I actually finished them all. It was kind of a chore toward the end.
They all turned out cute, but now that I'm at the end, there are a few things I'd have done differently.
Whiskers....there has to be a better way to do those whiskers....Looks bad on the back. (As I hang them again in 2025, I'll redo the whiskers.)
No more BOMs, unless it's a group where we actually meet face-to-face.
...I think of Sunflowers.
One of my favorite flowers. So happy and Sunny!
Now that I am back in a house and have a garden, each spring when I plant Sunflowers...
this is what I envision... Big, Fat, Beautiful flowers.
This is my reality:
They'll probably have these down to the nubbins by the end of the week.
But they can't get the Sunflowers on my door! (MSQC Hat on a Cat)
These days my Friday evenings are divided between two live sessions: Ukulele Zoom and
Cheryl Sleboda Whited of Muppins Sewing Emporium.
This past week she was introducing all kinds of new items in the shop, among them this fat quarter bundle.
This picture of the Fat Quarters does not do the fabric justice. The colors are so vibrant. I just HAD to have them....
My Sister's 32nd wedding anniversary is coming up so I made them a small gift
In these last days of summer, it isn't too late to to accomplish something in the studio (she said to herself.)
UPDATE: August 22, 2024
Miracle upon miracles...I have a Sunflower!
Shhhhhhh, don't say that too loud, the deer might here!
*Ukulele Zoom: HERE 4 pm Pacific Time. This group is open to all. If you don't play the ukulele, now is a good time to start.
*Muppin's Live on YouTube: HERE 5 pm Pacific Time
** I have a new plan for next year...I'm going to plant the Sunflowers with the Zinnias (incognito) in the flower bed nearest to the house.
They don't seem to eat the Zinnias. See if that intimidates the deer a bit. And, if not...at least I'm feeding the wild life.
Finishing up a bunch of small projects and getting ready to travel.
Small quilts for my Small Quilt Wall:..One of them Auntie Nyla's only attempt at FPP*.
(She hated this block and threw it away...I rescued it....I love it!!)
Quilt it.
Bind it.
Hang it.
Pretty Little City: Embracing my new "home state." This is a Muppin's Sewing Emporium exclusive.
Cheryl created this pattern for out-of-town visitors to her shop. (The Heart button is Paducah.)
The Small Quilt Wall is nearly Full!
The Pincushion Doll also by Muppin's Sewing Emporium. I shall call her "Polly" (for Polly Pincushion.)
Hummmmm....my first attempt was NOT a success!
The dress-base is too small. There are fabric cutting calculations in the pattern based on the size of the doll body, but somehow they didn't translate from
paper to product.
Can you say "Date with Jack"?
Sew Much Better!
I'm sure someday I'll make her another frock and then I'll have a better idea of how it all goes together (I wrote it in the pattern.)
I think she looks cheery, though, don't you?
Makes me want to do-si-do.
I imagine her wearing cowgirl boots,
muddy cowgirl boots, under her costume.
When you purchase patterns, fabric and notions from your local shop you have a resource available for help get you out of a conundrum.
Thank you, Cheryl Sleboda for setting me on the right track.
Buy local when possible!
Crayon Pouch for the coloring Catalina: A video popped up on my FaceBook. It looked cute (and easy) so I followed the link...they wanted $22 for the pattern!!! I'm sorry...that is too much money for a downloadable pattern....so, I made the little zipper pouch without a pattern! So There!
Well...not so fast....I'll admit there were more than a few "gosh darn" moments assembling this thing, especially the zipper.
And it didn't turn out in real life quite like I'd imagined. Hind-sight being what it is...I should have purchased the
pattern--should-a, would-a, could-a. If you're interested in watching the video and purchasing the pattern, HERE is the link.
And can I just have a short hissy fit about zipper feet?
The feet that came
with my Janome are not worth a plug nickel!
I have all these (on the left): I tried the two top feet....they just wouldn't hold the fabric...
I broke two needles trying.
I finally retrieved the foot from one of my older machines (on the right)....PERFECT!!!
Sometimes the tried-and-true are the best choice, just sayin...
Ok, I'm done. Leave me a comment if you want me to send you the Janome feet.
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Rounding out all the small projects for March,
Hat-on a-Cat** for April:
*FPP=Foundation Paper Piecing.
**Hat on a Cat is from Missouri Star Quilt Company.
Following along with American Patchwork & Quilting UFO Challenge: HERE
These are my January finishes:
Karen Brown's De-Clutter Challenge...went to the very last day and did clean, de-clutter and purge
"The Unnecessary, The Unwanted and The No Longer Needed" from my studio.
This first WIN will pay dividends for the rest of the year! (I believe this will be an annual thing.)
Mending (my own): Wet Hair wraps--I'm embarrassed to tell you how long these have been in the queue waiting for a teeny piece of elastic... but now they're back in service.
Ana's curtains! Finally stopped procrastinating and shortened them per Ana's measurements.
Bonus pillow from the left over fabric.
This type of sewing is not enjoyable to me,
nothing creative or interesting about it.
It is a labor of LOVE, though.
Hung in their new Home.
Of course I finished the Hat-on-a-Cat door hanger for February.
This is a Kit-of-the-Month from MSQC*. HERE
BONUS: A Valentine bag for Miss Catalina! Riley Blake "Sugar and Spice" panel.
AND, looky-there! An Empty Bin!!!
Woo-Hoo!!! The best WIN for January!!
Just ELEVEN more Bins to go!!
February's number is FOUR.
*MSQC= Missouri Star Quilt Company
Don't you love a nice Clean Slate? We get a Clean Slate...a Fresh Start:
Every Monday
Every First of the Month
Every major holiday that signals a New Beginning: Memorial Day, Labor Day, The First Day of School
AND
Every New Year's Day!
I'm so ready for this new year! I feel like the last two years I've just been marking time. But, I've spent the last couple of weeks getting ready for this clean slate; cleaning, purging, putting away. (My goal is to get rid of at least one thing every day in 2024....so far I'm right on track.)
Helping the process along I am following along with Just Get It Done Quilts sewing room purge for 2024
"Getting rid of the Unwelcome, the Unwanted and the No Longer Necessary....." HERE
These are my 2023 finishes:
Martha's pillow...winging its way home as we speak:
Louie inspecting the back of Martha's Pillow.
Making sure everything lines up nicely.
Sabrina's mending: Note to self...NO MORE MENDING. (Of course, if they ask I won't say NO.)
January's Hat-on-a-Cat BOM* from MSQC**:
There will be a new banner for each month. (I wish the hanger didn't say "I Heart Cats." I like cats...I don't HEART them.)
As a Believer in Jesus Christ as Lord of my life, I don't believe in luck *** but black-eyed peas are still a good idea...lots of health benefits.
 |
| Welcome 2024!! |
I rang in the new year with Sister, Joy and her D.H., Michael
and black-eyed pea with ham soup and a cabbage slaw.
*BOM: Block of the Month. In this case Kit of the Month
**MSQC: Missouri Star Quilt Company
***Ecclesiastes 3:1-15
But before I sign off and get dressed and start my Stay-At-Home Saturday I do want to show you something fun.
Missouri Star Quilt Company's Flat Chuck*. MSQC's marketing person is a genius. Sometime back this cute little paper duck started popping up on the MSQC Facebook site. People were randomly receiving these as part of their order.
Originally I didn't pay too much attention. I try not to collect. If I start, I have to have them ALL! So, it's best not to start.
In the mean time Chuck has become SOMETHING. People were posting pictures of Chuck in the sewing studio, watching TV, sitting front-and-center on the family RV dash taking a road trip. He was becoming the Quilter's version of Flat Stanley.
And, while I found it amusing I still was not tempted to own one of my very own.
And then IT HAPPENED! I had ordered a pattern** from MSQC and a few days later I ordered some batting as part of the
Daily Deal (50% off). That I might receive a Flat Chuck had not even occurred to me.
And What To My Wondering Eyes Did Appear? Flat Chuck! Not one, but TWO!
It was so exciting! Remember, these are randomly added to your order, so you never know if you'll get one.
The bug has bitten me and now I check the MSQC's Daily Deal every day to see if I absolutely NEED that deal
(secretly hoping for an added surprise in the box should I decide to order.)
I told you...MSQC's marketing person is a GENIUS! She/he deserves a raise!
You'll be happy to know I am keeping my wits about me and not ordering anything I don't truly need (wink, wink.)
*Flat Chuck is not a special Ukulele strum. HERE
**This is the pattern I ordered. Brightly by Cluck Cluck Sew. It says it is Fat Quarter Friendly and I have two FQ bundles that need a pattern: Barbie and Spooky and Witchy.
I'll bet EVERYONE is happy to see February retreat and a new month, with new promises, take its place.
A lot of crazy weather from BIG snow in the Pacific Northwest to BIG rain on the west coast and tornadoes in the South!
March, bring us some nice, mild Spring weather...pretty please?
Here in my 'Ol Kentucky Duplex.. my 9 to 5 has been crazy busy...but the weather has been quite pleasant.
The only newsy-news of late is I FINISHED the American Patchwork & Quilting UFO Challenge for February. I just need to find a LAQ in my new city and get it quilted. This will be a lap quilt for my S-I-L who is battling cancer and in the midst of chemo therapy.
The blocks were left over from another project and I didn't get too creative with the border...I just focused on gettin 'er done!
It feels SO good to finish something...I highly recommend it!!
March's number for the UFO Challenge is #11. My number 11 is to make a wall hanging for my long-time-California friends who bought a trailer. They travel to Reno a lot to visit their daughter and her family...I thought something cute for their mobile diggs wall would be fun.
Missouri Star Quilt Company has a YouTube tutorial to make a cute, cute, cute "Glamper" quilt. One block would be a quick and easy wall hanging and maybe a pillow??? Click HERE for the Tutorial.
Isn't it that just too cute?! I'll be traveling to California in April and I can go bearing gifts!
Sometimes a girl's just gotta sew ... something fun and quick!
What is the next-best thing to precuts* ? Pre-Cut AND fusible backing applied! Enter small applique kits with all the pieces laser cut and treated with fusible on the back! All the hard work is done!
The Nest Builder from QuiltWoman.com.
 |
| The whole thing came together in just a couple of hours. A cute, fast Spring door hanging. |
The instructions did not have quilting and binding as part of the assembly process. The instructions have you sew the front and back like a pillow case, with a seam, but I thought it would look better with binding. Also, there was no quilting. The instructions say ...little or no sewing..." Quilting can take a ho-hum project or super simple project and make it sing, so that is what I did. Joining the binding on such a small piece was a bit cumbersome. I didn't fuss with it too much--after all it was supposed to be "fast and fun".... it is a bit messy.
Next up, Happy Camper from FlexiFuse. LOOK at what you get in the package!
Talk about FAST AND fun! After such a busy work-week, this was just what the doctor ordered. I LOVE the completed product. I did this on a Friday night...after work...when I'm normally a vegetable sitting on my bum on the sofa!!!
 |
| Finishing with quilting and binding will have to wait until I return from my business trip next week. |
The FlexiFuse project was a bit more expensive than the Quilt Woman
project, but the quality (and quantity) is better, in my opinion.
FlexiFuse did not supply the background fabric, batting, backing or
binding fabrics. I'd guess we all have plenty of fabrics in our stash for finishing, am I right?
I have a soft spot for vintage trailers. Did I ever mention traveling with Sisters on the Fly in retirement? Even though I don't fly fish (but, who knows what the future holds??? ) I love the idea of a sisterhood and the idea of vintage trailers....and besides there is always Miss Ellie to keep me company while the Sisters are fishing.
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| In a Hotel in Vancouver, BC (prior Covid) |
It is also Worldwide Happiness day!
Coincidence that it is the same day as National Quilting day?
I think not!
Happy Sewing!
*Precuts: Jellyrolls, Layer Cakes, Charm Squares. For a very wide variety of pre-cut fabric and lots of ideas on how to use them see Missouri Star Quilt Company.
It occurred to me that when I'm DOWN I don't believe I'll ever be happy again....
and when I'm UP I don't believe I'll ever be down again....
The truth is, life is cyclical. Up and down, and all around.
Following my own rules:
Get Physical: Yep, did my walking and my zoom class this week. Forget for the moment there is "something magical" about walking, walking also gives your partner a time to vent. Good for their soul and spirit, too.
Finish Something: Did I actually finish anything this past week? Yes.... sort-of. I did get the binding for one lap quilt prepared but then other things took precedence, namely Miss Wanda needed some new masks so I did stop and make her a couple. And while I was doing that, I thought "I love my sewing room....."
I DO love my sewing room, but I don't always want to work on one of my many UFO projects. That reminded me of this video by Missouri Star Quilt Company I watched a while back....Crumb Quilting! It's the perfect answer!
I want to add to this list of things-to-do-to-lift-your-spirits: LAUGH!
If you've been reading this blog for any length of time you know the Needlers get together on Tuesday nights.
And I played my ukulele for them! (The only other breathing person I've ever played for is my dad.) I played a Gershwin tune, SummerTime. We laughed and laughed....but it was a good laugh. Here is one of my favorite ukulele teachers playing with her friends. How these friends laugh together, doesn't it make you want to join in?!
If you are sick-to-death of all this talk of the pandemic, politics and the craziness of 2020, do something nice for yourself this week.... start a crumb quilt, play the ukulele ... or the Kazoo.
Do something to for a laugh.
At the very least, pamper yourself in your favorite way.
I realize there are REAL issues and worries that even a Kazoo can't fix...in that case, PM me. We can talk.
(and I am serious about that.)
*If you do want to start playing the ukulele, call my friend Shirley at Island Bazaar, she will fix you right up.
