Mini Monday - Home for the Holidays

Welcome to another edition of Mini Monday!!  Today I'm here to share the last Gallery Wire quilt of 2020.  It was done in DARK Neutrals, of course (since that's the RSC Color of the Month.)  Let's not forget to infuse some holiday cheer:

The top came together quickly once I started sewing:

Candy canes and spots:

Paw prints and dots:

Circles were added to the mix because I love circles, spots, and dot:

Building my Composition one log at a time...

... Until it finally felt done:

Next came layering with the backing I had chosen:

Then, I dropped in a few pins and called it basted:

Finally came the quilting:

After posting that last photo, I decided that I wanted to make those shiny circle POP!, so quilting down that background area needed to happen.  Unfortunately, it didn't turn out as well as I envisioned:

I squared it up to 7" x 10" which fits my display space nicely:

Thanks for stopping by...

... My "Home for the Holi-daze":

This quilt never would have happened without the inspiration I received from Suzy Williams @ Suzy Quilts.  Her energy and enthusiasm is contagious.  Thanks, Suzy!  The improv techniques you taught were SEW much fun to incorporate into my project.

Until next time...

Be SEW merry!!!

Sew Some Love Sunday - LWR - Quilt Top #11

Welcome to this week's edition of Sew Some Love Sunday!!  The Lutheran World Relief Mission Quilt Drive here at The Joyful Quilter is still going strong.  I'm here with the latest update on our quilt top collection.  (While not ALL of the kits have been completed as of yet...)

The final kit selected at a now-rare in-person meeting of my Weekly Quilt Group in late October...

... Has been transformed into Quilt Top #11:

Many thanks...

Thank you to Ruth S. for assembling this quilt top and delivering it directly to Needleb for quilting!  I appreciate that more than you can know.

I'm looking forward to the rest of the kit quilts being sewn up soon.  Although, realistically, I know those probably won't begin arriving until after the first of the year (and I am totally fine with that.)  The expanded scope of the project required an extension of the target deadline date.  I'm now hoping to wrap up the Quilt Drive by the onset of Spring.

SEW...

Given the March 31, 2021 revised deadline, there is still time for YOU to search through your UFOs, sort through the neglected or often overlooked fabrics in your stash, and send off any 60" x 80" quilt tops to be finished/donated to the cause.  Please add a comment, if this is something you would like to provide.

Until next time...

BEE sew joyful!!

ScrapHappy Saturday - RSC20 - Week 51

Welcome to Week 51 of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!!  Angela @ So Scrappy is our host.  She encourages us to work through our fabric scraps.  While I chose a block to make each month, I didn't feel the need to make them in neutral colors, which worked out well for longarming as the Holidays approached.  Some of that has been scrappy, too!  :o))

I have been most excited by adding to my collections of small quilts this year.  As you might know, December's Kitchen Quilt is done.  I have made a good start on this month's Gallery Wire Mini and had hoped to finish it this week.

Let's see how that went...

SUNDAY - It was a slow day in Joyful QuilterLand.  Burying thread tails...

... Was followed by meeting with Carol to swap quilts:

More on that in next week's edition of Sew Some Love Sunday.  In the meantime, click HERE for today's post.

MONDAY - I spent the day writing.  Half a dozen blog posts later and it was time to make dinner!  How did THAT happen??

Oh!  That would be because of the THREE HOURS that I spent at the pharmacy waiting for medicine for DS1.  He had an emergency eye doctor visit this morning.  Old cars, rust, and strong winds don't mix well when an eyeball is near.  :o((

TUESDAY - There was SEW much paperwork to catch up on, but this afternoon I loaded the backing...

... Of the Green Christmas quilt:

... And Zoomed with LeeAnna:

WEDNESDAY - Morning was spent preparing for my doctor appointment.  Just after lunch, I swam over to his office.

What did I find???

I found the reception area packed with people more people than I had ever before seen occupying the space!!!  The employees were enjoying their Holiday party.  Whoops!  I sloshed back to my car to wait for their lunch hour (as well as said party) to be over:

An annual physical, two shots (flu and shingles vaccine), and a PAP smear later, I decided that I would console myself with a little tiny taste of yummy frozen custard and a mountain of whipped cream:

This evening, I engaged in a bit of YouTube therapy by watching a new episode from Karen @ Just Get It Done Quilts:

Karen's version the Sugaridoo Bernina QAL

THURSDAY - After the post-immunization fever and chills overnight last night, I had to drag myself up to the studio for ZoomBEE:

Afterwards, I called it a day and went back to bed!!  I was achy and felt miserable.  Even making a quick lunch was out of the question, so DS2 was kind enough to make it for me.  DS2 made dinner (with an assist from DH, who grilled the extra chicken breasts to serve as planned-overs for the weekend.)

FRIDAY - Feeling much improved this morning, I made my way up to the studio for ZoomKNIT:

Stacy joined the three attendees a little later:

When the meeting ended, I finished loading Carol's quilt.  After lunch, quilting commenced.  It was a productive afternoon and I was thisclose to finishing off my friend's quilt...

... When I noticed that a row (or more) of stitches would need to be ripped out before those final stitches could be quilted in:

SATURDAY - It's LINK PARTY day for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge!  I'm looking forward to visiting the RSC Quilters to see what everyone has been up to this week.  Won't you join me?

With the week I had...

I only managed a little quilting DARK Neutral quilting:

Better luck NEXT week, Joyful.  :o))

Until next time...

Merry scrapping!!

 

The End (of 2020) is Near - A Celebration of Quilts

Welcome to a Retrospective!!  Frederique @ Quilting, Patchwork, & Applique invited me to join a very special LINK PARTY.  She's celebrating the end of this year with a Share ALL the Quilts of 2020 event.  I thought it might be interesting to have a little look back at what I've made this year.  A thumb through the virtual maker files, if you will, to decide what projects should be included.

Frederique is offering the following...

Two ways to share:

• a link to a post that features all your quilts started and/or finished in 2020
• or - simpler! - one link per project (and therefore, posts already written and posted, easy! 😉)

Thanks for the option, Fred!  One link with lot of quilts sounds about right for me.  As you well know, 2020 was a crazy year!  A global pandemic, a new vocabulary, and more time at home than some folks knew what to do with, created the perfect storm.  We quilters have been saving for just such a time with a little thing called our STASH and  I planned to use mine to the fullest!

Unfortunately, not all quilters reacted the same in this strange situation. Some experienced extreme lows in their production levels.  The stress of the world's situation led to creative block for many.  I was not one of those people.  Determined to make the most of the time available, the stay-at-home order gave me the opportunity to hunker down in my happy place.  Fortunately, my creativity soared in the wake of this 2020 storm and I was able to enjoy what I called "practicing for retirement" by spending as much time in my studio as possible.  I have made more quilts and quilted items this year that during any other year.

For the purposes of this event, and in consideration of the other (linky) parties I plan to attend, I am sharing only a small collection of my quilts made or finished this year.  These are some of my favorites of the 60+ finishes of 2020 and just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.  Since I have been SEW productive this year, I'm going with one per month, just to whet your appetite.  Please, enjoy a wander around my blog, if you'd like to view more of my work after seeing these quilts.

A tour through my favorite makes of 2020...

January - 100% Cotton was made as a result of Project Quilting and was my very first entry in that challenge.  This was made of recycled/upcycled T-shirts, a technique I've used a number of times for gifts and commission quilts (MORE) created over the years:

February - Resistance is Futile/Put a Heart on It put a little spin on a mini made by Jayne @ Twiggy and Opal who is always such an inspiration to me:

March - Be SEW Colorful was made as part of Project Quilting using a technique similar to one used by Jayne @ Twiggy & Opal.  Rainbow, again.  A recurring theme throughout the year.  This was my first foray into matchstick quilting.  I found the technique to be quite tedious and opted to only use it for the "trapunto" section:

April - A Bright Spot in Coronaville was created from a technique used by Sarah @ Confessions o a Fabric Addict.  This finish prompted a new series of posts on the blog.  Puzzle out what the purple bits were before I chopped them up, if you are able:

May - This month started out with a personal challenge.  Seven finishes in seven days!  I very nearly (6/7) succeeded, but also went on to create 15 quilt projects during the month.  My favorite of the bunch was A Verb for Making Friends, a completely original design based on another prompt from Kim @ Persimon Dreams for Project Quilting:

June - While I finished several projects this month, the last one was my favorite.  It was inspired by Nann @ With Strings Attached and was made for a friend who had just retired.  The little quilt is all about what retirement should be.  Wouldn't you agree?  As it turned out, Mickey Say's... Relax! was a well received gift:

July - This was a difficult month to choose just one project to share.  I made a fun little mini, but I've got to go with the long-overdue UFO Club finish.  Thank you to Alycia @ Alycia Quilts for designing (and quilting) my A-6 Mystery quilt:

August - While I did finish one quilt this month, I'm most proud of writing and posting a tutorial for Mini Magic Stars.  I made this Magic Star quilt earlier in the year and immediately determined that I would like to try a smaller version.  Here is the completed quilt...

Approximately 36" square

... And the Mini Magic Star quilt top made from my reimagined size:

Approximately 14" square

September - Petite Pumpkin was my project for the Hello Fall Blog Hop.  The pattern had held my attention for months and months.  Then came the perfect opportunity to make it... In miniature:

October - My favorite project during the month is not yet a completed quilt.  It will be completed as soon as possible.  Fortunately, my nephew is OK with my promise that the quilt will be finished by his child's 1st birthday.  LOL!  I'm calling this one Rainbow Baby! for obvious reasons.  I was excited by the color scheme requested by my nephew's wife.  Thank you to the quilting friends who contributed to the making of this, as only 1 of the 3 charm packs used was purchased by me:

November - You may see this one again (since it's part of my Kitchen Quilt series for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge), but it has to be this way.  Why??  Well, every time I passed by, a smile came over my face.  You see, there is one piece of fabric that sparkles (day or night) and that reminds me of my friend LeeAnna @ Not Afraid of Color.  She is SEW fond of adding a bit of bling to her quilts (and often suggests it for mine!)  This is called {Not So} Boring Beige and (if you super size the photo) you can almost see the glitter in the splotchy dark fabric just below the leaf print in the pieced column:

December - A Very 2020 Christmas is my favorite (and only) finish for the month (thus far.)  I don't normally use DARK Neutrals (December's Color of the Month for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge) as a background fabric, but it seemed appropriate for this little quilt:

Thank you, again, Frederique, for inviting me to participate in your special 2020 year end event!  It was SEW nice to revisit all of my projects and choose a favorite make per month.  Additional quilts can be seen when the 30+ projects made as part of Angela @ So Scrappy's 2020 Rainbow Scrap Challenge are shown in my RSC Year in Review post.  It goes live in a couple of weeks, but here's last year's LINK, in case you'd like to get a better feel for the project.  I hope you will come back to see how my creativity bloomed (one color at a time.)  Even more projects will be shared in my Best of 2020!!! post planned for a little closer to the end of the year.  This annual link party is hosted by Cheryl @ Meadow Mist Designs, but hasn't been released, yet.  Here's last year's entry LINK.

Until next time...

Celebrate QUILTS!!!

Sew Some Love Sunday - LWR - Then There Were Four {and FIVE!!}

Welcome to another edition of Sew Some Love!!  I'm here to report the fourth completed quilt for the Lutheran World Relief Mission Quilt drive here at The Joyful Quilter.

Maggie inserted a row of Yankee Puzzle (variation) blocks into the top she made using squares of reproduction fabrics donated by Wendy @ The Constant Quilter:

Loaded on the long arm with backing provided by Maggie and batting compliments of Suzanne in Alaska, the three layers are ready for quilting once a thread color has been selected:

Once it was quilted and removed from the rails...

And back to the minions for binding!!  (Thanks, Candy!)

Here is the completed quilt:

Binding and binding were provided by Maggie:

Quilt Number FIVE...

... Was made by Carol from a kit assembled from the squares donated by Nann.  The top was quilted by Joy:

I attempted a free-motion quilting design by X, as seen on a Community Quilt posted by Jo @ Jo's Country Junction:

The quilting is FAR from perfect, but it was fun to try something new:

Carol was kind enough to take the quilt to do the binding:

... Which was provided by Nann.  Here is the completed quilt:

Smile, Carol!!  Another LWR donation complete:

Backing was provided by Carol and binding fabric was in among the offerings from Nann:

Thank you to all of my quilting friends who have jumped in to help.  I SEW appreciate your coming alongside me on this project!

Until next time...

Together we are...

Sewing Some LOVE!!!