Design Wall Monday - December 30, 2024

Good Morning Quilters!  Can you believe this is the last Monday in 2024?  The next week will be a time of reflection on 2024 and making plans for what I hope to accomplish in 2025.

Here is the current status of the two long borders for the Cousin’s Walk quilt that I’m working on.    (pictured on the floor next to each other, but on the quilt they will be on the two sides)

If I work on this project a lot during January, I believe it will be completed by the end of the month.  I love it when I can see the end of a quilt, especially one with so much appliqué  on the borders.  

Here is where I was on this project last Monday:

What are your thought on quilting as 2024 ends and 2025 starts?  I am optimistic about 2025, since I can feel my list of UFOs decreasing each year.  New Years Eve and New Years Day are set aside to assess where I am with my quilting projects.  Also I am a football fan, and will be watching a lot of football, but I can do two things at once.  

Our Design Wall Monday Linky Party is below.  Please click on the link and show us your post and pictures.  There are a lot of cute projects happening, and I appreciate your blogs and the sharing you do.  Thank you!

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Design Wall Monday - December 23, 2024

  Merry Christmas!

My stockings are  hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon will be there…..in fact I have been visited by the man himself three times this month.  He assured me all three times that I am on his good list.

Here are the pictures of my three encounters with him.

At a restaurant in Lubbock, TX, early in December.

The second time, at Frankenmuth, MI while we dined at The Bavarian Inn.

 Third time, right in my home!  He came with a cute elf to visit me and even stayed for dinner.

Re my design wall:  It’s the same as last week, with my cutting error quilt up there, in time out.

I did make some progress on two borders of Cousin’s Walk that are my current appliqué project.  Last Monday I was starting on the first flower, and today I have four flowers on each border.  

I just discovered that if I starch the fabric just a little bit, it seems to needle turn under better for me.  Here’s a picture of the next little bit that has just been starched.

What are you working on this week?  Or not working on, as I understand it is a very busy family time.  If you are able to, please join in our Design Wall Monday Linky Party below and show us.  Thanks to all of you for your wonderful participation!

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Design Wall Monday - December 16, 2024

 Good Morning Quilters! 

Last week I talked about the quilt on my design wall - and how my mistake in cutting out blocks was a problem.  It is still there and, because of the problem, it is in time out, while I work on other projects.  So I prepped the center vine on two long borders for this quilt, called “Cousins Walk”:

I have the top and bottom border almost finished, and am now starting on the two longer left and right side borders.  On the original quilt, each of the four borders has a separate pattern, but I have made the two borders for top and bottom duplicates of each other, and am making the remaining two longer borders the same as each other.  Any way you make the borders, there are a lot of appliquéd flowers and leaves to make.  

Here is a picture of the top and bottom borders which are nearly finished:

The task is a long one, but taking it one little flower at a time, it will get completed.  Here is the first flower started yesterday on each of the side borders:

What are you working on this week?  It’s OK if you aren’t making much progress, as it is a very busy time of year.  I know there is a lot going on in my week, and I decided to give myself permission to take it easy.  My design wall will be waiting for me when I decide to work on it later.

Please link up to our Design Wall Monday Linky Party below and tell us all about your week.  I really appreciate all of our regular participants and their posts.  You all do so many beautiful projects.  Thank you.

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Design Wall Monday - December 9, 2024

 Good Morning Quilters!

My design wall has a new UFO on it that has some issues.  More than my usual issues.

Here is a picture of prigress:

The kit is one I bought a few years ago.  It is part of Howard Marcus Collection for a Cause series.  I cut some if the pieces years ago, and cut some more oieces recently.  And I took it to a recent retreat, intending to assemble it there.  While I was at the retreat, I discovered a major mistake I had made in cutting the pieces.  

See these two pieces?  They should be the same, but are not.

I discovered that my pieces were cut using different angles on my ruler.  Some at 60 degree, some at 45 degree.  

Here is a picture of the quilt, from the kit:

I am using the size diamonds that I have the most of to see what I can salvage from my cutting mistakes.   (I cut about 75% of diamonds at wrong size.)  Anyway, it is a new challenge to be figured out.

What challenges are you facing in your quilting life this week?  What good things are happening in your life?  I have an amyrallis about ready to show off all its beauty.  I will take another picture of it next week, when it is in full bloom.

Please join our Design Wall Monday Linky Party below, and tell us all about your week.    Thanks so much for all of our faithful participants.  

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Design Wall Monday - December 2, 2024

 It’s December!   And lots f us have snow!!  Happy Design Wall Monday Everyone!

And just like that there are only 23 days until Christmas.  Time is flying by.  But as I age, I get less stressed and know that it will all get done…..or not…..but Christmas will be wonderful.  

This week I’m putting away all the fall quilts and getting out the Christmas ones.  I know some of you are way ahead of me on Christmas decorating, but I like to wait until Thanksgiving is over.

Since I don’t have any Christmas decorations out yet, I’ll share one frm a past Christmas.  My childhood metal dollhouse is decorated for Christmas, with Santa in the chimney.  I had Thyme growing in my garden that year, and the little window wreaths were fun to make.  It was very silly, but fun, decorating a dollhouse for Christmas.  I only did it once.

Maybe by nxt week I will have this year’s Christmas quilts on display and will show you some pictures,  I am looking forward to see what you are up to this month.

Joke of the day:  Christmas time is great because you can yell “DON’T COME IN HERE!” and people will think you are wrapping presents. (when really, you just want to quilt in peace and not be disturbed)

Thanks so much for joining our Design Wall Monday Linky Party.  We have so many creative people who join in and I appreciate all of you.  Thank you for participating.

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