Katie's Salt Marsh Path

A Good Beginning

2021-08-07T13:10:00.002-07:00

The weather this week ranged from cool and rainy, to very hot and sunny.

The sunny days were perfect for taking pictures of the day lilies in our garden.

This variety is called Minaret. Although, the blooms are not as large or showy as some of our other lilies, they bloom later than many other varieties. They also produce numerous flowers on tall, thin stalks. They hover over the other plants and sway as if they are floating in the slightest breeze.

I am 5'7", the flower on the tallest stalk reaches my nose. The name of the purple beauty below has been lost over the years. It's even prettier in person.

I used the rainy days to get some piecing done. My One Monthly Goal for August is to complete a Halloween table topper. I found a pattern at The Cloth Parcel. I finished the three blocks that are needed and have lots of three inch squares leftover. I might add another block to make the table runner longer.

I sewed blocks for a baby quilt the last week of July. This week, I put them together and finished the top. It's 41.5 inches square. When it's quilted, it will be donated to the Little Lambs Foundation for Kids

The absolute last thing I thought I would be sewing at this point in the year is a mask. Unfortunately, the Delta strain of the Covid 19 virus is becoming an issue in our county. Cases have gone from a low of about 30 per day in July to about 300 per day now and are continuing to increase. We live near the ocean and our town is a popular vacation destination. Even though our family is vaccinated, we are being cautious. No one in my family likes wearing the disposable masks. My daughter requested a new Pikachu mask and I will probably have to make a few new masks for the rest of the family.

I've been playing with some red, white, and blue scraps.

This week, I'll use them to make two more plus sign placemats to match the two I made in July. I'll also add the sashing between the blocks and the border for the Pumpkin table runner.

I'm finding that setting small goals each week works best for me. I can make progress on projects if I set aside a short amount of time each day. Even though I'm not making a huge dent in my stash, I'm moving forward.

I'm linking up with Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict and Alycia Quilts for Finished or Not Friday. I always find lots of inspiration checking out the work of the other quilters who link up.

One Monthly Goal For August

2021-08-01T09:18:00.001-07:00

Although I love the idea of having placemats and table runners for different seasons and holidays, I never think of starting them until it is too late. I found three free Pumpkin table runner tutorials that are likely candidates. Connie Kresin Campbell who blogs at Free Motion by the River has a free tutorial for a scrappy pumpkin table runner using 2.5 inch squares. Julie at Green Fairy Quilts has a tutorial for an 18 x 45 inch Pumpkin Table Runner made with strips of yardage that could easily be made with scraps. Although, I like the first two tutorials, I have decided to make the free tutorial at The Cloth Parcel that uses 3 inch scraps. The pumpkin table runner will be a perfect project for my August One Monthly Goal. That gives me plenty of time to have it ready for the harvest days of October and November. If you're looking for a free Pumpkin table runner pattern, check out all three. You're sure to find one you like.

I was delighted that linking up for the July Monthly Goal motivated me to finish my strippie butterfly baby quilt. I'm linking up again with Patty Dudek at Elm Street Quilts, One Monthly Goal for August. Somehow, linking up made me feel more accountable for accomplishing my goal in July. Hopefully, the results will yield an autumn table runner.

Goodbye To July With One Monthly Goal Accomplished

2021-07-31T14:39:00.001-07:00

July was a busy month with the garden screaming for attention, but I did manage to complete my goal for July as well as a few other projects. We grow about twenty different varieties of hybridized day lilies in our garden. Our garden is small, but over the years, we have divided and replanted the lilies and in July and August they provide a daily show of color. They started blooming earlier than usual this year, but the flowers are wonderful. The three below are: Cherry Cheeks, Ruby Spider, and one of my favorites, Spanish Dancer. Each bloom only lasts one day, but they are spectacular. We keep track of the number of flowers each day on a calendar. Even though our garden is small, the highest daily number we have recorded over the last six years was 215.

My goal for July was to finish a baby quilt for Little Lambs Foundation for Kids.

My Pfaff has a lot of quilting stitches to choose from. I used two different sizes of wavy stitches.

In addition to the baby quilt, I made four placemats from red, white, and blue scraps.

The backs of the placemats were made from four different leftover patriotic fabrics.

I started a new baby quilt using the leftovers of a jelly roll purchased at my local quilt shop. The owner cuts jelly rolls from different fabric lines. This jelly roll was cut primarily from Tanya Whelan fabrics. When finished, it's destined for the Little Lambs Foundations for Kids.

I'm linking up with all of the other industrious quilters at Elm Street Quilts' One Monthly Goal July Link-up. I'll also be "Whooping" it up with Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

July is Here Already

2021-07-02T13:24:00.000-07:00

I frittered away the month of June, doing fun things like emptying boxes from the basement and attic and taking items to Goodwill. I wasted valuable quilting time, trimming rhododendrons and geraniums after their blooms faded. After the gardening chores were finished, it was so hot I couldn't bear to quilt in our stuffy non-air conditioned home. It's still hot and humid, but it's time to sit next to a fan and quilt. In an effort to finish at least one item, I am joining Elm Street Quilts' One Monthly Goal July Link-up.

It's a terrible picture, but the wide stripes are sweet little butterflies. It's raining today so there's no chance of taking a better picture. My goal is to quilt and bind this Quick Strippy baby quilt. It's based on a free pattern offered on Mary Johnson's blog, Mary Quilts. If you have never visited her blog, you really should. She has lots of lovely free patterns.

I am linking up at Elm Street Quilts, in the hope that it will inspire me. You can see all of the projects quilters are linking up for their One Monthly Goal for July at Elm Street Quilts. If you need a little push, you can join in too.

2021 Hands 2 Help Finale

2021-06-04T08:57:00.006-07:00

We have been without internet for a week. Although I missed seeing what was happening in the quilting world, I did accomplish the 2 goals I set for myself and completed a few others. My goals for the week of May 23rd were to complete another baby quilt for the Hands 2 Help Challenge at Sarah's Confessions of a Fabric Addict blog and to make the Indian Star block from the 3rd installment of the Pieces of the Santa Fe Trail.

I completed the Indian Star block.

I completed three baby quilts for the Hands 2 Help Challenge.

This fun quilt used 5 and 2.5 inch squares of fish prints. There are coordinating tone on tone prints and a few surprises sprinkled in among the 2.5 inch charms.

The tops of the two other quilts were made last year and just needed to be quilted and bound.

I was very pleased with the star quilt. I am usually a stitch in the ditch style quilter, but the pattern really pushed me to do more.

I'll be sending these 3 quilts along with one other and some bibs, pacifiers, stickers, markers, and colored pencils to Little Lambs. I purchased 2 of their discounted UPS mailing labels that make it a bargain to send a package. For $15.00 they will mail up to a 70 pound package.

In addition I'm a sending a quilt to Quilty Hugs for Happy Chemo and a quilt top to Victoria's Quilts of Canada.

I am linking up with all of the other participants of the Hands 2 Help Challenge at Confessions of a Fabric Addict. Thank you Sarah for inspiring quilters to help people who need a quilty hug.

I'm also linking up my Indian Star block with other quilters sewing along with Pieces of the Santa Fe Trail at Melva Loves Scraps

Mission Accomplished

2021-05-23T13:36:00.005-07:00

This is the third week in a row that I have actually completed my stated goals. I think it's because my goals have been modest and we did not have internet service for three days. The time I usually spend reading blogs was spent sewing.

I was able to complete a baby quilt that will be donated to Little Lambs through Sarah Craig's annual Hands 2 Help challenge. I made the top last year, but it languished in the sewing room until this week. When I was preparing the top to be quilted, I realized the light green gingham check, I chose last year for the backing, was too blah for the low volume four patch top. I found a jungle animal print in my stash that livened things up a bit.

My attempt at an art shot was less than successful so I had to depend on my husband to display it. We were away last week and the quilt got very wrinkled on the trip back home. After a spin in the washer and dryer, it will be ready to ship out.

My second goal was to make enough blocks to create a top from blocks I made a few years ago. I needed more than my original estimate and wound up sewing 116 blocks.

They will have to ferment while I work on this week's goals. I plan on finishing another baby quilt for the Hands 2 Help Challenge and making the latest block from the Pieces of the Santa Fe Trail Sew Along. Melva, at Melva Loves Scraps has chosen the Indian Star block for the third installment of the sew along. It would make a great block for a Quilt of Valor quilt.

I'll be linking up with Sarah to "Whoop" along with other quilters who have something to share this week at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

Making A List

2021-05-16T17:38:00.002-07:00

I've been frustrated with the lack of finished quilts coming out of my sewing room. It seems like every time I look for something in my fabric closet, I find unfinished items that divert my attention from what I should be doing. Bonnie, from In stitches with Bonnie, suggested that I make a list of things I wanted to accomplish for the week. I decided that my previous failure making lists was that I tended to add too many projects. My list for this week, included just two projects. I planned to make the second block of the Pieces of the Santa Fe Trail quiltalong at Melva Loves Scraps. The Double Nine Patch block is now completed.

The second item on my list was to complete a quilt for the Hands 2 Help Challenge hosted by Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict. The Eye Spy quilt has 48 novelty fabric squares including, mammals, sea creatures, birds, all kinds of food, boats, sports figures and sports equipment, as well as insects. The back will make a great play mat with roads, a fire station, airport, and a construction site. It's fresh out of the drier and looks crinkly and cozy. The quilt will be going to Quilty Hugs for Happy Chemo.

Since making a list worked so well this past week, I've made a list for the coming week. I plan on quilting another quilt for the Hands 2 Help Challenge and piecing additional blocks to complete one of my UFO tops. I will be linking up with Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict to "Whoop Whoop," about my finishes. This week is especially exciting at her blog. In addition to the weekly finishes posted, there are also quilts completed for the Hands 2 Help Challenge.

Thank you Bonnie for your suggestion to make a list. Hopefully, it will keep working.

Some Days Are Just Like Christmas

2021-05-09T15:16:00.001-07:00

While searching in my fabric closet for potential backing fabrics, I found a plastic box hidden amongst the piles. When I opened it, I was pleasantly surprised. Inside, I found blocks in various stages of completion. The blocks were made up of 1.5 x 2.5 strips. Inspired by the 2021 Table Scraps Challenge at The Joyful Quilter, I decided to use the scraps to make table runners.

The runner with the yellow binding is 16 by 32 inches and will be used on my maple sewing machine cabinet.

The runner with the pink binding is 20 by 36 and will be placed on the wooden desk where I am currently using my Viking Sapphire machine.

The backing used for both runners is Michael Millers, Geisha's Puzzle. I have no idea when or why I bought it. It is very bright and busy, but it will work well sitting beneath my sewing machines. I still have some blocks left. They may be made into placemats.

As if one box of blocks was not enough of a surprise, on a second diving mission, I found more. There were two partially finished tops and a pink Ghiardelli candy box filled with partially and completely finished blocks to match the quilt tops.

I added a few rows of blocks to one of the tops to make it lap size.

I also finished the last of the doll quilts and the matching pillow. The four doll quilts and pillows will be placed in the mail this week.

This week, I hope to make the Double Nine block which is the second block of the Pieces of the Sante Fe Trail Sew Along at Melva Loves Scraps. I also plan to work on finishing one of my quilts for the Hands 2 Help Challenge at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

I'm linking up to "Whoop, Whoop," with some of my favorite quilters at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

Have a pieceful week.

The Drought May Finally Be Over

2021-05-02T12:15:00.002-07:00

After having a productive few weeks, I feel like a field sprinkled with rain after a drought. It wasn't a soaking rain, but it did produce a few signs of life.

Melva, who blogs at Melva Loves Scraps, is hosting a quilt along called Pieces of the Santa Fe Trail. It's a bit unusual, in that, the inspiration for the blocks is based on the memoirs of Marian Russell who traveled the Santa Fe Trail. I really enjoy reading the snippets of Marian's book that Melva posts with each block. If you are a history buff or you just enjoy quilt alongs and sampler style quilts, you should visit her blog.

After I chose my fabrics, I realized that one of them was directional. I was determined to keep the fabric facing in the correct direction in each part of the block. I managed to be consistent while sewing the Kit in the Korner block, but I didn't notice that the fabric was oriented incorrectly in the block itself.

The block above shows my flowers/artichoke shapes facing up. The block below shows the flower print upside down, but in the correction orientation in the block. My block will just have to be Kit in the Opposite Korner.

I promised two of my favorite little girls that I would make doll quilts and matching pillows for them. Four of the quilts are finished. Three of the matching pillows are stuffed and waiting to be hand stitched closed. I'll post the fourth quilt when its matching pillow is finished. All of the doll quilts are made from scraps.

The Joyful Quilter created a Table Scraps challenge in January. The challenge is using the colors issued for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge at So Scrappy. Any quilted table covering can be made for the challenge. The covering can be a table runner, topper, placemats, candle mat, or mug rug. I didn't have a need for a table topper/runner in the colors being used for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge this year so I have started making quilted toppers for various surfaces using a rainbow of scraps. I started making bow tie blocks for a doll quilt and enjoyed it so much, I made a topper for my clothes dryer and one for my laundry room hamper. The topper for the laundry hamper is made with 2.5 inch squares.

The topper for the clothes dryer is made using 3 inch squares.

The color for May is red. I would love to have a table topper or runner for Valentine's Day so this month, I'll be using the Rainbow Scrap Challenge color.

Like many quilters, I enjoy reading blogs, seeing pictures of quilts, and being inspired. Since I rarely finish anything, I don't feel compelled to post the projects I work on that will probably never be finished. My lax attitude has kept me from acknowledging the lovely things that other bloggers have done for me.

I enjoy reading Pat's blog over at Life in the Scrapatch. Once upon a time, in the not so distant past (November, 2019) Pat celebrated the 10th anniversary of her blog by giving away a Riley Blake magnetic pin catcher. I was lucky enough to be the recipient and I use it every day. Pat has some wonderful free patterns and tutorials on her blog that you should definitely take a look at. She has a free pattern from the Disney Mandalorian series that features the baby Yoda eating bone broth. If you have a Star Wars fan in your life, this is a MUST.

For the first time this year, I actually have something to Whoop about. I'm linking up at Sarah's Confessions of a Fabric Addict to whoop along with all of the other fabulous quilters. I've also linked up for Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework.

2021-03-28T12:10:00.000-07:00

I Quilt, Therefore I Am.

If I don't blog, does that mean I don't have anything to say or show. I haven't been able to motivate myself to post since the finale of 2020's H2H (Hands 2 Help) Challenge hosted by Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict last June. The Hands 2 Help Challenge for 2021 has started and Sarah has posted the lovely prizes that will be awarded to participants. It's not too late to participate, The sign up form and information about the charities requesting quilts and the sizes needed are at Sarah's blog, Confessions of a Fabric Addict. Last year, one hundred seventeen quilters took part in the challenge, With your help, this year, the numbers will be higher.

Like most quilters, I spent a lot of 2020 making masks for our extended family. Unlike many prolific quilters, my quilt production slowed down dramatically. I only pieced one "Fishy" baby top. I'll be quilting it for the Hands 2 Help Challenge.

My creative juices started flowing again at Christmas. A three and a half year old girl at our church needed a present and I was happy to provide it.

I found a sweet baby doll at Target, but the outfit she was dressed in was ugly and poorly made. She deserved better.

First, I made her a dress and some diapers. Next, she needed a place to sleep and a quilt to keep her warm. It was only a week before Christmas and I wasn't able to order a doll bed that would arrive in time. I found a basket and made a mattress, quilt, and pillow so she would be comfy.

Finally, she was ready to travel to her new home. I had enough fabric strips left over to make 2 more doll quilts and matching pillows. One for my granddaughter and the other for a niece. It was a great way to get motivated and get back to quilting. My motivation now will be to complete some quilts for the 2021 H2H Challenge.

Hands 2 Help Finale

2020-06-05T18:06:00.000-07:00

As the minutes tick down, the end of the Hands 2 Help Challenge for 2020 is nearing it's close. As usual, I had high hopes and good intentions, but only one of the nine quilt tops I made is quilted and bound. The blue and green framed squares quilt was a UFO that sat for years until it was quilted last week. Both quilts will be going to Little Lambs Foundation for Kids. The quilts will be given to young children being placed in foster homes. At 36 inches square, they are the perfect size to be packed into a bag to send along with a toddler.

The pink, yellow and light green four patches were made as part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge a few years ago. I love the Eeyore and Winnie the Pooh fabric on the back.

You can't might not be able to see from the picture, but the backing print is of construction cones and stop signs.

I had a partial right knee replacement in February and it is taking much longer to heal than I expected. I can't manage to sit at the sewing machine for more than 20 minutes at a time. I have been alternating between cutting, ironing, and piecing, but I find it hard to be consistent if I only quilt for 20 minutes. The schedule works fine for piecing tops, so that's what I managed to do.

This teal four patch was started as part of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge a few years ago. It's currently layered and under the needle waiting for the 20 minute segments that will finish it tonight.

This is the backing for the star quilt above.

I have decided that this summer will be devoted to quilting the remaining tops. They will be divided between Little Lambs and Jack's Basket. Hopefully, I will be strong enough to spend more than 20 minutes at a time quilting or it will be a VERY slow project.

Visit Sarah's blog, Confessions of a Fabric Addict to see the rest of the incredible quilts made for the Hands 2 Help Challenge for 2020.

Hands 2 Help Comfort Quilt Challenge 2020

2020-03-23T08:34:00.000-07:00

In a world of uncertainty, there is one constant we can all count on. Sarah Craig, at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, has opened the sign-up for her annual Hands 2 Help Challenge. 2020 is the tenth year of this charity quilt challenge and it could not have arrived at a better time. With millions of people hunkered down at home (especially those of us of a certain age group), the Hands 2 Help Challenge is the perfect way for quilters to reach out and help someone who needs a quilty hug, without leaving the comforts of home.

This year, Sarah has chosen six deserving charities to receive your quilty hugs. The wonderful thing about the participating charities is the variety of choices of quilt sizes they are requesting. Two of the charities request quilts in all sizes from children to adults and two are only asking for adult size quilts. If you love to make small quilts, one of the charities is specifically asking for infant quilts and another is asking for sizes from infants through teens.

The charities also vary in the missions they serve. There are groups requesting quilts for cancer patients (children and adults), for communities going through disaster recovery, caregivers, end of life patients, and for babies going into foster care. I'm sure at least one of these causes will touch your heart and inspire you to donate a quilt or two, or maybe even three.

The initial signups for the challenge will be Sunday, March 22nd through Saturday, March 28th, You can signup after the initial period, but prize winners will be chosen from those who signup during the opening week. Quilts must be mailed to the appropriate charities by Friday, June 12th. If you live outside of North America, you can choose to mail your quilt to a local charity.

Stop by Sarah's blog, Confessions of a Fabric Addict to sign up for the Hands 2 Help Comfort Quilt Challenge 2020. You can click on either of the two links in this paragraph or use the button on the right side of my blog. She has lots of surprises for quilters partipating in the challenge. I'm already surprised by the challenge. This is the first time in the nine months since the 2019 H2H Challenge ended that I have posted a blog entry. It's that important to me and I hope it will be to you.

H2H Grand Finale

2019-05-24T08:23:00.001-07:00

The minutes are counting down until the official end of this year's H2H Challenge. I've been looking at all of the quilts that are completed for donation over at Sarah's blog Confessions of a Fabric Addict. The number of quilts donated this year is nothing short of amazing and the colors and patterns are dazzling.
In my last post, I showed this Rainbow Rail Fence top I sent to Brenda at Songbird Designs. Brenda is an accomplished longarm quilter and our joint effort will be donated to the Carolina Hurricane Quilt Project.

A few years ago, Covered In Love, headed by Kat who blogs at Kat & Cat Quilts was one of the charities selected to participate in the H2H Challenge. After learning about Covered In Love's mission to provide quilts to hospitalized patients, it became my favorite destination to send quilt tops. The two quilt tops below are in transit to Texas (home of Covered in Love) along with backings and bindings.

After making three tops for the challenge, I finally buckled down and accomplished some actual quilting. Eighteen months ago, I took a class to make a lovely baby quilt. Since then, I've made attempts to work on the quilt, but could never really motivate myself to finish it. Having Jack's Basket as one of the H2H charities this year provided the motivation. The pictures are very washed out. The colors are much prettier in person.

I made a second quilt to donate, but after quilting it, I noticed two of the bunny squares look scorched. I will wash it and if the brownish look disappears, it will also be sent to Jack's Basket, if not, our new baby granddaughter (we just found out yesterday), will have a Peter Rabbit quilt.

The back of the quilt is a cozy flannel print featuring Hunca Munca (a mouse from the Beatrix Potter stories).

Congratulations and thank you to Sarah for motivating so many quilters to use a skill they love to enrich the lives of people who need a little comfort. Visit Confessions of a Fabric Addict to see the final link up of quilts. They are really a joy to behold.

Hands 2 Help Quilt Ready To Go

2019-04-24T14:19:00.002-07:00

My least favorite thing about making quilts is what takes place after the top is done. Layering the top, batting, and backing and then basting them together is a drag. Quilting them together is like staying after school and writing, "I will not talk in class," 500 times. For those of you who were well behaved in school, you have no idea how annoying that is.
Luckily, The Carolina Quilt Project is one of the charities participating in the 2019 Hands 2 Help Challenge organized by Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict. Carole, who blogs at My Carolina Home is helping to provide victims of Hurricanes Michael and Florence with quilts through the Carolina Hurricane Quilt Project. If you're like me and love to make tops, but dread the thought of quilting them, Carole can pair you with a longarm quilter who will finish your quilt.

I made these blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge hosted by Angela at So Scrappy. I loved making the blocks, but 72 x 88 is too large for a someone with quiltphobia to handle. Brenda who blogs at Songbird Designs is the quilting angel who will turn my quilt top and the pretty blue backing shown below into a quilt to comfort someone who faced losses during the hurricanes.

It's not too late to join this year's Hands 2 Help Challenge. Just clink the link at the left and fill out your info. Sarah has arranged for some lovely prizes. I am donating this Star Light, Star Bright, lap sized quilt kit.

Stop over at Sarah's and join in. Your quilt needs to be finished for the final link up by May 24th.

Finally Making Progress

2019-04-15T13:34:00.000-07:00

As someone who does not make many quilts, I am always amazed at the inordinate amount of scraps I accumulate. I became interested in the Jewel Box style of string piecing after seeing a quilt on Debbie's Stitchin' Therapy blog. All of her quilts are amazing, but with lots of scraps and unloved fabric, string pieced blocks really fill a need. I copied her idea of drawing a layout plan and coloring it in to keep my colors on track.

I planned on taking pictures of the quilts out by our beautiful Star Magnolia tree, but it is raining and the wind is sending the petals to the ground like snow. The 2 tops will be going to Kat, who blogs at Kat and Cat Quilts. She accepts quilts and quilt tops through her group Covered in Love to distribute to patients receiving end of life care. Not only is it a worthwhile cause, but I can send her tops to be quilted by volunteer long arm quilters. Although I love to make blocks, I do not enjoy the quilting aspect. Luckily, there are quilters who do and they are ready to help out.

If you haven't already signed up to participate in the 2019 Hands 2 Help Challenge, it's not too late.

Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict is hosting the first link up for quilts in progress this week, but your quilt does not have to be completed until May 19th. There are five wonderful charities waiting to receive your quilt. It's a great way to motivate yourself to finish up a UFO or three.

I'm currently working on a quilt for Jack's Basket. They need baby quilts that finish at 36 inches. Even I'm willing to quilt something that tiny. Unfortunately, the photo was taken inside so the colors look washed out. I'm working on the backing today.

I'm linking up with Sarah's Hands 2 Help Check In. Stop by, there are lots of great quilts to see.

Moving At A Snail's Pace

2018-06-16T07:43:00.002-07:00

The Extreme Ironing webportal describes extreme ironing as "the latest danger sport that combines the thrills of an extreme outdoor activity with the satisfaction of a well pressed shirt."

I had lots of fabric to prepare last week. Unfortunately, I chose a humid day to get it done.

The blocks for my Chimney Sweep/Album blocks were from a swap that used pre-washed fabrics. Even though I no longer pre-wash my fabrics, I prepped yards of Kona natural and some Civil War fabrics to sew more blocks. While I can't say I was as wet as the gentleman in the photo, I was pretty damp.

Here they are placed with the rest of the blocks.

I hit a snag with the baby quilt I am using as my June One Monthly Goal project I was using a traveling combination cutting board/ironing surface and didn't realize my iron touched the handle that was dangling off the edge. The polyester braided handle melted and left a residue on the iron's surface. In my blissful ignorance, I proceeded to iron my blocks. Ugh! What a mess.

These are a few of the pieces I had to remove. I made some new block components and will sew them today. This small project is wearing me away, one small disaster at a time.

If you are buried in scraps and looking for an innovative way to use them. Take a cue from the art work I found at Home Goods this week.

I didn't measure the shadow box frame, but I would guess it was about 24 inches square. The fabric appeared to be wool, but it could have been a blend. I'm not sure how I would like this color combination hanging on my wall, but it might be an artistic way to store jelly rolls on a sewing room wall that doesn't get much sun.

I'm happy with my seven Chimney Sweep blocks so I am Whooping it up with Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict. There are lots of fabulous projects posted this week. Stop by and check them out.

One Monthly Goal For June

2018-06-02T16:28:00.001-07:00

How can one person be so busy and still not get anything done. That's the question I've been asking myself all month. I did work on a few things, but nothing is finished. More than a few years ago, I joined a swap making Chimney Sweep/Album blocks using Civil War fabrics and Kona natural fabric. I loved the way the blocks looked, but there weren't many of them and I though t the construction was a little fiddly so I put them away to mellow.

I pulled out the 12 original blocks and realized they would make a great quilt. I finished 7 and plan on making an additional 11 before adding sashing, corner stones, and borders to flesh out the top.

We spent the first two weeks of May visiting Washington, DC and Florida. Since it was a driving vacation, I took along some handwork to keep myself busy on the way.

I'll keep making groups of hexagons as my summer car project. These were made from a charm pack of Martinique. I have another Martinique pack and 2 other charm packs that use similar colors so I should be able to keep busy for a few trips.

In January, I chose a baby quilt that I planned to finish as my One Monthly Goal project at Elm Street Quilts to be used a gift for a new baby's first Valentine's Day.

It didn't happen. The baby is now 8 months old and ready to be Christened on the last Sunday of June. Hopefully, I can finish it in time. I will be posting my One Monthly Goal for June at Elm Street Quilts. Patty Dudek is the hostess and she welcomes everyone to join in. If you haven't set your own goal, stop by and see what everyone else is planning to work on.

H2H 2018 Quilts

2018-05-26T12:17:00.000-07:00

Once again, Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict has hosted a wonderful challenge to quilters. Judging by the quilts posted to the 2018 Hands 2 Help Challenge linky, this year is probably the best year ever. Due to severe procrastination and a bad case of distraction, I did not complete the 2 projects I had intended to donate to the H2H Challenge. Luckily, the many UFO's I constantly complain about came to the rescue. Through a wonderful stroke of luck, one of this year's featured charity organizations, Victoria's Quilts Canada, requested quilt tops. I had two tops that fit the 50 x 70 requirement and one top that needed an extra row of blocks to comply.

Since the tops have been hanging around my sewing room for a while, I thought they might enjoy being photographed in new surroundings. On Thursday, my husband and I took a trip to the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx. The NYBG is one of the premier gardens in the world and the largest located in any city in the United States. New York City has botanical gardens and arboretums located in each of its five boroughs, but the NYBG in the Bronx is the most spectacular of all.

We managed to find a beautiful late blooming lilac in the recently refurbished lilac garden. The fragrance was delightful. This is the third Gumdrop quilt I have made. I love how it uses up tons of 2.5 inch scraps and looks so bright and lively.

The Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden produces blooms from May to October. June is the most magnificent month. The garden is awash with blooms representing almost any type of rose you can imagine, from China Roses to Climbers and Knock Out Roses and everything in between. We found a lovely climbing rose bush that was very fragrant. Unfortunately, the bench was slightly shaded, but it didn't take away from the beauty of the flowers.

I couldn't fit all three tops in my tote bag for the trip to the NYBG so it was photographed at home.

Thanks to Sarah for another great Hands 2 Help Challenge. I loved that this year's challenge not only gave a choice of charities to choose from, but each charity requested a different type of quilt and or top. Hopefully, I will get the two baby quilts done and they can go out in the mail to the Little Lambs Foundation for Kids.

Visit Sarah's Confessions of a Fabric Addict and check out all of the fabulous quilts and tops donated to this year's challenge. Unfortunately, I didn't post mine in time so I linked up with Sarah's Can I Get A Whoop Whoop.

One Monthly Goal For March

2018-03-04T14:55:00.000-08:00

After spending the month of February furiously sewing string blocks for the annual string fling block drive at Covered in Love, I'll be spending the month of March quilting a UFO. This baby quilt was started in 2011 as part of a scrappy challenge at Marcia's Crafty Sewing and Quilting blog. As I went back through my blog trying to find out how old this UFO is, I found 3 posts claiming it would be quilted in the month of the post. This is the month to finally complete it.

I am linking up with One Monthly Goal at Elm Street Quilts.

One Monthly Goal for February Completed

2018-02-27T18:08:00.000-08:00

When Kat from Cat and Kat Quilts announced her annual String Fling back in December, I had no idea I would become obsessed with making string blocks. I completed 65 blocks, the pile is shown below, with an additional 35 blocks made into a string quilt top. The quilt top was my February goal for Elm Street Quilts: One Monthly Goal program.

I finished the top last night and took a picture. This morning, I packed two large USPS Priority boxes. The first box contained: 65 string blocks made by me,

including an additional fifteen I made last week,

thirteen made by Carol Ann, Melinda, and Susan from the quilting group I belong to,

and fifty three blocks, I did not get to photograph, made by Debbie, also from the quilting group. Lest you thing the rest of our group is composed of slackers, Debbie had already made the blocks and was looking for a good home for them.

The second box contained: two tops made from the Film At Five pattern at Wedding Dress Blue, 2 pieces of yardage that are suitable for backing fabric, and my String Style top.

The Film At Five tops were made in 2014 and would never have reached the top of the quilting pile. Hopefully, Kat can use them to comfort a bereaving family.

I only got to mail one of the boxes today. I planned to stop at the post office after I finished my shopping. While I was in COSTCO, I took a picture of some cute outfits to send to my daughter-in-law for her approval. While checking the pictures, I noticed the photo I took last night of the string quilt. I used tone on tone fabric for the corner pieces that would form the centers when all of the blocks were assembled. Two of the blocks had print fabric that I thought I replaced last night. I remembered cutting the fabric, but I obviously never sewed it into the blocks.

The first picture contains the block that had to be fixed. It is in the top row, third block on the right. The corners were replaced on two blocks to correct it. I don't know if anyone else would have noticed it, but once I saw it, it made me crazy. I mailed the first box, came home, ripped open the second box, and fixed the error.

The new box will go to the post office in the morning. I don't think of myself as a perfectionist, but after all of the work the top took, I couldn't let it go like that. What would you have done?

I'm linking up to the February Finishes at Elm Street Quilter for One Monthly Goal and Oh Scrap! at Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework.

One Monthly Goal February

2018-02-07T12:18:00.001-08:00

I didn't complete the baby quilt I planned to finish for my January project at One Monthly Goal at Elm Street Quilts.

I was delighted at how crisp the points of the HST turned out in the blocks. It wasn't until I started to sew the blocks together that I realized how careless I was when ironing and sewing the individual blocks. The seams where the blocks intersected were so thick, I would have needed a bulldozer to pull the needle through to quilt them. Most of the blocks will have to be taken apart and resewn. Even though I planned to use it as a first Valentines' Day gift for the newest addition to the family, I didn't have the interest in redoing it. I put it in the pile of items that must be worked on and started to make a string quilt instead.

A few of the fabrics are from my own stash, but most of them came from a giveaway from quilt designer Wendy Shepherd who blogs at Ivory Spring. You might be familiar with her Spring on Bleecker Street quilt along. The free pattern download is still available. Wendy was offering a box of fabric to anyone who was willing to pay for the postage. The box was overflowing. Unfortunately, I was not blogging at the time so I don't have a picture to share. She designs patterns for different fabric companies so the variety was amazing. I have already ripped apart 6 blocks that didn't match well and have a few that still need a row or two removed, but I am going to try to complete the 35 blocks and put the quilt top together as my One Monthly Goal for February There are already 147 quilters linked up and I am joining them over at Elm Street Quilts One MonthlyGoal linky party.

Rainbow Scrap Challenge and More String Blocks

2018-01-28T19:27:00.000-08:00

I promised myself that I would sew something other than string blocks for the Covered In Love String Fling this week. It was a lot harder to resist than I thought it would be. I made 35 string blocks. The Rainbow Scrap Challenge at So Scrappy used light blue for January, but I had to sneak some medium blue into the 7 blue string blocks. I also made a Dresden Plate block with 3.5 inch blades. I didn't fasten it to a fabric base. I am waiting until I have all of the blocks finished so I can decide where each color will be placed.

These are the rest of the string blocks I made this week.

I won some lovely scraps from Erica at Kitchen Table Quilting. Many of them were 2 inch strips so I immediately used them in my string blocks.

I really enjoyed making the string blocks and will probably continue making them throughout February. Hopefully, my scrap pile will be a few inches lower by the time March arrives.
I am linking up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge at So Scrappy and Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework.

Tied Up In Strings

2018-01-21T08:56:00.001-08:00

Yet another week has passed when I have been lured by the call of scraps to play and not work on the baby quilt for my One Monthly Goal project. Kat and Cat Quilts is having her annual String Fling block challenge for Covered In Love. This is a wonderful way to donate blocks or quilts to a special cause run by Kat. She's a nurse who distributes quilts to grieving families in the East Texas hospital where she works with patients near the end of their lives. I'm always on the lookout for ways to use up scraps and this is a "win/win" situation. I lower my giant scrap pile and quilts go to people who are experiencing sorrow in their lives and can use a warm hug. Do stop by her blog and read about her work and donate some blocks. The drive runs through January and February and she is offering 2 jelly rolls as ways to tempt you to help.

I have finished 20 blocks so far and they are definitely addictive.

I'll be whooping it up with Sarah and lots of other great quilters at Confessions of a Fabric Addict and Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework for Oh Scrap. Go over and take a look at what everybody else is working on.

Just A Little Bit Off Track

2018-01-12T10:42:00.002-08:00

This week, I was determined to work on the low volume baby quilt for my January project for One Monthly Goal at Elm Street Quilts. It didn't happen. As I tried to put the blocks together, I saw that I ironed all of them the same way so they wouldn't nest properly. I will have to do some serious unstitching before I can assemble the quilt top. I am currently in the throes of a sinus infection and it hurts to use my brain. Instead, I chose to play with a scrappy "nobrainer" project. The siren call of scraps often pulls me down the rabbit hole.

During the month of June, I was inspired by Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict to Attack My Scraps. I spent weeks cutting ugly fabrics and bits of leftovers into 1.5 x 2.5 inch pieces. I was able to cut some of the larger fabric into 1.5 inch strips which made it a bit easier. I was smitten by a quilt in my LQS Christie's Quilting Boutique.

Christie sews samples for Kate Spain and made the quilt with scraps from a sample quilt she made for Kate's batik line, Paradise. I LOVED the quilt (now sold) and had to make one. Unfortunately, all of that cutting caused Trigger Finger in the middle finger of my right hand. The project lay abandoned until November and was put on further hiatus during the Christmas holidays.

This week, it came out again. My version is composed of years of scraps with no rhyme or reason. It may seem bizarre to start from two opposite corners, but I wasn't sure how large I wanted to make it, I decided I would see how much I liked it before I committed to a size. I love it and have decided to make it large enough to fit my queen size bed. This is truly a labor of love and will be an ongoing project. I'm sleeping in wrist braces to avoid any further damage to my hands, but it is worth it.

I am linking up with Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict so I can get a Whoop, Whoop for my itty bitty scraps and at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework for Oh Scrap! There are lots of great projects on both of their blogs.

One Monthly Finish

2018-01-06T09:25:00.002-08:00

When I wrote my last blog post on January 2, 2017, I sincerely believed that I would be creating lots of great quilts. I thought I would be posting regularly and featuring lots of pictures of my work. I was wrong! I did not complete one thing in 2017.

I did start a few new projects, but I found it difficult to track my progress, or lack there of, as easily as using the blog and a record of what I was doing. I'm not sure how many online quilt alongs, BOMs, or group activities I will take part in, but the first thing I am committing to is One Monthly Goal at Elm Street Quilts.

I'm not going to beat myself up about the amounts of UFOs that lurk in my sewing room. I am hoping to finish one project a month, whether it is new or old. This month, I will be working on a quilt for the new baby daughter of my husband's godchild. The pattern is Baby Go Fly A Kite by Dragonfly Fibers. I've wanted to try making a low volume quilt so I chose the butterfly print from Tanya Whelan's, Zoey's Garden in the pink tone and the white. I found that I needed something to break it up a bit, so I chose a green and white polka dot.

The blocks are finished. There will be a 1.5 inch border of the green dot and a four inch border primarily made of the pink print with some of the white print squares pieced in. You'll have to trust me that the quilt looks a lot better in person. The lighting in my dining room does nothing to flatter it. The quilt finishes at 44 inches square. I'm linking up my baby quilt at One Monthly Goal at Elm Street Quilts.