On Ringo Lake - TIMES TWO!

While I was on a roll...I got busy and finished the borders for the second ORL Christmas quilt. I had to take a picture of both of them together just to prove I did actually make this TWICE! Haha!

Christmas blocks for miles!

If I had put the second quilt aside for a few weeks I know I would have dreaded going back to it. Get it done now! These quilts measure 56" by 66". They will be perfect at the foot of matching twin beds or as lap quilts.

Have you ever made two matching quilts? This was a first for me!

I still need to prepare the backings, but not today. I have a few parts and pieces leftover - I plan to make a table runner with them.

And then there's the overflowing box of parts and pieces to make On Ringo Lake in Bonnie's original colors. I think I have a plan for them and it will look even less like On Ringo Lake than these two Christmas quilts.

I haven't decided what I'll work on today - I need to update my spreadsheet!

Have a great day!

On Ringo Lake -

Woohoo! I finished one of two of my On Ringo Lake Christmas quilts. The second quilt is ready for it's last two borders - hopefully I'll make progress on them today.

As much as I gripe and groan whilst making a Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt, I am always happy with the outcome - especially this one where I put it together my own way. The border turned out fun, didn't it?

Enjoy your Memorial Day!

A Pillow Project

Stick with me...this is a long story. Last year I saw this adorable pillow available from the Magnolia shop - yes, Joanna Gaines of Fixer Upper - THAT Magnolia. I love the pattern and I love the different colored ball fringe. A couple of days later I tried to order one and it was sold out. Never came back in stock. 

I'm planning to decorate the remodeled lake house in pale gray, navy, and white. The pillow above is black and white, but would have worked. Maybe I can make one??????

I happened upon a used copy of this older John Flynn book while I was in Paducah last month. Hmmm, maybe the basis of a paper pieced pillow? I bought some cotton twill (heavier than quilting cotton) in navy and white and took it to retreat along with the patterns from the book I had copied on my printer.

This is what I have so far.  I plan to add a white center circle and have it monogrammed. I'll add a outer ring of navy. The back side of the pillow will be navy and yes, I'll add a ball fringe around the perimeter.

Now I also saw this quilt, Blue Bull's Eye by Becky Goldsmith, at Paducah. The center of this would make a fantastic round pillow! 

I looked up the pattern when I came home - Becky Goldsmith has a new book coming out with the pattern, but not until October. Until then, I think my pillow will be just fine. I'll keep you posted on my progress.

I've sewn some on the borders for my Christmas On Ringo Lake quilts - slowly but surely. Hope to have these tops finished soon.

Alberto is headed our way so we'll have lots of rain this week; lots of sewing should happen!

Have a great day!

Arcs!

I'm making progress on the arc appliqué for Bring Me Flowers! I'm officially past the halfway mark. I had a fabulous day yesterday of hand stitching these and then I stitched more last night. 

Today I need to do some machine stitching - just a bit. And I'd like to get on those borders for my Christmas On Ringo Lake quilts. And we may run up to the lake to check on the progress there. Sounds like a busy day, but I slept late this morning so I'm ready to hit the ground running!

Enjoy your day!

Back From Retreat

Man, am I tired!!!! But retreat was so much fun, as usual! I can't believe this is the only picture I took of my hard work there. Oh well...I'll share a better picture when I finish the quilt(s). Yes, this is my version of On Ringo Lake in Christmas colors. I didn't set it on point - and I added plain sashing, saving the pieced sashing pieces for the border. My friends helped me with the border - one friend especially - thanks, Ann! We are calling the red units in the border 'baubles'. I decided to make TWO Christmas quilts from all these blocks. They will be cute at the foot of the twin beds at the lake house.

I had enough blocks to make 2 quilts that have 20 blocks, along with all the borders. Unfortunately I didn't bring any of the lighter green fabric that I want to use in the border - see that little strip? But both quilts are put together, ready for the border. I also pieced all the 'baubles', so the border is ready to put together. It won't take long to finish these tops now! I plan to hire a friend to quilt them for me.

It was wonderful to have a few days of non-stop sewing to get these two quilts to this point! Of course, I still have all the parts and pieces of On Ringo Lake in Bonnie's colors...I'm not even excited about attacking them. I have a feeling that when I do pull out that box that it will end up looking NOTHING like On Ringo Lake. Haha! I do think I have a plan though.....

We stopped at a quilt shop in McDonough, GA on the way to retreat and another one in Decatur, GA on the way back. Of course, I didn't NEED anything. But I managed to find stuff to buy at both shops.   When you see something you've never seen... you'd better grab it, right? A quilter's mentality...

I'll share my purchases soon.....

Have a great day!

Why is This so Hard??? (Retreat packing)

I've been fretting about what to take to retreat later this week. I've have projects piled up on the guest bed. Every few hours I take one project out and add another in its place. Maybe it would be nice to work on this one? Or should I take that one? What about the other one?

I've never had so much dilemma over what what to take!!!!

What I've finally decided is that in order for a project to go along with me...it has to pass the 'think' test. Retreat is perfect for mindless sewing. Lots of machine piecing. You don't want to have to  think too much, right? I'll be spending 3.5 days with some of my very best friends. We'll be talking away the hours. I don't want to have to think!

So here's what has made the cut:

On Ringo Lake - both.
You may remember I made all the parts and pieces twice - one quilt in Christmas colors and one in Bonnie's colors.

Bring Me Flowers.
I'm bringing the stack of blocks that need arcs appliquéd - in case I get tired of machine sewing.

My Small World.
I've only made one block for this quilt. But I think I'll take it to relieve the endless chain piecing that On Ringo Lake will require.

In From the Cold
What is this???!!!!  I've had this quilt on my radar for quite some time. Find the free pattern HERE. Yes, it's another Christmas quilt! I'm going to have a pile of Christmas quilts in the next couple of years.... I've had a huge fat quarter pack of fabric in my stash that is perfect for this quilt. This will be another 'relieve-the-monotony-of-On-Ringo-Lake' project.

I think that will be just right!

I did something I rarely do yesterday. I watched a movie all by myself - it was the Prince Harry and Meagan Markle story. I love this pillow I spotted in the movie! Would it be pretty in blues and grays for the lake house? I have lots of pillows I want to make - thought about making pillow covers at retreat, but then I thought again - too much thinking involved!!! Haha!

Mother's Day and Random Things

I've been working more on arc appliqué for Bring Me Flowers - I've made a pretty good dent in my stack of squares.

Mickey's favorite activity? Golf cart rides around the neighborhood!

Yes, there's a 5 foot by 5 foot upholstered ottoman living in my sewing room until the lake house reno is complete. Yes, this is already a small room. But there is no where else to put it! Haha!

Fact: I'm leaving in a few days for a quilt retreat and I have so many (too many!) projects underway that I can't decide what to take with me. Yesterday I made a spreadsheet with my current projects - and no, this isn't all of them! I kept thinking of more while I was going to sleep last night... ugh....

That's okay. It's about the process - I don't need to fret. I love every single one of them!

I felt like really cooking last night! So good to feel well! 

By the way, Craftsy has a free weekend going on now. Yesterday I watched Perfect Pizzas and learned so much about making homemade pizzas. I think I'll find another class to watch today.

Happy Mother's Day to you all, whether you are a mom to kids or a mom to pets! And a special Happy Mother's Day to my mom, Melba Cheape!