Animal quiltalong - finis!

 This year's theme for Corinne and Cecile's sew-a-long was "animals". I have been oh so bad about posting my progress but ever so happy with the final results. Made in my favorite "potholder" method, these little wooly animals were a joy to make. 

And, now I can reveal the back. I used an alphabet panel to spell out the what the quilt was made for.

I had to buy 4 panels (they were on sale at Alewives Fabrics in Nobleboro, Maine) to get my message across. Now I have to figure out what to make with the remaining letters!

Do check out Corinne and Cecile's Quit-a-long Facebook. There are some very clever animal quilts, from birds to ants!! 

Have a super day!

One Piece Wonder

 I found this fabulous Kaffe Fasset fabric at Alewives Fabrics in Nobleboro, Maine. Rhea has an excellent website and I highly recommend taking a spin through her delightful virtual shop. I challenged myself to make a quilt (yes, in the potholder method) using just this fabric for the appliques. I drafted a simple applique design and started hunting for the perfect background. I finally decided on a bright and happy Spring green. 

 

I used more than one fabric for the backings!

And now a funny story about why we have design walls and why we should use them often! After I hand appliqued, hand quilted and bound all the blocks (one 12" block in the center, twelve 6" blocks surrounding the center, four 6" corner blocks and four 6" x 24" border pieces) I put them up on the design wall for one last look before assembling them. ARGH! How did I not see that glaring purple blob in the upper lefthand corner? I didn't mind the one in the center of the bottom, but that one just drove me crazy!

It was no problem to applique a piece over it. The challenge was how to quilt it without going through all three layers as it had already been quilted.

It took longer to fix the mistake than it did to quilt the entire border piece! Live and learn!! 

Anyway, It is done and I love it and it's Spring colors are cheering me up as I stare out my window at 6" of white fluff and more coming! Life in Maine!

Plodding along

 I've had a soft spot for turtles all my life. I love watching them, seeming to ponder each move before they actually make it. As I age, I feel a special kinship with these gentle creatures. I make my moves slowly and cautiously now. I am currently working on 11 different quilts. If "slow and steady" does indeed win the race, I feel confident that they will all (and maybe a few more) be done before the end of the year. 

First update: The Maine State Bicentennial Quilt (top). Maine was to celebrate our bicentennial in March of 2020, but I think we all remember what prevented that from happening. Pat Burns drafted the design and members of our quilt study group made blocks. I finally pieced them all together last month! This will be used as a teaching tool at the Maine State Museum when they reopen in 2025. The public will get a chance to learn hand quilting as they enjoy two special quilt exhibitions curated by Laurie LaBar. 

The center is our Maine State Seal. 

Eight of my quilts were on display at Skidompha Library in Damariscotta, Maine. My high school was in the next town so I spent a lot of time here in my youth. The area for display if beautiful and I loved sharing the glory with the paper humpback whale on permanent display. 

 

 

I'm managing to keep up with the weekly "Tiny Nine Patch Challenge, hosted by Taryn Falkner @reproquiltlover on Instagram. Each week we make 10 tiny (1 1/2" finished!) 9-patch blocks inspired by a gorgeous antique quilt. I'm doing mine in the potholder method and if I can keep up the pace, I will have a finished donation quilt by the end of the year. 

 

 

And, within the eleven projects, there is actually a "finish"! This is a "potluck" potholder quilt that I have been making for quite some time. I just rescued some light strips that were from another ancient project and started stitching in my tortoise like way. After I assembled the blocks it looked a bit forlorn so I added some strippy borders using some of my favorite reproduction conversational prints. It still looked a little bla, so I found some circles which were also leftovers and appliqued them on. The four corner blocks were rejects from my "Bird's Nest Soup" potholder quilt. And, voila! I have aptly named this one, "Bubble and Squeak". My leftover favorite! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And, as always with a potholder quilt, the back is as much fun as the front! 

 

And, I am still enjoying stitching my little woolie animals for Corinne and Cecile's 2024 sew-a-long. 

Here I am - plodding along.

 

Hope I can keep up the pace!

Enjoy the day!

Doings

 I've had very little screen time this month. I made up a little ditty of how I have been feeling about that.

When she picks up a needle, her fingers fly, when they get to the keyboard, they all but die! 😆

There are 3 babies due this Spring to friends and relatives and the first two quilts are done. 

This is traveling to Virginia:  

 

This one is for a little one whose last name will be Fox. 

 

 I used this sweet little print for the back 

 

I also made a few more kennel pads for our group. We send them to an organization that delivers them whenever there is a natural disaster and are used to line portable crates to help keep these little friends comfortable as they travel. 

I have (so far) been able to keep up with Taryn Falkner's (Repro Quilt Lover) Instagram sew-a-long for the tiny 9-patch challenge. This is week 5. 

 

I have made quite a "happy" mess while working on these tiny guys. They finish 1 1/2". I piece them oversized and then trim down for better accuracy. I am NOT a precision piecer! 

 

And, my little wool animals for Corinne and Cecile's animal sew-a-long are coming along. It has been fun to work with the wool on those cold winter days. 

 

I'm taking my tme and just "pecking" away at them! 😆

I have a few other things (ok, more than a few) but those will wait for another day. Don't want to vex my fingers any more today lest they demand a rest and refuse to sew!!

I wish everyone a happy day!

Triple the fun!

 A wise old owl told me not to partake in more than 3 sew-a-longs this year. It is the third week in January and so far, I have been able to stick to his advice. Sew-a-long number 1: Corinne and Cecile's "animal" theme for 2024 has proven to be a really fun project. I don't think it will use up as much of my wool collection as I had hoped, but maybe I will donate some of the leftovers to my local group (which will of course allow room for new fabrics😏. 

 

 

Sew-a-long number two is actually a doll quilt swap on Instagram hosted by Linda Collins (Quilts in the Barn). I am having a blast with this one. Linda's suggestion was to make something that you would love to keep for yourself. Mission accomplished! I adore this one. It has over 60 difference "conversational" fabrics from my ancient stash. I used this wonderful "French General" fabric called "Bon Voyage" which seemed appropriate as it will be traveling soon. I kept the blue width of the fabric while quilting so it would fit nicely in the hoop, but that will be trimmed off in the end. 

 

 

 

And, the third project is an Instagram sew-a-long with Taryn Falkner (Repro Quilt Lover) called "Tiny Nine patch challenge". I will be doing this in the potholder method in 7" blocks with 9 nine patches in each block. The nine patches themselves finish at 1 1/2". Taryn posts 10 little gems each Monday and I will try not to complete one 7" block a week so that I will be finished by December 31. This will replace my circle a day habit from 2023. 😅 

 

I'm trying not to be so hard on myself for being such a bad blog reader and commenter! If I can get to one post a week and read a few blogs a day, I will be forming a new and better habit! 😏😅 

Happy Quilting to all!!

Corinne and Cecile quilt-a-long 2024

 Is it really January 13 already?? I am participating in Cecile and Corinne's (Patchwork_Inspirations) annual quilt-along again this year. This year the theme is animals. I was really excited about this announcement since I have been wanting to make an animal quilt for some time utilizing the extensive collection of wool that I have been hoarding, I mean collecting, for some time. I started on January 1, but it has taken a few days 😂 for me to get to this post! 

 

In 2012, I participated in the American Quilt Study Group's "Colonial Revival Quilt Study" project. I copied this vintage quilt found in Maine and made this little quilt with vintage feedsacks.

 

It was published in the book, "Revival!, A Study of Early 20th Century Colonial Revival Quilts". I have been wanting to do one in wool ever since. 

Thank you Cecile and Corinne for giving me the nudge I needed. I will be doing it in the potholder method (of course😏). I am excited to reveal the back at the end of the project to give everyone a little chuckle. 

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year full of quilty goodness!

Nike was right!

 I just have to "do it"! I set a goal on my last post to write one every Monday. That might have been a bit ambitious since that was October 9 and I've done nothing since. So...

I will start with a few finishes since October 9 and will NOT pressure myself into thinking that I will post every week. I feel better already!!

In mid October I finished my "Scrappy Stars Sew-a-long" with Taryn Falkner on Instagram. I made mine in the potholder method, so when the last blocks was posted, I was able to get it finished pretty quickly. I was amazed at how many people joined this project. There are some wonderful versions! Actually, they are all superb!

 

Back 

When my friend, Linda Collins (Quilts in the Barn) came to visit, she gave me a wonderful little kit to make a "sewing kit". It went together very quickly thanks to her EPP papers and great instructions! 

 

 

I made her this little mini to take back to Australia as a reminder of her trip to Maine. 

I finished a t-shirt quilt made from many of my grandson's old shirts. I sent it to his mother for her birthday in October. I have made a few of these and each time I make one, I say "never again". This one was easier because I gave it to my friend Kathy Boudreau to quilt for me. 

 

I had one lefteover and since it was one of my favorites, I put it on the back. 

That's all I can muster today. Hope the spirit moves me to get the rest of the finishes out soon.