It's About Time

As the title of this post suggests, it's about time I finished a few things.  Haha. I'm slightly embarrassed to admit how many items I have in various stages of "near completion".  My friend Marianne seems to think my closet of unfinished projects is actually a black hole.....never ending supply of things to do.  She just might be right!!!

I'm proud of myself for not buying more fabric in a long time......some days it's a real struggle.....but I plan to continue my self-induced spending freeze indefinitely.

Along with my intent to use what I have, I'm hoping to finish up old projects between starting new projects.

In my never-ending closet, the first item(s) I found hanging was a set of four Christmas placemats, quilted with the binding strips already cut and hanging with the placemats.  Duh!!!   Why didn't I finish these?  I have no clue, but it's about time I do it now!!!!!!

Boy that feels good!  All finished!!!  Now I have a nice gift hanging and ready to give away this coming Christmas season.  I believe I started them intending to give them to my daughter Emily.  If she still can use this color scheme, I'll give them to her but if not I'm sure I'll find someone who would like them.

I also spotted another project, a baby quilt for a girl.  There were no binding strips already cut and stored with it so this took a little more effort to finish.

Searching through my fabric stash I came across a small piece, but large enough to cut four 2 1/2" x width of fabric strips to make the binding needed for a 30" x 40" quilt.

I sewed the strips together, folded it double, ironed, then machine sewed it to the back, flipped the quilt over and machine quilted it to the front.

Ta Da!!!!!

The next item I decided to make was a new project that used leftover blocks from the wedding signature gift quilt I finished not too long ago.

Since the remaining few new pillow forms I have in my stash are 18" square....that dictates the size pillow cover I make.  The left over blocks were 4 1/2" unfinished (4" finished).  After playing around with different layouts, I decided to go with the one below.  Four blocks across and four blocks down only made a 16" pillow top. There was enough of a neutral fabric from the original quilt left over to add an additional 1" border around....making the 18 1/2" unfinished top needed to fit the 18" pillow form.

I gave this finished pillow to the couple with the matching quilt to use on their sofa.

I also allowed myself some time to continue working on En Provence, the last Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt.

Making progress......

The nice thing about having a dedicated sewing room is that I can have my embroidery sewing machine working on a project at the same time I'm piecing quilt blocks on a vintage machine.

Another bib for Ava.  Again, this design is from emblibrary.com  

Ava modeling her new bib....

While I was in the mood, I went ahead and made one more bib....

I had this picture texted to me showing her modeling this one as well....

I wasn't the only one who decided it was about time to finish a project. Ray painted the living room over a year ago but didn't do the connecting entrance foyer walls.  That meant that on a daily basis for much too long I've had to look at blue sponge painted walls next to the newer painted tan walls.  No more!!!!!  The entrance foyer is now tan!!!!!!    Yippee!!!!!

I went out on a limb and suggested we get an updated light fixture since he had the extension ladder out.  Hee hee.  He wasn't thrilled with the idea but agreed to do it. A quick trip to Lowe's resulted in the purchase of a new fixture (it was even on clearance with a much reduced price tag).

I'm a happy girl!!!!

Wow!  It feels good to finish a few things but now I'm tired!  Time for a nap!!

Until next time!

Bunnies, Books and Other Things

Did you have a nice Easter?  I must say that this was a wonderful Easter for me.  I'm slowly learning to take things one day at a time, not to sweat the small stuff and to be happy and content each day I wake up!  It's only taken me 53 years to get the hang of it.

I wanted to make something special for Ava Jean so on Friday I pulled out a fabric book panel and had it finished within a couple of hours.  I think I've put together so many of them this past year or so that I can do it in my sleep.

I should have stopped with the book but no, I got the not so brilliant idea to make a stuffed mini bunny.

I quilt. I crochet. I've done needle work but I'm not a sewer of garments or toys like my mother (the master seamstress) has always been.

Had the pieces been larger, I'm sure it would have been much easier....but oh my goodness!

WHAT WAS I THINKING!  This little project took forever....but thank goodness I finally finished it on Saturday.  It only took two days!  Hahaha

It's little, but so cute!

All ready to give to this beautiful child.  She looks so precious in her Easter picture!

Early Sunday morning I received a text with this picture showing Ava so excited to check out her new socks and Cheerios found in her basket.

I also received a picture of my oldest daughter and grandchildren. They had travelled to SC to visit her in-laws.  This was an emotional trip for all involved with Greg's passing only 7 months ago.

Then I received more pictures from Tennessee.  Our youngest daughter is still away at college and wasn't able to come home. Thankfully, she was still able to be with family....her grandparents....(my parents).

My dad and mom....

My sister and my nephew traveled to TN from NC....

Back here in N.Y.  the rest of the family gathered to eat Easter dinner at my house.

With my husband....

With me.....

The beautiful flowers Emily brought ....

To finish our wonderful day....of course we had to hunt eggs.

I hope each of you had a blessed Easter.

Now I just need to get back to the sewing room!

Until next time!

Spring Just for Fun Projects

Just two days ago it was snowing!  Today we got up to 66 degrees!  The next two days we should have very warm days but then the temperatures are predicted to drop considerably for the remainder of the week.

I'm SO tired of cold weather, snow, etc.  This is the time of year I start to go a little crazy.  It's time to make some Spring projects.  My daughter Amanda loves to decorate her home for every little or big holiday, season, etc.  I'm trying to slowly but surely make her pillow covers with this in mind so that she can simply change out the pillow covers as often as her heart wishes.

I had a nice chunk of bright turquoise fabric left over from backing a quilt last year.  I found some cute embroidery designs on emblibrary.com that was part of their weekly sale.  A few hours later I had an adorable set of 18" x 18" pillow covers to go on the pillow forms she already owns.

She asked for cutesy rabbits...

And the second one....

Since my embroidery machine was warmed up and all of my threads were pulled out I thought I might as well make a Spring bib for little Miss Ava....

Isn't she adorable?!?!

She enjoys her bright and colorful ball pit....

Some days I get spur of the moment ideas and run with them.

I fell in love with that adorable bunny on Ava's bib. There were three other precious animals in the collection so I decided to make myself a wall hanging.😁😁

Once again I searched through my stash of scraps.  I found a nice wide strip of a quality muslin that was left over from a previous quilt project.

This bunny is for ME!

And this duck.....

And this lamb....

And finally this chick.....

I pulled out my box of 2 1/2" wide strips, chose four different fabric strips in pastel colors....

I then found a solid pink fat quarter for the setting borders and one blue 2 1/2" strip from the box for stepping stones....

Rather than use my longarm, this time I just wanted to sit at my trusty old Pfaff and do a simple quilting by stitching 1/4" from the seams.

I pulled this pretty metallic Amethyst thread made by Hemingworth....

Started quilting....the metallic thread shows up nicely and sparkles in the light....

Here's a peek at the back to prove I truly did a simple quilting of this project....

O boy....time for binding.  I really didn't want to cut into a large yardage piece so it took a few extra minutes to turn up this piece that was about the perfect size to bind my hanging....

After cutting, piecing and ironing the binding strips folded double, it's time to machine sew it on.

Ta Da!!!!!!

Now I only need to decide where I'd like to hang it for the next several weeks.

Have you made any spring themed projects recently?

Until next time!

Progress and Catch Up

There's finally some progress on my En Provence mystery quilt....1/4th to be exact.  Did any of you participate in Bonnie Hunter's most  recent, free online mystery quilt?  Most participants are probably already completely done with theirs but not me!!!!  I'm assembling mine in quarters which just makes it easier for me to handle.  Here is my first quarter in all of its glory!  Wild?  Yes...and I'm loving it.

On to the next project.....do you remember that wedding signature gift quilt I've been trying to complete for what feels like a lifetime?  Well, I finally cut and attached the borders, quilted it and applied the binding.  It's finished, been gifted and is no longer in my house!  Yippee!!!!

Completed!!!!!

Couldn't be happier with the backing fabric found in my stash!

Next project.  This cutie had outgrown all the crocheted hats I'd previously made for her.  The beanie pattern I've made so many of this past winter is really adorable so I just made it a size bigger.....purple.....in the Toddler size.  Well, it fits but is snug so I'll have to make a bigger one.

I'm having a blast making baby bibs for Ava.  She is teething so drool happens....non stop!!!!!

Another one was made a couple weeks before St. Patrick's Day.

This is Ava wearing her bib while our youngest daughter was home from college on spring break.

Oh, how I love this daughter of mine!!!!!!

Next project!  I made yet another beanie in hot pink using the older child's size pattern.  It's a smidgen too loose but she is happy and maybe it will get her through the cold here in N.Y. (that doesn't seem to want to leave) until next winter.

One of my twin daughters loved the clover embroidery on the bib made for Ava and requested I make her a special shirt to wear to the gym for St. Patrick's.

Of course I HAD to get a picture of Amanda and Ava together with their matching clovers!

I should probably take a moment to brag on Amanda who is training to compete in women's body building.  Her goal is to be ready to compete next year for the first time.

This post is the first part of my attempt to catch you all up on what's been keeping me busy for weeks now.  Life was so hectic during March that my blog posts fell by the wayside.

What projects have been keeping you busy?

Until next time.....