Friday, December 29, 2017

Just some miscellaneous stuff!

 This froggie is well worn and loved, and probably twenty years old. All the seams are strained...and maybe I will fix him up! I found him today and he said he wanted up on the desk...so there you go.
 More frogs, from the same time frame.  These are dish towels, also froggies!!  These are made using fabric paints.
 The whole lot of them!!  I need to use these up...
 These are the finished stockings.  Rosie (the poodle) did not get her stocking completed, so I will do that for her before next year!
 There was a visitor of one of my patients in the hospital, and she was a needlepoint lady.  We all got to talking, and she found out I was a quilter...and the next day she brought me this!  It is the start of a needlepoint pillow and the design is hand painted.  She brought needles and scissors and yarn and the canvas!  I was blown away...she said I needed to do needlepoint too!  So I am learning.  What a nice thing to do!  I brought her friend, the patient, a quilt to help her heal faster.
 My friend Lyn from Australia sent a wonderful box of goodies!!  Just a sampling above; Lyn also sent a quilt, with all kinds of small quilted pieces to attach to form a beautiful crèche.  I did not get a picture of it, dang it!  Such fun and thank you so much!
This ornament was made by Marcie, of Patchalot quilt patterns fame.  I just love it...so cute!!!  Thank you, Marcie!


I also received soap and chocolate from my friend Janet, but they are already in use and consumed, LOL!  Thank you, Janet!



I am working on that list of what quilts to work on in 2018...stay tuned!





Hugs to all!!


Julie

Thursday, December 28, 2017

Taking stock of projects for the coming year

 I am trying to figure out what I am going to focus on during this coming year. While I was rooting  around in the unfinished projects, I found the above postage stamp quilt that I began maybe two years ago.  The finished project will be 80 inches x 100 inches, and here is where I am on it.  So that is 8000 pieces, if I were counting...
I have all the one inch pieces cut out...it is a long sewing process for this one.  I was inspired by a patient's family member as she brought in her own postage stamp quilt for her mom.


I just love this quilt!  Maybe it will be one of the projects for this year!!


Julie

Monday, December 25, 2017

Christmas evening

 Poor, poor neglected Blockheads blocks!!  Only 15 blocks into this quilt along, and 39 blocks are released.  I laid them all out so I can figure out where I am, and printed out the patterns so I can get this one going!!
 This is a rail fence variation that is cooking in my wee brain...
 The blocks are 8 inches, 7.5 inch finished.  What a weird size!  Next time, I will make them 8 inch finished!  I used one inch red strips and 2 inch white and aqua strips.

Surprise!  Santa brought me a 1/4 guided foot!  I can't imagine how I did without this gadget...thank you, Santa!!!



Hope each of you had a lovely Christmas!!


Julie

Sunday, December 24, 2017

Merry Christmas!!

 A few more bow tie blocks came off the machine today.  I still have almost an entire cut out box full of pieces!!  This may take a bit...
I had a request for chocolate walnut pie.  So this is what came out of the oven.  I sure hope it tastes good!  Whipped cream will disguise a lot of evils, I am hoping, LOL!!



Merry Christmas to each of you!  I wish you peace and great joy this holiday season. Thank you for being part of my life...you are very important to me, and I am grateful for your friendship!



Julie

Thursday, December 21, 2017

As finished as it is gonna get!

This top is a wrap!  I finished the last blocks today and put the last row on.  Whoop!  I have no plans for a border, and have a scrappy binding all ready to go.  I need a lovely place to take pictures of quilts, LOL!



Happy day!!


Julie

Sunday, December 17, 2017

Just a few thoughts

 I have been working all weekend, and so have just taken a breath!!  whew...and said...what now?  Of course, I am working on the mystery quilt, and so many other UFOs...and these are a couple more.  Above are some 3 inch finished bow ties...I have a zillion more cut out, and would like to get these done and into a scrappy quilt for someone.
And above?  I was going to make the red and white quilt that so many people made last year...or was it the year before last?  When the big red and white quilt exhibit was at Houston.  I made a start, but working with just the one color kind of got to me, so I ended it here.  I am hand quilting this one at night, while DH watches the news.


Some thoughts:  I really love hand quilting.  It just soothes my soul, somehow, and yet I rarely make time for it at home. All the bustle of working and keeping house and laundry and cleaning...it just seems so important to keep it all done and up to date...and yet?  What will it matter in 50 years how clean a home I kept?  Or will it make more difference that I made some quilts, with my own hand stitches, to endure for maybe a generation or two more?  I need those stitches...really do.  So, I am going to hand quilt a bit each day, and enjoy that comfort and zen that comes from the repetitive stitches and the needle going in and out of fabric.



Have a great day, each of you!

Julie




Friday, December 15, 2017

Working on step four of the mystery quilt and some other stuff

Surprise!  I have made more than one of this plaid quilt that was in my header forever!  Here is my latest, which is not very new, actually.
 I am going to sandwich it and hand quilt this one. I am feeling some time pressure to get these quilts all completed.   I just love this pattern...see my big mistake! LOL!  It is all OK...it will sleep someone warm and cozy anyway!!  PLAIDS RULE, by the way...and I have been saving plaid strings and pieces to make more of these quilts.  The pattern is by Evelyn Sloppy.
 I am working on Bonnie Hunter's mystery quilt, and here is where I am.  All of step one done, some of step 2, 3, and 4 done...and most of all the pieces are cut out.  This is my project box...thrown away plastic bins from the hospital.  I love these for organizing pieces and parts!
 This is what the step four unit looks like....
Unless you do it like this!  WHOOPS!!!  Hahaha!!!




Have a lovely day, everyone!!!


Julie

Monday, December 11, 2017

Quiltville mystery linkup part three!



 I worked all weekend, so here is the sum total of my efforts toward part three of Bonnie Hunter's Mystery quilt, "On Ringo Lake".

http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2017/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-3.html

Please see Bonnie's part three link-up, here!!!

 But I got lots of pieces cut out, so that was good!!!

 I don't carry a purse anymore to work, really, unless it is home made string purse, but I need something to tuck in my pocket, to carry my ID and such...so I made this.
I am a little in love with it.  Strings, scraps...what could be more fun!!!!!!!!!!?  It is just big enough for my driver's license to fit.









Have a great day, everyone!!

Julie

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Scraps!

 I have been, as you may know, trying to use up all my scraps.  Here is one of my latest efforts.
These blocks are 6 inches finished, and I need five more blocks to make a fair sized quilt.




1 Corinthians 13:13


And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."






I just love this bible verse, and it seemed so right to put these affirming words in this quilt, especially with some of the mayhem going on in the world!


Maybe I need to put the Love block on the top of the quilt somewhere???




Hope each of you is having a great day!!


Julie

Sunday, December 3, 2017

Mystery quilt! Part two!

 Here is where I am, so far, on Bonnie Hunter's mystery quilt, "On Ringo Lake".  I have all of part one done, and 42 of the 200 flying geese for part two.  This is my project box for this quilt.


Please see Bonnie's post about part two, here!  Lots of quilters are joining in!!

http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2017/12/mystery-sunday-link-up-part-2.html
 So far, it looks pretty pastel...but that is fine with me!
I have been saving the corner method triangles to play with too.


Hope each of you has a great day!!


Julie

Friday, December 1, 2017

What to do with the rainbow projects!!?

 I made nine of these rainbow themed flower blocks, then did not make anymore.  I need three more for a pretty assortment, like the rainbow!
 Here is a closer look.
 OK, so here are 10 of these blocks...need two more for a little quilt!!!
 And then I have only made pink, orange and brown of these blocks...so need a lot more of these.
and one of this kind of block!!


Additionally, I am working on the birds, from the previous post...



SO!!!?  I have a lot of starts, and not a lot of finishes.  At least I have them all sorted out and sort of a plan of attack to finish some of these.  Tell me I am not the only one who does this!!!

******************************Rosie Posie Pudding Pie: a poodle story**************


Rosie, my poodle, on the last walk of the evening, got ran over by a bike, last night.  She is pretty hurt...I don't think she has internal injuries but is pretty beat up and hurts so much.  The vet gave her antibiotics and also heavy duty pain meds.  I would love your prayers and good wishes for her...she is such a darling girl and I just hate to see her in any distress.  Thank you!

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

Have a super day!!

Thursday, November 30, 2017

Last day of November!

 Good morning!  My friends Karen from the Log Cabin Quilter, and Cathy of the Big Lake Quilter are doing such a fun quilt along, with each other!  Super fun blocks are being made by each quilter, and the pattern is out of print, so I experimented this morning to see if I could come up with a block that was similar...and of course, my block is different.  This was fun, drawing my own pattern!!
 Today is the last day of November, and the color was brown or black (darks), I think...so I made these birds.  I don't know how the yellow one snuck in there!
There are all my birdies in the flock, so far. I like these guys!!!  I am doing these for the rainbow challenge at Angela's blog...please see here!


http://superscrappy.blogspot.com/2017/11/scraphappy-saturday-finishing-up-and.html




***************************Nurse's notes...code blue!***********************


My patient was not doing well all day yesterday, and coded just before I was to leave.  My heart is broken, but we saved them, and I am glad for that!  They are now on continuous dialysis and maximum life support.  I cannot stop thinking of them and praying for this patient.  Such is the life of a nurse!  I got home very, very late, and my arms hurt like crazy...I did CPR for twenty minutes.


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


Julie

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Christmas is coming...

 Just a little decor in the middle of the dining room table.
 Here is the table runner I have for Christmas...I need to make a new one!!
 Darling Marcie Patch created this pattern for everyone to enjoy some years ago, and I made a couple of these small quilts.  Love this one, Marcie!!  You can still get the free pattern; please see below.

http://patchalotmore.blogspot.com/
 This was also a quilt along some years ago, with the resulting quilt enjoyed for a long time.
 "And the greatest of these is Love!"  I love that bible verse, and I love this pretty pattern too.
 I have been wanting to make some stockings for my whole life...so I guess this year is it!  An empowering question is, "If not now, when?"  If applied to all my life...I would make good progress.
 I am making Christmas ornaments too...here are a few in progress.  This one is the Star in the East.
I made these for last year, so I guess I will give them out this year, since I did not get them done...and so it goes!!


***************************Nurse's Notes*****************
There are few things that warm a nurse's heart like a very, very ill patient who is well on the way to getting better. I had one such patient recently, snatched from the shadow of death, literally. What a blessing to see them get better!!! What an amazing miracle of God to behold...all these specialties coming together to help heal this person!! So many hard working nurses and docs and therapists worked their guts out to help...I am blessed to work with each one of you!

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

Have a super day, each of you!!



Sunday, November 26, 2017

Quiltville Mystery Quilt!

 What fun this has been!  I have been working a lot, but just HAD to stop and complete the first clue in Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville's mystery quilt; "On Ringo Lake".


Please see her post here, to find out all about the mystery, which she hosts every year.

Please see her post about step one of the mystery, here!


http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2017/11/on-ringo-lake-mystery-monday-link-up.html


Bonnie chose teals/aquas and melon colors...I took a good look at my strips and string and scraps and said...I better use up some blues!!  So I did....and had a lovely time piecing these little nine patches.
I had some strip sets left over, so I will probably make some smaller quilt from leftover pieces and parts.  I have done this a few times in the past, while sewing Bonnie's mystery quilts.

I use these bins from the hospital...they are thrown away with each heart cath, and I hate to see them go to waste, so I organize quilt projects in them.


Have a super day!


Julie

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Kitty cat tutorial!

 I made a tutorial for the kitty cat blocks I have been making.  They are fast and fun to make!! Some pieces are turned differently in the block than I have show up above...I was just showing all the pieces cut out.

Cutting instructions; please cut as follows:

Print fabric

5.5 inch x 6.5 inch rectangle (cut 1)  this is the body of the kitty
4.5 inch x 3.5 inch rectangle (cut 1)  this is the head of the kitty
1.5 inch x 9.5 inch strip (cut 1)  this is the tail of the kitty
1.5 inch x 2.5 inch strip  (cut 1)  this is the small part of the kitty's tail
1.5 inch x 1.5 inch squares (cut 2)  these are the ears of the kitty


Background Fabric

4.5 inch x 3.5 inch rectangle (cut 1)  spacer between head and tail section
9.5 inch x 1.5 inch strip (cut 2)  these are side border strips
10.5 x 1.5 inch strip (cut 1)  top border strip
4.5 inch x 1.5 inch strip (cut 1)  ear section
3.5 inch x 1.5 inch strip (cut 1) spacer connecting body and tail
1.5 inch x 1.5 inch squares (cut 7)  for connector corners



 Here is my little, very professional drawing...giggle!  Well maybe not professional, but it worked for me.
 Here are my cut out pieces. I sewed the ear print pieces to the 4.5 inch strip, using the connector corner method.  I sewed two background connector 1.5 inch squares to the head print section.  I then sewed two more of the background connector corners to the body print section, as above.  I sewed a background square to the 2.5 inch strip of print to form part of the tail.  I then sewed the two remaining background squares to the tail strip, to form the long tail.
 Then I sewed the head together, then added the spacer as above to form the top part of the kitty.  The body is also sewn together as above.
 And then here is the whole block, done!!!
Whoop!  I have two kitty cats!!  I am making twenty for this quilt.  I was thinking...I should just do what makes me happy, and what could be better for me than pink!!!  So please enjoy and make kitty cats to your hearts desire!




Thank you for your patience with my tutorial...hope you make some kitty quilts and please show me too!!




Happy Thanksgiving in advance...pie making has been on the agenda today, as I have to work a lot of the holiday...the hospital does not close!!



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...