Design Wall Monday - April 21, 2025

Good morning Quilters!

Happy Easter!    

This week has been busy with family and church activities, so quilting has taken a back seat for me.

All I have to show you is a little progress on my redwork Christmas alphabet quilt project.  Here are two completed blocks and a third in progress:

C for Candy Canes

H for Holly Berries

And the one I’m working on now….B for Bells

As I said before, it was a slow week, quilting wise.  As for humor, there was an abundance of that with me, as usual.  Here is one example.  

Every Easter I make a lamb cake,  using a mold in the shape of a lamb.  I decorate it with white frosting, coconut, jelly beans for eyes, and usually a necklace.  A grandson helped me dye coconut green for grass, and we spread jelly bean eggs in the grass around the lamb.  This year’s lamb was listing a little bit to the left, but seemed to be stable when we finished.  Our son took a picture:

Well, about a half hour before dinner, my son laughed and told me that the lamb’s head had fallen off!  The Grandkids thought it was very funny, and the Great Grandson was only 2 and took no notice of the tradegy.  Here is the lamb before we served him as dessert:

Happy Easter cake was enjoyed by all.  What is happening in your life this week?  Please join our Design Wall Monday Linky Party below and tell us what you are doing.  I am so happy you all participate and we get a peek into your lives.  Thank you.

Design Wall Monday - April 14, 2025

 Good Morning Quilters!

Last week, Rebecca Grace  (RebeccaGraceQuilting.com)  talked about Jane Stickle’s quilt on her blog, and also linked her post to our Design Wall Monday Linky Party.  Thank you Rebecca for that post.  I recommend we all read her post…..lots of info about this quilt.  If you want to read about my first Jane Stickle quilt, you can read my post about mine (Here)

I put my second version Jane Stickle Quilt blocks on my design wall last week, at least part of them.  I hope this will give me incentive to finish this quilt.  I started by randomly picking a block to do, when I found one that looked like fun.  But now it is time to fill in the holes, and get complete rows finished.  There are 13 blocks in each row, and what you see here are the first 6 rows.  I have row A and row F blocks complete.  This quilt is quite a journey, but I enjoy each block - they are so interesting, and I learn so much.

I made this quilt in the colors and fabric designs very similar to the original quilt when I first made it.  My second version, above, will be made with shirting fabrics and blues.  If I had thought about it sooner, I would have planned dark/light blocks to show a “trip around the world” pattern in the block layout.  I could do it now, if I changed the order of the blocks, to put the darker ones in some sort of diamond order.  I look at this quilt as a great learning tool.  I have learned so much making the first one, and am refining my skills in this second version.

The weather is getting warmer finally, and I worked out in my flower bed yesterday.  It was so nice to be outside.    The wreath on the front door had some wrens perching on it and singing, so I have taken the wreath inside for a few days - to help them find a more suitable place to build a nest.  

My birthday is Wednesday, and I will be 82.  There are still so many quilts that I want to make, and time passes so quickly.  I may have to give some UFO’s away as I think  about all the ones in my stash.  But I love them all.  

To start my birthday week, hubby and I are going out to breakfast today with a dear neighbor and her husband.  She and I have the same birthdate…. (but mine of course,  is several years before hers).  So the four of us celebrate by going out for breakfast sometime near our mutual birthdays.  

What are you sewing…..starting, working on, or finishing?  Join our Design Wall Monday Linky Party below and show us.  Thank you all for participating.  It is a pleasure to read about your projects and look at your pictures.  Hope you have a great week.

Design Wall Monday - April 7, 2025

Good Morning Quilters!

I just got home from a quilt retreat.  Each time I go, I work on blocks for a Jane Stickle quilt.  I cut the book “Dear Jane” apart, and have each of the book’s block picture by each of my blocks.  I am a little over half way making the 169 blocks for this quilt.  Here are the blocks I completed at the retreat:

The blocks finish at five inches each.  Since I got this UFO out to work on at the retreat, I think I will leave it out and work on it some more.  I am re-inspired.  Yeah!

Several ladies attending the retreat are each making the same quilt, Cousin’s Walk.  I have been struggling to finish mine up.  Here are pictures of some of the ladies and their versions of the quilt.  Each quilt has a charm of its own.

I think I missed a few of the ladies and their quilts, it was an impromptu show out in the hallway.  They are all so interesting.  

What is on your design wall this week?  Mine is empty, but I will be inspired by your pictures.  Thank you so much for participating in our Design Wall Monday Party.  You are a blessing to me.

Design Wall Monday - March 31, 2025

 Good Morning Quilters!

My design wall is empty today, but I am nearing the end of an appliqué quilt.  The last time I posted about this quilt was in early February, and at that time, I was nearly finished with the borders.  See post (Here). For some unexplained reason, I quit working on it, and put it aside.  I don’t know why, but sometimes when I am very near the end of a quilt, I slow down.  

Anyway, I am working on it again, and I am showing you here.  The larger tulip flower was only on one of the borders in the original pattern, but I liked it so much that there is going to be a larger tulip on all four of my quilt borders.

The borders are sewed on to the quilt center, and I have two corners to add a few flowers to.

Have you ever stopped working on a project when you are right near the end?  It might be “fear of failure”  or “ fear of success”.  I think I have a little bit of both.  lol

This week I am getting ready to go on a retreat.  When I go on a retreat, i usually make a small gift for each person sitting at the table with me.   I will show you my project next week, as I want to wait until they are gifted before I post about them.  I am curious about quilty gifts you have received/gifted.  What was a gift you made for others, or received that you really liked?

Thank you all for your participation in our Design Wall Monday Linky Party.  There is so much talent in your posts, and I look forward each week to seeing and reading about your projects.  Thank you!  

Link up below to join in again this week.  

Design Wall Monday - March 24, 2025

Good Morning Quilters!

I have no quilting related blog post today because I watched basketball all week and have nothing to show you.  The good news is our team won yesterday and is going on to a Sweet Sixteen game this coming weekend.  So please carry on without me and I will enjoy your blog posts.  Hopefully, I will make some progress this week.

For a picture, I bought some spring bulbs in bloom because I am so ready for spring and it hasn’t come yet.  So here is my cheerful group of flowers on the dining room table:

Design Wall Monday - March 17, 2025

Good Morning Quilters!

Yesterday the teams were announced for the NCAA Basketball Tournament know as “March Madness”.  I am working on a red work project during my basketball watching month.  While I watched the Big 10 tournament this last week, one block was completed and another one partially completed.  

The quilt will be made of Christmas alphabet blocks, and here is the letter C is for Candy Canes block:

Partial completion on the letter H for Holly Berries block:

My design wall continues to be empty.  But I will show you the last quilt that was on it.  I am helping my friend Claire’s granddaughter, Sammy, with her first attempt at a quilt.  Here is Sammy and her quilt start on my design wall at our last meeting:  

She cut off-white sashing pieces, and is at home sewing the quilt top together.  She is practicing her 1/4 inch seam sewing skills.  She hopes to visit me next week with a completed quilt top.  

What is on your design wall?  Join our Design Wall Monday Linky Party below and show us what you are working on.  Great participation last week; thank you all so much.

Design Wall Monday - March 10, 2025

 Good Morning Quilters!

This week starts the “mini-March Madness” with all the college conference basketball championships……before the grand 64 team “March Madness” that follows all the conference tournaments.  I looked through my UFOs to find a project that I can work on through all the game time-outs and half-time breaks.  This is what I got out:

It has Christmas themed alphabet blocks with snowmen.  Have any of you made this quilt?  The pattern has been in my stash for quite a while, and I have prepped a few blocks to get me through the Big Ten Tournament this week.  It is from 2009 by Meg Hawkey for Crabapple Hill Studio.  I plan to embroider it in all red floss, as it will make it much easier to work on, and I like red on a Christmas quilt.  

I prep embroidery using a light pencil drawing using a light box.  My embroidery floss usually covers the pencil lines completely.  Here is my first block, just penciled on fabric, using a light box:

What are you up to this week?  I encourage you to keep working on a project or two each week.  Even though progress seems slow some weeks, the reverse is also true; some weeks progress goes very fast.  Also, your posts are so inspiring to the rest of us.  Thank you for participating each week.  

It is supposed to get up to the mid-70s this week in Grand Rapids, MI, and I am so ready to feel the warmth.  Spring always makes me feel better, and I am ready.

Join our Design Wall Monday Linky Party below, and let us know if you have any signs of spring at your house.  

Design Wall Monday - March 3, 2025

Good Morning Quilters!

Spring is not here yet, but I am so ready for it.  The birds are singing outside, and the sun is shining brightly, so I know it is coming soon.

My design wall is completely empty right now, but I am in the process of getting out another UFO to put up there.  So rather than show you an empty design wall, I will show you a picture of a spring themed quilt I made and gave to a friend a few years ago.  Here it is:

We are big fans of college basketball, and were given tickets to watch Michigan State play Wisconsin yesterday in East Lansing. 

Here’s a picture to show you we are great fans of MSU:

It was a close game, and Michigan State won, so it was a fun day.  March is filled with basketball games for all the college teams, so the next UFO that I get out to work on needs to be something that I can work on while sitting thru halftimes of basketball games.  The Bg Ten Tournament is coming soon, and then the NCAA Tournament, March Madness. 

This last week’s linky party had lots of participants, and one was a mystery to me.  Somehow my blog was one of the linkups to our Design Wall Monday Linky Party!  I have no idea how I joined my own link up, but it was a mistake.  So, not counting my entry, we had 27 linkups.  Great job ladies!  I appreciate all of you so much.  Thanks for showing us what you are working on this week.  Please join below and we can see what you are working on.  You are all so talented!

Design Wall Monday - February 24, 2025

 Good Morning Quilters!

The Collection for a Cause - Community quilt is now sewn together into a quilt top.  Despite all my mistakes, I am happy to have it ready to be quilted.  It turned out to be 78” by 80”, almost square.  If I had cut the diamonds correctly, the kit should have resulted in a quilt that would be 69” by 83”.  So I am happy with it, in spite of  all the twists and turns,  If you want to know more, you could search my blog for previous posts in January, 2025.  

Here is the quilt top on the design wall:

I am also making progress of sewing the borders on the Cousin’s Walk bird quilt.  I decided to sew the borders onto the quilt before I finish the final flowers at the end of the borders.  Here is my first mitered corner:

What are you moving onto or off of your design wall this week?  It was great participation on our  linkup last week, with 25 blogs showing lots of beautiful quilting projects.  Thank you all for participating.  I appreciate reading about and seeing your work.  

Click on the link below and join our Design Wall Monday Linky Party.  

Design Wall Monday - February 17, 2025

 Good Morning Quilters!

I hope you had a great Valentines Day with your loved ones.  Here are some quilts that are out at our house this February.

Two over the railings of the stairs near the front door::

A doll quilt of toile fabric that matches the bigger quilt above:

Do you notice that I fussy cut the toile fabric so there are two of each bird?  I love birds and am enjoying the variety that are at the bird feeder outside my kitchen window.  Life is full of small pleasures.

I am nearing the corners of the Cousin’s Walk bird quilt, and I think I am going to sew the borders to the quilt and deal with the mitered corner seams before I finish the appliquéd flowers.  Here are the corners laid out on the floor, as they are now:

Can you tell I am unsure of how to proceed with finishing this quilt?  Maybe I should read the directions again.  

What are you working on?  Please join our Design Monday Linky Party below and show us what you are doing.  Thank you at all who participate - you are special to me.

Design Wall Monday - February 10, 2025

 Good Morning Quilters!

My design wall looks similar to last week, but I am making progress.  here is a picture:

The left side is all sewn together, and I am working on the rest of it.  It is going well, but I didn’t have time to work on it much this week.  Slow and steady will get the job done.

The Cousin’s Walk quilt is getting nearer the end….slow and steady applies to this one too.  I tried to appliqué one flower each day, and there are three more flowers to go before I get to the end of each border, where there are mitered corners.  I plan to sew the borders to the quilt, miter the corners, and then finish the appliqué at the ends of each vine.  I am so happy to be near the end of this quilt, and am looking forward to seeing the borders together with the middle part of the quilt.  Here is a picture of my progress:  (The white strip is freezer paper in a pattern of where the final vine will be)

Valentine’s Day is this week.  Do you have any quilts that you display for Valentines Day?  I have this one, that I always have out in February:

This quilt was made from a cross-stitch pattern that was free on the internet.  (Here) I used squares that finish at one inch, and changed the bottom wording part.  If you want to read further about the construction of it, there is explanation in this 2017 post (Here)

Maybe I will see some Valentine’s Day quilts this week from some of you.  It is always a pleasure to read your blog posts and look at your pictures.  Click on the link below and join our Design Wall Monday Linky Party.  I appreciate you so much.  Thank you for participating,

Design Wall Monday - February 3, 2025

 Good Morning Quilters!

Happy February to you.  My Cousin’s Walk borders are getting finished.  I am nearing the end, and try to appliqué one flower each day.  Here’s todays picture:  on left, the last two borders as they are now, and on the right, a picture of the same two borders from two weeks ago.  I am getting excited that the end is getting near!

The diamonds quilt on the design wall is coming along too.  I added the edge parts, and have about ten long strips of blocks sewn together, and also have a little bit in the top left that have the strips sewn together.  It involves thinking as I sew because the triangles all have bias edges, and when sewing them together, I have to offset the edges a little to line the seams up correctly.  It’s a job where I keep Mr. Seamripper handy when I first begin a session, but after I get sewing for a while, I use him less.  Here’s the design wall, in three pictures:

(1) The top left corner is all sewn together (except for the one little corner bit)

(2) The next set of blocks are now sewn into six long diagonal strips:

(3) And the rest is a mix of some blocks sewn to their neighbors, and some blocks that are not sewn to anything.

   

It is turning out to be fitting together like a giant puzzle, and I am liking it.  What are you playing with on your design wall this week?  It doesn’t have to be on a design wall, but we like to see what progress you are making.

Click on the link below and join our Design Wall Monday Linky Party.  I really enjoy seeing what you are making.  Thanks for participating each week.  I appreciate you.

Design Wall Monday - January 27, 2025

 Good Morning Quilters!

My design wall now has most of the blocks for the Collection for a Cause - Community quilt up on it.  It still needs the outside red blocks, which I’m still working on.

Here is a picture:

I am now ready to start sewing diamond to diamond, in long diagonal strips.  Since it could be a boring job, I’ve decided to set my hourglass sand timer and work on it for at least as long as the sand is running from the top to the bottom, and then take a break.  Do you have a fun timer in your sewing room?

Here is mine, and sometimes I’m amazed when I look up from the sewing machine and see it has no sand in the top part.  It takes roughly an hour for the sand to run from the top to the bottom.  

I also appliquéd some leaves on the Cousin’s Walk borders.  It went a little faster when I was making the same shape over and over.  Here is a picture:

What is on your design wall this Monday?  We had lots of eye candy last week with almost 30 linkups.  Thanks to all our regulars and all the new people who joined in.

Please join in and show us any progress you’ve made (or squirrels you’ve chased) this week.  

Design Wall Monday - January 20, 2025

Good Morning Quilters!

The two quilts I’m working on got some progress this week:

(1)  Collection for a Cause - Community is on the design wall, or at least 1/2 of it.  The blocks are now all adjusted to the same size, and here are all the solid diamonds for it.   I put the darks and lights into vertical rows.  Next, when they are all sewn, I’ll put up the four-patch diamonds into the blank spots.

As I am working on this quilt, I realized that since I cut all the diamonds shorter and fatter than the instructions, the quilt will probably be shorter and fatter too…..but, since the cutting mistake gave me extra fabric left over from the kit, I am making more diamonds to add three more rows to make the final quilt longer.  I will have to see what size it turns out, as I am thinking it should be fairly close in size compared to the original pattern.  We shall see.  This quilt is certainly an adventure.

(2). The Cousin’s Walk quilt borders are coming along.  Two borders are finished, and the last two borders are now 1/2 finished.  I had set a goal of having the borders completed by the end of January, but that may realistically be the end of February.  I am a slow appliquér.  But it is not a race, right?  Here’s a picture of the two side borders as they are right now:

How are your projects coming along.  Please update us by joining our Design Wall Monday Linky Party below.  Thanks!  I really enjoy seeing your progress and seeing your pictures.  

Design Wall Monday - Janary 13, 2025

 Good Morning Quilters!

Here’s my design wall, as it has looked for the past month:

Last week, I talked about perseverance.  And I told you about our amaryllis that tipped over and broke off.  Well, here’s the second try of this hardy little bulb.  I am so proud of it!

So this week, I am rejoicing in perseverance and “second chances”.  This lily encouraged me to look again at the diamond blocks that have been in time out, on my design wall.  They are from a kit, Collection for a Cause, Community, by Moda.

There were two problems with my progress so far.  #1   I cut some of the blocks the wrong size……. read this December post if you want details (Here). I have decided to cut all the longer narrower block to more of the size of the shorter fatter ones.  They won’t be exactly the same size, but close enough to get this quilt moving along.  We shall see.

#2 After looking at it for a month on the design wall, I realized that there was a dark/light pattern to the quilt both horizontally and vertically.  In my start of the quilt, I had the horizontal part going, but was not paying attention to the vertical dark/light thing going on.

So this week, I used the seam ripper while on a trip - on the plane, and in the rental car - to take all the blocks apart.  I feel I am now back on the path to progress, but you never know with some quilts.  We shall see.

Also, The Cousin’s Walk border flowers are coming along as planned.  How about you?  What challenges are you attacking, and do you have any perseverance and second chance stories to tell us?

Please join our Design Wall Monday Linky Party below and share with us.

Thanks for participating.  Your blogs are so interesting, and I learn a lot from you.  I appreciate you.

Design Wall Monday - January 6, 2025

 Good Morning Quilters!

I divided the two long Cousin’s Walk quilt borders into 6 sections.  I have 2 sections appliquéd and decided I could do 1 of the four remaining sections each week in January to finish these two borders in four weeks.   Alas, I didn’t get much done this week, just a flower or two.  But I will work on it more this coming week, and see if I can get past the 3rd section of each of the two borders by next Monday.  Here is a picture of where I am right now:  (just one borders, but both look the same)

A story of perseverance to encourage you (and me):

This winter, in our kitchen, we have an Amaryllis bulb.  It had five beautiful big blooms on it in December.  I was going to take a picture of it to show you, but just when it was in full bloom, before I took a picture……..tragedy struck……..it was so very top heavy that it fell over……fell off the counter top…….and the stalk and all five beautiful blooms broke off as it hit the floor.  No one was even near it!  We joked that we had never had a plant commit sucide before!  

But, here’s the perseverance story:  This bulb said he wasn’t finished yet, and another single stalk rose up out of the sorry looking remains…….and a new bloom is ready to blossom!!!  I am so amazed at the effort.  

So perseverance is the word around here, and I shall persevere with my two long borders,  How about you?  What are you persevering with?

I am looking forward to seeing what you have to show us on this week’s Design Wall Monday Linkup Party.  Click on the linkup below and join the party.  Thanks so much for your participation.  2025 is going to be a great year!