Dog days of Summer and the Summer Spread

As the grandkiddos will say -
'Grammy, it's stinkin' hot!'
And I respond, 'that's because it's the dog days of Summer'.
(That's what my Great GrandmaB would say,
so I guess that's where I picked that up,
but wonder where that originated...)
But it has been stinkin' hot...
Good weather to stay in and stitch a little, for sure.

As of last night, before the stroke of midnight,
I finished my #SummerSpread #SewAlong quilt top!!!!!!

8/8/18, Summer Spread on the bed!!

These last blocks were a little more splinted logs than whole logs

At this point it's at 88 inches square -
and I need to decide if I add another row or two.
I did this sew along with Barb when I saw her #SummerSpread idea on Instagram... (here's her link to her blog - Fun with Barb)

I used little pieces from trimmed logs to piece the last blocks together, and love that look.  

Lovely shirtings strips readied

This last picture is how I prepped my strips for block making:

A block center and logs stack, at the ready... I could stitch a block in a few spare moments, and it sure seemed to go together quickly!
Now to decide how to finish it!

Hope your Dog Days of Summer are going well.

Well that took a while

New computer shopping & set up?
Not.  My.  Favorite.
Just saying.  
The young guy that helped me
during choosing and purchasing process
said it was super simple set up these days.
But, he would not give me his direct call number for support. 
😀😀😀

So - a long time to catch up on in blogland.
Don't know how to get it all without writing for hours non-stop,
so I'll just start and add some photos of a current project in progress.

My most current obsession is this - 
#SummerSpread #LowVolume
#FunWithBarb on Instagram
#SummerSewAlong #LogCabinQuilt

Aren't those just the greatest shirtings??!!  I was so out of light setting fabrics in the Springtime (until retreat and no new fabrics challenge ended), and when I restocked, I really restocked!! 💖💖

Though I had plenty of other projects in the works, when I saw on Instagram that Barb, of @FunWithBarb was starting this cool Summer Sew Along, I HAD to join in!!
AND.... I just happened to have all those ^ cool shirtings that would be perfect!!

'Cause who doesn't need a summer-weight quilt for the Summer???

1st blocks and I'm in love with this!

Blocks:  

more blocks:

About half way there already!!

FYI -- I'm using:  

• 2.5" cut center
• 2" cut logs
• three 'rounds' of logs
• for a finished 11" block

It really is going so quickly!
My goal is to have it put together by month end. 
There are no rules to this sew-along - no minimums/maximums, colors or sizes, no fixed-date to finish, you can join in if you love this look as much as I do. 

Enough for today!  
Hope everyone is enjoying their July!  

Computer issues have me down

I’m sad to say that is definitely time for me to go computer shopping. With so many choices and so many options available, it’s always mind-boggling to me.
I’d like to share pictures from a quilt retreat;
I could share a quilt I made for another swap I’ve participated in;
I’d share a little, long-term project I’ve started - 3.5 inch baskets;
or even share three freshly made baby quilt gifts
for new twin nieces and a coming soon nephew.

But.... no pictures can be added from my mobile device. ☹️

I hope you’re all keeping busy and enjoying your Spring.
Happy Stitching!
And I’ll try to check in again, soon.

more swapping going on around here

Following my annual tradition of joining in on swaps,
I decided I'd do another block swap this Winter,
when Barb, of Fun with Barb blog fame, 
offered her (what has become) annual block swap. 
She offered the swap in Modern or Reproduction fabrics,
and the block she chose for us to make was 
the Churn dash - six inch finished; 
44 of one color way, and 22 of a second colorway.  
We'd make and send 66 blocks and get 66 in return!

I chose the Reproduction group and used two of my favorite fabrics:

and made forty-four of the blue, twenty-two of the cheddar. 

It doesn't look like a stack of 66 blocks, I know, but Whew!!
Yes, it was a lot of blocks to make.
Made and mailed the end of February, 
so we'll be getting our swap blocks back soon!!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day to you!!   
☘☘☘☘☘
Hope you enjoy your weekend!!

Little quilt swap

One of the quilty, online groups I'm in
offered a small quilt swap... 
requirements: 
primitive, small, theme of basket and berries, 
(but not Easter themed), 
and mailed by the middle of March.
I decided to join in, and am so glad I did!

The swap coordinator made the swap assignments, 
and I was assigned Karen of Washington, 
and Karen got me in return.

Here's the one that I made and sent:

CW reproduction cottons, with a little wool in the berries, and quilted on the Sashiko machine with hand-quilting YLI threads.  I don't even recall that I measured it when I finished, but it was about 14"x18" I believe.
The back, with hanging corners and label:

note pad of paper slipped into one of the hanging corners

And the one that I received from Karen!!:

So CUTE and folky!  Great fabrics, and hand-quilted, and just my style. 💖💖💖💖💖

I find it interesting that we have such similar tastes!  We'd never spoken to each other, and I don't even know if she has a blog, so no looking for clues early.
It was a great little interlude of stitching and gifting, for sure!!!

Happy middle of March, everyone!!

Sweet land of liberty #2

February is a short month, I know, 
but it seemed to me to fly by.
I did seem to accomplish quite a bit in 28 days though!!
I made 66 churn dash blocks for a swap.
I did a couple of Dear Jane blocks to send to a friend who's under the weather.
I'm working on a small quilt for a swap.
AND...
I have my second month of blocks done for the
Sweet Land of Liberty sew-along 
(LINK to see all the fun:  hosted by Lori of Humble Quilts):

Looking at this picture, 
I think I'll add some stitched eyes now 
instead of buttons later, though.
It's fun to be back working on this one again after a long vacation from it.

Oh, and I had a birthday this month!
I get to be 59!!!! 
A friend made me a decadent cake

It's now one candle per decade they said, 
and they rounded up to 60 for me 😊

and Sweetie and friends took me out for a pizza party!

I'm thankful for another birthday to celebrate, wonderful family, and special friends and celebrations of any kind.

Happy Stitching everyone!
Hope your February was sweet and
you had some time to spend with your stitching 
or whatever trouble fun you like to participate in.

stitching away play

I mentioned last week about my 
quilting friends' group challenge
to use up stash.....
I'm just here to say that fabric diets are difficult 😁
But I don't "owe" any fresh pretzels - yet.

I have been playing,
stitching away on some projects in progress,
and it feels good to play with my 'toys' I haven't had out for a while.

In this stitching vein/thread,
I've joined Lori, of Humble Quilts blog,
and a great group of like-minded folks,
to stitch on the quilt -
Sweet Land of Liberty,
an old Cheri Payne design (now out of print).
It made total sense to me, as I'd worked on this great primitive quilt before.
Like nine years ago, before.
Ooops, where does time go when you're having fun?
And I still love it, so I'm not counting how long it's been resting, 
and am declaring it part of my 
Get it Finished This Year challenge.... aka GIFTY.

So, for month one of the Humble Quilts Sew Along,
here are the first blocks I've done...
(link to the group challenge to be added later this week)

I already had the big applique blocks done, but had to add all the embroidery... AND, I made the Economy Blocks, plus a few extra, which I have not trimmed down as of yet, (because I know how some of these Cheri patterns sometimes need a coping strip added occasionally 😀).

I'm off to go do some more stitching, 
(and not purchase any new fabric)!
Hope you are enjoying your day, too!

a new year!

I welcomed in the New Year with happiness, and hope you did, too.
We (Sweetie and I) hosted a new year's eve dinner and card party - 11 people, with delicious foods brought in by all attending.  It was perfect and peaceful and fun.
Lots of visiting and laughter.  We chose to play progressive euchre with two tables of four, and three sitting out each game rotation, so we all had time to visit AND play cards, with the games ending right before the televised ball drop in NY.

I don't usually make New Year resolutions, only to fulfill my long-ago promise made to my Great-Grandma B - to learn something new each year (which can be something small or something monumental).  
Last year, I learned more about gut health and how it affects so many things in overall health and wellness.  Don't get me started here, LOL, or I'll go on and on, but it is AMAZING what gut health controls.

In the quilting realm, I've decided this year I will finish up some already started projects.  Who knows why I have all the blocks for an entire quilt made, some not even sewn together or without borders attached. 
Like this ongoing project - 

 Farm Girl Sampler quilt blocks now together, but not pressed.

(book Farm Girl Vintage by Lori Holt)

Also!, a few friends and I who retreat together, 
have an ongoing challenge.... a 'bet' of sorts. 
We have chosen to not purchase any new fabric 
as we work on our unfinished projects this Winter/Spring - 
to try to use our stash.  
The first person to purchase new fabric 
will have to buy pretzels for the others -  
the awesome, freshly made, pretzels from Shipshewana, 
when we see each other again in November.

So, back to blogging, back to stitching, and back to learning!!!
Hope your January is wonderful, too!!!