Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Technical difficulties.

 This is a little early, but I am posting because I am frustrated.  This block is for our ongoing project, "Dearest Boy."  I made the hexagon blocks EXACTLY the size of the pattern provided.
 This is the pattern page.  The four hexie blocks are supposed to fit within the block size, as pictured in the pattern.
 This is the pattern page.  I made the hexies EXACTLY the size of the pattern...hope you can see my yellowish hexie...the right size.

BUT the hexie block just won't FIT IN THE 10.5 INCH BLOCK, which is EXACTLY the right size!!!



Here is one block.  I guess I will just try to make something out of just one of them, in the square.




Does anyone have any suggestions of how this went wrong?




Thanks for listening...but these have taken me a long time and I will not have time to make another block by the date it is due...grrrrr!!





Julie

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

This one is not on the list...but I love it!!

Slowly, this quilt is coming together.  I am using orphan blocks, some newly made blocks, and imagination...and a picture from Randy's blog.

I try and post when I have made some progress...a lot of years ago, we wanted to know about process...so that is why I post not only finishes, but along the sewing road as well.


www.barristersblock.blogspot.com



I am trying to work on it in between cleaning, holiday preparations and cooking...and the ever present laundry.

This has made me realize just how many orphan blocks I have...so I gathered them all up, separated them by size...and off I went!!!  I am sure I have enough blocks for another quilt...just not Americana style.





I hope you have a great day, today!!!  That mystery quilt is still calling to me!!





Julie

Monday, November 26, 2018

Just a bit of wee progress

 I made this block, for my strippy, red ,white, and blue, and orphan block  quilt.  HAHA!!  That is a lot of adjectives for one quilt!
 It is true fall time here.  The leaves are falling thick and fast, and the wind whipped them almost all from our trees.  So...the above little quilt is a fun and appropriate one for this season.  My friend Lyn gave me the tiny quilt stand, years ago, and I have had so much fun and enjoyment of it!   My friend at work, Dianna, gave me the heart rock. She found it in her yard, and thought of me.  She is a sweet lady and excellent nurse!
I have made several little quilts for the seasons, for that little quilt hanger. I have a snowman one somewhere, unless I gave it away when someone said they liked it, LOL!!!





Have a great day, each of you?  Are any of you working on the Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt??  It is called Good Fortune!


Here is the first clue!!

http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2018/11/good-fortune-part-1.html





Julie

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Happy Thanksgiving!

 Just a day late and a dollar short...or five blocks short, LOL!  I have used all the pieces I had cut out, so long ago, in making these blocks.  So, it will be short work to makes another five blocks, now that I am in practice!  I am being careful to not tug on the bias edges.




 I am making blocks and using other orphan blocks to make this strip quilt.  I absolutely love it!



This is the muse...the picture that Randy shared on her blog.

Randy blogs here:

www.barristersblock.blogspot.com






****************************Nurse's Notes***********************


I work tomorrow, which is Thanksgiving in the USA.  I wish every one of you an amazing holiday and lovely time...and eat a lot of turkey for me!!  I made one today, so I have lots of leftovers!!!  What is your thanksgiving go to food...what do you love to eat on this day????  What are you thankful for?


I am so grateful for all the blessings in my life, and you are all high on my list!



HAPPY THANKSGIVING!


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


Julie

Monday, November 19, 2018

Paradise, and a chance to help

I am down to sewing the large cream colored triangles onto the blocks...it will go in a hurry, now.  These blues are so soothing, and the fabrics are my old friends.  I do not have many of these blues anymore, having been all used up in quilts over the years.  I think I have more than eighty blocks, now!!  All those bias edges...yikes!





I am sure that many of you have heard of the devastating fires in California, of late.  I heard an interview with the mayor of Paradise, California, which was over 90 percent burned to the ground.  Elderly people are living in tents in the Walmart parking lot...you get how absolutely devastating this is, and is still ongoing.  Many are reaching out to help, and at the forefront, are our beloved quilters.  Quilters are just the nicest, best people.  Below are a couple opportunities for you to help, if you can, with this hard hit community.

Lori blogs here:  

http://humblequilts.blogspot.com/2018/11/paradise-how-we-can-help.html


Lynn blogs here:


https://sewnwildoaks.blogspot.com/2018/11/stitch-paradise-back-together.html?fbclid=IwAR3r29zHPFwwAHx7R4dUSAXXYIYD8LcQew-TlcC7j2WkiPgEaFtSNwJEknI

Thank you so much for taking a look to see what we can do, together.






***********************Nurse's notes*******************************


OR HOW JULIE GOT TO BE IN THE BACK OF A COP CAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Settle in...it is a bit of a story.

I have been pretty sick with a cold/flu thing, for the last couple of weeks.  Good news is, I lost 6 pounds!  So now that I am feeling a bit better, I thought I would go get a hamburger at Kincaid's.  It was delicious!!!


On the way back, we were buzzing down the road, and there was an elderly lady, pushing a wheelchair, with a suitcase in it, and a pair of crutches, struggling along the sidewalk.   Tears were streaming down her face, and it was obvious she was struggling.  She had one of those blue soft casts on her right leg.

We went for a bit, then I hollered..."turn around!!"  We went back and I hopped out, and with my best and brightest nurse's smile...said, "Hey, can I help you?"  She just dissolved in tears...had apparently been walking back from the hospital, where she had a broken bone in her foot!  Yes, the same one she was gimping along on!!  The hospital was a long ways back...miles, in fact.

I asked her how far she had to go, and she said, not far now...past the park.  So I just got her in her wheelchair, thinking it was not far and starting pushing her and carrying her stuff.  I thought it was just a couple blocks, so thought it would be not far...our truck was full of stuff and so I could not fit everything she had in there.

BUT!!!

We went a few blocks, then she said, it is not far, went a few more blocks, me pushing the wheelchair, and dear husband following along behind, and then it was a mile or more...and then she said through the park, so off we went...long story short, it was a LONG walk, LOL!!! about two miles? I got her close to her home, and by that time, it was obvious that she didn't want me to know where exactly that she lived, and that she had even more obvious mental illness, as well as physical ailments.   She was quite dirty and ill kept, and just skinny and sad.  Talked a mile a minute, kind of word salad, as some mental patients do.


AND THEN!  she said she was fine to go the rest of the way.  I think she maybe lived in that park, in retrospect!!!

Dear husband was frantic by that point, because he didn't know where I was, pushing a wheelchair through a not-too-safe urban park...and then two cop cars showed up!!  They actually were driving through the park.  Since the lady had gone on, they offered to take me back to the truck...by the way, they were just kids!  Early twenties...don't I sound old??

So they put me in the back OF THE COP CAR!!!  Ha!!!  So now I have been in the back of a police car!!  It was weird...can't open the windows or doors...slick, no upholstery.  Just weird, I tell you!!  Such kind policemen, both of them.


He got me back to the truck, the lady was OK, and I have a story to tell.  And that is the end!!! Well not quite the end...the police helped with a social services referral for the lady, which I think was really needed.


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


Have a great day, all!!

Julie




Sunday, November 18, 2018

Slow scrappy Sunday Stitchin'!

 I have been slow stitching on this quilt, hand quilting it.  I had my doubts, but fell in love with it right when it came out of the dryer.  The applique did well in a rough cycle, wash and dry, so I love that part, since the applique is made out of strings, as well as the blocks, and I was wondering how it would fare.
 I quilted through each string, and some strings have zig zags in them.
 Yay!  The applique held up!!!  This quilt has no batting, but has three layers, being pieced on muslin under the string blocks.
I have a lovely orphan blocks, that I am working on, to make a small basket wall hanging.  PINK!  Bubble gum yummy!


I am linking to Kathy, HERE, for slow stitching!


and Cynthia, HERE for Scrappy!!!



Hope each of you has a great day,



Julie

Thursday, November 15, 2018

Dearest boy, block number next!

Here is my newest block.  This one was lots of fun to piece!  

I really don't have much of a theme going...just using scraps as I go. I guess scrappy is my theme, as is for many of my quilts.  

Please see the following quilt bloggers, who are also working on this quilt.







Cathy:  Big Lake Quilter
Julie:  Juliekquilts (me)
Carole: Wheels on the Warrandyte bus
Doreen:  Aunt Reen's Place




I wish each of you a wonderful day!!


Julie

Sunday, November 11, 2018

Forward progress!!

 I have all the centers of the blocks below sewn together.  I need to press them, then add the large triangles.  So here is my pile on the ironing board.
 These are what the finished blocks look like. They are 8 inch finished.
Before the blog, I loved quilts, even way back when.  I got this little kit at a local quilt shop, and just loved putting it together.  I had no idea why my borders did not fit, but I finished it anyway and just loved it!  LOL!  I think I could maybe do a little bit better now.  I don't think I have shown this on the blog before.  It is a fun fall time quilt.







LOG CABIN LOONIES!!!!!!!!!!



Congratulations to Mary R, at urban quilter, who won the fabrics from the last log cabin loonie post.  Just need your address and I will get your gift on the way!


Also, Kathy won a fabric gift too...I already sent yours, because I had your address in my book, already.




Have a super day, each of you!


Julie

Monday, November 5, 2018

A gift!

 Deanna, who blogs HERE:  www.weddingdressblue.wordpress.com  gifted some blocks to me...a long time ago!  She challenged me to make a quilt with all those blocks!  I am finding myself using them to make a variety of quilts...and it is so much fun!  About are her house blocks. I squared them up, and have an idea to finish this small quilt, above.  I like those arrows!!
 Deanna sent five of these blocks, and three went into this table runner.
 All these above blocks will go into my row by row vertical quilt, that Randy at www.barristersblock.blogspot.com inspired me to make.
And now for this.  I made these blocks a lot of years ago...I can tell by the calicoes and such in them.  I found enough pieces cut out to make 80 blocks...a big quilt!  So I have been sewing on it...I feel so virtuous!  A true UFO!!!  Whoop!!!


Whoop for me!!  Out loud...I dare you!!



Hugs, Julie

Sunday, November 4, 2018

Slow Sunday Stitching

  Slow stitching.  I find that I am frantically running around the house, on my days off, catching up on housework, laundry, dishes, cooking...you know the drill.

Those quiet moments, when I have something to sew on, by hand...still my brain and heart.  I find myself so much more relaxed, thinking better and more clearly.

Try it?  You will love it!

I am stitching on this circle quilt...it is a scrappy thing that I started last year, and still have many slow stitches to take, to finish it.

"A great journey starts with a single step, " or a fun quilt begins with a single stitch!

I am linking to Kathy's blog, below...so go see what slow stitching other quilters and crafters have going on.



https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/2018/11/slow-sunday-stitching.html


Julie

Hexies, rainbow quilts and plaids!

Good morning to all!!!  Above is a hexagon, for English paper piecing.  My kitten Lucky has discovered them, and decided that they are great...