Quilting Goals for 2013

Wow! I can not believe that I am doing this but after a quick survey in my sewing room I found 25 projects that are sitting there ready for me to do something fun with them. So, I am going to try and keep up with this challenge of finishes to get some of them made. If I even get one finished that is one less on my very long list. (I didn't even want to look further because I am sure I will find more of them.) Can you relate? or am I a compulsive fabric hoarder? 

I have some great finishes to share next time and I am thinking a give-away too. 

Scrappy Blessings,

Susan 

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and a joyously prosperous New Year!



Scrappily,
      Susan

Thanksgiving Blessings

Thanksgiving is my families favorite holiday. Yes, even above Christmas, not that they don't like Christmas but they truly love Thanksgiving. They love the stuffed house, so full of family and friends you can barely move. The food, oh yes the food. Who doesn't love a good turkey dinner with all the trimmings? We also have ham and this year prime rib. With 31 people here for dinner it does take a fair amount of food to feed everyone. They also love the games we play and take joy in each other. And they are thankful for all that God has done and how he is providing.

On a sewing note, here is a picture of some fancy sewing on the 'drift' car from Final Speed Garage. So when you wonder what else can I sew, here is a new idea!

Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving,
        Scrappily, Susan

Hi everyone, I am still around and excited to share some amazing give-aways with you. So if you love a good give-away here are some to check out.http://44thstreetfabric.blogspot.com This one is a 5.5 yard give away, sweet! Check out some others here thepeachpatch.blogspot.com.
Have a great time blog hopping,

Scappily,
     Susan

I have been away too long! I hope you are having a wonderful summer, what's left of it. I have been challenged by one of my quilting buddies to finish the many things in my sewing room that are 'in progress' so to that end I have finished up three quilt tops. And I am finishing the quilt that I called ugly in an earlier post. I will post a picture of it when I am finished. I began quilting it last night and got about half way finished. I am quilting it with flowers and bugs of different kinds. This little guy pictured below is inspiration for one of the bugs I am stitching into the quilt.

He is sitting on my 'Gramma' Amaryllis. I call it that since it belonged to my Grandmother. She was a quilter as well. Free motion quilting gives so many possibilities for adding some fun to your quilts. How do you spice up your quilts? I'd love to hear your inspiration!

Scrappily,
    Susan

Quilting is a social event even today. I get so much encouragement and inspiration from my quilting friends. We meet each Friday and have a wonderful time over fabric, food, fun and laughter and some service for others too. I hope if you do not have any sewing or quilting buddies that you look for some. You may find some new and life long friends along the way!

This pictured quilt was made by my friend Beverly for her daughter. The picture does not due it justice. It is just beautiful. It also gave me a new appreciation for purple fabrics. Purple is not one of my preferred colors and so I only use it for accents but not as the major color in a quilt. She used many different purples and added the green to make the purple pop! It was very effective.

So what is your least favorite color and are you using it anyway or refusing it?

Scrappily,

Susan

Stars and More Stars

The stars, sun, and moon have been in the news a lot lately. I love it when we can get away from the city and actually see a night sky full of stars. You forget how many are out there when they are dimmed by the city lights. I love warm nights, even cool ones, sitting out and star gazing. Do you? Do you ever watch for the many satellites that are orbiting our planet? Try it some time, they are easy to spot. 

Moving on to quilty star things. I am amazed how quickly this year is moving by and I still can't wrap my head around the fact that it is June and July is just around the corner. I have been in the process of making a star throw and kitchen table runner for a while now and if I don't hurry up and finish them they will have to wait for July next year. So I am working on them this week, (after my nephew's graduation party which is at my house,) and am hopeful that another 4th of July will not pass us by without these additions. My 4th of July stars are wonky or irregular stars and I am making them out of Civil War prints by Judy Rothermel in mostly reds and blues with an off white background. This style of star is fun, forgiving and quick to make. So now, as my grandfather would say, "You better get to gettin." meaning I better get to work on those stars.

So what are you working on for June and July and will you stop and spend some time star gazing at the night sky or quilty ones?

Off to star gaze...

Scrappily,
   Susan

Away with the family

We have been away for some family time, leaving behind the fast pace of life. It seems like time stands still when we go here. We have no internet, phone other than spotty cell reception, no television except what we bring in dvd form. We get lots of time together, doing things together, or time to read or just sitting quietly and enjoying. I hope you will get some down time too.    I did take some quilty projects with me though. Somehow I can not stand to not have busy hands. So I was able to work on a new pattern that I made from a picture I took of an antique quilt. I made sample blocks and it is going to be a really cute quilt. I will share the pattern here when I get it all worked out. I also worked on some small, medium and a bit bigger hexes. They are the perfect take-along project. 

What are your favorite take-along projects? or do you leave it all behind when you have a chance to get away?

Scrappily,

     Susan 

Memorial Weekend

Remembering those who paid the ultimate price for our freedoms, grateful for those who have served and who are serving now. Have a wonderful weekend and thank a veteran for the peace you enjoy this weekend.
      Scrappily,
         Susan

Quilting with a heart for others

I love my quilt group. They are a group of ladies that has a big heart. Last year when I came back from a missions trip to Salinas, Ecuador and they saw some of the pictures of life there, they decided they would lessen some of their stash and make fabric bags and needle cases for the ladies of this area. They would be given out through the local churches to bless the women there. The ladies in the barrios of Salinas have very little. Most had no bag for shopping or a single needle to repair clothing. So we have sewn  bags and made  needle cases to bless the women there.

What creative ways have you put your sewing or quilting skills to work to aide those in need? I would love to hear what you have done. If you haven't done anything yet, I encourage you to look for a way to be a blessing to someone in need.

Scrappily,
   Susan

Today I am making a list of the works in progress that I want to finish this summer. I am going with the thought that a plan will help me realize some finishes in the project area.

This is a picture of one of those projects. It is part of a red and white quilt I am designing. It will be a center medallion kind of placement. It is my first attempt at set in blocks. It came out just okay. I will use it but I hope for a better set of points next time I try this type of block. Have you ever done this type of piecing and do you have any tips on getting the points and bulk on the wrong side to work for you and not be a lump?  

The small block in the picture is one of seven that will all be different styles of stars that will be floating out around the large center block. It is made strip piecing style and is not hard to keep those points realitively decent. The rest of the blocks will be four patches or solid blocks of red and white. 

Well what do you think? And what are you doing this summer? Any plans for quilting, catching up on unfinished projects or just enjoying the season? 

Scrappily,

     Susan  

Happy Mother's Day

Wishing you all a wonderful day, full of memories of the past and new ones for the future!

       Scrappily,

               Susan

Have you ever come to the conclusion that what you have been working so diligently on is a bust? I woke up in the middle of the night and thought, I hate the way that quilt is turning out! Ugh, and its ready to quilt. Now I just want to toss the whole thing out. So, should I quilt it and then give it to the dog or should I just not even admit that I made that...? Has this ever happened to you and what did you do? It is so disappointing and costly too. I think I will just go dig in the garden and pray for new inspiration for now....... Scrappily, Susan

Swapping

Have you participated in a fabric or square swap? They are fun and interesting. I have joined in on three and found them to be worth the time and effort. I joined one group that was a red and white 5" square swap and two I Spy swaps. It is a way to receive many different fabrics and you only buy a few. Here is a picture of some of the I Spy fabrics that are in progress of being made into quilts for my grandsons.

I highly recommend joining one of these groups. It helps keep the stash under control and makes a quilt of so many different fabrics affordable. Another way you can do this if swap groups are not your thing, is find a friend or two that want to do the same thing and all of you watch for fabrics that are suitable and each buy fat quarters and then cut them up and share between yourselves. I have one close friend that we do this regularly and then once a year we give each other a nice tidy gift of just enough of each fabric for more squares for another I Spy quilt. Whatever you might choose, I hope you will give sharing and I Spy quilts a try. Let's keep those machines humming! Scrappily, Susan

Spring and a winner!

Spring has arrived in all its glory and I am so glad its here. I do enjoy each season but there is a time to move on. I love the first blooms of Spring and the sunny days that bring those flowers. Well, we had a give-away for the first day of Spring and Connie is the winner of fat quarters in bright spring colors and a seed packet. Thanks to all who participated! ( we will have another one soon!) Scrappily, Susan

Fantastic Friday

This week I had to face one of those events that quilters dread, discovering you do not have enough fabric to finish what you started. It is a serious dread for anyone who buys fabric and lets it age like fine wine, as you decide what the perfect project is for this particular precious purchase. I bought some lovely bright flannels with my oldest daughter in mind and her first baby. She is now due anyday with baby number two. The fabrics were girly and her first is a boy so I am not so much late as stuck with the problem of finding more fabric to match to finish this and finish it quickly since granddaughter number two will be here soon. I have looked and looked and when I find something sort of matching the quality is not the same. Sigh.....

This is what I have been working on. Bright and fun for a little girly one. So, what do you do when you find that you do not have fabric that you love to finish a project? Any and all suggestions are appreciated. Do not forget my Spring give-away. These are Red Rooster fabrics and the colors are nice and bright, just like Spring. Scrappily, Susan

Do you feel Spring in the air?

Do you have Spring fever? I think I do. I can hardly wait to get out and plant the flower beds and garden. I have been planning what and where to plant but the when is getting to be a big question. Our weather has been so unpredictable. Monday night we had four inches of snow about five miles from our home. Sadly, we didn't get any but then again, our peach tree is blooming so we would have lost the entire crop. I am not sure we still won't. Today we have cool temperatures but sunshine. As I said, unpredictable.

I also have the Spring fever bug in regards to cleaning my sewing room, again. I cleaned it the week before Christmas, crazy I know. And it isn't that it is messy, it is too full. Time to get rid of some clutter in there. So, how about a give-away to help out my sewing room and in anticipation of Spring? What would you do with these five fat quarters in bright colors and some seeds for your garden?

To enter just leave a comment about Spring and follow me. I will close the give-away on the first day of Spring, March 20,2012 at 9pm.

     
Scrappily,

 Susan

Happy Valentines Day!

It has been far to long since I last posted here. I am so sorry. I hope you have a wonderful day and are enjoying it with someone you love.

Well, what has kept me away you may ask? Life....it happens so quickly these days, not like when I was a child and time seemed to creep by. It goes so fast now, the day is over before it has begun.

What have you been working on? I have finished quite a few things. One is a table runner for Valentines Day. It is cream and reds and looks lovely. I also made a bag for a friend visiting from China, an apron for each of my sisters and eight snap bags. They are so quick and fun to make.

It seems I forgot to take pictures again of the things I have made, sad face here, no pictures.

I hope you have a wonderful Valentines Day with someone you love!

Susan