Five Shadows

How have we reached December already! Time is flying by!

My goal for December is an easy one. I’m following along in Helen Godden’s Christmas Countdown that started today. This year she has a free pattern of a Partridge in a Pear Tree.

I printed off her free pattern, traced it on to fabric. Colored it in with Crayola Crayons. And then stitched all the black lines with black thread. Each day one element of the picture will be filled in with free motion quilting. Follow along on Helen’s YouTube channel Helen Godden Quilts.

Below is what the back of the quilt looks like with outline stitching.

December Goal – following along with each daily addition to Helen Godden’s Christmas Countdown.

Linking to One Monthly Goal hosted by Patty of Elm Street Quilts.

What a wonderful family Thanksgiving was held at my house! Good food, good fellowship, fun times. I hope you can all say the same.

I’m glad I had a short list this past week as not much sewing happened.

To-Do Tuesday Week of November 23rd

1. Continue making quilted Christmas gifts. I’m making 6 total. 2 completed, 4 to go. ✔️
2. Maybe work on the wool appliqué.  ✗
3. Enjoy Thanksgiving with family!  ✔️

1. Christmas gifts. Three are completed and 3 more are underway.

This is for a friend who loves pink, purple and Butterflies! It measures 6″ x 8 1/2″ with the hanger adding 2 1/2″ total in length. This makes 3 of 6 mini quilts completed.

I also have three more little quilts under way. You can see them here.

2. Wool appliqué was not touched, but thought about. Ha Ha! After cooking and visiting with family on more days than just Thanksgiving, no hand work happened.

3. Thanksgiving day was just wonderful this year! I don’t know what made the difference, maybe more casual? We had good conversation, played games in several groups, grandkids stayed engaged in activities. And food! I did turkey and dressing, and 6 others pitched in to complete a traditional meal with all the trimmings.

To-Do Tuesday November 30th

1. Finish 3 mini quilts for Christmas gifts!
2. Work on flying geese charity quilt.
3. Not sure I’ll do the wool appliqué – listed just in case!

My November goal was to make headway on quilted gifts for Christmas.

Here are three finished gifts -

The mini quilt measures 6″ x 9″ with the hanger adding 2 1/2″ to the length. This gift is for a friend who loves the color orange. Raw edge appliqué.

This mini is 5 1/2″wide x 12″ long. The hanger is 22″ long x 10″ wide. Raw appliqué with blanket stitching around JOY, and straight line quilting around the Cardinal and holly. This piece with the metal display is for a friend who loves yard art.

This pieced butterfly mini measures 6″ x 8 1/2″ with the hanger adding 2 1/2″ total in length. This is a free Moda Bake Shop pattern. The pattern is written for 3 sizes of butterflies. I used the 4″ and 6″ options.

I have three more gifts to finish for the scheduled gift exchange to be held next Tuesday December 7th. Here is the headway I’ve made on the last three.

Background quilting completed. Baskets and flowers cut out and ready to fuse to background. Then stitch around each piece, and bind. These three will measure approximately 8″ x 14″ once completed.

The progress made on these 6 gifts I call successfully meeting November’s goal!

Linking to One Monthly Goal hosted by Patty of Elm Street Quilts.

Happy Thanksgiving Week to my USA readers!

After a lovely time of traveling to a wedding celebration, time spent in Smoky Mts National Park, and time with friends, hubs and I are home and getting back into our routines.

Daniel & Carrie

View from Newfound Gap

On to quilting and stitching -

To-Do Tuesday for November 9 – 23 

1. Wool Applique  ✔️

2. A Quilter’s Dream Embroidery  ✔️

3. Once home, start on quilted Christmas gifts.  ✔️

1. Wool Appliqué – A little progress was made. I read books most nights instead of doing hand work while traveling.

Tree & bee hive completed. Stems for flowers underway. The stem stitch was new to me. Had to rip out first attempt and practice on another piece. I’m learning! This is relaxing, right?

2. A Quilter’s Dream Embroidery – Before leaving on our trip, I did get the design traced. But I decided to set it aside until the New Year.

3. Christmas gifts – are underway!

I picked up this small holly leaf  hanger from the discount area of a quilt shop a few years ago. I decided to create a little quilt to hang from it for a friend who likes yard art.

All finished and ready to gift! The hanger is 22″ long x 10″ wide. And the little quilt is 5 1/2″wide  x 12″ long.

Next up is a little collage of flowers for a friend who loves the color orange.

The background was filled with a mixture of quilting motifs, and the flowers are fused on top.

The next step was stitching in the flowers and leaves. Binding and done! The tiny quilt measures 6″ x 9″ and the hanger adds another 2 1/2″ to the length. I have 4 more little quilts to make for gifts.

To-Do Tuesday Week of November 23rd

1. Continue making quilted Christmas gifts. I’m making 6 total. 2 completed, 4 to go.
2. Maybe work on the wool appliqué.
3. Enjoy Thanksgiving with family!

Linking to To-Do Tuesday hosted by Linda of Texas Quilt Gal.

This past week I did move forward on two items on my list. Plus I prepped a new project that I thought would be good to take along as Hubs and I travel out-of-state to a wedding this weekend.

Here’s my list for the past week -

To-Do Tuesday November 2 – 8

1. Continue working on Flying Geese at my Thursday quilting group.  ✔️

2. Continue wool applique.  ✔️

3. Maybe pull out a UFO to quilt.  ✗

Here’s how this week has gone -

1. Flying Geese

I finished piecing all the flying geese and started piecing them into blocks. I’ll be using the geese to make 5 small quilts instead of one large quilt. These will be small, 32″ – 36″ square, and are destined for either a charity my church donates to, mostly for people in wheel chairs. This small size is perfect to fit over a lap. Or one or two might end up as baby quilts. I’ll just need to add borders to reach the needed size.

2. Wool Applique

I’m slowly moving along on the wool appliqué. And I do mean slowly! I’m new to this and not fast at hand stitching on wool at all! I finished the tree and started the bee hive, which is sitting on gray rocks.

Stitches show up a bit better in this photo. I’m in learning mode on this piece. The white rectangle is going to be a bee hive. Figures crossed it turns out ok!

And as if I am a glutton for punishment, I’ve purchased and prepped a new handwork piece. This one is on cotton, which I’m just a bit more familiar with so I hope I enjoy it.

The Featherweight Shop offered this kit in two color ways. I bought the brights. The piecing and embellishments around the embroidered Featherweight sewing machine are adorable. Here’s hoping I can manage the embroidery. There is one new stitch for me to learn in this piece. I’m thinking Hubs and I will have some down time over the weekend at the wedding so I’m taking this along and the wool appliqué. Any amount  of progress I make on either will be considered an accomplishment!

To-Do Tuesday for November 9 – 23 (I won’t be home to post next Tuesday, so this is a two week list)

1. Wool Applique

2. A Quilter’s Dream Embroidery

3. Once home, start on quilted Christmas gifts.

I’m linking to To-Do Tuesday hosted by Linda of Texas Quilt Gal.

It’s already November! Cool weather has arrived here in NE Indiana. The weather seems to be a bit behind schedule this year. Last week was lovely in the 50s and lower 60s most days altho very rainy. Trees seem to be at their peak in Fall colors now.

Our family met at Chain-O-Lakes State Park for a walk Saturday. It was a lovely time, mid 50s, and no rain! We walked a 3 1/2 mile trail that meandered mostly along a stream, which was high because of all the rain. The grand kids loved the foot bridges. And a certain 3 year old did his best to splash in each and every puddle!

To-Do Tuesday October 26 – November 1

1. Pumpkin hot pot pads/mug rugs  ✔️

2. Quilt block mug rug – birthday gift  ✔️

Goals were met this week!

1. Pumpkins!

These measure approximately 9 1/2″ square. I used orange fabrics from my stash. There is just a bit of foundation piecing in each pumpkin adding interest. I Mistyfused the pumpkin parts to the background fabric and then machine blanket stitched around the parts. The pumpkins with foundation piecing are all my own design.

2. Mug Rugs!

This 8 1/2″ mug rug in purples is a This & That Pattern Company design.  This & That has created a Bitty Barn Block for each month of the year. Above is November’s Bitty Barn Block.

Once I finished the Mug Rug for November I got busy on a gift for December. This 9 1/2″ Bitty Barn Block is December’s design. It goes to a friend whose favorite color is orange.

Although not listed, I did finish the hand stitching on I Picked a Posey design by Jennifer of elefantz.com. -

Now to figure out what to do with it! Frame in an oval hoop? Work into a quilt/quilt block? Mat & frame? The background is 9 1/2″ x 12″ and can be trimmed.

That’s my successful short list for this past week!

To-Do Tuesday November 2 – 8

1. Continue working on Flying Geese at my Thursday quilting group.

2. Continue wool applique.

3. Maybe pull out a UFO to quilt.

Linking to To-Do Tuesday hosted by Linda of  Texas Quilt Gal.

Christmas gifts!

I have 6 little gifts I want to make for friends for Christmas. I bought a variety of cute hangers to display little quilts that I’ll be making.

The hangers are made at Ackfeld Manufacturing in Reeds Spring, MO. They measure 6″ – 8″  for the width of a little quilt. I found them at Creative Fires quilt shop in Springfield, OH. The larger Holly Leaf hanger I found at Quilts N Gifts, Bluffton, IN.

My goal for November will be to make a few of the gifts. I’m not sure I’ll get to all 6, so that’s not the goal. The goal is progress on them, and I’ll be happy if I finish a few.

I did squeeze in some Christmas gift sewing over the Summer.

Tea Towels! I added fusible appliqué to purchased tea towels. Most shapes cut on a friend’s Accucutter. Blanket Stitched. Gifts for my sister and 3 Sister-in-Laws.

Goal for November – progress on little quilts that will be paired with the cute little metal hangers.

Linking to One Monthly Goal hosted by Patty of Elm Street Quilts.

OMG October finish!

My OMG for October was to sandwich, quilt, and bind two charity quilt tops. Which I’m happy to say are completed and already donated.

Safari Animals measures 33 1/2″ x 40 1/2″. I cut apart the animals in the original panel and sewed them back together with batik for sashing and border. I used the giraffe print from the panel for the corner stones and corner rectangles. Quilted in black Aurifil 2692 50 weight. I didn’t get a picture of the back that ever so nicely showed the quilted animals. I was in to much of a rush to get out the door and donate the quilt!

Color Works Concepts- Mirage measures 34 3/4″ x 46 1/2″ also quilted with black Aurifil 2692 50 weight. I followed the curved lines of the quilt,  continuing the curves into the border.

Once the panels were completed, I moved on to making pumpkin mug rugs. A friend requested 3, I made 4 thinking I’ll gift the extra if she doesn’t want it.

These measure approximately 9 1/2″ square. I used orange fabrics from my stash. There is just a bit of foundation piecing in each pumpkin adding interest. I Misty Fused the pumpkin parts to the background fabric and then machine blanket stitched around the parts. These are all my own design.

Next up I started into a pile of pieced block mug rugs that I’ll be giving to my quilting group friends starting in November and into the next year as their birthdays arrive.

I’ve finished the one I will gift in November.

The pattern is Bitty Barn Blocks by This and That. There is a block for each month of the year. My November friend loves all things pink and purple. For this little 8 1/2″ square block I stitched in the ditch, I think that is all it needs. I have a few other little gifts to add to this. Plus I want to shop for a mug and tea that will coordinate with the purples. My December friend loves orange, already have those pulled for the pumpkins!

Linking to One Monthly Goal hosted by Elm Street Quilts. Go take a look at Patty’s blog to share in the fun.

This past week I did make progress on my simple goals for October 19th To-Do list.

1. Some hand stitching. ✔️

2. Prep wool appliqué. ✔️

3. Begin piecing a top for charity. ✔️

1. Ripping out stitching on I Picked a Posey embroidery happened.

Next I added fabric and blanket stitched around it.

I have a few more stitches to add to the top of the vase. The lighting in my sewing room sure changes day to day!

2. The wool appliqué – Sweet As Honey – I am slow going on this!

Pieces are prepped, and embroidery stitches in progress.

All those little pieces, leaves, flowers, bee, might take a while. And then the words. I hope I’ve not taken on too much with this kit!

3. Charity quilts -

Those piles are 88 flying geese. There are 68 more in progress. This is what I’m currently working on at my once a month quilting group. Next time I work on this quilt will be November 4th.

Other happenings in the sewing room -

Playing with quilting rulers! I purchased two of Amanda Murphy’s panels to use for practice quilting with her rulers.

Here is one of the panels sandwiched and ready to quilt.

Instruction book and Lollipop quilt rulers.

Panel quilted, front.

Quilting shows up well on the back.

This has been fun! I’m thinking of adding to the panel to make a lap size (wheel chair size) charity quilt.

A friend asked if I would make her some pumpkin hot pot pads. So that looks like what I’ll be doing this week.

To-Do List for October 26 – November 2

1. Pumpkin hot pot pads/mug rugs

2. Quilt block mug rug – birthday gift

Linking to To-Do Tuesday hosted by Linda of  Texas Quilt Gal.

I’ve not posted on To-Do-Tuesday since April. When I recently went looking for the host, ChrisKnits, I discovered there is now a new host. I’m not sure when the switch happened, but I’m glad to find Linda of Texas Quilt Gal hosting TDT. Thanks Linda!

This week both of the quilting groups I belong to meet. One today, and one on Thursday. That means figuring what to take along to work on. The Tuesday group only meets for about 4 hours with a lunch break. I’m taking along a little hand stitched piece to finish up.

The flowers are a design by Jennifer of elefantz.com. I changed the bottom, and am not happy with it, (sorry Jennifer, should have stuck with your design!) so I’ll be changing that out again. I’m rather new to embroidery, got to be patient with myself!

I’m also taking along Sweet As Honey wool kit by Primitive Gatherings. I have even less experience with wool appliqué, so this might be an interesting week! Here’s to learning!

I’ll be taking my Singer Featherweight and a sewing project to Thursday’s group. Most likely I’ll work on a charity quilt.

Simple goals for this week.

1. Some hand stitching.

2. Prep wool appliqué.

3. Begin piecing a top for charity.

Linking to To-Do Tuesday hosted by Linda of Texas Quilt Gal.