Can I Get A Whoop Whoop? Small Victories...

Hi, all!

Friday is upon us once again, and a holiday weekend, too!  I hope all of you have wonderful, fun plans for the weekend to celebrate the end of summer and beginning of fall (please send that cooler weather soon!) but first, let's get our whoop whoop on, shall we?

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It's been a busy week, and I've made lots of progress on projects...

The last of the memory quilt tops went from this pile of blocks...

...to this finished top!  And Lilli's annual quilt went from one small corner...

...to a whole lot more!  This is about half of the whole quilt top - it's going to be so big!

However, I did have one honest-to-gosh finish this week - a memory pillow for a friend.  She saw the denim ones I made earlier and wanted one made from a shirt of her mom's.

This shirt had a great front AND back, fortunately, and there was enough fabric in the sleeves to make great binding.

So all in all, a good week - things are moving along, and a finish to feed the soul.  Can I get a whoop whoop?

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And now it's your turn!

What's got you whooping it up this week?

via GIPHY

What's making you do a little happy dance?

Share!  We want to dance right along with you,

And it's always more fun to dance with friends!

The party will stay open until Sunday midnight.

Hope to see you there!

Hugs!

Sarah

I May Have A Scrap Problem.... Where Did August Go?

Hi, all!

Seriously, where did August go?  Didn't it just begin?  So much has been going on, I didn't get a chance to finish my quilt for Lilli, but I did finally get to the point where you can see the design start to show...

Here you can see the circle design, and how they will interlock like a double wedding ring quilt.  I've got all the blocks made except for 45 more of the blocks at the NSEW quadrant points, and I'll try to do a pile of them each week so I can get this finished.  I'm loving the colors, though, and I think Lilli will be very happy with it!  I'm aiming to finish it by the end of September.

And for my Scrap Attack project this month, I'll be adding Nathanael's annual quilt - a study in green scraps.  I'm still undecided on the design, but I saw this quilt recently on Instagram and it's definitely in the running!  My plan is to decide on a design by Labor Day so I can start working on this one too.

And now for some fun inspiration...

Selina of Selina Quilts did this beautiful tumbler table runner - what a great way to use up some fun scraps!

Don't have an easy way to cut tumblers?  Go for simple with this cutie - I bet it would be quick, too!

And I absolutely adore this very cool potholder - I'm guessing that you make it like a pineapple block, but start with a hexagon in the center.  This is definitely on my list to try!

This quilt just makes my heart sing - I love the scrappiness of it, but also the fun structure of the dark and light!  It feels very Gees Bend to me...

And how about this quilt for the game lover in your life?  Definitely a step up from plain old patchwork!

So a little progress this week, a lot of dreams, and a lot of inspiration!  How's your little scrap monster doing?

Hugs!

Sarah

Make-A-List Monday - The Dog Days of August are Here!

Hi, all!

Summer has returned to middle Tennessee with a vengeance, but that's good, because it makes it easier to stay inside and sew!  I kind of miss the pretty fall-like weather we had for a bit last week, though - it's nice to know it will be coming back soon.  In the meantime, though, I'll be trying to barrel through some of the projects on my plate.  With that in mind, let's see how last week's list went...

1.  Assemble the t-shirt quilt top.

Done!  I'm so happy with the way the Tiger Lily Kona worked out...

2.  Cut the blocks and start assembling the dress shirt memory quilt.

Done!  Lots of little 3.5" squares, some of them stabilized to keep the slippery fabric from shifting...

...and one quarter of the quilt is pieced...

...and another quarter is taking shape on the design wall to be pieced tomorrow.

3.  Call a potential customer about her t-shirt quilt commission.

Done!  We'll be meeting on Saturday to decide what she wants!

4.  Make quilt backs for the three denim quilt tops.

Done!  You can see one of the quilts (on the left) and the three different backs (to the right).  These are ready to be sandwiched!

5.  Make a quilt back for the golf shirt top.

Done!  I love this fabric I found - the colors in it are perfect!

6.  Work on Lilli's annual quilt.

Done!  I finally have some of all the blocks finished so you can start to see how the design will work...

I can't wait to make some more blocks and get a larger section up on the design wall!

7.  Keep up with any quilt  ministry needs that come up.

Done!  We gave away a couple of quilts this week...

This quilt went to a lady who just had a kidney transplant...

...and this one went to a woman whose daughter went missing while hiking and still remains unfound.

So all in all, a good and productive week.  But there's still plenty to do!  Here's what's on my plate for this week...

1.  Make a memory pillow for a friend.

2.  Finish piecing the dress shirt memory quilt.

3.  Pick out backing material for the t-shirt quilt and the dress shirt memory quilt.

4.  Sandwich at least two of the six memory quilts.

5.  Work on Lilli's annual quilt.

6.  Check out my green scrap stash to see if I have enough for Nathanael's annual quilt.

7.  Clean and lightly sand the cabinet in my office preparatory to painting.

8.  Keep up with any quilt ministry needs that come up.

I may not make it through all of this, as my husband is going to be off work for a few days this week for the holiday and that can throw a monkey wrench in the best laid plans - but it does make for a fun long weekend!  Maybe we can even get out on the boat if the weather cooperates...

So now, the question is - - - what are YOU working on this week?

Hugs!

Sarah

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? There's No Place Like Home...

Hi, all!

It's finally Friday!!  Did your week seem to go on forever?  Well, no problem - it's almost the weekend!  Since it's Friday, that means it's time for us to get our whoop whoop on - I hope you're ready!  Let's get started!

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I worked on a lot of things this week, but I only have one finish to show for it.  However, I love this finish, so it's good enough to whoop about!!  Here's the story of how it came about...

I found this bunch of leftover 4-patch blocks in one of my scrap tubs, and because it's Grunge, I pulled them out to play with.  I realized I had enough to make a pillow top, so that's what I went with!  Unfortunately, though, it sat there for a while after I sewed it together, waiting for that little spark of inspiration that would make it special...

Then it occurred to me that I could marry my new-found love of doodling calligraphy with this pillow-top.  Well, I didn't actually draw the doodle for the pillow top (although I did do the one above!) - I used my computer and a great font to create the word "Home".  A little fast work with the editing program and my printer, and I had a template for my appliqué!

Because I know some will ask, I used Lite Steam-A-Seam 2 to make my appliqué.  I love that stuff, because it is slightly sticky so you can attach it to your fabric without ironing until you are ready to put it on your finished piece.  So now the appliqué is attached, and wouldn't it be wonderful to call it quits right there?  But no, it really should be stitched down to be sure it stays there forever.  I put my batting on the back of the piece first (basting spray!), then stitched all around the edges of the appliqué using straight stitch, very close to the edge.

Then I did some straight line quilting, 1/4" on either side of the seam lines, breaking my stitching where it ran into the appliqué.  

After trimming, I made an envelope back for this pillow cover and put binding around the edges to finish it.

And there it is, the finished pillow!  This finished up at about 16" square, a great size for the sofa or favorite chair.  Or you could hang it on the wall as a mini wall hanging!

So - - - can I get a whoop whoop?

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And now it's your turn!

What's got you whooping it up this week?

What's making you do a little happy dance?

Share!  We want to dance right along with you,

And it's always more fun to dance with friends!

The party will stay open until Sunday midnight.

Hope to see you there!

Hugs!

Sarah

I May Have A Scrap Problem - Still Plugging Away!

Hi, all!

I can't believe we're already more than halfway through August!  Where has the month gone?  I didn't know when I started my Scrap Attack project for this month that I'd end up with a huge commission job - six memory quilts - but I've still managed to put in a little time on this month's project.  If you recall, I've been working on my own version of Jamie Elfert's Summer Wedding quilt, which I'm calling Something Blue...

This will be Lilli's annual quilt this year, and she requested bright blues and teals.  Y'all, it takes a lot longer to make a scrappy quilt than one from yardage!  But I'm working on it - this week I added another 17 blocks to the pile, and I've only got two more sets of blocks to make.  But - those are the ones that I need a ton of, so it will take a while!  In the meantime, here's what I did this week...

I made more than 100 of the little H blocks that are the building blocks for almost all the other larger blocks in this quilt....

...and after making my 17 new blocks, I put all of them up on the wall (no, this isn't the way it will be laid out - it's just to see how the colors are working out).  I'm loving the color combos, but can't take much credit for them - Lilli picked a whole bunch of scraps out and put them in a tub she labeled Lilli's Annual Quilt.  She's got a good eye!

So that's what I'm working on in between making memory quilt tops - I'll probably do a good bit more on it this week before I have to buckle down and quilt all those tops.  I really want to get a good bit done on this before the end of the month!  I already have another scrappy quilt in mind for September that will use up my green scraps - for a little boy who lives for anything green!  But I need to get this one pieced first...

And now I need to know - what wonderful scrappy things are you working on?  I've got so many ideas rolling around in my head, but there's always room for more...

Hugs!

Sarah

Make-A-List Monday - Making Some Headway!

Hi, all!

Last week sure went by in a blur, didn't it?  It seems like it was just starting, but here we are at Monday again.  That's ok, I got  LOT done last week - so let's see how it went!

1.  Paint two pieces of furniture in the kitchen.

Done!  And I'm so happy with the way they turned out...

Now I'm ready to paint some more furniture!

2.  Make the two memory pillow covers from denim shirts.

Done!  I like the way these look - I may make some of my own!

3.  Cut out the denim squares for the memory quilts and start assembling.

Done!  And I not only cut the blocks and assembled the two original ones requested, I made a third one once we realized there were enough squares for three!  

4.  Make the blocks for the t-shirt quilt.

Done!  OK, done this afternoon, but still they're finished!  And I found out that the Kona color of the year, Tiger Lily, is the perfect match for the red-orange in the Harley-Davidson logo!  

I'll be using Tiger Lily for the sashing and borders, and black for the cornerstones and binding on this quilt.

5.  Deconstruct the dress shirts for the final memory quilt.

Done!  I'll start cutting blocks and assembling that one after I make the t-shirt quilt top!

6.  Work on Lilli's annual quilt.

Done!  I cut out some time Sunday afternoon and decided to work on this top.  

Lots more of the H blocks made (although there's still a bunch more to come!) and then I put together 17 more blocks.

This isn't the way they will be laid out in the final quilt top, but it is a good way to get a feel for the colors! I think Lilli will be happy with the blues in this quilt....

7.  Keep up with any quilt ministry needs that come up.

Done!  These two quilts went to a brother and sister whose father died last week...

...and this quilt went to a man whose mother died unexpectedly last week.

So a very productive week!!!  I stayed focused and made it through all the projects - hooray!  And with that in mind, here's my list for this week...

1.  Assemble the t-shirt quilt top.

2.  Cut the blocks and start assembling the dress shirt memory quilt.

3.  Call a potential customer about her t-shirt quilt commission.

4.  Make quilt backs for the three denim quilt tops.

5.  Make a quilt back for the golf shirt top.

6.  Work on Lilli's annual quilt.

7.  Keep up with any quilt  ministry needs that come up.

Another busy week, but I'll still be making time to take some ice cream sundae fixings to the grandkids on Thursday after school - I can't let my "Super-Nana" credentials slip!  

And now the question is - - - what are YOU working on this week?

Hugs!  

Sarah

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? Easin' on Down The Road...

Hi, all!

Wow, has it been week!  But it's finally Friday, and that means it's time to get our whoop whoop on!  I'm excited to have some things to share this week, so let's get started...

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If you'll remember, last week I didn't have much to show because I had been painting.  Well, I painted some more this week, and I learned a valuable lesson while doing so.  My first attempt at chalk painting yielded this...

I wasn't very happy with the way it finished, and sent this pic to my daughter (who has done a lot of chalk painting) and asked her why it was so streaky.  After much searching on the internet and pondering, we decided that it was the wax - probably inexpertly applied (by me, definitely) and that I might have to sand it and repaint it.  But the next morning...

It looked like this!  The wax had finally dried (cured?) and the color was as even as I originally aimed for.  Hooray!  So occasionally, ignoring something long enough will make the problem go away!  I also painted this piece...

...and I'm happy with the way it turned out too, now that some time has passed.  Now my daughter tells me I need to recover my chairs!

And on the sewing front, I did manage to get some things moved on down the road...

I made two of these memory quilt tops, using denim shirts and Kona Snow.  Each of them has one block that has a monogramed shirt pocket on it...

...which I personally feel would be a great place to tuck kleenex, a cell phone, or ... I don't know .... chocolate???

And I made these two memory pillows, also from denim shirts.  They were super simple - just cut a large square from both front and back, and bind the edges.  The button placket on the front of the shirt can be opened to insert a pillow form.  

And last but not least, I did manage to finish the golf shirt memory quilt top...

I love the color combination of this top - it turned out much better than I anticipated!  So now it goes in the stack of quilt tops for this job as I work on three more - then I'll get down to quilting them all!

So - - - can I get a whoop whoop??

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And now it's your turn!

What's got you whooping it up this week?

What's making you do a little happy dance?

Share!  We want to dance right along with you,

And it's always more fun to dance with friends!

The party will stay open until Sunday midnight.

Hope to see you there!

Hugs!

Sarah