It's A Finish! Peaceful Pineapple

It's a finish!

Peaceful Pineapple

68 x 68

The pattern is Shiloh from the book The Best of Fons and Porter Scrap Quilts and was inspired by a civil war era quilt in the Smithsonian. 

In 2023 when hubby was in and out of the hospital and I had to stay close to him while he was recouperating I looked through a bunch of quilting books and bookmarked and then started several quilts.   This one was started in December 2023. 

This was one of the quilts that I thought would work well with some patriotic print scraps. After I used up most of those I added in other red, white and blue scraps. I finished the top in June 2024.  I didn't think the name "Shiloh" fit my quilt so I first started calling it "Patriotic Pineapple" since it is a Pineapple Log Cabin quilt in the patriotic colors of red, white and blue. Later I looked up the word Shiloh and saw it was a "Hebrew name meaning peaceful or tranquil" so liked "Peaceful Pineapple" for the name of my quilt. 

I big stitch hand quilted it with blue and white perle cotton #8.  I started the hand quilting back in February when the theme in my sewing space to move UFOs forward was "Log Cabins and variations". 

And I've been working on it while once again hubby is experiencing health issues and pain. I've been trying to get help for him and coordinate care between dental, medical and oral surgeons and am growing increasingly frustrated. The words "osteomyelitis, osteoradionecrosis of jaw (ORNJ), bone fragments" describe what he is currently dealing with. 

Binding the zigzag sides was not fun but I finally got it finished too.  

The back.

And sew on...

Finished Or Not Finished Friday at Alycia Quilts

***

I mentioned that my husband is once again experiencing health issues. He can't talk because of his jaw problem so I've been doing all the talking for him and a lot of talking I have been doing! I mentioned my frustration and I have to say one way I deal with that so I'm not angry (which is not good for my health) all the time at the sad state of healthcare(less) today is to sew or read or garden. 

I'll give one example of what I deal with...

Hubby can't swallow and has a G-tube. Whenever doc prescribes something new I always say "do you remember he has a G-tube so it needs to be in liquid form or able to be crushed?".  Then when I pick up a new prescription I always ask the pharmacist "can this be crushed and put in a G-tube?".  "Yes" is always the reply and I get a look like I'm crazy to ask.   Then I get home and read the drug insert and see "do not crush", "do not put in G-tube".  Oh, the frustration! 

***

On another note Kathy S. sent me a surprise box of goodies. Going through scraps is another good way to soothe the soul! 

What's In The Hoop?

I've been big stitch hand quilting this one for over a month now. I've been stitching on it in the evenings after dinner and before bed while watching TV with hubby. I'm a little over half finished. 

I made the top back in June 2024 to use up red, white and blue scraps. 

The pattern is Shiloh from the book The Best of Fons and Porter Scrap Quilts and was inspired by a civil war era quilt in the Smithsonian. 

And sew on...

Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts

***

Blizzard warning in effect starting this evening through Monday afternoon - up to 50 mph winds, 3-5 inches of snow and freezing temps.  And I just started seeing tulips and daffodils popping up out of the ground. Hopefully they will survive Mother Nature's moods. 

 

Courthouse Steps Log Cabin - A Hand Quilted Finish

 

It's a finish!

Courthouse Steps

60 x 80

I used civil war reproduction scraps to make the blocks.  The top was finished in March 2021. 

I big stitch hand quilted it with pink, brown and ecru perle cotton #8.

The quilting makes a design on the solid burgundy back. And the burgundy solid sure picks up a lot of stray threads!

And sew on...

Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts

Oh Scrap! at Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework

What's In The Hoop?

What's in the hoop?

Log Cabin 

I am big stitch hand quilting it with pink, ecru and brown perle cotton.

. I used civil war reproduction scraps to make the blocks. I assembled the top back in 2021. 

I think I have finished stitching more than half the quilt. I stitch about an hour or so each night after dinner. 

The theme in my sewing space this month has been "log cabins and variations" so that's how this top got picked for the hoop.

And sew on...

Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts

Oh Scrap! at Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework

 

String Star Finish

It's a finish!

String Stars

48.5 x 65

I started making the Stars in 2024 to use up shorter strings.  I finished the top in February 2025.

I used Corey Yoder's templates for the Stars. 

I big stitch hand quilted it with navy perle cotton thread #8. 

The back.

And sew on...

Finished Or Not Finished Friday at Alycia Quilts

***

I forgot to mention that on Saturday I received some FQ winnings from the Stashbuster's UFO Challenge fourth quarter 2025 random drawing.  If you have a lot of UFOs like I do the UFO Challenge is a good way to get them finished and/or move them forward. Two FQs and $1 is the entry fee. Name gets put on a list. As people complete UFOs name goes to the bottom of the list and name goes into quarterly drawing pot. It is never too late to enter if you care to join us. 

***

I know it's going to be a crappy day today...colon prep day! Colonoscopy tomorrow!

 

Slow Stitching

 

String Star

I finally have a quilt in the hoop so I can do some big stitch quilting in the evening before bed. 

Quartet of Birds

Crewel embroidery decorative pillow. I am working on the third of four birds. 

Binding

Both of those slow stitching projects have been on hold while I hand stitch the binding on my Lego quilt. 

And sew on...

Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts

It's A Finish! Waffle Cone Roses

 

It's a finish!

Waffle Cone Roses

51 x 63

I can't believe I finished the top back in December 2021. I guess it has been that many years that I have worked with rose themed fabrics in December because I love roses and the quote by J.M. Barrie, "God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December."

Waffle Cone was a free quilt pattern when I made this. Now I see that the link I previously gave for the pattern is broken. 

I big stitch hand quilted it with a variety of different brown perle cottons. I used some stencils I had on hand and a pounce pad with chalk for marking. Some of my stencils I have for hand quilting don't work well with big stitching so I didn't add butterflies; however, I did work in some dragonflies as you can sort of see here.

I liked this pattern for some big prints as well as some smaller scraps. 

I love how I can feel all the fabrics soften as more and more big stitches are added.

And I love to be covered in roses. 

Back and binding.

And sew on...

Reflecting today on all I am thankful for. The list is long. Hope yours is too. 

Big Stitching and Cross Stitching

 

I have been big stitching on my Waffle Cone Roses quilt. I am almost finished with the quilting and hope to have it finished by month end. 

I have a whole lot of different craft supplies I accumulated before I retired several years ago. I decided to look through the boxes to remind myself of all the things I am supposed to be doing in my retirement. I used to make Christmas ornaments every year with my kids and then with my grandkids but it has been at least seven years since I have had anyone to make ornaments with. Well, anyway...I have collected all sorts of cross stitch ornament kits from thrift stores and on clearance. I decided to work on finishing some of the ornies. 

I decided to start out working with these from the thrift store. The Holly Days was almost complete and I just had to finish a few stitches and mount it in the ornament. The Christmas tree green was half stitched but in the wrong color green. I went ahead and finished the ornament using the wrong green. The stocking ornie was not even opened so I opened it and finished it. Santa had the flesh of his face stitched but that was it. I am working on that one now.

I don't do any decorating for the holidays anymore so decided to use the ornaments as I finish them as bowl fillers. I am using a Goofus Glass bowl that was my great grandmother's to display them. Maybe it will be full by month end and maybe one craft supply box will be emptied. And anyone that stops by and wants to grab an ornament or two may do so. 

If I decide I like the bowl filler idea I might use the floss and aida cloth in my supplies to make bowl fillers for all occasions. I have this book of little cross stitch designs I can use. 

I used to use waste canvas to cross stitch little things on bibs, kid's clothes, gift jar lid covers, etc. There's a lot of cute, quick and easy little things in there to stitch. 

And sew on...

Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts

What's In The Hoop?

 

I finally, now that it is cooler, have something in the hoop again for hand quilting. I am big stitching on Waffle Cone Roses, a top I finished back in December 2021. It is another quilt for my collection of quilts featuring rose fabrics. 

In the big print rose sections I am using a stencil and pounce pad to mark. I am not sure yet if that will be enough quilting for those sections. I will decide if I need to add more after I finish quilting more sections. 

There are several large triangular sections. I'm not sure yet how I will quilt those areas.

In the sections with strips I quilted along the seams. 

And sew on...

Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts

***

And speaking of roses...I can't believe I still have some roses in bloom in November!

I also have a few other flowers still in bloom too.

Helenium (Sneezeweed)

Cosmos

Calendula

Sedum

But most things are going to seed. Some seeds I collect. Some seeds the birds collect. Some seeds blow in the wind. I think I love the earthy tones of Autumn in the gardens as much as I love the bright colors of Summer and the cooler colors of Spring.

Chive seed heads

Milkweed

Hydrangea

***

One of my brothers lives near Nashville. They must do a lot of filming there. Since he retired a few years ago he has been an extra in a few movies and lately a TV show 9-1-1 Nashville.  I have no way to view the show. He was evidently in the last episode.

My brother is the diner seated by the window looking this way!

***

I finished a book! The Lion's Den by Eoin Dempsey. It is book one of a series of six books. Unable to find much work during the Depression a widower with four children moves his family to Berlin to manage his ailing uncle's factory at a time just before Hitler's rise to power. It was a little repetitive in spots and sometimes slow moving. It also ended abruptly so I guess I will have to read the next book in the series. 

***

I received a package of beautiful fabrics from Julie. Oh happy day! I spy some gorgeous quilt backs!