Lots of hand stitching

Happy Easter to all who celebrate!!!  I have been appliqueing hearts, again...great fun for me!

I finished the binding on this quilt, made from leftover bindings from other quilts.  

A sheet is the backing!  

I finished binding and hand quilting this quilt.  I loved doing this!

I finished the binding on this quilt, too.

A friend passed away and her daughter gave me this.  It is cross stitch on linen, and so well done!

This is the whole picture, of the 23rd psalm.  

I learned how to make zipper pouches!  I love them...fun and not a bit hard.  open wide zippered pouch: DIY tutorial - Noodlehead (noodle-head.com)  Here is the pattern!!!  Just click on the link.

I am learning how to make pineapple blocks, using a Creative Grids ruler.  I love this block!!!  Annie made this one!

This is a dark picture, but here are my centers.  So pretty, and all from reproduction fabrics.

 The lady who passed away had made these fabric leaves/petals.  There are one zillion of them in this box, all pressed and basted and ready to applique!!  AMAZING!!!  Her daughter passed things out to each quilter at the last guild meeting.  We met outside in a parking lot...and it was so much fun!

And that is what I have been up to.   I am not caught up but getting closer!

Julie

Shireley's quilts

My BIL sent me a couple of quilts that my sister had made, as her illness progressed.  This is a paper pieced cardinal that she made.  

And this is the whole wall hanging.  You can see that this must have been an early quilt for her, but along in her illness, too. She loved to sew, and told me to sew, sew, sew, while I am still able too. Sage advice!

I made this for her, and it was sent back to me.  She loved hummingbirds.  It is faded and has been well loved.  

Shireley made this quilt.  Paper pieced.  I am glad to have some of her work.  

You cannot see this, but this is a little quilt I sent to her...hand quilted hummingbirds.  I wish you could see it...I believe is is pre blog work from me.

 And I made some more hats!  More and more...it is fun to make a "garment!"

Just documenting the days...and you have a great day yourself!

Julie

Jared takes a wife: A Bonnie Hunter Quiltville quilt!

Good morning to you!!  I have been working on these blocks, thirty in all, when they are all completed.  This pattern is found here:  Quiltville's Quips & Snips!!: Jared Takes A Wife!   Just click on the word to get to the post.  I have all the purple pieces pieced.  Say: purple pieces pieced,  five times fast, LOL! It is a tongue twister!   Now, I am busy on the green sections.  This quilt has been cut out for a number of years; time to get it made and on to the new owner!

I do not have any of that terrific yellow that Bonnie used for the sashing...oh, poor me.  I may have to go FABRIC SHOPPING!!!  Hahaha!  

I have been melancholy and dysphoric since my sister passed away (died).  I found myself shying away from even typing the word dying...it is so abhorrent to me, to associate it with her.    I miss her so much.  Of all of us, she was the home body, loving to cook and keep house and sew and still have a wonderful career, too. She was the historian and the memories of the family.  I miss her so very much.  The above scrappy bear paw was used by her daily, for years.  I made it for her in 2010 (according to the label on the back of the quilt), which reads: 

 "May 2010:  For Shireley, with much love.  I hope you feel a hug each time you snuggle with this quilt.  Hand quilted, from my heart to yours, Julie"

I am very glad I dated and labeled it.  I am glad, that she had it all through her nursing home time.  I am kind of glad her husband returned it to me, but kind of sad too...I am not sure what to do with it.  It will always be hers, so I will just display it and not use it, I guess.  It is special to me.  Just too, too sad.  

 So guess what?  After our snow event, with deadly temps in the zero range?  I thought we had lost our outdoor kitties!! But here is the moustache cat, showing back up for supper!!  She is a feral cat...coax as I might, she will never let me pet her or touch her.  But...she survived the cold temps!  Hurrah!!  She is missing a tiny bit of left ear tip, now.  Frozen?  maybe. She has a perfect moustache of fur, if you can see.

Next time, I will show you the little quilts my BIL sent me that my sister made. A few pictures, too...but mostly everything is being tossed, because he has decided to move into assisted living, and sell the house they lived in.  So everything will be gone, as he only will have room for the essentials.  Not sure why he is doing this, as he is a big guy and independent in all ways...I don't know why.

***********************Heathy habits**********************************

So far we have been:

1.  strengthening those abs, to support our backs!

2.  Drinking our water.

3.  Taking our vitamins

4.  Adding a walk to our days

5. Some simple exercises, every day, every day, every day!

6.  Healthy eating.

How about this for a healthy habit?  I want you to take a good look at your medications.  I want you to know them inside and out.  PLEASE do not depend on a doctor to prescribe things for you and take them blindly!  Know what they are, what drug class they are, what they do, what are the side effects to look for, and what you need to do to monitor yourself.  Example:  blood pressure meds:  You need to be measuring your blood pressure before and after the drugs, to see how they are working.  I cannot tell you how many people come to the hospital and don't know what meds they are taking.  "I just take what the doctor says," or "my wife just gives me some pills every day."  Or "I take a blue one and a yellow one."  Makes it tough to make a med list for the doctor to continue meds, or make treatment decisions. 

*****************************1930's******************************

I am continuing my reading about the 1930's era.  What a horrifying, fascinating time!!   I read in terrible fascination about what the people did to survive, and it was awful.  I am finished with "The Grapes of Wrath", and am now reading "The Worst Hard Time."  Thank you to everyone who recommended books to me.  

What are some foods that were made out of practically nothing, in the 1930's? 

 I have one...biscuits!  Lard and salt and flour and maybe some leavening...that was it!!  Anyone still make those??  Please share what foods made by your family, that came from the era....I know we all know some hard times, hard scrabble food!!

Have a great day, each of you!

Julie

Farmhouse Sampler progress

Good morning to you! I am off to work in a few moments, but wanted to show you my Farmhouse Sampler, that Karen and I worked on last year.  The applique is finished now, and I am sewing the quilt together.  In the original pattern, there are no sashing pieces, but you know me...I like to make quilts that are a  little bit different and original.  So here is my progress so far.

Fun blocks!  

A lovely lady at work is from Calcutta, India.  She wanted to give me some clothing to put in quilts.  Don't you think those elephants are so fun?  

Here is what she gave me.

Lovely detail on the cuffs of this long top.

 This is a sari.  Is that spelled correctly?  Anyway, it is large rectangle of hemmed cloth, designed to be draped into a beautiful dress. I just love it!  She has many silk ones that she would like to give away, as well.  

This is an example of what she looks like in her saris.  She draped me in one, and I felt like a princess!!!  Love it, and thank you, Manisha!!

Julie

Plaids for hand stitching day!

Good morning, everyone!  I am working on strings.  I hand appliqued hearts,  on hearts,  on muslin, and here we are.  

And this is my progress so far.  I have more strings pieced together and I am enjoying that, as I have been saving (hoarding) those precious strings for far too long. Time is a wastin'!  As Daddy used to say.

On we go!  I am linking To Kathy, here:    Kathy's Quilts: March Slow Sunday Stitching

I hope each of you have a lovely day!

Julie
 

A finished top, and almost finished on another one!

Good morning, everyone!!!  I am off work today.  My husband told me he can certainly tell when I am home, because a lot gets done...that made me happy. Pretty high praise, I would say!   Above is my finished "Forgotten" quilt top.  I considered all kinds of fancy borders, but the pink won out.  Sometimes simply done is best. 

Flat?  What is that...is a quilt top supposed to be flat?  LOL!!  I made these blocks long, long ago, pre blog, when I did not know about 1/4 inch seam allowances and such silly details as that.  I am glad I know now!!  It is bordered in pink, and I love it, and will hand quilt it.  There is not a machine quilter in the world who would touch it, LOL!!!  I am delighted in this quilt!!!

I am edging ever closer, putting the mystery quilt together from Quiltville. I am not caught up to the fast sewists, who had theirs together in a week!  

 The center is together,  I am pondering borders, and think those outside stars must be finished, so I will cut scraps for that.  It will be a big quilt for someone, I hope!!!  I have loved making this quilt!

I made a home made soup yesterday, and it was yummy!!!  

I have a number of these plastic containers.  Rice comes in them, and they are study and worthy of using for something.  I am thinking I will make homeless gifts from them?  Socks, and Band-Aids, and Annie suggested maybe toiletries.  Any thoughts of what to put into the containers??  I have now 14 of them (just recounted).  The lids screw on and are water tight.  Any other ideas for them??

Thank you, everyone for your sweet support on my news of my sister's passing.  I am just sad, and when my sis was sad, she sewed up a storm.  So that is what I am doing, keeping busy.  I appreciate you!

Julie

End of month applique update, and my monthly mini for February!!

Good morning, everyone!  February is in the rear view mirror, and here we are at March.  This year is flying by, in my opinion!!  Above is my applique block for Mrs. Lincoln's Sampler quilt, that I am making along with Cathy.  Cathy blogs here:  Big Lake Quilter: February Month End (wwwbiglakequilter.blogspot.com)  She is an amazing applique artist!!

Here is my pieced block for this month, too.  

I made this mini quilt for February.  This one was made of leftovers (the center portion).  The little flying geese were fun!! I really like this little quilt pattern, and have made three and given them away, so I made this one for me.   Please see Wendy, at the Constant Quilter, for more mini quilts! (our leader)

Is there anything better than plaids...and scraps....and hearts?  Oh be still MY heart!!!  I am making some quilted hearts, because it was February, and because I love them, and because my string quilt needs some hearts included in there.  

 I made more of these blocks...unsure of what they will become, but I like making them!!!

**************************A personal note*****************************

My dear sissie passed away 2-28-21 of Parkinsonian Dementia.  She had this 14 years...a lot of her life.  She was a brilliant woman, living on a farm, raised two lovely girls, and working as chief book keeper at our local bank.  As the chief repository of family history, she will be sorely missed, as well as for her sweet heart.   She was a seamstress, and quilter, and a wonderful cook.  My heart hurts a lot, and I know she is now at peace, free from the suffering she has endured for so long.  

***************************************************************************

Julie

Scraps are simply the best!

Good morning!!!  The birds are singing, here, and I am playing with scraps.  These are made from 1 1/2 inch wide strips.  So the finished block is two inches.  Pretty tiny, and pretty fun to make!  Five seams make the block.  The little connector pieces of the block are 1 inch to start.  So if you have a 6 inch strip by 1 1/2 inches...you have cut the colored pieces out with an inch to spare.  

I pull this bin out and make some occasionally.  There are a LOT in there!  Someday, I will have enough to make a quilt.  

 I am working on my plaid string quilt, too.  I make a strata, like this, and then sub-cut and trim to make my blocks. I am going scrappy and using up every single string, wide or narrow, so anything goes!

Hope you are having a really good day today!

Julie

Log Cabin Lunatics!!! Ready to finish it up???

My last round was 8 1/2 inch x 1 1/2 inch strips of pale strips, and then the same size colored strips with the red 1 1/2 inch squares attached.  

 I am sewing all my blocks together today!!  Hurrah!!  

Coincidentally, I (Julie) Julierose, and Quiltdiva Julie are all making this quilt!!!  Three Julies!  Are you also sewing along?  

Please see Quilt diva Julie HERE:  Me and My Quilts - Exploring the Possibilities: Project Updates (quiltdivajulie.blogspot.com)

Please see Julierose HERE:  julierosequilts: A FUNKIFIED FLIMSY--FINALLY

 Please see Cathy's quilt, HERE:  https://saneandcrazy.blogspot.com/2021/02/log-cabin-lunacy.html

Please see Caryl's quilt here!!!!  cinnamon holiday workshop: To-Do Tuesday #51 and Log Cabin Loonies (carylquilts.blogspot.com)

Have a lovely day, each of you...it is certainly wonderful here, with heat and water and everything!  WOW!!!  I am so filled with gratitude, after a few days of cold and dark!!

Julie

Hand quilting by candle and flashlight illumination! Hat update too!

Good morning, everyone!!  I am grateful for heat!! We are having rolling blackouts, here in Texas, which means we have 20 hours of dark and cold, and 4 hours of heat, if history serves me (this has happened twice now).   Many of my friends have had no heat since Sunday night.  Whoop whoop for the heat!!!  I wanted to stay productive in the darkness, so I layered this little quilt up, and have been hand quilting it, stitch in the ditch.  I have made very good progress, using my bright candle and a little flashlight.  My stitches are pretty good, surprisingly!

Here is the fabric I used on the back, and my label in place.  The binding is on, too and is waiting for hand stitching.   Great fun!!!

 ********************THE HAT PROJECT!!!!!!!!!********************

I continue to make nursing hats, and this is one of the latest ones.  I wanted to give you all an update!

TADA!!!!!!!!!!!!  Together, we have made 413 nursing hats!!  

I just want to thank you, each of you,  from our hearts to yours, for all of your efforts and love.  Some made hats, some made bags, some made masks for all of us in healthcare.  You are appreciated and loved!!!!!!!  I see your hats every single day, running around on someone's head, and your bags are used every single day.  THANK YOU!!!!! for your generosity of heart!

Have a lovely day: I am off to do all I can while the power is on.  I just pray for the 3 million people in the cold and dark, that their power is restored quickly!!

Julie

Cold!

 Hi everyone, May I ask for prayers for some warmth?  It is very cold in my house.  No electricity means no heat. It is 5 degrees outside.   I am burning old branches in the fireplace and hand quilting by firelight!!!!  May all effected by the power outage be warm soon!

And the forgotten quilt is a top!

And this little forlorn, forgotten quilt is now sewn together, into a quilt top!!  The pink is to add a pop of, well, pink!  LOL!

This quilt will never, ever lie flat.  My sashing, which I just made, is flat, but those blocks I made in the distant past?  Are all different sizes.  No consistent seam allowance, at all.  Does that put me off?  Not in the least, LOL!  I just love it!!  Lots of joy, here.  I am grateful I found it, and I am grateful that my skills are better now than then...grateful for a quarter inch sewing foot on my machine!  Grateful that I have improved on my quilting skills, at least a little bit.  Grateful for those tiny little bits of colorful fabric!!

I am so close on the mystery quilt, too.  This is the third sashing I have made...and this is it, I am telling you, for I am not making another set of sashings!  

All these mystery quilts look so different, depending on fabric placement.  I love them all!!

My favorite block, sewn into the Mrs. Lincoln's sampler quilt.

 Here is some primitive applique, all prepped to sew.  

So that is it for now, all!!!

I wish each of you a lovely day, full of productivity or rest, work or play...just hope it is good for you! Sometimes I think we just have to make up our minds that it is good, no matter what!

Julie