The One In-Between ...

I am taking a break and playing with my new-to-me laptop.  Son Paul sent it to me in April and I haven't taken much time to get to know it...or to move everything over from my other laptop.  The keyboard is different, so I am getting used to the new spacing.  Lots of corrections in the meantime.  

So.  What's new around here?  Well, I have been sewing.  Big surprise, hey?  

A friend of sister Joyce saw her black and white tote bag (that I made), and asked if I would make one for her.  Okay.  I like these easy requests.  

I am very happy with the way it turned out...

And, I made a few matching Kleenex cozies to send along with it...

I'm not sure how easily you can see...there are 5 quilt pallets here (1 large one for a dog and 4 smaller ones for cats)...all set to be donated to the animal shelter.

Here's a better photo of 3 of those shown above...the top two and the bottom one.  

Last week, I finished what I had planned to do for the month of July, so I looked for an in-between project.  In-between then and August 1st, which is when I am going to begin making Christmas presents. (I am going to Wisconsin on vacation - more on that later - and want to take what I get done with me.)  So.  I didn't have to look very far to find something to do.

I am going to make a lap quilt with pineapple blocks.  You know, real pineapples.  Like this one I made for Jill last year...

 

So far, I have 12 done...only 6 more to go!  I have had all of the fabric here since shortly after I made the pineapple block for Jill...so all I needed to do was get started.  It is easy and fun and I am enjoying working on it.

Yes.  Vacation.  I will be in Wisconsin from August 30-September 9.  I am so looking forward to spending time with family and friends.  It has been almost 2 years since I have seen any of them!  I am planning on having a great time!


And...just want to say.  I love my other pineapple quilt...the one I last posted about.  Makes me smile...and sleep!

Okay.  Back to sewing...need to get that in-between project done.

Have a great week!



"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

The One With the Super Scrappy Pineapple Block Quilt...

It seemed like it took forever to finish this quilt

but in reality, it took just over 4 months from start to finish.

Great news...

I found an excellent local longarm quilter...Yay!

That will make things so much more fun...

to actually get a quilt quilted 

when I finish putting it together!

Depending on a few factors,

I am able to do my own quilting.

Sometimes, though, the quilt is too large

and sometimes I want something different

than what I am able to do.

Dana, of Old Red Barn Co.,

was the inspiration behind this scrappy quilt.

I am so, so happy that I followed her lead with this.  

Without further ado...

Here it is...my super scrappy pineapple block quilt!!!  

(be sure to click on the photos to enlarge them)

Here are all the details...

All colored prints were from my scrap buckets.

Some white/tan strips came from my stash

and some from my LQS.

Each block contains 37 pieces.

There are 49 blocks total.

For a grand total of 1,813 pieces of fabric.  

It measures ~67" square after laundering.

I used Warm n' White batting.

I backed it with Moda Grunge in Creme (108").

It was quilted by longarm quilter PJ Steffenson.

with a Popcorn quilting pantograph. 

This is one of my all-time faves.

For sure.

I love it so much!

What's next? 

Finishing up some dog/cat quilt pallets to donate.

And, I have a tote bag to make.

I hope you have a great weekend!

The One...

So, taking up where I left off (yes, almost a month ago...my bad)...here we go!

In my last blog post, I showed you a sneak peek of the super scrappy pineapple block quilt...I am happy to say that it is now with the longarm quilter. I should be getting it back very soon.

The next project on my list to show is this trio...little zipper earbud holders. They measure about 4", I think.  

These pretty florals are from Cathy of Pink Petunia Cottage.

They were used to make this quilt...

I absolutely love it...so old-looking and soft and full of crinkly goodness.

I am not sure if you've been keeping count, but I actually made three quilts from my scraps (and still have a lot of scraps left!). The scrappy log cabin blocks were started in March, but then I got distracted by the super scrappy pineapple block quilt. I finally put the blocks together, using a Moda Grunge (some color gray) fabric for the sashing and made this quilt for Mum.  I made it to her specifications...long and narrow.  It measures about 46 x 64 inches.  I quilted it with curvy lines...and I am happy to say that I love how it turned out!  (So is me Mum, by the way.)

I am a fan of Merchant & Mills, though I have never bought anything from them.  I have just drooled over everything I've seen from there.  Well.  I saw these and I bought them...books for my sewing book collection (which now numbers 3).  The Workbook was the one I really wanted, but there are a few projects I'd like to make in the Sewing Book, too.  The Sewing Skills book was an inexpensive add-on.

This month, I am trying to get some abandoned projects done and out of here.  Sometimes, when Cathy sends boxes of fabrics, they include projects that she has started and never finished. Sometimes I put them together into quilt tops.  Sometimes they sit here and I do nothing with them.  But, now, I am working on putting finished blocks together to make quilt pallets for dogs and cats at the animal shelter.  Here are a few that I am working on...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Me Mum is doing pretty good in the nursing home...although there are still some adjustments being made.  It certainly did not help that her hearing aids went on the fritz in all of this change.  She has one working hearing aid now, so that's all for the good...the other is being repaired.  We visit every day...at least one of us three daughters.  Mum is getting involved with the daily activities there and seems to enjoy most of them.  She also has a new and easier hairstyle. I don't know how many thousands of years she wore her hair backcombed, but this is so easy...and I think it looks good.  She also got a manicure recently, so that made her feel good.  

  

I think that's all I have for now.

Have a great month of July!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11