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.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Design Wall Monday - November 25, 2024

 Happy Thanksgiving Week!

Here is a picture of my design wall:  

I have only three more diagonal seams to sew and the top will be finished.  

Also, I put the binding on two lap sized quilts.  Here they are:

The binding is not the most interest grabbing part of quilting, but when possible, I challenge myself to match the pattern on the fabric on binding pieces.  Can you see the seam on this binding join?

So even when quilters are doing mundane things, we can find ways to amuse ourselves, can’t we?

Hoping you in America have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day.  I think our Canadian bloggers have already celebrated it in October.  As I am 81 years old now, I go to one of my children’s home for the feast.  I am bringing a pie.  I enjoy being a guest now and leave the main preparations to my capable children.  

What are you making this week?  Pies, turkey, and/or quilts?  I see Bonnie Hunter’s annual mystery quilt has started, but I am watching from the sidelines this year.  Are you participating?

Please join our Design Wall Monday Linky Party and let us know what you are thankful for this week.  I am thankful for all of you.  You are a blessing to me each week of the year.  Thank you!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Design Wall Monday - November 18, 2024

 Good Morning Quilters!

This week I have been binding quilts that are recently back from the longarm machine quilter.  The hourglass quilt is now bound and ready for a label.  I thought I’d put the number of pieces in it on the label, so I calculated the number.  It’s 40 blocks by 40 blocks square, and the blocks are two inches each.  With the combination on hourglasses and half-square triangles, the total number of pieces in all the squares:  4,624.  

Here is the quilt with the binding on it:

The back of it to show you the quilting design:  It really pleases me, front and back.  A quilt that wasn’t from a pattern, and just sort of “evolved” over time.

The second one receiving its binding this last week was the strippy brown and pink quilt made from lots of different four inch squares.  It would take too long to count how many pieces of fabric are in all of these different squares.  The binding is made from the ighter small print that was in the setting triangles in the quilt.  All of the fabrcs in both of these quilts was from my stash of old fabrics.  

The blocks were made as part on an internet free project:  365 blocks in a year in 2016 by Kathryn Kerr of Australia.  Size details about this quilt:  There are 207 blocks that are 3 inches square, and the entire quilt measures 79” by 92”. 

The machine quilting is a small feather design in one stripe, and in other stripes and triangles, an orange peel.  Then she quilted two simple squares in each pieced block.  I really like what she did.  Beverly Irvine quilted both quilts.  Close up of the quilting:

Here is a picture of the quilt full on, as held up last week at the quilt retreat:

And here is the matching doll quilt, in a doll bed with my little sock monkey, and his tiny sock monkey.  

Here is a snapshot of the doll quilt, which is 17” by 28”, with 20 three inch squares.  

There are two more lap sized quilts recently back from Beverly, that need to be bound, and that will be my task this coming week.  

What are you starting, or binding, or finishing, or working on this week?  Please click on the link below and show us what you are doing.  Thanks for joining in.  I know your days are busy, and I appreciate your blogs very much.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Design Wall Monday - November 11, 2024

:Good Morning Quilters!   And Happy Veterans Day to any of you who have served your country, or are married to someone who has served your country.  Thank you for your service.

Yesterday I got back from a four day retreat with a room full of quilters.  One of my friends there, Bev Irvine, returned some of my quilts that she machine quilted for me.   So now that I am back home, I am working on getting them bound.  

At the retreat, we have “Show and Tell” on Friday night.  Here are pictures of my part of the show.  Three quilts that are finished except for the binding, two large ones and one doll quilt.

m

The binding on this one will be either the light fabric or the brown print.  Probably the lighter fabric.

This one will be bound with the navy print that is the same as the inner borders.  

 

What are you working on this week?  I will be reading your blogs and looking at your pictures during breaks from binding in the next few days.  Thank you for participating in our Design Wall Monday Linky Party.  You are appreciated.  

Click on the link below to join our own weekly “Show and Tell” .

 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Design Wall Monday - November 4, 2024

 Good Morning Quilters!

This is the political campaign button I wore when I voted early last week.   The election workers decided that since the Peanuts character “Lucy” was not on the ballot, they would allow me to wear it.  It is probably 40 years old.

I voted early because I am leaving tomorrow (election day) to go on a quilt retreat.  My strong belief that God is in control of everything calms me in preparation for the results in either direction.  Republican or Democrat leaders for four years; we will survive.  God is in control.

Here are a few small patriotic quilts I’ve made in the past to celebrate our democracy.

While at the retreat, I’m sure I’ll be tempted to start new projects.  Please encourage me to say no, and continue on with finishing what I have previously started.  

What are you working on this week?  This past week you had great posts.  Thank you all who participated.  I am looking forward to seeing what you are starting, working on, or finishing now.  You inspire me.  Click on the link below and let’s begin our Design Wall Monday Linky Party.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Design Wall Monday - October 28, 2024

Good Morning Quilters!

This week I worked a little more on two of the borders for Cousin’s Walk.  It looks like I blogged about these borders back in March, 2024.   Progress has been slow.  To refresh your memory, here is a picture of the original quilt:

The borders are unusual, and my version of them eliminates the center break in the vine on each side.  I am working on two borders at a time.  The original pattern has each of the four borders with different amounts of flowers.  But I decided to make mine a little less complicated.  Here is a picture of what I;ve done so far on what will be my top and bottom borders:  

These two borders are the shorter two borders.   So there are lots more flowers and leaves to go.  The good news is that this project is teaching me to be better at applique.  Slowly, I am progressing in skill.  Also, I still have three bird blocks yet to complete on the center part of the quilt.

What are you working on this week?  Please join our Design Wall Monday Linky Party below and show us!  Thanks for participating; I appreciate you.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Design Wall Monday - October 21, 2024

Good Morning Quilters!

This week was a beautiful and busy fall week here in Grand Rapids.  We were blessed by a visit of good friends from Virginia.  We visited the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park Friday.  Here are some pictures from there:

My favorite pumpkin? or gourd?

My friend Dean (from VA) with me

My friend Amy (college student here in GR)

The Design Wall Monday Linky Party begins again this morning.  Woot! Woot! Please join in and tell us about your week.  What are you working on?  What is on your design wall?  Mine is filled with bowtie blocks that are waiting for me to sew them together.  See?

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Design Wall Monday - October 14, 2024

Good Morning Quilters!

This week I worked on more blocks for the Cousin’s Walk quilt.  There are 28 bird blocks and each block has a different bird in a different small tree.  Most of the trees have a few leaves and two or three flowers.  One of the block patterns I worked on this week had a tree with 15 leaves.  After appliquing 8 leaves, I decided to stop there and not add 7 more leaves.  Here is the block: 

 The second block finished this week is this one

It had only 4 leaves, which made it much easier.  I am nearing the end, as I have only 4 more bird blocks to finish out of 28.   But, the borders are very busy with lots of flowers and leaves, so there is a long way to go to the finish line on this quilt.  I have started on the borders a little bit.  

Also, The redwork embroidery is finished on 3 more dishtowels.  Here they are:

 

:

There are only 2 more designs in the set.  They are so cute, I may do some of them again when I am finished with the last 2.

What are you working on this week?  Please click on the link below and join our Design Wall Monday Linky Party.  Thanks for joining in - I really appreciate you!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Design Wall Monday - October 7, 2024

Good Morning Quilters!

I am on vacation and have taken a redwork embroidery project with me.  I’m embroidering cotton dishtowels with kitchen utensil themed designs.  

I finished one quite a while ago, and have finished two more while on this trip.  Here are pictures of all three:  (excuse the wrinkles, we are in a motel and I am not ironing them here)

Aren’t they cute?  The patterns are old “Aunt Martha’s” transfer patterns.  I have several other Aunt Martha transfer patterns also, and they are fun to look at - always with dreams of making something with them.  

We are near Lake Michigan and the waves are very strong.  So beautiful.

Penny Lane so wanted to swim, but we wouldn’t let her go in.  She will have to wait until next summer when we can go in with her.

What are you working on or playing with or starting today?  Please join our Design Wall Monday Linky Party below and show us.  We have so much variety in our group.  I appreciate all of you and your participation so much.  Thank you!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Design Wall Monday - September 30, 2024

 Good Morning Quilters!

This is the last day in September, and there are only three more months in this year.  There are so many UFOs that I want to work on this year that I’m inspired to spend more time in my quilt studio.  Working on three projects this week

.  #1  The third quilt from the box of bowtie blocks.   Here is the proposed finish now on the design wall.   The green solid has a calming feel for me, and reminds me of the 30’s “nile green” color:

  #2. A project that I’m bring to a retreat in November, and will be working on it there with a friend who has the same project.  It is part of the Marcus “Collection for a Cause” kits.  I’m  making part of the blocks ahead of time to take with me.   24 of these four-patch diamonds are yet to be finished.   Here is a progress picture:

  #3. Cousin’s Walk, the bird quilt UFO is out again.   Several friends are making this quilt at the same time, and when we gather together later this year, I would like to have four more bird blocks completed (by November).  I use freezer paper pattern parts.  Ihave 10 more bird blocks to make.  Here is a progress picture of the bird block I’m working on this week:

Lots of good quilts being made and shown on our Design Wall Linky Party last Monday.  I enjoyed my tour of your blogs.  Thanks for participating!  Below is the link for today:

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Design Wall Monday - September 23, 2024

 Good Morning Quilters!

This UFO that has caused me to struggle in finishing it, has been completed, bound, labeled, and shipped this week to my cousin.   I know she will love it and use it.  This makes me so happy to have such a happy ending,  Here is a picture of “Splendid Sampler Blocks” just before  I mailed it. 

There are so many UFOs patiently waiting their turn, so when one leaves and flies away to a new home, it pleases me so much.  The Splendid Sampler blocks were designed by several quilt designers and were featured by Jane Davidson and Pat Sloan on the internet.  For two years there were free block designs online, and these blocks were from the first year blocks.   They combined each year of blocks into two quilt books:  Splendid Sampler and Splendid Sampler II.

A closeup of one of my favorite blocks:

I started making these 6 inch blocks in 2016, and you can search my blog for the words “Splendid Sampler” if you want more info.  Also their website is  (Here)

What are you starting, working on, or finishing this week?  Please join our Design Wall Monday Linky Party below and join the fun.  Thank you for faithfully participating each week.  You are all special to me, and I learn so much from you.  

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Design Wall Monday - September 16, 2024

Good Morning Quilters!

This week has been semi-productive, so I haven't much to show you.  Plenty to tell you though.  

Remember back in the spring, when I showed you the start of a first quilt a friend of mine worked on while at my house?  I blogged about Elise (Here)  She has since moved from Grand Rapids to Muskegon, and I haven't seen her for a while.  But here is the picture and text that I received from Elise today: 

    "Finally done! Finished the binding by hand last night.  Wanted to say thank you so, so much for all the help and all the tools to get me started!  I'm hooked!"

I am so pleased that she's 'hooked'.  Here is her finished quilt, made for her daughter's bed:

Also this week, Joan Brink's beautiful quilt that I blogged about (Here) won another award at another quilt show.  Best Traditional Quilt in the AQS Lancaster, PA quilt show!  I am so happy for her.  Another picture of her quilt:

One friend, in the group that I go to Shipshewana with, had an email request for a contribution of two blocks for a Quilt of Valor.  I followed the directions to make a red, white and blue 12 inch block........and made the block.  Then I measured it.  It was just exactly 12 inches square.......not 12.5 inches as it should be as an unfinished block.  Sooooo, I took it all apart and made it again, this time using a "scant"  1/4 inch seam, and it is now the correct size, 12.5 inches.    They asked for two blocks of the same fabric, so the second block is now made correctly,  and they are ready to take with me when the retreat happens in November.  

 Also, the baby quilt of last week's post is in the mail, and should arrive at the baby's house today.  All in all a good report week.

I hope you have had a good week too.  Please join our Design Wall Monday Linky Party below and show us what you have made.  Thanks to all who participate.  I so enjoy reading your blogs and looking at all the pretty pictures.  You are appreciated!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter