A Monday Post

I like the idea of sitting down on Mondays and checking out what I've done, what I've bought, and what I'm thinking about doing. Got the idea from Em's Scrapbag blog -- she calls it Moving It Forward Monday. Check out what she's been up to this week and all the others that have linked up HERE. I'll be adding my link when I'm done here. And thank you, Em, for doing this and inspiring us to keep on Moving It Forward!

So what have I done this week? I finished second panel for Border #2 (diamonds) of the pattern Mosaics by Irene Blanc. This picture shows it in progress but I can assure it's now done. The picture at the top of my blog is the first panel done. Two more of these panels to go and then on to the four cornerstones. They are gigantic hexie motifs which I've completed. Only need to remove the papers and applique to the backgrounds. I've already finished the four panels for Border #1 (hexies) and the center medallion. Looking forward to getting this project completed.

Hexie Motif

Four Completed Hexi Borders

Center Medallion

 I also joined up with Jinny Beyer's Mystery QAL called Miyoto. I'm hand-piecing this. The first two clues have been completed and here's my progress on Clue #3. There are four more rounds to go on these six triangles.

I also managed to sew three blocks in the Farmers Wife 1930s Sampler Blocks this week, which makes me happy!!! In order to keep up we're pacing it at 2/week. This means I caught up half a week! Goodness -- what was I thinking when I thought I could accomplish all this! Hahaha! Anyway, here's a peek at my latest three 6" blocks for Farmers Wife.

I hope to sew 3 or more of these blocks this week and make more progress on the other two projects. I also took advantage of Fat Quarters Shop's birthday bonanza and purchased a load of 1/2 yard pieces. I hope to also get this fabric starched (yes, I'm a starcher!) and ready to go for a quilt for my son and daughter-in-law.

Have a great week!

Link Up with Sugarlane Designs

Today I'm linking up with Wendy at Sugarlane Designs for FNSI. I've talked about it plenty in the past but, in a nutshell, there are a group of us that stitch virtually once a month. Wendy has sign-ups and then we link up to share what we worked on. That way we can check in to see what everyone else has been up to. It's a great way to keep in touch with like-minded beings! We have participants from all over the world! You can see for yourself at Sugarlane Designs while you see how creative this group is!

As for me, I decided to put a few more stitches on Miyoto, a sew-a-long with Jinny Beyer. Jinny is the master of hand-piecing and I wanted to join her on this mystery project. I believe it ends up being a large lap-size. Anyway, I chose my kit from her four colorways -- blue/teal. It's a beautiful selection of fabrics.

We are on Clue #3 and there's quite a bit to accomplish this month. It starts with six triangles that you are to sew five rings around, log-cabin-wise. The sixth round you are to only sew on two sides. That translates to six triangles and eighteen pieces for each of the five rings and twelve pieces for the last. The triangle starts off dark and the rings get gradually lighter as Jinny does so well.

I had started this a few days ago, getting my triangles cut out and the first eighteen segments to be attached for the first rings. I had also gotten two of the triangles completed. Last night I completed two more and this morning I finished off the last two. Here's a picture of the six:

 And here's a picture of one triangle on top of a ruler to give you any idea of the size. So tiny!

And now it's time for me to get busy cutting out the next 18 segments for the next ring. Wonder how big these are going to end up?

Have a great weekend!

Linking up with Anthea!

Good morning! Today I'm linking up with Anthea at Hibiscus Stitches for PYT, aka Piece Yourself Together. You can check it out HERE to link up for yourself and to also see what others are up to with their own English Paper Piecing projects. Hint: Anthea is working on a "monster" project!

As for me, I'm still busy with Mosaics by Irene Blanc. I'm loving how it looks and I'm still loving to work on it. That really says something since I've been at it since October 2016 (?). Really? Has it been that long? I believe that's when I took her class so, yes, it's been that long!

Right now I'm on diamond border #2. Just appliqueing away to get it sewn down. These outer borders are 48" so you KNOW this takes a bit of time to get all three rows of twelve diamonds each stitched to the fabric. So portable and easy. LOVE IT!

Here's how to tell my progress: See how the middle row of diamonds have no tails sticking out? That's because that row is done. See how the row on the right has some tails and some not? That's because I've stitched down the inside portion of those diamonds and am working on the outsides now. If you look real hard you can see my needle and thread waiting for me to pick it up and work in some more stitches!

While the other project is not EPP, I want to share my progress with you while I have your attention. Hahaha! It is the Miyoto Mystery Quilt I started in April, I believe, since I'm on clue #3. It's a monthly program from Jinny Beyer through her newsletter. I posted my clue #1 HERE if you'd like to take a peek back. Since then I've completed both clue #1 & #2. Clue #3 was a little late posting as there was trouble on the website but it's up now and I've started. I get to work with COLOR this time. So excited since the previous clues were mostly background fabrics. Check it out!

Clue #1 - several mirror images.
(Shared in earlier post)

Clue #2 - A little color added.
Two each mirror images.

Clue #3 looks to be a fun section. So far I've got 2 of these little triangles up to this point. The inside triangle sides finish at 2-1/4" long so a wee bit tiny. I've sewn the first round on. There are four more rounds plus the final round which we are to sew on only two sides. Isn't the fabric pretty??? Each round gets a little lighter so it will be gorgeous!

Clue #3 - in progress

This clue, when completed,  has six units with 5-2/3 rounds each. Lots of pieces to attach. Oh! I almost forgot ... Jinny explains in her how-to video how you can paper-piece this together if you like (pattern included) or you may want to continue hand-piecing. I chose the latter. So portable!

Have a great day!

New Project

This past Friday was FNSI -- my favorite time of the month! Love doing handwork and relaxing while watching my needle stitch fabric, so calmly, so beautifully. A few weeks back I just couldn't resist a new project. Jinny Beyer has a new mystery quilt called Miyoto and the fabric selections were gorgeous. Jinny Beyer, if you aren't familiar, is very big into hand-piecing quilts. I learned to quilt this way a LONG TIME AGO and, since I've been enjoying the hand work of Mosaics so much, I decided to sink my teeth into this project and ordered up a kit. She offered four colorways and I chose blue/teal. Here is a picture of the first unit of this quilt. I'm trying to remember just how to hand piece again! The weather was so nice that I pulled up a chair outside and gave it a go.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to sew on a daytime retreat and managed to get together all six parts going one way and 2 &1/2 pieces in the mirror image. This morning I finished off all twelve pieces. Loving this process again! Tomorrow I'll return to retreat and work on Mosaics!

I had a very nice Mother's Day last weekend. I heard from both of my kids PLUS a nephew. My sweet daughter Sarah also sent me sweets ... Wockenfuss candy. This chocolate company has been in business in Baltimore MD for over 100 years and, let me tell you, they are so DELICIOUS!! I was certainly feeling the love!

Speaking of mothers, here is a very unusual picture of both my kitty Polly & my dog Gracie sharing space in front of the door together. They were both very interested in the sightings out front. Oops! I do believe I've been caught spying on them!

Gracie & I have been enjoying our walks each morning lately. The temperatures have been pretty nice even if Gracie thinks they're too warm. Recently she found a friend just off the trail -- a turtle!

And with that, I'll close this post. I was up early this morning to watch the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry to Megan Markle. Then it was time to get Mother ready for her flight to NC. We dropped her off with time to spare and returned home. I climbed out the upstairs window to gain access to the first floor roof and cleared the rain gutters on the house. I had noticed yesterday that the rain we received the day before was still in them and we were expecting more rain today. Ugh! My reward was to work on getting Miyoto Clue #2 ready. The afternoon wrapped up watching Justify win the Preakness (after winning the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago) and to get a text from Mom saying she arrived safe & sound in NC and that she also managed to see the Preakness. Very exciting stuff and we'll anxiously wait to see the Belmont in June to see if we can get a Triple Crown winner!

Good night for now!