Welcome 2015

Hello 2015

May it bring happiness, staying healthy, and lots of quilting time.  Most people make New Year's resolutions and by spring we have either broken them or forgot them.  I want 2015 to be about my accomplishments.  I will use a quilt journal to keep track of these accomplishments.

 I have divided the journal into section for keeping track.  I am not going to set specific numbers for these goals.  I want to keep this simple so it doesn't become overwhelming.  Here is my list in no particular order.

1. Beads of Courage Bags
2. Quilts for Charities
3. Quilts just for me
4. Advent gifts for my friend

I do know I need to make a baby quilt for my daughter's friend and two graduation quilts.   As the need arises I am sure this will change hopefully not to often.

The first of the two project is these blue and yellow blocks that need to be finished.

The second one is using my 2" scraps.  This is a Bonnie Hunter pattern.

  I plan on only participating in very few quilting challenge in 2015.  I will participate in Sarah's annual H2H challenge.  Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict hosts this challenge unusually around March.   I also will participate in Angela's Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2015.  This challenge is a great way to use your scraps and these ladies make the most interesting rainbow blocks.
I did find a great scrap challenge that I am considering for my rainbow challenge.  Sherri at A Quilting Life is hosting a scrap challenge and one way is to make Dresden Plate blocks.  I think this would be fun and they could be my rainbow block challenge.

What quilting plans do you have for 2015?

Karen

Goodbye to 2014

Here are the 2014 finishes.  I made one Christmas quilt as a gift.  It went to New Orleans for my sweet little granddaughter.  Rileigh needs to know what is like to be a OSU Buckeye.

O - H - I - O

This quilt is two team.  LSU is on the back.

I have been finishing up some Beads of Courage bags.

I also finished my Charming Star quilt.  Terry over at Terry's Treasures had a sew along.  I hope you take time to see everyone else's Charming Star.  Mine will be a birthday gift for a friend.

I had a great quilting year and I am looking forward to quilting 2015.

Karen

Blocks, More Blocks, & Irene is Done

I am still sewing on my flowering snowball blocks.  I have 30 blocks finished and 70 more to go.

I didn't have any holiday things.  So made pillowcases for our bed. 

They are on the bed so we can enjoy them.

I also made this pillowcase.

You also get a sneak peak of my granddaughter's Christmas gift.  I hope to finish is in the next couple of weeks.  Then I will share it with you.

Alycia is having a QOV block drive.  These blocks will be going to her.

Goodnight Irene is finished.  Irene took a trip.  Her new home is in New Orleans.  She became a prayer quilt for a lady going through breast cancer treatments.

I love this pattern.  Maybe the next one will be Iris.

  Thanks Terry for the sew along.

Happy sewing. 

Karen

Charming Stars Times Two

I have been busy sewing.  I joined Terri's Charming Star in September.  I started making blocks for the charming star sew along using Kansas Trouble fabrics.  Here are the blocks I have sewn.  I have five of them made.

As I was sewing on them I needed a prayer quilt for a five year old boy who has some health issues.  Why not a charming star quilt.  An I Spy prayer quilt would be perfect.

Here is a close up of one block.  

I think he is going to love to play I Spy.

I needed another prayer quilt so I finished this flimsy.

My friend just found out she has breast cancer.  I hope this quilt will bring her lots of comfort.

I have been working on some other projects that I will share with you soon.

Karen

Saturday Orange and More

I did get my orange house done.  Only two orange blocks in September.  This is the last Saturday in September I will check to see others has been doing with their orange fabrics at Scrap Happy Saturday.

A finished quilt for a friend of my daughter.  This quilt has orange in it.  Maybe I can count this in my rainbow orange blocks.

Making progress on this UFO.

I have 11 blocks of the flowering snowball quilt done.  I still have 89 blocks to make.

I have joined Terry's sew along over at Terry's Treasures.  Here are two of my charming star blocks.  

Change of Seasons

The last few weeks I have been canning.  I have canned tomato juice, whole tomatoes, pasta sauce, stewed tomatoes and salsa.  I am so ready to go from canning season to sewing season.

Salsa

Here are projects I have been sewing when time permits.  I have three strippie tops done.  You can find this cute quilt pattern at Mary Quilts.  You can also find lots of other free patterns at Mary Quilts.

 Two of the strippie quilts are alike because I had enough fabric to make two.  One of them will be giving to the hospital gift shop.

I joined Prairie  Moon Quilts 350 blocks.  I wanted to see how many blocks I make and what better way to keep track.  Since yesterday was the last day I finished these 4 blocks to make my August total of 15.    This is a UFO that I am going to try and finish in September.  I did already make one quilt using these same fabrics and patten.  The rest of these blocks need to find a good home.

Sad Week

 This week we had to put down this sweet pound puppy that stole our hearts 17 years ago.  Tasha was the best dog we have ever had.  She got cancer and the last 10 months we have been trying to make her better.  But this week she was struggling to breath.  So it was time.

We already miss our Tasha.

I did finally make some rainbow blocks.  I only have two more house blocks to make to get caught up.    I hope to sew some more rainbow blocks today.

Reds, Piggy Bank, and More

This little sweetheart was visiting grandma for a week and now she has went home.  We went to the zoo.  We also taught her to like pumpkin blossoms.  

Rileigh 

I have fallen off the Rainbow challenge.  Over at SOSCRAPPY there is a monthly rainbow challenge and July is RED.  I have made one block with some red and a pillowcase with some red.  I don't know if that really counts for red in July but I am going to link up.

Val's Quilting Studio is having a piggy bank saving challenge.  Now I don't have a pretty piggy bank but I decide to join in.  I always save change.  So first thing I did was count what I had in the jar.  I am going to buy rotary blades, 505 spray, and thread with my savings.

 There was $88.00 in the jar.

This is the change I am starting with.

I am working on this quilt for a young girl who will be a doctor in August.

 I also made a taggie blanket.  It is for a little brother of the two who will receive the pillowcases.

Have a great week.

Karen

Prayers Quilts, Good Night Irene and More

I have made two prayers this month.  Both of of are for young adults going through health issues.

These quilts should bring comfort to both of them.

My granddaughter is coming for a visit next week.  She is a year and half old.  One of her cousins is coming too.  I made theses pillowcases for the girls.

Good Night Irene is a flimsy.  WooHoo!  

I did make these Yellow blocks for June Rainbow blocks.

I need to get caught up with my rainbow blocks.

Karen 

H2H Final Link Up

This year Hands2Help 2014 Charity Quilt Challenge is coming to a close. There are three charities who will be receiving quilts.  My goal was to make one for each charity.  I was able to accomplish my goal.

#1 Quilts of Compassion

#2 Hurricane Sandy Surviviors

#3 Happy Chemo

To see all the other challenge quilts for charity hop on over to Sarah's at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.  Thanks Sarah for the the extra work you do for this challenge.  I look forward to participating next year.

Karen

H2H Checking In

Today is check in and show your progress on H2H Charity Quilt Challenge 2014.  I decided to make three quilts one for each charity.

Quilt #1 - Quilts of Compassion

Finished and mailed

They are getting ready to deliver quilts to the south where the tornados hit few weeks ago.  They are in need of 1500 quilts.  If you can help and need information contact me and I can get you in touch with them.

Quilt #2 - Hurricane Sandy Survivors

will mail next week

Quilt #3 - Happy Chemo

Top is finished.  I need to quilt it.  I hope to have it completed next week.

I hope you go over to Confession of a Fabric Addict and see what everyone else has done.  You will be inspired.

Happy sewing.

Karen