Wonderful Wednesday - Cowboy Thread Catcher - Delivered

Welcome to another edition of Wonderful Wednesday!!  This week I'm here to share my recently completed UFO.  OK, so it's been nearly a month!  Who's counting??

It's not a BIG finish, but it is DONE!!
(And it needs its own post.)

I began (as often is the case) with a pile of scraps.  These were special scraps and the resulting project is for my good friend, Denise.  A friend from Ravelry who became a real life friend after I invited her to join my Sew/Craft Friends-zy group (before it acquired that name.)

Refresher...

The story and the photos can be seen in this Design Floor Friday post from the end of April.

In process...

Applying binding...

... Chosen by the recipient:

Delivered...

It was delivered just in time for Denise to fill it with bits of threads and trimmings from the day's work.  She loves it and that's a win!

Until next time...
Computer friends can be real!!!

Sew Some Love Sunday - Winner, winner!! Quilted dinner??? - H2H Wrap Up

Wait!  What, Joyful???

Don't mind me!  I'm just in a silly mood as I sit here typing up this edition of Sew Some Love Sunday!!  (Later in the post, you'll see why.)  This post shares Sarah's Hands2Help Comfort Quilt Challenge 2019 Wrap Up post.  I participated for the 2nd year in a row.

Anyway...

While reading Sarah's H2H Wrap Up post, I saw the following...

Number of participating quilters:

47 more quilters than last year!!

Total number of donated quilts:

454 more quilts that last year!

That was MORE THAN DOUBLE last year's donations.

INCREDIBLE!!!

Then she went on to post the sponsor gifts...

GIFTS?!?!

I always forget that is a thing.  I'm just happy to be able to help.

I won.  I won!!  I won:

(OK, so it's not technically a prize, but...)

Susan Smith of Stitched by Susan is returning as a giver this year, offering edge to edge long arm quilting services, Hobbs 80/20 batting, thread and return postage for one lap size quilt, (max 4200 square inches).

Winner:  Joy M.

As a quilter with a longarm quilting machine eating up half of my studio space, I got a good laugh out of this.  Seriously?  A longarm quilter winning longarm quilting services.  What are the chances?

I laughed, but then I thought what an AWESOME gift!!

That max 4200 square inches clause

translates into the quilting of a 60 x 70" lap quilt.

Hmm...  I wonder???

Off to see what UFO might fit within those parameters...

I'm giddy with excitement over the possibilities!!

Thank you, Susan (and ALL of the sponsors!) for providing such generous contributions to the Hands2Help Comfort Quilt Challenge!!  Many thanks to Sarah for running the program and soliciting prizes for EVERY participant.  There was a LONG list of such FABULOUS gifts.  Be sure to shop the sponsors!

Edited to add:  After post time, Sarah informed me that she had added two (2) more quilters and FIVE (5) more quilts!!  That brings the Challenge totals to 199 quilters and 875 quilts.  Wow!!

Until next time...
Givers sometimes receive!!!

ScrapHappy Saturday - RSC19 - Week 21

Welcome to Week 21 of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!!  I sewed (and UN-sewed) ORANGE for the RSC this week.  Just not the sewing that counts for the QAL.  Take a look...

SUNDAY - We were granted a surprise visit from DS1 before lunchtime today.  He needed a few things from his room and wanted to pick up his mail.  Sorry!  No photo to share.  :o((

MONDAY - Quilting KD's baby quilt:

TUESDAY - Another evening at the longarm.  I stopped with only some repair work remaining.

WEDNESDAY - Finished KD's 3-D Pinwheels. It took WAY loonnggeerrrr than it should have!!!  It turned out nicely and that's the important part!

THURSDAY - Loaded BQG2 Donation Quilt this evening.  LOOK at the gorgeous wide-back panel that was provided for the backing:

There's a little bit of color edging toward ORANGE.  :o))

FRIDAY - Delivered 3-D Pinwheels to KD. Also started the I-cord bind off on my Hoodie Shawl Cardigan:

SATURDAY - It's LINK PARTY day over on Angela's So Scrappy blog.  If you have time, particularly if you like ORANGE, head over to check out all of this week's participating quilters.

I believe that sandal season has arrived in North Carolina, as the thermometer read 92 yesterday, so here's another glimpse of my ORANGE toes in some super comfy hand-me-down sandals:

Until next time...
Get SCRAPPY!!!

For those of you who have read to the end of my post, you get to see the funny animation that Google created with the photos that my husband took while I was wedged between the rails of the longarm:

Picking out stitches.  One at a time.  I'll apologize now, if you are not fond of photo animation.  I figured some of you might get a laugh out of the sight.

Design Floor Friday - May's Friday Night Sew-In

Welcome to another edition of Design Floor Friday!!  I'm here to share the May meeting of Friday Night Sew-In.  My Pecking Order quilt was the first (and only) quilt to be laid out on the design floor.  I was preparing for an expansion project:

Sarah (on the left) worked on a new sweater, as friends chatted:

Cathy did a bunch of cutting:

Ann layered a quilt for Twin One:

Cathy brought this pattern for a friend:

Karoline did  a different kind of cutting.  Paper cutting for some cute invitations for a special party:

Ann smooths the layers to begin pinning:

Karen did some sorting for a new project:

Marian cut for tomorrow's quilt class:

Helena was here with the pieces and parts of her own Pecking Order quilt:

Ella spent the evening cutting for tomorrow's quilt class:

Linda is cutting for a scrappy version of tomorrow's class quilt:

There is a flaw in my plan for this evening's expansion project!!  The background is made up of a number of white on black prints and I only brought TWO fabrics for the additional squares needed:

With one done, Ann pins the quilt for Twin Two:

LOOK, there is some ORANGE in the sea of blue for the RSC Quilters to enjoy:

Helena made some additional Pecking Order blocks:

I resorted to arranging some Bonus HSTs:

Karoline brought everyone am emery board from her recent trip to Paducah, which included an extensive Shop Hop:

It is SEW good to be able to hang out with quilty friends:

Karen made progress on a special T-Quilt:

Here I am with scrappy block number one:

Here is a close-up of the block:

I also put together a small scrappy pincushion to be stuffed later:

Lining things up for block number two:

Snacks, anyone??  The M&Ms are over at Joy's table:

Block number two needed added variety, as the components were too "matchy-matchy" in the previous incarnation:

A few more changes and I was ready to sew:

Shades of ORANGE for Marian's class quilt:

See... TWO blocks:

Perhaps, Helena could refresh my memory concerning the following oh-so-unflattering photo.  In my defense, it was late:

This photo was to show that the blocks use 36 HSTs, but aren't much bigger than my hand at a finished size of 6 inches: 

Special thanks to Ann for getting us all together!  It makes for a wonderful evening.

Until next time...
SEW the night away!!!

Mail Call Monday - Payback

Welcome to another edition of Mail Call Monday... on Tuesday!!

AGAIN!!

I got a package this weekend:

What's inside, Joyful???

Yarn:

 Precisely, it contained the following:

Ripe for my next knitting project, these arrived as "payment" for the large commission basket that I mailed off last week:

Yay!!

Thank you, Ann!  The yarns are gorgeous. I am currently looking for patterns to cast on using one or two of them.  I'm pleased with our trade and I'm glad that you are, too.

Until next time...
Barter til you burst!!!

Sew Some Love Sunday - H2H Link-up

Welcome to another H2H edition of Sew Some Love Sunday!!  I'm here to share my contribution to Sarah's Hands2Help program.  It's a ways from done, but that's par for the course.  The quilting for this one was done between client quilts:

Free motion swirls dance in rows across the quilt.  The last time I did any free motion longarming was nearly 3 years ago, not long after The Beast (a pet name for my APQS Millennium) was installed in my sewing room.  I had forgotten how much FUN (and how fast) it can be!!

SEW, acutally...

When I say "my contribution", I use the term loosely.  I am one of the volunteer longarmers for the Carolina Hurricane Quilt Project.  I partnered with Brunswick Quilters Guild to provide THREE quilts to the project.  They provided quilt tops and backs, along with one quilt batting and funds to purchase another.  I provided one batting and the quilting services.  I will also be providing the binding fabric - unless the excess backing fabric works for that.  The other service I am providing is that I will bind the quilts and deliver them to my semi-local drop point (Cary Quilting Company) before August 1st.

I also have a quilt planned for Jack's Basket and began sewing the center portion at the end of April.  Unfortunately, construction was stalled when several time-sensitive client quilts came in to be quilted.  It WILL get done.  The question is WHEN?!?!  I didn't report this one to Sarah, as the CHQP quilts are my priority.

Sarah, thank you for running the H2H charity quilt drive!  It's a fabulous program for helping others.  Also, I appreciate your understanding of the fact that LIFE can (and does) get in the way of our quilting plans.  I will post the other quilts, here on my blog, as I am able to get to them.

Until next time...

Hands are for HELPING!!!

ScrapHappy Saturday - RSC19 - Week 20

Welcome to Week 20 of the 2019 Rainbow Scrap Challenge!!  I'm here to celebrate all things ORANGE:

This was quite a week.  I quilted every day, but didn't get any sewing time until Friday night.  Yes.  There is a difference.

SUNDAY - Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms who read my blog!!  I enjoyed a day of quilting on the longarm, with a short break for an AMAZING dinner in the comfort of my very own dining room.  (Thanks, guys!!)

KD's quilt started out the day (somewhere near the midpoint) looking like this:

At the end of the day, it was done, done, DONE:

MONDAY - Quilt delivery (and a pick up, too.) Thanks, KD!!  If you look closely, you might see a bit of ORANGE in the next quilt:

TUESDAY - Evening quilt bee meeting was tonight.  With it came a(nother) quilt delivery!!  I missed getting a photo with KL.  :o((

I shared my completed Altered Rainbow basket commission:

While on my way home, I attempted (30 seconds too late!) to capture the beauty of this glorious yellow-orange sunset:

Upon my arrive, I worked to finish loading (and start quilting) the first of three donation quilts from the Brunswick Quilters Guild (NC) that I will be finishing in the next little while:

WEDNESDAY - This evening, I added more quilting to the donation quilt currently on the frame.  Here's a lovely ORANGE photo to add more of the RSC Color of the Month:

Photo courtesy of Ruth B's garden.

THURSDAY - I stopped at JoAnn Fabrics and bought batting for the second donation quilt from the Brunswick Quilters Guild.  This purchase was underwritten by the Guild.  Special thanks to the members of Brunswick Quilters Guild, for adding to your donation to the Carolina Hurricane Quilt Project in a way that allowed me to quilt an extra quilt for you!

Next, I enjoyed some time with my Weekly Quilt Group.  The Junior Quilter was also in attendance:

FRIDAY - Busy, busy day today!!  Here's how it played out...

Knit Group this morning with NO knitting (for me... Even though my yarn is ready to go!)  Then I was off for some shopping with a small purchase for summer (and it was in the ORANGE family), with a side of color spotting:  

I don't generally wear bracelets, but it was QUITE the challenge to leave these behind!

The shopping was followed by a bit of UN-shopping, to return one of MIL's Mother's Day gifts (that didn't fit properly) which was followed by an afternoon of playing Thread Chicken... I lost:

Seriously?!?!  The verylastbit of bobbin thread (from the last of SIX bobbins wound with So Fine! thread) ran out 6 " before I would have completed the quilting.  Ugh!!

By the time that happened, my machine was already packed into the car for this evening's trip downtown.  Enjoying an evening with a few of my quilting friends at this week's Friday Night Sew-In was in order, so winding a new bobbin was OUT!!  The highlight of my night was two-fold.

Hanging out with this (and other) quilting friend(s) :

And creating this scrappy block with leftovers from my Pecking Order quilt, still in progress:

More about this in next week's Design Floor Friday post...

SATURDAY - Ahhh... Bliss!!!  It's the weekend. (No alarm set and I was able to sleep til 7:45AM.)  Can you hear my sigh from your house?  What a week it's been!

If you like ORANGE (or ANY color of quilt) I would recommend that you check out Angela's So Scrappy blog for this week's LINK PARTY for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge.  I'll be there later on, as my first order of business is going to the studio to wind a bobbin, cut some binding, and finish up that BQG1 donation quilt.

Until next time...
Get SCRAPPY!!!