First Finish For 2020!

I'm very pleased to share my first finish for 2020! I finally found some time to work on my Mosaic Mystery Quilt...but after just having my machine in for cleaning/service, I had some extreme trouble with the tension while quilting this baby. I probably ripped out 90% of the quilting before I was able to fix the tension. It isn't perfect but livable. I was definitely getting bird's nest on the back of my quilt which isn't acceptable! A very frustrating experience!

This is the first time I participated in Cheryl's mystery QAL (Meadow Mist Designs). I really loved the way it turned out and it was rather simple piecing...not too small pieces. I like that you get one step each month. It gives you plenty of time to finish but not too long to wait for the next step!

All the fabrics I used in this quilt were from my stash.

I straight line quilted across the quilt following the diagonal lines of the star points. I FMQ around the fussy cut circles in the center of the stars. 

The inner border was FMQ in a twisted wave design and the outer border

 in a rope design.

This quilt finishes at 60.5" x 72.5"

I'm linking to Can I Get a Whoop, Whoop over at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Brag About Your Beauties over at From Bolt to Beauty, Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts

February brought a new color for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. This month is ORANGE.

Here is my orange/gray column of squares and HST! Linking to Scrappy Happy Saturday over at So Scrappy.

Quilt Play blocks

I have been very behind in my 2019 Quilt Play pattern club blocks. Each block is paper pieced and does take a bit of time that I just didn't seem to find enough of. This past week or so I have been working on a few as I waited to find enough time to quilt my Mosaic Mystery Quilt. 

I made 2 more text blocks! 

Here are all the text blocks together so far!

I also made one picture block.

Here are the picture blocks!

I still have a few more to go but little by little I'll get them done. Slow and steady wins the race! 

The start of 2020

Now that we are about 3 weeks into 2020, I thought I should give an update as to what's happening in my sewing room. The 1st week was busy with a family visit to Austin to celebrate our grandson's 1st birthday, my daughter's birthday and have our Christmas so nothing happened in my sewing room.

'I'm So Big!

Surprise visit by her sister!

Family time is so precious!

I came home to a busy work week but I managed to finish up a few things. 

I put together my flimsy to the Mosaic Mystery Quilt. My goal is to sandwich and start quilting this week!

I really like the way this quilt top came together!

Linking to Brag about your Beauty @From Bolt to Beauty, and Can I Get A Whoop, Whoop @Confessions of a Fabric Addict 

I also worked with the color for January for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. This year I decided to work long columns of the monthly colors with squares and HST with a gray background. 

Column 1 done. Linking to Scrap Happy Saturday.

In 2020, I will continue to make bimonthly charity blocks for the Covered In Love charity hosted by Kat & Cat Quilts. Here are my January/February blocks.

I also finished another knitted charity blanket and have done some sewing and knitting for Australia; making bat wraps, and joey pouches. 

Our knitting club is also knitting red baby hats for February's heart awareness month. These will be heading to the hospital soon. 

Sorry no pictures. 

Last Hurrah for 2019!

I finally finished what will be my last quilt for 2019! 

(I still have some UFO's from 2019 projects)

This quilt is one of two from the Rainbow Scrap Challenge for 2019! The block is called Waterfront Starburst from the book The Quilter's Paper Piecing Workbook. It will be a wedding gift for tomorrow's wedding! 

After sewing the blocks in a 3 x 4 array, I added large Kona white borders. This created large negative space for quilting. 

I FMQ in a rainbow, variegated thread mimicking the points of the starburst. I also straight line quilted around each starburst in the color of the star. 

It was such a warm, sunny day yesterday, I took advantage and went to the park for a photo shoot. It was almost too sunny!

The backing is pieced with fun stripes and brightly colored 

Day of the Dead fabric.

The quilt finished size is 60.5" x 74"

I'm linking up to Brag About Your Beauties over at From Bolt to Beauty, Can I get a Whoop, Whoop? at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts, Scrap Happy Saturday at So Scrappy.

And because I promised...2019 new ornaments!

My new ornament is the snowman, my daughter's is the reindeer, and the little 3D tree is her boyfriend/partner. It has been a tradition in our family to make handmade ornaments for many years (started my my sister years ago.) We no longer exchange ornaments, but now my kids have taken up the tradition! FUN!

The little tree is so amazing! It is 3D printed! The center 2-pieced trunk fits together at 90º to form a stand, then 5 stars in varying sizes are put on, biggest to smallest. The largest size has Merry Christmas printed on it! So cute!

December Update

December is almost over and it is time to slow down and celebrate this 

special season with family and friends!

I can say that I finally finished my Christmas sewing/handmade projects ~ 

(I only have the binding on a wedding quilt left). 

This cute little snowman coaster was part of the gift exchange for my knitting club.

The finished snowman table topper! A free tutorial from Vicki's Crafts and Quilting. It was part of the 12 Days of Christmas blog hop in July.

One was so cute, I made two!

I also made a set of garden banners ~ 12 in all to be used throughout the year and for special occasions!

I knitted a hat!

...and I completed the blocks for the Mosaic Mystery Quilt! This was step 5.

I will link up to the December flying geese link up over at Meadow Mist Designs. In January we will start putting together the quilt!

I also made my Christmas ornaments for 2019 but I forgot to take a picture. I will share on my next post 😉

I enjoy making these little projects but I still need to finish up some large quilt projects before the end of the year! 🤞🏻

Rainbow Scrap Challenge for 2019 progress

At this time of year, many of the monthly challenges come to an end. Then it is time to try to finish them and make quilts (not UFOs)! If you have been following along with me this year for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, I did 2 blocks: The Waterfront Starburst and the Reverse Star blocks. I finished the Waterfront Starburst blocks and posted them here. Those blocks have been put together into a top and the quilt has been sandwiched and pin basted. It is now waiting for some time for me to get to the quilting! 

I finally put together the remaining Reverse Star blocks. 

in browns

in blacks

in peach/corals

Here are all the blocks together!

No sashing on this quilt but I may add a border. 

I will link up to Scrap Happy Saturday over at So Scrappy.

In the meantime, I have been working on a bit of Christmas sewing. Here is a sneak peek. 

This is a table topper from Vicki's Crafts and Quilting as part of the 12 Days of Christmas Blog Hop hosted by Sarah @Confessional of a Fabric Addict. All that's left is hand stitching the binding!

Small Steps

I made some small steps in my sewing room. I put together the top to one of Rainbow Scrap Challenge quilts:Waterfront Starburst! The backing is also ready so now I need to find some time to sandwich, quilt and bind it.

Another small step was to finish Step 3 in the Mosaic Mystery Quilt ~ The Diagonal Block.

 Wouldn't this make a cute quilt!

I will link up to the November Diagonal Block Linkup at Meadow Mist Designs. 

I made 2 charity blocks for the Covered in Love charity hosted by Kat & Cat Quilts. The November/December block requested the color palette of sea foam green, navy blue, true blue, light icy blues, snowy off whites, and some grays.

Here are my blocks! I really love these blocks.

My knitting club does charity knitting for a local hospital and other charities. I just finished this baby blanket.

Doesn't it remind you of the Neapolitan Coconut candies? Remember these?

My grandson will turn one on January 1st...his golden birthday! To make it special I made this crown to go with the theme of his birthday based on the story Where the Wild Things Are.

He will be treated royally! 👑