A long car ride or two

For the last 2 weekends my DH and I spent 

many hours in the car.  What do you do in the car to avert many hours of boredom?  

I stitch, or knit or crochet, or make hexagons.  

On Good Friday, we headed to Indiana to pack most of our DD3's 'stuff' and bring it home.  {Round trip...8 hours.}  She had finals the week following Easter and we needed to get her 'stuff' before then because...

on April 29th {exactly one week later} we headed to South Dakota to bring DD2 home.  She moved there right after college graduation.  One year later, she is moving back for the final preparations before her wedding in July! 

 Future SIL will be moving back next month.  

We started out early on Friday morning and settled in for the long 14 hour drive.  Saturday we packed up her house and loaded our van and a trailer with an unbelievable amount of 'stuff'.   

{They hope to settle somewhere in the midwest but need jobs...anyone know of a photography and/or writing/publishing job?} 

Early Sunday morning, we were on the road again, heading home.  

{Round trip...28+hours}. 

So you ask what did I accomplish during all these car hours?  

First, I was determined to finish the hand quilting on my little vintage quilt.   

Only a few months after starting my blog, I found Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Days and visited many blogs.  One blog was Sleepytimesewing and I won this  lovely little stack of vintage 2.5" fabric squares.  The stack sat on my shelf until about a month ago when I was inspired to make this little vintage quilt.  I laid out and arranged all the squares and sewed them into a little grid. I used Bella white for the sashing strips.  After searching through my stash, I found this sweet vintage print in gray.  

I loved the neutral look it added to the vintage sampler. For the backing I used a solid gray to match and one pieced 4 square block from the left over squares. The binding is in a vintage pink.

Again to add to the vintage feel, I tried my best at big stitch hand quilting.  I quilted around each 2 1/2" square and in the border added 2 rows of big stitches.  I didn't want it perfect and it certainly isn't...

{note to self...still need to work on stitch size consistency!}

Anyone recognize any of these fabrics?  

I love looking at all the different ones and picking out favorites. 

Some just make me laugh...like the cowboys around a campfire {orange} or the Asian boy carrying bundles {green.}

It's like an I Spy quilt for grown ups!

I also worked on some stitchery for my Give Thanks BOM {sorry no picture} and stitched away at some more hexagons!

My Hexagon kit! 

Slowly, I'm getting a stack.  I guess I need more hours in a car...NOT!

Quilty News

On my last post I promised I would be back with my quilty news! 

And it was Friday Night Sew-In last night with Heidi and Bobbi! 

So...

 I have been continuing with hand quilting this.  I have been getting somewhere between 4-6 squares quilted while I'm watching TV 

[usually only 2 times during the week].  

That averages around 10 squares each week.  I have been enjoying the process of big stitching so I don't mind.

I also finished on my April Birdie Stitchery BOM.  

These blocks are so cute!

I also have started the 3rd wedding quilt.  

This one is for my nephew and his fiance.  

I finally cut out all the pieces and started sewing together the blocks.  

Last night for FNSI,  I finished sewing together the last 50 units.  

{there are a total of 320 units}

I then arranged them on my design wall, making sure the colors were distributed throughout the quilt.

After I was satisfied with the layout, I started sewing these units into larger blocks.  There are 16 units in each block. 

I ran out of energy around 10:30 last night after putting together 3 blocks.  

I got started this morning and now have 6 blocks sewn {out of 20.}

I think it looks like a modern wedding ring quilt.

What do you think?

That's my news...now follow me over to Heidi's to see what everyone else did last night!

Out like a lamb...

Well, March is out and whether it left like a lamb is a matter of debate....and if I'm honest...I'm just glad to see it go and warmer weather heading my way!

Anyways...It is time to show you the latest finishes for the month...

Here is the 4th verse card for the Give Thanks BOM.  These are so sweet to stitch!

I also made this adorable bag to bring in the Spring!  This pattern is called The Abby Tote and is available from Vanessa over at V & Co.

It is reversible! The pattern directions are easy to follow and there are lots of pictures to help even a beginner.

Don't you just love the bow!

I have done some sewing for our home...I made a bed ruffle for the bed in my D2's room back in December [here] and I finally made matching pillowcases and changed the chair pad cover for my antique sewing chair.  I also hemmed the curtains in her room. 

D2 will be moving back home {from South Dakota} at the end of April.  Then the big push to get all the wedding plans finalized. I can't wait!

I leave you with a sneak peek of a quilt I have been working on.  I am hand quilting using the big stitch technique. 

I am really liking the vintage feel of this quilt. More later...

What have you been sewing?