A Year in the Making...and It's Finally Finished!

I went back in my posts to see just exactly when I began on this quilt and it was August of 2016. Sadly, it has taken me a full year to finish it. I worked on sewing together each block last year. Then took a break for the holidays and as soon as the Christmas tree was taken out I quickly moved furniture around and set up my quilting frame. Next I got busy with work, not feeling well and then surgery in May so not much got done for quite a few months. All the while my quilt sat in our living room taking up space. I finally got back to it though within the last two months and was able to finish it up yesterday.

It makes me so happy to have it complete.

I still have this one that needs quilted but it's not going to happen soon. 

Actually probably not until next year. I'm ready to work on some hand stitcheries for a while as well as some crochet and punch needle.

Hand quilting and new projects

My red/blue Farm Girl quilt is slowly getting hand quilted. I seem to go in spurts with it...stitch a few nights and then take a few nights off. I really need to keep at it for two reasons. I'd love to have my living room back (where my quilt frame is currently at) and number two * I still have the aqua Farm Girl quilt that needs quilted.

I've also been browsing all the new 2017 BOM's. So far I've only begun on one.

It is the Have a Jolly Little Christmas BOM from Sew Fresh Quilts. Block one is the stockings. I made two of these and am thinking about making both of them into pillows.

Block two was just released Saturday and I've already got enough fabric cut to make three of them. It is winter mittens and I'm planning on making them into a table runner.

Farm Girl Finish

Well it's not quite a finish but the top is done and ready to be put on my quilting frame. This will turn into my winter project. Lots of evenings will be spent hand quilting this.

I still have quilt top #2 to finish too. It is also from the Farm Girl Vintage pattern but in pretty pastel shades. 
I've been working a good bit lately so I haven't had much time to craft or blog for that matter. I have so much email to catch up on it's unbelievable but that's o.k. because believe it or not I really enjoy my job.
Hopefully with the Thanksgiving break and the Christmas holiday I will get a bit more time to catch up.

Have a great evening!
Jessica

Farm Girl Vintage

I have been waiting for almost six months to start this quilt. You see, I have several other quilts that are still unfinished so I told myself that I COULD NOT start another until those were finished. 

Well the others still aren't finished but I could wait no longer. Summer is pretty much over in the sense of work and school schedules. Monday begins the new school year and I couldn't wait any longer to get stitching on this before our vacation ended.

I began about a week ago and I am having so much fun with these blocks. I chose to make mine in the 12 inch blocks which are a nice size and easy to work with. It really shouldn't take me long to complete the blocks and get it on the quilting frame. 

If you've never heard of Farm Girl Vintage or Lori Holt then you really should check her blog out.

                       - Bee In My Bonnet - 

This has been the best quilt book that I have ever worked out of. She provides simple and easy instructions with step by step pictures. Well worth the money!

I'm off to check the skies for the meteor shower that is supposed to happen tonight and then off to count sheep.

Goodnight!

"In My Garden Quilt" and My "real" Garden

Here are the next blocks for my "In My Garden" quilt.

Block number three is my favorite so far. I love the colors in it. I'm just using scraps to throw this quilt together with but if I had thought about it in the beginning I would have used these colors throughout the whole thing. Oh well, maybe next time.

Block 4 seemed to take me forever to get all the stitching done but it's finished and looks cute in all the spring-y colors.
I already have block 5 done but I'll wait until I get the bonus block as well as 6 done before I show it.

Speaking of gardens, I finally got mine tilled up yesterday. Well actually I just watched as my husband and son tilled it up. First tilling - not planting for another week or two. It was a busy day! 

Friday we hauled in 3 loads of firewood to burn throughout the summer and fall in our little firepit. It all needed split so again hubby and sons worked their tails off to get it all split and stacked. ( I did help them stack it and no that's not all of it. It extends farther to the left than what my picture shows.) Needless to say we have plenty of wood. Probably enough to last us a couple summers. 
Well I'm off to spend the rest of my afternoon working on more quilt blocks.
Enjoy your weekend!

In Our Garden - Just getting started!

As usual I am behind on yet another sewing adventure. I have been working for the last five months and that has left me with little time for sewing or blogging. Not complaining though, I really love my new job. I just have to learn to make the most of my time.
I have been following along with several, well maybe a few more than several (5 to be exact) free Block of the Month quilt and stitchery events. Each month I grab the pattern with hopes of starting on each one of them.
Sadly, I just don't have the time to work on them all....but maybe one day I'll get to all of them. 
For now, I'm trying to catch up with the "In Our Garden" BOM from Sew Incredibly Crazy.
It's so fun to work on and since Spring is in the air it is the perfect project.

I machine stitched my first block in blue and white.

The second block I have hand stitched. This little frog and flower was so fun to put together. 

I'm ready to begin on the next two blocks. I just need to pick my fabrics out and get started. I'm digging into my fabric stash as well as scraps for this one. It's hard to decide whether to coordinate all my fabrics or mix it all up with the many scraps that I have.

To be continued...

Block 1 - Quilt Doodles 2016 BOM

I finally finished the first blocks of Cindy's 2016 Quilt BOM. It takes me a little while because I do it by hand rather than machine stitch. 
I love how they turned out. I used scraps from my scrap basket and bought the white sparkly antler fabric at JoAnn's. (You can't see the sparkles in this photo but trust me they are there.) It makes them look snowy.
I also finished another BOM project but I'm gonna sew a border around it before I show it.

Last weeks 5 inch snowfall melted quickly as the temperatures warmed up these past few days however the cold air is returning today and the snow flakes are back again. No major amount predicted just bitterly cold.

Well I'm off to spend some "ME" time doing absolutely NOTHING other than maybe some TV time. Enjoy your weekend.

Shades of Dresden

I am having so much fun working on these Dresden plates. I love working with all the color. Sifting through all of my scraps and then laying the pieces out until they each fall in just the right spot. 
Then it's off to my machine to stitch each petal. Once they are all sewn together then I sit with needle in hand and embroider each center into the middle.

I still have shades of blue, turquoise, green, brown, black, cream and grey to work on. Once I get them finished I'll stitch them onto and all white background and quilt it. Can't wait to see the end product.

Dresden Plate

I just finished quilting a small lap quilt for my mom and as soon as I removed it from my frame I was off in search of another quilt to start on. This time I chose a dresden plate because I have plenty of fabric scraps that I can use without needing to spend money on more fabric. Though I will need to make a stop at the fabric shop to buy the background fabric for it.
I have spent the last few days going through all my totes of fabric and finding the bits and pieces that I wanted to use. I found the pattern HERE at Sew Mama Sew and made a template of it. 
Next was the fun part of cutting all my pattern pieces out and placing them in a colorful arrangement. 
As you can see PINK was the first color that I chose. 
This is my first time working on a dresden and I love it. I love COLOR and so it has been fun working with all the bright and colorful scraps that I have accumulated over the years. 
Speaking of BRIGHT....the sun is out and shining today....yippee!
I am so over winter. It's been in the 50's for a few days and it feels great!

April's Sparkling Stars

Once again it's been a little while since my last post. Spring has finally arrived in our neck of the woods and we are sooo... enjoying it. 
No time to blog, compute or sew!
I've been spring cleaning, cutting grass, contemplating my garden space and walking. It feels so good to get outdoors again.
Last night I finally finished my April Stars for the 2014 Quilt Doodle Designs BOM. 
Here are the first four months all pictured together.

I was hoping to finish April's block so that I could begin on another project. Several years ago Ginger from Primitives by the Light of the Moon was kind enough to send me a little kit of rug hooking materials to try out. Well I tried and didn't do so well but I'm gonna give it another try. A big problem that I had was that my fabric sagged and I constantly had to keep pulling it tight over and over again. So this time around I ordered some Gripper Strip and my Dad is going to make me a frame to stretch my fabric over. I can't wait to get my hands working on this project once again. Here in our area rug hooking is not something that I've seen anyone do. ( I've not seen any products or supplies at the local craft fairs or craft stores) So I will be in search of old woolen garments to recycle or I will have to purchase wool from the internet.
Anyways, that's a small update on what's going on in my little world. The kiddos are off on their Spring Break this week so it's kind of like a free for all. However, the sun is shining and it's warming up so I may head outdoors and see if I can recruit the help of the big kiddos to get my garden tilled up.

The Big Tree

I finally finished The Big Tree block  for the Quilt Doodle Designs BOM. It's trunk is a little off center but that's OK by me.

Here are the three blocks that I have made so far. (Jan.-Feb.)
I always look forward to the new pattern release on the first of each month.
If you haven't gotten the March pattern you still have another week to get it free. Just click on the above link and download it. On April 1st, the new block will be released. At that point the March block will still be available but you will have to pay a small fee for it.
Happy Quilting!

Cozy Cabin & Quilt Shop Goodies

Here is my February block all finished. It's called Cozy Cabin and the pattern can be found HERE at Quilt Doodle Designs. Remember the pattern is free only for the month of February and then when Cindy releases the new March block you will have to purchase it in her Craftsy site.
I'm really enjoying working on this quilt. I had a bit of trouble getting my seams to match up on this block. My seam allowance was off by just a hair thanks to the ruler that I was using but I made it work in the end.

I made a trip to my favorite local quilt shop the other day and came home with a few goodies.
I loved the little sheep and snowmen so I had to get them as well as a few coordinating pieces to go along. Not sure what I will make with them but I know I will use them on something pretty.

I also couldn't pass up this red and gray piece. It's a cross between a red and coral and I love it. The two greens are for the quilt that I am working on now.
That's about all that is new in my world. It's been the same ol'....just cold and snowy.
We awoke this morning to several more inches of snow once again. But they say a warm-up is coming.
I love winter but at this point I am more than ready for SpRiNg!