Getting Caught Up!

It's taken me forever to get back to my blog and do some posting.  This winter sure did take a toll on my energy, brain energy that is.  Then when I did finally start accomplishing some things, I couldn't post any pictures or write about what I was doing.  Most of everything was to be a surprise for my granddaughter.  Two months of projects!!


Well, the Gnomes had to move their house to another garden.  It seems a band of Trolls moved in next to them, and they were a loud bunch.  So they traveled down into the valley hoping that they will have a nice long stay in this place.  lol

These dolls kept Gramma busy sewing for them for about 3/4 weeks.  

I was surprised how much fun these clothes were to make.  Ah, a few of them had me scratching my
head for a minute or two.  lol

The pink shrug was a head scratchier.  The blue wrap dress is one of my favorites.  I kind of customized it a little bit from the pattern.

Of course the stripe "mod outfit" made me think back to the 70's.  haha

 
The orange dress is a Peasant dress .... super easy after I re-read the instructions a few times.  lol
I was really surprised how these pj's went together.  I have to do another pair ... I think these are Izabela's most favorite outfit.

A craftier I am not.  But, I put together a makeshift closet and hangers for the dolls until Grampa has the time to make a better one.  This was just from a box covered in fabric.  But my granddaughter really loved it.

All the clothes patterns can be found in the pattern booklet by Annie's Sewing:  Love to Dress Up" for 18" dolls.  These were just a couple of the patterns in the booklet,  My Granddaughter may have to wait until her birthday in September to get the rest of them.

I also made two small quilts for the bunk bed Grampa is going to make!

I don't believe it, but I never got a complete "done picture" of the quilt I made for  my granddaughter as a gift for her First Communion.  I must have thought that I would get a picture of it after she opened it.  You know the saying, "Best Laid  Plans and all"

This shows a couple of blocks and  the turquoise flannel fabric for the back.  This quilt was the size for a double bed, and it was very warm and very heavy in my hoop to quilt.  But I was on a mission and got it hand quilted in  2 weeks.

I did get a picture of the completed top laying on my bed.

Look what I found on my camera,  a picture of my Granddaughter, Izabela, after she opened it.  

At this time I don't know where my next sewing project is going to take me.  I know I am way behind in my monthly Loyal Union blocks .... need to play catch up there.  Also, I have enough fabric to start the Cottage Romance Quilt published in the 2015 McCall's Quilting magazine. 

Well, it gives me something to think about as I lay down to sleep at night.  If I can't fall asleep right away, I usually have some quilting project playing in my brain.  lol  Before I know it ... I fall asleep.  Bad thing ... I never remember the great quilt I created in my head.  DUH!!

Thanks for stopping by, hope you will visit again.

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I'M STILL HERE .....

I'm still here .... sewing a lot during the last few months.  The only thing is, that I can't share
anything I have been making.  Most of the things I have been sewing are for two of my granddaughters, and I don't want to spoil the surprise for them or my daughter:-)  My 8 year old granddaughter is having her First Communion the weekend of Mother's Day weekend, and I made a special "something" for her.   This will be a road trip to Missouri.  After returning home and recuperating I will get my act together and post my accomplishments.  lol  

My poor Loyal Union Quilt Blog has been suffering also.  I have made a couple more blocks to share, but I have been to "b-u-s-y" to put them on the blog.  Not to mention, the winter has seemed extra long here on the shores of Lake Erie in Ohio, and motivation has been non-existent!    I am hoping actual spring weather will be coming and staying!!!!!!! and my mo-jo will return.  lol

Update you all later.  lol

Updated Photo's of Snowball Quilt of 2013

I recently received an e-mail asking how I quilted my exchange blocks from our Small Quilt Talk Group.  Because I cannot figure out how to attach photo's to an e-mail with my new computer .... I thought adding them to a post may be the quickest answer.

I hope this is a help.  I attached some other photo's of the quilt that I added and weren't very clear in my earlier post of March 12, 2014.

 

 

 

 







I wanted a fairly easy and quick way to finish this quilt, so I basically measured a 1/4 inch from the snow balls, corner to corner of the quilt edge. 

 

I added a detailed label with some of the quilters information to the back.  The name of our group that was involved in our exchange, states we were from, countries we were from .... and the name of the quilt.  This will always be one of my prize possessions.  I have it hanging over my desk, above my computer, and I get to enjoy it every day.

 





 

 

Stop by my other blog @: 

 





http://theloyalunionsampler.blogspot.com/  



 

 

 



Slow Sewing January!

You would think that it has been perfect "sewing weather".  Cold outside, warm inside to do fun sewing projects.   I don't know where the month has gone, but it has been slow sewing time in my craft room.

First of all, my sewing/craft room had to be "re-organized" after months of last minute sewing for Christmas.  Nothing current to sew, I was in the mood to do some crocheting.  My daughter asked if I could make something for the girls heads that would keep their hair from getting messed up under a hat for school.  Sure, I found a crocheted head band that might work. Made a practice one for my oldest granddaughter, which she liked, and I made it a few stitches smaller for my two younger grandchildren.

My daughter said that the girls opened theirs Christmas morning (I made them to match the winter coats we had gotten them for Christmas) and Izabela wore hers the whole day. LOL  I guess the headbands were a winner! Then, my daughter, Jennifer, liked the headbands also; so, yup, made another one. I look absolutely horrible in hats (that is what my children tell me anyway), so .... headbands do look better on people that can't wear hats.  At least I think so, so I made me one too. LOL ... LOL

Then, a request for a sweater for their dog, Ms. Betty Sue.  She is a French Bulldog, and has little to no hair.  She needed something to keep her warm when she went outside.  From there, my other daughter, which has 2 dogs; seemed it was only fair that Abby and Violet have sweaters also. Now I'm told that Ms. Betty Sue is getting very fat and will need a new sweater, soon!

My other two children have cats, and they mentioned sweaters .......... but that is not going to happen. LOL

From headbands to dog sweaters ......... I needed something more to work on in the evening while watching TV.  I didn't want to start a new needlepoint project .... so I told my husband he needed a new crocheted afghan.  My husband is over 6' 2"..... and he wanted x-tra length so he could tuck it under his feet.  This darn afghan is nearly 9 foot long.  Yes, 9 foot long ......... took me about 2 1/2 weeks to make it.  Son, who is taller than his dad wants one also.  I told him it will not be 9 foot long.  LOL

In the meantime, No. 1 daughter (meaning first born:) ... liked the design of the afghan that I made for her father, she bought yarn for me to make hers.  Now, she can crochet, but she doesn't have the time right now, and I wanted another evening project. LOL  I started it last week, and probably should have it done by this weekend.

Oh, I did do some sewing earlier in the month.  I wanted a winter table runner for my kitchen counter.  I originally thought this might be a Christmas present for daughter #1 (she loves snowmen) ... but too much work involved ... and I fell in love with it.  So I kept it. LOL

I am calling it "A Snowman's Welcome" 



 

 



 

Yesterday I decided I had better get busy and try and do our on line Small Quilt Talk challenge for January.  We had our choice of what to use a 4 patch disappearing  block in.  I need seasonal table runners ......... so a 4 patch disappearing Valentine's theme was for me.  Luckily I had the fabric on hand to accomplish it. 

 

I think I will name this one:  Candy Box .... doesn't it look like the top of a candy box?





 

This is all the time I have right now  ........ need to go and update my new blog, stop by ...........
 http://theloyalunionsampler.blogspot.com/ 

Here We Go Again!

WOW ... another New Year.  I am thinking Mother Nature likes to play pranks.  Well, maybe it isn't her, but I'm blaming her anyway. LOL  Another year, another "wrinkle"?  That's how I see it ... there in my bathroom mirror after my shower this morning,  new face wrinkles that weren't there yesterday!!!  I am going to stop wearing my glasses when I "put my face on" in the mornings.  This could be interesting to the people that I meet face to face.  LOL  Gotha love Mother Nature!!

So, here we are at the beginning of a new year .. oh what do I want to accomplish, what will my goals be?  I no longer do resolutions, it seems when we break our resolutions we give up on whatever we had set our tasks to be.  If we make goals, and some don't get done, we don't feel like we are a failure.  So, what are some goals I want to accomplish?

Top goal on my list, it started yesterday .......... get this craft room/office area cleaned up for once and for all.  I really did make a step in the right direction in 2014, got a lot of my crafts and tools organized.  The problem being ......... when I found what I needed .... not to good on putting them exactly back where they were suppose to go.

I actually do have sewing projects in their own neat little containers that I had started, for some reason or another, abandoned ...  There they set, "in their neat little containers", waiting for me in 2015 to get them done.  LOL

It's winter and my husband needs projects to do.  He is kind of getting squirrely setting around not being able to play outside in his flower and vegetable gardens, so he is making a list of things to update the house.  One of those being, my craft room.  I am very excited about that.  But, there is always a "but" ..........  I have to actually empty this place of lots of stuff.  In the end, It will either have a hard wood floor (that would be very nice), or another type of low pile rug.

I'll make sure to take pictures and post them of the "before and after" 

Last year my friend and I had decided we were going to do a sampler quilt.  Something like making a block a month .... thinking a process that will take us a couple of years to accomplish.  We fell in love with "The Loyal Union Sampler" quilt from Elm Creek Quilts by Jennifer Chiaverini.  We are definitely not making the "huge" quilt that is shown in the book.  But, we picked blocks that "spoke" to us individually.  Mostly, the blocks that spoke to me were not complicated and paper pieced. LOL  I eventually want to make the more difficult blocks ..... but they may end up being a one block pieced and hand quilted ... maybe hanging around my "new craft" room.  Probably by then, I won't even be living in this house!!!  LOL

So, here and there shopping around at our favorite quilt shops, and a couple road trips. we have been stocking up on our fabric.  The first thing we had to consider is what our basic background fabric would be. When that was chosen, we then set out to acquire our fabric for the blocks.  I like the roses and greens, sprinkle some medium blues in there, and of course some brown fabric. 

My next step will be to make a chart of the blocks I have chosen.  All my fabrics are going to play well with each other, but how to choose what fabric for what block.  Oh my .....

When I get settled into this new year, and I can drag my "friend" over to my house to play .... I am going to start another blog just for The Loyal Union Sampler Quilt".  I am hoping to do some tutorials of my block making process, and maybe get some hints from fellow Loyal Union Sampler quilters out there to chime in.  I would love to hear your stories of your blocks that you have chosen, how long the process was for you with making the quilt.  Or, have you just started making the quilt yourself .... or you want to and you don't know where to start.

 So to my fellow bloggers .... and to my fellow quilters ..... crafters .... readers .... whatever you do, I hope you find time in this new year just for you to do what inspires you.

Have a Happy ......... and Mother Nature .... you be good!!!!

Sharon

After playing for a few hours, and blogger not being co-operative .... finally uploaded my new blog.
http://theloyalunionsampler.blogspot.com/  Hope you can drop by!




 

Really --- It's Fall in Ohio ??

I can't believe that it is fall here in Ohio.  Even though I've lived here all my life.  I guess one good thing about all this "weather", that it should make for many "happy sewing days" in our craft/sewing rooms.

Showing Fall in my Kitchen

 

 

 



And, showing "Winter" out my kitchen door?

I have had issues with my computer, so was unable to post anything for a while.  Solved that problem, I hope, bought a new computer.  Now "learning" the ways of this one, even though my computer savvy son says it is still the same ......... "mom ... it's the internet .... you're still connected in the same way".  Well, computer "savvy" I am not. LOL

I have been sewing a little here and there.  I completed a small baby quilt for my daughter's SIL's baby boy.  I've had this adorable fabric; that was actually my grandson's fabric that my daughter had purchased for picnic tables at our local zoo (Cleveland) for his first birthday party there.  Of course, Gramma was right on the ball, as usual, he is now 5 and I didn't use it for his quilt.  I did make him a darling baby bears quilt, though. 

So, I had 4 yards of  fabric and  time for a fun project, so hence, the baby quilt.  I wanted to use as  much of the fabric that I could, so came up with this pattern.  I had  2 yards left after completing the quilt top, and wanted a fun back for it.  So, I played around with piecing it.  I think it turned out cute, bright & cheerful for a baby boy.

I have enough fabric left to make my grandson a pillow case, as a remembrance for him of his first birthday party.  Smart Gramma, huh?  I like to pat myself on the back now and then. LOL Oh, I don't have it sewn yet, but I have all the parts and pieces cut.  LOL

 

Here it is........ Peek A-Boo @ the Zoo!

 

Front 

Back

 

 

Okay, you probably noticed, I don't have a quilt label on it, yet!!!!  But, I got to get it in mailed soon.  I want it in the mail to my daughter for Thanksgiving, so I had better get it done like yesterday!! LOL 

 

Recently had a fun sew-in-day at our Guild Hall.  On Guild meeting date, we have "our" hall available for the entire day up until our meeting in the evening.  So, there are classes we can sign up for, or just go in and work on any project you want to. 

 

My friend and I decided to do our online Small Quilt Talk Group's monthly challenge for November.  The group belongs to Kathleen Tracy, she gives us a challenge each month for fun.  November's challenge was to make the Housewife Needle Case from her book, Remembering Adelia.  It didn't peak my interest, what would I do with a needle case?  But, I decided that I too would do this on our sew in day.  I used some fat quarters that I had won from Kathleen Tracy's blog., A Sentimental Quilter.  They were from Andover Fabrics, created by Jo Morton.  Really pretty fabrics, and I was saving them for just the perfect project.

My first thoughts on this project was,  what I would use it for?  Well, I got to thinking,  I do many different hand projects, requiring many different needles.  DUH!!!  A case for each project ...... embroidery, cross stitch, and hand quilting .... just to name a few.  Every time I start one of these projects, because I am so organized, I end up buying more needles because I loose the packaging that the needles come in, and then I am guessing which ones goes with what projects?  The only ones I can identify right off are my quilting needles. LOL

 

 

November Challenge:  Housewife Needle Case 

 



 

 

This is a really quick and fun project.  Great Christmas gifts for sewing friends.  I already have a list a "mile" long, besides making a few more for me!!!!

 

I am now going to "pa-roozz" the internet and my quilt magazines for an idea for a quick table-topper for Christmas.  I just want simple and quick ......  Every year I say I am going to do my Christmas sewing in July!!!!  I'll put that on my New Year's List of to do's.

 

Have a fun day in whatever you choose to do.

 

Sharon

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Something for Fall!!

I have a daughter who loves to "craft", and is very good at it.  She is a lot like her father in the fact that when she gets an idea to do something, it must be done immediately.  So, last week on her day off, she wanted to make a craft she had seen on Pinterest.  So, off to the craft store to buy supplies we went.

I am not generally "a crafter".  I like to quilt and do my other handwork items.  She is also an accomplished quilter, but she "loves" to craft more, I think.  So, her plan is for us to make rag wreaths.  Her's will be done for Halloween, and mine just something with a fall theme.

But, before we can concentrate on our wreaths, we must also make something for daughter #2, her sister, because it is her birthday, and she is coming out to spend the day with us.  It's a girl's day, as #1's husband and 2 boys are off to a steam engine show, leaving her daughter, birthday girl, me and said #1 daughter to enjoy the day.  2 dozen cupcakes and hot chicken wing dip later, B.D. Girl arrives.  She is not a crafter, she just wants to hang out.

We all  head to the quilt store for Daughter # 1 to buy fabric.  It can't be just anything thrown together, no, it must match and have the same theme.  Finally, after an hour or so ....... we leave the store with her purchases.  No time to craft, must eat cupcakes and have chicken dip.  Their brother, my son, joins us for the cupcakes.  Soon, everyone departs ........... no crafting has taken place.  LOL

Now, it's 7 PM and  I am to tired to even think about starting "my wreath".  So, next day, I start the process, the long process, of tearing strips and cutting to the desired length.  Probably a couple hours worth..  That evening, the "fun" starts?  Well, in the beginning it seems like it just isn't going to work out right.  I don't like how I've tied them on ........... daughter did not explain how to do this part!  So using the trusted internet w/U-tube .......... I found out how to do it.

Next evening, put in another 4/5 hours of tying knots onto the frame.  Getting the hang of it, really like how it is turning out.  Boy, it sure takes a lot of pieces ..... hope I have enough.

Lots and lots of pieces ...... I have a couple of them tied to the frame.  Not impressed at this point.

Well, this is after working on it about 8/9 hours.  LOL     Hoping I get this done by next Fall season!

Finished, worked on this last evening while watching new TV programs.  I actually enjoyed the process of this wreath.  I now want to make a couple smaller ones, maybe.  LOL  Lighting wasn't really good, but it does resemble fall leaves:-)   I had some really old "corn" fabric that I tied into a bow .... I am kind of proud of myself on how this turned out.  Even husband said it looked nice.

So, hope you were able to stick with me during my rant about this craft.  It actually seems to be a therapeutic thing for me to do.  LOL Ranting that is, not crafting. LOL

Need something to hang on your walls for fall?? Should take you 2 / 3 days ........ or more .......... give this a try.  Don't have to be crafty to make this wreath.

Check back to see if Daughter #1 has any more crafts up her sleeve for her mother to try.  LOL