July Wrap-Up

My PHD (Projects Half Done) report for July is actually pretty good for a change! I started AND finished my version of Summer Blues which I'm calling Summer Reds.

Summer Reds post is HERE

A project on my PHD list was Riptide. I rented a longarm sewing machine at my local quilt shop mid-July and got the binding sewn down about a week later. It's a beauty if I must say so myself! Ha!

Riptide post is HERE

Hello, Autumn was a kit I'd started last year. The top was completed but I never finished it up. I'll be happy to hang this one up in a couple of months. It was fun with a little bit of wool applique, embroidery, and piecing.

Hello, Autumn post is HERE

Thanks, Gail, for keeping us on task to finish what we've started!

End of June, End of Blue

It's time to wrap things up for June, the month of light & bright blue. For the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, I managed to get four pineapples done.

And because I was curious as to how they might look together with all the pineapples from this year, I laid them out on the floor. Pretty, huh? I also have 2 dark blue pineapples from January. I'll see if I need to add a couple more to balance things out at the end of the RSC year. These pineapples are quite large, approximately 8" x 14".

As for my PHD, I managed to complete this table mat (meaning it also qualifies for the 2023 Table Scraps Challenge). I started this last year and got the top pieced. This month I quilted and bound it. My inspiration was a quilt that I love from Temecula Quilt Company's book "Quirky Little Quilts" called Ruby Rooster. I changed up the ROOSTER for a RABBIT when I learned 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit on the Chinese calendar.

The background is actually showing more brown than the true gray. It finished up at approximately 15" x 20" and is just adorable. All the different blues fit the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. The Table Scraps letters for June were D and/or I. This project started the month as Incomplete and, by month's end, was now officially Done! How's that for using the appropriate letters??!!

Here are a couple of close-ups of the quilting and also a backing/binding pic.

Of course I've got other projects in the works around here. My EPP block for the month is nearly finished as is the applique Uptown June block. I'm adding a few more hand-quilted stitches to a sweet little Fall wall hanging. There are only the borders to add to the Fat Quarter Shop's Haunted Halloween Mystery wall hanging. I've got a date with a longarm machine at my LQS later in July so that should be another UFO project crossed off the list.

So June is over, July has begun, and that's a wrap from me. I hope you have wonderful week and are able to celebrate the 247th birthday of our magnificent country which offers so much freedom.

Linking up with Angela @ SoScrappy, Gail @ QuiltingGail, and Joy @ TheJoyfulQuilter.

A Closer Look & RSC Purple Finished

 What a week! I got Mom's Christmas laundry all caught up the other day for starters. That included six sets of bedding and towels for five. Pretty much consumed one whole day. Other than that, summer has returned in a red, hot minute. Last week we were lucky to get to 75 degrees. This week we're all around 90 by day and poor Gracie has had to endure almost 70 on her morning walks. Watching Roland-Garros inside most of this week has not produced one iota of guilt due to the heat. However we've been busy getting things in order around our house because my brother & his wife are driving Mom home from NC today! On top of that, they're bringing their 6-month-old German Shepherd. He's adorable (of course!) but he's still a puppy and he's going to be so much entertainment for Gracie! Oy! I'll keep you posted about all that energy! And I'm sure there'll be pictures!

Last night was Friday Night with Friends. Always fun to catch up with some of my cyber friends. So what did I work on? I've kept up pretty good with the Uptown BOM. This block-of-the-month started in January 2022 and I've stayed true to it until April when I was gone for more than half the month. It is my goal to get myself caught up again. I had started on the April block a bit ago but last night I put the final stitches in it.

Uptown - April Block

After that, I pieced the pattern together for May and then I printed out & pieced together the June block. With company coming in today, I probably won't get back to then until next weekend.

Also behind due to the April travels was RSC purple. I put the tops on my purple pineapples finally! I think this is going to make a very fun quilt! The June Rainbow Scrap Challenge has been determined to be light blues, That should make more pretty pineapples!

Speaking of light blue, I'd like to share with you a finish. May I present Oh My Strippy Stars, a QAL with Carole at From My Carolina Home.

Carole ran this during National Quilt Month in March. The challenge was to find a jelly roll that has been gathering dust and a yard of background fabric. She promised to teach us something new in the process of making this quilt. Who could resist? Not me!

The jelly roll I used was definitely an oldie. The line was Sunshine by April Cornell of Moda. The jelly roll was so old (How old was it?) that it was offered pre-pinking the edges!!! I'm pretty sure I bought it when I was working at the quilt store in Troy, Sweet Annies.

The original directions called for 16 blocks but I decided to make 25. After all, they were so much fun to make and I had plenty of fabric! The learning experience was making the 2" finished HSTs that make the star points. Usually you would use 3" squares but we were using 2-1/2" strips from the jelly roll. Carole showed us how to use the Tucker Trimmer ruler after sewing a jelly roll strip to a background strip along -- wait for it! -- BOTH edges forming a very long tube. Plus there was very little waste.

The pattern and directions are still up at the blog's site. Check it all out HERE. The directions are very good. They even include how she quilted it on her longarm with only a few stops. Well, you should know by now that I had to try that out too!

Oh My Strippy Stars set up to longarm quilt

Close-up of the quilting in one block

Beautiful backing was part of the Sunshine line

Close-up of some quilting from the back

My quilt ended up measuring 52" square. I used Hobbs Heirloom 80/20 batting. It is soft, pliable, and wonderful. The quilt is currently hanging over my couch in the den. This finished quilt will also be reported on my PHD progress report. While it was actually a new start, it was also 100% finished which gives me extra credit!

Linking up with SoScrappy for RSC, Gone Stitchin' for FNwF, and Quilting Gail for PHD. Whatever is on your agenda for this weekend, ENJOY!

I Like Thurs #113, PHD April Report, RSC Orange, and FNwFs

I have been off-grid for 2-1/2 to 3 weeks due to trips. April 11 or 12 through the 17th I was in Del Rio TX to witness my nephew earn his USAF pilot wings. He was selected for fighter pilot school next which takes 6-9 months to achieve. We are so proud of him and the time I spent in TX was wonderful. There will be pictures later probably but I have other things to talk about right now.

Mom & Me with my nephew.
We are standing in front of the airplane
 hon which e has already qualified

I had barely finished the laundry and caught my breath when off Fred & I left for FL on April 23 by way of Savannah GA. We met my BFF and her husband there and spent the afternoon & evening of the 24th on the waterfront. The next morning we caught the trolley for the historical district tour and then drove on to Cocoa Beach FL for the guys' military reunion. Too much fun to go into but here's a picture of the four of us ready for dinner at the Patrick AFB Club.

We finally made it home on May 2 but not before visiting Chickamauga Civil War Battlefield on the way. Located on the border between Georgia and Tennessee, it was the perfect opportunity to stop and spend an afternoon.

LeeAnna @ Not Afraid of Color gave us the prompt -- Do we like to sing and, if so, what & where? Yes, I like to sing! I probably mostly sing in the car or while I'm cooking. I don't always know the words to the song so I'll just make up what I am currently feeling or what may rhyme. I also sing a lot on the bike trail with Gracie. I usually rely on songs I learned in 3rd grade. My dad was stationed in Germany at that time and my wonderful, piano-playing teacher (Miss Brueggeman) taught us all sorts of patriotic songs. We learned all the anthems for the military branches, a load of America songs, and some fun ones like Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree, I Love to Go A-Wandering, and of course a few songs my mother taught me like Oh Dunderback, The Cannibal King, Oh I Walked to Toledo, and more. Piano music in our house led to even more singable songs like There Is a Tavern In the Town and so many other silly songs. Gracie seems to enjoy them all!

Gail @ Quilting Gail is working through her Projects Half Done (PHD) and has encouraged us to join her. I didn't do too bad this month. I started and finished a "secret" project which I'll share later after the recipient receives it. I also completed a UFO. It wasn't on my list but the top was done and I turned it into a quilt this month when I rented time on the long-arm at my LQS. The binding was also applied, of course!  Here's a picture of Harmony, designed by GEDesigns. I pieced this during a COVID QAL.

Picture of the Front

And the Back

Any and all of my RSC (Rainbow Scrap Challenge) projects suffered last month. April's designated color was purple and there were no purple pineapples pieced. May's color is orange so that will need to be completed this month also. My May goal is to get both sets of RSC pineapples sewn.

As for miscellaneous projects, I did manage to finish the Lucy Boston block from English Paper-Piecing Club.

I picked out fabrics for Uptown but not one little piece was appliqued down. Zero progress on that. Ugh!

Tonight is Friday Night with Friends, brought to us by Cheryll @ Gone Stitchin'. I started this morning (which was of course evening by Australian time!) with Oh My Scrappy Stars. I managed to get all 25 of my star blocks finished up. The pattern only uses 16 blocks but I wanted mine to be a little larger. The sashing is the next step and I've got some 2-1/2" strips set aside for that.

I'm also working on a Spring SAL cross-stitch project. Melisa @ Pinker 'n' Punkin' offered this freebie up on her website. I've been enjoying working on this in the evenings.

Early Evening

Late Evening Progress

While we were driving to & from Florida, I was working on the next EPP block. It is called Buzz Saw. Here's a little peek into my project box which worked very well while traveling.

All in all, I didn't do too bad considering I wasn't with my sewing machine much last month. However  some progress was made. Let's hope May is more cooperative but I don't know about that. The yard and gardens need much attention now too. It just never ends!

Have a great weekend!

In case you missed the links, here's a recap where you can see what all my quilty friends managed to do:

I Like Thursday - LeeAnna @ Not Afraid of Color

PHD April - Gail @ Quilting Gail

RSC April - Angela @ So Scrappy

FNwF - Cheryll @ Gone Stitchin;

All Rolled Up Into One Post

I've neglected the blog lately so this will be everything missed over the last week. You know, the I Like Thursday post, Friday Night with Friends post, Rainbow Scrap Challenge post, and, believe it or not, I have an April quilt finish! To tell you the truth, I had this post written up and ready to proofread (yes, I do that!) and then I hit something wrong (obviously!) because it deleted the entire thing. So let's get started and try this again.

I Like Thursday #113: I like my cardinals and one morning we had ska-zillions in the yard under the bird feeder and in the grass. Several flew away while I ran for the camera but you can get an idea.

My BFF Vickie was traveling from Nebraska back to Tennessee. St. Louis is just about the halfway point so she and her husband stopped over for the night with us. In Nebraska, she adopted her cousin's daughter's dog, Daisy. Daisy is a 3-yr-old teacup yorkie and weighs all of 2# 4oz. Gracie adored her and wanted to play with her so badly! But Daisy was exhausted from traveling all day so all she wanted to do was sleep. I was happy she liked me and nestled in to watch Survivor with Vickie & me!

You can scratch my belly if you'd like!

A trip past Mom's house earlier in the week found her redbud starting to bloom. Beautiful against the blue sky!

I'm enjoying this book, "I'll Push You" by Patrick Gray and Justin Skeesuck. It was recommended by my blogger friend Diann @ Little Penguin Quilts. I'm a bit over 100 pages in and finding it so refreshing, inspiring, and a wonderful true story.

GoodReads talks about it HERE

I like linking up with my global blogging friends on Friday Night with Friends. I began with my EPP project, a Lucy Boston block. I'm using mostly Frankie fabrics by Basic Grey for Moda. Here's where I started -- check the bottom left corner.

Here's the finished block. It still needs to be appliqued to the frame but I'm considering it done for now.

I switched over to some cross-stitching that I'd started. The top motif and the start of a motif just to the left of the top one is what I managed while watching "Blue Bloods".

I'll be switching over to a SAL from Melisa @ Pinker 'n' Punkin Quilting. She's got an small Spring piece that she's hosting that will fit in an 8x10 frame. Sweet! You can read about it HERE and join in if you like!

Angela @ SoScrappy has picked the color purple for the month of April as part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I sure hope I get around to sewing up some purple pineapples but the rest of this month is VERY BUSY. In the meantime I spied these purple flowers!

At the Bike Trail

My Neighbor's Tree

As you already know, I took the long-arm certification class at my LQS. Last Thursday I scheduled time to try out a quilt of my own. Well, let me tell you that I needed quite a bit of assistance but Lani said I did great and was learning quickly. I think she was just being nice! Haha!

I decided I'd take a small 36x40 baby quilt. I needed something that would be relatively quick because I had to be back to get Mom to P/T. The quilt was Harmony and it was a QAL with Gudrun Erla in 2020. It took me a little over 2 hours to quilt up. I learned that the thread at my LQS doesn't like the starching that I do when piecing. The thread just kept shredding. I learned how to fix the messed-up spots and also to let Lani know that I need a size 18 needle if the next quilt is cardboard stiff! hahaha!

All in all, I had fun and will be scheduling another long-arm session. I really like quilting pantographs and I still enjoy free-motion quilting on my domestic sewing machine. I'll probably try out FMQ on a long-arm, but right now I want to master pantos!

A Peek at Quilted Harmony with
Yummy Loops & Hearts Pantograph
(No Binding Yet)

I Won Playing "Binding Chicken"

Harmony by GEDesigns
36"x40"

Sparkling

All the Quilty Goodness

At the end of the month I'll be sharing this finish with Gail @ Quilting Gail for my Projects Half Done and also with Carole @ From My Carolina Home for the Stashbuster Challenge.

That catches you up with me. Hope you're having a productive week!

March Wrap-Up!

Rainbow Scrap Challenge was pretty much a bust this month. I'm sure Angela, our leader and role model, will understand. She always reminds us that this is our hobby and there is no pressure. She merely serves as our coordinator. I just didn't want any green pineapples, even though they are more realistic than my pink ones! Haha!

However, I did finish "Good Luck", a design by Kathy Schmitz. There's plenty of green there!

So what kind of progress was made this month? I actually do have a finish!! If you remember, I rescued a stamped cross-stitch baby quilt years ago. I think it was called Noah's Ark. The lion in the upper left corner had been about 90% finished and the rest was not. Whoever started it had bought all the DMC that was listed on the back -- tons of skeins!

I worked on this for about 18 months off and on. I surprised myself by how much I enjoyed working on it. With the top done, it was time to get it quilted & bound.

Noah's Ark
Stamped Cross-Stitch

A Peek at the Back

I love the blue gingham I used for the binding. I think it adds a sweet touch. Now for a look at some of the quilting which was done on my domestic sewing machine.

Zebra & Kitty
(I outlined all the animals
and added a few extra lines of detail)

Ark & Sun
(I love how the roof looks shingled
and I tried my hand at paisley for the cloud
below the sun)

Quilted Borders

All in all, I think it turned out pretty cute. It needs a washing and then will be donated probably to Linus Quilts through my guild.

So that was good. Anything else, Sue? Actually yes ...

Awesome Land is now a Top!

Completed a Pair of Socks

EPP Sampler has Progressed

Uptown March Block Completed

Not a bad month after all. There were a few start-ups that will need to be finished up in April -- a couple of Chubby Charmer Totes, Oh My Strippy Stars, and I'll continue working on Quadrille BOM as well. That's enough on my plate for April, especially considering I'll be doing quite a bit of traveling the 2nd half of the month.

Thanks goes to Carole @ From My Carolina Home for the Strippy Stars and Quadrille projects. Thanks also goes to Angela @ SoScappy for keeping us on track with Rainbow Scrap Challenge, and thanks goes to Gail @ Quilting Gail for helping us focus on our UFOs through the Projects Half Done (PHD). I'll be linking up and sharing at all three!

Don't be a fool -- it's April Fools Day! Have a great weekend!