Last Projects from 2021

 

Here it is New Year's Eve with only a handful of hours left til the bells ring in 2022. 

So many things have made this an unbelievable year. 

Many of those I'd rather forget. 

Above all, I've been blessed in many ways.

I'm always grateful for those sweet blessings, no matter how small.

The one thing I've focused on this past year is trying to be my best self.

To be kind, thoughtful, honest, caring, and giving. 

There is always room for improvement, but I think I'm well on my way. 

May 2022 be good to you. 

Blessings for health and happiness to each of you!

Sneaking in my last sewing projects for 2021 that didn't get posted. 

Halloween Wall Hanging

Zipper Challenge on Instagram

Tiny Dresden Challenge on Instagram....only 4"!

2 Tooth Fairy Pillows

Christmas in July Mystery Quilt Along

...currently unfinished

Table Topper given to a friend for her retirement

A tea towel all prettied up for me!

A table topper given to a friend for her retirement. 

We both love purple!

A gift for a friend.

A Mother's Day gift for a friend.

A bib for Jack!

A bib for Paul!

A big year deserves a special card.

Memory pillows for a friend's family, 

including ornaments for the tree.

A Christmas wall hanging.

A table topper given to an elderly friend I care for.

Another memory pillow + ornament.

4 more memory pillows. 

Not shown are 9 ornaments for the grandchildren.

A bib made for the grandbaby who didn't get the chance to meet his grandpa. 

I used the shirt labels and scraps.

Whew! It was a busy, but fun year spent with my sewing machine! 

I loved every minute of it. 

Cheers to a wonderful new year to you!

RSC October: Light & Bright Green

 

This month's RSC table topper was inspired by a Flicker photo I found on Pinterest. I can no longer find it and didn't save it, so shucks!  It was based on raw-edge applique and looked kinda modern, and that's what I was aiming for.

My pile of light and bright green scraps are getting skimpy. That's the whole purpose of RSC, right? To use them up and make room for more! 

My scrap squares and rectangles are placed on Heat & Bond Light, then cut apart.
Can we talk about time consuming? I don't think I'd use this method again. 

A low-volume fabric was used as the background. 
I quilted this first before applying the green squares. 

The Heat&Bond Light paper backing was removed and I placed each square
on the quilted background in an eye-pleasing, yet random fashion.
Then it was ironed in place.

I chose a dark green Aurifil thread for topstitching. 
I liked the contrast.

All stitched down and I even included a heart!

Backing and binding in a light green.






All in all, this is not a favorite of mine. 
I enjoyed the process, and it will bring some brightness to the table in early Spring when the leaves start budding out. Gosh, that's a good 6 months away! 
There will be lots of time to spend in my sewing room between now and then.

Linking up with:

SoScrappy/SuperScrappy RSC

The Joyful Quilter's Table Scraps Challenge

Quilting is More Fun Than Housework's Oh Scrap!

October's One Monthly Goal: Finished!

 

I was late to the party with my start of this project, but so glad I budged in line and got caught up! I know, "budgers" are not well-respected folks, but when I speak of sewing projects and pushing one forward, it doesn't sound so bad. 

Bev, from Flamingo Toes, presented this free sew along at the end of September. Over the course of 3 weeks, she and her fun personality made it quite easy to put this pillow together. 

I hadn't done much raw-edge applique and her tips gave me the skills I needed to pursue a few other projects. (Blog posts coming!)

linen fabric used as a background

ready to stitch to the pillow fabric

choosing a thread color...they all look good!

hand-stitching around the pumpkin using Sulky thread

trim on the back

such a sweet pumpkin!

the easy-open back even looks pretty!


Linking up with: 
Elm Street Quilts October OMG Finish

Meadow Mist Designs October Favorite Finish

Inquiring Quilter Wednesday Wait Loss

Confessions of a Fabric Addict Can I Get a Whoop Whoop

October One Monthly Goal

 

The moment I saw the Fall Pumpkin Pillow Sewalong with Bev at Flamingo Toes, I knew I was going to jump on that wagon.  She started the tutorial on September 27th, but we were traveling through SW Colorado, so it would need to wait. We just got home a few days ago and I am anxious to start cutting and getting caught up with this cutie!

I always love to visit quilt shops when traveling, so I kept this project in mind when browsing.  Nothing causes my sewing foot to twitch like a good project just waiting to be started!

Above are the fabrics I've chosen to use in this pillow top.

This is a photo of Bev's Fall Pumpkin Pillow....

Bev's pillow from Flamingo Toes

 

So, completing this pillow to the final stitch when adding the envelope backing is my 

One Monthly Goal for October.

If I get ambitious, I'll work on my RSC projects from September.

I had gotten the flimsy tops finished before our Colorado trip,

but the basting, quilting and binding still need to be checked off for completion.

This is what I've got for the September RSC orange challenge:

Above, this small runner is based off of Pat Sloan's Soiree block.

The orange triangles were the cut-off ears from the Flying Geese blocks below. 

I think it's going to look fabulous when finished!

This second orange runner is a project I've admired in a quilting magazine. I'll add more details later when I git 'er done.

Linking up with:

Elm Street Quilts One Montlhy Goal

Me Sew Happy Quilt FINISHED! One Monthly Goal done!

 

 Oh, the feeling of sewing the last bit of binding on a big quilt is so satisfying! 

This was my one big goal for August...to get this baby out of my UFO/WIP pile and have it ready to use when cooler weather hits. I got 'er done!

Above is Miss Flimsy in all her glory hanging in the backyard.

Aaaand...she is finished! (I know, you can't see much of a difference, but still...)

Of course, I was a bit short of my chosen black and white striped Tula Pink fabric, so a few pieces of black/white polka dot was thrown in...for interest, right? 

6 hours of FMQ loop de loops were put in sewing with hot pink Aurifil thread. 

4 1/2 bobbins were emptied!

Quilting this large piece on my domestic machine is what scared me the most. 

I took  my time, breaking it up into several days and it didn't seem so bad. 

I gained some confidence to attempt more big ones! 😁

Finished size is 64" square.

Pattern is MeSewHappy by These Clever Hands

Linking up with:

Elm Street Quilts August OMG Finish