Quilt Retreat

Jack and I got all packed up for our "Up North" retreat.

He was pretty excited to go even thought it was just going to be me and my SIL.

I did not take many pictures this time though

We went to Seven Sisters quilt shop and I fell in love with this pixilated map of Michigan

I bought the pattern.

I am hoping to make this for our camper.

This weekend we called the Baby Edition of our quilt retreat.

We mostly worked on baby things for my daughter and Mary's grandchildren.

I did make one crib sheet.  I have fabric for 2 more.

Do you remember all those paper pieced letters and numbers I was making?  

Well I am using them to make a baby's Milestone Mat for GB1.  

I don't want to show you the entire mat as I want it to be a surprise for my daughter at her shower next month, but here is a sneak peek.  

The mat is my own design but the letters, and numbers are from other designers 

(at Quiet Play and From Blank Pages).

I also finished sewing the lines and cutting them on a chenille blanket.  

Also, not going to show it until it is gifted next month.  

I used the Tula Pink all stars blue and green owls for the back.  It is SO adorable!

It was my birthday on Saturday (yes 7/11), I'm so lucky, LOL.  

We got all crazy and did a few snap chat pics together.

We got so busy we never even made it out for dinner either night and stayed up WAY too late!

We had a bridal shower to attend on Sunday for a niece so had to leave early.  

Which was a bummer but the shower was great!

My eldest daughter gave me the coolest gift.  It is a hand painted peacock egg (from one of her birds).

The scene is from my favorite childhood (and adult) places to go.  

We went there every weekend from April 15-October 15 from the time I was born 

until I left home for college. 

 I love Hardy Dam!  

Such fond memories of growing up on the water.  

Met my best childhood friend there.  

Got my first visit from Aunt Flo there.  

Fell in love for the for the first time there (one of many, LOL). 

 Learned all about nature there.  

Many of my best memories occurred there.  

I instilled that same love for HD in my kids but I think especially in this daughter.  

I think some of their favorite childhood memories included Hardy Dam too even though they didn't go nearly as much as I did.

As you can see there is a string to hand it.  

I need to find a small thing to hand it from.  I knew immediately what the scene was.  

I was quietly looking at it and she said, excitedly, "It's Hardy Dam!"  

I said, "I know!"  

I don't think she thought I knew where it was.  

I knew immediately.

This is a very cherished gift, so thoughtful on her part.  

~XOP~

Started On The Letters

I have finished all the numbers and am now beginning the letters.  

They take a LOT more time!  

Patterns are by Quiet Play.  It is a great alphabet!

Notice the I (heart) you ?

And the "adore" on this one.

I always seem to make quite a mess when I paper piece.

These two don't seem to mind.

In fact this was the view while I was trying to sew.

Finn loves to be where I need to cut.

Mr Handsome boy

Just look at that smooshy face.  Smoosh, smoosh, smoosh!

I hope you all enjoy some time off during the upcoming holiday (if you are in the US).

~XOP~

Helpers and More Numbers

I did a few more numbers last night.  I had BOTH boys "helping" me.

This was my view from my machine.

This one is the biggest PITA.  

He wants to be to the left of my machine, which is were I do my cutting!

This is the good boy.

He goes right to the "cat quilt" to lay down and keep me company.

I got the following numbers finished, 5, 10, and 12.

Still need to do 6-9 and the words and hearts.  

I really want to have them done before my retreat on the 9th of July so I can finish this at the retreat.  

~XOP~

A Project For Baby

I have embarked upon a new project for the upcoming grand baby.  I had bought the cutest pattern for a baby photo mat.  You know what I mean, right?  The one where it has weeks/months and you indicate the baby's age with the baby on the mat.  This is the pattern I bought.  I was going to make them for shower gifts.  I didn't know at the time that I would be having a grandchild so soon!

My daughter send me this picture asking me if I could make one like this.  Well I could, but it's not very cute now is it?  This particular one seems very poorly made too.

That's when inspiration hit me!  I have an idea for a mat that involves me paper piecing the numbers, the words "Weeks" and "Months".  I am also going to FPP some hearts.  I'm not ready to share exactly what I want to do but will share the numbers I have finished so far.  I started on them last night and sewed for a few hours.

I managed to get 1-4 and 11 done.

I am so excited to be able to use some of the great "love" fabrics I have collected.

After all the gray and white quilts I have made I have lots of gray scraps!

The pattern is by From Blank Pages.

I love her numbers and the heart is from her too.

The pattern shows them all from the same fabric, but I really love the scrappy version.

Click on the link to go to the pattern.

Finn and Cole were both trying to help me last night.

Cole is a good boy and lays on the blanket I have for cats.

Finn lays wherever he wants, usually where I am trying to work!

More to come!

~XOP~

Pattern Testing

I recently had the pleasure to pattern test for Pitchers Boutique. 

 I chose the Spartan Helmet.  

I thought I could make it into a cushion cover for my son. 

 The pattern was awesome and went together very well.  

I love to paperpiece and this pattern was an easy one.  

I finished the whole block and realized only after taking a photo that I had actually missed a piece.  

I ripped out the parts I needed to and fixed it.  

SO much happier with how it came out!

You can see in the photo on the left that the right eye is not right.  

The photo on the right has the corrected helmet.

 Yes it was a pain to rip it out but I like it so much better!

This is the front of the pillow cover after I quilted it.

I used Snow White Grunge for the background.

It has bits of green in it and it was the perfect color.

I used Spartan fabric (of course) for the back.

I put in a covered zipper too using the same fabric I made the helmet with.

Isn't that so cool?  My friend, Pam Gavin taught me how to do that!

Speaking of Spartans, I was finally able to gift the graduation quilt to one of my favorite Spartans

She loved it and is going to decorate her dorm room around it!

It always makes me so happy when my quilts are so loved!

~XOP~

WERE GOING TO BE GRANDPARENTS!!!

I have not announced it on here but our middle daughter and her husband 

will be welcoming a little boy into their home in October!!

We could NOT be any more excited to become a Gigi and Papa!

I'm not allowed to show her bump or any ultrasound pics so cat toes will have to do.

I am planning to try to make this milestone mat for the baby shower.

Also, I am also only allowed to make ONE quilt

(How cruel is that???)

So I have one planned

(for now, LOL)

May 23 was national Drinking with Chickens Day, and also my hubby's birthday.

Our eldest daughter brought a chicken over for him to celebrate with!

This guy is going to make a great papa!

~XOP~

Yard Work

 During the quarantine time we went over to the farm to help put up netting so my daughter could move her pea fowl out to the "big" pen.  

We social distanced, don't worry!  

Those posts we are trying to get the netting over are 12 foot high! 

 Quite an adventure.

 This is what my front yard looked like pre weeding and flowering

 This is the side yard next to my garage.  I ripped out ALL of the wild rose bushes and other stuff.  

I left only the Iris and Peonies.

The lillies around the apple tree are about to bloom.

I planted some annuals and you can see the Peonies in the background.

I planted some zucchini and some yellow squash and some annuals along the border.

The Peonies were beautiful when they began to bloom!

Just look at those blossoms!

 This is my wild rose bush that I left in the front garden. 

I am still trying to decide if I want to dig it out.

This particular Peony plant is just bursting with blossoms!

I couldn't resist and cut a few to bring inside.  One of my favorite flowers!

 I planted tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers in the front garden.  

Hoping we have lots of luck with them!

 What do you have in your garden?  

~XOP~