Quilting Kept Me Sane While I had COVID

For the last 2 weeks I’ve done nothing, gone nowhere and truly ailing with Covid.  Yep, this nurse finally fell ill.  Frankie was not sick and stuck in the house with me.  So we kinda split the house.  Meaning I got my sewing room end.  

 Well I spent hours each day coughing and sleeping.  Then hours sitting in a chair squaring odd things up and cutting. I couldn’t lay down all day and had no energy.  In 2 weeks, I finished a lot of things I had in progress.  Kinda felt good to get things done!! Look at the 25 bowl cozies. Yep, late Christmas presents to my coworkers. 

Then I finished up a few quilts in various stages.  This one I finished the top back in October at the retreat.  It needed to be pinned, quilted and binding added. 

I also finished this hunters star quilt at the same retreat, minus the borders I put on this week. I then pinned and quilted and bond it.

This quilt I pattern tested for someone over 5 years ago. Yes,  I know it’s controversial, but if you look up Richard Rowland Kirkland and his story,  that’s my boys uncle and they are proud of his history.  It’s sat pinned and ready to quilt, years later it’s finally off that 

List.  

Yep, 2020, get things over and done.

Then there is this crazy string quilt I decided to do as part of a challenged quilt program.  I started it back at that retreat and finished the blocks this week. It’s maybe the craziest quilt I’ve ever made.  But the best thing is it’s done!! 

Then on to finish this wreath quilt we started in sewing class.  I did all the appliqué on the edges of the balls. Quilted and bond it! After Christmas, but ready for next year! 

And then the Project Quilting challenge quilt. 

Oh and another runner from class. 

And one I embroidered a while back that I needed to add a border and backing to.  Then the zipper bags.  But I will maybe make that another post. 

And a runner made from my friend Corkies scraps, 

Trip Out West

Project Quilting challenge #3 is a “virtual vacation”.  I had to think about this one, but it wasn’t hard for me to figure out where I really want to go! Out West to a little cottage or ranch as they call it on my grandparents property.  

    But then I didn’t know how to make a quilt describing that.  Suddenly,  I saw 2 stacks of fabric on the counter I was thinking about making a baby quilts for 2 friends out of.  My thought was out west where the wild flowers grow.  A place that even in sorrow, I’ve always been happy.  Well one of those 2 fabrics had cottages on it.  At that moment, I knew what I was making!!  The fabric is from 2011, “Daisy Cottage” by Lori Holt

     Well I knew the fabric I was going to use,  but no idea on a pattern. I emailed my friend Bea of Beaquilter and she sent me a few samples of projects to test.  I decided on her Merengue pattern that she released today.   Here is a link.  It’s on sale right now. 

meringues

  So using my Accuquilt as she called for,  I got on to cutting!! It actually didn’t take long and would have been better if I hadn’t made a mistake. It calls for the 8 inch Qube and I decided to add a third row and make it square.  

The blocks went together quick, especially since she showed them being sewn up in segments.  Then the dashing and border finished it off. 

I pieced the backing from some fabric in the collections. Then quilted it with a mix of loops, swirls and meanders.  

The binding is some yellow of the collection.  The color I used least in the quilt.  

I took the photos on a fence at a park on the way to a baby shower! 

Honestly,  I love Bea’s patterns.  They usually sew together quick like I like!  My only difference from her, is she likes small 6 inch blocks and I like 9 and 12 inch blocks!  Go on over to her page and she has endless Accuquilt patterns! 

January Finishes

This year started with me getting over an illness.  But that also gave me a few days to get a jumpstart on organizing my year and life.  Hoping to do a post every month of my finishes.  From small things to big thing.  I really like keeping records and this blog allows me to look back and see what I have been Able to accomplish!! 

So I started on January 2, 2021 with a list of 31 things and  I was able to finish none of them. Yep, sadly, still behind.  The beginning of the year I take part in project Quilting.  Well,  it take most of my time.  This year I added a quilt along with Jittery wings and Beaquilter.  Then my Quilt Guild commitment. That’s taken up all my time.  So, here’s what I have done:

First finish of the month was the Project Quilting Mystery Challenge.  So happy to say I finished on New Years Day!! 

Next up, 10 bowl Koozies.  Part of my getting on a roll to get rid of scraps.  That includes batting. Yep, cleaning out slowly!! 

Next up, week ones Project Quilting challenge. A boy quilt for my husband’s cousin.  

Then challenge #2 of project Quilting went with my class for the guild.  2 pillows. I already gave away one and tgrr egg other will go to my friend Diana. 

Then of course when teaching you end up with several demos.  So these 2 pillows came from them. But with that, now I have a few scrap projects I need to get too. Adding another project to the list. 

 

February is off to a good start,  but still haven’t hit my UFO list.  Let’s see if I can get at lease one thing off the list this month!!

1- House quilt- lots of pieces and rows together

2- Small old antique embroidery quilt- only the original blocks and fabric pulled.  Plan to box the blocks in, maybe like a log cabin.

3-Harvest Road Quilt- blocks cut, a few pieces sewn together 

4-Debbie row by row- omg, so much to do

5-Rooster on board- one section done.  I think this will be a retreat quilt for this year

6- Pumpkin quilt-  fabrics pulled and all in a box

7- Pineapple place mat- needs to be put together and quilted

8- Jelly roll quilt-  undid it for a race demo in class.  Sewed a few corners and now it’s sittin a box. 

9- Moma quilt- I need to make several of these, but for 2 years,  I’ve had fabric pulled for at least one and sitting in a box. 

10- Sunflower quilt- made with my friends daughters clothes for her kids 

11- Sunflower 2- same as above

12-Sunflower 3- yep, same

13- Bow tie quilt-  I cut a bunch of scrap squared to make this and never did it. 

14- Bea Lea Jumbled Sampler-  Accuquilt quilt fit the year

15- Sewcialites- 12 blocks out of 36 blocks done

16- Ultimate beginner Sampler- needs borders, top done. 

17- T quilt from years ago-  at least 2 blocks done.

18- Stained glass window-  lots of blocks done years old

19- animal embroidery-  needs just a few blocks. 

20- Kaffe embroidery quilt- needs borders.  Top done,  at least 2 years old

21- Yenter embroidery-  needs a few blocks finished

22- batik embroidery-  needs a few blocks finished

23- crown of thorns.  Has a few blocks cut out. Several sewn together 

24- Tree quilt- not started

25- Scrap log cabin quilt- not started

26- Selvedge aqua quilt-  some selvedge blocks done

27- string block quilt-  random sized string blocks 

28- pineapple sampler quilt- 3 blocks started. 

29- batik HST quilt- lesson from class

30- persimmon dreams block of the month

31- Pat Sloan star quilt

32- breast cancer quilt heart scraps

33-

Fussy Cutting Ribbon Hearts

 This weeks Project Quilting Challenge I knew was going to go along with a busy week.  As that to a few other sew alongs I am taking part in and the Quilt Guild Project I am semi in charge of.  Then I am still just not feeling better.  So when the Challenge Came out, I was sooo unsure of what to do. 

   I had already planned a project and pulled the fabric for my Guild Project on Sunday.  I somehow at first thought I  could use this as my weekly project also, then I realized there wasn’t much to fuzzy cut and it wouldn’t be right.  But I loved the fabric...

So, on to pulling out some more fabric.  My Guild project is a Holiday themed small project each month. A month ahead of the holiday.  So next month is Valentines. My counterpart in planning picked an Accuquilt Wonky Heart die.  I then added a square in the square to give my beginning sewers an option a little easier.  They could do a runner, placement or a pillow. 

I fussy cut some breast cancer material that’s probably been in my stash for about 10 years. Leftover from an early quilt and matched it with some pink that was also at least 5 years old.  The ribbon hearts are left floating about the center of the blocks. 

I combined 4 squares and 5 wonky hearts to make the pillow.  This leaves a hidden star in the setting. 

The Wonky heart dies make 2 hearts with rotating colors.  This making 2 of the same, but opposite pillows.  

I backed the pillow top with scrap batting and a piece of polyester blend to quit.  Then quilted the top with loops and simple hearts.  

Sewed on the envelope backing.  Then stitched around the edges to give it an awesome pillow finished look! 2 small projects that make me smile.  Already know who I am giving one of these too!! 

Lake Moultrie Low levels despite the rain

For my first trip out of the house in 2 weeks, Frankie and I took a trip out to the boat landing down the road. Perfect Social Distancing!  

We have been watching the water levels drop.  He’s been riding out there every day.  I have been too sick to leave the house.  

Today,  I felt ok enough to go for a short walk.  

The walk was exhausting but so worth the views.  I have not seen the lake this low since 2008. It actually went lower then this that year, but each time it does,  the view and things you see are amazing.  

We are blessed to live right off the lake and enjoy it all the time.  Well, this area has actually been one of Frankie and I, special places.  We go there too often. A consistent for us for over 25 years. 

All of the amazing cedar stumps still visible there 80 years later.  80 years after they formed the lake. 

The beauty of each.  How smooth and soft they are to touch. 

They are so amazing to just look at sticking up random everywhere we usually take the boat fishing.  

A short pleasant walk that meant the world.  One I really needed and enjoyed.  

Even the few breaks in between.  

The puppy playing 

And the Cypress Knobs/knees.  The big trees system is amazing! 

And I really could go on and on with photos! 

Look at the awesome ridges