Posts Tagged ‘I Wish You a Merry Quilt-A-Long’

Been on the Road

Tuesday, August 22nd, 2017

Hubs and I took a trip back east, visiting family in PA and MD. While visiting my folks in PA, I stopped at Simply Stashing in Littlestown. Every time we drive to Hanover, PA I do declare that shop is closed when we pass it in the evening, and it has not yet opened when we head back home in the morning hours. Usually I don’t fit in a stop at the quilt shop, but managed to this time. I told my husband I was popping in to ask for their Row by Row pattern, a cute Flying Geese pattern. Of course I had to look around while there.

I found the bicycle fabric which I could not pass up. And those two fun prints were on their discount wall.

While checking out, the gal asked if I would be visiting other quilt shops in the area. I asked where they are located and one she mentioned is in Hanover. It ends up that it is just around the corner from the retirement community where my parents live! (Ok, around the corner in a country mile.) My folks have lived there for 11 years! And I never known about this shop! I do recall passing a shop last year with a Bernina sign, and wrongly assumed it was just machines. Nope, it is a nice quilt shop too! Danners Bernina Shoppe. I bought a book that goes along with the Westalee quilting rulers I own, and another ruler. With practice, I hope to up my ruler work using my Baby Lock Tiara III sit down quilting machine. :-)

Sneak peak of the Facets quilt. Design by Christa Watson.

The top is completed and measures 88″ x 84″ enlarged from the original pattern to fit my son’s bed. I don’t have the back or binding prepared yet, but the top now goes into my ‘to be quilted’ pile. I’m so happy to check the making of this quilt top off my ‘to-do’ list!

While cruising some quilting websites back in July, I came across a Christmas block Quilt Along.

This snow flake was the first block presented August 1st. The quilt along is called I Wish You a Merry Quilt-Along. I’ll be keeping an eye out for the upcoming designs presented, but with a personal reality check, I’m realizing I should just not join another quilt along right now! …  she said backing away from the internet!

I finished a quilt today! Yesterday I completed the straight stitch quilting, and today I attached the binding.

This quilt design is On The Wave from Sew All Around Quilt Along.

I love this fun back used on my little wall hanging. It measures 30″ x 34″.

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

  1. Safely travel to PA to visit my folks. ✔️ We also visited relatives in MD and IN.
  2. Gift Monkey quilt to young nephew.  ✔️ Happily gifted!

To-Do Tuesday List for this week:

  1. Start cutting pieces for next quilt top on my list- Tropical Snowball.
  2. Sandwich baby quilt and begin quilting – a friend’s quilt.
  3. Catch up on Sit Down Free Motion Quilting BOM

Slow Sewing Week

Tuesday, July 25th, 2017

This was a slow sewing week, as in I was just not motivated to sew. I did a lot of reading for relaxation, and spent time looking around the web. I found a few things that interested me. I came across two quilt-alongs – like I should be joining more of those at this time in my life with my lack of sewing motivation! But still, they look fun, and I just might throw all my current sewing plans to the wind and join these quilt-alongs.

Jacquelynne Steven of Art at Home is offering I Love Home Block of the Month starting August 7th and will run through December.

I learned about her BOM on Lori Kennedy’s In Box Jaunt blog.  Lori, instead of doing the houses in appliqué, is going to Free Motion stitch them. That intrigued me! I’m woefully behind right now in Lori’s Spring QAL, so I really should finish that up, and then move on to the I Love Home BOM, following Lori’s FMQ instructions.

Next, I came across I Wish You a Merry Quilt-A-Long.

This is a Christmas themed mystery quilt starting August 1st and running through December 5th. A new block will be presented every other week. There is a Facebook page for this QAL, just search for it by the name I Wish You a Merry Quilt-A-Long if you are interested in joining.

So as this week was coming to an end, I did push myself to finish piecing On the Wave quilt top – yes, it is a QAL I joined earlier this year. Here it is pieced, pressed, and sandwiched, with a few threads debuting for quilting.

I think Gosia has 3 quilts total planned for this year in her Sew All Around QAL. I think I will love the finished wall quilt, but I didn’t enjoy the piecing process. Must be that lack of motivation thing I’m stuck in right now.

Hubs and I will be visiting relatives next week, so that means I better get a baby gift finished for a new little great-nephew who has joined the family. That means pull out the monkey quilt top and sandwich, quilt and bind it.

I got it sandwiched today. Time to set up the machine for some walking foot stitching.

What do you do to inspire your quilting spark when it is about to snuff out? I’d love to hear!

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

  1. Piecing On the Wave quilt top. ✔️ I actually forced myself to work a little bit on this through out the week with a big push to finish it yesterday. Sandwiched today.
  2. Piece back for Fence Rail Star. ✗ Nope, didn’t touch it.

To-Do Tuesday List for this week:

  1. Monkey quilt – need to gift it next week! It is ready to quilt so get at it and bind!
  2. Do some quilting on –  On the Wave quilt???

One more picture -

Royal Catchfly blooming in my husband’s native plants garden.

Linking to To-Do Tuesday and Linky Tuesday