2014 Goals

     This year I am going to do "A Year of Lovely Finishes" challenge.  Every time I think of something I add it to my list and my goal is to  try to complete it all in 2014.  Looking at this list I have one thing to finish every 2 weeks of the year.  I think I might be very busy!  Even though I said I was not going to rush myself and I was going to do other things this year I want to do as much of this as I can!! Wish me luck in the mostly quilt world!!!

1- Scrappy Quilt around the world

2- string quilt

3- crab quilt

4- Rainbow quilt

5- Jean scrap quilt

6- Cindy's moms quilt

7- I spy quilt boy

8- I spy quilt girl

9- Christmas I spy quilt

10- Christmas Tree quilt

11- Cival War Quilt

12- Batik Quilt

13- 2 inch strip quilt

14- breast cancer quilt

15- Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt

16- feed sack quilt

17- rainboot quilt

18- design a block for Persimon Dreams Blog

19- Floor Pillow

20- 37 sunflower blocks

21- Autism quilt for Michael

22- Crown royal Quilt

23- Herbie pocket quilt

24- Karen quilt

25- Herbie Scrap quilt

26- Project Quilt all weeks

27- Bejeweled Quilt

28- Project Quilt bonus challenge. 

29- Project Quilt Monthly Challanges

30- Finish 20 more Ahhhh's

     If you want to participate, come look here  http://fiberofallsorts.blogspot.com/p/2014-lovely-year-of-finishes.html?m=1

I am doing this and Project quilt this year.  I might Squeeze in a thing or 2 more,  but I think this will keep me pretty booked!!

     This month I will do at least 3 things.  I need to finish my sunflower blocks and due 2 quilts for project Quilt.  I am kinda hoping that at least 1 of my planned projects will match the theme of project quilt this month, that way I can knock something off my list!!!

     Come join me this weekend in the begining of Project Quilt!! It posts at noon Sunday.  I work every night till Thursday so I will have 3 days to finish, wish me luck!!  Oh and check Project Quilt out!! Kim at Persimon Dreams hosts it every year in January with the guidance of her mother in law.  I finish so many projects with this challenge.  Go check it out!!!

http://www.persimondreams.com/project-quilting/what-is-project-quilting

You Can't Find Good Neighbors Anymore

  

      Today we celebrate my neighbors 75th Birthday. Mrs Sarah Wadford has been our neighbor for a few years.  Her and her children have become family to us.  My boys call her Ma Ma.  She treats them as if they are her grands. They impose themselves on holidays and think they belong at her house for Sunday Dinners.  I could never ask for a better neighbor.  Not to mention the rest of her family.  My boys really do think sometimes they are Wadford's!!  And I don't mind.  My neighbors have taught them so many morals!!    

     

     

     Here is a picture of her and her cake that her daughter Amne made!  Anne is one of the most genuine people I know and I not only have her as a neighbor, but also as a coworker!!

     And here is her daughter in law Julie.  She is truly my kids second Mom!!!  Anne did such a good job on this cake!!!

     Here Mrs Sarah is opening up her quilt!! Love the gift of giving!!!

 And a photo of the backing.  I had a goal  of buying nothing for my scrappy quilts.  I want to try to do 6 in 2014.  Clean out all my old and leftover fabric!!

     I have been saving all of my scrap fabric for about 2 years.   All the leftovers from my dresses and outfits and quilts.  I just kept putting them in a bin.  When the bin filled up,  I cut blocks out in sizes between 2 inches and 6 inches.  I saved the strings and a the odd shaped scraps to make this. 

     I saw a tutorial on Bonnie Hunters Quiltville blog on string quilts and I knew older people know the value of scraps.  So I knew that this would be perfect for Mrs Sarah.  So I cut 6 1/2 inch squares out of wax and parchment paper.  It's just what I had and built off of that. For the last month I sewed a few blocks a day when I had time.  I used my 1/4 inch foot.  Then I did a marathon finish this week.  80 blocks in the quilt with at least 10 different fabrics in each. I did not use any plan in sewing them colorwise. I squared all the blocks off and made 6 inch squares.  I pulled the paper off the back.  Be careful when you do this, they tend to try and come apart.  I sewed them together using a 1/2 inch foot.  That way all the looser sides were secured.

 

 

    I used a diamond pattern in the center that went out to make a larger diamond image. I made it 8 blocks wide and 10 tall.  When I sewed all the blocks together I gave my son and husband a choice of colored boarders and they chose the yellow.  The boarders are 3 1/2 inches finished.  I decided that since Mrs Sarah use to work in the cafeterias at the St Stephen schools and their colors or yellow and blue I would use blue thread to free motion quilt it.  I FMQ the quilt in a diamond patterns in a continuous diamond starting in the center. 

     I backed it in some fabric I bought for cheap in bulk from another quilter.  I binded it in a bunch of scrappy binding that was made of leftovers. I machine sewed the binding down.  I put a cute limbed pattern on the binding.  I hand sewed down a label on the back. This is a new thing I am doing.  I am using a lettering thing on my machine to write a small note 

     I will do a few things different when I do it again, but I am excited to get started on my next scrap quilt!  I used the old tractor as a back drop! Think I might also find some new objects to use as photo props!!!

Mug Rug Swap

     I took part in a mug rug swap in a group on Facebook.  This was for a winter or Christmas mug rug.  My swap partner chose winter.  Winter theme and I was yet to pull out my Christmas winter fabric.  So I actually went to the store and bought fabric.  Do you know how hard it was to choose something in the store?  I was trying to stay nondenominational.  And when I found fabric I liked I could not find stuff to go with it. So after walking aisles of fabric I made a choice to go a conservative route. I sewed three 2 inch strips together and then realized I could not flip them. So I sewed 2 groups together and took one off the end.  I made three rows and sewed a block of snow fabric on the end.  They ended up to be 8x12.  I know a little big.  I used the darker blue on the back.  I free motion quilted it with multicolored blue thread.  Put the snow as the binding and hand sewed it on.  They turned out pretty cute!!! I mailed it off to a lady in Michigan that I have never met or spoke to.  I hope she likes it!!!

The Couple I Am Most Thankful For!!

   

 Saturday Night we celebrated my parents 50th Anniversary.  They have not always been my parents, but 23 years ago with nowhere to go they took me in.  We have had our ups and downs over the years but love has shown threw!!   

   

 

No parents are perfect we all do and learn.  I can tell you we have not been perfect, but the lessons that we take and teach from it are what make the difference.  I can not tell you how much their lessons of life meant to me. 

     

For their 50th anniversary we went on a dinner cruise.  It was pretty enjoyable.  We cruised the charleston harbor with some nice views!  Food was alright but the family was wonderful!!!

     Here are some family pictures!

This is Fort Simter as the one below.  The place where the Civil War started. 

Here are my parents with my sister Daphne and us.  And another below of them!

Daddy is trying to photo bomb this photo and break a move!!!

Here is a picture of my Uncle Bill.  

A picture of my Moma and her best buddy Rosie!!!

And a photo of Moma and daddy dancing to Elvis!!!

The last photo is of me with my new boots!!! These are the 1st pair I have seen and really wanted in a long time!

WIP Wednesday

     I have so much going on at once that I am overwhelmed.  I always wait till the last minute for Christmas and that's where I feel I am at.   And so much to do for others before Christmas. But somehow it will get done or I will change my mind of what I am doing. 

     The first big project I am working on is this scrap quilt.  It is for my neighbors 75th birthday. I love Mrs Sarah or MaMa as my kids call her.  She treats my boys as if they are hers.  She invites them every Sunday to dinner.  She has a wonderful family and I cod never find any better neighbors!!!

     The next project I am working on is a pattern called Bejeweled that I adapted to fit the block size I had.  I am at least half way done and I llllllove it!!! I think this will go to my nephews family at Christmas!!!

     I am also working on cloths as always!  Look at this cute thanksgiving outfit!  Tomorrow I am finishing up ruffle pants!!!

     Then please don't laugh at me but I have been cutting out 2 other quilts. One is for one of my friends daughters, a rain boot quilt and the other is a crown royal quilt that has a special story I will tell you about later!!