Four Day Weekend!

This weekend I was fortunate enough to have four days off.   I sure could get used to that!!!
My friends know that I have to do my work before I play, so on Thursday I did most of
my chores and ran a few errands.   When I got home I decided to prep appliqué.   I like to hand sew when I am on my lunch hour at work and at night before bed.  For the past several months I have been working on these little baskets.   I have 195 finished and need at least 105 more.   I prepped 21 more so that should hold me over for a few weeks.

Friday I did more chores, got my hair done and ran more errands.  After all that I prepped block three of "It's Raining Cats and Dogs".  I am doing this BOM with a local friend and a blogging friend, Grethe.  We are shooting for a block every other month but I think Grethe has taken off on this and has more done.

Here is the block I prepped to stitch.

Here are the other two that I have already finished. 

I also was able to work on another BOM I have going.  This one is called "Four Star Generals".  Here are this months blocks.

and here are all that I have done so far.

Saturday was "Sew Saturday".   Joy and Pam (no blog) came over to sew for the day.   I forgot to take pictures of Joy's blocks.  She was working on her Grandmother Choice block of the week and then started putting together her Farmer's Wife.   Both are just gorgeous.  Pam is a beginner and with a little help from me put together a baby quilt for her nephew.  Here is Pam holding up her first top.  I think she is getting the bug.  

I was working on a row for a charity quilt I am making.  I am using a bin of strings I have from homespuns.   I thought it would make a great boy quilt for the crisis center it will be gifted to.

I also put together this months free pattern from Country Threads.  Here are January and February blocks.

I also worked on an old UFO.  This is Fat Quarter Shop's Designer Mystery from 2009.  I was able to get the center medallion finished.  I also pieced the sashings.   I hope to get this together next month.

Today (Sunday), I ran more errands and cleaned my floors of all the threads from yesterday.  They sure do add up!   I then settled in for Quilt Cam with Bonnie Hunter.   It's so fun to sew with Bonnie!

I worked on "Old Glory".   I had all the red blocks made so today I made all the blue blocks.  All I really need to do is put the sashing strips on and call it a flimsy.

Well, that's all for this weekend.  My sewing is done for February.  I am off to work on my March list of projects.   The good news is we have five weekends in March.  The bad news is that I work two Friday's in March.  (shut up Beth and Nancy).    LOL!  

I hope you all have a wonderful, productive, healthy week.  

Three Day Weekend

Most people in the US get Monday off for a three day weekend.   I work on Monday but I was off on Friday so my three day weekend was a bit earlier than everyone else.    After I finished all my work around the house I worked on the Designer Mystery Block from Fat Quarter Shop.  I finished this months block and added it to the rest.  I love how you can put this together as you go and not have to wait until you make the last block. 

I planned on sewing as much as I could on Saturday.  I started and finished the last block of "In The Meadow We Can Build A Snowman.   It took me seven hours from start to finish.  I still have to add the eyes but can't decide if I should use buttons or embroidery.

 This is the backing I made for it last month using my scrap bin.  

I woke up early this morning so I could run all my errands and get some last minute chores done so I could sew some more.   I added four more rows to my "Charming Addition" quilt.  My goal is to do three to four rows a month.  I am making this one BIG so I can put on a bed.

After that I worked on "Crossroads".  Here are this months blocks and........................................

Here are all the last few months worth.  

In the evening I try to hand stitch.  These blocks are from "Sweet and Simple".  I am trying to do two blocks a month.  

Here all all the rest I have finished.  

Well, that's it for this weekend.  Back to work for me tomorrow.   Only one more weekend in February and I still have eight more things on my list.  Most of them are not too labor intensive so I hope to chip away a little at each of them.  If I don't get to them there is always next month.  

I wish you all a fantastic, healthy, happy week!

Yvette

Weekend Accomplishments

This weekend I was able to sew Saturday night and most of Sunday.  The weekend sure goes fast when your having fun!

First up on the agenda was "S'mores"  This is in last months American Patchwork & Quilting magazine.  A few friends and I decided to tackle this one together.  I am going to making mine BIG.  I need a few bed quilts and this will be one of them.   I will need 365 square in a square blocks, 12 side triangles and 4 corner triangles.  I decided to make one block for each day in the month and 1 side triangle a month.  Here are January and February's blocks.  I am hoping to have this put together by next January.  I have 59 of 365 Square in a Square blocks done, 3 of 12 side blocks and 4 of 4 corner blocks done.

Another project I am working on with a few friends is the scrappy Bow Tie quilt from Bonnie Hunters website.  I need to make 80 of these 9 patches and have 50 done so far.  Beth finished hers and you can see it here.   She just hammered away at it and finished in record speed.   I hope I can have mine done by the summer.   I think this will look great on the back of the couch.

I was also able to do this months "Afternoon Delight" blocks.  Here are all that I have done so far.  So far I have done four applique and two pieced blocks a month.   I bought the patterns for these and am using stash.  LOVE using up the stash.

I was also able to finish the binding on two quilts.  This one is called "Comfort & Joy".  I left off the border applique.  I could say that I thought the quilt was busy enough but the truth is that I just got lazy.  I have to say that I do think I like it without.   My quilter did another beautiful job.  She is the best and I am so thankful to have her close by.

The last finish is called "Pine Tree Ridge"  This is one of the quickest quilts I have ever made.  I tried to get closeups of the quilting so you can see what a great job she did.  

That's it for this weekend.   I am going to kick back and applique a little before I go to bed.   Hopefully I will be done by next weekend to show you what I am working on.

I wish you all a wonderful, safe, healthy week.

Yvette

Back to Blogging!

Hello Blogging friends!  I can't believe how long it has been since I last posted.  I have to say, I have been a LAZY blogger.   Blogging has brought many wonderful people into my life that I would have never met.   It also helps me keep track of all my projects.   I honestly couldn't tell you what I have finished since the last post I made so I am just going to start fresh.   I am a weekend warrior when it comes to quilting.  I have a full time job that keeps me out of the house twelve hours a day so on the weekend I need therapy.   My therapy of choice is sewing.

I have made a list of all my WIP's that I want to work on during the month of February.  I will post pictures as I work on them to show you how far  I am into the projects:

Feb WIP's:

Trick or Treat Baskets

2012 Fat Quarter Shop Mystery

Five Star Generals

It's Raining Cats & Dogs

Cheddar Bow Ties

Charming Addition

Afternoon Delight

Crossroads

Sweet & Simple

S'mores

Country Threads BOM

Homespun Charity Strings

Ode to 30's

Pine Tree Ridge

Comfort & Joy

Simply Charming Mini

In The Meadow We Can Build A Snowman

2009 Fat Quarter Mystery

Old Glory

I told you I was a weekend Warrior.  LOL!!!   

Joy and I started working on "Ode to the 30's" on New Years Day.  We are going to get together once a month and make at least two blocks from this until we are finished.   She came over on Saturday and we finished two more blocks.   Here are the blocks I have finished so far.

Last month I decided that I want to do one of Bonnie Hunter's mystery quilts.   I chose one that she did several years ago.  This is called "Double Delight".  It is a seven month mystery that I am turning into at least twelve months.  These quilts are INTENSE but well worth the work.  Last month I started by cutting all the parts for part 1.  I started sewing these yesterday and finished them today.  There are 120 4 1/2" Square in a Square blocks here.  

 That's about all I can show you from this weekend.   I did do some applique prep and a few Bow Ties that I will show when they are finished.


Now I will show my first finish of 2013.   This is Merry Merry Snowmen from Bunny Hill Designs.  I just love their patterns!    My quilter did an all over swirl that I just love.

 This next quilt is my last finish of 2012.   It is called "Welcome Home".

 This also has an all over design that is just perfect for the quilt

As you can see, my photography skills are still terrible.  LOL!  Some things just don't change.

Well, I hope to be able to show and tell something else next weekend.  I have two quilts in the binding stage.   Hopefully I can share at least one of them.

I wish you all a wonderful week!
Yvette