Welcome 2019

There is nothing better than seeing your quilts being used and loved!!

Another year has past.....  I think this last year was a successful one.  We had a lot of difficulties that arose, from family illness and surgeries to having to say goodbye to one of our precious dogs.  Life has kept us busy.  Since the passing of my husbands uncle, we have been working on cleaning out the house and getting it ready to put on the market.  It is a big project that only a few family members can appreciate.  I just try my best to be a good support system and not get too deep into any of the decisions that need to be made.  I pray that this does not divide the family!

As far as my projects and goals from last year go.....  I think I have done pretty well.  I continue to stay excited about sewing.  I would sew all day if I didn't have to work, clean, cook, be a good mom and wife.....  I try to get time to sew here and there, that is the best I can do.  I sew more in the winter and when my husband goes on travel.  He has gotten a little better with me hiding in my sewing room, but I still have to be tricky about it sometimes.  I say, "It will be real quick, like maybe half an hour...." and then I come back in 2 hours, LOL!!!  It works sometimes!!

~ I have posted quite a bit this year..... but, I have a lot of projects that I still have not posted.  Maybe since I have this new laptop I will get even better!  Maybe someday I will even catch up!!

~ I completed 3 of the 7 UFO's that I had set out to complete.  Uncle Brian's, Auntie Mary's and my Valentine's quilt (which I have not posted yet).  That means that I still have 4 left to do!  I will add them to the list to complete in 2019.  I think that Soloman's quilt has to be a priority.  They are coming out with a second edition to the fabric line and I will definitely be adding the new prints to the project!!!  I think it will help motivate me as well.

~ As far as working out goes, I didn't do great.  Yet, I think I didn't to horrible either.  This one will stay on the list!

~ I think that I have been cooking more successfully....  We eat out less for dinner than we used to, probably only twice a weekend.  Lunches on the weekend still need to be worked on.  As far as taking my lunch to work, I am so-so.....  I'm still impressed that I didn't give up on this one!  I will keep working to do better.

~ Am I the hostess with the most-est???  Probably not!  I have gotten better though!!  When it comes to having get togethers with planning and cooking (not just pizza) my husband comes through like a champ.  He has also started doing most of the Costco shopping which I love!  We hosted our first holiday dinner this year - we did Christmas Eve and it turned out perfect!!  Maybe practice does make perfect.

A couple of new goals for the new year.....

~ I need to start working on donate quilts again.  Wild fires in California has destroyed entire towns and so many people have lost everything.  I want to get at least 3 donate quilt tops to Melanie (my long-armer).  Backs, batting and I believe binding are provided by Project Linus and the long arm quilting is done by Melanie.  I have plenty of fabric in my stash to accomplish this one! 

~ I want to finish at least one new quilt to keep in our home.  This fabric my husband got me for Christmas and is an easy finish as the panel is huge!!  I want to do a border that will make it special. 

~ I'm sure that I have a few more goals....  but I have been having some trouble gathering my thoughts and the month is flying by already!!!  I'm going to post this and just go with what I have.  I am excited to see what this new year brings.  Lets hope it's a good one!

I need to remember this!!

"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans."   Proverbs 16:3

Christmas Quilt Number 2

Cut and ready to go.

Just a quick post to continue my story from my last post......  After I finished my Christmas quilt so quickly, my sister and I decided to do one for my mother-in-law as well.  We had a feeling that she would say that she just loved our quilts so much and that she had to have one.  We decided to both work on it to get it done fast so we could give it to her for Christmas.  We collected the fabrics got them cut up and organized.  I got to sewing and had it pieced and ready for the long arm quilter in no time.  We decided on a chocolate brown minky for the back.  I turned out perfect!!!

A sample of the colors.

I love Christmas fabrics!

My brain at work - getting the balance right.

Done and on the long arm machine.

Holly leaves for grandma.

So, this quilt was finished in time for 2016.  Grandma loved it!  The thing is.....  We haven't seen it since!!  We made her matching pillows this Christmas and told her that she had to put her quilt out and she could not find it.  Oh boy!!!  The pillows look great though!!!

Pillows done! (This pic was at my house before we gifted them.)

I had my son work on making the pillows from the scraps so that we could tell Grandma that the pillows were made by him.  We didn't want them to disappear too!  Hopefully the quilt will show up at some point!!!  My sister's Christmas quilt has not been made yet.  I may add it to my to do list for 2019.


Happy New Year by the way!!!  Next post will be my yearly recap..... 


"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak."  Isaiah 40:29

Penguin Family

Let me start by saying that this quilt was not part of my plan for 2018!  I had seen the center panel online just by chance.  Then when I went to a sort of local quilt shop I found it in person and just had to have it!  The colors are so bright and cheerful and the little penguin family reminded me of my own.

Mama, Papa, and baby.

The quilt shop only had two prints that went with this panel, and one more that I used for the binding that belongs to a similar line by the same maker. I ordered the gray snowflakes and the animals on the sides online. Funny story....  the animals on the sides were supposed to be small. The site I ordered from had a little ruler on the print that showed them at about 4 inches or so.... when they came in the mail, they were a panel piece and they were big!  I had to come up with a new pattern for this awesome panel!  I ended up using a pattern I found through Pinterest called Chillingsworth's Bicycle Ride.  It was a free pattern that you could download which is even better!  I had to make a few adjustments since the panel was not the exact size of the one used in the pattern, which means that I got to get my graph paper out like I always love to do!  I did make a few minor errors in my calculations, if you look carefully at the finished product you can see where I "made it work!"  

What does the fox say??

Hand binding like always!  I LOVE this fabric I used.

Me sitting at my son's Judo, on the floor, hand binding.

I love the texture that minky creates.

I am in love with this quilt and am so glad that I put it together when I did.  Sometimes going through a tough time (a death in the family) is made easier with some quilting therapy.  I recommend it and encourage it! 

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."   - Romans 12:21

Star Trek and Teal Quilts Complete

Pattern and fabrics by Camelot Fabrics

I finished these quilts, had them washed, and ready for delivery just in time!  I even remembered to get a couple of pictures after I delivered them (with the help of my lovely son and beautiful niece).  I'm just not very consistent about posting my work.  As I had said in the last post, this Star Trek quilt was a project that had been in the works for quite a while.  I love how it turned out!  

When my Auntie found out that I was collecting Star Trek fabrics, she was not about to curl up with it.....  so we planned out a quilt that she would like.  She even picked out a few of the starting fabrics.  What I came up with is a little different from what my normal is, but it turned out good just the same.  Since my Auntie is always cold, hers is backed with Shannon Fabrics Extra Wide Cuddle.  It is the only way to go when you want to back with cuddle!  

Pattern by Camelot Fabrics

I am more than beyond blessed to have such amazing, supportive, and loving Uncle and Auntie.  They have encouraged and changed countless lives.  Some I'm sure they don't even know about.  Completing these quilts for them is a tiny way to give back.    

Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts.

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This was on the wall at the San Diego airport.....  we sat in front of it while waiting to leave on our mission trip.  It reminds me of something that my Uncle and Auntie would say.....  but they would say it in a way that would make you laugh!  

I love you Uncle Bri and Auntie Mary!!!

Binding with Love ❤️

I really don’t know how I get any work done.  Here I am getting the binding ready for the Star Trek quilt and I have to battle this kitty trying to turn my arm into a pillow.   I don’t mind too much though. Just like my quilting.... my animals keep me sane. 

I am asked all the time.... “How long does it take you to do a quilt?”  And the answer is that I don’t know. Each one is different.  Some of them take so much planning that it could be years, like this Star Trek one for example.  I really wanted it to be something that was usable and not an eye sore.  (To be honest....  I think I did it).

I finished the binding last night....  it took me three evenings of hand sewing - which I call binding with love.  So now I know approximately how long it takes to finish the binding on my average size quilt....  around 64x72 or so.  

So my uncles quilt is done....  I have 8 days to hand sew the binding to my Aunties!  I’m feeling good about being able to finish!  I can’t wait to see them and give them their quilts!

I will post full pics later.....  (I wish I had a professional photographer for my quilts!!)

Happy June and happy Friday!
I am linking up with crazy mom quilts --  Thanks for stopping by!

“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”   Exodus 14:14 NIV

Inspiration

What inspires you????

I’ve been working on a Star Trek quilt and it made me think.....  I am not a Trekkie.  I would never even look at Star Trek fabrics if it weren’t for my inspiration. Several years ago I had a conversation with my favorite Uncle and my quilting came up. Somehow we ended up talking about the type of quilt he would like. I knew that a sports themed quilt would be great as he loves both the Raiders and the A’s but I knew I wanted to do something he couldn’t buy at the store or get online.  That’s why I decided on the Star Trek quilt!  I had seen a couple of Star Trek fabrics and figured I could figure something out. I found a few in the local stores, my mom found a couple at one of her local stores (thanks mom), and I got one of my favorite ones for the quilt online.   I picked a pattern that I saw online that was used to make a Trekkie quilt.....  it’s from Camelot Fabrics. This picture I found online and it was taken at a quilt show but I’m not sure when or where but there is a tag on the pic listed below. 

I’ve had these fabrics saved up for awhile as I wasn’t super excited about the fabrics still....  but I had to work on it since I finished my Aunties top already (hers is flowers and pretty colors- she is NOT a Trekkie).  

So as I laid out the squares and made sure the colors I picked would work for my brain (since my brain has issues).  I started thinking how even when I’m not inspired to create, I still love how it turns out. I had this same thing happen with the fall quilt I did. 

So....  what inspires me???  Color, characters, one specific fabric, and even a pattern quilted by my long armer. But I think most often I am inspired by a person. I am inspired by the love of others and that makes me want to create something special for them....  like one of my very first quilts that I made for my great grandmother. 

In the case of the Trekkie quilt it is not the fabric, the colors or the pattern that will be quilted on it but the person who will cover up with it even if he is not cold!  I look forward to finishing up the quilts for the best Auntie and Uncle ever!  I’m sure I will have more bragging to do when I post the final pics!!  

“Live long and prosper.”

Finding Joy

Finding Joy - Thread Catcher

I wish my picture was as awesome as the Lillyella one!

Let me start with a quick brag on my sister-in-law (sil)....  she is one of the most unselfish people I know.  She has made sacrifices that people cannot comprehend. She has lived most of the past two decades in a place that few will ever understand. It was all for others with no personal gain. Last year marked a new start for her and I can't say how happy I am to see her full of life!  It reminds me of a butterfly....  waiting patiently until the perfect time to come out of the cocoon. 

Recently, on Facebook, I saw someone post about making a mat to go under their machine...  the picture showed a mat with an amazing paper pieced butterfly and a thread catcher.  My sil has been asking me to make her a thread catcher for at least two years so when I saw this post I knew I had to do this one!!!  I did some research and finally found that it was a free design from lilly ella and it was amazing. I decided to learn how to paper piece!!  Not as easy as I thought!!  

Everything complete.

While I did all my research on Pinterest I found a few other pieces that I thought would be perfect...  I decided to do a small mat for her to use while she sat and did her embroidery on the couch...  I kept the butterfly theme and figured the thread catcher could just be moved from the large mat to the small couch one.  I also decided to do a stopper for the foot pedal of the sewing machine (even if it doesn't get used).  

It took me a while to decide on colors and such but I love the way it turned out!!!  

The perfect label used as a pocket.

My paper pieced butterfly!!

My try at the selvage pocket.

The actual thread catcher.

Couch mat with pockets and pin cushion.

I added some shelf liner so it won't slide.

I am blessed to have a sil that will cater an entire church event for hundreds of people or bake cupcakes for a bridal shower of someone she doesn't even know or make cookies for a bake sale or pick up my kid at the last minute and even feed him....  I could go on with this list for awhile!!!  I know that she is not thanked enough for everything she does and I hope that every time she sticks a thread into that thread catcher she remembers just how amazing she is and just how very important the simple things that she does are. 

Keep pushing through and make every year greater than the last!!

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. (James 1:2 NIV)

Linking up with crazy mom quilts


P.S. --  I still can't figure out how to get rid of the space on top!  Sorry.

Harley Quilt for Dad

This month is flying by!!!!  I can't keep up. I know they say time goes by faster as you get older, but this year seems a lot faster than most. 

As promised...  Here is another one of my projects I did last year. 

I decided to try a T-shirt quilt!  I always say that I'm scared to start new things when kit comes to quilting but now that I did it I'm glad....  and it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.  

I asked my Dad to go through all of his old Harley shirts and pick some out for me...  I didn't even tell him how many.  To my surprise, he brought me a bag a while later and I was impressed with his selections.  He had shirts that I remember him wearing when I was young (maybe 30 years ago). He also had shirts from locations that were important to him. I know that each shirt was special to him and I found out some of them were even worth quite a bit of money. Some were worn thin some were faded and some even had holes from where they hit his belt buckle.  I had a few challenges to work on.  

Black on the inside - faded grey on the outside.

Just a few little holes.

I didn't know how I would lay them out so I started by cutting the fronts from the backs and get measurements. I made a list of every shirt and got dimensions for the smallest I could make the block to the largest I could make it. My dad is a tiny guy and some of his old shirts looked extra small. This made it hard for a few of them to make sure I got the entire graphic in the block.  

Extremely faded and loved.

I included the backs too - they helped tell the story.

Faded and full of holes.

Next I busted out my graph paper!!!  One of my musts when I do a layout.  I had to pay attention to color and the picture when I started trying to figure it out....  it took quite a few drafts but I finally got all the shirts to fit with only a few places that needed filler.  

Final draft....

Next I backed them all with Pellon P44F fusible interfacing which I liked because it wasn't too bulky. In order to get the most of my fusible, I cut each piece an inch bigger than my block size and placed it centered over the graphic on the front of the shirt then I put a pin on each edge. I turned the shirt over then lined the fusible up between the pins and ironed.  Then I could trim to the size I wanted with minimal waste.  The shirts that had holes got a patch from an extra piece of the shirt. It looked fine to me!

Center the image and pin the sides - then flip the shirt over.

Line fusible up between pins and iron down.

Next I started sewing!!!  I backed with a grey Kona cotton and used a warm and cozy batting. Had my amazing long arm quilter add some flames and BAM!  Just like that it was done and it came together almost perfectly and I had one super happy dad come Christmas!

It turned out so nice I almost want one for myself!

I saw some of the other bloggers doing this so I will too just in case it is proper etiquette. 

Linking up with crazy mom quilts ---  Thanks for coming!!

PS.....  Does anyone know how to make the huge space at the top go away???  I hate it!!!

It's Been Sew Long

Just keep sewing.....

I don't know why I can't write on a regular basis......  I guess it's just not my thing.  I have been busy with a few projects since last May.  I made some awesome Christmas shorts for my son for his school play and then decided to make my niece a matching skirt.....  I just wish I could have had them together to get a picture in the matching outfits!!

Kira's skirt.

Neiko and Michelle.

 I also did a quilt for my mom for Christmas.....  It was quick for the most part and Neiko helped me with the layout.

Quilt for Mom.

I love the fabric for the back!

My project that I am excited about is a San Francisco Giants quilt that I will pick up from the quilter later today.....  I waited for it for almost 2 weeks so I am super excited to get it back!!!  I have started on a duplicate of it for myself as well, but I will make it a bit different and a bit bigger.  I need to get pictures of that one to post!

Sneak peek of one of my favorite blocks.

I am still on a high from quilt show that I just got back from.....  The Road to California Quilt show was amazing and I was happy to see a few of my favorite vendors there.  I exchanged my broken Quick Curve Ruler from Sew Kind of Wonderful and got a new pattern to do a Metro Hoops quilt.  I will have to practice if I am going to make one for my niece.  I'm hoping she is going to get married soon - but don't want to start a project to prematurely.  But, since I have the new QCR I have no excuses to keep my from trying it out.....  other than my own fear!


I'll give you strength.  I'll help you.  I'll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you.  -Isaiah 41:10


www.sewkindofwonderful.com