Bewitching Bokeh Blocks

I participated in the Bokeh Quilt Along at Quilting Jetgirl. I finally finished the quilt top in time to link up my photo. I really do love this Bewitching Bokeh Block. When I finished my blocks, I just thought they were so unique and charming. 

Bokeh Quilt top

Now my Center Curved Stars that are dark purple, on the other hand, are just so-so. That is fine with me because it was a great learning experience sewing these curves. My quilts all seem to have their own glitches that I notice, but hopefully, other people don't notice as much. 

I did run into some snags along the way of sewing this quilt top. The main issue was my square-in-a-square blocks. Very few of them gave me a 1/4" around the block. Basically, I ended up sewing them all over again. In retrospect, I should have sewn a practice block first. I may learn to do that some day...  

Not a good Square-in-a-square block

A pile of "not good" blocks.

I really do like how this lap-sized quilt top came out. I can always use another lap quilt. I do have a purple and blue Queen-sized quilt in my spare bedroom now, so this will match it when I get it completed. Or I may give it as a gift.

Thanks to Yvonne at Quilting Jetgirl for this unique pattern and for organizing this Quilt Along!

Hungry Animals

 This stack of quilt blocks is my goal for May 2021. It will be a very simple baby quilt with the Hungry Animal Alphabet blocks in the middle. A good friend of mine will be having another Grandchild in June. So this will be for the new baby.

Linking my May goal to Elm Street Quilts OMG for May

Lay your head on my pillow

 I finished my goal for April 2021. This is a very old WIP. I didn't realize how old it was until I pulled up the Sew Sampler Nov 2018.

I do believe that I finished the top right away and then it continued to sit with my quilt tops to be completed. So there you go, it has been sitting for over 2 years. I decided to make this into a pillow instead of a mini. This makes a fairly large pillow 26"x26". I quilted it with a short wavy design with my walking foot.

The back I quilted with a crosshatch. I did have the backing sitting together with the quilt top for a long time, also. I like that it is a larger pillow. I can prop it up on my bed and lean against it. 

I am linking my April Finish to Elm Street Quilts OMG for April 2021

My initial post was here

Many thanks to Patty at Elm Street Quilts for helping me to finish my goals!

Mini-to-be

 Didn't want to miss the One Monthly Goal for April. My intention is to have this mini quilt and bound for April. The top has been completed quite a while ago.

Linking up this goal to Elm Streets Quilts OMG for April 2021

My Sizable Spool Soon to be Sporting a Sofa

My One Monthly Goal for March is complete. This quilt top and back have been neglected in my cedar chest since about June of 2019. I decided to bring them out to see the light of day. 

This quilt is about 58" X 74" and the problem for me is usually the basting. I just tend to put that off, especially on a larger sized quilt. Once I started quilting it, though, it went pretty fast. 

The backing is a tiny bit not centered on the right side compared to the left side gray check. I did try to get the back centered but such is life. The problem was that I didn't have a lot of extra room on one side. I'm fine with how it turned out though. 

I did my usual cross hatch using my walking foot. I zig-zag my quilt sandwich before I bind it. That makes it easier for me to add the binding. It won't take me long to put the binding on. Then I will be taking it with me on a camping trip to hand-sew the binding to the back. I enjoy having some hand work with me while I am on a camping trip. 

Will be linking my March finish to March OMG at Elm Street Quilts

 Thanks to Patty at Elm Street Quilts for helping to complete my goals. My original post was here.

Sweet Potatoes and Mini Marshmallows

I finished this month's Color Challenge at Patterns By Jen. March's color was to represent Yams or Sweet Potatoes. In fact, I just bought a couple of  Sweet Potatoes for my Easter dinner. I do love sweet potatoes. I like to bake one just plain for myself. Then I cut it open and add brown sugar, plus marshmallows. Then I put it back in the oven for a few minutes to toast the marshmallows. So delicious!  

Sweet Potatoes and Mini Marshmallows

I am now sewing the 6 1/2" blocks and hope to make a mini quilt when the 2021 year is complete. Will be linking my finished block to Patterns by Jen March Color Challenge.

Strawberry Season is on it's way.

 The final challenge at Persimon Dreams Blog was for us to think of our inner self. I think that I would love to live on a farm. I probably have gotten this way over the past 10 years or so because of my drive to work.

My drive to work each day is 1/2 hour each way through farm country. It gives me something to do - watching for all of the animals. There are cows, horses, goats, calves, ducks, dogs, and even a petting zoo with camels and many other exotic animals. 

As a result of my inner self wanting to live in the country, I have created this pot holder or trivet. 

One of the farmers that I pass each day has a large strawberry patch each Spring. He puts a painted strawberry sign out and then I know that I can buy some strawberries. It is a very short time frame because they when they are ripe, he has to pick them quickly. I have been making strawberry jam for quite a few years since I can purchase fresh strawberries from this farm. Also, I have a rhubarb plant in my backyard that I will make strawberry/rhubarb jam. Soon it is going to be Strawberry-picking season and I am looking forward to it!

I have a few Strawberry jam jars left from last year. Delicious! 

Thanks to Kim at Persimon Dreams for these awesome quilting challenges.

Animal Crackers Baby Quilt for newborn

 I finished this baby quilt for a new grandson of a coworker and friend. When Sweetwater came out with this Animal Crackers fabric, I pre-ordered the baby quilt kit from them. I have had the kit sitting in a dresser drawer for a few months. 

My coworker's son had a baby boy and our office decided to have a little shower. I did pitch in for the gifts that they bought, but I wanted to make a baby quilt for her. 

So I went to look to see what I had that could be completed fairly quickly.  Of course, this one could, so I got started on it. I just had to cut out the panel animal squares and add honey buns strips. I gave this to her a week or so later. She was very appreciative so I was glad that I made it.  

There's a lot of animals that the baby can name when he gets older. 

The backing is this cute animal fabric. 

It made a nice-sized crib quilt.  

Will be posting this finish to Lets Make Baby Quilts

A Somewhat Crazy Kind of a Pillow

This is my completed pillow for Challenge 12.5 which was to make a project inspired by the crazy quilt. 

I started with these kind of crazy-pieced blades for the Dresden Plate.

 I used the Feather stitch, plus a Patchwork decorative stitch on my Brother machine. 

Also, I decided to use these ribbons that I have had for years. I wanted to kind of frame the center Dresden Plate. 

So that is my Somewhat Crazy kind of a pillow.

I have completed all 5 of the challenges so far, this year. Might as well try to make a project for the final Challenge in about a week or so.  Will be linking my completed project at

 Project Quilting 12.5

March mega-quilting project ahead

 I really hadn't even thought about a goal for March and it just dawned on me to figure something out. I have quite a few quilt tops, both small and large, that need quilted so I decided to pull out this one:

 

 

This is the completed Threadology Quilt top and back.

This has been completed since June of 2019. I think that is long enough to sit in my cedar chest. So this is my March goal - to have it quilted. I will wait to put the binding on for one of my camping trips. Sewing the binding to the back of the quilt gives me something to do before my husband wakes up in the morning. Camping season will be coming soon so I want to have some binding projects to work on. I have a few other ones already set aside, also. I am linking to Elm Street Quilts OMG for March 2021

My Yellow fellow

 

I finished this yellow 6 1/2" block for the February 2021 Monthly Color Challenge at Patterns by Jen

It isn't perfect, but my blocks rarely are. I used a 1 1/2" Bloc Loc to square up the hst sections. I was happy to discover that I had the Bloc Loc that small. It did work very well, but my piecing of the block could have been a tiny bit better. I'm fine with it, though. It will work in a quilt top.

My Lucky cat tribute

 Following is my completed February Goal at Elm Street Quilts :

I have had the quilt top completed probably about 2 years ago. I actually think I was trying to complete it for one of the Project Quilting challenges. Well, I did not finish it and it sat in a basket until I ran into it recently in the spare bedroom. This is my rather large-sized pillow cover.

I was glad that I had a piece big enough for the backing of the pillow. I just did my usual cross hatch quilting on front and back.

I like making a bottom zipper closure. It worked well for this large pillow. 

Here is my initial February OMG post

I do like this pillow cover because now it covers up this ugly brown pillow. This is a large pillow that is nice for leaning up against the bedrail and reading or watching tv, etc. I bet that I have had this pillow for probably 20 years, but I have never liked the ugly tannish color. For years, I have looked at it and wanted to finish a cover, but never got around to it. So I am happy that I finished my Lucky pillow cover. 

Lucky is my cat's name and she helped me with the quilting. My sweet kitty is now represented on a large pillow.

Slowly Snailing along

 For Project Quilting 12.4 we were to create an item using the Snail's Trail Block. I have sewn the block before and had used a paper-piecing pattern from this book by Leslie Anderson. So I located the book in my house (sometimes that's a feat itself) and copied the pattern.

 

 

I decided to make a pin cushion because I really do need a new one. I used a few charms from a charm pack of Sweetwater's Sweet Tea fabric.  This is my completed Snail's Trail pin cushion. I am pleased with how it turned out.

 

 

I used another print from the charm pack for the back.

 

I have kept up with the challenges so far. We'll see if I can complete the whole series this year. 

Sneak Peek for February 2021

 Just giving a Sneak Peek of my February OMG at Elm Street Quilts

I completed this quilt top about 2 years ago and it now needs to be finished. So this is my goal for February - to get this small quilt top completed.

Ready to Pack it In!

 The 3rd challenge at Project Quilting Season 12.3 is for going on a virtual vacation. I have sewn this makeup bag using great dreaming-of-Summer prints and I always need a makeup bag for any type of vacation. Don't leave home without it!

There is plenty of room to pack all of my makeup, sunscreen and toiletries. 

Anxiously awaiting my next foray!

Valentine's Day Finishes for 2021

 I'm glad that I finished this pillow and 2 minis prior to Valentine's Day this year. This kit actually was from last year at Sew Lux Fabric. It appears that they have the same kit available this year, only using different fabric.

Pillow Front and Minis

Pillow back and Minis

I quilted both the front and back of my pillow. I love them that way and will probably do most of my pillows like that from now on. There is a zipper inserted in the bottom, also.

I love these pillow kits that Chrissy at Sew Lux creates. I have made some from last year, but I have a few that are still sitting untouched in the packages. I will get to them eventually. I did join the Pillow Club at Sew Lux again this year because, well, I would miss out if I didn't join. 

This pillow and minis kit was on my January OMG at Elm Street Quilts . I did accomplish my goal - here is my Original OMG Post for January

I received this Valentine's pillow kit about a week ago and it will match my completed pillow once I get it done. I'll be all set for Valentine's Day 2022.  Yahoo!

Valentine's Pillow kit for 2021

Purple pinwheel pretty please

 I decided to join The Monthly Color Challenge at Patterns by Jen for 2021. I would think that I can keep up with a block a month. It would be nice to have the completed blocks to put into a quilt top at the end of the year. Following is my Purple Pinwheel block for January 2021. 

My block is 2 shades of purple but when I took the photo, it seemed to appear blue. This is the 

12 1/2" block and I am happy with how it turned out. 

The color for January is purple, along with the food Eggplant. I did have an eggplant plant last Summer in my garden. I only really got one viable fruit, though. I'm sure you were wondering if an eggplant yields fruits or vegetables - it has seeds and comes from a flowering plant; therefore, according to a web search, it is a fruit. This is my 2021 resolution: I am going to try to grow more Eggplant this Summer, plus keep up with my quilt blocks. 

Fussy Cut Challenge 12.2: Potted herbs

 I am enjoying these Season 12 Project Quilting Challenges - one reason is because I am sorting through my stash and using some fabric that I have had for years. I have made a number of these "dish-drying mats" through the years. So this was my choice for Challenge 12.2: Fussy Cut Challenge. 

I found this set of fat quarters and used the 2 birds for the center and also tried to fussy cut the other areas of the block which are the potted herbs and planting tools.

I did try to get these potted herbs centered  around the block. 

I have been enjoying this "Shattered" quilting lately and it is easy for me do.

 I just use a plain white linen tea towel for the back so that is is absorbent. I really do use mine for drying dishes and they do become rather "used and abused".  In all honesty, this combination of colors are not my favorite, but it is just used to dry dishes so no big deal. My dish-drying mats get used and washed frequently so I'm sure this one will.