Monday, March 18, 2024

Blog hop hopping on, I'm back to my normal routine

Thank you to everyone who hopped over to Wazoo to enter the contest. I hope you win something! 

I spent Funday-Sunday cleaning up the mess I generated with my sewing frenzy, and made some simple blocks for a gift quilt. I'll work on that quilt when I can, but need to get back to the customer stuff. 

I'm using a small palette of purple, orange and teal batiks.
The quilt needs least 30 blocks, so I have a way to go to finish it.

After a homemade pizza supper, I finished sewing the binding on my Twinkle quilt and snapped a couple photos. I really like it and will probably make another one that is bigger. 

As a throw on the couch. I never have quilts arranged like this. I fold them neatly at the end.

My holder was already in bed, so I laid it on the floor for the picture.
Oh my, so many 'whoopsies' in the construction!

Today, I'm off to the art group sponsored by my day guild. We'll be hearing about needle felting and having a demonstration as well as showing an art quilt to everyone that we made. I'm either taking a small wall quilt I made after a class, or my spoonbill quilt I made from my own photographs. I don't to really 'artsy' quilts, but I do like to do pictorial ones.

This little quilt hangs in my studio bathroom where I store most of my quilts. I've always liked it.

The Lovin' Spoonbills quilt is my absolute favorite of all my quilts.
Lots of applique, fabric manipulation and 3-D techniques. I loved making it, and still love looking at it. All the feathers are individual pieces of turned edge appliqué. What was I thinking?! I was possessed.

Pieces on my hand drawn pattern. I was nuts!!
I did get a couple of customer quilts done yesterday, too. They will meet their owner at guild on Thursday.

All batiks in a great block!

I used a swirly pattern for the quilting to soften the angles.

Batik back as well. I also attached the provided binding.

Cute Winnie the Pooh kid quilt.

All the Pooh characters sleeping. Panto: Funky Fans

Pieced back. I made the binding and attached it as well.












 

Sunday, March 17, 2024

Villa Rosa Blog Hop!

 Hello happy readers! I have been nose to the grindstone with preparations for the blog hop. Today is my day! I decided to make all the quilts, but had a time crunch with Covid and my trip to Arizona. I'm doing the hand sewing on the last one tonight, but need to get my post up and ready for midnight tonight. You all know I'll finish it, so stay tuned.

LEAVE YOUR EMAIL IN YOUR COMMENT!

Here is a re-cap of the patterns we were given to try. We could pick just one, but I love these little cards and wanted to try all of them.


Which one did I start with? Why, Happy St. Patrick's Day, of course!

The pattern is called Clover and uses 5" squares for easy construction.

Mine is called Shamrocks and Clover. I downloaded the shapes from Google images and made fused shamrocks and 4 leaf clover to make it a St. Patrick's special. It is quilted with the panto, Clover.

The next quilt was Gypsy. I have a huge stash, and happened to have a layer cake of Kaffe Fassett fabrics to use for the project. It went together easily and I had it on the longarm in an hour or so.

Here's Villa Rosa's version

Here are my blocks on the design wall

After moving them around a bit, I added a border to the mix.

This is my finished quilt

The panto is Stacked Snailz, by Urban Elements.

The backing is from Zen Chic, one of my favorite designers.

Next on the list seems to be the favorite so far on the hop, Ebb Tide.

The Villa Rosa quilt.
Here are my selections for my quilt. I have loads of these Aboriginal prints, and wanted to showcase them with big blocks. The patterns are so interesting, they need to be cut in big chunks.

The cutting only took minutes.

Laying them out on the design wall took a bit longer. I tried four different layouts until I chose one for the quilt.

The assembly was also a snap

The flimsy was ready to be quilted in a couple of hours.

Done and quilted.

The panto is African Samba

The panel quilt was tough for me. I don't use panels much, but I have quite a few of them. Making a selection was the hardest part!
The designer named this 31 because it was for her 31st birthday.

I had this panel I bought on one of my Panama Canal trips and thought it would be interesting. I forgot to take a photo of the fabrics for the arrows

I had to rearrange the arrows a bit to get them to fit the larger size of the panel. This photo doesn't show the accent yellow-green binding.

Panto: This way and That

I had a few extras and put them on the back!

Today, I motored through the last quilt, Twinkle. It was more time consuming and the directions skipped squaring up HSTs and the blocks. I cut off some points and missed a couple of corner match-ups, but I like the end result anyway.

I liked the colors of the VR pattern, so I scoured my stash for something similar.

I had a five inch roll of strips from a Minnick and Simpson collection that was perfect for the project. I used a white dotted fabric for the background. I made the 150 HSTs in about three hours including marking them.

Everything ready for constructing.

I took the time to do the 'twirl' with the seams before pressing. It took a long time, but they lay really flat if you do this.


Pressing, pressing, pressing! I made the block quarters, then sewed them into blocks.

I finally got it on the longarm at 4:00.

Early in the quilting.

7:15, all done and binding on.

Panto: Feather Frolic

I'm still hand sewing...

Now that you've seen the quilts, I'm sure you want to win a prize! I'm copy-pasting from Peaceful Thoughts and Needle and foot blogs because I am very tired and want to go to bed!

Each of us blogging for the Hop will choose names from those of you who leave a comment on our posts. 

LEAVE YOUR EMAIL IN YOUR COMMENT!!

  • One of you will win the pattern bundle
  • Three of you will win Sponsor Prizes
  • Three of you will be selected as entries for the Grand Prize drawing 

To register for the prizes, you need to leave a comment on the blog you are visiting. Please be sure to leave an email address so we know how to contact you if you win. Registration for the prizes closes on Sunday, March 24th. 

Here is the full schedule for the Hop, with links to the other guest bloggers each day. The more blogs you visit, the greater your chance to win! 

Thank you to Villa Rosa Designs for inviting me to take part in this fun blog hop. I think VRD patterns are a lot of fun and look forward to seeing the quilts made by the others involved in the hop. Tricia, coordinator of the hop, has lined up an incredible selection of prizes! The generosity of the sponsors of this event is amazing.

From the comments on this post, I will select names using a random number selecting app to win a prize or to be entered into the Grand Prize Drawing. One person will win a set of the blog hop pattern cards (see photo above). The other names will be sent to Villa Rosa Designs to be entered to win one of many prizes. Look at the Villa Rosa site to read about the different prizes. https://villarosaquilts.com/

If you would like to be entered in the drawing, please leave a comment on this blog, including your email.

That's it!! Please excuse any typos... Goodnight everyone!
Where to next?

Thursday, March 14
Villa Rosa Quilts — https://villarosaquilts.com/ 

Friday, March 15
Kathleen McMusings — https://kathleenmcmusing.com/
The Morning Latte — http://livelylatte.blogspot.com/
Homesewn By Us — https://www.homesewnbyus.com
Pieceful Thoughts —  https://www.piecefulthoughts.com/
C & T Publishing — https://www.ctpub.com/blog/

Saturday March 16 — National Quilting Day!
Needle and Foot —  https://needleandfoot.com/
MMM Quilts — https://www.mmmquilts.com/
Texas Quilt Gal — https://www.texasquiltgal.com/
Time 4 Stitchn — http://time4stitchn.blogspot.com/
SIY (Sew It Yourself) — https://blog.siysewityourself.com/

Sunday, March 17 — Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Quarter Inch Capers — https://quarterinchcapers.blogspot.com/
Norton House Quilting — https://www.nortonhousequilting.com/blogs/news
Quilting Gail — https://quiltinggail.com/

Wazoo! Newsbits — http://wazoonewsbits.blogspot.com/( you are here!!)

Monday, March 18
With Strings Attached — https://withstringsattached.blogspot.com/
Jaftex/Scott Fortunoff — https://scottfortunoff.com/
Cocoa Quilts — https://www.cocoaquilts.com/ 

Quilt With a View — http://quiltwithaview.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, March 19
Shout 4 Joy — https://shout4joy-shouting.blogspot.com/
The Darling Dogwood — http://thedarlingdogwood.blogspot.com/
Vicki’s Crafts and Quilting — www.knitbug2.blogspot.com
Something Rosemade — https://somethingrosemade14.blogspot.com/
Quilts of Valor Foundation — https://www.qovf.org/

Tuesday, March 19
Shout 4 Joy — https://shout4joy-shouting.blogspot.com/
The Darling Dogwood — http://thedarlingdogwood.blogspot.com/
Vicki’s Crafts and Quilting — www.knitbug2.blogspot.com
Something Rosemade — https://somethingrosemade14.blogspot.com/
Quilts of Valor Foundation — https://www.qovf.org/

Wednesday, March 20 — First Day of Spring!

Grace and Peace Quilting — https://www.graceandpeacequilting.com/
Happy Cottage Quilter — https://happycottagequilter.blogspot.com/
Joyfully Tracie — https://joyfullytracie.com/
Patchouli Moon Studio — https://patchouli-moon-studio.blogspot.com/
Electric Quilt Company — https://doyoueq.com/blog/

Thursday, March 21
Villa Rosa Quilts — villarosaquilts.com 


LEAVE YOUR EMAIL IN YOUR COMMENT!












Thursday, March 14, 2024

New Mac at Wazoo!

While I was in Arizona, my new computer came. I spent the afternoon yesterday putting in all the stuff from the old computer. For some reason, the font and font size is still wrong. Hopefully, I'll figure it out soon. 

Anyhoo, this will be the test post. I need to sew like a maniac to get the last two quilts made for my Blog post on the 17th. Be sure to check out the list of participating blogs and enter to win prizes! Here is the link for the schedule of blogs:


I had a wonderful time with my two girls, and the retirement party was a huge success. I went to a couple of quilt shops and stumbled onto one of them having a going out of business sale. I wasn't going to buy fabric this trip, but at 50% off...
I spent some big bucks there and my daughter is sending the fabric and notions to me. I'll show the spoils to you when the box comes.

Meanwhile, here are a few photos from Arizona. I didn't take many because I was having too much fun!

Huge rainstorm just ahead when driving home from the airport

My two girls. Retiree has had her nose pierced...that was a surprise.

The view from their house. Snow on the Huachuca mountains. It was cold!

Party time

Me with my grandson. He is taller than the last time I saw him. Or maybe I'm shorter...

I'm happy to be back, and will have quilty photos for you soon. 


Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Going to Arizona

My Covid has gone and I am ready for the trip to Arizona! I'm still tired, but I'm sure a long plane ride will let me relax a bit. I may not be able to sit with my daughter, who is on the same flight, but I'll live. I have plennty of puzzles to do and my phone has some no-wifi needed games loaded. This computer is dying more each day, so it will not be taking the trip. It has taken over some functionns, such as the font. Hopefully you can read this. I got the letter from Villa Rosa, and the prizes are great! Individual prizes are; three items from the hop sponsors,and one prize is a set of patterns from Villa Rosa. I will use a random number generator for these prizes. I send the names and emails to Villa Rosa, and they distribute the prizes. There will be 28 sets of these prizes, then the names go into another random number generator and the grand prize winners are chosen by the folks at Villa Rosa. The grand prizes are: A Kaffe Fassett precut collection, a $100 digital gift certificate for Hancocks of Paducah, a big mystery box of quilting goodies, and a download of Electric Quilt 8. To enter on my site on March 17th, go to the blog and leave a comment with your name annd email. There are 28 blogs, so you have 28 chances to win. I finished the third project for the hop and have two more to do before the 17th. I'm cutting it close since I get back from my trip on the 14th! Now, I have to finish packing and go to bed! Be good and I'll be back in a week.(so sad...I have a cute picture to go with my post, but the dying computer says NO) Please check out the Villa Rosa site for more information...and some prize sneek peeks. https://villarosaquilts.com

Monday, March 4, 2024

Quilting with Covid

  I'm feeling somewhat better since I began the skirmish with Covid. Mr Wazoo and I are both on Paxlovid, it  makes my mouth taste like skunk. It is nasty! My fever is gone and I am not congested, but I am really tired. The weary kind of tired. This too shall pass. 

Nobody wants to see this. It ruined my day.


Mr W also has been stricken and is coughing up a storm. No coughing for me, I am stuffed up and really fatigued. I'm hoping to be well enough to travel on Thursday. My oldest daughter is retiring from the Army and having her 50th birthday! I hope to be in Arizona (with a mask on) for the party. 

In the studio I have been working on a new and exciting project. I am making five small quilts for a blog-hop sponsored by Villa Rosa Designs. These will be the five new patterns coming out soon. There are 24 bloggers making the quilts, and the blogs will be showcasing the patterns done with the taste of each one of us. 

I have made three tops, so far, and two have been quilted. My day is March 17th, so be sure to come take a look to see what I have been busy doing. Here is what they sent to put on my blog. Plus, there are prizes! I don't exactly know what you have to do to get on the prize list, but I'm sure they will tell us soon.


Here is the list of bloggers taking part. I have been looking at the other blogs just for fun!

2024 VRD Blog Hop Schedule

Thursday, March 14
https://villarosaquilts.com/

Friday, March 15
1. Kathleen McCormick -- https://kathleenmcmusing.com/
2. Cheree H -- http://livelylatte.blogspot.com/
3. Roseanne Nelson -- https://www.homesewnbyus.com
4. Wendy Tuma -- https://www.piecefulthoughts.com/
5. C&T (Valerie) -- https://www.ctpub.com/blog/

Saturday March 16
1. Bernie Kringle -- https://needleandfoot.com/
2. Sandra Walker -- https://www.mmmquilts.com/
3. Linda -- https://www.texasquiltgal.com/
4. Debbie Huber – http://time4stitchn.blogspot.com/
5. SIY (Branyn/Jennifer) – https://blog.siysewityourself.com/

Sunday, March 17
1. Carolyn -- https://quarterinchcapers.blogspot.com/
2. Emily (Norton House) -- https://www.nortonhousequilting.com/blogs/news
3. Gail Shepperd -- https://quiltinggail.com/
4. Susan Slaton -- http://wazoonewsbits.blogspot.com/

Monday, March 18
1. Nann Hilyard -- https://withstringsattached.blogspot.com/
2. Jaftex (Jennifer) -- https://scottfortunoff.com/
3. Jan Altomare -- https://www.cocoaquilts.com/  

4. Tricia – http://quiltwithaview.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, March 19
1. Joy --
2. Emily Leachman -- http://thedarlingdogwood.blogspot.com/
3. Vicki S -- www.knitbug2.blogspot.com
4. Rose Mikulski -- https://somethingrosemade14.blogspot.com/
5. QOVF (Lexie) -- https://www.qovf.org/

Meanwhile, before I began making the quilts for the Villa Rosa hop, I repaired and quilted a real rag of a quilt! The customer brought me an old lumpy quilt whose backing was torn up and batting hanging out all over. She had made a new backing and wanted me to add batting to the numerous gaping holes and requilt it. I was uncertain my hopping foot would pass over all the thickness, but with a bit of coaxing as I went along, I did it. The original quilting was vertical lines, so I did horizontal lines using my channel lock. A trim on the sides and new binding were also on the agenda. Here is the finished quilt. The worst thing about the quilt was all the paint splatter on it! I think someone used it as a drop cloth!! Oh my!

I sure wish I had 'before' pictures. I didn't think of it...

Lots of fabrics and old hand applied patches, as well as my machine sewn lines.

I added a plaid binding. The new backing is canvas, blue jeans and a pink calico. The canvas and blue jean were tough to hand sew through for the binding.

Next was a very large customer quilt. It took a couple of days to finish, but it is very pretty.

I took a picture from this angle to get it all in. As usual, Penny just had to get in the shot.

The professional photobomber.

The fabrics featured birds, so the panto is also birds. It is named Birds on the Wind.


Soft yellow print backing.

I'll be making bindings for the finished Villa Rosa quilts and making another one tomorrow. I'm hoping to have them done before I go to Arizona. Take care and don't get Covid!!