Jamestown Landing Bound!

I finished my big summer project yesterday:  Jamestown Landing is bound!  I used a new longarmer for this one, and she was amazingly quick. (http://www.threadsthatbindusquilting.com/ )The quilting was done in a week.  The quality was as good as the longarmer I usually use, and the cost was slightly lower.

I am not sure what I'm going to do with this quilt yet. I really like it, but I don't  need another quilt this size, and I don't have a lot of storage space.  I want to eventually make a bed sized quilt for each of my siblings, but haven't decided if I should wait until I get 7 quilts made and give one to each then, or if I should just give them out as they are made.  I could do age order, alphabetical order, or as 30 year anniversary gifts.  

I still have another quilt out at a different longarmer.  They told me it would take 3 weeks, and it has been almost that now.  

Linking up: http://www.joscountryjunction.com/ufo-challenge-update-6/

http://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.com/2016/08/lets-bee-social-140.html

http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/2016/09/simple-summer-quilt-complete.html

Stash Report

This week I bought fabric for a new quilt along. Lorna of Sew Fresh quilts is hosing a Mod Bear Paw quilt along starting in September. Here are my fabrics:

These colors are much more subdued that my usual palette. Check out Lorna's blog for quilt along details:  http://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.com/p/modernitional-mod-bear-paw-quilt-along.html

Used this week:  4.5 yards (JTL binding/backing)
Used year to date: 74.375 yards
Added this week: 5.575  yards (JTL binding, fat quarters, Mod Bear Paw fabric)
Added year to date:  77.625 yards
Net  Added:  3.25 yards

Linking up: http://www.patchworktimes.com/2016/08/28/stash-report-august-28-2016/

Daybreak Bound

I finally made myself sit down and bind Julianna's Daybreak quilt.

This  quilt will be for my niece's high school graduation next spring.  It feels good to have this one already done.  I don't like to sew under pressure!  I have 17 nieces and nephews.  She will be the third one to graduate from high school, so I have a lot more quilts to make!

The quilting was done by Virginia Longarm.

Linking up: http://confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.com/2016/08/can-i-get-whoop-whoop-whole-lot-of.html

http://busyhandsquilts.blogspot.com/2016/08/finished-or-not-friday-linky-party_26.html

Dawn's Early Light

Since I finished the Jamestown Landing Top, I needed another string project.  I've been making neutral string blocks for Dawn's Early Light, a Bonnie Hunter pattern found in vol. 13 of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks.  This is going to be a long term project for me.

I haven't figured out yet how big a quilt I'm going to make, or how many string block I'll need.  So far I have 28 seven inch string blocks and 12 three and a half inch string blocks.  I'll be able to use up a bunch of 1 1/2 HSTs that I have left over from another project too.  This quilt would be overwhelming to me if I stopped to  count the number of pieces in each block, so for right now, I'm going to focus on making a bunch of string blocks and worry about the rest later.  This quilt has no deadline.

Linking up:  http://www.joscountryjunction.com/ufo-challenge-7/#more-30175

Stash Report, Sleepy Hollow

This week I sent another quilt out to be longarmed.   I am trying two new longarmers this month.  One of them is at an LQS and one of them is a women who opening a new business.  She used to work for my regular longarmer, so I know she will do a good job.  There is nothing wrong with my regular longarmer, but she is quite expensive, and I have a backlog of quilts to get done.

Used this week:  0 yards
Used year to date: 69.875 yards
Added this week:  5.5 yards (Backing, fat quarters)
Added year to date:  71.875 yards
Net Added: 2.0 yards

http://www.patchworktimes.com/2016/08/21/stash-report-august-21-2016/

In cross stitch news, I pulled out Sleepy Hollow again.  While I was in Virginia Beach visiting my parents this week, I went to Dyeing to Stitch and took a look at all their beautiful cross stitch models.  They have Sleepy Hollow on display, and I talked to the ladies there about how to fix a counting error I had made on mine.  Now I'm motivated to get working on it again.  It won't be done for this Halloween, but at least I plan to work on it.

August RSC

I've been working on  August RSC color:  purple.  I only got five purple string blocks done before I ran out of purple strings.

I decided to make some 2 1/2 inch HSTs.  For the past several years, I've been participating in Bonnie Hunter's mystery quilt, and most of those quilts use 2 1/2 inch HSTs.  Maybe this year I will be ahead of the game.  I made over 200 HSTs.

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If this year's mystery quilt doesn't use this size HSTs, there are plenty other BH patterns that do.

Linking up:  http://superscrappy.blogspot.com/

Needle Guardian

I finished Teresa Wentzler's Needle Guardian tonight.  All I really had to do tonight was attach the felt pages and figure out how to attach some sort of closure.

 I'm happy with how this needlebook turned out, but it was a lot of work. I should go back tomorrow and iron the silk ribbon.  I will probably just put it in my collection of needlework smalls and not actually use it.

I already have a favorite needlebook that was made for me years ago in an exchange.  This is the one I use all the time.

 It is sturdy and the perfect size for me.  This is the needlebook I always pack when I travel. I don't remember who  'GL' is, but I'm very glad she made this needlebook for me!

Linking up:  http://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.com/2016/08/lets-bee-social-138.html

http://confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.com/2016/08/can-i-get-whoop-whoop-reverie-of-roses.html

http://www.supermomnocape.com/2016/08/22/vintage-embroidery-monday-stitchery-link-party-72/

Talkin' Turkey Progress

The last time I worked on Talkin' Turkey was the beginning of June.  I pulled it out again this week, and got 16 more blocks put together, for a total of 22.  Fourteen more blocks to go as well as the pieced border.  Many more flying geese to make!

I'm going to pack it up again for a little while again and work on something else.  The good thing about making these blocks in different batches is that I get a wider variety of scraps in the quilt.

Linking up:
http://confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.com/2016/08/can-i-get-whoop-whoop-going-for-gold.html

http://www.joscountryjunction.com/ufo-challenge-6/

Bonnie Hunter Quilts

Yesterday I made some progress on Bonnie Hunter's Talkin' Turkey:  140 flying geese units.  My goal is to get 15 more blocks done this month.  This quilt is labor intensive.  It will be a while before the whole thing is done.  Jo's Bonnie Hunter challenge has kept me on track this summer.

Last week I finished the Jamestown Landing top.

Linking up:  http://www.joscountryjunction.com/ufo-challenge-5/

Stash Report

I've been doing a lot of sewing the past couple of months because it has been really hot.  I have not been working in my yard, and my flowers are suffering.  The crabgrass is out of control all over the yard and is working its way into the flower beds.  I can't stand to be outside weeding when the temperatures are over 95 degrees.  It is all I can do to get the dog walked!

This is the time of year a lot of my flowers have given up.  Most of my summer flowers

(daylilies, peonies, butterfly weeds) are done blooming. Even the daisies, butterfly bush and zinnias aren't producing very many flowers. The only thing that looks really good this time of year is the crepe myrtle. This tree sits right outside my sewing room window, and my machine is right in front of the window.  I watch the birds in this tree when I sew. 

Used this week:  6.5 yards (Jamestown Landing Top)                                                                                        Used Year to Date: 69.875 yards                                                                                                                  

Added this week: 0
Added Year to Date:66.375 yards
Net Used: 3.5 yards

Linking up:  http://www.patchworktimes.com/2016/08/07/stash-report-august-7-2016/

Jamestown Landing: Top Complete!!!

I'm very happy to have finished my Jamestown Landing top!  The last border went on well.  I do need to clean it up a bit before it goes to the longarmer, hopefully next week.  I've ordered the backing;  it just hasn't arrived yet.

Linking up:  http://confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.com/2016/08/can-i-get-whoop-whoop-fairies-welcome.html

http://www.shecanquilt.ca/2016/08/scraptastic-tuesday-august-link-is-open.html

Jamestown Landing: One Border to Go!

Are you tired of looking at my Jamestown Landing yet?  I'm getting there, but I have just one more border left to go.  It turns out I had not made enough strip pieces for the fourth border, so I spent last evening working on it.  It was a challenge to try and make the fourth border look like it belonged on the quilt.  It is scrappy, I know, but I wanted to use enough of the fabric from the other 3 borders that it wouldn't be evident that they weren't all pieced at the same time.

Surely this quilt top will be done this week!

Linking up: http://www.joscountryjunction.com/ufo-challenge-4/

http://confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.com/2016/08/i-may-have-scrap-problem-back-at-it.html

July Goals/August Goals

In July, I wanted to:

1.  Get paper removed from Jamestown Landing string blocks. DONE  thanks to my sister and niece.

2.  Continue RSC.  The color is hot pink this month, so I'll probably just make a few blocks.  I don't have much in the way of hot pink scraps.  DONE.  Nineteen blocks complete!

3.  Complete broken dishes units for Jamestown Landing.  DONE  And I go the whole center together too.  

4.  Chose at least one quilt top and get it to a longarmer.  Two would be better!              DONE.  Just got one there, but it is already quilted.  

5.  Finish Needle Guardian stitching.         Almost done.  I need to finish backstitching the lining. 

6. Start Scream House finishing.  Would like to get the pieces all backstitched, but that may be a stretch. 
 Didn't start the backstitching, but I pulled out the finishing instructions and read them.  

7.  Work on Talkin' Turkey.      A little bit done.  I cut some red and white pieces to make flying geese units.

In August, I would like to:

1.  Get two quilts (Joe and Daniel's graduation quilts) to the longarmer.  I need to get the red flannel backing ironed and squared up first.

2.  Bind Julianna's graduation quilt.

3.  Finish Needle Guardian Stitching.  This is an easy goal.  Maybe I can start the finishing too.

4. Start Scream House finishing. If I don't start the finishing soon, it won't be done for Halloween this year.

5.  Work on Talkin' Turkey.   I have 30 more blocks to make.  I'd like to finish 15 of  them.

6. Get the borders on Jamestown landing. Maybe even get it to the longarmer!

7.  Keep up with RSC.

Needle Guardian

I've almost finished the stitching on Terese Wentzler's  Needle Guardian.  I am not going to nun stitch around the edges as the pattern directs.  Instead, I'm backstitching around the design and will line the needlebook with the same linen.

 This pattern takes longer to stitch than it looks like it would.  Almost all of the DMC stitching uses a blended needle, and there is a lot of backstitching.

Linking up: http://www.supermomnocape.com/2016/08/01/vintage-embroidery-monday-stitchery-link-party-69/

http://myplvl.blogspot.com/2017/01/tuesday-archives-144-needle-books_10.html