Catching up...

Since we were gone most of last week I got a bit behind on my blocks.  So the last couple of days I've been focusing on getting them made and pictures posted in Flicker and EQ.

This is the second block from the Block Base Sew Along.   I'm making these blocks to finish at 4" so these pieces were very very tiny!!  
I did use foundation piecing to get them done but even then it was very tedious and slow.   We have been assured that the next block will be a bit easier.  lol


And now on to the Grandmother's Choice blocks.  These are a weekly block so I needed to catch up with two.

The first one is #8 Rocky Road to Kansas...
It is similar to #2 Amethyst except this *star* is strip pieced (or stripe fabric used as I did).  I just wasn't up to all that sewing so I took the easy way out.  lol

And the second block I made to get caught up was #9 Brick Pavement.  It was so enjoyable to just sew a simple block and not have to worry about Y seams or complicated points and seams to match up.  This block was straight and simple and fun!  A very nice breather.

I hope you're having a great day. Glad you stopped by.....Linda

My Bows & Boughs

I have made some progress on my Christmas quilt even though I've had a bit of a set-back with the sashing blocks.  Somehow I got the size of block needed mixed up in my head   and originally cut them ½" too large.
I realized as soon as I had the first sashing strip sewn together and up on the wall that something was wrong.  Way too long!!!     Sooooo I've been re-cutting the squares down to the correct size.

And in between re-cutting I have also spent what seemed like days (OK so it was really only hours) rearranging the trees and package blocks so they would all play nice.
But you know how that goes.... move one and two more have to move because they're to close to the same fabric.   And before I knew it I had probably moved every block at least once.  And more than likely 2 or 3 times.  Sheesh!!

And now.... since it's Monday here is my Design Wall this week.  I still have to make the two side borders and a bottom border out of the blocks and then I'll add another 5" border.   I'm not sure yet whether I'll use red or green for those borders.  I'll decide when I have all the border blocks made.

To the right of the Christmas quilt are my Grandmother's Choice 8" blocks.  And to the left are my two little 4" Block Base Sew Along blocks and you can see Carol Doak's 12" paper-piecing blocks.

I'm heading over to Judy's Patchwork Times to link up to her Design Wall Monday and to check what others have been up too.  See you there?

I hope you're having a great day. Glad you stopped by.....Linda

We're Back Home....

We went to see all of the kids over the weekend and had a marvelous time.
Two of the three *Greats* had a soccer game the last evening we were there so that was an added treat.   Then the rain was threatening and the lightning lit up so the games were called.  But at least we still got to admire the talent of our super little soccer players.  Aren't they just the most adorable kids you've ever seen?    I know!!  I think so too!!!

We were able to share Michael's 30th birthday with him.  (I don't know how that many years has happened)     He and Evelin cooked us a scrumptious meal Friday evening.  It was the beginning of the eating and eating and eating!  

We did a lot of shopping and then eating out and more shopping and then more eating.  As a reward for all the hard shopping we were doing each day we stopped at Small Cakes.  And OMGosh!  What a yummy reward.    In all reality though.... we could only treat ourselves twice.  And then we had to shop it off.  lol

I have to share this story about the wild turkey that lives near Deb & Jim's house.  There is a small business on the highway that is a few blocks away and this turkey has been living in the woods behind this business.  He has become quite the celebrity around the Joplin area.
So of course they took us by to see the turkey.  He's a very vocal turkey and quite inquisitive.
 
Here..... let me just show you....

Don was 'talking' to him and he was gobbling right back at him.  Deb had gotten out of the car and was taking this picture.  The turkey decided he would go around the car to the other side (where Deb had left the car door open)  So that was enough for Deb.  She quickly ran around to get in the car before the turkey.  It was a photo finish!!  hahaha

He stayed right outside my door for the longest time making his little turkey noises. And then,  when we decided to go, he was following us out of the parking lot until he got to the highway and then he stopped.

   Almost every time we would go somewhere we would drive by to see if he was out and  about.  And he usually was.  

He was fun to watch.  

So now that I've managed to get the unpacking done and all the shopping stuff have found a home..... I'm ready to get back to my sewing.

I hope you're having a great day. Glad you stopped by.....Linda

Grandmother's Choice.... #7 Alice's Flag

One more block made and this one I combined piecing and applique'.   First I pieced the star and then turned under the edge all around and applique'd it to the pieced background.    
I don't know what I was doing with that little bottom point though.  I guess I thought the star needed to look like it was dancing.  haha   It's a happy little star isn't it?

Please go to Barbara Brackmans Grandmother's Choice blog to read about the history this block represents.  I could try to condense it here but I just don't thing that would do it justice.   Take a few moments and read THIS.

I hope you're having a great day. Glad you stopped by.....Linda

Design Wall …. Leisurely Race to Christmas

WooHoo!!!  All trees and packages are made and up on the wall.  They may (or may not) stay in this layout but at least they are finished.   Now to start working on the sashing and inner border blocks. 

And I'm heading over to Judy's Design Wall Monday post to link up.  Why don't you join me there.

Grandmother’s Choice block….#6

Today I decided to get this block made so I can relax the rest of the week without it nagging to get done.     Each week I look forward to a new block to come out on Saturday morning on Barbara Brackman’s blog:  Grandmother’s Choice.    She has done such a wonderful job of pulling together these blocks for us.  But even more important I think is the wonderful history she is sharing with us all.  If you haven’t been to her blog yet please go check it out. 

Here’s my rendition of #6 Aunt Eliza’s Star.   Even though this would have been a simple block to piece I chose to paper-piece it.  I’ve fallen in love with paper-piecing so if I can do it simply then I’m all for it right now.  With the BOM from Carol Doak and now my Christmas Bows & Boughs all being paper-pieced I’m sure getting a lot of practice.                   

Leisurely Turtle Race to Christmas….

….with Squirrels Allowed  :o)

Trees.  Trees.  And more trees.  Oh and one package.  Saturday I started paper-piecing some of the trees and yesterday I finished the rest of them.   And before I stopped for the day I did get one of the small packages done just to see how it looked. 


Grab your cup and let's go over to Judy's Design Wall Monday to see what others have been up to.
Have a great day!  
Glad you stopped by. 

Block Base Sew Along….

The first block has been posted and I’ve made a decision about the size of block that I’ll be making for this project.  Since I’m committed to the 12” Carol Doak paper-pieced BOM and the 8” Grandmothers Choice weekly, I think 4” will be fun for these blocks.  With these 12 blocks I’ll be able to use them set together with sashings for a table topper or a buffet runner. 
I foundation pieced this first one and just grabbed odd pieces of scraps from my overflowing scrap drawer.  I’m planning to go scrappy (Fall colors) but I don’t anticipate they will clear out much fabric as small as these blocks are. 

All three of the blocks for this week/month. 

Have a great day! 
Glad you stopped by.  

I won….

along with my trusty seam ripper!  This block has now been correctly sewn and pressed and it’s looking good.  Actually there’s more to this story than I’ve shared so far.    So I guess I’ll fess up…. after I had completed the first two corner sections, I forgot how the block was supposed to fit together.  (actually I just ignored the directions)  ;o(    So I proceeded to match the points and seams on those two corner sections and since they looked so good together I sewed them.   When I opened them up the border seam didn’t quite match.  So…. I ripped it out!  Re-sewed it.  It matched perfectly!  It looked sooooo good!   (I should have taken a pic) 
UNTIL I CHECKED THE PATTERN!!! 
Yep!  I ripped it out! 

Then I flipped the corner/sashing/corner section and sewed it to the middle sashing wrong! 
By this time my seam ripper is starting to get a little dull.  lol
So when I tell you that there is a bit of worn ugliness on the back I’m sure you can imagine.
But the front looks great.  And done is good

Christmas Snuggle

 For the last couple of weeks I've been searching for a Christmas quilt pattern that wouldn't be too fancy or take too long to make.  I bet I've chosen at least a dozen different ones.  And each one I've chosen turns out to not be ‘the one’ after all. 

So I move on and look for something else. 
Well, now I've found ‘the one’!  And this one will be exactly what I was looking for.  Finally!

It’s called Bows & Boughs and designed by Heidi Kory.  It’s a free download from EQ7 and the size is about 25.5 X 49.0 without borders.   You can find it in the Project downloads at Do You EQ (if you have EQ that is)
But I wanted something much larger so in EQ I started adding several more blocks and a 5” border until it became the size I want.   Mine will end up being around 55”x70”  by the time I get it finished.  A nice snuggle size!!

There are Good days…..

And then there are bad days when some things just do not work out right. 
Where is that dang seam ripper???
Oh yes!!  Close by for ready use!!  Sheesh!! 

Design Wall Monday…

The other day I said Bye Bye to the Walk About as I took it off the design wall so I could concentrate on other things.  It just wasn't exciting me much right now so I've folded it up nicely and put it away in the UFO tote (maybe to be seen at a later date)

This is the latest block I've been working on.   #5 New Jersey of Grandmother’s Choice.  These are 8” blocks and I’m so enjoying making them.  I made this one by foundation piecing.  After the difficult block last week I needed something more comfortable.  haha  Instead of looking at the Walk About I’m now putting all of my blocks up on my wall.   It helps a lot to have them all there so I can asses what colors I should work with next.   Looks like the bluish purple could be my next choice.  
If you would like to see some fabulous blocks just check on the Flicker group.
And head on over to Judy’s Design Wall to see what others have been working on.