Lots of baby quilts

Recently I was on a kick to make baby quilts using Elizabeth Hartman's animal patterns.  They are so cute and her instructions are great.  I won't say they are easy but if you read, read, and read again before you cut and sew you'll do fine with them.  They are not paper pieced, which is amazing.

Here are a few I've made recently.

The giraffe will be going to a safari themed nursery.  The baby shower is today.  They requested a book, new or used, be given in place of cards.  I was excited to pick out a vintage Golden Book from my collection, Noah's Ark, to go with the quilt as the gift.

Did a free quilting design (Urban Elementz) of lizards on these two.  Loved how it turned out.

Practiced circles on my Quilt EZ computer on the Elephant.

I've made several of her animal patterns before and love them all.  This set was in a booklet that was safari themed.  I still want to make a few more.  Such great, simple, baby quilt gift ideas. Want to do the Lion next.  It's awesome!

The sunflower mini was one I did from a free pattern from Sugar Free Quilts, in support of the Ukrainians under attack.  Pray for Ukraine! The original pattern called for 3 1/2" squares. I cut them at 1 1/2" for a smaller version.

Easy Brick Quilt

 I get requests for this pattern all the time.  Since I'm discontinuing my other website, thought I'd put it here.

Easy Brick Throw/Baby quilt

4” x 8” Brick Throw Size Quilt (finished quilt is 40”x52”)

 

Supplies:

Sewing machine, needles, scissors, rotary cutter, cutting mat, at least a 8 ½” quilting ruler, thread, seam ripper (all the normal quilt making supplies)

 

Fabric (for top only):

¾ yard of white or background

~2 yards of assorted colored/printed scraps in pieces at least 4.5” by 8.5” (see suggestions below)

 

Backing fabric:

About 3 yards

 

Binding fabric:

About ½ yard for 2” finished binding

 

Cutting:

Cut 19 pieces of white 4.5” by 8.5”

Cut 40 assorted colored or printed scraps 4.5” by 8.5”

Cut 4 pieces of white 4.5” by 4.5”

Cut 8 pieces of assorted colored or printed scraps 4.5” by 4.5”

 

Sewing:

Sew together in horizontal rows placing the white as shown in the picture.

 

Suggestions:

I’d recommend using at least 10 different fabrics for the colored blocks.  You can use scraps, layer cakes (10” squares), fat quarters, or fat eighths.  A fat eighth will make (4) 4.5” X 8.5” blocks.  If you don’t have scraps and want to use fat eighths for the colored fabric, get at least 11.  Many quilt shops will cut fat quarters or fat eighths for customers.

New Scrap Quilt

 I just wasn't into the blue/green quilt I had started so I put it away for a while.  I saw a free pattern from All People Quilt and really loved it.  It is so quick.  I had a box of solid scraps and I dug out anything and everything that could even remotely be called low volume. These blocks are cut at 5" and the small solids are cut at 1 and 3/4".  I decided to make this one 90 x 103.5, with the longest part to be the width on our king size bed. What a nice summery, vintage looking quilt.  The 90" in vertical length will fit nicely behind the footboard.  Can't wait to get it done, hopefully tomorrow, then get it on the quilting machine.  Eleven of the rows finished in this pic.

The hair is still growing and getting curlier by the day.  I've decided I must have 3a type curls. I've been reading and researching a lot on how to grow out my hair, embrace the curls, and get them the healthiest I can.  I just wish I"d known how to do these about 20 years ago.

It's a lot longer than it looks.  The curliness gives it shrinkage of maybe 2-3 inches so far.  It's almost long enough to do some small twists and braids. I say three more months and I'll have a big, bushy pony tail.

My grandson still says he likes it better short, but I know kids. They don't like change in the ones they love. They will get used it, just like the hubby.  He thinks I need a "style," ha, I told him a grow out with my hair is a style, just not one anyone really wants. I've not had any bad hair days so bad that I wanted to cut it.  A few, I thought I should wear a hat, but I still don't want to cut it until I can see what it will look like shoulder length and curly.

On a sad note, my 51 year old cousin died last week of complications from Covid. She had other health issues.  So sad. She leaves behind a husband, and two daughters ages 21 and 25. Please, please, please get your vaccine. I know many people are afraid of the vaccine, and they tell me of all these bad things that can happen from it.  My response is usually, how many people do you personally know who died of taking the vaccine?  How many people do you personally know who died of covid without a vaccine?  Which number is greater?  My numbers are 0 and 5. It does save lives. 

My prayers are with the Ukrainians as their country is being invaded by Russia.  I traveled to Russia 12 times in my career. It is so sad a country as large as Russia wants to takeover, by force, the Ukraine. I don't know the details and need to educate myself, but I know it is war, and in war people die, are driven from their homes, and other horrible things. Our world needs Jesus, and the peace he brings. 

Fishing Trip, hair, reading, kids......

 The hubby is on a fishing trip to Florida for the next few days.  I'll miss him but I also enjoy the alone time.  Usually I do a project while he is gone, but I am not that into projects right now.  I am wanting to concentrate on getting in some good runs. I've been running way too much in the house. I mean, it works, gets my heart rate up, and I don't have to get out in the cold, but it is easier and I worry I am not really getting the same workout as outside, so I've tried to do longer ones inside. Did a nice 6.3 recently in honor of my 63rd birthday tomorrow.

 I also would love to finish a quilt while he is gone, although that is probably unlikely to happen.  I kept the kids last night and we had a great time.  We play chase around the house, build legos, watch youtube videos of lots of things, eat, and just enjoy the time together.  There is always some shenanigans going on!

They love pesto pasta, and both had second helpings! It is so good and really easy to make.

Not sure if I put it out here, but I am growing my hair out long (longer) after having it in a very short style for about 17 years.  Yep, at age 63, think I will try to have some long curly, grey hair.  Those curls are CRAZY.

And on this side, I have a big fuzzy patch.  Just fuzz, no curls. Oh well.

Been learning how to use clips and headbands to keep it under a bit of control. Somedays it looks pretty good.  Others, not so much.

And I'll just throw this one out there.......age 40 and age 63. Two good hair days....lol.

For the first time in about 15 years, I finally won the bet.....almost every year I've told the hubby I was going to grow it out, and he would say "bet you $5 you can't do it" and until this year, I never could do it.

I don't know how long I'll let it grow.... but for now it's my current project.  :)

I'm also "reading" a great historical book right now.  It is a biography of Churchill.  He was an amazing leader, with passion, intellect, multiple interests including painting, butterflies, science, etc. It is an audible book (50 hours!!) and I'm sure I wouldn't have been able to stick with it if I were turning pages.  But, honestly, I listen to it all the time -- while sewing, running, driving, cooking...

I love to read true stories of bravery, overcoming great odds, anything historical.  If you can stick with this one it is truly a great book.

2022 is Here

 Wow, 2022....I remember well the turn of the new century in 2000.  Y2K, they called it.  There were fears of computers crashing, the electric grid having problems, and other such things.  People actually filled up buckets of water in their homes in case the water supply got messed up....I may, or may not have been one of those.  :)  I read the other day of when others talk about 30 years ago, some of us automatically think of the 1970's....but in reality that would be the 90's.  Time really does fly, especially when you are an adult.

So, what's going on around here in 2022?  Well, I pray the Lord holds us in his hands and gives us peace in the turmoil going on in our world.  The Covid-19 pandemic is still in full swing with the latest variant Omicron.  They are expecting it to "find everyone."  So far, we've escaped it.  Jim and I have had our shots and booster. But we realize that may not keep us from getting it, just hopefully keeping us out of the hospital if we do.

I am working on a new quilt.  Not sure of the design or even the colors, just busy making lots of tiny 4 patches. I originally wanted a quilt made from blues/teals/greens hence the color way I've started with.

But I found this pattern online that I really like, so I may end up making it more scrappy with lots of other colors.

So far my 9 patches are all in the same two colors (meaning each one), unlike the last photo, but we shall see what I end up with.  I just want to be busy making something!

I hope to do more painting of rocks this year and would love to do a canvas painting.

I"m reading the bible through again this year, using a chronological bible with some study notes.

I don't have any woodworking plans so far.  I'd like to do a short board and batten wall in my living room, but still undecided.  I may paint a book case in the kids bedroom to match the little chest and bench in there.

A couple fo big things we hope to accomplish this year is a fire pit and an epoxy floor on our car garage.

I pray the Lord uses me to share his story with others. I hope he helps me to be more kind, compassionate, and encouraging to others.

2021 is coming to a close...

 I normally do goals for the coming year.  I noticed last year I didn't but it was so busy at our home with the kids living here.  I continued quilting, a little painting, a little wood working amidst it all.  The kids moved into their own place in May but thankfully, we still got to spend quite a bit of time with the grandchildren -- our joy! Here's most of the quilts I made in 2021...

I continued listening to audible cooks via my Audible subscription and the app I use for our local library's audible collection.  Those included:

- The Shifting Fog by Kate Morton. Good.

- The Distant Hours by Kate Morton.  All of hers are good!

- The Living Room by Robert Whitlow.  Like his too.

- The Autistic Brain by Temple Grandin. A great book to gain inside into those who are Autistic or on the Autism spectrum.

- Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. 1930's book about an utopian society.  Weird.

- The Tatooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris.  True WW2 story.  Good.

- Dragonfly by Leila Meacham.  WW2 story of young talented spies.

- The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton.

- The Alice Network by Kate Quinn. Based on true network of women spies in WW2.

- Grandma Gateway's Walk by Ben Montgomery. About the first women to walk the whole appalachian trail at 67 years old in 1957.

- Partners by John Grisham.  Always like his books.

- Bleachers by John Grisham.

- Sooley by John Grisham.

- My Dear Hamilton but Stephanie Dray.  Really good historical fiction.

- The Huntress by Kate Quinn.

- The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate.

- Where the Lost Dogs Go by Susannah Charleston. This was a re-read. Sometimes I like to re-read books I've enjoyed in the past.

- Agent 355 by Marie Benedict.

- The Manatee Did it by Kay Shostask.  An author friend who grew up in the same neighborhood I did.

- The Last Christian by David Gregory. Weird.

- The Kings General by Daphne Du Maurier.

-The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave.

I enjoyed all of these books.  I'm especially fond of historical fiction, but also love mysteries, true stories, and other kinds of stories.  I absolutely love being able to listen to a book while I multi task.  I am currently reading a good one I hope to finish in a day or two by Lisa Wingate, A Month of Summer.

I didn't do much wood working in 2021.  I did the board and batting project in the back hallway which was fun, put up the faux shiplap in the grand kids room, and refinished a cabinet to store quilts.

And a little painting...

December happenings

 It's been pretty busy around here. We had lots of friends come to our church's Christmas program -- Jim sang in the choir that performed from the living Christmas tree.

Jim's twin sister, Jenny and her husband Stan drove over from Nashville to attend.

The grandkids came one night and were so excited.  Just had to get up in the tree with Papaw.

We had a charcuterie board for our Christmas dinner with Elijah, Katie, and the kids.  Everyone loved it.  It was so fun to make, my first, but won't be my last.

We had a great time visiting and opening presents....and Papaw and I had our own little photoshoot before the kids arrived.

Had a mishap when washing the Christmas quilts to put away.  The red backing faded so bad on this one!  I only had one color catcher but didn't think it would fade since I washed it last year several times.  It was bad. I soaked it for a few hours in very hot water and Dawn ultra.  It got most of the pink out. And now it looks like it did when I first got it out this year.

My hair is growing! I'm having to use headbands which the hubby doesn't really like.  It is so wild. I'm enjoying growing it out - my new project!