A School Project

Each year the public school that our son attends has a Valentine box project for third grade.  The student is given a random area business.  Then the student does research on that business and makes a working Valentine box that represents the business.  Our son got was assigned a local automotive business.

Here he is in the garage working with Dad to make the "garage" portion of the box.

I am helping with the presentation (speech) portion of the project.  He must also learn about directions and maps and goods and services.  It is a nice social studies project for that grade.  I'm so thankful that my husband helped with the model part.  Mine wouldn't have looked that neat.  They are not done yet.  Looks like the whole family now has WIPS -- (note the garage...)  But that's an awesome thing!

Moving it Forward Monday -- Block 5 Welcome Home Sampler

Moving it forward again on my Welcome Home Sampler quilt (book by Cheryl Wall).  Here's block #5.  One block at a time and it will happen.

 

Linking up with Em's Scrap Bag and Moving It Forward Monday.

 

Slow Sunday Stitching

Holy cow!  Look at all the leaves and flowers that grew this week on my Slow Sunday Stitching project!!!

This is what it looked like last week.  I'm just LOVING how much I am getting done by carrying a to-go bag with a project in it vs. a quilt magazine that gives me more ideas of projects that I really shouldn't be starting until I finish some of the ones I have started.

 

I started this project in December, 2016.  Here's a picture of the quilt I'm making.  Should be some fun learning applique for me.

 

 

I'm linking up with Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching.  Click by and check out all the other GORGEOUS projects!

 

 

RSC17 Purple and Fun with the Globetrotters

I only made five purple plus blocks for the RSC17 this week.  I'm done with the leader/ender purple pieces I had left from another project.

 

We also had fun at a local event with the Harlem Globetrotters.  Funny thing is that I got really cheap tickets at the very end of the arena...but they weren't that bad.  Our son, Owen, still got picked out of the crowd to go on the floor to meet "Firefly".  Owen was soooooo excited.  He didn't want to take his new headband off even to go to bed.  Later in the game a security guy gave Owen a t-shirt.  Little squirt always has so much fun in life.  :)

Owen and Daddy

Even I got in the picture this time! (of course not without a silly pose from Owen...)

 

Linking up with Angela at SoScrappy for the RSC17.

 

Friday Finish #4 -- Sunbonnet Sue Charity Quilt Complete

Here's a cute little quilt for charity.  It is one I finished for our local quilt guild.  I quilted it with Circle Lord's giant template board, Milky Way.  It measures 41" x 54.5"

It's time to link up those finishes for the Finish-A-Long Q1 Link-Up.  I'm linking up with Rhonda's Quilt Ramblings here. for the Q1 finish.  You can see my original 2017 Goal Setting post here.

Back then, this quilt was still on the list under "Ready to Longarm".




This is 4 of 85 WIPS complete for 2017.  It was one of my goals to finish this quilt for the first 100 days of 2017.  Whohoo!  It is done!  You can read more about the challenge on her blog post here.



Linking up with Myra at Busy Hands Quilts for Finished or Not Friday.

Linking up with Sarah Craig for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

 

 

I'm also linking up with Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts.  This is for Finish It Up Friday!

 

Lastly, I'm linking up with Michelle's Romantic Tangle for Let's Make Baby Quilts.

 

 

Pat Sloan's Solstice Challenge Block #6

Here's block #6 of 25 for the Pat Sloan Solstice Challenge.  I am using red/white scraps for the blocks for this challenge.  This block is called Crosswalk.

WIP Wednesday, 1.25.17

It's been another productive week.  Check it out:

This week I got a fun surprise prize from Joy of The Joyful Quilter.  I got some fun Robert Kaufman fabric "The Cheif's Choice", a scrappy pin cushion (you all know how much I LOVE scraps!, and a sweet card.  Thank you, Joy!

 

I got a few more pieces of vine done on my Slow Stitching project that is in my to-go bag right now.

 

 

 

I also had time to stitch this little basket and handle for the Pat Sloan Solstice Challenge.

 

 

AND exciting news... I FINISHED another WIP.  This started out as a Sunday Slow Stitching project that I threw in my to-go bag (modeled by my helper that is always excited to help cook dinner):

 

 

I loaded a Sun Bonnet Sue charity quilt onto my longarm.

 

 

I finished some plus blocks and some hourglass blocks all in purple for the RSC17.

 

 

2017 Finishes (listed by date)! 
1.  01.07.17  Country Roads, Humble Quilts Mystery 2015 here.
2.  01.13.17  Stars Stripes & Other Things quilt here.
3.  01.20.17  Candy Cane Mini quilt here.


2017 New Projects...
ZERO!

Current WIPS -- 89
WIPS Completed 2017:  3
WIPS Remaining:          88


Linking up with Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Be Social Speaking of Lorna... Holy Cow -- Her quilt along starting next week looks amazing.  Add a couple of WIPS to my list.  I'm not going to be able to pass up her beautiful FREE patterns for the sew along!

Sunbonnet Sue Charity Quilt on the Frame

I have a cute little Sunbonnet Sue charity quilt on my longarm frame today.  It's very cute.

Here's a close-up of the swirls and stars on the quilt.  This giant board doesn't take long to stitch out.

 

Now it's on my longarm frame.  I'm quilting it with my new giant template board, Milky Way that I got for myself for Christmas from Circle Lord (Loricles).  I am quilting it using only one outline for the stars.  There could be a star inside the stars if I wanted.

 

I just love the quality of Circle Lord products!  Yes, they are sort of expensive (a little over $300 per king board) but I figure if I quilt just three customer quilts with one then it pays for itself.  These boards have great designs that work well with many different quilts.  Check them out.

 

 

I'm linking up in The Quilting Room with Mel for Fiber Tuesday.

Moving it Forward Monday -- Welcome Home Sampler

Today I worked on Cheryl Wall's pattern, The Welcome Home Sampler, from her book, Welcome Home.  I made the house portion of Block #7.

 

Linking up with Em's Scrap Bag and Moving It Forward Monday.

 

Happy Mail from The Joyful Quilter

Who doesn't LOVE getting happy mail?  This week I got a fun surprise prize from Joy of The Joyful Quilter.  I got some fun Robert Kaufman fabric "The Cheif's Choice", a scrappy pin cushion (you all know how much I LOVE scraps!, and a sweet card.  Thank you, Joy!

Joy had a surprise giveaway..  She was so excited that one of her posts generated 25 comments.  Check out Joy's blog.  She does beautiful scrappy work.  Right now I know she is starting to play with her Circle Lord swirls giant template board.  I bet she has some pretty finishes coming up in posts soon.

THANK YOU, Joy.  Quilty friends are the best!

Slow Sunday Stitching -- More Vine...

I got a few more pieces of vine done on my Slow Stitching project that is in my to-go bag right now.

 

 

But a really fun thing happened while I was stitching one Thursday... I had an adorable admirer in one of the 5th grade classes.  She watched as I made some of my star blocks from my Stars Stripes & Other Things quilt.  She was amazed with the strip pieces in the Homestead Harvest quilt...and the green vines.  She likes to quilt too!  She told me how she loves to cut fabric squares with scissors using a cardboard template and then sew them together.  Be still my heart!  A little later she came back to my desk with this picture that she drew.  I LOVE IT!  I'm framing it and hanging it in my sewing room! (I blocked out her last name...just in case.)  Look how she got the detail of my denim jacket and the green vines!  Sooooo sweet!

 

 

 

I started this project in December, 2016.  Here's a picture of the quilt I'm making.  Should be some fun learning applique for me.

 

Here's the cover of the book:

 

 

Isn't the quilt on the cover spectacular?

 

I also had time to stitch this little basket and handle for the Pat Sloan Solstice Challenge.

 

 

AND exciting news... I FINISHED another WIP.  This started out as a Sunday Slow Stitching project that I threw in my to-go bag (modeled by my helper that is always excited to help cook dinner):

 

I'm linking up at Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching.  You can see all the other wonderful projects participants are linking here.

RSC17 and FNSI Results

I had time to play along last night for the FNSI.  I played with my purple scraps and made a few plus blocks and just a few more hourglass blocks:

 

Linking up at Angela's Blog, SoScrappy, for the RSC17.  Come join the linky party here.

 

 

Candy Cane Mini -- A Friday Finish #3 for 2017

Today I finished the binding on this Candy Cane Mini.   It measures 10" x 13".  But it also counts as another one of my WIPS finished!  Yep, dust in the wind.

 

I did some stitch in the ditch quilting on my sewing machine.

 

It is being modeled by my "chef".  He's patiently waiting another 90 minutes before we can start cooking dinner.  He's such an awesome helper!

 

For the back I just reached into my "Christmas fabric bin".  You know everybody has one of those...

 

It's time to link up those finishes for the Finish-A-Long Q1 Link-Up.  I'm linking up with Rhonda's Quilt Ramblings here. for the Q1 finish.  You can see my original 2017 Goal Setting post here.

Back then, this quilt little quilt was still in the package as a kit.




My neighbor, Karen, gave both of these little projects to me.  They are from By Thy Hands at www.buttermilkbasin.com.

Linking up with Myra at Busy Hands Quilts for Finished or Not Friday.

Linking up with Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish It Up Friday.

Linking up with Joining Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?

This is also one of my 2017 Q1 FAL projects. 

WIP #3 done for 2017 (out of 91...)

FNSI 1.20.17

FNSI is here.  I will be playing with my purple scraps for the RSC17 (Rainbow Scrap Challenge, 2017).  Each month we play with a different color of scrap and then link up on Saturdays at Angela's blog, http://superscrappy.blogspot.com/

I will most likely be making plus blocks in purple.

USA, Happy Inauguration Day.  Welcome, President Donald Trump!  Let's make America great again! 

Linking up with Wendy at Sugarlane Designs.

Pat Sloan Solstice Challenge Block 5

Here's block 5/25 of Pat Sloan's 182 Day Solstice Challenge.  It is called Gramma Anna's Basket.  I used to cringe when I saw something with applique.  Now that I'm part of the Slow Sunday Stitching group at Kathy's Quilts, I enjoy little projects like this to put in my to-go bag.  Here's block #5: