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

RSC August: Aqua/Teal and Table Scraps Challenge

 

August's RSC color was teal/aqua/turquoise...or any of those colors that aren't quite green or quite blue. 

It's a pretty color to me, and I think I need to work it into more of my projects.

I was fresh out of ideas with this project, so I piled my scraps and just started sewing them into strips, trimming each to 2.5". 

Sewing like this is so freeing, isn't it?

Just put the pedal to the metal.

The strips were randomly dispersed and laid out next to each other like 

friends on the beach. 

I miss the beach!

Narrow line stitching was the quilt "design" to give it a modern look. 

No measuring, but using the width of the foot to keep me fairly accurate. 

I used this lonely spool of Mettler thread I've had forever. It stitched like a dream!

I then gathered the rest of my scraps and stitched together to make more hearts.

I love making these and adding pretty accents with lace, beads or buttons.

So far, I've put out at least 30 of these hearts into the "wild".

Whoever finds one is meant to keep it and hopefully, they will report it on the website.

Only 2 of mine that have been found have been reported.

That's OK. As long as it warms someone's heart and reminds the finder that there is love in this world....and kindness to share. 

*my hearts will always have a bit of purple on them!

Read more about the heart project here: I Found A Quilted Heart

Linking up with:

SoScrappy

Scrapatches Stitch-Sew-Show

The Inquiring Quilter Wednesday Wait Loss

Quilt Fabrication Midweek Makers

The Joyful Quilter Table Scraps Challenge

One Monthly Goal: Me Sew Happy Quilt

 

Back in April of this year, I followed a quilt along on Instagram sponsored by These Clever Hands. 

We used their pattern called Me Sew Happy which is beautifully scrappy and fairly simple. Scrappy and simple? Sign me up!

I followed along each week and promptly got my homework done.

Except for the last part. 

Instead of basting and binding, I folded and stacked. 

Today, I brought it out and admired it again. 

I ordered some wide backing fabric. 

I promised myself I'd get this project completely finished this month!

Big breath.

My goal: To baste, quilt and bind this flimsy Me Sew Happy top to completion! 

Linking up to: Elm Street Quilts OMG

RSC July: Dark Blue and Table Scraps Challenge

 

In May, I jumped on the Dresden train and I got hooked! I feel like a kid at the fair whose parents can't get her off the pony! Making a Dresden Plate block had been on my to-do list for so many years. Now I've got 6 pieces to prove that I've accomplished this task and can move on. 

Well, maybe. 

This  piece was made from a charm pack I had in my stash. Even though the traditional Dresden Plate uses just 2 fabrics with alternating blades, I like to break the rules and use 5 different fabrics. 

Call me a rebel.

Stitching down the ends before adding the center circle. 

This one block wonder is truly scrappy with what I could find in my stash. 

It fits perfectly on the small table in our sitting room. 

And this is the smallest topper that is made of medium blue scraps. 

The stand is an antique piece from a church in town. 

My brother gave it to us as a wedding gift almost 38 years ago. 

Both the pillar and Dresden topper is being modeled by 

Miss Sophie who turned 8 this month! 💜

Linking up with: 

Rainbow Scrap Challenge @ So Scrappy

Table Scraps Challenge @ The Joyful Quilter

RSC June (purple) and Table Scraps Challenge

 

June was the perfect timing for purple to show its glory!

One of my sweetest friends retired this month after 34 years of teaching. Kerry is one of the kindest, most patient, most thoughtful friends I've ever had. On top of all that, her most favorite color is purple too! It's good to have such great people to hang out with as it always warms my heart and leaves me with sweet memories. 

So, Kerry was the impetus for the purple table topper this month! 

I chose the Friendship Star Wreath as my project.

I found the basic instructions on the Quilt Social Blog. 

It came together so quickly. 

Without the instructions, I would have never thought to sew these small squares into rows. Seeing the photos helped this visual learner out a lot.

This was really fun to FMQ with my ever-improving meander stitch. 

99% of my points were pointy! Final measurement is 20" x 20".

A retirement party is happening this week when I'll surprise Kerry with this purple topper. 

I'm sure a hug will happen! I've missed those hugs...haven't you?

I also sewed up some leftover skinny purple scraps into a long strip to decorate a tea towel. Adding an embroidered K made it even more special. 

This one is for me and hangs on my oven door handle. 

I can see more of these in every color coming my way in the future. 

In between projects, I sewed up a few more hearts for the I Found A Quilted Heart project. 

To see my first set of hearts, read about it here: Quilted Hearts

I've placed about 20 hearts in my area, but only one has been "reported" on the official blog. 

That is the fun part (besides hoping that each heart brings love and goodness to the finder) to see it appear as a "found" heart and their thoughts on it. My "one" is listed on June 20th if you'd like to look for it on the above link. 

This batch is all red, white, and blue for the USA holiday coming up. 

Each will be placed out into the open this week and hopefully will be a reminder to someone that love exists all around us!

Linking up with:

Super Scrappy Blog

Joy's Table Topper Challenge

RSC May (red) and Table Scraps Challenge

 

Red! I am really falling for this color! I've also fallen for Dresden Plate blocks!

Earlier this month, I paid for an online Zoom class to make Dresden blocks. Overall, I was fairly unhappy with the class and how it was run. Good thing it included an instruction sheet with template (that had to be revised on the second day), or I may have flipped. 

With each new experience, something is learned, right? 

Since my scrap bag(s) don't include much red, I chose a charm pack that I've had for ages to make the above small runner. I absolutely got hooked on making these blocks! It felt so good since making a Dresden Plate block has been on my to-do list for ages. They really are much easier to make than I had imagined. 

So, I went on to make a few more....

This little lady is truly scrappy with 3 fabrics in each blade. She fits perfectly on an antique pedestal in my family room.

And the final one is just a bit bigger than the previous one. She sits on a small table in our front sitting room. 

Here they are next to each other like sisters. 

There will definitely be more Dresden blocks in my future!

Linking up with: 

Table Scraps Challenge @The Joyful Quilter

RSC May @ScrapHappy

New-To-Me Scrappy Project : IFAQH

 

Have you ever found a quilted heart out along your adventures? If so, you are very lucky! I first heard about this project about 2 weeks ago while scrolling through Instagram. At times, those leisurely scrolls stumble across some really "aha" moments!

The official I Found A Quilted Heart project started in January 2014 when a quilted heart was found in a cave in the Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada. Since then, people all over the world have participated in making hearts as a random act of kindness. I have happily added myself to that list!

There is a lot more information on this website: I Found A Quilted Heart  

Included in this website are the guidelines for placing hearts, a printable tag sheet, and a list of FAQS (frequently asked questions). There is no template for the heart itself as it's up to the maker to choose a desirable shape and size. 

When a heart is found, there are places to "report" them, too! On the tag, the website is listed, along with a hashtag for Instagram. There is a Facebook group also, with photos of the hearts and often with a picture of the "finder". 

Above is the first heart I hung in a tree in my neighborhood. About  10 days later, it still hasn't been found! It's visible from the street, sidewalk and right where cars drive by in a mini mall. I like to think that it's meant for someone very special and who needs a reminder that there is love in this world. 

These hearts are so much fun for me to make. It's quite addicting and a fabulous way to use up scraps of all sizes. Every single one of my hearts contains purple in some way...a fabric scrap, a button, lace or ribbon. Just so you know, in case you find one, it may have come from me!

Linking up with: 

DrEAMi! #52 @MMM Quilts

Meadow Mist Favorite Finish

Midweek Makers @ Quiltfabrication

Put Your Foot Down @ForTheLoveOfGeese