Quilt Diary: First finish of Quarter 4 – Holiday Tablecloths & Turkey Wooly Mug Rugs

It is so hard to believe that it has already been two weeks since I last posted.  I guess with the Thanksgiving holiday it only sped up the days!  I finished both reversible tablecloths in time to take to Canada.  I was very stoked to actually finish in a timely manner!  For me, being reversible was very challenging.  I had thought that the same design on both sides would make it easier.  I never could get them lined up exactly right which was very apparent when I was semi-stitching in the ditch.  Because I used a “matching” thread, it was only noticeable to myself, the maker.  I have decided that if I do a reversible anything again to do an all over quilting versus following my “block” pattern.  What a wonderful problem to have, right?

Here is both table cloths:

Sewing on the Go Update

Wooly Mug Rugs (Wool Applique)

I am happy to say I also managed to finish up the Turkey Wooly Mug Rugs just in time for the Thanksgiving Feast.  I literally finished them a couple of hours before but a definite win!  We put them out for the meal, but I brought them home.  I will need to make a separate set for Caitlin for her future Thanksgiving meals that she seems to host every year.

I also finished whip stitching my Jack ‘O Lanterns while on that trip.  I have not had an opportunity to work on the embroidery embellishments.  It won’t take long, I just need to focus on it.

I pulled out the Candy Cane set.  I need to trace all the pieces still but they should be fun.

Ruby’s Garden Quilt (EPP)

It is always funny how you realize that a small mistake derails a perfectly good project.  I made a mistake while putting together block 5 which I had to unsew.  It wasn’t even that bad, but subconsciously, I had no desire to work on the block anymore.  Tuesday this week I finally re-sewed the units back together – correctly.  It looks great.  I stitch together two sashing units for these blocks (to do as you go).  The first one is together and I began stitching it.  Just so out of sync right now with my hand stitching.  Here is block 4 and  a progress picture of block 5:

Farmer’s Wife 1920 EPP Sew-a-long

I am still working on Block 36 – Flower Garden Path.  It is a very interesting block and I actually enjoy it.  Since I usually only work on this block during hockey practice, there has not been a lot of work done.  Coach and his wife just had their second baby this past Thursday.  Very exciting for them.  Very boring for Shaun.  And no EPP on my #fw1920eppsal blocks.  Meanwhile, I did cut and glue two more blocks.  When practice starts up again, I will be ready!  Here is my progress pic on Flower Garden Path block:

On the Sewing Table Update

Halloween Placemats & Mug Rugs

I have had no forward movement on either project.  The placemats still need to be bound.  I still need to cut the black background circles for the mug rugs.

Potholders

All three are still sitting on the sewing table staring at me just waiting to be sewn.  If it put them away, I won’t have to write about them right?

Tula Pink Charmed & Halifax Temperature Quilts

You guessed.  Still laying there waiting for me to sew them together.  Sigh.  Let’s move on to more exciting things.

Applique Project Updates

A Year In Words

Halloween wall hanging is close to be ready to quilt.  I finished all machine appliquing all the colors except black.  I am feeling real good about this one.  It looks fantastic.

Give Thanks wall hanging has been a plodding type of progress, but it is progress.  I finished piecing all the “leaves” (the pieced portion of the wall hanging).  I am now at the stage to fuse onto the applique side of everything.  Once again I will layer just the batting on the back to stabilize the piece while I machine applique.

I pulled out the Christmas wall hanging.  It is now sitting on my kitchen island.

A Door-n-aments

My November leaves are done being machine appliqued.  The backing has been pulled out.  This particular series I don’t actually do any free motion quilting no binding, so that means this is very close to being done.  It is on the sewing table waiting for me to do something with it.

Earlier this week I pulled out the Santa of this series.

Blooming Series

Woohoo!  I finished machine appliqueing both the pansies and the leaves.  They are both waiting to be layered, basted, machine quilted, and bound.  So exciting to be so close.  So great progress.

Made progress on the pumpkins as well.  Just have black and green left to blanket stitch the pieces down.  I love this series.  It is so fun.

Pulled out the Poinsettias from this series this week.

Sew-A-Long Updates

100 days 100 blocks 2019

First thing of note, I decided NOT to give this quilt away (at least not to Caitlin’s unknown friend).  Since I have decided that, this has really fallen off the radar of priorities.  No progress.

Quilter’s Planner Sew-A-Long 2019

I almost forgot!  Thank goodness, I remembered in time to finish all 12 square in a square blocks for November.  December we assemble the quilt top.

Advent Scrapalong 2019 hosted by Marianne Jefferey

I confess.  I am addicted to these sewalongs.  I had purchased fabric (before Caitlin told me that her friend would like my Alison Glass quilt) for Caitlin’s friend – Kringle & Claus by Basic Grey.  It is very traditional Christmas fabric with red, greens, teals, white, and black.  Quite cute actually.  When I saw this Sew-a-Long which started Dec 1st and last for 25 days, it seemed perfect sal for my Christmas fabric.  Since I was out of town when it actually started, I am still in catch up mode.  I should be caught up today.  I have all 25 blocks cut and ready to be sewn.  I have already finished 5 blocks.  Here they are:

This quilt will be the one for Caitlin’s friend.  I just have to convert into a queen size quilt.  I have already decided this will be straight line quilted – just so I can be done.  I hope to make a trip to the quilt store to get some fabric for the borders.  Since Basic Grey is the inventor of grunge, I will be able to get something even if it is a coordinating grunge!

Sugaridoo Bernina QAL

Yep!  I joined another one.  This one started on Thanksgiving and of course I just decided that day to join.  I still have to do my fabric pull. This is a year long Row Mystery Quilt with one row being released every 4 weeks.  I still have time to be “current”.  I have decided to use my handcrafted Alison Glass fabric but have not narrowed down the 12 colors and picked a background fabric yet.  She also uses a accent fabric to be in each row.  I still have to finish planning this one. I am excited to work on this one.  It should be fun and not very stressful.

Quilter’s Planner QAL 2020

This begins in January so it is time to pick out the fabrics for this one.  The example is all solids and it has been awhile since I have done an all solid quilt so I am considering it.  This month I need to pull it all together so I will be ready January 1st.  Update you in January!

Wrap-up

With our trip to Halifax, hockey was on hold as I mentioned earlier.  This time the travel & weather gods were looking out for us.  Everything was pretty much on time and smooth.  We got to our destinations with a minimum of fuss.  While in Halifax I visited the Spirit Spa for a pedicure.  Absolutely my best pedicure ever.  Nicole did a great job!

I was put on turkey duty along with chopping veggies for the stuffing.  That all went well until it was time to peel potatoes.  I was talking too much and “skinned” my finger instead of the potatoes.  That put an end to my peeling.  The Thanksgiving meal with Caitlin and her friends was great.  It was a potluck style meal for the Canadians.  We had some traditional as well as non-traditional sides.  Afterwards, her friends were cool to play Mexican dominoes with Shaun.  This was always a very traditional game played at my mother’s house after large family gatherings and one that Caitlin has resurrected with her friends.

Saturday found us making a trip to Bulk Barn (I so wish we had one in San Jose, Calif).  What a cool place for any baker or cook.  We gathered our ingredients for making macaroons.  Once we got back to Caitlin’s apartment, it was a hilarious affair as four of us tried to squeeze into her tiny kitchen to learn to make these cute (and so good) cookies.  We ended up being able to make three of the four batches we planned before heading out to a Halifax Moosehead hockey game.

We finished making pistachio, lemon, and peppermint with chocolate ganache macaroons.  Our portion was packaged up for us Sunday morning for us to snack on trip back to California.

I hope all my American friends (and any others who celebrate this American holiday) had a great Thanksgiving!

Safe travels and happy quilting,

Peggy Stockwell