What have I been doing?

 It has been a while since I have had time to update you on what I've been doing? In between time spent with my grandson and some time away with my DH, I have been quilting. I finished the apple table runner I previously shared and started 4 apple place mats that still need to be quilted.

I picked the quarter apple pattern from SewFresh Quilts for the placemats.

I also completed the top from the QAL from the National Quilters Circle, Starlight Mountains. This was a 5 week QAL with week 5 ~ the quilt assembly. Even though it is called Starlight Mountains, I wanted to use fabric from my stash. The watermelon fabrics were donated to me several years ago.

I'm not sure what I'll call this quilt as Starlight Mountains doesn't seem to fit. Any suggestions welcome.

I was able to sandwich my 2019 Quiet Play Pattern Club quilt! It is ready to be quilted! Soon!

Finally, I finished the 2nd step in the Morewood Mystery Quilt. Here are Steps 1 & 2!

Hope you are able to get out and enjoy the lovely Fall weather. DH and I were able to take a few days in Fond du Lac, WI and biking in Freeport, IL on the Jane Addams Trail. 

Beautiful colors in WI!

Rail to Trail ~ a wonderful time biking!
And because I can't resist...my grandson and I did a little craft making binoculars and then went on a walk in the neighborhood where he was having fun 'spying' all kinds of things! 

Thanks for hanging in on this rather long post! Stay safe!

Rainbow Picture Blocks

Wahoo! 

I finished making the picture blocks for the Quiet Play Pattern Club from 2019! The last block was the feather! It was fun to piece!

I also remade the rainbow block! I originally made it with a different background fabric before I actually thought about how this quilt would come together. I was thinking white fluffy cloud so I made the background a light blue! 

I changed the cloud from Kona Snow to Kona Silver so the background could remain Kona Snow like all the other picture blocks!

Here are all the picture blocks that will be included in the quilt. Which are your favorites? It is so hard to choose!

These will be merged with the text blocks in a very cute quilt!🤞🏻

(oops, I just noticed the feather is upside down)

Kristy from Quiet Play also included bonus blocks throughout the year. I only made a couple of them. 

They are all so cute!

Linking to What I made Monday @prettypiney.

Speaking of cute, my daughter gave my grandson his very first haircut. 

(Due to Covid-19, she didn't want to bring him to a salon.)

He did great! 

Occupied by watching Mickey Mouse cartoons!

His cute new BIG boy haircut! 

Sad to see his curls go but his hair was so long! 

Amazing how it changes his looks from baby to toddler!

💙 this kid!

A Long Absence

With all the best intentions, I did not expect to be gone from blogging for so long. After school was out, I was excited for summer and time for quilting. I did do some sewing but I also embarked on trying out some natural dyeing. Before I knew it, my hubby and I were headed to the PNW for 10 days. We had a wonderful time hiking in the wilderness of the North Cascade Mountains. 

It is beautiful in the mountains with lush greens and many wild flowers.

After we got home, we had 3 days to get ready for our grandson and his parents to come for a week. We were very excited as we had not seen him in person (Face Time is wonderful!) for a while. 

What an incredible visit we had over the week of July 4th! Our grandson is growing so fast! He is in the stage where new discoveries are happening daily. He is a very curious baby boy!

He loves the water and already takes swimming lessons. 

(with his Morfar and daddy)

We took a trip to the zoo! 

(with his mommy and daddy)

(with his mama!)

Happy boy!

(with me ~ Mormor)

Now I have a few days before our youngest daughter comes home for 5 days. I really needed to get some of the monthly blocks challenge blocks done before I fell too far behind. 

For the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, July's color is pink. Here are my blocks.

Waterfront Starburst

Reverse Star Block 

I'm linking up to Scrap Happy Saturday over at So Scrappy.

I also was able to complete 2 blocks for the Covered in Love Charity. Kat of Kat and Cat Quilts took off May & June to catch up, but the July/August blocks are Red, White and Blue stars. 

These blocks are 12" finished. 

Here are some pictures of the quilt I gifted to this newly married couple on their wedding day. 

Purple Passion

And here is the graduate with her T-Shirt quilt! All smiles!

One last picture because I can't help myself. I just love this little smiley face!

Hope you're enjoying your summer!

Progress Update

The Quiet Play Pattern Club blocks for January were released a bit early!

I was excited to get started! 

I had already sorted through and organized by color all my solids (mostly Kona) so I was able to get started. I downloaded the patterns and printed off 2 of the paper pieced blocks. I will be making the background of the word blocks in a color with the letters Kona Snow. The object blocks will have a Kona Snow background and a rainbow of colors in the block. Here are my January blocks!

The background is Kona Hibiscus.

There are 17 colors (besides Kona Snow) for the rainbow spool of thread!

I still haven't completely finalized my fabric pull for the Block of the Month Optical Illusion blocks. This will be as much as possible from my stash. 

I'm rethinking the Scandinavian Flowers as I don't think I am ready for this level of applique and it would require a fabric purchase.  I will still download the monthly patterns for later. 

Instead, I will try reverse applique using the book, Dutch Treat, that I purchased many years ago. 

I also previously bought fabric for this project. Must use what I got! I won't do all the blocks (some are very complicated) but will pick some of the easier blocks. I will prepare this project for my trip in February. 

Here is a peek at the start of my medallion quilt. 

So many HSTs! 276 to be exact!

This week, I carved out some time to sandwich my Save the Bees quilt, a leftover from 2018. I plan to do meandering loops over the top of the quilt to mimic the flight of the bees. I am thinking of naming this quilt, 

The Plight of Bees. 

Lastly, I will leave you with a sweet picture of my cute grandson! The hat he is wearing is one that I knitted from a vintage pattern. It is a bit big but ties to stay on! It is very soft as it is knitted with bamboo yarn. 

Exciting news!

The New Year came in the most exciting way this year! 

On New Year's Day morning, we got a call from my daughter around 7:30am with the news that they (daughter and son-in-law) were heading to the hospital to have our first grandchild! 

What! She wasn't due until the 19th. 

Her water bag broke around 4:30am and contractions were strong and regular. 

OK we wait....

(they live in Austin and we live near Chicago)

A little after 10am, our grandson was born. He is small (5lbs 15 oz) but everyone is doing fine! 

My hubby made them a bedside cradle and we were planning on delivering it the following weekend. So as planned, we headed down for a quick trip. 

We were able to get in some snuggles

and enjoy meeting this new addition to our family. 

He is so precious!

He fits into the little hat that I knitted.

Proud and happy Tante (aunt)

Before heading back home :(  

We will be heading back in February for an extended stay! 

I miss him already 😍