some of my projects

 Time to me to catch up blogging....I have photos of some of the things I have been working on since my last blog post.  The first two photos are for the Gypsy Wife quilt....puss in the corner and square in a square bordered.  The last time I worked on this quilt was the beginning of March!

 I receive the Sew Sampler box every month and one month was the BasiX ruler and I did a trial of using it with some fabric.........it is a fun ruler to use and I may try another project with it.

 The Mai Tai quilt project came in another Sew Sampler box.  This is really fun to make.  I started it using the charm packs that came in the box.  The Add-A-Quarter PLUS is a handy tool.

 Here is a photo of the first block I made.  I have others I am working on between other projects.

 I tried out the Triangles on a Roll for the first time.  A very fun way to make HSTs!!

 I have a subscription to Bluprint and watch a lot of different classes on a lot of different topics and I like to try out some of the projects.
The next two photos are mini quilts  from Suzy Williams class  Fabric Play Sewing Mojo Minis.

 I am doing a mixture of machine quilting and hand quilting.  These are improv and such a fun way to make quilts!!!  There are two others in this class that I will probably make too....just for fun! 

There are a lot of other things I have been doing with quilting....journaling....painting...but I don't have photos yet of anything else.  For sure....I am never bored....I have a lot of projects I really...really like to do!!!
Smiles and hugs....Caryl

scrappy strips, Gypsy Wife and mug rug

 Projects I am working on this past week.  I did 3 more blocks for the scrappy strips around the cabin and I might make these blocks a little larger.  I am making different size blocks and I will see how it all fits.  Just....deciding as I go.  That is the fun way to make blocks.............

 Another block for the Gypsy Wife quilt along....square in a square.

Hugs and kisses mug rug in progress.  I did some stamping and then added pieces of fabric.  I started coloring the hearts with an Inktense pencil.  AND I want to add glitter.  I added some fabric medium to stickles on a fabric sample and that is what I will add to this.  I should have done the finishing on the stamped areas first BEFORE I added the rest of the pieces....but I was in a hurry to see how it looked.  Now I am practicing on scrap pieces of fabric so I don't ruin this piece!

Linking to
https://quiltingismorefunthanhousework.blogspot.com/2019/02/oh-scrap-yellow.html

https://conniekresin.com/2019/02/linky-tuesday-february-12th-2019.html

http://www.myquiltinfatuation.com/2019/02/moving-right-along-and-ntt.html

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

friendship bag, Gypsy Wife and scrappy strips

 Here is the friendship bag I finished today.  It is part of an ugly fabric challenge...but I don't think the fabric is ugly!  I used the "ugly" fabric in the strips, the bottom and the lining.

 I used the tutorial from psiquilt.  This photo shows when it was ready to quilt.  I used Bosal to make the bag stiffer than batting.

 Right sides clipped together to sew the lining and the bag.

 I took the plastic insert out of my sewing table to make joining the two pieces sooooo much easier.  I have made bags before and have never thought of taking out that plastic piece.  I am mentioning this because there might be others who haven't thought of it.

In this photo I used a flash to get a brighter photo.

 This photo is the hourglass with 2 borders in the Gypsy Wife quilt I am making.  I joined the 2019 Gypsy Wife quiltalong.  It just started this last Saturday.

 This is a simple block to make.....we have great tutorials in this group to help everyone.

 I had to take a photo of the back...."spin" the seam to make the seams lay down so nice.

The last photo I call scrappy strips around the cabin blocks.  I am using up scraps to do log cabin style piecing and the blocks will be different sizes.

Linking to   https://conniekresin.com/2019/02/linky-tuesday-february-5th-2019.html

https://quiltingismorefunthanhousework.blogspot.com/2019/02/oh-scrap-kaffe-quilt-progress.html

http://www.myquiltinfatuation.com/2019/02/studio-inspiration-and-ntt.html

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Gypsy Wife quilt along 2019

Have you heard about this quilt along? 

I found out about this from an online friend and I decided to join in!!

Here is the link to her blog post

 http://madakamom.blogspot.com/2018/12/2019-gypsy-wife-quilt-along.html

and there is a facebook group to join called Gypsy Wife quilt along 2019. 

This group just formed last week and there are already over 1300 members.

It is a pattern by Jen Kingwell and is not a new pattern.  It has been out for several years.  I had never heard of it but couldn't stop thinking about it once I saw it and looked online at all the images and possibilities for colors!

Here is a photo of the quilt that is on the FB group that I have joined.  I am waiting to receive my pattern.




Let me know if you are joining in on this fun project!  It starts Feb 2.

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Log Cabin Loonies week #11

 AND this might be my favorite layout so far of my log cabin blocks.  I have 123 blocks made and I am still making more.  I have been trying to get a photo this week and gave up the idea of laying the blocks on another quilt for the photo...too hard to work with that many blocks on the floor!  Today I cut out a large piece of batting and pinned each block on the batting while I had it on a long table and that worked great.  Then I could transfer it to the floor for the photo....whew!!!

I finished this little table mat this week.  It matches the fabrics in my fall placemats I made several years ago.

Linking with Julie   http://juliekquilts.blogspot.com/2018/10/log-cabin-loonies_23.html

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Log Cabin Loonies Linky Party week #9

 This week is a totally different layout.  An idea from my friend Jan Krentz to use the friendship star design.  I am using the back of a quilt laying on the floor for my design wall.  In the first photo we used some colored log cabin blocks I had left from another project from the last log cabin loonies!  We put the medium colored blocks in the centers of the friendship star design.

The second photo we took out the centers for a different look.  AND I could make all dark log cabin blocks to fill in these centers.  We only used part of my blocks for creating this design.  My total is now 99 blocks! 
Let me know what you think of these designs!

We are having fun with this Log Cabin Loonies quiltalong!

Link to Log Cabin Loonies juliekquilts  and Linky Tuesday Freemotion by the River
https://conniekresin.com/2018/10/linky-tuesday-october-9th.html

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Log Cabin Loonies Linky Party week 8

 There are a bunch of us having a lot of fun making these tiny little blocks with juliekquilts.  It is fun to check the others that are following this quilt along and see what they are making.

I now have 90 4½" blocks and..........this time I reversed the block design....put the light in the center instead of the dark.  It is hard to decide which one I like best.  But there are other designs I want to try too.  AND I am still making more blocks!

 Here is a double photo of the Jelly Roll Jam II quilt I am making.  I will post the separate photos when I finish the quilt.

 I needed a backing fabric for a small mat/coaster/mug rug I wanted to hand quilt at my Tuesday quilt group.  I pulled out this fabric I bought many years ago that had the color offset (top part of photo).  I used copic markers and made it look soooo much better!

 I have been enjoying iced coffee this summer and adding a little chocolate to it makes it soooo good!

The last photo is about October goals.  They are mostly WW related but apply to all of life!  Goals....we need them......we need a plan of action....and we need one another. 

linking to juliekquilts and Freemotion by the River

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Log Cabin Loonies Linky Party week 7

 Another week of making log cabin blocks with JulieKQuilts quiltalong!!  Now I have 70 of the tiny 4½" blocks using 1" strips!  I like this design with the blocks and I am not sure how many more blocks I will make and not sure what the design will be when I finally finish making blocks??  I am just loving making these blocks and having a blast!

I got out some of my fall tablerunners and placemats and decided I needed a center mat to go with the placemats I made several years ago with Awesome fabric by Sandy Gervais.  Now it is ready to quilt and finish.  I am jumping between new projects and working on UFOs....variety is great! 

I am so happy to welcome fall and cooler weather...it was way too hot here this summer!

Linking  juliekquilts  http://juliekquilts.blogspot.com/2018/09/log-cabin-loonies_25.html
               Linky Tuesday  Freemotion by the River
https://conniekresin.com/2018/09/linky-tuesday-september-25th.html

Smiles and hugs....Caryl
   

Log Cabin Loonies Linky Party Week 6

 This week I started several new projects.......one was starting to make log cabin blocks in black and white!  I had these black and white 1" strips that I wanted to use and also started another project with them...shown later in this post.
My total now for my other log cabin blocks that I have posted in the past weeks is now up to 55 little blocks!

 Saturday was Jelly Roll Day and I had to do something with a jelly roll....I just had to!!!  I picked Attitude Girls by Mary Engelbreit from 2008....a jelly roll I have had for a long time!!  I posted photos on IG on that day.  There is something about opening up those jelly rolls and actually deciding what to do with them that is a problem sometimes..........but I got it started!

 Here are some of the strips sewn up.....I am doing Jelly Roll Jam II a shortcut free pattern from fatquartershop.com.

 We had our 57th anniversary yesterday and this is a selfie taken in Julian sitting on the bench on Main Street.  We love going out into the country and it was a grand day!

 We ate lunch at Lake Cuyamaca and I had a turkey burger and fries.  Usually their fries have a special coating that makes them better than anywhere......but these were just regular.  But still good.  I don't eat fries very often and when I do.....they have to be special or forget it!!

Here is the project I started that I mentioned earlier...but I am taking it apart and got a photo before it is apart.  I will make the color smaller and it will be a small project....if I finish it!!

So I am linking with juliekquilts and the Log Cabin Loonies
and Linky Tuesday Freemotion by the River
 https://conniekresin.com/2018/09/linky-tuesday-september-18th.html

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Log Cabin Loonies Linky Party week 5

And now I have 48 tiny 4½" log cabin blocks.  This is a fun quilt along and I am having great fun!

Linking to juliekquilts

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Log Cabin Loonies Linky Party Week 4

 Another week of our log cabin loonies quilt along and now I have 27 blocks done.  The photo shows some of them laid out.

 My system of stacking in stages and each one waiting for the next strip to be sewn on and get moved to the next stack!  It is fun to have this system!  In an earlier post I showed the strips in groups waiting to be used.  Now.....this is so fun and I think more people should join in this fun!!

I won a gift from Julie in a drawing and look at those beautiful fabrics and great thread!  Thank you again Julie!!  I have started using some of this fabric in these log cabin blocks.

Linking to juliekquilts and Freemotion by the River

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Log Cabin Loonies Linky Party Week 3

 Oh what fun to make these cute little blocks!  And there are so many different layouts to use.
Such a fun quilt along.........be sure to check juliekquilts to read more about this quilt along.
I have been posting about my system for making these little gems!  See previous posts.

And I am also working on some little HST mats.  Photo of one of my favorite things....walking foot quilting next to seams!  More about these in my next blog post later this week.

Linking to juliekquilts    and    Freemotion by the River

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Log Cabin Loonies Linky Party Week 2

 Time for posting about progress on the Log Cabin blocks!  It is fun to be sewing with others doing this log cabin quilt along!  You can still join in with juliekquilts and did you know there are prizes?

The first photo was taken last Friday of the first blocks I finished and I posted on IG and on FB in my Cinnamon Holiday Workshop Group.

 The second photo is one I took today and it shows my system for doing these sweet little blocks!  The board has blocks finger pressed and ready to add the next strip to each one.  On the top stack on the right are blocks that had a strip sewn on them and waiting their turn on the board!!  And the bottom right is the stack of finished blocks so far.  See my last post for more of my system for doing these blocks.

Yesterday we had a nice walk along the harbor.  It was a good way to get those steps!!

Oh....I won the drawing from the first week of Log Cabin Loonies....thank you Julie!

Linking to juliekquilts   and
Linky Tuesday Freemotion by the River

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

Log Cabin Loonies Linky Party week 1

 Tuesday is the day for sharing our progress on our log cabin blocks.  This is such fun and I can't wait to see how everyone else is doing!

The first photo is my test block....for this log cabin quiltalong hosted by JulieKQuilts.

The blocks are 4½".  The strips are 1" strips and the centers are 1½" squares.  And I think it is more fun if the centers are stored in a cute dish!  I got the idea from Julie.

 Second photo was at the sewing machine with the chain piecing of those little blocks.  I am not pressing with an iron until the end like Julie suggested and it is what she does.  Finger pressing goes a lot quicker!!

This is the photo I took last week when I was starting.  Julie has directions on her blog.  Piecing is done counter clockwise. 

I have been making tiny log cabins before....but I go clockwise with my other log cabin blocks.  AND I don't have the lights and darks....they are mostly mediums all scrappy.  Now I am searching for darks and realize I don't have as many darks as I do mediums in my stash!  But I will keep searching....I have my fabrics in various areas of my house!

I hope those reading about this will join in the fun!  Here is the link to the post about directions:
http://juliekquilts.blogspot.com/2018/08/calling-all-log-cabin-loonies.html

Linking to juliekquilts
and Freemotion by the River  Linky Tuesday

Smiles and hugs....Caryl