New Projects in the New Year!

 What was I thinking????  Every time I saw something new online the last couple of months, I decided I needed to sign up!  So I started Four new projects in January, in addition to a few that were already in the works.

First, Kathleen Tracy is doing a small Mystery Quilt.  She's also doing a Sew along, and several other projects, but I'm only doing the mystery.  Here are my blocks for the first month.  She is keeping it pretty simple since there are so many other things going on.

I'm making a Vintage Linens quilt with the 1914 Boehm House Vintage Quilt group.  I have been acquiring vintage linens for many years, and this is a perfect use for them.  Here are the pieces and parts of my quilt.  I haven't decided on sashing and corner stones yet.  This is offered as a Facebook class, and it's not to late to get started!

Number 3 is Winter Village by Edyta Sitar.  I bought the pattern and fabric a few years ago, but never started making my village.  She is offering it as a sew along, so I decided now is the time to dig it out and get to work.  This didn't photograph very well, and I'm much too lazy to go downstairs and try again.

And last, but far from least, is a cross stitch project:  Sew by Row, a Lori Holt pattern, also being done as a stitch along by Fat Quarter Shop.  I did a lot of cross stitch before I discovered my love for quilting, and I've done a little over the years.  I'm now addicted again.

I'm showing the pattern instead of my piece, because I discovered a huge mistake this morning, and it requires much frogging.  Not fun.

I also have another new addiction - YouTube.  I've only watched a few videos in the past, but now I'm watching quilting and cross stitching the entire time I'm stitching!!  Oh My.  There's so much to learn.  

So what are you up to these days??

Hugs,

Sunny/Peggy

2019 Caribbean Cruise

Thanks for the warm welcome back to blogland.

In January of 2019 and again in 2020, we cruised the Caribbean!  That is not something I ever thought I would do, but when a friend invited us, we decided to give it a try.  Since I was in the planning stages the last two years, and I'm obviously NOT this year, I'm reliving some memories, and dreaming of the day I might cruise again.

This is most of our group of 10.

We met up for breakfast most mornings, disembarked the ship together, and then met again for dinner.  There were no expectations of where we needed to be or when, or with whom.  It was the perfect arrangement.

As you might imagine, I took hundreds of photos, but I'll only share a few.  I was fascinated by everything!  I was up before sunrise most mornings, and watched us sail into port.  And quite often, I was able to witness the Pilot onboarding.  With the exception of the Bahamas, the other islands were mountainous, which surprised me.  I'm accustomed to the sandy barrier islands of the east coast of the US.  The waters really were the amazingly beautiful turquoise colors that you see on postcards.  

Oh the sights, the colors, the plants, the people, the food, and just the cruise life itself.  The rest of our group were all seasoned cruisers, and were entertained by my amazement of everything.  Hubby and I took a tour of most of the islands.  Some, including Tortola, had been devastated by Hurricanes Maria and Irma in 2017.  But since tourism is so important to the islands, they bounce back pretty quickly.  Especially the port area where we docked.  I guess the ship companies pay to get that area   back quickly.  I was amazed by all the high-end jewelry shops.  I expected more local crafts and experiences.  

Even the steel drum band that met us on the dock at Antigua was probably staged and paid for my the shipping company, but I loved it!!

This little dude, however, was probably not sponsored by the ship!  Iguanas are much larger than I expected.  

After our 10 days on the ship, we made our annual visits to family and friends in Florida before we returned home.  I'm really missing them this year.  Maybe next year!

My next post should be about some of the new projects I'm starting this year.  There certainly are plenty to choose from online.  

Hugs,

Sunny

2020 Catch-up and Close out

 I see a lot has changed here since I last  posted.  I was just reading some blogs, and thought I might give it a try again.  If anyone is still out there, pop in and say Hello!

As many of you are aware from reading Facebook, I lost my husband in early July.  It wasn't COVID, but because of the COVID situation, he was unable to get decent health care.  And while hospitalized twice, he was allowed no visitors.  I'm grieving, and carrying a LOT of anger!  But...I have never been more aware of how much love there is in the world.  Certainly in my world.  I am strong, and I will carry on.  

We lost a cat, and gained a new one in March of2019.  Miss Harley chose to live her entire life on the first floor of our 3 level townhouse.  In early October of this year, she decided to join me on the second floor, in the living room!  She loves people, and is finally adjusting to that OTHER cat.

Her usual position, LOL!

There's a squirrel on the deck!!

I stopped sewing for several months this summer, but now it's the only thing keeping me sane!  I moved my sewing room, and it is so much cozier and more efficient.  I finished this memorial quilt for my sister early during Lockdown.  It's made from our dad's shirts.  

And I recently finished one for my brother.  Are you seeing a theme here?

Finished version

Following a Design Wall Malfunction

I now have a beautiful design wall, that is properly attached to the wall, so there will hopefully be no further malfunctions.

My other recent finish is the result of a block exchange with 9 other quilters.  The quilt is made of 64 embroidered blocks.  It is based on a quilt that resides in the Virginia Quilt Museum.  I chose to quilt and finish mine similar to the original, although mine is machine quilted.  The prairie points are hard to see because they're up against a pink design wall.  I hope to get better pictures soon, but I'm quite pleased with the quilt!!

The finished quilt

 

a close up of the edging

One of my extra blocks

I think that's enough for now.  Perhaps I'll be back in a few days?

Hugs,

Sunny

August OPAM

August was a good stitching month for me.  I set some goals for myself, and I'm doing quite well, if I do say so myself.  I have to quilt one of my larger UFO's for a UFO challenge, and I decided I wanted to clear my entire pile of  to-be-quilted tops before I tackled the UFO.  Two more small ones to finish this week, and then I can tackle the biggie. 

In addition to the quilts from my last post, I pulled out some blocks that I received in Block Swap Adventures many years ago. I'm quite pleased with the result!  I don't remember who all sent all the blocks, so if you recognize one, give me a shout out!  I had requested all basket blocks.

This next quilt is a baby quilt, made with leftover fabric from a similar quilt a couple of years ago.  After making the top, I still had some fabric so I cut it up for a scrappy binding. 

For our nature shots this time, I'll leave you with some 'sunny' sunflowers!

These are late-blooming flowers, so it means summer is coming to an end.  This summer has been so hot and rainy, that I'm not sorry to see it going.  Plus, vacation is scheduled for September!!

Keep on stitching.....Sunny

Peek- a-boo!

Quilting is Happening

I know, I know.  I just posted a couple of weeks ago, and I'm back already.  Much quilting is happening here.  I have to finish a quilt for my UFO challenge for our small group, and I deliberately put it at the BOTTOM of the to-be quilted pile.  I'm hoping to get the entire pile finished!  Cheer me on, please.

Unfortunately, things like this come along.  I saw this in (one of my) new books, and I knew I had the perfect fabric for it.  So what's a girl to do?  Clear a space on the sewing table and get busy!!  This is in Edyta Sitar's Patches of Blue.

And then there was this!  I saw a picture on FB, and immediately had to have one.  The one I was was in blue, and if I ever do it again, it will be blue.  But my little neutral fabric had specks of red, so I went with red.  The baskets are 2 inches!!!

The next two are charity quilts from the scrap bin.  I try do make a small quilt nearly every month in the RSC colors.  I give you Red and Teal.

The teal is a larger version of a Pam Buda pattern, and was pieced at my recent retreat.  The red is supposed to look like plaid, but my color selection was a fail.  However, it made a nice cozy little quilt.

Speaking of RSC, here are my orange blocks for August.  I'm sticking with lighter values this year.

There are two other quilts in process of quilting.  I didn't like the way one border was coming along, so ripped it out, and have to start over.  And I got too tired to finished another small quilt last night.

In other news, the wildflowers are still blooming, and there are a lot of butterflies to be found!

What's happening in your sewing room?       Sunny

July OPAM

I hate to complain, because many of you are in severe drought.  But we have had so much rain this year, that it's difficult to do much outside.  So I've been spending a LOT of time sewing and quilting.  In addition to the finishes that I shared in my last post, I completed 14 place mats for Meals on Wheels.  No photo, sadly.  I love having some of them to work on when I start quilting.  I use them as my warm-up exercises.

This next quilt has been in the works for nearly two years.  I put it on my list for the UFO challenge this year to make sure it got done.  And I LOVE it!!

I also finished the top for Kathleen Tracy's small group for small quilts.  It was a mystery that started back in January, I think.  I added the applique to the borders - it's not part of her pattern.

I plan to do some quilting over the weekend, but probably won't get to this one just yet.

We did have a few nice days last week, so I spent a couple of afternoons at the pool, and DH and I took a little wildflower jaunt one afternoon.

Have a great weekend, and keep on stitching!!     Sunny

I Love Retirement!!

Life is good.  Since my last post, there has been a Retreat, a short vacation, some kayaking, some wildflowers, lots of stitching, good food and good friends.  How did I ever find time to work?

I managed to make two small quilt tops at retreat, but I'll wait until they're quilted to show them.  I also worked on some blocks for an ancient BOM.  My plan is to have all the blocks finished by the end of the year, preferable sooner.

I tested this pattern for a quilter/designer friend, and as a thank-you, she quilted it for me.  It's the first time I've ever had anything quilted.  I've had the fabric for ages, and it went together nicely.

Finally finished my RSC17, yes, that's 17!  I put this top together as all one quilt at an earlier retreat, and decided the size was ridiculous, so I carefully separated it into two tops, and they finally made it to the top of the to-be-quilted pile.  They will be going to the Sheriff's Department for the deputies to hand out as needed.

Next up is my May Heart quilt.  The challenge was to applique one heart per day during the month of May,  I made a few extras and I'm very pleased with the result.  The sashing/binding/backing was a chunk of fabric that a friend gave me a couple of months ago when she was cleaning out her stash.  Perfect for this quilt!!

And these little pretties were made for the 4th of July/Independence Day.  Pinterest can be a dangerous place.  I have at least two more on my list for next year!

I'm back in quilting mode, so should have a few oldies to show soon.  One is my UFO for our next meeting, so I have to get busy.  It's not going to be quick and easy like most of mine.

Did I mention vacation and kayaking and wildflowers?  I'll leave you with a few of my favorite images.

Woodland sunflower

This was taken the day that the final group of boys were rescued from cave in Thailand.  So appreciative of blue sky, fresh air, sunshine and clean water.

Cincinnati skyline at dusk

Skylift to Natural Bridge in Kentucky

any ideas?  Natural Bridge Kentucky

Another view of Skylift on the way down

View from overlook in Daniel Boone National Forest

Fleabane and bug

And now back to stitching....... Sunny

Best.  Cheeseburger.  Ever!