Happy (almost) New Year!

  

2020...Bah Humbug!

2019 was sad and stressful, 2020 was sad and depressing, 2021 has got to be better....right? Please say yes.

The holiday was nice, my niece and her family were here Christmas Eve. Christmas day was very quiet. My mom and I had leftovers and played cards.

Gotta show off my mom's tree. 

Always pretty. My mom say's she doesn't decorate as much as she used to but she could not  prove it if you looked around her house. Lots of decorations. Very festive. 

I've made more progress on my blackwork project. The last row is 1/3 finished so I should be able to finish it before New Year's Eve.

I'm trying to decide if I want to participate in a 2021 sew-along. I should work on one of the three cross stitch projects I've started. I have a feeling I will participate in a monthly blackwork sew-along, then maybe I can do both (don't hold your breath).

I have been working on my Sunny Lane project...it doesn't require any brain power. Lots of chain piecing.

 

 

Bella was helpful as always.

 

I hope you all have a very happy New Year!

There was real sewing done this week!

Cause I got a new baby!

It is a Baby Lock Presto II. It has everything on my wish list except a knee lift. But I got a really good deal on the machine and so far I am very happy with it. Do you see how bright the light is? It has TWO led lights! Somebody must have finally smacked the sewing machine manufactures upside the head - add more lights! The bed of the machine is nice and wide also. Although I did order an extra large Sew Steady table for quilting, for general piecing I won't need it.

While I was playing / testing with the in-store machine I pieced this little runner. I quilted it at home using the walking foot. Funny how you get used to things a certain way...my Bernina walking foot is a wide toe with clear plastic center. The new one is for straight stitching only, it is narrow and all metal. With the clear plastic I had to use my eyes to stay in the ditch, with the new walking foot I have to align the foot appropriately...time will tell which I like better.

I did more in the ditch quilting and some free motion quilting on the little patriotic runner. FMQ was a breeze! If you click on the picture you can see the stars I quilted better.

It has 100 built in stitches and 4 alphabets. I used one of the decorative stitches to quilt this little hexie topper.

There was also lots of slow stitching with binding and blackwork (finished another row).

And (doin a happy dance) I emptied another scrap bin. One more to go.

I found the deeper into the bin I got the more scraps went into these giveaway / donation bags.

If you want scraps I will happily send you some.

I hope you all have a safe and very Merry Christmas!

Not a Single Stitch

   

On the sewing machine. I have been catching up on my blackwork. I think I'm still behind about 10 weeks. 

I'm also still working on cutting up and sorting scraps. 

I have a 5 drawer tower that had holiday fabrics in it. I went through it, cleared out the non-holiday fabrics, refold fabric that had been stuffed into it, and cut up everything that was less than a fat quarter. My holiday fabric is now neatly organized in 3 drawers.

I also emptied another bin that was mostly 2.5 inch strips that had been dumped into it along with a few other scraps. They are now folded, sorted by color and in these bins:

The bin I'm going through now is mostly crumbs. I don't like crumbs. I also don't feel like cutting things into small squares. So...if it isn't at least 2.5 x 5 it will probably go in the garbage. I KNOW! I'm horrified also, but I have so many scraps that I really don't need to be keeping the itty-bitty stuff. Even the not so itty-bitty stuff. Maybe I'll stuff them in baggies and take them to the next guild meeting (whenever that might be).

Another gadget that I am loving is this True Sharp rotary blade sharpener. I got this, in it's unopened package, at an estate sale a few years ago for almost nothing - they are expensive, but it has been the best sharpener I've ever had. For as expensive as rotary blades are, I think this gadget would be worth the actual retail price.

This not very helpful cat got a hair cut today. She is lucky she didn't get a new bobbed tail.

I did some Christmas shopping this past week. At one of my stops I looked down and saw this...

I

I just had to take a picture. ;o)

Barely Sewing

   

I'm just not in the mood. I am still cutting up scraps. I've emptied one large bin and started on another small one. I did find a couple of odd blocks / scraps that I played with / sewed into mug rugs / small table toppers.

Don't ask, don't know. Just sewed them together. The green will be the back.

Only one of these was completely framed. I finished framing the other two and will back them with the yellow gingham.

I cut these out when I was experimenting with the lollipops in Violet's Bakery a few years ago. Sewed them together and will back them with the fabrics above them.

So if we have Christmas in July doesn't it make sense to make a patriotic runner in December?

I have partially cut out this mini from some of my larger scraps. Who knows when it will actually get sewn but since I cut it out I did add it to my work in process spreadsheet.

While I haven't been doing much sewing I have been making a lot of progress on my blackwork sampler.

I've finished five rows since the last time I showed my progress. I'm still very behind but I'm determined to finish this 2020 stitch along in 2020. I haven't decided it I'm going to participate in the 2021 stitch along or finish a few of other cross stitch work in process projects.

I have been listening to audio books while I've been cutting up all the scraps and stitching. Thank goodness for my library card and Overboard. Never fails, 3000+ audio books to chose from and I can never find anything to listen to (kinda like nothing to wear with a closet full of clothes).

No Sewing

   

I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving. I had my small family here for dinner. I tried something new, I flattened my turkey (I need new knifes) by removing the backbone and did a semi-dry brine.

Looks weird huh? Sorry, forgot to take the after picture. It was really good and cooked REALLY fast. 14 lb turkey in about 1.5 hours at 350. I was scrambling to finish the rest of the meal. I will definitely do this again.

Isn't this pretty? Turkey enchilada casserole. Great way to use up leftovers. It was really good.

Saturday I supported my (not very local) small businesses.

One of the not so local quilt shops sells fabric and sewing supplies on consignment and from quilter's estate sales, most of the goodies came from there at a crazy low price. 

I haven't touched my sewing machine this past week. I did clean up my sewing area a bit and did a lot of cutting. A few months ago I splurged and bought a Creative Grids Stripology XL ruler. I love this thing.

It is a little awkward to use at first but once you get the hang of it cutting is a breeze.

My mom and a friend of hers gave me a bunch of their fabric. All had been cut into. I cut them up into 10 and 5 inch squares, 2.5 x 5 inch strips, 2.5 inch strips and squares. I've also cut up all the dog coat fabric I got at a garage sale last summer.

I've almost emptied one bin of scraps! The scraps above are not good quality (yes I am a fabric snob) and will be donated somewhere. Below are some of the scraps I'm keeping.

What would you do with over 4 inches of 5 inch squares?

Logey Bear - The Finale

   

Finishing this quilt on my little Bernina was like a WWE main event. There were times I didn't think I could win. But it is done.

I know...looks like last week's picture doesn't it. But it is quilted and the binding is attached. Now to finish Lucy.

I'm actually thinking of getting a new sewing machine. I love my little Bernina but it is little and it is starting to have tension issue that even servicing doesn't resolve. I've had her for over twenty years. Maybe something with a bigger throat, needle threader, thread cutter, and pressure foot lift...sigh. Problem is I'm really indecisive and really cheap. 

Logey Bear Part II

  

 I got the borders added...

                                             

The back made...

Loaded on the frame...

Then I stared at it for a really long time. I really didn't want to do an all over quilt design but I'm really limited with the Juki on the frame so I decided to just meander in the back ground fabric and baste down the border.

Now I'll use my little Bernina to do some straight lines through the X blocks, some detailing in the bear paws, trees, houses and Logey Bears and probably some leaves in the outside border. I'll do that over the next few days.

The last clue and final layout of Lucy's Love Notes has been revealed (very cute) but I haven't worked on since I've been trying to finish up Logey Bear. I also managed to miss that the quilt required a border fabric. I didn't have anything in my stash that would work. I went to my local fabric store today and found a fabric that I think will work. Hopefully I can get back to it next week.

I did make the mini. It is just kinda okay. It also kinda hurts my eyes to look at it. It ended up pretty wonky even after some serious ironing with steam, and while most of the seams line up pretty good, there are few that don't (I tried fixing them but with no luck) and they really show.

It is currently 7 x 9 inches. I haven't decided if I'm going to border it or not. This is the only thing in my stash I half way like and I don't plan on buying border fabric for something I'm not sure I even like. I'll finish it but it may get hidden in a drawer afterwards.

Logey Bear

I spent most of last week working on Logey Bear. The final clue were these X blocks.

Here are all of the blocks laid out on my design bed.

I have the top sewn together and the first border added. I should have a finished quilt to show you next week.

I made way too many of the 4 patch blocks so I decided to play.

   Disappearing 4 patch. What do you think should I make a mini quilt?

 

 

I have put on the infamous Covid 15 - 15 pounds since the lockdown/pandemic began. I am trying to get out and walk a bit more. Above is a picture I took from one of the walking bridges that cross the Rogue River.

I Voted!

  

Here is the finished Forest Friends quilt...

I love the little foxes on the back.

As I've mentioned before most of the blocks were already made. I finished piecing the blocks, put the top together with a fussy cut border and quilted it with loops and hearts. I'm very pleased with how it turned out. It will be donated back to the Kiwanis's Quilts for Kids.

I finished last week's Lucy's Love Notes clue...paper pieced music notes.

The method Mary demo's for paper piecing takes a few more steps but makes it really easy to add each piece without a lot of fussing and very little fabric waste. Melissa Corry at Happy Quilting demo'd the same method on her blog today.

I also got Logey Bear's cabins made...also paper pieced. I feel like I should applique or embroider something in the doors or windows - they look so plain. I'll probably leave them as is.

A few months ago I ordered new furniture - twice. I didn't like the first couch so returned it; love the new couch. I also ordered a chair and extra matching fabric. I re-upholstered my hope(less) chest with the extra fabric. Not the best job but its done. 

(Yes, I know there is a knob missing. I've been carrying it around in my purse hoping to go to Home Depot or someplace to find new knobs. The old ones just look odd with the new top.)

   

I always have the worst time trying to think of a title for each post. Oh well. Tempted to type in "no title".

I made progress on both Project Linus mysteries. Lucy's Love Notes flowers (how come I never see the loose threads until after I load the pictures?).

And Logey Bear's bears.

I have this week's clues cut out and ready to sew. More paper piecing for both projects.

I loaded Forest Friends onto the frame yesterday and finished quilting it today.

I quilted loops and hearts. Tomorrow I'll trim it down and attached the binding. The backing is the cutest little fox print. I'll show finished pictures next week. 

Distractions

  

I think I figured out why it takes me so long to get things done...I'm easily distracted. In trying to make Lucy's Love Notes clue 3 I made these from the scraps of it and the last two clues.

I don't know what I'm going to do with them yet...probably mug rugs.

I did get clue 3 kinda sorta done.

The envelope is supposed to have Velcro closures and a heart patch but I haven't decided if I want to do that or put a colorful snap for the closure. I'll decide later.

My other kinda sorta distraction was getting this quilted and the binding added.

Softest flannel ever! While small (36 x 48) I can say it is made from 100% scraps. I even Frankenbatted the batting. It did take me three days to get this little quilt finished, again because of distractions...or should I say obstructions.

It is starting to cool down here and my view is starting to get some fall colors.

But mostly pine needles falling...what a mess.

I can really tell the weather is changing because now someone likes to sleep in until noon.

Makes it a little difficult to make the bed.