Pin basting a purple quilt

 

I decided to start quilting one of my finished tops that were piling up, ready to topple over. So I chose this purple Scrap Jar Stars quilt. It's a fun pattern that I've used a few times...once with rainbow colors, once with red, white and blue and this one, all purple scraps with a low volume background.

Purple isn't a color I work with much although I do like it. So making this quilt pretty much used up my supply of purple scraps.

I think I may do one more to use up some aqua scraps. That pile is HUGE!

So this is on the floor upstairs in the dining area...sewing room still needs flooring.😣

The carpet guys told us they would install last Thursday but then someone measured wrong and the carpet they received isn't enough to do our three rooms downstairs. Soooo......now they say maybe in a few days if they can figure how to make it work OR a few weeks to get in more carpet. Let's hope they can make it work. 

I REALLY, REALLY want to start using my sewing room!

So before I started pinning this quilt, I dragged a bunch of tops out. I couldn't decide which to quilt next. I posted this picture on Instagram when I was trying to decide. Then I remembered my niece is moving into her new house very soon...AND she loves purple! 

So that settled it...I'll finish up this one and give it to her as a surprise housewarming gift.

Well, as it was posted on IG, she spotted it and said "LOVE that purple one!" Perfect! 

It has a new home to go to. 

Now to get it done.....

January birthdays

 

Dad turned 90 this past week! It would have been nice to have a big party and lots of family around but you know, COVID😣.

So we celebrated quietly with just a few of us and all being very careful...keeping our distance. Dad should be able to get the vaccine but who knows when there will be enough so that his turn comes. Dad probably prefers a quiet celebration...he never likes us to make a fuss. Soooo..

Congratulations and Happy Birthday, Dad! 

The other birthday is one of my younger brothers, who turns 55!! You're officially a senior citizen, Karl! Now you can get discounts🙈😂😂 if you're willing to admit how old you are! 

Happy birthday 🎂!

I've been working with Al on painting the lower level (cant call it a basement anymore! He's done such a nice job).

I just started cutting in the walls. Maybe he'll get those rolled today. And he cut shelves for my closet and hung the door. Getting close to the end! 

Happy 2021!!!!!!

 It's not just ANY new year...it's 2021! This is what we've all been waiting for, right? A fresh start! 

So I started off my new year by finishing my 2020 "Pandemic" quilt top... (Yes, the thimble quilt). 

At the end of 2020 it had 36 rows but then I thought about it, with so many leftover thimble pieces, why not add a few more rows. 

So I did. I ended up with 39 rows. At 2" tall that's 78"H by 72"W. 

There are still over 600 leftover thimble pieces in my box....not sure what I'll do with those.

So my other 2021 project is to finish the sewing room. Al has the bookcases in and we've decided on carpet for the floor (for warmth, it's in the basement). We're going to "build" our countertop... Hopefully our idea works. I need to get painting...I do the cutting in. Ceiling is painted so trim next and cutting in wall color. 

Al has also been building a bookcase around the "hidden" door to the grandkids hideout. We'll be creating an art piece to cover the opening (it'll be hinged) and that will be the "door". Inside the hideout is a rockwall, a Lego build station and two more little rooms. I really think they'll love this place.

So that's what's going on here. I hope everyone has a really good 2021! Happy New Year!🎉🎉

Christmas 2020

 Here we are...almost to the end of the year! Can you believe it? 

Al and I enjoyed a relaxing Christmas with just our girls (and families). Michigan is under restrictions ...no restaurants or bars are open. We didn't visit with any other family. My brothers we at their house in the U.P., my dad was alone at his place downstate, my sister was with her family downstate and all of Al's siblings were at their homes. Just a very quiet holiday. 

We were lucky enough to have a nice dumping of snow just before the holidays started...a good 8". I just love having a white Christmas. Al doesn't agree with me but he hates shoveling and snowblowing. 

When Lisa came up she brought her annual gingerbread "house". Every year she improves upon the year before.  This year she made two AT-ATs (from Star Wars) for her nephews. They were adorable.... Well, as adorable as is possible for attack vehicles! 

She tied ropes (licorice) around their legs, which is how the good guys toppled them in the movie.

Isn't she talented?!! 

Henry was so happy to see that the gingerbread structure for this year was this. 

Our tradition is to break the structure open, starting with the youngest. Charlie gave one a good smack with a wooden hammer, crushing in the side and then Henry delivered a fatal blow to the other.  Lisa had lots of surprises and candies hidden inside. 

This was a new gingerbread cookie recipe that Lisa tried out and it was really tasty. The boys gobbled it up, and a bunch of candy too, until Jenn put a stop to that!😂 

They weren't the only ones with too many treats. I made a bunch of cookies and a coffee cake (which Lisa decorated for me). 

I KNOW I put on a few pounds with this holiday😣 

So now it's just Al and I here in the house. 

He's back to working on finishing the basement off (including my sewing room!) 

And I'm working on my thimble quilt. I haven't touched it in a week or so. I'd REALLY love to get it done by the end of the year but that's not happening. So I'll work on it and finish it in the beginning of the new year. 

I didnt accomplish anywhere near what I hoped to this year but still, I had finishes. And that's a good thing in this horrible, crazy year. 

And...I'm back to sewing

Maybe it's a cold weather thing but my sewjo is back. And so is winter! We just had 6" dumped on us! It's beautiful and cold and it makes me want to curl up in a nice warm quilt by the fire...but also to sew!

I added a few more rows so my Thimble Quilt about 31 rows long now.

All the scrap fabrics were cut into thimble shapes so I just need to sew...just keep sewing...just keep sewing (reminds me of Dory in the Finding Nemo movie)

When I finally have the last row on, I know there will be leftover thimble pieces. Do I make a second quilt like this? Or do I give them away? I considered that but it's such a specific template... Maybe I'll do a few mug rugs. Those are always fun to have and to give. 

Here's the entrance to my backyard...a bit of snow, you say? 😂 Yes! It is! But that's why I love living in northern Michigan. It's alway so beautiful and the weather is always changing.  

 

Reading, working, cooking but no sewing

I ran out of sew mojo today. It's been a hectic week with babysitting the grandboys, working on the basement and cooking up a storm. 

Restaurants and bars are closed here in Michigan for another week so I've been cooking and cooking. We could have done some carryout but by time it gets home it's cold or soggy or dry. It's just easier to cook all our meals at home.

So besides cooking and baking, I'm painting ceilings and Al is doing trim. The sewing room has walls and doors. It has trim around the windows and maybe shelves in the closet by now (his current project).

 I'm taking a break to read a bit from my this novel. It's different, can't really say if I like it yet.

Yesterday I did some cleaning and decorating for the holidays. Usually I enjoy decorating but this year...I'm just not feeling it. I'll probably just do the minimal... like the tree and the table. I put a few lights outside because the grandkids love them. 

So back to quilting...i have NO urge to sew today. I debated bringing out my sewing machine and doing one row on my thimble quilt but decided to wait till tomorrow. Maybe I'll feel like it then.

For now, I'm just going to read.

Scrap quilts are my favorite

I have to say, I'm truly enjoying this process...creating this scrap quilt. This started as a way of cleaning up my stash, my scraps, my strips ...but this scrappy thimble quilt has become a daily therapy. It's my escape for an hour or so to just doing mindless sewing. I grab a bunch of pre-cut thimble pieces out of the tin I keep them in and start piecing. There's no "right" way to match them. I just make sure there's some contrast between the two pieces but other than that, no rules.

Today was super busy...we had the grandboys so I didn't get to sew AT ALL. 

So tomorrow I'll be making up for that and sew up 2 rows to add to the 27 rows done so far.

There's ONE fabric that has driven me crazy and I really wish I hadn't used it.

Look at the picture below...

See the red one in the center. It has those white lines, which look like threads. You wouldn't believe how many time I've plucked at those "threads" to pick them off the quilt top. 

And you would think I'd learn but NOPE, I keep doing it. 😂

So, would you like to make a scrappy quilt similar to this one? Go for it! I put off starting this thimble quilt for a long time and WHY? When you have a closest full of half started quilts like me, you might feel some guilt BUT you shouldn't. Quilting is our hobby and relaxation, right? So create! 

I'm working on 3 quilts at once right now. Everyday I try to do one row on the thimble quilt and after that I do a bit on one of my other projects. There are days I want to sew for hours and then days I don't pull out my machine at all. My hobby, my rules😉 

I'm thinking of starting something else new tomorrow after I make my 2 rows. What, you ask? Well...I need a Christmas tablerunner. No idea what kind...I'll probably look on Pinterest for ideas.

Quilting on Thanksgiving

  

I have 22 rows on my Thimble quilt so just 14 to go! And this is what I'll be working on today. 

I haven't always been able to make my daily row but somedays I made two so I'm right on schedule.

Last night I organized my thimbles into groups of 50 and have WAY more cut than needed. I put 14 stacks aside for the 14 rows needed. There's going to be a minimum of 36 rows but with so many extras I really think 40-42 rows would be better. Forty-two would be a 72"x 84" ....that's probably the best size for this. 

Today is Thanksgiving. Al and I are having a quiet day at home. One daughter is celebrating with her boyfriend and the other has her in-laws coming over. She invited us but we decided to avoid a big get together this year. 

Michigan is on a 3 week "social break" to try to reduce the amount of Covid. BUT that doesn't mean we aren't having a great dinner! 

Al picked up a small turkey breast for us. I'm still making mashed potatoes w/ gravy, sweet potatoes, veggies, cranberries, fresh bread, pies...etc.! There's going to be lots of leftovers ...that's the best part, right?! 

So I'll be cooking and sewing...Al can do his usual...eat and watch TV😂.

Hopefully we can have a normal holiday next year.

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

 

Charlie's Ball Quilt is done

 And it's done!! I machine stitched the binding down this morning. It should hold up to whatever this active toddler throws at it. Five minutes after getting the quilt, he was using it as a road...lol...well, as long as he's using it somehow, I'm happy.

I have to thank all the sweet ladies that sent me ball fabrics through Instagram's #getyourquiltywishesgranted4

 I recieved so many cute ball fabrics and used quite a few. The leftovers will go into a pillow for Charlie along with one leftover block. And I might even make a pillowcase. I have leftovers of the binding/sashing fabric too. 

Oh! And I remembered to sign the back of his quilt. I mostly forget to do that. I've probably made a 100 quilts over the years and gave away or donated more than half of them. I bet I signed or labeled about 10😣.... Why is it so hard to do that one last thing? 💁

Quilting on Charlie's quilt

I've finished quilting Charlie's ball quilt...yay!! One step closer to the finish.

I went with straight lines. It seemed to be more masculine than my usual free-motion swirls or meanders.

They aren't evenly spaced lines...kind of here and there...wherever I felt it needed a row. And I probably would have stitched even more lines through it but my shoulders were starting to ache...PLUS I wanted it done.

I've cut the binding and have started attaching it. By tomorrow this quilt will be finished. I'm doing a machine stitched binding ...its for a toddler so it'll be getting pretty rough treatment. 

The binding is the same fabric as the sashing. There's enough going on throughout this quilt...I didnt feel like it needed more. I just hope my eyes can see as I stitch this binding...it blends in TOO well. Al offered to bring up his construction lighting.😂 I may just take him up on that!

 

Still making thimbles

 Today I'm start to work on Charlie's ball quilt but first I wanted to finish up a couple of rows on the Thimble Quilt.

Here's a close-up of part of my quilt. I cut a few "I-spy" thimbles with cats, umbrellas, cars and other fun stuff for my grandsons to find.

After attaching a few more rows, I put this away so that I could concentrate on finishing up Charlie's ball quilt. 

I'm doing straight line quilting on it. I debated doing my usual meander or swirls but this will be more masculine, I think.

Anyway, it's getting done. I'd like to be putting on binding this weekend so he can get his "big boy" bed set up.