Still December, But Closer to Christmas!

I've been hand quilting my "Hexi 1968" quilt.  I haven't hand quilted since 2012 when I began learning FMQ on a domestic machine.  I purposed to learn FMQ and purchased a Husqvarna with a large harp space specifically for FMQ.  I did learn and I believe there are pics from back in 2012-17 before I purchased Phoebe.  The last quilt I did totally hand quilted was Einstein's Rings that was juried into "Images" in Lowell, Massachusetts.  That was 2012.

I am really enjoying hand quilting.  Its like a long lost friend.  I do know this one will take forever to quilt, but I don't care.  I can sit under a portion of it as I quilt this winter.  I've been taking the hoop off in the evening and sharing it with my husband when we sit on our recliner couch.  It brings me much joy.  

Time for pics:

 

This is the design for each hexi.

 

 

 

 

My tools minus hoop.

 

 

 

My square hoop from Klass and Gessman.

I don't think you can still get them here in the U.S.,

they are German made.

 

 

 

My Quilting Corner on my old This End Up love seat.

About 3 feet from me is our wood burner looking gas stove that keeps us warm.

 

  Counting my Blessings,

      as always,

           d

 

 Have a great day!

 

It's December 2024!

 I had such a great day today!!  This was the first time I used Phoebe as a tool to baste a to-be- hand-quilted quilt,  I basted my 1968 Hexi Quilt today in about 2 hours.  I'm not sure of the size, but I do know it is a pretty good size, not just a lap quilt.

 

 

 

This is the quilt that I've added to the blog several times.  I still love this quilt and am so happy to be making it into a working quilt again.  I've had this top longer than I've been married! It is 58 years old.

One More Finished Quilt, Yay!!

 My neighbor just had a baby boy. I wanted to give her a quilt, a quilt just for her.  After all, she is the one that did all the work.

I pulled out a charm pack that I had won as a door prize.  I wasn't really crazy about the colors, but I thought she would enjoy them.  I started working about three weeks ago and finished it on Monday of this past week, 11.25.2024.

As I worked, I began to pull fabrics from my stash.  As I added those fabrics, I started to fall in love with this quilt.  Every fabric added only made this quilt more special.  So pleased I had that particular charm pack and the special fabrics I had in my stash.  I've given to her, but I haven't heard anything from you yet.  Hope I have the opportunity to find out.

                                    This is the only picture I took of Hugs and Kisses.

I made this pattern about 11 years ago.  I found it in my photos recently and wondered what I had done with it.  I was thinking about making another, but I couldn't find it anywhere in the house.  I thought I had lost it until I looked it up in my Electric Quilt program.  There in my notes it stated that Bryson had it.  With great relief because I had found that quilt, I finished up this new one.  I have purchased another charm pack and coordinating fabrics to make another one just like the first one I had made.  I also have another one cut out from my stash that I will be starting soon, but first I have other quilts that need quilting.  

This quilt helped me to remember how to actually get the quilts on the frame the right way and produce a nice neat squared quilt.  It has been a while since I have used the frame this way.

Counting my blessings and this quilt is one of them,

Thank you Lord,

d

Have Been Making Progress!!

 I have completed a Hugs @ Kissess top for my neighbor that is expecting or has already delivered a new baby boy named Julien.  This quilt is actually for her, a small I Spy will be made for him later.  Before I can put the Hs@Ks on the frame, I'm basting my very first quilt top (1968) to new batting and a new backing.  That's today's project.  I'm quite excited about getting this basted because I want to hand quilt it.  Looking forward to being able to work on it. So, in order to go in this direction, I've taken Calendar Quilt 1994 off the frame to return to it at a later date.   I can look over the back for problems and take them out for a redo later. That works for me.

Second, I just purchased a class for cleaning my own machines.  I spend about $100 each time I have one cleaned.  Those days are over.  I love this idea because I love learning and I love working on my machines.  This is simply a deeper knowledge.  So psyched!!

That's all I can write today, I've got work to do :-)

Still counting my Blessings, thank you Lord!

d

Time Flies By Sooo Fast!

I cannot believe it has been two months since the last time I posted!

I have been working:

    1.  My PieceMakers Calendar Quilt 1994 is almost finished! I think it will take another week to finish it.  It needs its last row finished; that will take 2 passes.  Then I need to work on the borders; I will need to take the quilt off the frame and put it back on three times.  This is because it is an oversized quilt for my frame.

    2.  I have been hand piecing an old quilt project that I wasn't enjoying a number of years ago.  Well, this is a scrap quilt and I am really enjoying it.  It also has a little longer to complete.  

    3.    I am just today finishing up "The Cardinal on the Farm", a pattern called "Birds and Berries," by Karen Miller, something I found on the internet.  I love it and I'm gifting to my brother and his wife who have a farm in Maine.

Well, I think I started this blog back two months ago!  The PieceMaker Calendar quit is in the same state. I've pieced all the blocks for that old quilt project that got resurrected from years ago.  Sometime I will add Attic Windows to expand the dimensions.  I'm also working on my next linen shirt which should be ready to wear soon...I hope.  I almost forgot, I'm knitting a pair of socks.  I like keeping my hand busy in the evening while listen to the TV.

Meanwhile, I've been to Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor.  Then we headed down to Boothbay Harbor and Waldoboro ME to visit family.  On the way back home back we stopped at the Portland (ME) Head Light, then sashayed back home.  It took us a week to recover!!

I almost forgot!  My beloved Saab convertible top motor gave out the morning we were suppose to take off for Maine;  that was the car we were suppose to take.  My Saab is 19 years old.  Parts are hard to find, I have a excellent mechanic, sure hope he can rescue my baby.

It is almost leaf peeping season here.  We will be taking some rides to view the display.  I hope that blouse gets finished soon!

We are taking off to get some Cortland apples this afternoon.  

Still counting my blessings!

d

Pleased With Accomplishments!

 Haven't posted for a while, but I'm so pleased with what I've gotten done.

    1.  Finished and have worn Strawberry linen pants and a natural color linen shirt.  I love them!

 

    2.  Figured out a quilt label after trying to design one in EQ, but wasn't happy with it.  I purchased a frog cutting die because I simply thought it was cute.  Well, it is really cute and I will be using it for quilt labels.  Working on that.

    3.  My PieceMakers Calendar Quilt 1994 is on Phoebe although I haven't gotten very far, but have quilted part of the border and the first row.  This quilt is 92" wide on an 8 foot frame.  It's a bit cramped.  I will get back to it very soon.  Also made a cloth hammock for backing, batting and top so they don't drag on the floor while I work.  Love my Phoebe.

 

    4.  Cleared off my sewing table so I could repair a quilt top I made back 1968 when I was 20 years old.  It is out on the line after soaking for a while.  Should be dry soon.  I'm thinking I might hand quilt it.  Haven't really decided.  This top is mentioned in one of my first blogs. I've always loved it.  It doesn't look out of style to me.

 

     5.  As always, I'm trying to organize my studio.  I cleared out a lot of floor space, but my cutting table has stuff on it.

    6.  I took bindings off of two quilts so I could replace the bindings.  Job done!!

    7.  I finished my Blue Jay for my Hummingbird Highway quilt. That make 12 finished with six to go.  

There was a treat that showed up in my gardens this year.  I planted two blue hydrangeas twenty years ago.  This is the first summer they have bloomed!  So beautiful!!

Still counting my blessing!

d

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

    

Not Qulting, but Busy

Today is June 27, 2024.  This blog will be a running commentary on my progress.  I've been frustrated by so many interruptions and an overwhelming feeling that I'm not going to reach my easy goals of quilting old UFOs and refreshing my wardrobe.  I have found if I just keep doing something until I just want to change directions as the day goes on, then start again tomorrow working a little more on what I'm trying to accomplish, a lot gets done.  

 So, I've been sitting with my little Bernette b38.  I love this machine for sewing, which I have been doing for maybe a couple of weeks.  I've almost finished a beige linen shirt; it just has a couple of threads to hide way.  I'm very pleased with this shirt.  It really has been a long time since I've worked on clothing.  There was a time when everything I wore I had made it myself.  I love being at my machine.  I now have a pair of Strawberry red linen pants on the cutting table waiting for me to cut it out.  I hope to be able to wear them to July 4th's picnic.  They look celebratory!

By the way, this was a refurbished machine.  I like buying refurbs;  I've done it often.  If the company is reliable, then its refurbs should be also.  Great money saver!

 

So here is my linen shirt that I'm so pleased with.  I've got my Strawberry linen pants cut out.  Now, I haven't used my serger for a while, so I have to relearn how to use it.  That's tomorrow's project. 

July 2nd:

I've been busy and still have a lot of interruptions, but I'm making progress.  I'm still working on the outside border of the "Home is Where the Heart is Quilt".  That will still take quite a while, but I'm making progress.  I've learned how to make quilt labels in Electric Quilt; that was a big challenge for me, especially after COVID back a few years ago, when my poor mind was not necessarily being challenged.  That's not to say that I can make a label without the book, but I have a good idea how to do it.  Big accomplishment!  Those Strawberry pants I cut out.  I just need to hem them.  Yes, I'm back working on the seger; got that relearned.  My Piecemaker Calendar quilt is still on the frame.  No, I haven't worked on it.  Hopefully, after the 4th of July, I can zero in on quilting it.  That's my challenge, I would say.  It will be tricky, as I have said (I think), because this quilt is too big for the frame.  I think I will simply work on the blocks and do the borders on my sewing machine.  I think that will work.

I think it is time to close this catch-up journal entry, will continue after the 4th.

All that I have put in this journal entry is a part of my counting blessings.  So glad at my age I have so many things I can still do.

As always, counting my blessings,

d