No time to sew or stitch

I have been taking an online class for work.  My attention has been on this class.  I can hardly wait until it is over.  I have been reading some blogs and looking at a lot of pictures.

A few completions and a work in progress

Here are 4 more diamonds that I have completed

for my Martha Washington Flower Garden Quilt 

Here is another diamond.  I am getting so close in getting enough diamonds to finish the quilt it is exciting.  I had to take a break from hand sewing because my wrist was aching a little.  I am glad that I did because I finished 2 quilts this week. 

This is a scrappy quilt.  I found the pattern out of a Fons and Porter magazine.  I had actually started it before our move, but like so many other things, it was put away.  It was a simple quilt with lots of strips and a few squares.

Here is the picture of the Mary Engelbriet  quilt that I had promised to post. I normally don't put blue and orange together, but because the orange was in the floral fabric I decided to give it a try.  I do wish that the border was a little wider.  I may play with it and widen it.  Or I may just leave it.

sashing squares

 

No photo, but use your imagination

I am happy to say that I completed my Mary Engelbreit quilt top the other day.  Like all other quilts, the quilt top has a story.  Because of the blues, red, and black in the embroidered squares I had chosen some floral fabric with those same colors in it and some blue border fabric.  When I finally decided to put the quilt top together, I couldn't find my fabric. Sigh.  I had decided that I wasn't going to buy any, but only use what I had.  I liked my decision.  I found a pretty blue, some floral, and some orange fabric and put it together.  It turned out better than I expected.  I will try to post a picture later today.  The next step will be quilting the quilt.  That is my weak area.  Oh well.

Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog.

Finding Time

The countdown has begun until we move.  4 days.  Wow.  There is still a lot to pack and clean.  After I take the kids to school, I plan to buckle down and get some more packing and cleaning done.  I wish someone could help.  Oh well.  While I wait for the kids to wake up I have been working on a diamond for my quilt.

Another Completion



Young Scarlet is now complete.  After playing with different fabric for the border, I decided to make it simple.  My girls are holding it up and Angel is wondering what is going on.  This quilt was started when my oldest was just a baby.  She is 20 now.  I had planned on giving it to her when she turned 16.  That never happened.  The quilt just needs to be quilted.  I have a friend who is willing to hand quilt it.  I am planning on entering it into the state fair next year.

Together

Young Scarlet is all sewn together.  This picture isn't the best, but I really like the quilt without the sashing in between the blocks.  The flowers in the corners come together and look great.  I have been playing with the border.  I will post pictures of that when I finally decide exactly what to do. I miss my display wall.😟😟

Reading Blogs

I have been enjoying reading quilting blogs, looking at cool photos, and getting ideas.  I will go from my blog list to someone else's blog list.  I find myself spending several hours doing that and not getting anything done. I am going to put my kindle away for the day and see what I can achieve.

Taking Young Scarlet Apart

This started many months ago when I had completed my squares for the young Scarlet quilt.  I had sewn it together before all of the blocks were stitched.  I saw that the seam allowance was overlapping some of the embroidery.  As I took it apart, I realized why I had sewn it the way that I did.  I had accidentally cut some of the squares too small.  They were cut on the quilt line.  I took these squares to my stitching/quilting friends.  I laid it on the bed with the blocks side by side.  Everyone liked that layout better.  Since there are 3 or 4 squares that are too small on one side, I will lay them on the right side of the quilt.  Hopefully it won't be too noticeable.

Second layout

The original layout

Close-up of second layout

Contemplating

In less than a month we will be moving.  That means that I will be unpacking all of my fabrics, projects, and sewing machine.  I have been trying to decide what my first project will be when I get my sewing machine set up.  Will I work on a project that won't take much time to finish, or will I work on a project that has been in the process for a long time? I think I will put a list together of long term projects, and short term projects.  I am actually thinking of sewing together the Mary Engelbreit quilt first.

Getting Ready To Move

We put our house up for sale a few weeks ago.  The day after the sign was put in the yard we had someone come and look at the house.  He bought it.  That was fast.  So, we had to find a house to move to.  We looked at several.  There was a new listing online, so I told our realtor.  We went and looked at it and saw a lot of potential.  I saw room for a quilting machine or a sewing room someday.  It has a deck and I am already looking forward to sitting outside and stitching. Here are a few pictures of the house that we have lived in for 13 years.  It has been a great house.

Current house 

Living room

Kitchen

Angel laying on my project

This is an old picture, but I thought it would be fun to post.

More Embroidery

With all of my fabric packed away with the hope of moving soon, I haven't done any sewing.  I have been stitching away.  I have been working on my owl quilt and a four petals square.  I loved the Four petals pattern, but only let myself buy one package.  Here are a few pictures.

Sunday Stitching

I have made a lot of progress on this quilt.  There are a lot of details that I am enjoying as I stitch.  There are plenty of French knots and satin stitches. There are also some lazy daisy stitches that are fun to do as well.

I have a coworker who wants to learn how to do cross stitch and embroidery. I dug through my stash of projects and found a few bibs.  I am looking forward to teaching her.

Rose and Lace Fan Quilt

The moment that I saw this quilt I loved it.  I wouldn't let myself buy it because I have enough projects to last forever.  For a couple of years I would look at it online and contemplate buying it, but refused to do so.  Then one day I found it for a pretty good price and put it in my wishlist.  My husband ended up buying it for me.  I wouldn't let myself start on it until I had my Mary Engelbreit quilt completed.  I got it out for the first time the other day and started on it.  It will probably take 10 or more years to complete, but I am up for the challenge.  I decided that I will try to keep a journal as I stitch this quilt.

Here is a picture of my progress.

Close Up

Here are some pictures of each quilt square in this Mary Engelbreit quilt.  I haven't decided if I am going to put the quilt together now or after we move.  I have fabric packed away.  I even have some fabric that I used in my girl's dresses.  

Completed

All 6 squares are now completely stitched.  I just  need to put them together.  I am looking at some fabric now to go in between and around the squares.  

On The Road

We just returned from a short road trip to Nebraska to see my son at Maranatha Bible Camp, some friends in Lincoln, NE, and my sister and dad in Gothenburg, NE.  We had a great time.  I went swimming with my daughter Stacie.  I really enjoyed the long slide at Maranatha.

I worked on my owl quilt on the way up there and back.  I decided that it would be easier if I did a part of the quilt that didn't require me to use the pattern.  One the way up there I was able to complete the swirls around the border.  On the way home I took another square out and did the blue border.  It is a cute block.

Peter working at Maranatha

This isn't the best picture, but I wanted to share my progress of this quilt.  This is my last square.  I can hardly wait to have it done.  I have been stitching on this quilt, six squares, for 8 years.  I just hope that it won't take long to make it into a wallhanging. 

Another segment done

Hip hip hooray, I am back into my hexagon pieced quilt.  I still haven't decided how big this quilt will be, probably full-size.

Sharing a flower

It has been awhile since I last posted.  I haven't done too much stitching.  I did get it back out today when I decided to volunteer at a nursing home.  What prompted me to volunteer?  I used to be a CNA and worked in a nursing in Lincoln, NE.  There was a sweet lady that I would sit, stitch, and visit with.  She enjoyed it and so did I.  I have always wanted to do that again and finally did so today.  I had brought my hexagon project bag and decided to make this lady a simple flower while I was there. I hope to share a hexagon flower with some more people.  (I am sure mom is smiling at me)

Something out of nothing

After browsing pinterest I decided to add some character to a stump and tire in our back yard.  I stopped by a garage sale and found some plastic wine glasses, taped the glasses to a post and planted some flowers inside the glasses.  I also found one of my son's shoes and planted some flowers in it.  It has been fun to see the area around the stump look better.

Progress of my flower bed

My flower bed is growing in size, color, and character.