Sewing time!

 

It has been pretty busy around here lately with no sign of slowing down any time soon.  This morning I did some cleaning and ironing and then decided to steal some sewing time.  This is a  Leaders & Enders project that I decided needed to become a top finally- just random squares of scraps- mostly from Harry Potter fabrics.  I have it mostly stitched into rows and now will just need to join them.  It will be a nice lap size quilt.  

This is a lovely pattern I found on the Free Spirit Fabrics website.  It is called "Woodland Dreaming".  

I love the fabrics!  However, I have sworn to use my stash so I am creating this pattern with a very different look...

Here is what I have so far- try to ignore my fabric and WIPs in the back ground!  Very little progress was made today, the rest is from a couple of weeks ago at least.  I still have 2 more sections to create and some applique to do before the top will be finished.  

I am very happy with how it is turning out.  I think it will be a beautiful use of all my batiks, which I rarely use because they actually aren't really my preferred look even though they make lovely quilts.  Some of these batiks also belonged to my mother and I think she would love to see them in this quilt.  

Happy Saturday Sewing!

Friday Night With Friends

 

I worked on some birch tree blocks.  I have seen these quilts for many years and always loved them.  I actually started a coin quilt with my scrap strings (I have 2 bins!) and realized that if I make them wider than intended for that purpose, I could make both quilts at the same time.  Of course these blocks are moving faster than the others...I have seen a tutorial of this over at Samelia's Mum.  I can't remember if that is where I saw the red version that was my favorite.  However, green goes better with my decor and my daughter also loves it so the quilt will definitely have a good home after.  I cut my blocks at 13 inches and they have trimmed down nicely to 11.5.  (Creating more strings for the bins!  They fill up faster than I can use them!)

This is my project for Friday Night with Friends from https://stitchingcubbyhole.blogspot.com/.  However, I still have a lot of sewing to do.  

In this picture, you can see my 5 X 10 inch coin blocks for my coin quilt.  They will eventually be in long columns.  And of course, you get a good view of the mess...

And, I always have multiple quilts on the go.  Those birds/flowers are for a "seed packet" quilt I have seen lately. (Exuberant Color)  I have seen it credited to multiple people but the most known is Kaffe Fossett.  My version is not Kaffe fabrics as I have none...however, I do have a ton of flower and garden themed fabrics that have sat way too long so my version will be my own unique collection and probably more fall colors with, again, lots of green.  

The blue and aqua are for a quilt I showed recently.  These are all pinned and ready to be fed quickly through the machine the next chance I get.  Which might be awhile...

Today, after a women's gathering at church, we pick up this pretty baby who has been away at boarding school for two weeks.  I have only seen him for 3 short visits during that time.  I miss him so much!  He has made such amazing progress and is definitely a different dog than the one we dropped off.  He has worked so hard and can do amazing doggy things, but all I really want to do is cuddle him!

Our sweet kitty has definitely been enjoying his time away, allowing her free range of the house.  She is much too skittish to get close to him.  I hope that will change now that he knows how to sit and stay around other animals.  She loved watching the snow storm and trying to catch the flakes by pouncing on the glass.  She also loved it last night when I cleaned the table just before dinner and placed a mat just for her- so she thought.  

I was really excited to see this visitor to my back yard a few days ago, even though he left a terrible mess.  Our entire neighborhood is overcome with pigeons and their mess is ruining my roof and patio.  I may be an evil person but I was hoping this guy would move in for good.  He stayed there and allowed me to take 4 pictures of him but when my sweet, small kitty jumped up into the window, he took off, showing an amazing and beautiful expanse of wings and taking his dinner with him.  

January Wrap Up

 I had 23 days in January that I did some crochet or sewing or both.  To me that is a major win since it seems I haven't been finding much time to do those things in the last few months.  

Yesterday I finished a baby quilt that will make its way in the mail today for my daughter to give to a friend.  

This is actually the second one I made since the quilting came out awful on the first one.  I wasn't paying attention to the back since my long arm has been doing well with many previous quilts and it ended up loopy.  Not so bad that I can't finish the edge and donate it but too bad too make a gift of it.  I am much happier with this one overall- liking the random placement of blocks better than the original diagonals.  

My other finish for January was the quilt inspired by the Ron Weasley knitted blanket.  I have been enjoying its warmth in the evenings as I crochet or watch TV.  My kitty likes it too.  One night, when I couldn't sleep, I came down to find her cuddled up on it on the sofa.  She is enjoying cuddling with me in the evenings on it as well.  

Here is the pretty girl, enjoying another favorite spot.  

She is having lots of freedom this week because our puppy is away at boarding school.  I see him this afternoon and he will be done and come home on Saturday.  We have had our first lesson with him a few days ago and it is amazing the things he has learned!  I hope that, upon his return, we can convince the kitty that he is a nice boy and she can come near without him chasing.  She is not very trusting though...

I hope to get some time with this project this week but there are so many that need attention.  AND, my two tubs of scraps are getting out of hand and really calling for a coin quilt to be made and some more spider web blocks to be built.  

We are also trying to get our kiddy cottage on the market.  So, there are many projects that need doing that will prevent the sewing.  Then there is that thing that most of us are required to do, called WORK.  Ugh!  It really gets in the way of my crafting.