Scrappy Christmas

I started this in December last year.  It is made from scraps of previous Christmas quilts I made for my 3 children and a few fat quarters I had on hand.  The intention was to not purchase anything.

There was not a specific pattern, just make squares as I used up material, put it together and this one is for me.

I was also going to use what I had in stash for the backing.  It was unbleached domestic.  I usually like to add something extra to the back  for color and to tie in the colors.  As I laid it out on the floor to get a look, my Hubby said what are you doing?  That does not look good.....

I explained my wish to "no purchase" and finish.....but I lost the battle and went to the fabric store.
Here is the finished back.

He was right......the striped piece on the domestic would not have been near as pretty.

The next part of this (of course) is quilting.  This is my first complete quilt that I have Free Motion quilted.  I did not use the walking foot.  

The square sashing is a type of scroll work, viewed from front and back.

 I did not stick with cotton material only, I used some flannel(white multi color dot) and soft corduroy(red in bottom pic).

Large squares are done with spirals and corner to corner quilting.

 On smaller squares there is outlining, meandering and circles.

 

 

 The border was just a diagonal continuous line.(kinda wiggly)

It's a wrap

except for the label......

2016-Life with Sadie

I have not posted since New Year's.

I received a birthday present in January that has consumed my time.
I have been sewing but have to sneak it in.  This present has kept me very busy.
Meet Sadie. She is an Australian Shepherd....very active and very attached to me.
She stays by my side all day.

 She has the most beautiful blue eyes I have ever seen .

  It seems that she realizes that sewing means very much to me....her competition.  If I do not stop sewing when she ask, she will stand up and take her paws to clean off the sewing table or remove things from the garbage.  She then gets attention.....but not like she wanted, but I am also not sewing.  She has been a challenge....but I love her.

She is very strong willed and has been much harder to train than other dogs we have had.  I'm told that is because she is extremely smart and a free thinker.

When I leave her at home with Hubby......this is where you will find her.

She is now 10 months old and beginning to calm down just a bit.  

I am beginning to get to sew a little more.

Has been a busy 8 months but I love this little girl and she is definitely worth my time.

Be posting some sewing soon.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to All!

Spent the evening in the kitchen with Lola....(9yr old) and her twin Julian.
Made sure they had a "sugar load" to keep them up to midnight.

This is what a happy grandmother sees on New Year morning.

 

Hope the rest of 2016 is just as great!

Happy New Year!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

I have been extremely lax in keeping up the blog.  I have been sewing like a mad woman for months and gardening in between.

I did complete all the Christmas projects on Sunday......and they are delivered or wrapped.

I completed all 8 grandchildren the traditional PJ's and made several other gifts.

These first 2 were requested because they were supposed to be used for a feature in the local newspaper.  These were for Lola and Julia.....9yr old twins.

The gowns and PJ's are for Nora(8) Allie(6), and Thomas(3).

Elcey and Everette(18 mo twins), Nathan (6)

I first made the gown top for Elcey.....but with brothers, she sometimes wants to dress like the boys. So to make sure that she would have special PJ's I also made her the fox shirt too.  Now she has a choice.

I completed some pillows for the Sunday School Mission Auction



I quilted a wall hanging for Julian as part of his Christmas.






















These are just the Christmas items......too much other to cover  now.

but I am extremely excited to finally get my Funky chickens completed and hung......a project that has been on my table for quite sometime.




Hope you all have a Very Merry Christmas and get to spend time with family and friends.

Nana

Happy Independence Day

I hope that everyone has had a great 4th of July.

Special thanks to all those that have ever served in our Military to allow us the freedoms that we experience in the US.

We, at our house, have had the greatest 4th in many years.  This was the first time that our 3 children and their families have been together in more than 4 years.  Amazing how life and time separates but what a wonderful day to celebrate family.

My Mom, Sister and one of her daughters were also table to join us for a wonderful time together.

The grandchildren had a wonderful time playing together all afternoon.  Reminder of all the wonderful youthful years when we also enjoyed the family times with our cousins so far removed from our lives now.

Geeds always provides plenty of food to satisfy everyone.  Even the youngest enjoy the ribs.

 

and Geeds gets to relax and enjoy all the family.

 

As we close for the day

We must all remember that God has provided us this wonderful land and freedom.

 Our forefathers understood this as our government was based on "In God We trust".

We must never forget and make sure that we close each day with our prayers of thanks.

And as we move into a new Presidential race, more than ever, our prayers should be for a God fearing leader.

 

God Bless America

Using up Stash....

Using up Stash.....

I decided this week to go through my box of knit scraps to see if there is anything useable for the twins that are 1.  If it would not work for them, it scraps went to the garbage.  I am trying so hard to reduce the clutter in the closet.

I was able to make a couple of things for Elcey. 
This is made by a 6 mo. Riley's from Bonnie Blue.  This fabric has been in the box for at least 6 years.  I seem to remember making something for Lola and she is now 9.

This next top is a me made this up.....pattern....just something to use the stash.  There will be a pair of the shorts made out of the blue.

Next....My grandson Julian is 9 and has Cerebral Palsy and is going to a camp for the first time. Last year his twin sister, Lola, went to camp and I made her a laundry bag.  Julian had the opportunity to go to camp but would not make the decision to go it alone.  He was a little disappointed that I did not make him a laundry bag. I promised him a bag when he went to camp.  His was delivered....and he is very excited to be going to camp next Tuesday.

 

 

Then my last sewing accomplishment was a pair of shorts for one of Lola's friends.  She had seen Lola's(These)

 

 

 and wanted a pair in Pink and Black.  You can not imagine how hard it is to find that color combination when you need it.....any other time it would be all over the fabric store.  But, They have been delivered and I think that they turned out very well.

 

 

I think.....that was it for the week.....

Except gardening....but no picture.....



 

Saturday Garage Sale

A quilter friend had shared a notice that another quilter/seamstress was selling her "store".  Downsizing to move closer to her children.

Up early on Saturday to make the hour long trip to a "FuN" garage sale.

Here was my haul.....all for less than $100.

 

about 30 quilting stencils

Patterns and notiions

fabrics from 1/4 yard to 6 yard pieces

quilting templates and sewing tool

 

Fun Saturday!!!