Leap Day!!

What are you doing with your extra day?
I am preparing for a brand, spankin new month!!

While finishing up Auntie Nyla's Coffee Time table runner I kept thinking "What am I going to do with this?" 
My dining table is round and I tend to leave it bare.  The runner is really too big for the countertop under the coffee-making things.  Then I remembered the most-appealing "Small Quilt Wall" I once saw somewhere on the internet. 
Here is an example: 

So, now, I too shall have a Small Quilt Wall!

Coffee Time is mounted above Misunderstood.  And, you might recognize the Happy Camper small quilt from July, 2021.  

Next item to finish and add to the wall is Snugly Bugly.

Snugly Bugly has a story....HERE

This one, lonely block was part of a BOM from Orange Quilt Bee in Orange, CA. Each month was packaged up with the pattern and the fabrics.  I bought them all, but only ever completed one block.  All the blanket stitch was done by hand....took   F O R E V E R!  I should have switched to doing it by machine. 
But, Water under the bridge...

After announcing on FaceBook the remaining kits were free, they did go to a good home.  Hopefully she finished what I did not.

This one block will be quilted and bound and a label added for historical purposes.... it was for Cash when he was a youngin' (he is now 17) and then add it to my new Small Quilt Wall. 

And, What is on my March UFO list?  THREE more small wall quilts!!

Pretty Little City

by Muppin's Sewing Emporium

And part of a sewing panel (purchased from Muppin's). 

This will make two.

The wall quilt for my Sister Wife was from this panel.  HERE

 

 

SSOOOoooo looking forward to March! (It's my birthday month, too.)

I've already changed out my door hanging, that's how excited I am!!

P.S.  Happy Birthday to you if you happen to be a "Leapling."

Welcome Home

 

 

Well...almost....Next stop was Lincoln, NE for a software conference....
THEN it's homeward bound!

It felt like I'd been gone a year and I was so ready to say "hello...again...hello..." to my Sweet Kentucky Duplex.

The last 5 weeks were full of once-in-a-lifetime happenings !

A Hurricane.

An Earthquake (albeit, a small one that no one noticed because they were consumed with Hurricane Hilary.)

Then COVID!  (Two weeks of feeling ugly!!!)

Then a high school football stadium lock down because of a fight in the parking lot! HERE
(Poly still won.) 

I'm just sayin' this was one memorable trip!

But, time marches on and everyone knows things will eventually get better....and so they did.  As soon as I tested negative, I was out-and-about!

Had a quick trip to one of my favorite Southern California shops.  This shop never ceases to inspire.

 

And Finally I was able to attend The Babes' football games. 
Even this was not without its drama (see above) but love to watch them play!

Every trip has its end and all-to-soon it was time to leave. 
Even though I'm ready to be home and have my morning coffee on my own patio, it was still sad to say Good-bye..
Good-bye to my Babes...they are growing up so fast....And,

 

 

 

 

Good-bye to my little chicken.

Until next time....

A Good Sign?

Maybe....just, maybe things are getting back to normal* ???

A few days ago I received a newsletter in my inbox from Orange Quilt Bee.  The newsletter featured some interesting and cute patterns, fabrics and up-coming classes.  But, the MOST-cute of all ... Passiflora !

 

Is she not the cutest little thing?! 

Reminds me of Angelina Ballerina.

It is a panel by Freespirit.

I decided I JUST MUST have it to make for my new granddaughter.  So, I contacted all the Needlers and asked them if they wanted to go on a field trip.  And what to my wondering ears did I hear?  "Yes" said Miss Nancy. "Yes" said Miss Kate.
"Yes" said Miss Charlotte-the-tall!

So, we all piled into my "G-Ma Mobile" van with our masks (our attempt at social distancing) and off we drove to Orange, CA.  Not a far distance...just far enough.  We wandered around the store (quite a nice shop) each of us buying a treasure or two and thoroughly enjoying the fabric experience,  And to top off the afternoon we stopped for street tacos on the way home. 
(Miss Nancy was a bit disappointed they did not have fish tacos....)

We are social creatures, Zoom is no substitute for human interaction.  It was so nice to have a morning of fun, fabric and laughter with my sew sisters.

* I realize "normal" may look very different now than I remember....when was that???  Seems like years.

Update from The Studio

Two months into 2020 and the sewing machines in The Studio are a smokin!

Our little band of quilters, The Needlers, meet every Tuesday night in the Mezzanine Room of my apartment building.

We are blessed to have this room.  We can leave our projects and quilt junk...ah...stuff  all spread out while we are creating.  It is fun to get together and laugh and gossip while we sew.

We've even double-dated with Jack (the ripper).

Miss Nancy sewing away.
  Charlotte-the-Tall planning her next project.

Two of us, Miss Nancy and myself, use the room nearly every day.
Right this moment it is pretty messy as she and I both are in the middle of big projects.

My Space

Nancy's space.

We sit facing each other so we can make funny faces...

My goal for Christmas 2020 is six lap quilts for my son and his family.

And if no one in the family decides to have a baby this year, I'll make it. 

I'm well into piecing the first top.

Log Cabin using scrap strips
 Designed in EQ8* and paper pieced

Nancy is creating a queen-size quilt for her and Mr. Nancy's bed.

Kindred Pinwheel from Missouri Star.
Click HERE to watch the tutorial.

Our final member, Miss Kate, is entertaining company from out of town...her cousins, "The Marys." She is always good for a laugh and we miss her when she cannot join us.

Honorable Mention....Miss Wanda.  She has moved.  Her spot sits empty because no one can replace her. (She is close by and we do visit, but she is unable to attend Tuesday nights.)

If you don't sew with a group, it is well worth making the effort to either start one or join one.  Many quilt shops have what Orange Quilt Bee calls Fuzzy Slipper Night or Cozy Quilts' BYOP Sit-N-Sew.**  My Portland friend, Miss Susan, hosts Quilt 'til you Wilt one Thursday a month.

Sewing with a group is so much fun and truth-be-told most of us could use a little fun

(especially free-or-inexpensive fun) in our lives.

*EQ8 = Electric Quilt 8
 **Orange Quilt Bee and Cozy Quilts are both Southern California shops.