Fresh Terrain

I finished the Fresh Terrain last night.

This was a fun project.

After the monotony of sewing, pressing, and trimming the HSTs this quilt went together easily.  

I went a little bananas on the quilting, doing loop things.

I feel like I could be better at them by now, but I'm not an artist, and freehand designs that are supposed to look like something isn't natural for me.     

Overall, I am pleased with this finish.

This summer a sweet girl, the same age as the monster, has been staying with our neighbor.(Her aunt.)  She is just completely sweet, and a great playmate for the monster.  She told me she didn't have any quilts (well, she used the word blanket, but I explained the difference).  So I am sending this quilt home with her.  She leaves the day after tomorrow, so I finished this one up just in time. 

 I hope she enjoys it, and it will always remind her of her summer in South Dakota.

Mini Michigan

My secret mini was delivered so I can share!

I made this quilt for my sister-in-law, who is a former Michigander.  It was so difficult thinking of a perfect mini, but I wanted it to be different.  I thought about it for so long it hurt my head.  Somehow I stumbled upon a Michigan quilt online, that sparked my interest.  The quilt was a wall hanging, and to get it to a mini size I figured out these little squares needed to be .75" finished.
I went back and forth thinking it was a terrible idea.  But now that it's done I think it's really great!

For the first time ever I used a white solid for a backing and I have to tell you it felt like standing naked when I finished the quilting!  Everything was visible!   

Hopefully it will be enjoyed!

I sure do love making minis!

Two Finishes And Lots Of Progress

I feel kinda behind on everything around here, but between days spent on the boat,  DIY home improvement projects, and enjoying summer, I'm still making some decent progress.

This quilt was not on my goals list for the summer, but out of the tragedy at Pulse in Orlando our online quilt group decided to put together a quilt to send to a survivor or family of a victim.  It's so hard when these terrible things happen, and it makes you wish you could help somehow.  Sending love in the form of a quilt, is what we went with.  

I hope it does provide comfort.  

As for my second finish... I can't show it yet... I'm hoping to mail it tonight or tomorrow, and I'll be able to share this week!  I think you are going to be surprised and a little shocked maybe!

I have my Fresh Terrain quilt top done!  As soon as I find my backing I am going to get this puppy basted.  I have ambitious plans for the quilting.  Wish me luck!  I'm going to need it!

Next up is my Vintage Sheet Triangle quilt.  I placed an order of solids for this project.

While I wait I think I will get my Avalon Summerville cut out. 

Summer Fun

I've been sewing,

 and garden watering, 

and boating, 

and grilling, 

and trying new things, 

and life-ing away over here. 

I'll check in soon with finished things ( I hope!)

Finished Veteran Quilt

Not a lot of sewing has been going on!  We had two sets of in-laws stop in for visits and between the holiday and visits the Juki has been sitting quiet.  

I'd been working on the binding of this quilt for some time before all of the activity, and I was able to finish it on Independence Day which seemed perfect!  

Since my husband serves on active duty I have a great appreciation for everyone that serves or has served.  I have spent hours going over the Quilts of Valor rules and trying to figure out why it's so darn complicated!  Then the Flag Quilt for Veterans Facebook group was featured and I joined.  Tons of inspiration on there! And it was so great to realize, I can just start making quilts for the vets that I know!  When I started considering this I realized I know a lot of vets!  It took me awhile to get started but I decided to go with one of the closest vets, which would be my father-in-law.  He is retired from the Navy.  I think next I will go to some of the vets on my side of the family, then I have 7 veterans on my street.... so if I get through all of those guys, I will just start taking them up to the VA hospital.  

But this quilt came together so nicely!  I am glad I went with batiks, and as nervous as they sometimes make me, I loved them in this project.  It was good exercise.  

I am going to get this gift in the mail this week.  Hopefully he will enjoy it.   

Working Lots... Uploading Pictures, Not So Much

I got a new phone recently.  I like it a lot.... but the thing I miss the most about my old phone was that it was a windows phone and INSTANTLY the pictures I took on my phone would appear on my PC.... Which meant easy peasy blogging.  Now I have to get a cord. Sit down and select files to transfer. Take care of 37 problems/questions from the guys I live with while I try to complete my transfer..... so I am going to have to adjust.  And try harder.

So not only have I missed blogging progress, but it's been A LOT of progress!!  This past week was my week off from mothering from 8-5 Monday- Friday I was ALONE.  The monster went to day camp and after I dropped him off at 7:45 each morning I was free to do whatever I wanted!  This year the Hubs even picked him up, so I didn't have to watch the clock at all! 

And I got a lot of sewing done!!

Last time I checked in I had a pile of batik strips....

I managed to get my top sewn....

 Got it quilted.....

And now it's an evening hand sewing project.  

Last night I sat out on the deck stitching for a long while.  

It should be done soon.

I finished my Unicorn!

I finished this little tiny crane mini.

And I hosted a sewing morning and taught my friend Miranda how to paper piece!

I whipped up a tote bag for a friend of ours that will start homeschooling in the fall.

 I broke open my Terrain charm packs and got everything cut for the Fresh QA our group is doing this summer. 

Speaking of summer quilt alongs!!

My friend Miranda told me about this Summer Sampler 2016 thing that she was planning to do, and I thought, aw what the heck! 

So I am also making the Summer Sampler!  

I was six blocks behind because of my traveling, but this week I caught up!

Boy catching up on samplers is MESSY!

Good thing school is out for the summer!

 But it sure is fun!

Hopefully I'll stay caught up!

And I'll check in more often!

A Long Trip & A Finished Quilt

I returned home yesterday after three and a half weeks away.

I didn't take anything with me to blog with... but I did take photos and I managed to sew a bit!

This was a fun surprise at my mom's house, my step-dad had made a ladder for the quilt collection my mom has.  It was really fun to see.  ANNNNDDDD he sent me home with a ladder too!  Once I get it assembled and loaded up I'll show you.

 He even made me a sign for mine!

I took my Retro project with me and had a little set up in my room to work. 

 I just squeezed in time here and there.  Eventually I went over to my mother in law's house and made big progress, finishing the top and getting it basted.

 I am really pleased with it, and I love the bright yellow backing!  I left it with my sister.

Later on in my trip I made a little jog over to the west side of Michigan to meet and sew with my virtual quilty friend April. 

We had a great time.  It was so fun to meet her in real life and sew with her!

Annnnnddddd  she taught me something NEW!

Ready????

This was the before pic.....

And this was the finished product!

SHE TAUGHT ME PAPER PIECING!

Can you believe it?!

Me either!

I am really excited to finish this mini quilt soon!

Then I have my next project ready to go!

Aren't these batiks fun!

I have two weeks until the summer QA begins, and I'd like to make good progress before it starts.

....But I need to start cooking again, catch up on housework and laundry, start some sort of summer school routine, take the dogs to the groomer, one dog to the vet, call the carpet cleaner, get my garden in shape, VBS is next week.....so, it might not happen. 

I just know summer will be over in a second! So I'm going to enjoy it!  Quilting can wait.