Oh My Goodness It's been a while

OMG I haven't posted on here since July and I a not going to post all the sewing I have been doing since then. I am just going to post a few things and try to do better. 
My sister Janet is on GrandBaby watch as I type this. Anna Grace will be here sometime in the next week. At least that's what the Midwife told my niece Ashlea today. Of course Virginia is going to have snow over the next few days. So we are standing by waiting to hear any news. 

I have been seeing many many quilt patterns I want to try, so many that I can't decide what I want to do. I have seen one call either DNA tree or Twisty Pole that I wanted to try but I am not willing to pay $10 or $12 for a pattern. So I decided to figure it out on my own. It came out pretty good and I will make it a long table runner. I'm going to put green borders on it and call it done. I like how it turned out and it was much easier then I thought.

I also wanted to make a Freaky Frenzy table runner but didn't want to buy the pattern or take a class and only make one of them. I searched the Internet, found free instructions and picked so fabric I was given but would never use. Or at least I didn't think I would ever use it but now I love it. Here is my Freaky Frenzy table runner. I will finish this one and it will go on my table after the holidays.

For now my table is dressed for the holidays with a set of place-mats I designed and made and a small table topper. I am really enjoying making all these different projects. 

I also made a round table topper for one of my sisters. She never told me what size or color so she is getting black and white.

Happy Holidays Everyone and Happy Stitching. 

July In Florida

As some of you know I got my villa here in Ocala at a rock bottom price of $24000, I just saw two on a Realtor's paper, one sold for $83000 and one for $79000. I would say my equity is going up and up. I have been here since 2012 an am very glad I picked On Top Of The World. There is a lot to do but I am happy to stay in my villa working on my hobbies. 

We are still trying to find the right strength for my new medicine. Now the doctor things the last one was to strong and that's why I don't feel right. First to weak now to strong so hope the new one is just right. 

Over the last few weeks I have finished the I Spy quilt for my great nephew Brentley with a bag to match. I also made cards with the picture of each square, laminated them and made a small draw string bag to hold the cards. I think it will grow with him. I also made a monda bag, a very large market bag, a table runner and cut out another market bag. All these goodie will make a trip to Virginia very soon. 

Yesterday I watched a Sew Very Easy video on YouTube for a dimensional pinwheel table topper. Laura said you can make it in under 2 hours. Well it took me longer, at least this time, so I'll time myself the next time I make one. 

 


Happy Stitching Everyone.

Death by Cross Stitch and quilting

Here is page two day 3 after I went back and added the back stitch on page one. Haven't touched it in almost 2 weeks because I have been in read mode, but I will get back to it soon.

On the quilting front I pulled out a few UFO's and started a new quilt called Antelope Canyon. I picked the pattern up in Daytona at Quiltweek. I also made a casserole carrier at my Wednesday Sew Much Fun group. 

 This quilt top is going to be a quilt for my great grandson Kiros. 

 This is a table topper for my sister Janet. I was given a ziplock baggie of half finished quarter log cabin blocks and a bunch of strips. I finished the blocks and sewed them into this layout. It about a 25 inch square. 

This is the start of my newest scrappy quilt. It will end up about 74.5 by 74.5 when it's done. This is just one of the layouts but I think this is the one I am going with. I really like how it is turning out but it didn't even make a dent in my scrapy strip boxes.

 Last but not least is my casserole carrier that Gail designed for our sewing group. It has straps inside to hold the casserole and a hot pad, there is a pocket on the front for a serving spoon too.

Happy Stitching everyone.

Snails over the Stars

The top is done, I am calling it Snails over the Stars. Now it needs to be sandwiched and quilted.

Death by Cross Stitch

Made it to page 2, BUT one of the ladies on the FB page pointed out I didn't do the backstitch. Duhhhh what backstitch thinks I, the sheet I printed out doesn't show backstitch. No it does not but when I looked at the pdf file oh yes there is backstitch. On my print out it just looks like graph lines put on screen and with my new printer print out the backstitch lines are very clear. So I will go back and do the backstitching then back to page 2. 

 My snail trail quilt blocks are waiting to be squared up and sized before I sew them together into a top.But I am still debating adding to it so it is on hold right now. 

Update on Death By Cross Stitch

I have been fighting a bout of Diverticulitis or at least that's what the doctor things.
I've been spending a lot of time in my recliner. But a lot of it is sleeping or surfing the net, but I have got some stitching done. 

I can also only sit up in the quilt room for a short time a day but I have got some sewing done on my Snail Trail Quilt. I have added 6 yellow and blue Ohio Star blocks. I am going to add 6 yellow and white Snail Trail blocks and maybe some blue and yellow Ohio Star blocks but I am still thinking about that. When I am working with out a quilt pattern anything can happen. :-)

Happy Stitching Everyone.

Death by Cross Stitch and other goodies.

I have been able to stitch on my Death by Cross Stitch the last two week. Since I switched back to a q-snap frame. I am almost done the upper left corner. 

My Jewel box quilt top is completed, I like how it turned out. I used greens and neutrals from my scraps/stash. I only had to purchase the dark green for the second border. This make 2 quilt tops finished for 2017 so far. My tumbler quilt top was a UFO but the jewel box I just started in December.

Wednesday our Sew Much Fun sewing group made little business card holders. So easy I made 2 in a very short time. I am going to make a bunch from my scraps.

Today I was making a place for my Accuquilt Cutting Dies and got a little sidetracked after getting them in place. I had gotten the Snail Trail die during the December sale but had not played with it so today I did. I cut enough blues and neutrals to make 6 blocks. I ended up making 3 before my side really started to bother me. They turned out pretty good and I am thinking about mixing them with some Ohio Stars. I'll keep you posted. 

Happy Stitching Everyone

I'm blogging again.

I am working on a Jewel Block quilt top. I learned this block from a Craftsy Class called  Quick Techniques for Classic Blocks: Wrenches, Stars & Twists

with Anita Grossman Solomon. 

It's made with a paper template that you sew then cut apart. I like how this one is turning out. In fact I like were short cut methods for doing a few different blocks and will we doing other things with them later in the year. 

I am using many different greens and neutral from my stash and scrap boxes for this quilt. Some of the neutrals are a little dark but I like how they are are coming together. I will decide on the borders once I have all the blocks sewn together this weekend. 

I am working on Death By Cross Stitch in the evenings and it is moving right along. Here it is after I worked on it tonight, my 8th day of stitching on it.

  

Happy Stitching everyone. 

It's Been A While

Goodness, it has been over two months since I have posted on my blog, I just didn't realize that. Well I am posting tonight since I have some Cross Stitch to post. I know, I know but I am really stitching again. Yes I am still quilting but I have picked up my petite needles again and am stitching away. I still have numbness in my right hand but well I am just living with it for now. 

Death by Cross Stitch has been moved to 17" by 14" Q-Snaps and the big ass stitching frame is apart and put away. I am able to stitch with the Q-Snaps resting against my lap desk. 

I AM STITCHING AGAIN. 

I am making 2017 my year of finishing my quilting UFO's and  using my scraps instead of running to the Quilting Store. I have only been quilting since 2013 but I have tubs and tubs of wonderful scraps that I have been given or bought from ladies getting out of sewing.

My first UFO is now a finished top, I will work on the quilting later in the year. I am going to get the tops done first then worry about the quilting. 

Tumbler Throw finished 1/7/2017

My First Crazy Quilt Blocks from Scraps Strings.

Here is the start of my green Jewel block quilt top. I decided it needed to be bigger so I am going to make 15 more

green blocks before I sew them together. Have not decided if I am going with the X's or O's block layout.
There more to post but I am going to stop for now and will try to get back to my blogging.
Happy Stitching Everyone.

Table Runner for Fall and other goodies

Steady piecing and still loving it. I am going to PT for therapy but my fingers are still having numbness so I am not cross stitching again and poor old Death by Cross Stitch is just sitting near my recliner waiting for me. I also have had to put the two embroidery blocks from the Splendid Sampler in a box by my chair until I can do them too.
I am still able to piece and quilt so that is what I have been doing. 

Our sewing group has gotten back together and over the last few weeks we have made a few things. I have made a purse, two hum bug bags, a pot holder and a charging station 

I have a new table runner that still needs a little more quilting but it is ready for my dinner group on the 11th. I am going to try to make 6 place mats to use than too. 

I finished my Garlic Knot quilt for my Grand Daughter and have done the top of my new Great Grandson's quilt. Hope to get that finished tomorrow and Friday. 

 

9/10/2016 uodate.

I have been sewing a few smaller things to keep me sewing, over the last few weeks. I also repainted a end table and hung new drapes. I did two Snap Bags for my friend Pamela, I did my friendship start blocks for a summer challenge and I made a table runner for my new coffee table. 
Today I started making 3 round table toppers for the fall. These will be for my sisters and me. I am using rich batiks in fall colors. The colors just don't look a good in the picture I took. 

8 Friendship star blocks

Two snap bags for Pamela

From of my coffee table runner made with my pineapple trim tool

The backing material I used

Three round table toppers

new curtains and I painted the table

Lanai with its new painted wall and the two new envelope pillow covers I made.

It's been a while

Goodness its been just shy of 2 months since I posted to my blog. Almost 4 weeks of that was spent helping out at my sister Janet's in Virginia. She broke her tibia and tore 3 ligaments in her ankle. She had surgery for a plate and screws put in her ankle and will be off her feet for 6 to 8 weeks. I hated to leave her but she and her hubby Richard had it under control. 
I didn't do hardly any sewing while I was there and seem to have lost my quilting mojo when I got back home. I have slowly been getting my mojo back thank goodness. In the last two weeks I have finished two throws and am working my way through the Splendid Sampler blocks that I missed. 

JD's Birthday Throw

Brentley's Kevin Throw, just because Brentley is my buddy.

Here are a few of the TSS blocks that I have done since I got home. I just have a few more and I will be caught up. 

 9 of these are regular blocks and 2 are bonus blocks. There are many different styles of needlework in this quilt, as these block show. These block cover piecing, paper foundation piecing, raw edge applique and embroidery. I am not crazy about some of the styles but I am doing each block as it comes. Some of the styles I may never do again but at least I am giving each of the a try. 

 

 

 

And tonight I worked on Death by Cross Stitch for a couple of hours. It's so big it is very awkward to hold onto and my arms get pretty tired while I am stitching.

Happy Stitching everyone and I will try to post more often.