Frolic: Bonnie Hunter's Mystery Quilt Begins

Are you ready? I'm getting there. Picking through my scraps for just the right colors for the new Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt that will start the day after Thanksgiving. My sewing room is somewhat clean and so is my sewing machine. A new blade for the cutter and a bit of tying up loose ends so nothing is haunting me.

This will be my third Quiltville mystery to solve and the challenge is worthy. Each year it seems to improve skills and knowledge while having fun.

Jump in. Use some of your stash. Or you could just follow along. Here's  a place to start--right at the Quiltville blog.

Ladies: Start your engines.

Handwork Onboard

What was written earlier today disappeared, so I’ll capsulize it.

We just returned from a nearly three-week cruise. Handwork is all that I brought along, other than my clothes and money.


Here’s what I worked on:

•  Bluework acquired at a guild brown bag sale. It’s from someone’s shop hop.
•  Flamingos to be blanket stitched—mostly done before they flew off. The fusing just didn’t    hold. Next time I’ll take it in my applique roll rather than fold and store in a zip lock baggie.
•           Starts of some snowman from Quilter’s World recent edition. All I did onboard was add the smile. They’ll all get a carrot nose. There are corner pieces and a yo-yo for the top of the cap. More pics when I am finished.
•           No picture but I knit a cap that is not finished either.

Happy fall stitching however you choose to do it.

Marcy

Christmas Sunbonnet Sue

(You can jump below for pictures)

I'm part of a group of eight very talented ladies. Oh yes, they quilt. However the majority are also accomplished painters and some play musical instruments as well. These ladies more than impress me and I'd like to live in their shadow. Over the past more than 15 years they have taught me everything about quilting. Some do needle turn applique and some are fusers. Yet can all do both--just have our preferences depending on the project.

We broke off from a larger group of quilters several years ago and now meet for breakfast once a month to chat and exchange ideas as well as show and tell. We've even shared new skills, shared a new tool or two and led each other to some marvelous online groups, patterns, sew alongs and more. It's kind of like a support group for quilters.

Lately we'd have challenges and the blocks created have been made into quilts and sold in our local hospital gift shop that supports medical students with scholarships.

Here's the latest quilt. The assignment was to make Sunbonnet Sue in her holiday finest. Many of us are no longer making holiday quilts etc. that's why we determined Christmas fabric was not mandatory.

Here's the first finish and there will be another.



Quilting is minimum. Quilts don't always sell for what they are really worth. Non-quilters don't know the difference.

One member made the sweet candy canes with hand blanket stitch all around.

Check this one for detail. She attached the gold (metallic elastic) to the hat and you can barely see the stitches.

Below is an inside picture that doesn't show too well. Now doesn't this look like a package ready for under the tree?

Fall is in the air and the holidays aren't far off. Another quilt to assemble before the season arrives.


Marcy

Tulip Tablerunner

                                                                                                 (Sorry for poor picture--too hot outside)

The block was designed by Bonnie Hunter (Quiltville) and it appeared in her regular column in Quiltmaker. My plans were to unload some of my 1930's reproduction scraps--small scraps at that. However, the contrast with the main fabric just didn't work out. So I cut my loses and just made a tablerunner. As it turns out, I'm quite fond of it now and may keep it for myself rather than pass it along.

I finished eight blocks quickly since they were so much fun. Quilting was simple. However, the binding took  F O R E V E R. Arthritis doesn't allow for long hand sewing sessions.

I hope the heat isn't keeping you from stitching. It's what makes us happy. 😊😊😊


Marcy

Shopping Bag

Annie's on Facebook has offered a free pattern for a shopping bag when you join their site.

It's a simple pattern and goes together quickly. Here's a picture of mine with some changes. These changes were made since I didn't follow directions. Sometimes you read over a pattern and continue in the method you are used to. The pattern is much simpler.

Ditto on the handle. Do you think a person can change her ways? I used leftover fabric from other projects. I think I'll use it for my sewing stuff. The colors are way too light for hauling groceries.

Here it is with my last year stuff of similar colors. Aqua and oranges are not my bag (pun intended),  but it the in style colors right now.

Stay cool and sew on.


Marcy

Summer Stitching

It's going to be a hot rest-of-the-summer. So sew! 

Here's what my sewing group has been working on for the hospital gift shop. It started as a learning project where we each made a block from the Underground Railroad era quilts and explained the meaning during our meeting. I put it together and did the scrappy strip board. Now it is ready for quilting. 

Yesterday my quilting neighbor and I delivered 25 quilts to go to the naval hospital. Believe it or not, there aren't two alike. My quilting neighbor has tons of flannel and I'm not fond of sewing with flannel. It's always a good mix of quilts for the kids and babies.

This is one of the patterns we each made. It's a four-piece block that sort of self sashes itself. I did mine scrappy and she did hers more planned.

We got a load of donation fabrics and went through them like kids and candy. This picture is with just one boarder. I did add more but can't remember what.

Happy Summer, Happy Quilting (and stay cool)

Marcy

Independence Day 2019

Happy Birthday America!