Progress has been made

 First, I realized that I never posted the finished quilt Oh Say Can You Sew. I posted process photos here and here , but not the finished quilt which I completed in September. We took it on vacation to Colorado to take photos! Hope you enjoy! 

I also have been working on a very special quilt for the oldest niece of my colleague and friend. Two years ago, my friend's sister died suddenly leaving behind her 3 kids, husband, parents and siblings. It has been very hard especially on the kids. 

 Shortly after I heard the news, I offered to make a quilt for each of the kids from their mom's clothes. Understandably, it took over year before they were ready to sort through her clothes. My friend asked if I was still willing to make a quilt from her sister's clothes. Of coarse I'm was willing to make 3 (or more.) 

I wanted to make something that would show off the fabrics with big pieces. I found the pattern Metamorphsis by Lo & Behold Stitchery which seemed perfect. As I was waiting for the pattern to arrive, I started deconstructing the clothes I picked out for the 1st quilt. 

I worked on piecing the butterfly blocks between our travels and babysitting time with the grandkids. Soon the flimsy was ready!

Then the quilting... I quilted 7 diamonds along the body, then I auditioned several possible patterns to quilt in the wings, choosing a star template I had and placed it so that one point was centered on the body and filled the rest of the wing.

For the background, I FMQ a loopy meander adding butterflies on occasion. 

Introducing 'A Quilt for Sylvie' 

I was able to visit my old school to deliver this quilt and visit with my friends. I love retirement but I do miss teaching!

Today I am still hopeful that I will be able to start the quilting on my RSC - Buttons quilt. I sandwiched and basted it yesterday!

Linking to Finished or Not Friday @Alycia Quilts, Can I Get a Whoop, Whoop? @Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Link Party @ Patchwork & Quilts, Wednesday Wait Loss @The Inquiring Quilter, and Design Wall Monday@Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

RSC and something new

It has been a while since I have been able to sew anything significant much less post. The end of the school year and teaching (yes, I've retired!) has been incredibly busy this year.  Only thing left is a luncheon on Monday.

I finally finished 2 more orange buttons, and since June's colors are light blues and light greens, I went ahead and finished 4 of each. 

3rd and 4th orange button block

All 4 orange button blocks

light green buttons

light blue buttons

All the buttons so far! Reminds me of my grandma's button box! Linking to Scrap Happy Summer @SoScrappy, Off the Wall Friday @Creations-Quilts, Art and More, Finished or Not Friday @Alycia Quilts, Can I Get a Whoop, Whoop @Confessions of a fabric addict, and Link Party @Quilting Patchwork, and Wednesday Wait Loss @The Inquiring Quilter 

I will give you a sneak peek at what I have been slowly working on! It is a gift so I may not reveal it for a while. We will see. I don't think anyone involved reads my blog so I may be able to do a reveal once it is finished!

That's it for now! Happy stitching!

Melodic Mystery finish, birds, and buttons

 I just realized that I never posted about my Melodic Mystery finished quilt, Jolly Holly Christmas, that I finished in February. Yikes, I'm just in time to not miss the parade over @MeadowMistDesigns!

Since I had a lot of Christmas fabrics, I choose to make this mystery in Christmas colors! I am happy with how it turned out! Bonus: It is ready for next Christmas without the usual last minute rush!

This is my 4th QAL @MeadowMistDesigns and I have enjoyed them all. Cheryl makes the QALs easy and at a great pace. Her designs are great and come together precisely.

It is all machine pieced and quilted by me using fabric from my stash. 

I FMQ poinsettias in the star blocks and holly leaves and berries elsewhere. 

This quilt finishes at 69" square.

I'm linking to the linking party here.

Even though it is April and the new color was announced as purple, I was out of town and unable to post my last green buttons. So here it is

That make 4 of each color!

I'm linking to ScrapHappySaturday @So Scrappy!

Now moving on to purple buttons!

I also joined the Sparrows QAL with @penandpaperpatterns on Instagram! I love Lindsey's designs and have several of her patterns. I bought the Sparrows pattern a while back and even most of the fabric but then it sat. When Lindsey announced the QAL, it was just what I needed to get it done! 

Aren't they cute!

Four different color combinations for the sparrows. All facing the same directions.

All sewn together in rows.

Now to make the same sparrows facing in the opposite direction. 

These little birds are so fun to sew! I'm trying to pace myself with the QAL. Going out of town for a few days helped! 

Another project I've been working on is a commissioned jacket by a music teacher and banjo player (she plays many instruments). She wanted a banjo quilt square quilted onto the back of her jean jacket. The colors were to be bright rainbow. She requested the chorus to a song stitched onto the back. The inspiration came from here. I didn't want to applique it so I needed to design it so it could be pieced.

A few attempts during the design process. (Notice the white out.)

Fabric selection-14 different colors

I pieced in sections (also a few attempts.) Then marked, cut and sewed the white sections.

Once assembled, I needed to determine the placement of the lyrics.

Here it is sewn on to the jacket.

I hope she likes it!

Goodbye to January ~ dark and bright blues

 This is the last Saturday in January...next week starts the color PINK for February! I was able to get my 4th button block in blue finished.

These are 6" finished blocks. All four together:

Now to pull out the pink scraps and see what buttons I can make for the February RSC!

Linking to Scrap Happy Saturday @SoScrappy

FNSI Results!

Although I sewed most of the night, I can't show much...  

The evening started with making this little strawberry pincushion/scissors FOB.  It was simple and easy to make...and just darling! The free tutorial is from Vanessa of V and Co.

I did spent most of the evening quilting my daughter's wedding quilt.  I only had the border left to quilt as I finished quilting the blocks about a week ago.  Here's a little peek. That's all for now!

The top picture show the outside border with the single cable pattern quilted.  You can see the quilting better from the back (bottom left picture). On the bottom right, you can see the quilting on the blocks. The inner border (yellow) is stitched in the ditch.  

I was also excited about...buttons!  

A friend from work had 3 jars and a tin of buttons and told me to go through them and take what I could use.  Really!!  I love buttons!

 I think it goes way back to my grandma and mom who each had a button box that I loved. I would play and sort and examine the different buttons! 

I have a small collection myself...any chance to expand it...YES! 

Here are the ones I chose...after playing sorting for awhile.

Aren't they sweet?

So what did you do for FNSI?