Mod Bear Paw On the Wall

I've had my Mod Bear Paw Quilt bound for about a week, but I wanted to get it on the wall before I showed it here.  Lorna of Sew Fresh Quilts designed this pattern, and she offered it for free in a quilt along this fall.

 https://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.com/p/modernitional-mod-bear-paw-quilt-along.html 

Lorna's directions were clear and easy to follow.  The hardest part for me was keeping the pieces straight because where her fabric is brown, mine is white; where her fabric is white, mine is gray, and  where her fabric is  gray, mine is blue,  I cut a few pieces wrong, but after the cutting was done, the assembly wasn't hard.  I will probably make another of Lorna's pattern's next year.

Vicki Johnson of Threads that Bind Us ( http://www.threadsthatbindusquilting.com/home.html)   did the longarming, and I'm very pleased with the pattern she chose.  I asked for swirls or snowflakes, and I got both.  She quilted this piece densely because I told her it was going to be a wall hanging.

This will probably be my last finish of 2016.

Linking up: https://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.com/2016/11/mod-bear-paw-qal-linky-party.html

http://busyhandsquilts.blogspot.com/2016/12/finished-or-not-friday-linky-party_23.html

http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/2016/12/straightforward-quilt-complete.html

En Provence, Clue 4

I finished clue 4 today.  I didn't have as many dark blues as I would have liked, but I didn't want to buy any more.  This clue seemed to go together very quickly.

I had some extra time this weekend and a messy sewing room, but instead of organizing the mess, I decided to reduce it by making a bunch of string blocks.  I got over 20 string blocks done for Dawn's Early Light. It was a lot of fun, mindless sewing.

Linking up: http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2016/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-4.html

En Provence, Clue 3

I finished my 168 four patches for En Provence today. Bonnie used 2 shades of purple.  I love purple, but I don't have enough purple scraps to make this quilt from my stash.  So I'm using blue.

Linking up:  http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2016/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-3.html

Penny Rug

Last January, I took a penny rug class at VGN.  It was a simple project, just wool applique done with blanket stitch.  I chose to do the St. Patrick's Day colors because I didn't know if I would have time to get it done in Valentine's Day colors.  Well, eleven months later, I've finally finished it.

I worked on this while I was waiting for my car to get new tires and brakes.  It was the perfect travel project since it didn't require a lot of light or magnification.  My stitching is far from perfect, but I decided that added to the folk art feel.  I think it is supposed to be a candle mat, but I'll probably use it as a coaster or trivet.

I have dozens of little VGN projects that are half way complete.  Not all of them would be good travel projects, though, and they generally get pushed aside because I'm more interested in other projects.  I should make a resolution to finish one a month, but I know I wouldn't keep it.  Here is my official apology to my kids, who one day will have to go through all the little bags of linen, beads, floss, half stitched projects and unfinished ornaments.

Linking up: http://www.supermomnocape.com/vintage-embroidery-monday-stitchery-link-party-88/

En Provence, Clue 2

After a cutting mishap (I switched the neutral and colored pieces), I finished the units for this week. As usual, I skipped the tri recs, a ruler that always gave me problems and used Deb Tucker's V block ruler. This technique makes slightly over sized blocks that need to be trimmed to size, but my accuracy is so much better with the V block ruler, that it is worth the extra step for me.

The fabric I had intended to use for this clue was not this bubble gum pink printed with magenta kangaroos.  It was supposed to be a mottled purple.  But since I cut the purple wrong, I picked one of the few pieces of fabric in my stash big enough to use.  Most of my stash is fat quarter size or smaller.  In any event, I plan to make the miscut V blocks too and use them in another project.

I actually e-mailed Bonnie Hunter when I discovered my mistake and she let me know that switching the colors in this unit would change the look of the quilt significantly.  She suggested I make them and decide later if I wanted to remake.  I thought about that, but in my mind, that would put me behind in the clues.  I know I will get behind closer to Christmas and New Years and didn't want to get further behind.  I really appreciate her input!

About the only quilting goal I have for December is to keep up with these clues.  I'd also like to get one more quilt bound, but if it doesn't happen this month, that's ok.  January will be here soon enough!

Linking up:  http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2016/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-2.html

VS Gingerbread House

I've been working on my Gingerbread Stitching House by Victoria Sampler this week. This is a long term project that I usually pull out in November and work on through December.  I'm making good progress, considering the few hours I've put into it.  After my Scream House finishing fail this fall, I am motivated to get this piece together.  I can already tell from the finishing instructions, that this one will be easier than that one.

My son gave me the linen and embellishments several years ago, so I want to make sure and get it done.  He checks on my progress every now and then, and that keeps me motivated.  The linen was a giant piece, so I chopped it in two to make the stitching easier.

The front, back, biscornu and fob:

The sides:                                                                                                                                                

I had to order more pearl cotton for the roof and finishing.

Linking up:  http://www.supermomnocape.com/vintage-embroidery-monday-stitchery-link-party-87/

Drew's Birthday

Missing my son Andrew, who would have been 25 today.  He has been gone for over a year, but some days it feels like it just happened yesterday.