Baby Ryan's Quilt

I was *finally* able to gift this adorable little fox quilt that I made last year.  

I loved making this for my friend, Ellen's daughter and SIL's new baby.

Pattern is called Little Fox and you can get one too right here.

The applique fox was my favorite part!  I hand stitched his whiskers on.

I hand embroidered a label for the back.  

I am liking putting then into the binding.  It kind of kills two birds with one stone, right?

I found this adorable Minky backing and had to buy it for this quilt.  

It is incredibly soft.  

My friend had never felt Minky before.  

WHAT???  

Who doesn't know what Minky is???  

Are you kidding me??  

LOL.  

I have a feeling now that she knows, her quilts will have this on the back too. 

 It is nice since it is usually 56" wide too.  

Sometimes it comes even wider.  

Amazing stuff!

 This is baby Ryan with his mom and dad and the quilt.  They really seemed to like the quilt.

It is so special to be able to gift something you made with so much love and have it be so appreciated.

I just love this sweet little family and I know my friend 

(grandma, Ellen)

 is over the moon about this little guy.

Thanks again for dinner.

We had a great time visiting and meeting baby Ryan.

Congratulations mom and dad, you did very well!  

Enjoy that baby quilt.

XOXO Auntie Pam

~XOP~

WIPs With Friends

It is time for WIPs with friends.  

As you may know I have been trying to work on some of my older WIPs and clear them out.  Currently I am working on an old Buggy Barn pattern called Crazy Baskets.  

It is probably 10 years old or more!  

I had the original 12 baskets made (like the pattern called for).  

I looked at the size of the quilt and realized that who really needs a 60 x 64" quilt??  

Not me, that's who.  

Once I put them on the design wall I decided that I liked them without sashing.  

Oh boy, that meant I needed to make more blocks.  

LOTS more blocks!

I know these photos are not very good, but it was dark when I finished the first three to add to my original 12.  

If you have never seen a Buggy Barn pattern this is how they look when you start.  

You choose three fabrics and stack up the FQ. 

 I traced the pattern on Freezer paper and then you iron it to the three FQ.  

Then you cut them apart on the lines.  

The pattern tells you how to move the fabrics so that one 

becomes the star, one the background and one the basket.  

So you make 3 blocks at one time.  

If the pattern has more pieces 

(for instance the cat has 5 if I remember that correctly) then you shuffle 5.

I am grooming Cole to become the new quilt inspector.  He is taking to it quite nicely!

A few more blocks.

This is a better photo.  I decided to make 36 total blocks.  

That means the quilt will turn out to be queen sized.  

I was not making this for any one in particular but now I have a recipient in mind.  

Last three baskets!!

I have all 36 baskets completed now. 

 I have sewn 4 rows of blocks and sewn 4 rows together into 2 sets of 2 (hopefully that makes sense).  I need to sew the final blocks into 2 rows then sew them to each other.  

Once that is done there will be three more seams to finish the top!  

I am hoping to be able to get that done this week yet.

Linking up with Sew Fresh Quilts.

My plans have been interrupted by my son who had a health crisis yesterday.

He was diagnosed with quite a big blood clot.

He has to have Lovenox shots 2x a day and is on Warafrin.

Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

Now, please link up your WIPs to inspire all of us!

~XOP~

An InLinkz Link-up

New Year New Plans

I told you I was going to get around to making some plans/goals for this year.  

I finally have some time to do just that.

The Quilter's Planner on IG asked for three goals for 2018.  I chose to respond with quilty ones.

So let's elaborate on these shall we?

1-Finish Some WIPs:

Yes, yes, we all *say* this is something we will do but does it actually happen?  I have to say that it usually does NOT happen for me.  I find that "have to" sewing usually gets in the way of my best laid plans.  This year though as I said previously I have way less of those (so far anyway).  I made a list of my WIPs (some not all) and will do my best to make a dent in them.  Oh, so, you want to know what those are you say?  Here is the list I have made to date.

*Purple and yellow baby quilt - top is finished and it is on it's way to the quilter
*Green Scrap quilt -  top is finished and it is on it's way to the quilter
*2010 Christmas BOM -  top is finished and it is on it's way to the quilter

Next up:

*Crazy Baskets - working on the top
*Prismata - I have the pattern ready and the fabrics selected
*Retro Bunnies - All the blocks are made.  I need to determine how I want to sash this and find the backing I bought to use for it
*Jelly Roll Sampler - Blocks are made, I need to determine sashing and put together
*Kei Kei Scrap quilt - I think I still need to make a few more blocks, but when I get to this one I will re-assess
*Partridge in a Pear Tree - pattern and fabrics are together
*Tisket-A-Tasket - Some blocks are done but everything is all together to finish them.
*Peter Rabbit Cross Stitch Blocks - I think, no, I KNOW, this is my oldest WIP.  I began these cross stitch blocks when my oldest niece was born (she is now 33! Don't judge me!!)  The cross stitch has been LONG done but I have not designed a quilt to put them into.
*Floral Fiber Works Jack the Cat - I have him partially completed.  My DD2 wants one too, but I can't officially call hers a WIP as it is not begun.  I think when I finish mine I will give myself permission to begin hers.
*Chicken of the Sea - I need to make the words for this quilt and put them with the blocks.

WHEW!!  I *wish* that was ALL my WIPs but sadly it is not.  It may be close if I am only counting ones I have actually made a start with.  Stay tuned!

2-Destash and Declutter:

This is something I need to do in my quilt room (I am drowning in fabirc, and I know I will never be able to use it all.  I am thinking that I need time to pull fabric out cubby by cubby and re-home those fabrics that I know I will not be using.  I need to do this with my books too.  I hate to admit it but I still have some bins in the basement that I need to go through and either move to the quilt room or re-home.

I also need to do this in my home (so my kids don't have to deal with what I had to when my dad passed away).  Part of this will be addressing the bins in the basement.  I need to go room by room and purge.  Hubby has already begun doing this in the kitchen.  He is planning a MASSIVE garage sale in the spring.  I would say clothes need to come next for me too.  I have lost quite a bit of weight and need to get rid of clothes that no longer fit me.

3-Spend Time Using my EQ Program:

This was a goal I had last year and I even went to the EQ University.  I learned so much!  Then came home and promptly did nothing!  I hope to change that in the new year.

Additional life goals for 2018:

- I have some older cross stitch projects I would like to finish.  I dug one out recently and have been trying to stitch at night so I can be in the same room as my hubby. 

-Continue my weight loss goals and striving to be more healthy.  Healthy eating is always evolving at my home and we are doing pretty well.  I need to help my hubby with his eating so he can lower his A1c and not become pre-diabetic.  He is definitely a WIP, LOL.

-Plan some trips with my hubby in the new fifth wheel.  I am looking forward to doing some short trips this year and getting to spend more time with my hubby and cats exploring the US.  I received a fold up table to use with my sewing machine for the camper and am most anxious to try it out!

-I want to try yoga too.  I think the quiet time and the exercise will do me some good.

OK, so there you have it.  My goals for 2018.  Have you made any goals for yourself?

~XOP~

One Monthly Goal

So this is new to me, this setting one monthly goal.  

There is a blog that has a button and prizes if you participate 

(not really my incentive, but always a bonus!)  

I think this monthly goal will be to finish putting the Crazy Basket quilt top together. 

 I can't even remember when I started this project but it had to be in 2010 or sooner.  

I was pretty new to quilting at the time I think.  

I have decided to make some progress on my gigantic group of WIPs.

This is a Buggy Barn pattern but I always intended to make it a bed size quilt.  

Who really needs another 60 x 64 quilt anyway??  

I didn't care for the sashing either and like the look of the baskets without it. 

 That means that I need to make more baskets.  

Since you make them in groups of three I think I need to either make 12 more.  

So far, since taking this photo, I have made 6 more.  

For some reason, I always end up needing 1 more basket.

Since you make them in groups of three that leaves me with a dilemma.

Do I figure out how to make just one?

OR

Do I leave one blank and quilt a basket into it?

I am leaning toward the latter, but what would you do?

Even so, that is still not going to make it queen sized.  

I don't think I want to add borders either.  

Also, sorry for the poor lighting but it is winter in MI and 

when I put these up it was dark and below 0 outside.  

I will be evaluating my WIPs as I pull them out and deciding if I even want to finish them. 

 If so, I need to make a plan for where they will go. 

 I may put the tops together with the back, batting and binding and pull them out as I find I need a gift for someone too.  

I'm still deciding about that part.

For now, I am happy to be able to work on them as I find them.  

I am working on the ones I can easily find first then digging up more 

(and before you ask, YES, I have way too many!)

As of right now I have three WIPs heading to the quilter and one more (of three total) baby quilts either at or heading to the quilter.  

I only have one more "have to" quilts (so far anyway) to make this year.

It is a biggie though!

I am planning on making some family quilts for Christmas again this year.

Never too early to begin that now is it?

So what are your plans for 2018?

I will be linking this up at Elm Street Quilts for the One Monthly Goal.

~XOP~

WIPs With Friends

I actually have some things to share with all of you!  

Last weekend I decided that I was going to try to finish some WIPs from over the past few years. First up was to make bindings for the two quilts that are at the quilters.  

I was in a cleaning kind of a mood I guess.  

While cleaning and dusting the top of a dresser in my sewing room I found a WIP that I just kept cutting and adding to.  

I took all of those rectangles and cut a few more to make the number I needed to make a quilt top.  Then I started sewing them into rows.

Of course Finny was there to help me.

Next up I had this 2010 quilt top all finished but needed to put a backing together. 

 Well that is all done now and the quilt is ready to head to the quilter!

This is the stack of the green scrap quilt and the Christmas BOM quilt ready to go to the quilter.

I made another tea towel for a gift.

Hallie showed up to help me out.

Bindings for the Green quilt and the Christmas quilt.

Cole brought me his ball so we could play some fetch.

I worked on a little baby quilt but can't show it and this purple and yellow baby quilt that I also can't show you just yet.  BOTH of those are headed to the quilter!

I finally got a photo of the green quilt too.

I got to use some of my favorite fabrics in this top.

I also finished the binding for one of the baby quilts I can't show.

I still need to make the binding for the purple and yellow quilt though.

What are you working on?  I want to talk about some resolutions and goals for 2018 in a near future post too, so stay tuned.  Linking up with Sew Fresh Quilts.

If you have some WIPs to share please link up!

~XOP~

An InLinkz Link-up

My Son's Birthday

Birthdays are great except when they happen around the holidays. 

 Well, they are still great, but it is more difficult to make them special.  

My son's is the day after Christmas!  

This year we drove to GR to see my sister and her boyfriend and exchange gifts.  

We all went out for dinner and my son got to have steak for his birthday dinner.

He had asked me to make him a Samoa cheesecake for his birthday cake.  

I gave it a try and it was AMAZING!  

Just let me tell you how much I wanted to face plant right in that cheesecake!!!

This is supposed to mimic the Girl Scout Samoa cookies. 

So amazing!

He thought I had forgotten him as I had a handmade gift for everyone but him on Christmas.

 I think he knew as soon as he lifted it out of the box what it was.

He had asked me to make him a Detroit Sports Quilt.  

The very first thing he said was "Why did you put Michigan in there?" 

 I laughed and reminded him that when he originally asked me to make the quilt he asked me to include both Michigan and Michigan State.  

I put gray Minky on the back and it was so soft.  He loved it.

 Happy birthday to my son.  

You are an amazing young man and I can't wait to see what the future holds for you!

Love, Mom xoxo

~XOP~

Holiday Happenings

I hope everyone had time to enjoy some time with their families.  

We had a nice holiday.  

My younger daughter and her BF were home for the holiday from NC. 

 I made some sugar cookies and we decorated them.  

Happily, I was able to get everything wrapped and the house decorated before they arrived home.

For Christmas eve we went to my SIL and BIL's house out of town. 

 There were 47 of us all together!  

I can't believe I only took 2 photos!  

This one is of me and my great niece, Winnie.

This was me and my SIL, Mary.  I thought to snap one on our way out to the car!

Christmas morning at our house was so much fun! 

 I made breakfast casserole and had time to make some cinnamon scones 

(my favorite, Panera knock off ones) 

before everyone got out of bed.  

We did pet presents first since both my son's dog, Abbey and Nick's dog, 

Max and the cats were there.

Thadd with Abbey and Max

DD1 with Finn and Cole

Abbey loved the candy cane raw hide thing

Ah, Finn just wants to be where we are.

Next came gifts.  I made a set of golf club covers for Nick.  

They are back in NC and he sent me a photo and they fit his clubs, PHEW!

I made DD1 this snake wall hanging.  It matched her snake, Clove.

I made pillows for Nick and Kelsey.  Nick's had Max on it.

Kelsey's had Mitch, her cat, on it.

My SIL, had his "ugly Christmas sweater" on.  It matched my daughter's. 

 Finn was right in the middle of the gift opening.

We bought grease protectors for Nick and her tried to play badmitten with them, LOL.

Nick gave Kelsey some beautiful Michigan art and a trip to Charleston.  

I received a fold up table to put my sewing machine on, for the camper, but no photo.

I am waiting for the insert to arrive.

I have more photos from the time off and will share a little each day this week.

I hope you all had a nice holiday and some rest.

Going into the new year I suppose we all will have resolutions but that is for another post.

~XOP~