FNSI

After signing up for FNSI last week, we decided to take a little road trip.  I didn't take any sewing with me, but I always crochet in the car when I'm not driving, so I started a new baby afghan.  I did some extra 'hooking' on Friday night as my way of participating.

This is the quilt that I made for our guild challenge.  It was inspired by a picture of a quilt that I saw on a blog a couple of years ago, and I don't remember which blog.  It stuck in my mind, though.

The picket fence was made from the small end of men's ties that I purchased for fifty cents apiece at the Salvation Army Store,  and the flowers are various sizes and shapes of yo yos.  The binding fabric was given to me by a friend who thought it was just the ugliest fabric ever.  Because I WAS the challenge committee and solicited all the prizes, I didn't feel comfortable entering my quilt for voting, but I think I could have won a prize.  wink!  I did share it for Show and Tell, and got a lot of nice comments.

My vase of daffodils won second prize for the challenge at my other guild.

I had fun making both of them, so my objective was achieved.  The woman heading the challenge for this group next year is very Modern and very unconventional in her interpretation of subjects.  It will probably be VERY challenging for me!

I'm off to do some sewing and quilting for a couple of days  My quilting machine is back from her spa treatment, and is sewing like a dream...

Be kind.....always.       Sunny

OPAM, FNWF, RSC and Chookshed Party

May was an incredibly busy month.  I went on a quilting blitz, and finished many projects for OPAM.  The final one got its final stitches before I went to bed on the 31st.  This is one of two quilts made from my RSC16 blocks.

The second quilt, from string blocks, is pieced, but is waiting for my quilting machine to have a little spa treatment next weekend.  I guess I worked her to hard in May.  Looking back at previous posts, I have a green doll quilt, a teal baby quilt, a log cabin, and ugly pink quilt, my diary quilt, my challenge quilt, and this machine cover that I haven't yet shared.

There were also 11 place mats for Meals on Wheels.

For FNWF, I prepped some applique for the borders of my little Baltimore Album quilt.  I pieced the top, and hope to make major progress on the borders in the coming week.

I was supposed to be sewing with the girls today for Chooky's 5th Annual Chookshed party, but I may or may not have attended a quilt show with friends instead.  And I may or may not have purchased 3 new books.

A minimal fabric purchase was made of 3 fat quarters for a specific project.  I found a fourth book that I really wanted, but had to walk away.  I can always shop on Amazon later, right?

And now I must sign off and head over to the party!

Keep on stitching.......Sunny

More on this adventure later!!

RSC-green

My quilting blitz continues, and I have something green!  I was recently gifted a bag of scraps, and found these green triangles in the mix.  I immediately made a little doll quilt.  I was also gifted a bag of batting scraps, and the white fabric!  I actually put it together wrong, but I decided I liked the way it looked, so I kept it.  I used a stencil for the quilting.

Another little quilt that I've been working on can't be shown for awhile, and yet another is being long-armed by a friend, because my machine just didn't like it at all.

In other green news, I'm making crayons each month, but I haven't made the tips yet, so I'm not sharing.  I made a light green and a darker green.  I think that brings me to seven for the year.  I put aside the colored fabric for the tip, and I plan to make a bunch of them at the same time.

I'm almost finished quilting one of my RSC16 quilts.  Hopefully I'll be sewing  binding tonight.  And yet another RSC16 top was put together yesterday.  It was strip pieced on foundation fabric, and it weighs a ton.  I think I'm going to look for a light weight batting for it.  Any suggestions?

Last week's nature trip took us to Blackwater Falls State Park in West Virginia.  We drove through rain and dense fog to get there, and again to get back home.  While we were actually in the park, however, it was nice enough for a couple of short hikes and some pretty pictures.  I'd love to go back this week to see the Mountain Laurel that was in bud EVERYWHERE last week!!!

From scenic overlook

Mountain Laurel buds

Pink Lady Slipper

The reward for hiking the Lindy Point Trail

Unknown - any suggestions?  Karen?

Flame Azalea

Rhododendron

Blackwater Falls from the overlook

Blackwater Falls up close and personal.  It was at this point that my camera disk gave me a 'full' message.  :-(

 I have a little field trip planned for later this week, but it probably won't involve any wildflower pictures.  Stay tuned!

Be kind.....always..............................Sunny

kind·ness

ˈkīn(d)nəs/

noun

1. the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.
2. 
   
3. 
   
   

   
   

FNSI and SKOU

What is SKOU you ask?  It is Some Kind of Ugly.  I had good intentions with this quilt.  But I think it's one of the ugliest quilts I've ever seen.  Friends have assured me that someone will love it, and I hope they're right.  On Friday night, for FNSI, I finished the binding.

Poor lighting late at night.  This is all in pink.

I took a break from my quilting and binding blitz to go to the shore for a couple of days.  We did some wildflower hiking, beach walking, picture taking, touring, and pony watching.

one of two deer we saw on nature walk.

Chesapeake Bay Bridge seen from eastern shore

Tower on Delaware Beach

Delaware towers info

Bottle tree?

Blue-eyed grass

Wild ponies of Assateague

Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge

Glossy Ibis

Assateague Lighthouse

Great Egret

Great Blue Heron

Walking the beach at sunrise

I've been to three sewing groups since I returned, but none of my projects are finished.  If all goes according to plan tomorrow, there WILL be finishes!

There was a mourning dove on our deck this morning and it caught the attention of the girls.  They're used to seeing squirrels and smaller birds, but the doves don't often get on the deck.  They're down below eating what the other birds and squirrels drop on the ground!

Happy Sewing........Sunny

Another May finish!

Actually, I have two more finishes, but one is a secret until it is received by its new owner in Florida.  But I can share this with you.

This is a Pam Buda Prairie Women pattern that I'm making with my small group.  This is the second in the series, and I've got a portion of another completed.

Sydney wanted to say Hi to everyone!

Zippy wasn't as enthusiastic about having her picture taken.

And if you're interested in yet another batch of wildflower pictures, I've added some to my Wildflower page.  Please tell me if you think I've misidentified any of them!

Be kind, always.............Sunny

FNWF - I'm late!

Sorry, I've had my quilting machine cranked up, not my computer!  I'm on a quilting and binding blitz.  First up, the quilt I was binding Friday night for FNWF.  This is a comfort quilt for a children's hospital.

This was quilted on Friday, as well, after I finished quilting several place mats.

Saturday was a new day, and a new quilt.  This is my Diary quilt, started many many years ago.  I put it on a UFO Challenge list to get it going again.  For one UFO challenge, I had to complete at least 12 blocks.  I had previously done two, but I didn't like them, so I changed my fabric choice - to scrappy - and completed 20 blocks.  I really didn't want to make the quilt at all at this point, but there was no way I was going to contribute to the 'kitty' for not finishing.  Following that, I put finishing the quilt on another UFO Challenge list, and it's due in about 2 weeks.  And I actually kinda like the quilt.

It represents many things in my life.  My Irish heritage, my patriotism, my hobbies:  reading, photography, quilting, and travel, my mother:  Rose of Sharon, Grandmother's flower garden, my two states:  South Dakota and Maryland, and my love of cats, beaches, and tea.  I'll probably donate this to some group, but it has buttons on it, so it's not suitable for a small child.   This quilt started from a Mimi Dietrich book, long before I knew who Mimi Dietrich was!

On Sunday, I got another quilt quilted, but I didn't get the binding on, so I'll save it for another day.  I think there are still four more in the to-be-quilted pile.  That's where they go when I can't decide how to quilt them.  For instance, my quilt with the reindeer names.  Not a clue what to do with it.  I need to make more quilts with overall patterns so I can quilt them with an overall pattern!!

Earlier last week, I finished my challenge quilt for one of my guilds.  I only know of one guild member who reads this blog, so TR, don't peek!  Our challenge was to use our birth month flower, and our birthstone color.

And now, back to my quilting and binding blitz!  I also have to finish a birthday gift for one of you.

Be kind, always....................Sunny