In Honor of 250 years for America...and Our Grandsons,Tylar and William

Good morning friends!

Well, I've started a new project.  Flag quilts for our Grandsons in the Air Force.  I'm working on the first one...and I'm machine embroidering on them.  And I swear that that AI picture looks like me!  How'd that happen?

This design took 15 thread changes! lol

Think I'm opting for fireworks or something else a bit simpler! 

This design, I'll have to do over...I got through with it (25min) when I discovered I'd placed the stabilizer on TOP of the material...omwstupid!

This will be one quilt...I'll still be adding borders to finish them.

Hope you all are doing well and are safe and happy!

Until next time...

hugs

Donna

250 Years? Feeling Patriotic...

Good morning Friends!

Well, America is coming up on her 250th year anniversary!  We are rather young but, hey!  There's no other place I wanna' be!

I caught the red, white and blue fever... 

Meanwhile, 

I got the last quilt I'd made, Granny Squares, back from the long armer.  I think it turned out really pretty!  Love the Ribbons & Bows quilting!

Just a tip?  I use painters' tape as my 1/4th seam allowance guide.  It works beautifully!

When I left to go to my daughter's house...to babysit her furrbabies for four days, she had a sewing area all ready for me...all I needed to do was add the machine and my tools.  I love her...

This is the quilt I was trying to finish.  30 blocks in all.  Since the top is now done... I was going to get it ready for the long armer but then I thought I might try to do some applique on some of the sashing...I know...should have done them separately...but... I've never done Appliqué...so we'll see.

And wouldn't you know it... I was sewing all the blocks together but only counted 29...!!!

WHERE was that last block???

I didn't remember taking it with me to the quilt store to match backing fabric and then leaving it in my purse...oh goodness!  I had already made another one when I found my mistake!!  Fudge!!!

Oh well... in the extra blocks bin, it went.

Here's the pattern for my next quilt.  Fly the Flag.

Looks easy enough and hopefully, I'll have it finished by July 4th.

Oh...and speaking of applique...which no one was but me...lol...They (YouTube seamstresses) say I need this sealing iron.  The way they demonstrate it in their videos, I think they are right.  Makes it easier to turn the fabric around the template...I don't like raw edges or maybe, I don't really know what I like right now.  I will probably try out several methods.

Well, I guess I'll get in there and get busy.  Hope you are safe and well and happy!  So, until next time...

hugs

Donna

 

A New Block and I Hate Conflict...

Good Morning Friends...

Well, I got the quilt top (below) off to the longarmer.  Can't wait to get it back.  The quilting pattern I chose was called Ribbons and Bows.  Should look pretty.

Using a pink thread.

Please ignore the carpet!  I have so much thread on it from my different projects.  This spare bedroom was always vacc'ed and cleaned...but since no one ever stays over anymore (all grown and gone) ...I use the room as a place to cut some materials...and lay out blocks, hence the messy floor.  I've even toyed with the Idea of getting rid of the bedroom furniture and turning the room into one large sewing room.  That way, I wouldn't be spread out all over the house...lol...too much?  

Very girlie...lol

I'm on to the next project.  The pattern is called, Exploding Pineapple... 

  Tells you a little bit about the "mood" of the creator! lol, but now, I'm trying to decide on using sashing or not using sashing...I'm leaning towards the sashing.  Breaks things up.  I think you can see the pattern better.

Have any of you ordered quilting magazines?  I'm hot and cold about ordering this one.  They've gotten so expensive in recent years!

Speaking of ordering...I had ordered this ribbon pattern back on April 7th.  It never came.  I emailed the creator to tell her the problem, but she insisted I had already gotten it and even left a comment about how nice it was...I know I'm older now...74...but when I'm excited to receive a new Anything by mail, I have a checklist.  Item, date I placed order, copy of paid invoice and amount with said item's arrival date.  I got nothing on this pattern beyond order date and expected delivery date.  Well, I just said thank you...that I'd look in my new arrivals and let her know if I find it.  She was a bit "crisp" about it.  So, I just let it go. $12 dollars isn't worth getting her or myself upset.  

So, then this arrives on the 2nd of May...Nice fabric sample and a clip...a sweet note... She must have gone back, done some hunting and found out she'd never mailed it.   I said nothing and will now go online and praise the pattern.  I guess we all get busy and forget things. 

Well folks, I suppose that's about all from me, for now.  I hope you all are well and happy!  See you next time...

hugs

Donna

New Machine!

My Singer went kapoot...tired of fighting it for my piecing.  So... this is in my future.  Pfaff Ambition 635.  I tried it out at the shop, and it sews like a dream...and it is heavy...heavy means metal!  

Larry made me (3D printer) this tall threader.  They say having one of these helps you with tension...we'll see if that's a true thing.

Here's my latest project.  Granny Squares,  sashing, borders...flying geese and 4-squares.

Just playing around with widths...fabrics, etc.

And thank Goodness for painter's tape!  Talk about a straight 1/4 inch seam!!!  Saw this tip on TicTok!

Well, that's it for me...Going in to clean my sewing areas and get ready for the new machine on Thursday.  Then after cleaning, I'll get busy on sashing and more border blocks.

Have a wonderful day!

Figuring Out What's Next...

Good morning, friends!

Just a short catch-up on projects.  Not much going on lately.  Trying to find a block pattern that I want to create for my pink fabrics.  There are so many to choose from!!

I might get my Featherweight machine out to do some sewing.  It still needs some tweaking.

This book are letters from farmer's wives and the 111 blocks they inspired.  Wonderful book.  The patterns are also included of each block.

IF you purchase this book, you'll need to go to:

  You Tube...

Click on: Stitch with Rachel, 

look in the description for the MORE button...

 Click on it and find the Download the Amendments link...

then "buy" the amendment...it cost $00... nothing.  then just follow the links to print it out.  

Keep with your book...you'll need it!

If you work on each page...you'll create 100 blocks for a Sampler quilt of your own!

It's a gorgeous quilt just waiting for your own unique interpretation of the colors!  I'm going to try it for myself.  It'll take me a while, but I'd love to master these blocks.

And last but not least, Christmas is 284 days away.  Maybe I can get a Christmas quilt finished?

Anyway...That's about it for me.  Larry has bloodwork this morning for his thyroid, at the VA.  I'll have breakfast ready when he walks back in...

Have a beautiful and sewful day!

Quilt Top Done...A Tip and My Turn.

 

Good morning, Friends!

It's been a busy week...doctor appointments...finishing up the quilt top for a friend...and I'm so happy it is done!!  It was just the top piece...I told her that was all I would do.  Her SIL used to work in a quilt shop and knows people, if not herself, that will finish it.  Two and a half months...and one of those months, Larry and I both, had the flu.  Not fun!  I finished it yesterday and she's picking it up today.

The fabrics...she bought.  It was hard piecing this thing together because I simply didn't like the colors!  Anyway...

  

Here's a sewing tip that I found on the internet!  What a timesaver for us whose eyesight isn't what it used to be!

Absolutely love my new iron!  I no longer have to keep lifting it off the fabric!  It does it all by itself...

No more "sore shoulder from the constant lifting.

These are my next fabrics for a quilt...This one is for me!
Now I only have to decide on a pattern. 

Well, I suppose that's all the news at this time...

Hope you are happy and well wherever you are.

So, until next time...may your bobbin be full and your tension just right!