centered. She's a beautiful person inside & out.

See what I mean? Lol!

Have a great week, everyone! I'm off to walk the dog followed by getting her to the groomer .... finally allowed!

June FNwF Part 2

So here we are again on a Friday. Many thanks to Cheryll for getting us together again for a 2nd Friday Night with Friends this month. The ladies and I have been very busy and you can see the amazing works right HERE. Really! You should pop on over and just take a peek!

I started sewing early today because I know I'm sewing with friends from all over the world, including Australia which is many hours ahead of us. What did I sew? Winnie the Pooh!

I am sewing with Quilting Gail and making a Winnie the Pooh quilt. There will be blocks of his friends too -- Piglet, Eeyore, and Tigger too! I have my pieces cut for Piglet and we'll start sewing him tomorrow. I just love Sew-a-Longs! (Bet you never would have guessed, right?)

I've also been working on Eva Grace. I started this a year (or more ago) and somehow it got put aside. The pattern is by Irene Blanck and this is the applique block in the middle. I get lots of compliments on the beautiful vase.

This picture was taken before I finished the leaves. I'm working on the purple & orange flowers now.

Bloomtopia, the cross-stitch project available from Fat Quarter Shop, is coming along too. In the bottom left corner I finished the grass below the flowers and their centers. Now I am all set to get the next installment on June 15th.

So what's happening in your world? I hope you've been doing something that makes you happy!

Getting My PHD in 2020

Yes, that's right! I hope to be earning my PHD this year. Not a scholarly type but cleaning out my Projects Half Done! Gail over at QuiltingGail will be organizing it and I look forward to finishing up a few (that's a laugh -- lots of!!!) projects started. You can also do this by linking up here.

Starting with #1: My Snowman Quilt, a lap-sized kit I bought from Hickory Stick, Hannibal MO, on a Kinderhook retreat. I finished piecing this at a Todd Hall retreat years ago. It needs to be backed, quilted, and finished off.

#2: Scrap Dance 2-Step. This was a fun mystery quilt-a-long with My Carolina Home a few years ago (2017). I wanted to make it a bit bigger and had a GRAND idea to piece a migrating geese border. Got it organized then proceeded to chicken out. I truly want to work this border, then get it backed quilted, and finished off.

#3: Star In a Star. This was the Twisted Sisters Quilt from     . This is so close to finished, it really isn't funny. Sew the ginormous blocks together and sew up the four cornerstones. Final assembly, back it, quilt it, and bind it. Do it!

#4: Sew Spooky BOM. I started this project with my BFF Vickie. I had been visiting her and we went to a quilt shop - surprise! surprise! We both fell in love with an amazing Halloween BOM, signed up, and kept up mostly. We did a lot of motivating on each other's parts too. I kind of forget how she was doing her blocks, but I chose to put in some wool applique. I love the blocks I completed so it is now time to git 'er done!

#5: Blowin' in the Wind. How many times has this been on my UFO list? OMG! Way too many times and it still sits. It started as a mystery quilt-a-long with my local quilt shop, Rosemary's Fabrics. I love this top but I really need to finish this one up! After all, I made it for my own bed!!!

#6: Hugs & Kisses, aka Riptide. This quilt has been on my UFO list in the past and never got to the finish line. This year!!!!

#7: A Very Merry Christmas to You. Started this QAL with Suzn Quilts. Got caught up with the holidays, followed by my guild's quilt show, blah, blah, blah. Would love to finish this one up.

#8: Easter Wall Hanging. This one is so "done" that it is already pin-basted and ready to be quilted & bound. This ought to be an easy finish .... as soon as I find it again! UGH!

#9: Eva Grace. I really need to get going on this one. It was designed by Irene Blanck from Australia and I started it in October 2018 when Irene visited my TAS group. It is applique so it'll be a longer work-in-progress.

#10: Kyoto. This was a yet another mystery quilt-a-long. This time with Jinny Beyer's blog and it is hand-pieced. I worked REALLY HARD to get this one done for the 2019 UFO Challenge at another local quilt shop, OSew Personal. Got to the borders so I really should be able to finish this one off this year.

#11: Shark Bite. This one started off as a Leader & Ender project with Bonnie Hunter that ended up morphing with a quilt I saw on the cover of a magazine. Fred named it one day when I was laying it out to see what it was shaping up to look like.

#12: Tiny Tuesday. This was Rainbow Scrap Challenge for 2019. So fun to put together. I've got ideas for finishing this one up. Let's move it!

#13: Hospital Sketches. Another quilt-a-long, only this time with Barbara Brackman's Civil War blog. Need to sew the blocks together, back it, quilt it, and finish it up.

There are several more that I'd like to add but I think a lucky 13 number of projects will be enough to set for my 2020 goals. Maybe I'll have these finished early and can add a few more finishes. Right, Sue, dream on!

In the meantime, I'll be thinking long & hard about what projects I'd like to do for Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2020! I also need to update my blog page. Happy New Year!!

Thanksgiving Family Post & Scrappy Saturday

I realized today was Saturday when I saw Angela's Scrap Happy Saturday post this morning. I sat down for a bit and did the final assembly of my Sting-X block for October. I really like the brown strings but, then again, I love the color brown! I have a lot of chocolate browns (no surprise there! Lol!) and I think I made a beautiful block.

This was block #10. I need two more String-X blocks for a 3X4 layout. I know I'm going to make a black block but what should the other color be? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Already did a red, pink, orange, yellow, light blue, dark blue, aqua, green, and purple one. Is there another color???? Maybe gray? or dark cream/paper bag brown? Help!

We had a quiet Thanksgiving here, just Fred, Mom, & me. Because it was just us, I asked the gang if it would be OK to have stuffing on Thanksgiving and then mashed potatoes on leftover night. We all decided that was a great idea. We didn't really need both all on one night.

A good dinner was had by all. Then we had pie with whipped cream. I made pumpkin and apple.

Gracie wished everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. She was grateful that we don't eat giblet gravy and all the goodies go to her. We stagger it out over about a week because we don't want her to get too spoiled! Ha!

And Polly liked that it was just us. She really doesn't appreciate company.

I'm watching over the cat next door while the neighbors visit family in Mississippi. Kitty is VERY old but she can still jump up into a lap ....

.... and onto the couch for a nap.

My niece  came home on Wednesday from UNC-Wilmington to have her wisdom teeth removed. I think she'll be in pretty good shape by the time she leaves tomorrow for class again on Monday. Here's a picture of her applying a lot of ice to keep the swelling & bruising down.

Speaking of Wednesday, we had a horrible wind storm run through here Tuesday night/Wednesday morning. Gracie & I took a walk Thursday while the turkey was in the oven and we across this tree down on the trail plus lots of leaves, twigs, and branches.

And to help support small businesses, Mom & I shopped at The Chef's Shoppe in Edwardsville where I got an early Christmas present -- Le Crueset Dutch Oven. Got a good deal plus I got to use an almost-$20 rebate that I earned from last year's shopping!

Next stop was Allison's Shoes in Glen Carbon. My Birkenstock clogs were worn smooth on the soles and the leather was all cracked, peeled, and yucky in general. Got me a new pair and Mom got herself a new pair of Naot shoes. We certainly helped the economy this afternoon!!

Polly approved my purchase.

I will be linking up with Angela HERE in case you missed the link at the top of the post. Anybody diving in to the Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt "Frolic"? Will you be using the same color combo Bonnie used? I'm still on the fence if I'll jump in.

Have a great weekend!

Fall Has Arrived!

Fall is here and I love it! Warm-ish days and cool-ish nights. It can stay like this awhile, please.

These past couple of days I was sewing with friends at Rock Springs Rotary Park in O'Fallon, IL. What a beautiful setting and the facilities were very nice -- once the gentleman came to turn off the A/C and switch it on to heat! It was in the 50s and I guess a room full of women with irons put out enough heat for the A/C to keep kicking on. Brrrr!

Anyway, the reason we were there was because Dana, our fearless leader, once again invited Irene Blanck from Australia to guide us along with her patterns. You remember how I'd been working on Mosaics by Irene. She is so much fun and has loads of tips for us. This is my 3rd year sewing with Irene and once again I learned a new tip PLUS she reminded me of a couple that I'd forgotten.

There were 17 of us sewing along on lots of patterns. Two of us  were sewing on Eva Grace. I got this far.

Unfortunately I didn't get any of the leaves sewn down nor the two flowers. We all fell in love with my vase fabric and there was talk of not putting that quirky stem & leaves across it. I may not sew on all five leaves from the original pattern but I will be keeping that stem.

I want to let you know that I love retreats. We are all sewing on our projects and just chat about everything and nothing. I met a really fun gal that I might not have ever met since she doesn't live near here. She heard about this retreat through her guild. I hope to catch up with Amy again one day.

Gracie & I had a wonderful walk today. Pictures from this morning's walk include Gracie, the changing leaf colors, and fungi. Enjoy!

I'll be linking up with Movin' It Forward on Em's Scrapbag on Monday. You should check out the incredible projects these ladies are working on!