New Distraction

 There is still very little sewing going on here. I'm distracted and either cleaning, learning about cooking...or perusing expensive kitchen utensils that fortunately haven't been purchased ;-)  But now I have someone even more wonderful to distract me.

Meet Luke and Marianne's new brother, Bob 💓💓💓

He's about 5 years old and just about perfect. I've never had a new guy fit into the family so quickly. We just got him yesterday! He has as much energy as Luke so there is much playing despite having just walked them briskly almost 4 miles. Luke is quite happy with his new brother and Marianne is content as well. She likes dogs. We've had to wait quite awhile for a new addition and God provided the best one!

Bob and Luke

Have a blessed Sunday everyone!

Working title

It's a serious kind of day here in California with too many wildfires to follow.  Fire season has started early and just adds to the overwhelming challenges of this year.  Our neighborhood is relatively distanced from danger so I just spend time praying for those that are not.  I especially pray for the firefighters working all of this. The sky tells of the story this morning. There's only one fire I know of on our central coast, I think about 15 miles from home.

 So I'm a bit distracted from sewing.  

Yesterday, however,  I got started on the borders for my cats quilt.

Only 27 more of these 10" pieces to go :-) 

Praying you are all safe and healthy.

Finally getting pictures to post

Not sure what my trouble is but sometimes it takes me forever to take photos of my quilting to get ready for a blog post...especially those just in progress.  But I finally just laid some blocks on the floor and did it though I spared myself laying out all of them ;-)

I don't have that many UFO's but my PIG's (projects in grocery bags...or drawers etc) or just patterns with plans is on the larger size. My DH wanted to see this one done as it is going to hang in a room with many cat paintings and a Kliban the Cat tshirt quilt.  So I got some courage together and got started.  Selecting fabrics was my first challenge till I realized all the homespuns I'd collected and how much fun it would be to use them. 

The next challenge was in printing out the patterns for paper piecing...especially as our printer was dying. But it got done and with some trial and error I re-learned paper piecing which I hadn't done in a long time. Not cutting fabric too small for the intended sewing was one of the first lessons to be re-learned. But I hurdled the fabric selection and started sewing, accomplishing one block and tail in a few hours. I'm not a fast one but I had a good time and soon all 20 were sewn.

Here are 4 :-)

There is another side piece to add to the blocks and some sashing where the tails will be appliqued. I had thought that I had utilized every technique I knew (and with homespuns!)...paper piecing, curved piecing, applique and with embroidery that will be a finishing touch to the cat faces...but then I remembered hand piecing and probably more that I don't recall at the moment.  But anyway, this has been challenging and an enjoyable way to use my homespuns and make cats.

Marianne who continues to eat well and defy some health challenges, joined me as I sewed the last one together.

She keeps me comforted and awake too early. HA!

After the last block, I took a quilt break and made some more masks as well as some hair covering caps for nurses in Texas where the hospitals are overwhelmed with Covid-19 patients. My friend, Julie, is in the midst of it and is generously helping her co-workers to stay safer.  She is so inspiring, how could I not want to help too?!  She shared a good video for how to make them and I had a good time sewing them up.  I pulled from some florals and I think their unit might look a bit like a fabric garden. LOL but I hope they all feel some love from us quilters and are protected a bit more as they do such challenging work for us and our families. 

Here's my picture of some that I made.

But check out Julie's post for more about all the caps sent in.  She packaged them each with a note to the nurses receiving them and passed on our gratefulness to them. JulieKQuilts 

I'm linking here for more quilty inspiration at Confessions of a Fabric Addict with a thank you to Sarah for her inspiration to finally post something. HA! 

Thanks for visiting and to those who comment. I love receiving them :-)

I hope you all are safe, healthy and blessed 💓🙏

A finish and a treat

Hands2Help was a great success this year with over 117 quilters making quilts to share and well over 500 quilts made! I believe the numbers are still being tallied. Many vendors also supported the effort by providing gifts for those making quilts. Sarah has had the big job of getting those off to the quilters and my treat came this week with a sponsored gift by MODA :-)
A cute bag with some mini charm packs inside.

Thank you, MODA and thank you, Sarah for all the inspiration!

The finish this week comes from sewing up some beautiful fabric from Robin Pickens called Painted Meadow.  This fabric is so cheery to sew and I just plain had a wonderful sewing with it :-)  I chose a pattern called Twinkle by Sew Be It. I bought this pattern years ago and I'm sorry I couldn't find a link for it on the web. 

I modified the size of the pieces a bit so I could take full advantage of a layer cake. It ended up about 62" X 72".  Luke helped me a bit with modeling but even with cookies...he would not smile despite being a happy boy.

I love these big coneflowers and fat bumble bees. 
Hope you are all healthy and safe. Thank you for visiting!
Linking to Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

The second HOPE baby quilt

A finish of this second HOPE quilt (designed by Gudrun of GE Designs) was quickly done using some large freehand flowers for the quilt design.
The photo shoot however turned out to be more about Marianne =^..^=
She is doing so well these days I'm having fun with her.
We started out inside as she was still having her morning nap.

Interrupted

And on out to the porch

And a miracle happened with these quilts...I remembered to sew labels in!

So another fun year of Hands2Help is (washed and) in the mail and on it's way to the Little Lambs Foundation for Kids. Linking here to Confessions of a Fabric Addict for more quilty shares.

Hands to Help and a shopping spree!

Welcome Hands2Help quilters! It indeed has been an odd year for all of us. My quilt sewjo was a bit strained for a while and sewing masks seemed to be all I could do.  I was rejuvenated watching the HOPE Quarantine Sew Along with Gudrun of GE Designs. I made a quilt for Little Lambs Foundation which I shared a couple of weeks ago.

And then I went on a little shopping spree :-)  Quilt in A Day sends emails out each day with special prices on certain items.  They posted a foot pedal pad by Martelli that caught my interest.  Hmmm, Martelli usually knows what they are doing....maybe I'll try that.  (Spoiler alert: it's awesome! My sewing machine foot pedal now stays right where I need it and this thing is easy to keep clean!) 
Then of course I started looking for other items to add...you know, to take advantage of shipping ;-)  Some little needle threaders went into the cart, a strip stick for pressing seams, and oh my an Oliso mini iron!

and then...a Stripology Squared ruler! This all was quite a treat to get in the mail and I needed to start playing with the fun items.  So yesterday I cut and sewed another HOPE quilt using more of leftover Robin Pandolph fabrics.  I can't believe how many quilts I have made from these and there is just a bit left.
It is not sewn together yet but I will get this put together and quilted and in the mail with the other one this week.  It was such a fast, fun pattern to sew.

Thank you, Sarah for hosting yet another year of inspiration, tutorials and goodness! I'm linking this post to Confessions of a Fabric Addict for the Hands2Help 2020 Link Up. Go enjoy all the beautiful quilts!

Straits and Emerald City Outside

I do not have quilt holders at present and it occurred to me that the only real large area I have for showing these HUGE quilts was my driveway.  Not an interesting backdrop but with the foggy skies we have this morning, I decided to give it a try. Marianne came out to help but was not really interested in posing. So for a finish in less than a year...I present my 2 Bonnie Hunter quilts that I started in the guild classes last June.

First class and first finished last September was my version of her Emerald City, Sage and Seaglass (named after the Kim Diehl fabric that I used for most of my fabric choices).

 

It was my second choice of the classes but became my favorite.

Next up is my Straits of Mackinac where I used mostly fabrics from Janet Clare's 'More Hearty Good Wishes' with a piece from 'Weather Permitting' on the back. With the whales and ships, a Storm At Sea pattern seemed fitting.  I purchased a fat quarter bundle of the fabric and then when the option to take Bonnie's Straits class came up, it seemed like the perfect fit. 
Though the pressing and finishing of this quilt about did in my desire to quilt (!), I'm happy to say I completed it and enjoyed some new choices for white neutrals that include the cute crabby fabric as well as some anchors and other choices. I have certainly learned a lot from making Bonnie's quilts that will hopefully inspire me in the future.

So we wish you a Happy almost end of May and pray you are all safe and healthy! I've been sewing up Robin Picken's Painted Meadow fabrics this week with all its beautiful cone flowers and fat bumble bees. Pictures coming after I've quilted it.
Linking to Confessions of Fabric Addict  'Whoop, Whoop Fridays'.

Hope and Hands2Help

With a little help from 'friends'...I think I got my quilt mojo back a bit. I have completed my Straits of Mackinac quilt and will have pictures soon, but in the meantime, Gudrun from GE Designs inspired me to quilt again.  May 3rd, she hosted her second Quarantine Quilt Along. The pattern was available for a small donation to a fund she was raising to gift to some charities local to her.  $35,000 was raised for her efforts! It was an all around 'feel good' event. She titled her quilt, Hope and it has indeed brought some!
I used florals from my stash that were Robyn Pandolph fabrics from years ago. It measures about 38" square and will go to the Little Lambs Foundation in Utah for the Hands2Help effort inspired by Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.
From her page...
  For those of you who aren't familiar with Little Lambs Foundation, it is a non profit 501(c)3 organization operating out of Utah which provides comfort kits to children ages newborn to 17 years old who are transitioning into foster care, emergency shelters or who have been hospitalized, by providing them with a little comfort in a bag.

This made me happy to sew :-) and inspired by Nancy at Peace and Grace Quilting, I tried to take some more interesting pictures of it :-)

From around my front yard...HOPE

I have continued to sew masks for neighbors and have been rewarded! I cracked up when I saw these...and they were very tasty too!

So thank you, Gudrun for a lovely and fun quilt along and pattern.
And thank you, Sarah for yet another year of inspiring quilts to comfort!
Linking here to Confessions of a Fabric Addict for quilt progress.

April 2020

The center of Straits was finally sewn together and I started working on the border. This is a quarter of it, folded up on my ironing board. I think I finally realized how big this thing will be! 94" X 94"  Oh My!  Not sure I need quilts that big unless they are going on a bed somewhere. HA!

Then I put it aside and started sewing masks like so many other quilters.  Tried a few styles.  Hand fun sewing some kid size and one for a little girl's doll...who is named Elinor like my sweet black kitty. 💗💗💗 

I'm not very fast but I'm sewing them up for neighbors and truck drivers and grocery clerks.  My local nurses haven't been asking for them much yet.  But I'll be ready if they do.  So that's where I am...with my pup, Luke and sweet Marianne keeping me company while my hubby is busy with whatever he finds to do.
Ahhhh, what to say about this odd time we are living in.  I'm praying for the health and emotional strength for many...individuals, groups like those on the front lines, communities,...the world.  We are seeing sadness like never before as well as the heartening witness of some good and some very brave acts. We will all have the choice to grow during this time. 
"May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and has given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work."  2 Thessalonians 2:16,17

March 2020

Still moving kind of slow in the sewing department but look at this adorable picture of Marianne blessing my new quilt. She is doing fairly well these days and we are enjoying them with her. There's a peek of Luke sleeping in the living room, charging his batteries to go for a long run later.

One thing keeping me in the slow lane is pressing the Straits pieces.  I finally figured out a plan I can live with and am halfway through pressing and sewing the sashing to rows. It's not perfect but with some steam and my tailor's clapper that NeedledMom (Thank you, Mary!)recommended to me, I am slowly making some headway.  It's easy to find something else to do ;-)

Also in the very slow stitching department is my applique project.  This was to be machine applique but I didn't like the look so I'm doing the applique by hand. It is coming along but I'm not moving very fast.  I love Sharon's inspiration for fabric and design though so I will keep it going and hope to enjoy it finished someday soon. Here is one corner on it's way.

 We are expecting rain here soon on this dry, California coast. It's like anticipating a party here in Cambria. People get thrilled about the prospect of rain. :-)   I hope your weekend is shaping up with something happy in it.
I'll be linking this to Confessions of a Fabric Addict for the Friday shares.  Go check out the quilty inspiration. 

A UFO Finish

Not feeling up to picking up the Straits piecing without Elinor here, I pondered what to do.  A squirrel trail led me to Pinterest where an unrelated inspiration sparked my interest.  I saw an image and then a short video by Christina Cameli and found a design that I wanted for my Dandi Annie quilt of January last year. So Marianne and I headed upstairs to the longarm and quilted my Positively Bohemian.  Christina's design is symmetrical and consistent...mine is a far cry from that (LOL) but fortunately, it is a forgiving design that I really had a good time quilting. My DH does not love all this pink (coral) and lime green but I do!

The fabric by Robin Pickens is very fun and happy. I think she might even have a kit available (which is a better way to go than the FQ's) if you're interested. Funny, I looked back in my posts to see when I made the quilt top. I had written that for Christmas (2018), I had gifted myself the fat quarter bundle of this Dandi Annie.  Well, guess what I asked for this last Christmas... Robin's line that came out last fall, Painted Meadow.  I'm seeing a fan trend here.  HA!  I have a pattern picked out and plans but they will have to wait for awhile.  But can you blame me for wanting it?  Look at these beautiful bees!

Linking to Confessions of a Fabric Addict. See all the Friday shares!

Elinor

Well, I kind of lost steam here and stopped sewing.  Elinor continued to lose her battle and we had to say good bye last week. The last days were blessed in that she was still interested in eating and drinking and able to get around all right. But we mostly just stayed together in the family room while she rested in front of the fire and helped me work on the projects on the big square coffee table.

It is still hard to process and Marianne didn't want to eat much for awhile.  But thankfully she is doing much better with it now and I am trying to focus on being grateful that we were able (with the help of our vet) to let her go very gently from us here at home.  It's hard to write about as my heart still aches for her.

But there are lots of happy memories of her.

Helping with quilt photography

Pressing matters...

Quilt blessing...

Group binding help...

Binding application...

Family time...

And making sure I kept the fire going...

She is always very dear and in our hearts.
While she was here, I laid out the applique for sewing and sewed all the blocks and sashings at least into rows for the Straits quilt.  With Marianne's and Luke's help I will get back to that soon. I'm thankful I have so many ways to remember and cherish this sweet girl.  
Sorry for the sad news but thank you for reading.