Freezer Paper Applique

I have the navy blue and cream circles done. Now I'm working on the gold circles. This is what they look like before I cut them out. See you tomorrow as there is a really bad thunderstorm and I don't like being on the computer.

Fabric

Thought I would show you some of the fabrics I'm using for the wool quilt. The stripe fabric is the sashings and corner squares. The fabric at the top is for the circle flowers and the wool at the lower right hand is for the leaves. I ironed on the freezer paper and I am cutting out 25 navy blue circles tonight for my 15 minutes. May take a little more time as I'm going to do it as I watch some TV.

New Project

I started a new project this afternoon. It's another wool project. I started cutting the sashes and traced circles on butcher paper. The block has 3 circle flowers and a couple of leaves. I'll be blanket stitching the circles and leaves onto the backing. There are 25 blocks and they are set on point. Now I'll have a hand sewing project and I think it will take a while to get it done.

Turkey is Done

It was a beautiful morning. I sat on the deck with my coffee and finished blanket stitching my turkey to the backing. It's done! That's the book that the pattern came from, "Autumn Threads" by Need'l Love Company. I love this book! I have made so many items out of it; money well spent.

Turkey

I got the turkey centered on the backing and am now doing a blanket stitch around the edge. After that, it'll be done.

I also cut out more strips of batting for my quilt-as-you-go project. I have 12 strips cut and I need 16. I'm going to have to get 4 more yards of batting to finish this part of the project.

Backing

I got the backing for my turkey wall hanging sewn and turned. Then I did the hand stitching to close the opening left from turning it. Tomorrow I'll be able to center the turkey and hand stitch it in place. The directions called for using curtain rings on the back for hanging. Not sure I want to go that route. I'll have to think about that one for a while.

Promise

A promise is a promise. I did take a picture of my quilt-along quilt. I was going to take the picture in front of the house and lay the quilt over the bushes. But I saw this guy there and decided not to put my quilt on top of him. So I took my quilt out back and hung it on the clothes line again. I love the way this quilt turned out. Hope you enjoy it too.

It's Done!

I finished my quilt-along quilt tonight. But now it's too dark to take any pictures. So, I promise, pictures tomorrow. It's pretty exciting to finish piecing a top. I wish I had a good spot in my house to take pictures of big quilts.

Plugging Along

Plugging along on my quilt-along quilt. Got another border added and am sewing on the other 2. Maybe tomorrow I'll have it done so I can show you a picture. Hang in there, it's coming!

Busy Weekend

This was a busy weekend. A family friend got married on Saturday and we went to the wedding. So Thursday night I was busy packing and didn't sew and we left right after I got off work on Friday. No sewing on Friday and Saturday. We made it back today and I used my machine to get some work done on my quilt-along. It runs so nice. I did notice that the bobbin case wasn't the same one that I took in, but maybe there was a problem with my old one. They didn't say when I picked up my machine. But as long as it runs, I'm OK with it.

It Was Hard

It was really hard to make myself do my 15 minutes today. I know, sad huh? I have been helping out in a kindergarten room at school and have been on my feet for the past 2 days. More than I have done since the surgery. My foot aches and the muscles twitch from the use. It's a good thing, but takes a lot out of you to have the pain. OK, I'm done whining. :-)

So, I cut two more strips of batting, 8.5 inches wide and 4 yards long. Yes 4 yards long! I'm working on a quilt-as-you-go quilt for my king size bed. That took 10 minutes and then I cleaned up around my cutting table for the last 5 minutes.

All Is Right With The World

All is right with the world, I have my sewing machine back and sitting where it belongs. I cut some batting out for my quilt as you go project. I'm hoping to spend some time tomorrow sewing. I'm feeling the itch!

Oh Happy Day!

Finished my needle case yesterday afternoon/evening. I added my initials and the date to the outside back.

This is the inside. Thread and thimble can fit in the pocket on the left and needles and pins on the flaps to the right.

And now - the really big news - my sewing machine is ready to be picked up. I'm going to pick it up after work tomorrow. (I started back to work today, first day of school for the preschool kids is Thursday) This summer went by way too fast.

Mini Vacation

My husband and I went on a mini vacation Friday and Saturday. On Friday morning I worked on this needle case and got the front cover done. I found the pattern here: http://sew4home/ Felt Travel Sewing Kitty. We left for Perry, IA on Friday afternoon and we stopped first at Prairie Star Quilts and I got backing for 3 wallhangings. Maybe I can get some things finished!

We stayed at the Historic Hotel Pattee in Perry, IA. It was an old beautiful Hotel that opened in 1913 and then was restored and reopened in 1997. It was beautiful. All 40 rooms are decorated in a theme. We stayed in the wood working room with all hand crafted wood furniture. (there is a quilt room and a needle art room that I would love to see.) Check it out at http://www.hotelpattee.com/

Then Saturday we went to the Iowa State Fair. ( http://www.iowastatefair.org/ ) Fun, as always. Saw all the animals and the quilts and photography. The quilts are amazing. I just can't believe all the talent we have in this state. Some day I'm going to enter a quilt. Don't you think that's a good goal to have? I do.

Pins Pins Pins

I got the turkey backing cut out (at the right size) and the interfacing ironed onto it. Pinned the pieces together and am ready to sew. I also pinned my pieced strips and sashing together on the quilt-along quilt. Cut more scrap and traced the pattern for a wool pin holder onto freezer paper. Quite the pinning day.

OH NO!

The quilting biorhythms are off today.

I was cutting out the backing for my turkey when I realized that I had cut it 20.5 and not 21.5. So I told myself "OK, don't panic, just turn the fabric around. It didn't work. The fabric has a big white selvage of over an inch on both sides and even with fudging a little with the seam, it still didn't work. :-(

OK, take a break. Found some new fabric in the stash and put the cut piece back. I'm afraid to go near it right now. I'm waiting until tomorrow and that WRONG number is out of my brain. I'm also afraid to go near the old sewing machine as it seems like my brain is turned off for right now. I'm blaming the heat. What else could it be?

Took the dog for a walk to the mail box as I normally do. Get to the mail box and the pattern for block 7 and 8 for my BOM are in the box! I don't even have 5 and 6 started. Guess I know what I'll be working on.

Turkey Wallhanging

I got the wool part all done yesterday. Found some fabric for the backing and cut it out today. Tomorrow I'm going to get the other sewing machine out and see how it works. I did spend time cutting scrap again. The fabric in those shopping bags never seem to shrink to a lower level! And I'm only working on one bag at a time, as I was hoping to see an end someday!

My Blog Name

A couple of people have asked me about the name of my blog so I thought I would explain about it. Pretty simple really, in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, there are townships that divide the county. I live in Hazel Dell Township. I just loved the sound of Hazel Dell, so named my blog and my Flickr acct after the township.

Been working on my turkey and it's almost done. Now I need to find a yard of fabric in my stash for the backing. I'm thinking something Fall like. Or turkey red.

Turkey Wallhaging

It has been so hot today. The heat index is anywhere from 105 to 115 degrees. It is just HOT! So I've been working on cleaning up the beans I picked the other day to get them ready to freeze and watching chick flicks and working on my turkey. I love how he is turning out and as I've said before, I love working with wool. Even on this hot day.

Quilts From The Bluffs

The first Saturday of the month, quilt day with Quilts From The Bluffs. I cut out 6 inch squares and strips that were 1 1/2 x 8 1/2 for next months project. Today everyone but me worked on making receiving blankets and burp cloths. (My machine is in the shop) Really easy project that was a big 4 patch on one side and solid on the other, no batting.

Kind of tired and my foot is really swollen, so won't be doing much in my sewing room. Maybe start stitching my turkey wall hanging while I put my foot up. Have a great evening!

Wool

What a day! I was out in the garden, picked beans, picked my cherry tomatoes and then got stung by a wasp. OUCH!!! Put vinegar on the sting and took a Benadryl. It still hurts, but my poor husband was out trimming grass and a different nest got him on the calf and on the hand. They are so aggressive this year. He had a much worse reaction to the stings than I did.

Onto something more fun, sewing. I cut out a wool applique project. It's a Thanksgiving turkey that I have had aging in the stash. The pattern is out of "Autumn Threads" by Need'l Love Company. It'll be nice to have some new things for the fall holidays.

Quilt-Along Week 9

All 4 strips are done for Week 9 of the Quilt-along. Yeah!

I decided since I couldn't remember when I last took my machine in to be cleaned and oiled, that it must be due to have that done. So, I took it to the dealer and found out that the couple that takes care of that is on vacation until August 12. AND it could be up to 10 days after that before my machine is ready for me to pick up. So now what? I do have an old Singer that I had cleaned and oiled last summer and haven't used. Guess I will be playing with that.
Although I could:
Clean in my sewing room.
Cut scraps.
Cut out a project and have it ready to sew.
Cut batting for a project I have fabric ready for.
We'll see where this waiting takes me.

I'm kind of sad, cause I won't get my quilt-along done on time.

Half Way Done

For Week 9 of the quilt-along we have to make 4 of these strips. I have 2 done, the 3rd one is on the machine. Tomorrow I'll be caught up with this!

Quilt-Along Week 8

Finished the last row of pieced blocks for Week 8 of the quilt-along. It was hard to get this shot as

the wind kept doing this. Just needed to be patient. The wind also pulled the quilt off the clothes pins and I'd have to repin everything.

Quilt Shops

My husband and I were on a golfing weekend that we have done for the past few years. Starts on Friday and ends on Sunday. I didn't get any sewing done or blogging because of the trip. But, I did get to some quilt shops on Friday. The first shop that my friend Patti found for us was called "Creekside Quilting" in Clive, IA. Wonderful shop! Patti found some really cool African animal wallhanging patterns that were designed by one of the women that worked at the shop. Link here: http://www.creekside-quilting.com/



Next shop was in Ankeny, IA called "Quilter's Cupboard". Another wonderful shop. Lots of fun fabric. Link here; http://www.quilterscupboardiowa.com/. I picked up Bonnie K. Hunter's book, "Adventures With Leaders and Enders" and am now trying to use her method. I had a number of 2 inch squares cut out and in a bin. Just today I have sewn together a few of the squares and before you know it, I'll have a quilt sewn together while working on a main project, such as my quilt-along. At least that's how it's suppose to work! I'm even thinking it would be an easy way of getting my half square triangles done.



I got another side of my quilt-along done and hope to have Week 8 done tomorrow and pictures of it to show you. Directions for Week 9 are out and I hate that I got a little behind, but will get caught up soon.