Busy with Christmas, tennis and our social life

The days are flying by this month.  My husband and I are celebrating our anniversary... a lot of years, 36 since we got married, but 42 since we have been been together.  Wow.  I am also thinking of mom today as it was one year ago that she died and sort of a bitter sweet day for me.
In memory of mom and for my husband, I baked my annual sausage rolls. Mom made these every Christmas and I have carried on the tradition after I moved out of our family home.

My sewing machine has been busy.  I have my borders on my Christmas tree wall hanging, although it is still not quilted and bound. This may become a UFO as I don't think it will get done this month.

And beside it is my newest project "Framed", a kit from Connecting Threads.  There are more blocks in a green colourway that are made.

But, I need a larger ruler to square them up.  I know, I could use the lines on my cutting mat but that is a painful way to trim large blocks and I have ordered a 20" ruler from Joann's at a great price.  This project is on hold until the ruler arrives.
I quilted a sweet quilt that was made by a good friend and she has it back for binding and then it will get donated to our sewing group here in the Village.

My blocks for my mystery quilt are done except I messed up with four of the flying geese and don't have extra fabric here so I will correct my boo-boo when I am back home.  All of the steps are done, the next clue will be how to assemble the blocks into the completed quilt top.

I made some some of the small buckets for a few gifts, both Christmas and some thank you's.

I also made some mug rugs or small table toppers.

And, in my other "spare" time, when I was not playing tennis, I trimmed 80+ blocks for the Sunland Stitchers raffle quilt and got them assembled into a top.  It is huge, 72 - 12" blocks put together for a king size quilt.  The great news is that I am not quilting it or binding it!!  Other volunteers are helping out with that and in January it will be used a fund raiser for our fibre arts building that we are trying valiantly to get built for us and the other groups that need a place to call their own.

I managed to get caught up on my CQA 52 blocks in 52 weeks and am only behind on today's block plus there will be 3 or 4 more to finish up the year. 

My goal this fall was to reduce all of the Christmas projects and fabric that I have on hand here in my 'other' home.  I have done well but not so sure that the fabric has been reduced!  But, I have completed a few quilt tops, runners, etc and so I should feel good about my efforts.  However, I did discover that I have a huge bag of strips and then found a hodge podge assortment of 10" squares.  I really think that they are from a swap with Quilter's funtalk... a yahoo group that I have belonged to since I first got a home computer, many years ago (more than 10+). I cut these squares into this wedge shape with a Missouri star ruler and this should be a simple quilt that will go together quickly although, also destined to be a UFO for 2020.

Am still knitting on a toque and working on a couple of felt ornaments and they are evening tv projects.
Tennis is happening regularly and today was our usual Tuesday morning, 7am practice and it was cold and windy.  Not complaining here because it is dry and it is sunny, but it is cold and our furnace is being turned on every evening.  Gives me a good chance to change out my wardrobe for long sleeve shirts and sweaters and also long pants and warm jackets, ear muffs and mittens!
Hoping I will be back here before Christmas but, just in case, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of my readers and friends. 

December days are moving too fast

I have the best of intentions of writing an update to my blog and then I think, just wait and I will have something else to take a picture of... maybe a finished project?
And, then another passes without a post from me.
sigh
I  have a mission to get some of the Christmas fabric and projects used in quilts and wall hangings. A lot of it arrived here when we moved in 9 years ago.  I think my intentions at that time was to bring all my Christmas 'stuff' from home (we were still driving at the time) because we are here in December and it seemed to make more sense than having it back in my other house. But, I have never done much other than look at it every year.  Now, I am motivated and also overwhelmed with how much I actually have. 

This quilt top is done.  As usual, I make tops and then take them 'home' to my other house for quilting.  Since I travel by plane, my suitcase space is very limited and tops are much easier to get to there from here. This block was from Missouri Star, a free tutorial, and I used a set of 10" squares rather than 2 sets of charm packs.

The table runner is done, binding is stitched down... not too sure what happened to the finished picture... but it is almost finished.  I had issues with the free motion quilting on my Janome 6600 which is in need of a servicing.  This is a really old kit and fabric that I will guess is from 8 years ago?

Another quilt made from 10" squares.  This one is really simple but the fabric is pretty and I didn't want to cut it up too much.  I used the binding fabric to add a small border to get it a little larger so will be on the search for suitable binding once it is quilted.

Another set of 10" squares.  I debated about what to do with them and again, the fabrics were fun.  I think it is called "Ugly Christmas sweaters"?  I decided to add a 5" strip to the bottom of each square and then cut in half.  I started putting them on the design wall and then, when happy, stitched the blocks together.

I had a set of Christmas fat quarters from two different sources.  One was from a Fat Quarter Shop holiday box from 2018 and I found more funky fat quarters to add in and ended up with 20 fabrics.  This pattern is one of my favourite ways to make a quilt, square in a square, with minimal effort and it turns out great every time.

 There are some really cute fabrics in this quilt.

Then, for some crazy reason, I thought it would be fun to take a class here in our village with one of my quilting friends.  Her sample quilt looked like fun and so I signed up.  I didn't stop and think about how many half square triangles I had to make!!  And I like BIG blocks... not small blocks. However, I kept plugging away and my top is done, waiting for me to trim the edges and I think it is supposed to have an outer border.  Eventually, it will get finished but for now, am happy to be finished with half square triangles.  Even my machine was challenged to stitch smoothly over all those bumps!  All the seams are pressed open to reduce bulk but didn't help much!

We have had some crazy weather here... even hail one afternoon, along with rain and a tornado a few miles away.

And the requisite Christmas decor is happening slowly.  The boxes were dragged from the attic to the living room and am getting there when time allows.  Tennis is always an interruption!

The tree is trimmed and quilts and table runners are on display.  Our outside lights are up and look festive after dark. 
So, some stitching, lots of tennis, some rain, some Christmas happening here in the valley of the sun.

Slow start at my 'other' house

It always takes me some time to get myself organized in my sewing room when we change houses and this year, I am another year older and obviously, a little more slower than in previous years.  In my defense, lots of hours have been spent on the tennis courts, going to social 'welcome back' functions, and I have been reading quite a bit.  I did join the quilting group here and I did take a class making a table runner, so I am beginning to spend some time with my sewing machine.

I should have taken a picture of the class in session as I dug out my Featherweight and we did some bonding. 
I also have made a couple of applique tea towels.  I wanted to get my machine serviced but a 3 week wait!  UGH.  I will try again after all the snowbirds have returned and machines have been tuned up.

And, I made blocks for Quilts of Valour - Bold and Brave, the block that will be featured in 2020. 

There seems to be a lot of Christmas projects tucked away here and I dug them out... I am in the process of making these blocks from Missouri star with a layer cake.

And, I am knitting!  I finished up some fingerless gloves when I first got here.  I had started them in January and got the knitting project from my friend in Ramona, California.  It was time to finish them!

My Meadowland mystery has the November step completed.  I didn't bring the other sets of completed steps with me and I hope that December continues to use up the fabrics that are all cut and doesn't require working with previous steps.  Cross my fingers!

So, not a lot done but at least there are a few things in progress and something on my design wall! 

Winding down and gearing up.

1. Layer cake started at retreat
2. Catch up on my CQA 52 blocks in 52 weeks
3.  Layout, join blocks and quilt and bind my last Baby Bricks #3
4. Stitch the last 3 blocks for QOVC for 2019 samples and cut kits
5. Make some samples of Garden Stiles for Canada Stitches for October
6. Quilt and Bind Sunrise
7. Quilt and bind QOVC log cabin #3
8. Quilt and bind QOVC log cabin #4
9. Quilt and bind Joannes quilt top for QOVC
10. Summer Solstice.
11. Rainbow scrap challenge blocks in black/brown/gray
12. Doorprize for modern guild for Oct
13. Meadow  Mist mystery step 2 
14. Complete  my mitten block  

This was my list for October and I did fairly well, adding in one last project for the month.  We are leaving on a jet plane soon and this all that is going to get done.  This mitten has been waiting for a long time to go from pattern/fabric to a small hanging for my hallway display.  Perfect for December/January?

Sunrise got quilted. I had so many ideas but in the end, just wanted it done so did something simple.
Binding is finished as well and will have a better picture after I show it at Wednesday Divas tomorrow.

My 52 blocks in 52 weeks are caught up.  I was behind by 9 weeks but once you cut the fabric for the blocks, they go together very quickly

The last thing I wanted to get to the quilt top stage was this Missouri star pattern using layer cakes.  I changed it when I didn't think I liked the way it looked... but now, I think the first way was probably the best?

It was really hard to balance the colours and drove me crazy rearranging blocks until I finally said "enough" and just put it together.  It will join one other top waiting for quilting.  Not bad, only two tops!
I am now tidying and organizing my spaces and will dust, vacuum and then am done until we return home later this year.  For the first time in many years, I am looking forward to being home and doing a bit of Christmas baking... trying to think positive here!

Am sure that not much sewing/piecing/quilting will get done for the rest of this month because my machine at my other house needs servicing badly.  She has been neglected for about 7 years and I think it is time to give her some professional TLC.  This year is going to be much better for me for quilting.  I will be able to join the quilting group, Sunland Stitchers as my tennis game days have changed and am looking forward to being a part of the group.

Rain should mean productivity time in my sewing room.

It 'should' mean that I am being productive but I feel like I am getting nowhere and not crossing much off my list of things that I would like to get done.  Sigh....


1. Layer cake started at retreat
2. Catch up on my CQA 52 blocks in 52 weeks
3.  Layout, join blocks and quilt and bind my last Baby Bricks #3
4. Stitch the last 3 blocks for QOVC for 2019 samples and cut kits
5. Make some samples of Garden Stiles for Canada Stitches for October
6. Quilt and Bind Sunrise
7. Quilt and bind QOVC log cabin #3
8. Quilt and bind QOVC log cabin #4
9. Quilt and bind Joannes quilt top for QOVC
10. Summer Solstice.
11. Rainbow scrap challenge blocks in black/brown/gray
12. Doorprize for modern guild for Oct

I added my list so I could see if I could cross off any items.  Managed a couple! But still feel frustrated.
What I have accomplished:
I caught up on my Meadow Mystery step 2 and I started trimming the leftover triangles from step 1. That actually felt like it took forever!

My teal swap came in the mail and this is what my partner, Sharon in NL sent me. Quite perfect and instead of using it as a mug rug, I put it up on the wall as a reminder.  The next two pictures are both sides of the mug rug I made her plus I sent her one of my zip pouches made in teal fabrics.

I worked on the layer cakes and no matter how I rearranged them, they just didn't look good to me so.... I took off the second border on each block and mixed them all up and stitched them on again. I have played with the layout for far too much time and am ready to just stitch the blocks together.
My first attempt looked like this:

My second attempt is looking like this:

I can see more blocks that I should move around but the problem is, when I move one, it creates a problem that I don't like, elsewhere, and I have been manipulating these all morning. I don't think I would make this again.  It is a Missouri star pattern that should be so darn easy but with so many duplicate fabrics in the layer cake, it doesn't seem to flow when I look at it.  I almost think that the first arrangment was ok and should have left it alone!  This might go into my UFO bin for a time out.

At the very end of September, I got my five yellow brick road quilts all finished except for a couple of bindings.  They are now done and ready to donate to We Care in our guild.

And my brown Rainbow scrap challenge blocks are done.  Ready to be put away with the rest of the blocks that I started last January and dealt with later. The colour for this month was brown and black and I ended up making 64 blocks.  Almost enough for a complete quilt.

I did manage to also get a few blocks for Canada Stitches made.  This is the paths and stiles block.

And my blocks that were the second set of 3 for Quilts of Valour got made and I also cut kits for the blocks.
Second 3 blocks made a total of 6 new ones for 2019.

So I need to focus on updating my 52 blocks in 52 weeks and deciding what to do with these layer cake blocks!
I also got my Janome back from servicing and need to crawl around on the floor and get her plugged in and set up to start stitching.
Happy Thanksgiving to all of my family and friends here in Canada.