Slow Stitching Sunday

Kathy's post over at Slow Stitching Sunday really hit home.  Getting back from vacation and catching up at home has taken a toll.  Yesterday, I was helping Tom blow leaves out of the landscaping and I got up hung up in the electrical cords and fell face down onto the driveway. My glasses took the brunt of the force and broke but there is a bruised area under my eye.  But, I am happy to say I woke up this am feeling pretty lucky nothing worse happened.  Sometimes we push ourselves too hard.  So today my goal is just to get in a few stitches.  A few wonderful stitches and some "me time" is much needed. I came across this article that explains it all. Yes I need some mental health stitching, that is why I love linking to Slow Stitching Sunday. Today I will start block 8 of 25 on Baltimore Garden.  I have decided that I am not setting a goal to finish this quilt.  I just want to enjoy the stitches and memories I am stitching into it!

I love coming across these flowers as I quilt the background, they just make me smile!

Slow Stitching Sunday!

It is hard to write new blog posts these days as the two projects I am currently focusing on are slow long term projects.  The progress is slow and pictures could get pretty boring. I haven't made a lot of progress but they are moving along. The fall weather has been calling to me daily but it won't be long and the cooler temps will keep me inside.  That should help with my progress.  I am still
working on panel #3 on my version of Trailing Vines.  I ran out of prepped leaves about a week ago and finally got more prepped, so hopefully a few more will be added.


The hand quilting continues on Baltimore Garden.  I have the middle five blocks completed and started number six on Thursday.  I hope to finish it up to day and move on.  It is such a good feeling that what I have done so far is working out as I had envisioned it in my head.  So many more stitches to do, but this is my favorite part of making a quilt.

I am linking up with Kathy's Quilts for Slow Stitching Sundays.  Like Kathy I love to take a break from stitching on Sundays and enjoy seeing what others are stitching. Hope you can enjoy some slow stitches today and join us.

Online Trunk Show

Hey did you know there was an online trunk show going on this month.  How exciting to look back at your favorite quilts!  Come join the fun! There is a button on the right hand side of the blog that will explain it all!

I will start with my favorite quilt. I had so much fun making this tradtional red and green quilt.  It comes out every Christmas to help put us celebrate the holidays.

 I made this pickle dish last year. It's my cuddle on the couch quilt. It's such a whimsical pattern and the colors just make you happy every time you look at it.

cable border

My pyramid quilt was made from favorite fabrics in my stash.  I used a solid black to border it.  I had a lot of fun big stitching this quilt and used the large cable on the border.

I love to garden so quilts that feature flowers always call to me.  This peony quilts was made to remember the beautiful peonies that we had in our yard in a previous home.

 This red and white and blue kaleidoscope quilt was made for  my brother in law.  He works with a  funeral detail that honors our veterans as they are laid to rest. Such important work and these former veterans are out in all kinds of weather honoring those veterans for the last time.

Amish Ice Cream Social was my first attempt at a string quilt. Again I added a lot of wonderful hand quilting and a wonderful cable feather border.

I added trapunto to the feathered wreaths.

b

And finally Simple  But Not came about  because of my need to own a cheddar quilt.  Made out of bits of scraps sewn into pumpkin seed shapes and appliqued to the solid background and accented with feather quilting backed by some crosshatching.

Slow Stitching Weekend!

I was woke up early Saturday morning when my husband decided to cook his breakfast at 4am. He rises early everyday for work so I can't blame him. I looked out the window and it had started raining.  Very gloomy and dark I made my way to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee.   I need about three cups before I can start my day, and then I headed to the quilt frame. Two blocks are completed and I am quilting the second half of the third block.

 I put in several hours of wonderful stitching and finished up block number 3  I am always amazed at how much quilting changes each block.  It's almost magical!

I noticed this week with the cooler temps I have been opting for the quilt frame rather than my applique leaves.  I am not going to fret if my progress on trailing vines slows down, as I stitch for pleasure. I did get the third panel prepped and started adding a few leaves.   I just wish there more hours in the day!

But November has arrived, and I really need to spend some time today making progress on my second wool mitten.  I grew up wearing mittens my mom would knit and they are definitely one of my favorite things.  There is nothing worse than having cold hands so I need to add a few knitting stitchs today.  Not quite cold enough yet to wear them but it won't be long.

I am linky up with Slow Stitching Sunday and I hope you will join in and share your slow stitches today!

Monday Morning Progress

Yes we are finally enjoying a few days of slow rains.  I know our mighty oak trees are so grateful for some water before they head into the winter months.  My heart goes out to those in Texas that are enduring floods and devastation from the many inches of rain they received.  But, I must admit is is great quilting weather!  I was able to finish  the quilting on the second block of Baltimore Garden.

Quilting progress so far!

a close up of the 1/2 grid

I also found enough time to finish the second panel of Trailing Vines and to start a third panel.  It looks like these will be my major focus as we move into the winter months.  There will be plenty of stitches that need to be made to finish these two quilts.

But I do get the notion to sew at the sewing machine every once in awhile.  So when that happens I have plenty of strings to turn into blocks. I started working on these this summer. They are just  a whole lot of fun to do!

No specific plan for these yet!

Yes! Machine Quilted

I faced a fear I had and decided to try machine quilting again.  A bad experience many years ago turned me to hand quilting all my quilts.  For starters,  I took a walking foot machine quilting class on Craftsy with Jacquie  Gering.  She opened my eyes to a lot possibilities!  This is my second attempt and I decided to try spiral quilting.  Oh what fun!  No stopping just continuous stitching!  Now this I can enjoy!!!

This quilt was a great way to use some scraps I had

I love the wonderful texture! These lines are one half inch apart!

I added a scrappy binding to finish it off! I also used a pieced back which I don't do when hand quilting!

 I am so glad I gave machine quilting another try!  I see doing more of it in the future!  I know there are some who exclusively hand quilt and others who exclusively machine quilt.  Having done both, I realize they both take skill and practice. I am so proud that I had a successful experience and am entering this quilt to the home machine quilted category at the wonderful Quilt Festival that Amy over at Amy's Creative Side is so graciously hosting! Come join us and vote for your favorites in each category!

Bloggers Quilt Festival

It's that time of year again! Time for the online quilt show at Amy's Creative Side!  I love looking at all the quilts in the categories every year.  So many talented quilters out there!  Since I love to hand quilt, I definitely need to enter that category . I named this quilt Simple but Not!  It has simple scrappy pumpkin seed shapes appliqued to a  solid cheddar background.  I absolutely loved working on this quilt.

Just four big blocks in this one!

I added a few feathers here and there!

And I added a striped binding to finish it!

I hope you can join in the fun by blogging about one of your finishes  and entering it into one of the many categories!  So much fun to go thru the categories and vote for your favorite too!

Leaves, leaves, leaves!

We have had the greatest fall weather this week. A bit of rain, not enough as we are so dry. The leaves have started to fall because of the drought. So sad to see 60 foot oaks look so sad.  Fall colors are just starting here with the sumac. But I don't think we will have much color this year since we are so dry.  So I am enjoying stitching on Trailing Vines.  Each branch is a like it's own little project. Since I use the freezer paper on top method of applique, it a nice little surprise as I uncover each leaf as I applique them down.  Then as each branch is completed I hold up the strip and admire how the vine has grown. This week I completed four branches.  I applique a bit each morning as I sip my morning coffee and  finish each day with some applique. This is a pic of my second strip.

Last week I finished three branches and had started the fourth!

This week's progress with seven branches completed!

During the afternoons I have been trying to get in some hand quilting stitches.  It is so nice to sit and enjoy some stitches once I get all the "have to" things done around the house.  I have one block completely done on Baltimore Garden and have marked another so there is plenty of stitches that needs to get done this week.

I hope you can enjoy some "me" time and put in a few slow stitches.  I think it is so important in this busy world to take some time for ourselves.  I am linking up to Slow Stitching Sunday where other slow stitchers will link their wonderful projects. I love taking time out of my stitching to see what others around the world are stitching! Hope that you will join us!