Five Shadows

Aren’t these pretty 6″ stars?

I’m loving the bright colors and the batik background.

I only spent one afternoon working on these paper pieced blocks, so I’m happy with getting 4 more completed.

Hemming dresses? Whose idea was that!? I pulled them out of the bag to discover they are all knits. And not just t-shirt type knits, but those silky flimsy types. I really don’t feel like I have enough experience with these types of fabrics to do a decent hem. I talked to my friend, and she said they are just sun dresses she wears around the house, so she is not too concerned about how the hems look. I told her I’ll take a second look at them and decided if I’m brave enough to attempt them.

After looking at them, and searching instructions for hemming on my Janome, I decided to give a hem a go. I trimmed off some of the bottom of one dress so I’d have fabric to play with. I even called my local Janome dealer to get advice. I set up the machine with proper foot and needle, and gave hemming a go. It looked ok. I hemmed 2 of the dresses, but  passed on the slippery poly/spandex one.

How did I do on last week’s To-Do List:

1. Paper piecing Dancing Stars. ✔️ 6 completed
2. Continue FMQ Chic Country.  ✔️ progress was made, lots more to go
3. GOT to hem those dresses!  ✗ & ✔️ did 2 of 3, and passing on the third.

This week’s To-Do List:

1. Continue paper piecing Dancing Stars
2. Continue FMQ Chic Country
3. Road trip with friends to a quilt shop north of us.

Linking to To-Do Tuesday and Linky Tuesday.

Oh fiddle fiddle. Did I really share about clothing mending in my last Tuesday’s post? I put on my calendar for last Wednesday to hem three dresses for a friend. I was really going to do that! But then my DIL asked if granddaughter could have some grandmother time, and I of course could not turn down that request. Then the rest of the week just filled up and no hemming of dresses happened. It is a must for this week!

On the plus side, Whirled Peas is a quilt top! Read all about it here.

Whirled Peas was started in 2013. Gah! UFO alert! But since I successfully finished the top this September, only 5 years later, I’ve decided to pull out another UFO to work on in October.

Dancing Stars was a Quilt-Along hosted by Amy Ellis back in 2013.

The pattern is free, so go take a look. When I pulled out the box storing this project, I found only 2 completed 6″ blocks. I had pieces cut to make 24 blocks. Let’s see how many blocks I can piece this month. This will mostly be my take-along project for my sewing days with my quilty friends.

I got back to FMQ Chic Country. I’m changing it up just a bit.

I’d like to get this quilt and 2 others completed this Fall.

That is how my week is looking. How about you?

How did I do on last week’s To-Do List:

1. Turn Whirled Peas block into a quilt top. ✔️
2. Get back to FMQ Chic Country, it is turning into an UFO! ✔️
3. Hem three sundresses.   ✗   Do quilters really hem dresses?

This week’s To-Do List:

1. Paper piecing Dancing Stars.
2. Continue FMQ Chic Country.
3. GOT to hem those dresses!

Linking to To-Do Tuesday and Linking Tuesday.

It’s October first, and time to select another project to work on for this month.

Today I pulled out Country Chic and got back to the free motion quilting.

I know, I know. I’ve been procrastinating. Now with chilly evenings starting, I’ve got to kick into gear and get it done!

I’m changing up how I’m FMQ it just a bit. I’ve got to get this quilt finished for my grand daughter. Her daddy is planning on building a new bed for her. It might be a race to see who finishes first!

My goal is to finish the FMQ. If all goes well maybe even get the binding made and attached!

What will you be working on this month?

Linking to One Monthly Goal hosted by Elm Street Quilts.

My fruit and veggie blocks are all stitched up and stirred together into a quilt top!

I’m loving it!

My September goal was to finish the paper pieced blocks for this quilt that I started 3 years ago. I did that plus got the blocks all sewn together for a finished quilt top.

The blocks are 15″ finished, set 4 x 5 for a top that is 60″ x 75″. I’m putting this in my to-be-quilted pile and will wait for a good sale to purchase fabric for the back and binding.

The pattern is by Amy Gibson, Tilt-A-Whirl. Read why I made this quilt using fruits and veggies here.

I’m calling it Whirled Peas!

Linking to Patty’s One Monthly Goal.

The Whirled Peas quilt is coming along.

18 of 20 blocks pieced, 2 of each fruit & veggie. Only 2 more blocks left to piece.

2 watermelon blocks in progress. Then it will be time to sew all the blocks together into a quilt top.

This Fall, I’ll be sewing together a Jelly Roll Rug with several of my quilty friends.

I cut strips from my fabric stash instead of buying a Jelly Roll. I still need to cut batting strips for the rug.

Earlier today one of the quilt groups I follow on Facebook had a post asking if any of the members do clothing mending. My answer was I will only do hemming for special people in my life. No mending, no alterations. If asked, I suggest the person take their garments to a local alterations shop. There are several in our town. I’ve even done so when my husband needed a zipper repaired.

How about you, do you hem or alter clothing for family or friends?

Funny thing is, I was just asked Sunday if I would hem three sundresses! I caved and said yes to this friend. Isn’t it interesting that people equate quilting with any other kind of sewing they need? Curtains anyone!?

How did I do on last week’s To-Do List:

1. Continue papering piecing Whirled Peas blocks. ✔️
2. Get back to FMQ Chic Country before it turns into a UFO! ✗

This week’s To-Do List:

1. Turn Whirled Peas blocks into a quilt top.
2. Get back to FMQ Chic Country, it is turning into a UFO!
3. Hem three sundresses.

Paper pieced veggies that is.

12 Tilt-a-Whirl blocks made and 8 more to go.

Today I completed 2 Broccoli blocks.

How did I do on last week’s To-Do List:

1. Continue with FMQ Chic Country.  ✗
2. UFO – paper piecing blocks for Whirled Peas ✔️ 12 completed, 8 more to go.

This week’s To-Do List:

1. Continue papering piecing Whirled Peas blocks.
2. Get back to FMQ Chic Country before it turns into a UFO!

Linking to To-Do Tuesday and Linky Tuesday.

One block at a time! I’m making slow progress on my Whirled Peas quilt.

I’m making 2 each of 10 different veggies and fruits. This is a paper pieced pattern by Amy Gibson called Tilt-a-Whirl.

How did I do on the last To-Do List:

1. Continue with FMQ Chic Country. ✔️
2. UFO – paper piece blocks for Whirled Peas.  ✔️ 9 blocks completed and 11 more to go.

This week’s To-Do List:

1. Continue with FMQ Chic Country.
2. UFO – paper piecing blocks for Whirled Peas

Linking to To-Do Tuesday and Linky Tuesday.

This week I decide to pull out a UFO and see if working on that will spark some good ol’ quilting mojo. I’ve been in such a funk lately, I need something to kick start my desire to get back into quilting.

You can read about ‘Whirled Peas’ here. It’s a paper pieced block that will feature a veggie or fruit in each block.

Today I finished a carrot block.

Here’s hoping for a week full of paper piecing. And maybe some FMQ on Chic Country too.

How did I do on the last To-Do List:

1. Quick weekend trip to PA to assist Dad in settling in to new assisted living apartment. ✔️ Dad’s all settled in. Apartment looks nice.
2. Mark some blocks for FMQ on Chic Country, maybe even quilt them. ✔️Marked, and quilted a few too!

This week’s To-Do List:

1. Continue with FMQ Chic Country.
2. UFO – paper piecing blocks for Whirled Peas

Linking to To-Do Tuesday and Linky Tuesday.

I’ve pulled out a UFO for my September OMG.

This quilt was started as a joke. My husband was asked what he wanted for his birthday. He went into an elaborate story saying he was grocery shopping and came to the frozen vegetables, he picked up a bag of peas. He said he was taking them home and putting them in the blender to make ‘whirled peas.’ The joke is, when the previous people in the group were asked what they wanted for their birthday each had answered ‘world peace.’ Hubby, tired of the same old answer that was no longer funny, came up with the ‘whirled peas’ story. And that ended the answer of ‘world peace’ in our group … perhaps for all eternity.

I collected vegetable & fruit prints to make what I am calling the Whirled Peas quilt, and hope to have it ready for his next birthday in March!

I’ve completed 3 pea blocks and 3 cucumber blocks.

This is a paper pieced pattern by Amy Gibson, Tilt-A-Whirl.

My goal is to create as many blocks as possible this month. I’ll also continue to quilt Chic Country, but not listing that as a goal.

Linking to One Monthly Goal with Elm Street Quilts.

Sigh.  I really think I’ve lost my quilting mojo.

For August I set my goal to continue free motion quilting this Chic country quilt I’m making for my grand daughter.

I did work on it. Not as much as I had hoped. I’m feeling like I’m lost. I’m not really happy with my skill level – I think I’ve lost some FMQ skills!  I’m not liking how this is looking, and not liking the designs. But keeping with some expert advice, I’m not ripping out the stitches. I’ll carry on and hope my skills will kick back in.

I’m open to any words of wisdom from you all, my fellow OMG quilting buds!

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