Design Wall Monday--Memorial Day 2022

Design Wall Monday, on this Memorial Day.  See more design walls on Judy's Small Quilts and Doll Quilts blog. 

I spent a good chunk of time yesterday playing with the Adam's Rib blocks (Fons and Porter design) and sewing them together. 

I decided this was a bit too busy, since the pinks are different, and changed to a straight setting. 

It was quite tedious to get all the many seams to nest. I ended up opening up one seam in the top or bottom row of in many of the blocks to flip the orientation of pressing, and in every other row had to press different seams the other way, but was happy I did.  That was a lot of seams to match in these 6" blocks!  The black and white fabrics were mostly leftovers from the baby quilt I made grandson Hunter, who is about to graduate from Kindergarten.  I used the black and white monkey print on the back of his quilt, and had this large width left to use. 

Hunter's quilt:

On this Memorial Day, we remember those who served and lost their lives in that service.  So many young men and women lost over the years.

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A patriotic mini quilt on display.  

Design Wall Monday--Garden Pinwheel

Design Wall Monday--see more design walls on Judy's Small Quilts and Doll Quilts blog. 

Moving along older projects is going to be my focus for the next little while.  Mostly my projects stall at the quilting stage.  Such is the case with the Garden Pinwheel quilt I started years  ago (self-designed).  The top was completed during one of my UFO self-challenges wherein I worked on one project for three days and then switched to another.  This quilt top (made from leftovers of the Rick Rack Road quilt I finished in 2011)--with its backing and already made binding-- have been hanging in the closet since September 2018!  Definitely an elderly UFO...

I ironed the top a little and cut batting.  It barely fits on the floor of my sewing room. 

I started with ditch stitching and then will add a motif to the purple/green HSTs.  The appliqued leaves will get stitched down with different colors of green thread from stash.  I'm looking forward to calling this pretty quilt a finish! It is a nice throw size. 

Slow Sunday Stitching--Winter Bouquet DMC kit

Slow Sunday Stitching--see more great projects shared on Kathy's Quilts blog. 

I've slowly been adding more stitches to the DMC Winter Bouquet kit.  More Color!  More Shapes!  I'm avoiding all the white stitching so far :)

Love the brighter colors in this kit.  I'll flush out that center flower before continuing clockwise.  Notice I put a "T" at the top of the Aida to keep me oriented, since my two color center line stitching didn't clue me in enough :)  There were a lot of stitches added on Friday after I got sent home from work again, on Day 11 of this stupid coughing-nose-blowing URI.  The PA wrote me a script for a Zpack.  I'm still coughing and blowing my nose, but it is better.  Maybe I'll be well by Memorial Day...

I've gotten another older quilt top sandwiched and will show that tomorrow, hopefully with some walking foot quilting started. 

Quilting and the Lunar Eclipse

I spent what seemed like all day Sunday quilting the  well-aged Windmill blocks top. I used a tan Aurifil thread and it quilted up like butter. 

The flannel backing piece I had set aside with this top was too narrow, but I don't have much flannel in my stash.  I remembered a bunch of precut flannel strips someone had gifted me, and found just the right number of red strips to seam together for this lap quilt.  Lots of ditch stitching and a zig-zag in the small squares border, all with the walking foot.

Love the texture on the back.  

A scrappy binding will finish off this old UFO!  I plan to trim the quilt first, apply the binding  to the back and stitch it down from the front. 

Months ago I bought a shirt for my husband, but he did not like the fit and I never returned it to Ross Stores and it has been hanging around the sewing room.  It was only $7.99, but a nice brushed 100% cotton in an extra large size.  I decided to cut it up and add it to stash instead of donating it to a thrift store--they are all overloaded with clothing currently! 

I'm sure to find a good use for this as a background or accent.  

Here in SoCal, we had a good view of the lunar eclipse.  

Shot with my iphone.

Here all in shadow. I also followed along on some of the observatory livestreams.    I enjoyed popping outside to take a look with my own eyes.  

Slow Sunday Stitching--Bouquet Stitch in Progress

Slow Sunday Stitching--see more beauties on Kathy's Quilts blog. 

The stitch of the moment, Winter Bouquet DMC kit, is progressing to more color.  Since I was home sick for three days, the opportunity to stitch was enjoyed in between nose blowing and coughing attacks.  

There is a lot of the very light pink to add, but I needed a break from that.  That bright green for the leaves was fun, as was the blue flower/leaf or berry shape. Here's another pic of the kit photo.

I had downloaded a free pattern some time ago---looks like 2018, lol--and colored it in recently.  Love Lizzie Kate designs.

If I start on it after the Winter Bouquet I've been stitching in Spring, do you think by Winter I'll finish this Fall one?  Stay tuned for more exciting updates, haha.

Some sewing room time happened yesterday and I'll share more tomorrow on Design Wall Monday.  

Variety Post

 How was your Mother's Day?  We were lucky to have all our kids with us, and also my parents, one of my brothers and my sister, and our son-in-law's mom and her husband.  

The girls were laughing about independently choosing the same outfit to wear!  I copied them with a white shirt too:)  We had a lovely time and it was good to all get together.  Last year we had a small socially distanced gathering in the backyard.

Erica hung around after, as her boyfriend was with his family.  She and I both took naps while Grant watched whatever sport was on. 

There was also baseball to watch over the weekend.  Grandson Hunter had his last game.  I took this pic of the sign I'd passed by many times. 

Pretty funny!  A good reminder for some of the more intense parents.  It is amazing how much pressure some parents put on 6-8 year olds.  Grandson Cove has another playoff game in his division.

DMC kit stitchery progress.  Early in the week I got a bunch of stitches put in while Grant was getting a procedure done at the hospital---but I had to tear it all out!  That very light pink is harder to work with than it should be.  I was happy to move on to some of the pretty green leaves.  

I've been home for a couple of days with a killer URI/cold that is kicking my rear!  I'm sure a whole box of tissues has been used up--now a cough is starting.  I haven't decided if I will try to work remotely tomorrow. Two COVID tests have been negative--I am due for the second booster. 

Finding More UFOs

There are a lot of new projects I am interested in starting, but the fact is there are too many in boxes clogging up the sewing room that need more attention.  While hubby was golfing on Saturday with our son, I played with fabric. 

 First up, the very small remaining amount of 1930s fabrics are becoming a placemat. 

I used more fabrics and a jelly roll strip for the backing, got it quilted and a binding made since this pic.  It will finish about 13x15.

Next, there were a nice bunch of log cabin blocks leftover from the Log Cabin Loonies project from 2018-18.  Last year, I assembled a top from many others completed, seen HERE  I arranged and sewed these leftovers into a cute topper. My blocks finish at 7.5", an odd size, but  I was using all the 1.5" strips I had on hand. 

I think it turned out cute.  It will get quilting and backing soon too. 

There is only one more Adam's Rib block to sew up after this one, as my Leader-Ender project.  I'll need to find a new one!

Another box held the rows for this quilt, Beach Cottage by Kim Brackett.  I assembled  the rows of these blocks at Sewtopia Seattle in 2019, but never finished putting the top together, though until I found them in the project box, thought I had done so!  They WERE sewn in pairs and it was quick to finish off the final assembly.  My sister claimed the top and I will hand it off to her to quilt, as she wants to put Minky on the back. That should help disguise the every-which-way pressing that happened with this top!

Last, there was a top and backing that have been folded up under the Hoosier cabinet for I can't even say. 

These pieces were left overs from one of the first quilts I ever made for myself, in about 2007-08!  I posted about it HERE.   I have a nice piece of green flannel for the backing of this lap quilt, and pulled all the leftover binding that was red and green. Love to use that up.  

I hope it was a lovely Mother's Day for all who celebrate.  We had a good crowd here for the first time in two years and it was good fun, good food, and included grandsons and their great-grandparents!  How lucky we were. 

Design Wall Monday--Memory Lane Top Assembled

 Design Wall Monday--see more design walls on Judy's Small Quilts and Doll Quilts blog. 

The large Memory Lane blocks are all together now! This unique pattern gives the illusion of 4 patches but there is not a single one. I really enjoyed playing with the block's five fabric combos.  I have a nice chunk of one of the Oh My Darling prints to use as a binding.  Backing hopefully I can assemble from stash.

I had sewn a couple of rows together before we went to the grandsons' baseball games on Saturday. It was a family affair, as our other daughter, her boyfriend, and our son, DIL and third grandson came to watch the games.  Cove got a good hit, Hunter did too. Youngest grandson Dane was being very clingy to Mama amid all the baseball field hubbub, but did allow a fist bump. 

Not sure what Hunter was doing here, but from first base he did get to score when the next batter had a good hit.  Later he played catcher but was a bit timid about the ball coming at him! Cove also got a great hit in his game.

There was a bubble-blowing contest in the stands with the daughters.  Grant won!  We were missing our son-in-law, who was still quarantining with COVID.  Grant had been sitting near him at one game early in the week, but tested negative multiple days. 

It was a beautiful day way back in the canyon where the ball fields are.  A herd of cattle made an appearance late in the afternoon.  I also saw a hawk land on the furthest power pole on the hill. Only a few more games left in the season.  Happy May!