Framed Squares Top

It's a top!

Framed Squares

54 x 72

I said I was working on "oldies and biggies" this month and this is one of the oldies. 

I won these Block Lotto blocks back in January 2018.  Although Block Lotto has disbanded the instructions for making the block are still online. 

And sew on...

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CELEBRATE! (my word of the year)

Nov. 20 - I am so thankful for the time you all take to comment. Sometimes I laugh, sometimes I learn more about you, sometimes you give me a big head and sometimes I learn something new. On my last post I mentioned I had a burning rash on my face and thought it was from spider bites. A couple of comments mentioned the possibility of shingles. Well, I did not know you could get shingles on the face but when I read about it I figured out that's what I had. My husband told me the "spider bites" were swollen lymph nodes. I've been to the family doctor and opthamologist and am on the road to recovery thanks to a couple of comments. Thank you! 

FYI -- I've been asked if I got a shingles shot. The answer is no. I have a history of Guillaine Barre Syndrome (GBS) and evidently a shingles shot can trigger GBS so I opt out on the shingles shot. I don't want GBS ever again. So far shingles is a breeze compared to GBS. And even so the shot is only 90% effective in preventing shingles. 

 

Zip-A-Dee-Doo--Dah!

Zip!

It's a finish!

60 x 81

 I think I started making blocks in January 2022. 

The Zip block instructions can be found at Klein Meisje Quilts.

I finished the top July 2023

I quilted it on my sewing machine with vertical lines. 

The binding is scrappy and came out of the leftover binding box. 

The backing is bleeding.

I think this was the quilt from hell. And it is full of cuss words.  I ripped four rows of quilting out because there was a big fold in back.  Then when I went to sew the binding on I noticed that the quilted lines down the middle of the quilt pulled the quilt wonky. I quilt one side top to bottom and then turn the quilt and quilt bottom to top. Well, evidently when I turned the quilt I pulled the quilt wonky when sewing. I couldn't live with it even though I will give the quilt away so ripped out about ten rows of quilting and straightened the best I could and re-quilted. Then...I rarely have bleeding quilts but, of course, this one had to bleed.    In my defense I was not feeling well when working on this. I think a spider or something bit me a couple of times on the face and neck and one whole side of my face had a burning rash. Still today my eye is swollen almost shut, I have swollen glands, the rash is spreading and I have a terrible headache.  So, I think this poor quilt needs to have some good vibes put in it before I pass on this quilt from hell.  Hopefully in a couple more days I'll be back to normal with the help of ice, tylenol and diphenhydramine. 

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CELEBRATE! (my word of the year)

Nov. 17 - Finished a book! Happiness For Beginners by Katherine Center. This book is not my usual type of reading but it was recommended and happened to be available with my kindle unlimited subscription so I decided to read it. I enjoyed the book. It was light reading.

 “The more you register good things,” she went on, “the more you will think about and remember good things.”― Katherine Center, Happiness for Beginners 

Nov. 18 - A gentle rain that brings up the smell of the earth.  A guy who smiled, said "'good morning, ma'am" and held open the door to the grocery store for me. 

Nov. 19 -- This morning my husband John had an appointment with his pulmonologist. Good news! He is the first doctor  out of many many we've had that said there may be something that can be done for his inability to swallow! - speech therapy!  and maybe another esophageal dilation.  He needs to continue with his head and neck physical therapy exercises and continue to gain weight and overall strength and when he goes back for appointment in April the doctor will hopefully have reviewed all of John's records and consult with a few other docs and come up with a treatment plan. John says at this point he'd be happy just to be able to enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning! 

 

Pickle Dish Progress

I've appliqued by hand all 25 of my Pickle Dish blocks to the background. 

I had to piece the background fabric. I'm glad it is a collage. You can't really tell it is pieced.  I love that Tim Holtz background fabric. It was on sale at 40 % discount at Hobby Lobby many years ago so I bought several yards. 

Now I have to decide on fabric to use in the borders. 

I'm making this unusual Pickle Dish quilt from the book Making Quilts by Kathy Doughty. 

And sew on...

Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts

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CELEBRATE! (my word of the year)

Nov. 14 - Finished a book! Smoked Out by Jeff Carson. It's a mystery thriller and page turner and #6 in the David Wolf series. Who killed David Wolf's ex-wife? Who framed David Wolf for the murder and why?

Nov. 15 - A beautiful supermoon, Beaver Moon, lit up the night sky. 

Nov. 16 - Leaves! I really have the urge to rake up a pile of them to jump into. I would if they weren't so wet with dew. One of these days (hopefully!) I will rake some up and put in garbage bags to make leaf mold for the gardens. 

 

Old Forest, New Growth

Tree of Life

12 inch block

with a leaf out of place. Ooops!

An old post records that I started making these in February 2015.  

In 2015 I made 12 blocks. 

In 2018 my forest grew 6 more trees. 

This week I made these 7 trees and after I fix two blocks I'll assemble the top because this month in my sewing space the theme to move UFOs forward is "oldies and biggies".   This is definitely an oldie. It will be nice to empty this box that had 18 blocks plus leafy fabrics plus a few tree trunk fabrics and blue solids. 

And sew on...

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CELEBRATE! (my word of the year)

Nov. 13 - I received another shipment of seeds from two different companies.  I'm getting ready for some winter sowing in January. A lot of this batch of seeds is for my new Goth/Moonlight Garden that I hope will be full of mostly black and white flowers with a few pops of pink.   My oldest son, father of my granddaughter Kayla who passed away unexpectedly several years ago was suffering a severe bought of depression after her death. Then he had a wound on his foot that would not heal and found out he was diabetic and had to have part of his foot amputated. Then he became even more depressed. One day I mentioned to him that I was thinking of clearing an area out back that had become overgrown with mostly honeysuckle, stinging nettle, black raspberries and wild grape. I told him the reason I wanted to clear it was for a Goth/Moonlight garden in memory of Kayla who was "perky goth".  I have been watching a couple of British gardening shows where they frequently visit community gardens aimed at helping folks with both physical and mental illnesses and I know that gardening certainly keeps me grounded (haha) so I thought I'd tell him I needed his help with the project. He was eager to help and ended up clearing the whole area himself. He worked on it a little each day. After that he asked me for more outside chores and his attitude and appearance have changed a bit.

 

It's A Finish! Coin Toss

It's a finish! 

Coin Toss

65 x 80

I made the top back in 2021. I used up a pile of 3 inch width scraps plus some quilt back trimmings. 

Long strips got matched up and sewn into strip sets and then cut into 5.5 inch lengths and then were sewn together again to make a "block".   Blocks ended up different lengths.   Any smaller 3 inch width scraps got cut into 3 x 5.5 inch rectangles and I used those to separate the columns of "blocks". 

I quilted it with vertical lines on my sewing machine (Brother PQ1500SL). 

The binding is scrappy - leftover pieces of binding. 

And here's the back!

And sew on...

Finished Or Not Finished Friday at Alycia Quilts

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CELEBRATE! (my word of the year)

Nov. 10 - I slept in my bed for the first time in about a year!  My husband John is on a feeding pump because he cannot swallow. He has to take in the formula and water slowly over a period of 12 hours or else aspiration becomes a problem and he can end up with aspiration pneumonia again. While he is on the pump and for several hours afterwards he has to be in an upright position - again, to avoid aspiration - so he sleeps in his recliner. He hooks up to the pump in the late afternoon so he can do some physical therapy exercises and try to be a little more active while he continues to build strength and gain a little strength.  So, anyway...I have been sleeping on the couch near his recliner since last year in order to help him get unhooked, get up to help him to bathroom, add food to his bag, get him suction device if needed, etc.   Last year at this time he could not get up out of a chair or walk without walker or set up his pump. For the last month he has not needed my help at all during the evenings and he can do everything by himself. So, from now on I will be sleeping in my bed and not on the couch! (But I saw a mouse in the bedroom when I was getting ready for bed last night so I might end up sleeping with John in the recliner if I don't trap it soon!)

Nov. 11 - Veteran's Day! We have several deceased and living veterans in our family. God bless them all!

Nov. 12 - A box of scraps and orphan blocks arrived from Gail and a box of novelty scraps and yardage arrived from Cheryl. Oh happy day! 

 

It's A Finish! Valued Coins

It's a finish!

Valued Coins

63 x 76

Back in 2021 I cleaned up some 2.5 and 3.5 inch width scraps, cut 2.5 x 3.5 rectangles and made a couple of different "valued" tops. 

To make this type of quilt I had to decide upon size and then have all the pieces cut  and sorted by value before the sewing began. 

I quilted it with vertical lines on my sewing machine (Brother PQ1500SL). 

The binding is a floral. The backing is a gently used sheet from the thrift store. 

And sew on...

CELEBRATE! (My word of the year)

Nov. 9 -- Another book finished!  - A mystery thriller  - Cold Lake by Jeff Carson. It is book #5 in the David Wolf series. I've read the previous 4 books in the series in the past. After I finished this one I started right away on book #6 in the series.  

 

Biased Pickle Dishes

 

Back in 2017 I pieced 25 Pickle Dish blocks. 

I was working toward making the quilt Pickle Dishes from Making Quilts by Kathy Doughty.  The next step according to the instructions was to make 1/4 inch single fold bias tape and apply it to the blocks.  I never got around to making the single folk bias tape because I had never made bias tape before and I wasn't sure how much fabric I needed for 26 yards? and wasn't sure how to cut it on the bias and wasn't sure how wide to cut the pieces. I did look at a lot of tutorials; however, something in the back of my mind said 1/4 inch single fold bias tape was just not the right thing to add to the Pickle Dishes - maybe if the bias was folded entirely to the back and none of it showed on the front before appliqueing to background that would work but there was just not enough bias tape for it to show on front as well as be turned to back if I used 1/4 single fold.  So with all the confusion I stuck the blocks and possible bias fabric and background fabric into a large shoe box and put it on a shelf. 

Well, I got out the box and looked at everything again now that I am a little wiser about cutting and making bias tape. (See yesterday's post about that).  I cut a piece of the terra cotta colored fabric I had set aside for the Pickle Dish binding, cut 1 inch strips on the bias and made 1/4 inch DOUBLE FOLD (not single like the pattern suggested) and added it to all 25 blocks then ironed it under so it was read for appliqueing to the background fabric.

Long ago I decided on the terra cotta fabric because I figured the blocks were all florals and all flowers look prettty good in a terra cotta pot. 

My next step was to prepare the background. I didn't have 60 inch fabric so had to piece it. I'm glad I measured how much length I needed with five Pickle Dishes going down the length of the quilt because if I had followed the directions my background would have been too short. 

And now I have started to applique the blocks to the background. 

This month the theme in my sewing space to move UFOs forward is "Oldies and Biggies".  This is definitely an oldie! 

And sew on...

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CELEBRATE! (my word of the year)

Nov. 7 - Some new seeds arrived for my Native Wildflower garden. Some were on sale. Most all of them take 60 days of cold stratification so I will be starting these outside in pots or milk jugs on the deck in January.   Hubby took a big interest in growing different types of milkweed so I am glad to put him in charge of that and hope by planting time he will be strong enough to help with that. 

Nov. 8 - I already have something to celebrate today...electricity! The power was out for a couple of hours due to an equipment failure somewhere along the line. I sat by a window so I had some light to sew down a quilt binding. 

Bramble Blooms II Update - Bias Vines and Wild Roses

On my last Bramble Blooms post I said:

"Ok. So, I've never added an applique border let alone an improv appliqued  border. So, I've never made a bias vine or bias binding for anything.  I know it is recommended that the applique be done before it is added to the quilt; however, I don't think I can do that so I've gone and added the border - that lime green, pink and white floral. I'm thinking I will applique some vining roses going around the corners. That means I will make some bias vines for the first time and add some needle turned rose leaves. And then, I hope to add some ruched roses if I can remember how to make them from those days long ago when I used to do quite a bit of crazy quilting.  If my ruched roses don't turn out then I might try some broderie perse roses.   So, if I get as far as rambling roses in my corners then I might add some butterflies to the rest of the border. Or not. "

Since that post a week ago I have made some bias vine for the first time ever following Audrey's (Quilt Folk) instructions. It's a little wider than I wanted but it will do for now because I made a lot of it. I wasn't sure how much vine I needed. 

Then I made some templates for leaves and wild roses and did some needle turn applique after I laid all my pieces out and pinned them to one corner of the quilt. I made one ruched rose but didn't like how it looked so didn't use my original plan. I was thinking of adding broderie perse roses but when I looked at appropriate fabrics I didn't want to cut out a few roses from any fabric.  This is an improv learn-and-try-new-things kind of quilt so I might make a few mistakes or end up with something I'm not quite in love with but I will be wiser I guess. 

Now I have three more corners to go! 

I have to say that cutting bias strips/making bias vines or binding is a whole lot easier than I imagined. I was always afraid to try cutting a piece of fabric on the bias for fear I would waste a piece of fabric and end up with a mess.  And now that I kind of know what I'm doing I have also been able to move another  really old UFO forward. More on that later...maybe tomorrow. 

And sew on...

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CELEBRATE! (My word of the year)

Nov. 6 - Hand stitching in the evenings. 

 

Batik Bazaar Finished !

Batik Bazaar

72 x 96

It's a finish! 

I made the top waaaaaay back in 2019. 

 These 24 inch Massachusetts block instructions can be found at Quilter's Cache. 

The centers of these blocks, framed four patches, were leftovers from a long ago swap.  The Massachusetts block calls for an 8.5 inch center so I used a framed four patch instead. 

I quilted it on my sewing machine with vertical lines in a variegated green thread. 

The backing is a floral on black and the binding is a woven look black. 

My theme to move UFOs forward this month in the sewing space is "Oldies and Biggies" and this one fits both categories. 

And sew on...

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CELEBRATE! (My word of the year)

Nov. 2 - Finished a book - The Hit by David Baldacci.  The second mystery thriller book in the Will Robie, U.S. government assassin, series. 

Nov. 3 - Added an hour to my day! 

Nov. 4 - Received a box of goodies from Cindy - beautiful comfort quilt tops with backings, bindings  and thread. (Not sure I will be able to complete them and get them donated until next year). 

Nov. 5 - 

...From the mountains

To the prairies
To the oceans
White with foam
God bless America
My home sweet home.

 

Bits and Pieces

Sixteen Patches

6 inch 

Made with 2 inch width scraps in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) color of the month plus green scraps.   

While sorting scraps I throw anything suitable for these blocks into the project box. I try to sew them up right away whenever I have scraps; however, I have been blessed with quite a few scraps this year so I sewed up some of what was in the box. Otherwise for RSC blocks I cut off a 2 inch strip from a small scrap chunk in the color of the month each month to make blocks. I'm aiming for a 60 x 72 block quilt so need quite a few more so this block will continue as a RSC project again next year.  

Sawtooth Stars

10.5 inch

Made with 3 inch scraps in orange, purple and green. 

In September I emptied out most of a big box of 3 inch width scraps and squares. One of the quilts I didn't have enough scraps for was this one. I put the pieces I did have in a baggie and this week I found scraps in appropriate colors as well as some 5.5 inch centers and completed the 35 blocks for this block set so now it will go into the SAR - Some Assembly Required box - to be assembled at a later date.

November's theme in my sewing space is "Oldies and Biggies".  I hope to move some very old UFOs forward and to quilt some of the bigger quilts in the TBQ - to be quilted pile. 

And sew on...

RSC ScrapHappy Saturday

NOTE - I spent quite awhile replying to comments on my last two blog posts only to notice the replies were going into thin air and not to the commenters. Something has changed with Google blogger. When someone commented it was published right away and then I received an email with the comment so I could reply via email if the commenter had their email addy visible on their profile. Well, the last couple of days no one's email came with the comments to my email even if their addy was visible on their profile. I just noticed the problem.   I have enabled comment moderation to see if that makes a difference although I doubt it will.  🙁

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CELEBRATE! (my word of the year)

Nov 1 - Quote I like - "The secret, Alice, is to surround yourself with people who make your heart smile. It is then, only then, that you will find Wonderland". - Mad Hatter (Lewis Carroll)

Also...I am so happy that I have been able to get some things ready for hand quilting, applique, embroidery, etc. It's been a long time!  I really need to be able to do something with my hands in the evenings; however, with my husband John being ill for so long I've just not found the time until very recently.