A - Z for Ewe and Me - Block of the Month

Back of my Canada Day Quilt so far.

I've been working away at three projects here in my home away from home.   I am making good progress on my Canada Day quilt.   It's layered and pin basted.  And I have begun machine quilting it using my trusted old Pfaff.  With the small throat on the machine, it's going slower than I planned, but it will get done sooner or later..












I also have the 48 x 60" Paper Hearts quilt top all sewn up and ready for layering and pinning.   That was the quickest little quilt to sew up.  It helps that this is a big block quilt.  Those 12 inch blocks sew up quickly.   I have another Paper Hearts kit ready to sew up but I'll wait until later on to do that one.







I'm really excited to do my first ever block of the month project.  It's the A - Z for Ewe and Me by "The Quilt Show".   I purchased all the fabrics to do the January, February and March blocks.  

But I'm off to a slow start.   With the A block there was a mistake in the pattern, so I had to re-do the center part of the block.  And then I made a mistake in trimming the center points, so now I have to do it again.... Grrrr....    I hate doing things over.... Do you?    But I will do it in the next day or two and finish the other two letters for the January blocks.    

We are going away for a week, and when we get back, the February blocks will be published, so hopefully those will go smoother.
 

Paper Hearts Quilt

When I got here two weeks ago, I had the notion that I would sew one project and completely finish it before starting another.  Well, that idea lasted one and a half weeks.   I have my sisters Canada Day quilt top done, and the batt and backing is ready.  But I've been too busy to take all this over to the community center (where they have big tables) to layer and pin baste it.   The community center is quite busy this week, so I have to wait until the weekend to do it.

In my small bits of spare time this week, I took out project number two and started.   It's the Paper Hearts quilt by Tula Pink.   Last month, I did a prototype block using my less-waste method of sewing the hearts.   Well, that method turned out to be not only less wasteful, but super quick.  I have 32 half-hearts all sewn up and got laid out the quilt on the spare bed.     It's really cute.  I brought two of these kits with me, so I'll wait and do the next one next month.

I am enjoying having the sewing machine set up in the dining room all the time.   If I am waiting for 10 minutes for anything, while I wait, I sew a bit.  Really, it's amazing what you can get done in 10 minutes.  

But the sewing machine comes down this afternoon since we're having company for supper and we need to use it.   But by 9 am tomorrow, you can bet that  the sewing machine will be set back up in its home away from home.    :)

Ten Scrappy Flags

Whew a busy week flew by.  But because of some cloudy and cool days, I got my 10 scrappy flag blocks done for my sister's Canada Day quilt.   This coming week, I'll sew the ten blocks together and prepare the backing.   I do intend to layer and pin baste this week too.  

And I'm so pleased that I've finally got a start on my embroidery project.   I started with one of the larger blocks.  I thought I would hand stitch in the evening, but it turns out that the daylight is just too nice not to use for stitching.  

A week of good weather coming up here in central Florida.

Stay warm where ever you are!!

Stand up and Sew!

Our home away of home has no normal height tables to sew on.   This is the dining room table.  It's a cafe height table.  It's to high to sew while sitting on the stool height chairs.  So after thinking about it for a few days, I decided, why not stand up and sew.  I first saw my sister using her serger to sew while standing up.  And now I use my serger standing up too.   So why not sew standing up.   Granted I'm only sewing short seams and I'm back and forth to my ironing board and cutting table.   It works for now.   For bigger jobs, I'll have to figure something else out.  

I've decided to try a new approach to my normal style of sewing.   I've brought several projects with me to sew on.   I think I will start and finish a project before start a new one.   I don't know if I have the willpower to do that, but I'm going to try.

So, what am I working on?   I brought a kit of scrappy fabrics to make a Canada Day Quilt for my sister.    Today, I made five of the 5 maple leaves.  

The weather looks so so this week so I'll probably get the other 5 done within the next few days.  

Tomorrow I Sew!!

Happy New Year!

We are all settled into our place in Central Florida.  I've got my sewing room sort of set up.   But have been to busy to actually sew.  I thought I'd show you some random pictures from the last couple of weeks...

The stormy weather delayed the Christmas visit of Jess and Emily, so
I made these tree cookies for the kiddos all by myself.  

I had Christmas goodie bags all ready for the kids to take home
after their visit on Christmas Eve.

After our first few hours of our three day journey south, I snapped
this picture of the icy trees along the highway in Maine.   So pretty. 

The welcome wagon at our Florida Home away from Home!

A close up.  So green, so small, so cute!!

Now, the fun begins.
Today, a shopping trip at Joann Fabrics.  55% off all
these goodies.  I got DMC floss for my Snowmen A to Zzzz project, serger thread, yoyo maker,
quilting gloves, a big pack of Size 1 pins, sewing thread, a Kwik Klip,
and Sulky Size A prewound bobbins.

Tomorrow I sew!