Hello Again

Good Morning Everyone!  Yesterday was my hubby’s birthday and so, of course, I did not get anything done, including answering emails!  Today is my day off and I intend to get some work in my sewing room done!  I already have everything organized and put away and am still going through old patterns  (paper).  Can’t believe how many duplicates I have!

Anyhoo……  The next project is now posted and is a small snack mat with a pattern attached, called Anchor Snack Mat and can be found at Craftsy if you have problems downloading it from here.  It is a free pattern.  I hope to make a few later today and then save them as a Christmas gift for my hubby and son-in-law, both of whom were in the Navy.

Not much else to share at the moment and I want to get in there before the heat goes up.  Supposed to be 104 today here in the valley.  Anyone want to join me for a steam bath?  :),

Once A Week, Keep Your Own Block July #2

Good morning everyone!

Here is the block for this week. It is called 1930’s Square and is a 12 inch block that can be found here at:http://www.quilterscache.com/N/1930sSquareBlock.html. Have fun!

Once A Week Keep Your Own Block, July

The first block for July is a fairly easy block and would work nicely with Courthouse Steps to make a nice quilt.

It is called Chimneys and Cornerstones and can be found here at:

 http://quilterscache.com/C/Chimneys&CornerstonesBlock.html.  Enjoy!

Here is a list of the blocks for July if you want to work ahead!

 

Chimneys and Cornerstones

1930s Square

Clover Blossom

Conventional

End of Vacation

These last 2 weeks have flown by with my daughter and grandchildren visiting. We have had a lot of fun, talks, movies, laughter, excitement, a few tears, but overall a very good time. But all good things must come to an end in order to start a new beginning. Jenny and family will be meeting with my sister and Dad in Modesto this evening (we will be caravaning up for the great farewells) and then they leave for Michigan tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. I will miss them.

My new beginning will be getting back to normal again with my sewing and playing catch up with all my projects that have been pushed to the side for a while. Now to get started on a couple of swaps and some guild projects. What do you have planned for the day?

Once A Week Keep Your Own Block, June Bonus Block

Here is the last block for June and this is a Bonus Block! Thought it was suited to us gals who like the ocean. It’s called Wild Waves! You can find it here at: http://www.quilterscache.com/W/WildWavesBlock.html! Keep on surfing!

ONCE A WEEK KEEP YOUR OWN BLOCK, JUNE #4

Our next block is called Garden Maze and is 18 inches. You can find it here at: http://www.quilterscache.com/G/GardenMazeBlock.html.

Prayers Please

This is a message from my sister, Tracy.  Please pass on the prayers for a quick recovery!  Thank you!

Hi there Facebook friends,

Most of you know my husband, Jeff — isn’t he the greatest guy? I will be brief: he has been in the hospital for a couple of days, and 3 blood panels and 2 ultrasounds later, they can’t figure out what is going on with him. Some disturbing test results indicate liver failure, yet his liver is doing its job. His insides appear to be as they should be. He feels, acts and looks fine (aside from the yellow eyeballs). If you have a moment, please send along your good thoughts, prayers, healing vibes or magical thinking our way. We can use whatever you can spare. Thank you.

Tracy Spallina

ONCE A WEEK KEEP YOUR OWN BLOCK, WEEK 2 JUNE

This is a 7.5 inch block and is Paper Pieced.  The templates are included in the pattern.  Today’s block is called Circus Time and can be found here at:  http://www.quilterscache.com/C/CircusTimeBlock.html.  Have fun and be careful with the placement of the triangles.

MAKING THE MOST OF OUR SEWING TIME

DECISIONS, DECISIONS

Just some thoughts on our sewing time and a few questions we should ask ourselves as we go through our shelved projects and decide what to work on next. But before you jump the gun, ask yourself these questions and be honest with yourself.

How important is this project that I am working on:

1.  To me?

2.  To the person receiving it?

3.  Is it just for fun or something promised?

4.  Do I really want to do this or is it something I don’t feel comfortable doing and do not want to do, or I really want to try this but don’t know how and need help with it?

5.  Is this a waste of time and money?  Do I want to start over?

If it’s important to you then it will be a priority and when you have a priority, it will get done.  If you are like me, I tend to go back and forth on projects and their fate.  Sometimes, it is not easy making that decision or uncomfortable. There are a few that I have abandoned and given up on and I am glad that I did it as it is a very freeing sensation.  It may take some time or it may be easy.

Now that you have answered the questions truthfully, what to do with them? That is a question that only you can answer but we are here to help guide you.

THE QUILTER’S MOTTO, BE PREPARED

We had a speaker at our guild meeting last night and she was talking about making time and being prepared to sew.  Basically, it comes down to this:

Be prepared to sew at all times. Set up in advance the night before what you plan to work on.  Make up a kit and have it ready.  Have a place just for that project set up, with the pieces that you need to work on it ready and on hand.  If it is blocks that need to be sewn, then get the fabric ready and cut in advance according to the pattern.

Your sewing table, ironing area, and cutting station need to have all the necessary tools there and not be moved around.  There should be three stations to each sewing room, a cutting table, a place to iron and your sewing area.  At each station, only have what is necessary there and don’t move stuff around. That’s how we lose time by moving our scissors, needles, rotatory cutter, etc and then looking for them.  Instead, have a little holder and have one of each station.

Set aside time each day to sew and stick to it.

How do you have your sewing station set up?  Does it work for you or are you looking on improving it or changing it?  Do you have a hard time finding your tools?  Are you an organizer? 

June List of Once A Week Keep Your Own Block

As we have a lot of new members to our group, this is an ongoing once a week challenge to see if we can, as a group, do a block once a week. We start off with an easy block and then it progresses to harder blocks. You have the full month to finish your blocks and post as we go along. It is designed to test our skills and not all blocks are pieced. Some might be applique or paper piecing. If you don’t want to do a block, then you can pass on it. They are not designed to be put together as a quilt as there is a variety of styles and sizes. There is also no real theme for the blocks, they are chosen for the different levels of easy to difficult. Please feel free to post your pictures!

If there are 5 Sundays (I post on Saturday), then the fifth block is a BONUS BLOCK and will be the more difficult block for the month. All blocks can be found at Quilterscache. If you want to start from the beginning in January, please do. No rules just a challenge. These are yours to keep.

June 1: Single Chain and Knot

June 8: Amish Basket

June 15: Circus Time

June 21: Garden Maze

June 29: BONUS BLOCK: Wild Waves

The first block is Single Chain and Knot and can be found at: http://www.quilterscache.com/S/SingleChainandKnotBlock.html. This is a 10 inch block and make a fun baby quilt.

Enjoy!