WIP With Friends

I have a few things to share with you.  

I made most of these over the weekend. 

 They will be added to the center of the traveling quilt that I currently have.  

The theme is "garden".

First up were these adorable mushrooms.  

I think that I am going to need some "filler" in-between the animals I want to make 

and these are about 4.5" tall.  

This pattern is by Stitching Notes and can be found here.

The next thing I did was this flower.  It is called Wild Carrot and is by Violet Craft.

The last one I managed to finish was this fairy and it is by the Tartan Kiwi.  

I didn't think this one would be as difficult as it ended up being.  

The fairy "bits" were not colored in or notated in any way 

on the paper pieced portion of the pattern at all.  

I had to look at the colored drawing and try to figure it out myself 

then remember where to put that on the actual pattern.  

I had the head all sewn until I realized I forgot to do the neck in flesh color and, of course, those pieces were two of the first ones! 

I had to rip it all out and re-sew it.  

I wish she had given her hair too. 

 I guess I might have been able to alter the pattern but there was NO WAY I was going to rip that part out one more time! 

 This was my first time using a FPP pattern from her so I don't have experience to know if all her patterns are uncolored. 

 It is so much easier if the background or the object are somehow distinguished from each other!!!

I still need to make one more flower and 2 more blocks then figure out how to put them all together.

What are you working on?

Linking up with Sew Fresh Quilts 

and 

You should like your work up here!

~XOP~

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Sewing With Cats

Before I talk about sewing with my cats I wanted to let you all know why 

I have not been responding to comments.  

I am reading them all but blogger is not sending me the comments. 

 I am working on resolving the issue but apparently I am not the only one experiencing this.  

I'm not sure why they changed this but it has been a pain.  I

 have tried all the suggested "fixes" but they have not fixed my issues, 

so just know that I am reading then and working on trying to fix this.

OK, on to sewing with cats.  

Over the weekend I was working on the pieces I wanted to make for the traveling quilt center.  

I have Paula's and her theme is "garden".  

I'll talk about that in another post.  

All of the pieces I wanted to make are paper pieced, 

so that requires a lot of concentration on my part.  

Cats on my sewing table, especially butted right up against my machine are not super helpful!

Cole usually behaves (when he isn't knocking things off the table) and lays on the "cat quilt". 

 I put this rag quilt on the table for Autumn and she would go and lay on it.  

Cole usually does the same.

Finny on the other hand can be seen helpfully holding down the flower I was trying to work on.  

Yes, Finny, we see you little catitude peeking through.

Then it begins.  Finn decides he wants to be by both me and Cole at the same time. 

 So he goes between Cole and my sewing machine.

After that the bathing/wrestling begins.

Finally everyone settles in.

Of course with Finn, it's in the most unhelpful position ever.  Can you see where my presser foot is?

You can see here that as I was feeding paper and fabric through my machine, 

it was hitting a "cat wall".  

Everything came out with cat hair on it.  Luckily it is easy enough to remove.

I think he got tired of me pushing him and he moved to another part of my sewing table.  

Of course right on the fabric I needed to make my fairy!

If you have a moment you may want to watch this video that shows 

my sewing situation of the weekend.  

I did manage to get a few pieces sewn.  

When hubby is home it's easier as Finn is usually with him wherever he is in the house.

How was your weekend?

Did you get any sewing done?

I have tons of yard work I really should be doing but, too much to sew!

~XOP~

Adopt Don't Shop

Yesterday marked the one year mark of adding Finn and Cole to our family. 

 Remember these little babies?

They have grown quite a bit into handsome young men.  I can't imagine our lives without them.

This photo sums up how I feel.

We adopted them from the Friends of Michigan Animals Rescue in Belleville.  

The facility is amazing and they are always seeking homes for their cats and kittens. 

 If we weren't planning on traveling I would adopt at least one more, preferable a senior, 

but maybe upon our return.  

All you need is love and a cat!

Have a good weekend my friends.

~XOP~

Fri-YAY!

I am SO happy it is Friday (Fri-YAY!). 

It's been a long week back to work after all that enforced time off. 

 I tried to get a few things done while home but there is always more to do, right?  

I used my Binding Buddy (you can get one here) to spool my binding on.  

I made the binding for the first wedding quilt. 

 I LOVE the Binding Buddy.  

No more binding dragging on the ground getting covered in cat hair or threads!  

WOO HOO

Just slip one end in the crack, and twist using the head to spool the binding on the spool.

When ready to use, put her on a vertical spool pin and sew on your binding.

It will un-spool as you sew.  

So COOL!

I'm participating in a Tula Granny Square challenge group. 

 Each month we are given a challenge.  

The center (or baby) of the block was given to each of us by the organizer.  

Then each month she issues us a challenge.  

You are only allowed to use Tula fabric or solids.  

This month the challenge was to use pink in the block.  

Finn was "helping".

He is DYING with my husband out of the country, for attention!

He is adorable but it sure makes it difficult to sew!

Here is my block.  

Baby is from Nest, Mama is from Slow and Steady and Grandma is from Nest.

Pink was my background.

I have the weekend to myself and I can't wait!  

I do have a bridal shower to go to tomorrow and a visit at the funeral home tonight.  

My plan is to make some dish towels tonight, for the shower tomorrow. 

 I also have another gift.  Then, to work on the components for Paula's traveling quilt center. 

 I am excited to begin that.  

What are you up to this weekend?  

~XOP~

Halloween Blocks Are Finished

I am making a couple of Halloween blocks for a friend.   

 It is a swap of sorts.  

I decided to make blocks that I liked when I made my Halloweding quilt.

First up is this cat block by Artisana.  

I love this block!

The other one I made is this haunted house.  It was fun choosing who or what to put in the windows.

Also, I love the board like fabric I found for the house.  

Tonight I need to make some binding for the wedding quilt.

This weekend I plan on working on the traveling quilt for Paula.

~XOP~

WIPs With Friends

I wonder if anyone noticed that I was absent for the past week?  

I had Shingles!  I had it on my face! 

 I am pretty much over it now but my hair still hurts

near the side of my face that the Shingles was on.

I did manage to do some sewing while I was off work 

(since it is cause by the same virus that can cause Chicken Pox, while I had blisters 

I had to stay home from work).

I had Finny keeping me company for the first few days when I really didn't feel well.

I finished up the pattern testing for the atom for Quiltgenius.

 It was a LOT of work but I am very happy with how it turned out!  

I will show you in stages how I put this together.

Isn't this so cool!!  

All of the pattern testing is supposed to be completed this weekend and I suspect Mary will have the pattern available for purchase shortly after that.

My garden was in full bloom.  

Peony season lasts for about a blink but I sure did enjoy it while it was here!

My roses are blooming also.  What glorious colors!

I was also able to get my tomatoes and peppers planted in my front yard.

I made some refrigerator sun pickles (dill) too this week.

The biggest project I finished was this gigantic quilt top for a wedding this year. 

 I LOVE it.  

It was really difficult to get a good photo of it in the shade of my backyard.  

The first photo is truer to the real colors. 

 Grays, blue grays and white. 

 Off it will go to my quilter next week.  

I got the back pieced too (with the hand embroidered label)

 but I can't show you that just yet, not until it's gifted. 

 I have 2 wedding quilts to make for 2018 and I don't want to spoil it for the couple getting this one!

The pattern is called Newport Fantasy if you want to make one too!!!

I did manage to clean out my dresser and part of my closet and got rid of some clothes.  

This week my hubby is out of town so my goal is to finish a Halloween block for a commitment, start on Paula's traveling quilt additions, 

and go through the three boxes I still have to go through from my dad's house. 

 I somehow managed to pull a muscle in my back so sitting for long periods of time hurts!  

We will see how far I actually get with all of these aspiration!

Linking up with Sew Fresh Quilts.  

Now it is your turn to link up here with what you are working on!

~XOP~

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