To-Do Tuesday #5

I have been linking up to Home Sewn By Us for the past several weeks.  And today is my 5th week.

Here is my list from last week and my progress

To-Do for the Week of January 28 through February 3:

1. Finish batik rails quilt this month. yes
2. Do a page in my creative journal and post in FB group Decorative Journaling  yes
3. Improv browns....get the top pieced and start FMQ practice on it  almost
4. 2020 online class Artfully Inspired Life....work on it 4 days. yes

1  I finished the Kiwiberry batik rails quilt the last day of January....and did a blog post about it then.  The quilt has a lot of different FMQing and I added lots of photos to that post.

2  I am in a FB group and we do creative art journaling about our life and our days!  We have to post at least once a month to stay in the group..........and here is the page I posted last month.

3  I have the top almost done of the improv browns.........the top and bottom borders are ready to be added.  I have the binding ready to add.  

4   I worked 5 days on my 2020 online class in practicing and in the class book

My last post I also blogged about what I call my zen stitching.  Last week I heard about Stitch Meditations and started doing them.  There is more about it on my last post.  Here is a photo of the four I have done this past week:

These are not art quilts....just creative stitching for mindfulness practice.  

There is a video by Liz Kettle to watch to learn about it and the rules of doing it.

To-Do for the Week of February 4 through February 10:

1. Do some Stitch Meditations at least 3 days.
2. FMQ improv browns quilt
3. 2020 online class Artfully Inspired Life....work on class lessons 4 days

I am linking to Roseanne's Linky #26

Be sure to check it out and join in the fun!

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Kiwiberry batik rails finish and some zen stitching

 I finished a UFO that I started in November 2010.  I have blogged about it before and lately quite a lot!  It was a goal to finish this quilt this month.........and that is what I did!

 Here is the back.......I did a lot of different FMQ designs.......mostly as practice for the first time on each design.  This will go on our patio table.

 I took photos of all of the areas and decided to add them to this blog post.  There are words and short sentences added in different areas. AND I did some very big hand stitching in some areas!

next I will talk about what I call zen stitching.................

 This week I read a blog post about Stitch Meditations..........I became very fascinated and interested in checking out the video and learning more about it.
So here is the info I read and you can check it out on this blog post by Andrèe here 

The video she refers to is on YouTube by Liz Kettle   Stitch Meditations

Rules....No plan..take few minutes to pick materials...no taking out stitches. AND OK not to be perfect!! Here are my little pieces of creative bliss!!! I have used flannel 4 x 4 and 3 1/2 x 4 and my tiny saved scraps!!!  I like the idea with no plan and just decide as you go what you will do.  So I have spent about 30 minutes on each of these the past 3 afternoons....sitting on our patio with temps in the upper 70s............so relaxing......

And the reason I call it zen stitching.......meaning of zen is.....a state of calm attentiveness in which one's actions are guided by intuition rather than by conscious effort.

I am linking to Free Motion Mavericks  week 265

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

To-Do Tuesday #4

I have been linking up to Home Sewn By Us for the past several weeks.  This is my 4th week already....I like the published list to keep me focused.  AND I like to see what others in the link are doing.

Here is my list from last week and my progress

To-Do for the Week of January 21st through 27th:

1. Piece the improv table runner which will be 14 x 57 and do FMQ practice
2. Do some cutting and/or sewing of the Frolic quilt at least 4 days  yes
3. Work on 2020 Artfully Inspired LIfe book at least 4 days  yes

1.  The photo below shows the stack of blocks ready to put together.  I still need to add some more blocks so I didn't quilte get done what I had planned....but I made good progress!

2.  I did work on the Frolic quilt on 4 days

3.  I worked on my online class on 4 days.

Here are two photos from the Road to California quilt show that we attended in Ontario.  It was an amazing quilt show and very enjoyable.  The quilts were outstanding and there were a lot of vendors.

You can check online to see these quilts by the quilters....these are my photos that I took......

The first one is by Kathy McNeil called Spring Harmony

The second photo is part of the quilt by Claudia Pfeil called Bricks and Gears

To-Do for the Week of January 28 through February 3:

1. Finish batik rails quilt this month. 
2. Do a page in my creative journal and post in FB group Decorative Journaling
3. Improv browns....get the top pieced and start FMQ practice on it
4. 2020 online class Artfully Inspired Life....work on it 4 days.

I am linking to Roseanne's Linky #25

Be sure to check it out and join in the fun!

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

To-Do Tuesday #3

For the past two weeks I have linked up with Home Sewn By Us for To-Do Tuesday.

Having a list keeps me focused on my plan for the week and I think I get more done with this published list.  So I am continuing with making a list and putting it on my blog.

Here is my list from last week and my progress

To-Do for the Week of January 14th through 20th:

1. Finish quilting batik rails quilt and get ready to add binding.  yes
2. Do 4 pages of Joanne Sharpe online class book Artfully Inspired Life
3. Make 4 more Scrappy Strips Around the Cabin blocks  yes
4. Start an improv table runner for the top of bookcase on office desk.  yes

1.  I finished FMQ and got the binding ready and have applied the binding....and started hand stitching the binding to the back.  Here is the photo I took yesterday of the quilt trimmed and ready for the binding.

2.  I did not get 4 pages done in my 2020 Artfully Inspired Life book but I did work in this book. 

3.  I made 4 more blocks for the Scrappy Strips Around the Cabin quilt.  The photo shows the four in a group of blocks with paw print centers.  I have 9 blocks with these fabrics to add to 21 more blocks I have of all various shapes and fabrics.

4.  I started the improv table runner.  The photo shows the groups of strips sewn together and also some of the 2 patches added together for 4 patches.  I have them numbered 1 through 9 to keep track of which ones I have joined together so I don't have repeats....for more of a variety.  Most of these are really old fabrics that I want to use up and this quilt won't be very visible because it will be up on top of the bookcase.

To-Do for the Week of January 21st through 27th:

1. Piece the improv table runner which will be 14 x 57 and do FMQ practice
2. Do some cutting and/or sewing of the Frolic quilt at least 4 days
3. Work on 2020 Artfully Inspired LIfe book at least 4 days

I am linking up with Roseannes  Linky #24.

Be sure to check it out and join in the fun!

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

FMQ fun

• I am having a lot of fun doing FMQ every day.  
• In this photo I wrote the words..... create every day.
• I started doing the designs from online Bluprint class....28 Days to Better Free-Motion Quilting.
• The designs are zig zag, circuit board and simple V from this class in the photo.

I am linking up to Free Motion Mavericks

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

To-Do Tuesday #2

Last week I linked up with Home Sewn By Us for To-Do Tuesday.

I found that having the published list for this week kept me focused on the things I had planned for the week and was fun and not a burden.  Since I am retired I try to relax and enjoy my days leisurely as I choose to do things.  But I also need to give myself a little push!!

Here is my list from last week and my progress

To-Do for the Week of January 7th through 13th:

1. Make progress on my batik rail quilt with FMQ and hand quilting.  I made a statement yesterday at my quilt group that I will finish this quilt this month.   yes
2. Practice FMQ at least 5 days this week   yes
3. Do some pages in my online class book with Joanne Sharpe 2020 Artfully Inspired Life   yes
4. Work on Frolic Bonnie Hunter mystery   yes

1.  I worked on the batik rails quilt every day.

2.  I did FMQ practice 6 days for at least 10 minutes.  Practice was on my batik rails quilt most of the time.   I did a blog post on Saturday with a photo of FMQ on my batik rails quilt.

3.  I worked a little bit in my 2020 Artfully Inspired Life book.

4.  I worked on part 3 of Frolic mystery doing HST on 2 different days. 

To-Do for the Week of January 14th through 20th:

1. Finish quilting batik rails quilt and get ready to add binding.
2. Do 4 pages of Joanne Sharpe online class book Artfully Inspired Life
3. Make 4 more Scrappy Strips Around the Cabin blocks
4. Start an improv table runner for the top of bookcase on office desk.

I will post my progress next week

Linking to Roseanne   Linky #23

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

FMQ practice

Today I wrote the word practice...........in my batik rales quilt.  I have been doing FMQ practice and that is what it takes to get better.  I am using this quilt as my practice. 

My inspiration for today and 10 minutes of FMQ was from Bluprint class by Christina Cameli.  From the class Free-Motion Quilting Essentials I did pebbles, spiral vine and feathers.

The other parts at the bottom are from her book Fog, Orange Peel Echoed and Plenty.

There are other parts of this photo I did with a ruler and just practice.

I still need a lot of practice to get these to look decent.......but I wanted to share what I have done this week so far.

I am linking to Free Motion Mavericks
https://quiltinglearningcombo.blogspot.com/2020/01/sacred-geometry-for-project-quilting-at.html

I just found out about this link today and wanted to share my practice of FMQ.

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

To-Do Tuesday

I have decided to add my to-do list to my blog.....at least I will do it this week.
I have a habit of making a list every day of things I want to do.  BUT.....This will be different to post some of my things from my hand written list to my blog! I have been reading blogs of others doing this and I am joining in the fun!

  I will be adding this post to Roseanne's link     Click....It will take you to the To-Do Linky #22

To-Do for the Week of January 7th through 13th:

1. Make progress on my batik rail quilt with FMQ and hand quilting.  I made a statement yesterday at my quilt group that I will finish this quilt this month.
2. Practice FMQ at least 5 days this week
3. Do some pages in my online class book with Joanne Sharpe 2020 Artfully Inspired Life
4. Work on Frolic Bonnie Hunter mystery

At the end of the week I will post a report of how I did for the week on my goals.

Linking to Home Sewn By Us  (link above)

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Happy New Year everyone!

A new year with all new possibilities!  Today I will be setting up my bullet journal and my list of things I want to do this year.........................and working in my new online class and......more fun things!

BUT FIRST.....I am going to watch the basketball game that starts at noon!  Aztecs are 13 and 0 so far this year!
We really enjoy watching college basketball!!

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Last quilt finish of 2019 and December stuff

 This is a jellyroll quilt called Slice.  It is from a tutorial by the fatquartershop.
It measures 40x40 and is very fun to make.  I used Sandy Gervais WellSaid fabric.

 The back is Winnie the Pooh fabric.

WARNING....this blog post has a lot of photos......

The next photos are quilts in progress by my friends from the retreat we went on the first part of December. 

  The following are some of the things I worked on at the retreat......
I used 4" pieces of fabric and did strip piecing and then added borders.  I used mostly scraps of Laurel Burch fabrics I have had for awhile.
I put batting separate on the front and on the back and did quilting before I sewed them together.

 I finished 6 of these for gifts after I got home from the retreat. 

 The following photo is the design wall placing charm squares for Oh My Stars quilt.  Pattern is by Pat Sloan.

 Here is a photo of the paint chips for Bonnie Hunter mystery plus fabric.  We went to a fabric shop during the retreat and I found some more fabric for doing the Frolic quilt.  Today Bonnie gave the 6th clue.  There is still time to join in on the fun.

AND today is the last day for the early bird special for the Joanne Sharpe 2020 online class.
2020 Artfully Inspired Life.  Painting...lettering....collages.......and more......VERY FUN!!!

That's it for 2019.............

I put my favorite quilt finish for 2019 on Instagram.....It was one I had started 10 years ago and finally finished!        WHAT is YOUR favorite quilt finish for 2019?    #favoritequiltfinish2019

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Cool Cats finish in November

 I finished this before Thanksgiving and posted on Instagram.....but just now getting it on this blog!
This photo was taken on the patio just as it was starting to sprinkle...and I took some more photos inside and the one on IG is taken inside on the floor.  Also....on IG a photo machine quilting.

This is Cool Cats pattern by Peggy Martin and I have blogged about it in previous blogs and will add the links
October 22, 2018
November 2, 2018
There are photos and info about this quilt on these previous posts...just click on the dates and it takes you to the blog posts.

For the backing I used Moda purple marble swirls.

AND a scrappy binding....I had the binding positioned on the floor around the quilt to be sure there were no seams in the corners..........

I moved the starting position when I went to the machine and I did what I DID NOT want to do is have a seam at a corner...................

and not just one corner.....but two corners.   These photos are mostly for my reference and tips for later to remind myself how easy it is to miscalculate position of binding!!!

I quilted it with the serpentine stitch between the cats and then straight 1/4" around the cats.  It was a lot of turning....................so this prompted me to purchase a ruler foot and ruler so machine quilting will be much easier when I don't have to keep turning the quilt! 

It certainly was a fun quilt to make and I will probably be making another one!

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Happy Halloween and some projects

This time of year I enjoy pumpkin spice coffee and creamer and anything pumpkin spice!  So when we were in Julian last month and I spotted this cup...it had to come home with me.  The selfie photos were at Lake Cuyamaca and in Julian on the bench on main street.  It was our 58th anniversary and we had a lovely day in the country.

This was a Halloween finish I made last month and gifted to a friend.

The photo shows a page from my creative journal.  Documenting the day in a creative way is so awesome......and I always enjoy it!  It is a great way to remember the day!

This last photo is a page from one of my practice notebooks of drawing abstract flowers in an online class with Joanne Sharpe. 

Not many finishes but I am working on the binding on two quilts and I will blog about them when finished!

Smiles and hugs....Caryl