Finally Finished - Logan's Advent Calendar

I had been waiting patiently for this  Scandi advent (actually ordered two) panel to arrive.  Had to order it from an Etsy shop located in the UK.  I also ordered some coordinating fabric for the back from an online shop in the US and it took longer than the panels to arrive.  

Finally 

It had been so long since I have done any free motion quilting on the Bernina but I practiced a bit and all was going well that is until it wasn't.  

An odd clicking noise  - maybe a new needle will help. No a little different noise - maybe the bobbin area needs oil.  No.  Then I found it hard to turn up the needle and I didn't want to end up with it stuck down in my fabric so the next day this happened.

It's living in the dining room right now.  

Happy Christmas to me!

Actually it was rather serendipitous - I had just received a refund from a travel company for a cancelled cruise to Alaska last May - so no cruise = new machine!

So after getting used to it and learning a few of the basics I finished the Advent Calendar

I even remembered - from the sales guys instructions - how to make a little label across the bottom.

I found a website with some little Bible verses to put in the pockets for next year.

He's 3 months old on Tuesday.

Can't wait to see him again on Christmas day!

Not as much decorating as usual going on around here due to the little switch 

up in our usual Christmas Celebration Routine.  Having three smaller get togethers. 

However this $7 Poinsettia from the grocery store and the

 Red and White Amaryllis behind it have been a celebration in themselves.

 However you Celebrate - Merry Christmas!

 

Late Fall Sewing and Thanksgiving

The  door into my sewing room.

Behind the door to my sewing room.

A  friend, who had never been in my sewing room, was fascinated by all the stuff hanging there. 

And to be honest I was kind of embarrassed at the mess.  Anyway - later I looked through it and I found this.

One of the quilt tops  - hanging there!

I have absolutely no recollection of making it.

It is 81 x 90".  Maybe I thought I'd use it as a quilt back or something.

Anyway - we'll see.

Continuing on with my donation and comfort quilts.

This top is 60 by 72.

A very rainy day

lots of preparation

lots of cutters

Lots of mess to clean up!

Great way to spent a rainy way!

This is another small to that I finished.  I had made some of the blocks last year and sewed them together.

The blocks are seven inches and the top is 42 by 49"

 and ready to be quilted. 

                                                               My Thanksgiving Day Crew

It was a beautiful day and we ate out on the porch and the deck.

As we were taking pictures, my son in law, Vince, got a text from someone of pictures of their Thanksgiving celebration.  None of us recognized anyone in the pictures but we replied and sent our pictures.  We had a few laughs and they congratulated the couple holding the baby for being responsible and wearing masks. In the end - we told them we were looking forward to seeing their Christmas pictures.

Funny what a transposed number can lead to - it was fun.

 

Finishing Quilts and Visitors

 

So I managed to get another couple of comfort quilts finished up.

 Used  a very old panel that I bought when I was really into homespun/country style), I think I had ideas of cutting it apart for the motifs. 

Olde Glory Patriotic - 52 x 68"  

I think I ordered two of this panel.

  Stars and Stripes Forever Patriotic   52 x 68"

I have one more patriotic quilt to finish and I will  be caught up with quilting comfort quilts.  Plan to take a break and work on whatever strikes my fancy for awhile.

Of course I still have lots of UFOs stashed around my sewing room.

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It was a beautiful afternoon - Daniel brought Logan to meet his GiGi.

We had lunch and enjoyed the simple life. 

We are looking forward to another week of porch weather here in North Carolina.

Continuing On With Quilting Comfort Quilts

Stars and Stripes Forever - 52 x 68" - for VA Hospital Hospice Unit.

Kalidescope III - 40 x 50"  

Patriotic Slash and Sew Squares - 54 x 69" - Veteran's Comfort Quilt

I  got this older project out at the end of September and sewed four more blocks which I had already had cut out.  I now have 12 blocks ( one of which I don't care for color-wise).  We had an engagement in the family and thought perhaps this would make a nice wedding quilt.  So I cut out 9 more blocks and to make  a 72 by 90 top.  I decided I will make borders of very light blocks as seen in the 2 blocks below.  Lots more sewing on this project!

This I call kind of a hot mess!  I saw a completed quilt made of this simple pattern and really like it.

But my version doesn't make me happy although the blocks can be sewn in your sleep - so to speak.

Made of 2 x 3.5 " rectangles. 

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Have been out with friends several times in the past couple of weeks, visiting local quilt shops 

and having lunch out. 

 Seemed like almost normal - except for the masks. 

 Oh and one quilt shop had gloves for the customers to wear while shopping.  That was awkward! 

 So I have some new fabrics and thread-most still in the bags.

 I was really worried about running out of fabric - NOT!

Anyway today is a cool, dreary/rainy day -

 perfect for sewing and for a pot of Chili!

Have a happy day!

 

Two More Comfort Quilts Finished for September

This is the first of the three kalidescope  quilts.

It is backed with a stylized floral print and pink binding.

This is the Kalidescope III.  

It has a light pink diagonal check on the back and the same light pink binding.

Both are 40 x 50" which is a nice size for a baby or small child. They will be donated soon.

 

Three Comfort Quilts and Call Me GiGi

A Veteran's quilt from a panel and corner blocks leftover from a quilt I made in 2017(Dawn'sEarly Light )  Flying GeeseFlag - 46 x 60"

Land Of The Free Panel bordered with 10"Stripes and 25 patch Blocks will be donated to VA Hospice Unit in Durham, NC

50 x 70" 

Another comfort  quilt  - 

Interweave - 46 x 62"

Had a backing and binding day last week - five more quilts for the queue.

Made a few more masks.

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And my first great grandchild

 This handsome little guy - well not so little,  he weighed in at  9lb. 15oz. and  22"

  Logan Haynes - was born on the first day of Autumn.

He will call me GiGi.

More Patriotic Quilt Tops and Table Runner

Sorry for the strange looking picture - Made this for a possible class at our local quilt shop in November.  More or less  - just added this for my own reminder.    I  liked the pattern but you kind of had to play with fitting in on the background - but if I make it again, I will change around just a bit.

Don't have a name for this but figured it out from a picture on Pinterest.  

Such a fun and easy sew block!

I think it was meant to be made from layer cake squares.

 I used 9" squares that I had cut for another  project. They end up as 7.5" finished squares.

I made 48 blocks = 45 by 60".

Too small for a Veteran's quilt so I decided to add borders.

It is now 56 by 70.

This is another of the panels that I had added the braided border to and used the remaining fabric for a border for it.  It is 50 by 70.

More Quilt Tops - Comfort Quilts

 

One of the patterns that I recently purchased was for a kaleidoscope pattern called Marco Polo from Saginaw Quilt Co. 

The first was following the pattern design. 

Although since the blocks were 10"  -  I didn't make any border blocks.

It is 40 by 50 which is a good size for a baby or small child.

I cut way too many pieces!

This is the third one  - when I got bored and added some blues.

 

Number two - I added some purple and green.

And these two were made in the more traditional style with the corners in opposing colors.

And of course - I still have lots of pieces leftover - maybe after a break it would be fun to do a random scrappy version.

But I think I need to get a grip and quilt some of these tops.

More Bindings Finished and an Outing

A Plus Quilt

I like the way this small lap quilt turned out.

Got the idea at a quilt show in England in 2018.

Mine is about 58 by 68".

So surprised how much I like this quilt now that it is completely finished and labeled.

Love the light background too.

It is 85 by 91".    

The back!

I call it Little H Circles.

One more to bind and I'll be caught up with the bindings.

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Em and I went out for brunch at Meeple's Brew in Cary/Morrisville Saturday morning.

Fun place  - they have tons of board games that you can play for a long as you want for a small fee.

We played a couple of our favs - Ticket to Ride and Rummikub.

Of course they disinfect them after each use.

Labels and A Baby Shower

These two handsome lads that I celebrated with on Father's Day are soon to become Dads!

I love this cute little clothesline Kathy put up.

Celebrating Responsibly at our side of the family shower-
we had thought to have it on the porch but opted for AC instead!

The quilt I gave them is a Dresden Plate Quilt I made in anticipation of this occasion back in 2013/2014.  I made several but this is the first one to be gifted.

I don't think I would still have the skill to do all the quilting on my DSM now.

I had not made a label - so I had to undo the binding to sew it on after the shower

The renovations at their home are just getting  finished so they left all their gifts here for the time being so that worked out just fine!