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

Design Wall Monday - September 9, 2024

Good Morning Quilters!

The baby quilt is quilted, and ready to send off to the new baby.  I cheated:  instead of quilting it myself and dealing with the stretchy flannel back, I took it to a friend and she did a wonderful job!  Much better than I would have done!  

And it is finished.  Here are a few pictures:

First, the complete quilt.

Second, a square up close, the turtle:

The back side showing the butterfly quilting.  So cute!

My next UFO that has been pulled out is a quilt kit.  Pictured below:

It is part of the Marcus “Collection for a Cause” series.  The collection series are mostly reproductions of vintage quilts, and I liked the fabrics in this repro kit.  I started it, but was challenged by cutting angles and having block edges on the bias.  But now I am attempting it again, and have started making the “four patch” diamond blocks.  There are about 100 of them, and I am just starting - 12 made so far.  

The weather here in Michigan has been hinting fall….cooler nights and sunny 70s in the daytime.  I hope it lasts for a while.  

What is on your design wall?  Mine is empty right now, but will soon have the UFO diamonds. up there.   We are looking forward to seeing what you are working on.  Thank you for faithfully linking up with our Design Wall Monday Linky Party each week.  You are a blessing to me.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Design Wall Monday - September 2, 2024

 Good Morning Quilters!

Labor Day is celebrated in America to honor the workers who built America.  As quilters, our labors of love are to be celebrated too.  So Happy Labor Day to you!

While at the AQS Quilt Sow in Grand Rapids recently, I saw many beautiful quilts.  I thought I’d share another one with you today.  Karen Kay Buckley made this one:

 It won a second place ribbon.  I liked all the colors used and the overall design.  Here are some closeup pictures to show you the quilting in the darker border that was wonderful:

Anda closeup of the main part of the quilt:

Quilt shows are so inspiring, aren’t they?

My design wall is empty right now, but I have plans to pullout another UFO this week and get working on it.  What is on your design wall?

Please click on the link below and show us what you are working on.  Thanks for sharing!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Design Wall Monday - August 26, 2024

Good Morning Quilters!

Today I am going to brag about a good friend, Joan Brink, who just won one of the big prizes at the 2024 AQS Grand Rapids Quilt Show.

Joan appliquéd this beautiful Baltimore Album quilt.  I am so happy for her and that her quilt got recognized.  She did such a beautiful job and as you can see, it was a lot if work.  

 

My progress has been minimal this week, but I did take some pictures of some other quilts at the AQS show, which I will show you next Monday.  

What are you up to?  Thank you so much for all who participate in our Design Wall Monday Linky Party.  It is so nice to see what you are making each week.  You are appreciated.

Click on the link below and let the show begin:

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Design Wall Monday - August 19, 2024

 Good Morning Quilters!

This week I worked on getting the little doll quilt of bowties finished.  The backing and batting are now quilted to the front, and triangle corners added to the back, to enable it to be hung on a wall.  Here are pictures of it - front and back. 

The.binding should be all sewn down by the end of the day.  A lovely task after binding the king sized Splendid Sampler quilt last week.  

The baby quilt is ready to be quilted now.  All blocks sewn together, batting added and backing picked out.  The next job is pinning it before I quilt it.  But I am suffering with a sore back this week, and it will have to wait until my back feels better.  Rght now I can’t get down on the floor to get the quilt pinned.    Here is the project as it is today:  

I really like this baby quilt so far, but often have trouble with a flannel backing (getting  no wrinkles in it).  It will be good for me to practice on another one to see if I can pin it together without wrinkles.  Wish me luck.

What are you working on this week?  We had so many interesting linkups last week.  I am looking forward to seeing this week’s posts.  Just join our Design Wall Monday Linky Party and show us what you are doing,  I appreciate all of you so much.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Design Wall Monday - August 12, 2024

Goos Morning Quilters!

Today I am telling you the story of a sampler quilt that has been slogging along to the finish line…….but is finally getting a happy ending.

Remember the free internet patterns of “The Splendid Sampler” that Pat Sloan and Jane Davidson put out in 2016? Although I enjoyed making many of the 6 inch block, when it came time to put them together into a cohesive group, I struggled.  And struggled.  Here are pictures of my design wall trials from past blog posts:

This quilt confirmed my decision to quit making sampler quilts…..but I digress.

I did settle on something and sewed it together (again pics from previous blog posts):

So it progressed to a top.   And was sent to be quilted by a long armer.  Then it sat because it needed binding and I didn’t have any more of the green that I wanted to use for binding.  

A cousin visited us recently, that I don’t see very often, and I was showing her my quilt room and some of my finished quilts.  She saw this one in a heap in a corner, and really loved it!  Eureka!  A reason to get it finished and loved by someone.  I am binding it in white, and it will soon be sent to her.  I love happy endings.

Here isa picture of my binding progress this past week:

Do you have any happy endings this week?  Or happy starts?  Please tell us.  Join the Design Wall Monday Linky Party below and tell us your story.  Thanks to all who faithfully participate.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter