Quilting and Quilt Retreat

 My sewing friends and I decided to get away for a few days to sew at the Passionate Quilters retreat. We ran into a snag when they wanted everyone to make all day, every day at the retreat, so we went to our friend Tammy's home. She kicked her hubby out and we enjoyed 4 days of sewing. I worked on several quilts. 

This is a picture of all of us together. It's been 8 years since we all got to sew together for a weekend. 

I finished the Swoon 16 top. 

I also finished the Harmony top in Nova. My SIL thinks it looks like barb wire, so I'm going to make a quilt for them in these colors. 

I made the Threadology top and planned to give it to my hubby's aunt, but my MIL loved it, so I made it a little wider and she received it for Christmas. 

I finished Mathew's quilt top Marina and quilted it with a blue minkee backing and wide back flannel. 

I made this RWB Jelly Belly quilt for my co-worker Myron who is a veteran. He does so much for me, that I thought he would like it. 

I finished the inside of Frolic and am working on the border. I'm doing it as a leader ender, so it's taking a while. 

I finished the Hey June top. This one doesn't have a home yet, so I'm not sure what color I'm going to use on it. 

I finished the Phoenix top in Little Snippets. I quilted this one with a red minkee backing and I gave it to my MIL for Christmas. 

I finished my Meadowland quilt top and I got it quilted before Christmas. I just need to get it bound. It's for me. 

My dad's wife wanted a baby quilt, so I quilted up this panel and she was able to gift it the next day. 

I quilted a couple of Quilts 4 Kyds quilts.

I quilted a couple of Quilts 4 Kyds quilts.

It was a very successful retreat and quilting day at my dad's house. 

September Sewing

I've been making Simply Swoon quilts like they are going out of style. This one is for one of our work-study student's little boy who loves cowboys. I'll get some minkee and quilt it up the next time I go to Dad's.

I've been busy making Quilts of Valor blocks for a charity sewing block drive we're doing in our private FB group. I've made 5 so far, but have 35 cut out. I hope to send some and use some to make a quilt for a co-worker. These are so quick to make. They are fast to cut out and fast to sew. I got three from each fat quarter and they took about 30 minutes to sew all 5. 

My hubby needed a case for his Ipad for work, so I quilted up Chiefs fabric and made this Zip It Up case for him. 

I put a padded pocket on the inside to protect it a bit more. I did make it a bit over an inch bigger to compensate for the size of the ipad.

I had leftover Chiefs fabric, so I cut out and made an Easy Does it bag for my son. He loves it for his toys. I'm not sure it's my favorite bag, but I have 2 more cut out, so I'll get them made. 

I quilted up this panel quilt for my husband's cousin who had a baby recently, but she decided not to attend our family event, so I may be gifting it to someone else. 

I quilted my Good Morning a couple weeks ago with red minkee on the back. I'm going to gift it to an instructor, but she's teaching on Zoom for the next couple weeks, so it may be a while before I get it gifted. 

I'm making progress on my Everyday Handmade EPP project. I have 3 sections stitched together so far. 

I've also been working on my Swoon blocks. I now see that I screwed up on 2 corners and need to re-do them. I'm so thankful I just caught them instead of after I quilted it. Now I can take it apart and fix it. I'll also check my other blocks as well. I did this on the Cowboy Simply Swoon too. 

I've been busily making Yellow and blue Blue Ridge Beauty blocks I finished 5 more. Last night I sewed 27 more strip sets and matched them up, so I have more 4 patches to make. 

I made this Zip It UP in Everyday Handmade.

It has mesh on one side and vinyl on the other side. 

There is a  front pocket as well.

I sued up some scraps to make a Piecekeeper. It's a bit smaller than the original, but it used up the fabric. 

I finished making all my Harmony blocks in Nova fabric. I squared them up and set them aside to piece together at the retreat. 

I finished up the Woven Star blocks in Sakura. I'm hoping to make these into a baby quilt. 

 I've been doing quite a bit of sewing and making bags. It's relaxing to me.  

Hand Sewing Binding

Thursday and Friday I was busy sewing binding down by hand, so I could finish these two projects. I sewed the binding on Jungle Friends and used Mikaela's orthodontist appointment and Mathew's Parents First Communion meeting on Thursday to get in quite a bit of stitching on the quilt. I was 2" short of the binding, so I picked some up at The Sewing Center on Thursday and sewed it on to finish up the machine part on Thursday night. It turned out super cute and I was able to finish the hand sewing Friday. 

A high school classmate commissioned me to make this to give to her new grandson, due any day. The mom is my nurse at one of the clinics I go to regularly. She requested golden colors with giraffes, monkeys, and elephants. It turned out better than I hoped. I had a giraffe pattern and had planned to add an elephant pattern I had seen. When I went looking for the monkey pattern, I found a pattern online that was all three and I adjusted it to include the animals she requested. It was the same designer as the original giraffes' pattern, Sew Fresh Quilts. 

I found this panel and decided to make the giraffe to gift with the baby quilt. I think it turned out super cute. 

I have never used the lettering on my machine but didn't feel like dragging out the embroidery machine, so I tried it out for this label. It took me about 4 tried to get it right, but I'm pleased with how it turned out and I was able to match the fabric on the quilt, so it looks like it belongs. I hand sewed it down this morning and will deliver it over lunch today. 

I also finished the hand sewing on the binding for my Sakura Stars table runner. I hope to get it in the mail later this week to my friend for her birthday. It's English Paper Pieced and I started it in July of 2019. 

Saturday we went shopping in Sturgis and Spearfish. It was a beautiful day and it was nice to get out and go for a drive after the bitter cold of the previous two weekends. I worked on block 3 of the Threadology quilt-along Saturday night. I cut one of the large red squares in the wrong direction without realizing it, but I found the fabric pretty easily and was able to re-cut one and finish it up. I'm loving how these blocks look. Hopefully, I'll be able to get at least one more block set done this month. 

Mikaela got her expander put in her mouth on Thursday morning. She's doing well with it so far and is figuring out what she can and can't eat. The biggest struggle is pop and chips. We've had a few meltdowns over pop, but otherwise, she's been loving it. 

Yesterday I cleaned my closet. I took out a bunch of summer clothes and all of my "too big" jeans. I've lost 19 lbs and so far have been keeping it off. I'm really happy with my progress, but it was time for all the clothes to go. It gave our room a nice refresh as I re-organized. It felt so good to get so much done. I look forward to cleaning up my sewing area next. 

Last night I was able to work on my Thread Dispenser. I modified the pattern a bit, so I am hopeful it will work. I just need to put the binding on next. 

 

Thursday night sewing

Last night I finished sewing and pressing the caring heart blocks. I have 14 made, so that should last me through the year. I hope to be able to start sending them out to the guild members who have health challenges. I have received quite a few and I look forward to putting them into a quilt. I used pink scraps I had in my drawer for these. 

Threadology quilt along from 2019 is my APQ UFO challenge for February. I had hoped to get 1 block per week done. We're in the 3rd week and I had only gotten block 1 done, so last night after adding a 6" piece of binding to the Jungle Friends baby quilt, I quickly sewed these up. These are the block 2 blocks and the simple 9 patches went together very quickly (30 minutes). I cut the entire quilt out in Little Snippets and it's very organized by block, so I hope to get another one done this weekend. 

I spent most of yesterday working on the binding of Jungle Friends. I had an hour at the orthodontist and then 1 1/2 hours at the First Communion parents meeting of hand sewing time on the binding. I had ran short by 2" when I put the binding on, so I had to pick more up at The Sewing Center yesterday and sewed it in last night, so I can get it finished this weekend. 

I am also working on the Thread Dispenser, so I need to cut out the pieces that go with the zippers. Only I decided to use green zippers and I need a fabric to go with it or I might use the cream Tula fabric. I'm so thrilled to be able to work on these projects as I am done with all my "customer" quilts. I do enjoy doing these projects, but often my own projects get set aside. I'm ready to work on my own stuff. I keep cutting out more and more projects and I need to just work on them instead of cutting out more. I have at least 5 bags cut out in Pinkerville Unicorns. 

The weather has finally warmed up (14 above 0), so I am looking forward to a weekend with no plans, yet we don't have to worry about the cold. 

 

Last weeks sewing progress

My friend Pat and I have been talking about supporting local businesses. So I sent her a mug from Prouty Pottery for her birthday and she sent me goat lotion this week for my birthday. I love the cute goat picture and note from the shop owner. 

Threadology quilt along is my APQUFO for February. I've had it cut out for 2 years, so if I can get the blocks done, I will be happy with my progress. I finished block 1 last week. 

I'm not a huge fan of Ohio star blocks, but I really enjoyed making these. I'll be making block 2 as a leader/ender tonight when I work on the baby quilt I am making. 

I attended the virtual SDHEA (SD Higher Education Association) conference Friday. It was a great day with some amazing speakers. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I also presented for the conference. 

Friday was also Go Red for Women Day for the American Heart Association. This year it's especially important to me as I deal with a heart beating at 15% compared to the 60% it should be at normally. Since red is our opposing schools colors, I couldn't wear it at work, but I did wear it that evening to take hubby to Urgent Care. His knee popped and he couldn't put weight on it. He's now been to Orthopedic Urgent Care (who knew there was such a thing?), MRI, and just saw the Dr. He has a meniscus tear and will see if heals on its own. 

Sunday we watched the Super Bowl as our Chiefs were playing. It didn't have the outcome we would have liked, but we're still fans. Our sports caster loves the National Anthem. 

Monday I worked on the monkey blocks for the baby quilt I am working on for a customer. It's going to be so cute, but boy they are tiny pieces. I'm hoping to get the 4 blocks together tonight and then figure out how to piece the blocks into a quilt top. Quilting day planned for Monday.