Quilts in Progress make the BEST Backdrops Y’all!

Happy Sunday from North Carolina Y’all!

Last Sunday I got this cute triptych of photos from my daughter in law… that my son James had taken!

Didn’t he do a great job of catching her first bit of watermelon for the day!!!!

Ellie is growing big and strong isn’t she??!!! 🙂

Mike, my middle child, is doing great working from home at the moment and he has picked up a side hustle … reading books for Audible!!!!

I am not recommending this book with this big picture… I just wanted you to see his name at the bottom of the screen on my phone though… His voice sounds excellent reading these authors’ words!

I took off the lavender iridescent nail polish this week… using the clips and polish remover that is good but works without acetone to dry out my nail beds…

I get that at Amazon… with all my Mineral Fusion nail products 🙂

And here is my new mani on the right hand!  Took me less than an hour to remove the old polish … clean my nails well, and put fresh strips on them all 🙂  I 💖 this product!  So mess free!!!!

And sharing all these quilted squares in a photo for my Facebook cover…

Then last night was the end of Shark Week in Holli Jo’s nail group (AND today on TV it wraps up)… so her and her husband had shark hats on for their whole LIVE event on facebook!  They are so loving & funny & endearing too 🙂

If you wanna join a fun and uplifting group let me know… I am happy to invite you 🙂  

Each week starts on Monday and finishes with a big party on Saturday nights!!!  I won a very nice foot massager in a live event just like this.. it has jets and heat and is awesome!!!!  AND I have won free nail sets too!  She hosts Bingo, Show & Sell, and Random Grand Prize Drawing names from the week of game playing in the group too for the big winner!

Or if you just wanna try this dry nail strip product by Colorstreet

Let me know and I will get her to snail mail you some … and you won’t be disappointed!

I want to share how my new tattoo has healed as well!!!

At 3 weeks old all the scabbing and flaking is done… mine was small and detailed.. Ricks ying yang was bigger and finished healing before mine… however we are BOTH happy with our new tattoos 🙂

Linking this quilty backdropped post to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching HERE <<<

I am ALMOST halfway through the heart of this quilted wall hanging now… Here is hoping next Sunday I have more of the heart center to share with you all ❤

 

Advertisement

How about some FACE time during the continuing Pandemic!

Little Ellie’s sweet mama (my daughter in law ~ Heather) sent me photos this weekend y’all!  I am tickled pink!!!

 And Ellie appears to be too…

I had a good hair day this week and snapped a shot… now I am wondering if it isn’t the color of the shirt that pinked me up instead… maybe BOTH! lol
The new shirt will get a better reveal in a future episode when it will be apparent why I am not showing it yet… it is quilty!

My friend Jannessa had a new grandson named Greyson born not too long ago… he is a little football player already we think! lol

Even Molly got a photo taken after succumbing to a much needed bath and brush out this week!

This weekend we are also expecting our first visitors since the pandemic started…
 It is my daughter Brandi’s 22nd birthday today and she and I will be celebrating all day… this post is being written Saturday afternoon… too excited to nap so I am writing to you all 😀
Her boyfriend Timmy is bringing her and they will stay for a few days!!!

And they did arrive last night and we are gonna be fine ❤

I did sew 4 masks this week for a good friend who requested them….

 But mainly we have been cleaning house and mowing grass… all the chores are getting outta the way… I have been slow stitching some…

 Split stitch with 12 wt perle cotton in Marine.  I also got in the color for the year of the wedding…

 and my daughter found the back of my work to be neat and tidy so I thought I would share… I have some WOVEN fusible interfacing on the white fabric I pressed into place before stitching…

… the interfacing is white too…. the batting I purchased for this project is white and not cream as well!  It does matter on this kind of thing I think 🙂

and this is where I am at now…

Linking this progress this week at Kathy’s Slow Stitching Sunday linky HERE <<<  

I am sure no one there is stitching slower than me!  But let’s see what happens THIS WEEK!! lol

Also Kathy is asking for YOUR feedback on a couple vintage quilt tops this week… I don’t have any 2 cents to help with this but if this is your area… please go take a look at her post above at the link 😀

I am loving wearing Color Street nail polish strips… I have never enjoyed polishes but always felt pretty when I did do my nails… my nails are healthy, strong, and growing!!! Not chipping or flaking like usual… I will continue to share this journey…

Wish us well as we try socially distancing in our home during a family visit… please stay safe yourselves everyone…

July is a time for Winning!!!

As July comes into the mountains… and I turned 54 yesterday too!  We are enjoying summertime in our own yard!

I took some selfies of an app on my phone that features me on my birthday…

And I took some selfies of me too and made a collage… all early in the morning on the 4th… the house was MINE!

 I spent my birthday hearing from ALL my kids… including watching sweet little Ellie play and be sooo cute on video chat time!

 Some of my birthday wishes included:

Can you guess what the last trait I have is inside this card??? <<<

NOW IT IS YOUR TIME TO GET SOMETHING!!!!

Tell me in a comment below if you are interested in having a MINI QUILT PATTERN

I HAVE 2 to give away 😀

>>> Thanks to my bestie Connie for this birthday month giveaway! <<<

Giveaway limited to USA at this moment >>> 

MAKE SURE I HAVE YOUR EMAIL TO CONTACT YOU IF YOU WON TO GET MAILING INFO 🙂

 Amaryllis watch is coming to an end…

On the left was the beginning of the week and by the end of the week the one on the left was fully bloomed and earlier blooms were already fading a bit!

We will cover it well in winter and see if it blooms again in the future after such a beautiful show this season!!!!

I have NOT spent any time at the frame this week…  But next week that will change 😀

 Instead I was sewing on Julius my black 301… a wall hanging for my son and his bride-to-be. 

My son Michael and his bride to be ~ Kristen… called me early yesterday morning before celebrating HER birthday with her visiting family.. Her birthday is actually July 5 and I sent her a sweet card and sewing kit for their new home (my son gave me the green light for this home sweet home gift).

Michael & Kristen Due to marry April 11, 2021

 I did take time to press these seams open as I sewed together all these little pieces…

 Until soon I had the bottom half together…

 I also sewed the top half strips all together making sure to stagger the seams so they weren’t all in one spot.  I woke up early on my birthday to figure out the writing I will HAND EMBROIDER on the white stripe of the picture above…  you can see below close up …

 Here I am deciding exactly how I will be hand embroidering in different threads I have and have on order…. and writing on the quilt area with a pencil my intentions…

Here is a sneak peek of my quilting plan too…

 only single vertical lines are in the final as they seemed more modern.. My goal is to make them a keepsake wall hanging they will always enjoy over the years.

As July was ringing into being… I found I was a winner in a facebook group I am in for Color Street nails….

 Have you ever done your own manicure and used dry nail polish products like this???  Let me know if you are interested in knowing more… I can hook you with my nail stylist!!!

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner for me…

 I won a foot massager & should get it this week!!!

Here is a darling idea for dressing up a house plant for the patriotic holiday… make your country’s flag…

 Here is a quilt pattern I am currently lusting over and got my honey’s agreement that he likes it too…

I can only find it on an Etsy shop atm… my LQS doesn’t own it.

Will you be a winner this week ??!!Did you miss the pattern giveaway I offered above???

I am excited to get back to hand work this week and getting things done 🙂  How about you???
Linking this post to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching HERE… I will be embroidering today on the wedding wall hanging!!!!

Flag Day 2020 & LOTS to share :)

Come on in and grab a cuppa something yummy y’all 🙂  Please leave the virus at the door and come celebrate the American Flag today !!!

My Bitmoji

This flag photo was proudly taken this week as we enjoyed some rainy days and some blue sky warm days!  Summer is only next Saturday y’all!  This week is the end of Spring !!! 

In the USA  we are celebrating Flag Day today too… remembering the history of our country and our flag as it has evolved to 50 wonderful states and more territories besides those too 💖  

Though we have unrest at the moment along with a long lasting pandemic continuing… 

I am proud to be an American  & I do pledge my allegiance to this flag 🙂  I am also happy to have friends from other countries that visit my blog too!  I am sure you are proud of your country’s heritage too!

After I snapped the shot of the flag… (not knowing how cool a shot it was in the sunshine outside)… I snapped this shot… I love the flag shadow showing on the ground… it is close to noon that day…

 Here is a close up of our thriving marigolds… Rick definitely babies these new plants and now they aren’t needing much extra water 🙂

 While I showed you my new rolling chairs I got last week ( my birthday is July 4.. they were my present )… my honey decided he wanted AND needed this brush guard or bumper for the front end of his new mower… so here it is all looking like it should… wonder why John Deere doesn’t include this in the initial sale??!!

 That front piece without the bumper there… should it get damaged is several hundred $$ to replace when you find one!!!  The bumper cost us under $100 and will protect that fiberglass body ..  and it looks smart too !!! lol

We are on bloom watch with our Amaryllis we planted last week I shared with you…  LOOK!!!!

 And yesterday ….

Look a second bloom is coming up too… Rick is talking about staking it too once he knows what that second stalk will do.. it may balance itself ya know. 😉

This plant growing is my delight in these turbulent staying home times too!!!

Another major happening this week is that I got a haircut!!!  

LOOK how much I needed it… sooo much hair!!!!!

And now…. MUCH cooler and more comfortable ….

But Lest we Forget the biggest EVENT this week ,,,,,,,,

Our sweet Molly – Poo Shih pup – turned 2 years old this week as well ❤  

She got this cool new collar and had extra play time and a stick to chew on too!  She loves to play outside and inside playing keep away… she entertains herself well too… Very well mannered overall 😀  And notice in the top photo… she is sleeping on a hand quilted wall hanging my honey doesn’t like but it coordinates with our kitchen and Molly loves having her own quilts 🙂  I love that our pup loves my quilts!

Our kitchen got a spring cleaning and decor update for summer time…

Rick did not like the log cabin wall hanging I had made… it was not his style he said and he likes this blue red and cream quilt…. so he hung that up after I removed the spiral log cabin quilt that had been there… it lightens up the room vibe quite a bit I agree!!!

Once I finished with the table runner binding and labeling… and it got washed and dried… 

 Even our previous napkins look fine!  YAY 😀

Here is the label I made…

 And some of the great quilting done on this… here are some texture shots I took for myself to share with you and for Jannessa to share with her friends too to show off her work!!!  WE loove it ❤

Jannessa donated the cool backing fabric and the batting as well as the fmq… boy I gotta think up something AWESOME to thank her now!!!

Once that handwork was complete and kitchen was spruced up clean… I was back to focusing on hand quilting Appalachian Delight… working on completing that 1st square…

 then another…

 Now I sit just past the halfway point of this row …. working on the 3rd block over from the right 🙂

Still loving the sturdiness and reliability of these new chairs I got… YAY !!!  Check out that photo above for the swag detail I am quilting into that right hand border… You can click any photo I have shared by simply clicking the picture to enlarge it 🙂

Here is some hand stitching I found particularly thrilling on Pinterest this week…

Linking all this hand stitching of binding, quilting, and embroidering to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching HERE <<<<< Come see what everyone is linking up today!!!

There was a bit of a tragedy this week when we went to clean the hummingbird feeder that was made of a hard plastic… it melted!  It wasn’t that hot a water we cleaned it with we didn’t think but it was mis-shapen for sure!!!  So we bought a glass one at our local hardware store…

 The hummingbirds were hovering to drink from our last feeder… and this one they stand on the perches and rest and take long sips in the heat of the day!!!  We love this new feeder better 😀 

So sad time becomes a happy accident in our quarantine! lol

My middle child and youngest son is getting married next spring… I want to get him and his bride a book to start them off right with relationship information to build a strong foundation so I thought I would get them this book…

Do you have another you would recommend to go with this??

In my bird group on facebook I found this quite cute… 2 birds… male and female mates are eating out of this guys hand.. isn’t that amazing what wildlife will do?!  I love this 🙂 

And as I close this posting… I hope if you are walking around with your mask on .. and you see sad eyes in another… give them a smile.. it will radiate from your insides out your eyes to them!!!

Ellie says share a smile too!

Have a blessed week my friends and thanks for spending time with me!

Happy End of May 2020 !

Welcome and come on in!  I have this cozy chair for you to enjoy as you read 🙂

It has been a busy week around here this week… and I have never been so glad to see a month pass… how about you all!!!  Tomorrow is June 2020!!!!  Wonder what it will be like??

Ellie got her frog…Penelope

 Earlier that expected via the USPS….

They said she rolled around the floor with Penelope and loved on her 💖  Makes this Grammy happy for sure!!!!

I had hoped to clean up my sewing room this week… but it remains looking like this…

Hopefully June will give me some energy for straightening and cleaning too ❤  As it went… I mainly spent time with 2 projects in my crafty time…

Appalachian Delight is moving right along…

 Once I finish this section on the right outer border…

 I will be ready to roll and finish the top of the bear in the cabin blocks on this row …

And I will have reached the center of the quilt too then ❤

I have also been focusing some crafty time on embroidering this red work project…

 Here I am with the coffee pot stitched over but trying to decide on the outer ring… should it be buttonhole stitched????

 Or chain stitched ???

 Chain stitching won out … and I added a heart of steam coming out of this coffee pot too !!!

 Next up is the rooster here…

 I found a red work instruction sheet online and printed it off… I like the book I showed last week best still for deciding on all the embroidery stitches…

 Here is a close up of my stem stitching on the roosters wing….

While I have been doing handwork… Connie my bestie has been too ❤

 Here are some of her squares with a different pattern of lace she is crocheting around them 💕

Linking all this hand done fun to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching gang HERE <<<< come see what everyone is doing with their very creative hands 🙂

Our neighbor checked the strawberry patch we had planted 3 years ago and found some fresh and yummy berries for us to eat…

 I put mine on warm cheese danish… and the berries were chilled then… yummmm y’all!

My honey’s new mower… getting washed…

In closing I hope you will choose to be as kind as possible…

 Our world needs it!

Making it through the Pandemic of 2020 with Crochet!

Happy Sunday Y’all!

I found this cool saying for us to think of as we are trudging though this Pandemic 🙂

What story are you living … can you find joy there somehow some way???

I know sooo many had plans for this spring… vacation. weddings.. etc and now it seems we are stuck in this long lasting Pandemic across the world.

I have been crocheting on my crochet quilt this week…

 I did finish up all the machine quilting in the center of each of the 39 squares… I now have 4 crocheted around and am working on number 5!

 1st round….

 Second Round…

This is the point I stopped at last evening… I will be linking this very slow stitching progress to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching Linky Post HERE <<<  Come see what other amazing slow stitching others are sharing too 🙂

I have also been making more masks this week… with some spilling into the coming week that I just didn’t get finished yet….

I did trim my hair this week.. it was so long on top… so I just did the front… I cut my honey’s hair (I always have cut his hair so this wasn’t as crazy as me trimming off my own! lol

While sewing masks I won 2 different colors of thread on bobbin chicken when changing bobbin colors…

 Last week I shared the binding I was working on for Jannessa… it got done last Sunday and is ready to deliver back to her for her wash and gift her daughter when the time is near for the baby to come.

 Sweet Elliana enjoyed Easter festivities at her home… her mom sent me these photos…

So as we continue to trudge though this pandemic called Covid-19 the Corona virus… Stay safe… Stay Home… and follow this Prescription I found online also …

Have a blessed week and thanks for visiting!

Happy March Y’all!

I am just giddy that March is here… I have enjoyed winter … but Spring… OH MY!!!!

You see we are still seeing THIS …..

 SNOW!!!!

 A look back toward where the above pic was taken… Rick is doing this on the golf cart to test out how it handles on snow…

This tree we call the “popsicle tree”… not sure of it’s type but it held this wet snow well!

 Here is a photo Rick took of the flag in front of our home…

We loved this photo of the flag flying…

 Even the cabin we keep an eye on for the owner got a scenic view!!!!

We even made a video of Rick doing donuts in the yard… on our golf cart that actually traveled on the snow quite nicely!!!!  I tried to add the video here but Blogger doesn’t like it! lol

So besides enjoying Mother Nature’s last hurrah of winter…. I have done some journal keeping and quite a bit of sewing too ❤

working on the base stitching layer of the crochet blocks to be…

Sew when I have the chocolate and purple block done… there is just 1 more block and then I can look in the bag and dig in the closet to find the rest!!!  I can’t remember if I have more ready 😀  I play these games though so that I will see FIRST if I can stay consistent with a project…

Today I may focus on these little squares.  I may ALSO spend some time at my frame though too!!!

Look at this cool shot I took as I stitched this week….

And >> I rolled Appalachian Delight yesterday… I took this photo before rolling to share my progress…

and this close up…

 And this view here looks GREAT rolled down some doesn’t it ❤

The snow made it very bright through the windows so I cropped most of that brightness out! lol
Linking this rolling progress to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching gang HERE <<<  Come visit her blog and see all the benefits hand stitching can do for you too ❤

I am also pondering a new quilt … it won’t be ready for quilting for a while!

Here is the layout….

 It has 72 snowballed blocks and 71 pieced blocks… all the white centers will be ivory…

I am going to you 2 layer cakes… I need to get 1 but have the other…

The one I have is this one here…

 The one I think I want to add for it’s medium tones is this in a layer cake….

 The great news is after some quick calculations I did buy enough of the background fabric… 6 yards and I need 5 for this quilt! whew!!!!

So I won’t be starting this yet… but you will see the Shelbyville~Lancaster Quilt starting soon here 🙂

I have straightened my sewing room so that I could use the cutting mat and cut out & made some reusable cloth dish towels made to be used in place of paper towels… I like them but don’t love the way I made them… I will make some this week and share that photo… but me and Jannessa bought some toweling and now I need to make some proper used rags from it that coordinate with our kitchen and look presentable too.  I will say what I made cleans and washes well though!

Molly has adopted this chair with this quilt in it to nap on when we are in the kitchen… she is soo cute!

 Here is a great shot of sweet Ellie….

 Here is some placemats that I desperately need a plan for quilting…

And now I bid you adieu… I hope you have a great first week of March and don’t forget….

Have a blessed week… Lion or Lamb 😀

Busy Week Here ~ Sew Much to Share !!!

Have you ever stopped to realize how easy a smile spreads when you share one???

Look at this sweet smile… tell me she doesn’t make you wanna grin right back!!!

 Her parents also sent this sweet photo of her with the quilt I made for your play with….

 Later this week Molly got snuggling with her squirrel gifted to her by her boyfriend Max at Christmas….

She loves this toy more than any of her others… it is sooo sweet!  And yes… this is a hand quilted quilt she is snuggling in… it is one I made for her  and my honey to enjoy together!

Due to the weather Jannessa didn’t get to come over for her birthday celebrating until Tuesday the 18th (her birthday was a week earlier !!!).  She had said she preferred chocolate chip cookies for her birthday so I made her a big cookie for her birthday as a surprise and she loved it!!  Then she got her scissor fob too… once home she shared her fob in place…

After she took home her cookie leftovers… we made more cookies  ~ normal sized!!! 😀

This is a shot on our new plates and showing off Jannessa’s great fmq on this table runner in our kitchen!!!!

Here is my journal for this week… it was a VERY busy week for us.. it all didn’t get captured here though!!!! lol

I spent most of my brain power pondering the wallet….

 Above is the beginning of card slots and below you can see those card slots on the interior of the wallet…

 After 2 play dates Jannessa and I each have a wallet to enjoy that is complete!

 I used Tula Pink Squirrels on the outside of mine with black and lavender trims…

 And here it is hanging with my keys… ready for an adventure…

And here are a couple photos of Jannessa’s finished wallet… she made hers able to be a cross body bag instead of a wristlet strap that mine has…..

 
If you are interested in finding out about this wallet/purse check out THIS link for the pattern 🙂

Next up we are making this briefcase by my favorite bag designer Sew Sweetness!!

 And we have each pulled fabrics.  Here are mine….

 We need a few more bits so this will go on the books for mid March to make.

When making bags or wallets USE YOUR IMAGINATION though… look at this example I saw in the Sew Sweetness facebook group …

She took a plain fronted bag and added some amazing fmq details on this and a fancy strap too!

Thursday we had snow… I loved just watching it fall as I quilted and sewed on different projects on my list….

It never accumulated to anything so that made the falling snow all day even more fun to watch!

I have completed 1 of these crochet squares with buttonhole stitching and started on another…

 I am very pleased with how the Appalachian Delight quilting progress is going…

 Here is a close up of one of the bear in the cabin blocks complete on the bottom half of the block (as far as I can reach 🙂  )

 This is the 3rd block over and where I will be working today….

I am linking this progress with my favorite Sunday Stop >>> Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching Linky Party right HERE <<<<  Come on over and see all the different kinds of handwork being shared today!!!

 Here are a last couple of facebook finds with significant meaning to me ….

 What is your love language??? 

Mine is quality time I think… although I love being spoiled with any of the above ways of showing love 💖

In closing I want you to read this remember life is short… live it with zest!

Have a blessed week ahead and thanks for stopping into my little spot from the mountains of North Carolina!!!  I hope you share your fave love language in the comments below 😍

Lots of Progress to share on this last Sunday of January 2020!

Lots to share today y’all!  Starting out … I spied this pic of my sweet grand daughter on Facebook on Friday as Elliana celebrated 8 months old!!!!

 And Saturday we woke up to SNOW!!!!!

 Yes it was also overcast most all day until afternoon… we live near the Nantahala National Forest.  Nantahala is Native American and means “land of the midday sun” well that is most usually true for us… the afternoons get sunny …. not always the morning times! lol

I worked on the curtains a bit this week for our bedroom.  I am using this fabric seen close up and sideways from how it hangs in the pics below for the cafe curtain…

 And here it is on the window…

 Here is a better view of it without competing with the bit of light coming in the window too…

 I also started early in the week on cutting out the black border fabric from the backing with some special scissors I borrowed from my friend Jannessa… I will be getting me my own pair now that I have used them though! lol

 So now the rooster still needs the eye put on before layering but will soon be in my PVC hoop to hand quilt!  I am planning to quilt it all by hand now that I have spent more time with him.  Any ideas for the rooster itself???  Color of thread or design is greatly appreciated!

 I found this vintage pattern online but can’t find a reasonably priced pattern to buy.  However the pic may work to decide how to make my raggedy Ann a new dress to match the deep blue of the pants her new mate Andy is wearing!

Here are my Raggedy Couple….

I am most proud of my hand quilting progress this week though… I am linking this progress to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitchers HERE <<<  Take time today to slow down and do something fun  you enjoy with no pressure!!!   

Monday I rolled the Appalachian Delight quilt after finishing the stitching on the outer border on Sunday evening…

 I quickly filled in the quilting to the right of the first block shown here…

 And focused on quilting in the ditch on the HST inner border and the sashing and cornerstones too…

 All this close quarters stitching is made possible with my awesome thimbles!!!  The metal one is a Clover brand one that is open and adjustable but stays sized as desired.  And the green one has a small bit of stretch to it to stretch onto my thumb… it is made by Dritz…

Both are available at Amazon if big box stores are not near you 🙂

I thought I would be marking this design in the wide sashing with chalk so I had purchased a new Allary brand Chalk Cartridge with chalk for under $10 at Amazon… instead my handy blue wash away markers showed up on the burgundy fabric!!!! YAY 😀

 Here is a close up of the bear in the cabin block I designed … a variation of the bear claw.  I am excited to roll the quilt later this week and start stitching on these blocks… I have so many ideas floating around about HOW to stitch on them to enhance the design best… I don’t know what will wind up happening… if you recall I had thought I would use a stencil but in the ditch surrounding each bear claw has won out… now to decide on inside the bear claw blocks!

 You can see better in this photo… I am halfway across the quilt already… so if I have a low key week otherwise… I should be rolling mid week or so…

In Kathy’s post she shows how she binds her minky backed quilts… I love  her technique… I will be binding a minky backed quilt for Jannessa later this week or next week… I am excited to work on this for her and to experience minky as I have shied away from using it!  It may be fun though!!!!

I had a check up with my doctors this week and got good reports from both of them!  Yippee !!!

February I will be starting an official bullet journal for sewing and quilting and other creative adventures I have thoughts of in 2020… I am loving these sheets I am making…

But want to take it further.  So we will see!

My thought this week is to be real… be genuine … BE YOURSELF … others may be more willing to be themselves around you too!

So until next week when February will finally be here and the long month of January will be behind us… take care !!!

Swooning Downhill Now and Sew Much More!!!

Happy Sunday to you and thanks for visiting my blog today!

I am swooning with progress on the Swoon Quilt in my frame… so I would like to start this post by linking to Kathy’s Quilts where she is welcoming anyone in the Ontario, Canada region to come share her first annual play day with her and other “hand-ee” friends 😀  Follow THIS link to find out how you can participate !!!

Slow Stitching this week started out with sewing binding which I will share in just a bit.. it also included getting over the 50% completed part of the quilt in my frame…

 Here is a close up  of the border just past the medallion I finished above…

 And here you can see both areas better… I can’t quite reach the top of the medallion piece so I save that last bit for the next pass over the quilt…

 Like this… once rolled down! …

This is such a fun quilt to quilt… and because it was pieced by Connie … aka my bestie… I am honored to do this … I work on it some most every day too!

I had more hand work in my week this week though…

 It started when I gathered all the supplies to get this quilt layered together… I had to piece some batting scraps together but it worked!!!!

And soon I machine quilted the center… thinking I would do the outer border by hand…

 But before I knew what I had done I had pulled out the decorative stitching cams on my Singer vintage 319w and added them to the border… did a victory lap of basting stitches around the outer edge… then added the binding that Jannessa had donated along with the fabric for the outer border 😀

 The backing is a autumn scene I pieced at the center where it wouldn’t be too noticeable… and look at that rich binding fabric.. looks great no matter which side is up!!!!

 Almost sewn on.. I spend early Monday morning using my new iPhone caddy to hold my phone at the perfect angle while watching and stitching.. put on my  headphones so as not to wake the house and had a cup of coffee to enjoy as I finished the stitching of the binding in short bursts of activity!

 Finally I finished… I was astonished that it took me most of the day to finish the binding.. but quick and into the washer it went!!!

 And before long it had been washed twice and dried well and was ready to adorn our bar in the kitchen!  This serves as a double place mat of sorts for us and decor to brighten up the room too for each season 😀 

Linking this to Julie’s WIP & UFO Challenge the end of October  HERE 🙂  Go check out what other finishes people are linking or link one up yourself 😀

 Here is a direct on view too…

The final and perfect size is 18″ wide by 60″ long 🙂  I will aim for this size for future table runners… this pattern was offered free last fall by Jordan Fabrics… they have a youtube video I linked to in last Sunday’s post too 🙂

So this Sunday I want to encourage you to watch THIS VIDEO if this photo interests you at all…

Jannessa and I are planning to make a boy and girl themed turkey couple using the larger turkey’s as our model…

Then surround it with this fun and intricate design I have in a stencil… I have been dying to use it and this will be 32 x 46 or so … perfect to hang in our homes this fall… I will share more on this project next Sunday too!

In a couple of weeks we are planning to take a trip to Tennessee and see our kids and help out Connie realize her she shed dreams… in planning for that I decided we needed bags to keep our medications organized while away from our normal routines.

Here is the one I made for Rick from some gorgeous fabric Jannessa let me us of her stash…

 Then … with Cleopatra completely installed in the cabinet now by my honey with the hinges successfully in place thanks to Lowe’s having the specific sized bit he needed to drill the exact type of partial hole for it… I got a swiveling sewing machine again so I can safely change bobbins and service my sweet machine too ❤

 I made this cute bag for my medications too!

 Here is my gorgeous and favorite daughter (she is my only daughter! lol)  Who not so long ago said hello to 21.  I am looking forward to seeing her in just a couple weeks too and meeting her boyfriend too!

 I fixed my wallet wristlet I made several months back but I put the handle on the wrong end… it let my credit cards and such slide out if it wasn’t full with my phone and such in it… so I removed it from the wrong side.. closed that hole and opened a hole on the other side and stitched it into place.. works PERFECT now 🙂

 And here are more pics of my sweet granddaughter at 4 months old.  She is the child of my son James and dil Heather… Ellie is such a sweetie.. I have a whole evening set aside to see them and play with her 😀

Well, I hope you have enjoyed hearing about my busy week and seeing some of my family I am getting more excited about seeing every day as our trip nears.

Take care and be ready to welcome in autumn tomorrow… we have had our windows open at night here lately… sooo ready for a break in the heat outside and air conditioning inside!