EWESPECIAL

Friday, October 1, 2021

UFOS? Why??!!

Why?? Why oh why?? do I have so many UFOs? What are UFOs? Unfinished Objects--mainly in the quilt closet and bins! Why do I begin a project and not complete it? Good question! I'm sure No One else does that!

Here's one that wasn't even begun! Unbelievable! Really like this pattern and fabrics.

This one was begun years ago--even finished all the embroidery work--

cut out most of the blocks--but why didn't I finish it/

This is one of the great quilt mysteries that Bonnie Hunter does every fall--

several blocks made--just lingering in the bin to be finished

When everyone else has a friendly neighbor quilt--I have only three blocks

finished--why did I put it aside for this long?

I even have all the plaids that I wanted to use for the blocks--go figure!

This one was begun last Christmas 2020--12 blocks ready and all

the necessary fabrics right there n the bin with the instructions!

Love this quillt--so why didn't I finish it! Maybe, because it was each day of

December a block pattern was released--nope, can't use that as an excuse!

And this one!! I was on step 7 of 10--

Excuse? It has lots and lots of flying geese and half square triangles--

could be the reason! I got just plain tried of cutting out and sewing!

Now, is the time to take action!

First, I must confess that I have these UFOs
Then I'll make a list of neglected projects--not necessarily in any order
Face up to the fact that some projects need to be ripped out and begun again
Maybe, I can't find the pattern--well, guess again--most of them have the pattern and fabric--no excuse
Must decide to cut my losses and leave it to the side.
Commit to finishing one before beginning a new project--really hard to do!

Today, I'm turning over a new leaf!

Ask me in three months if I stuck to my plan :-))

Tuesday, September 28, 2021

Coming Attractions!

Need something to sew? These are coming attractions! I'd like to make everyone of them!

Fort Worth Fabric Studio is hosting their 2021 Autumn Mystery now!

Fall Frolic is hosted by Pat Sloan--begins October 13- December

Red Thread Studio is hosting their 2nd All American quilt along

to hone veterans across USA--join in!

Friday, September 24, 2021

I LOVE Fall!!!

The feel of fall has arrived! Those cool breezes that push away the hot temperatures and high humidity are welcome! I can gather a jacket from the back of the closet for early morning breakfast on the patio--then it warms mid afternoon, but the best part is when it cools in the evening and that jacket comes back on!. Ahhhh, I love FALL!

And I enjoy making fall type quilts. Here is just a small selection that I have made over the years.

This small hanging is from Four Seasons--don't remember the designer--

but love to hang each season, especially FALL!

Batiks! Robbing Peter to Pay Paul--saved the pattern for years

before I made the quilt top--had to gather batiks first!

Close-up view

This was a free pattern done through Fort Worth Fabric Studio--happened one

fall years ago--check out the fall theme one now ongoing!

Spider webs and bats!

Absolutely loved stitching this pattern!

I think you can still find it somewhere

Lots of fun!

And the nine patch blocks set it off perfectly!

One of my favorite! Just fun fun fun to make! I liked making the

characters come to life

Well--later I'll pull out more of my fall quilts--don't have enough

wall space to hang every one!

Monday, September 20, 2021

Ta Da!!

When we walk into the long arm quilting studio you never

Know what quilt will be on one of the three machines. This

Is one of those beauties—years in the making—one person

Carrying out the tradition of an unfinished legacy!

How many hours, how many stitches went into this?

Definitely a labor of love!

The quilter decided to use overall flower motifs in white—

I placed my pumpkin top on the machine—had been thinking

For over a year and half how it should be quilted. Finally, under the needle I just went for whatever my hands and brain did

I had another one of my dyed backings and swirls with white thread worked perfectly to accompany my pumpkins—whew! That’s another off the list!

I spy something wrong here!

Two more added

We’re working on this row along—been interesting!

My little heart! Finally finished!

Another block to add to collection for this year’s top from the Quilting Life

One hat down, another on the needles!

I would say I’ve accomplished something!

Thursday, September 16, 2021

Fall Is Coming!

It was time to change the setting around my blog--so I chose FALL! Maybe, it would make me feel cooler if I see those falling leaves. Alas, temperatures are still soaring in the 90's each day but we chugged along with our chores and make the best of each day--soon, very soon, there will be cooler temps and real falling leaves! IN the meantime, I looking at more UFO's to add to my pile..............

Stitching on this makes one feel cooler--this began September 7--but, you can still

jump on board to pick up the patterns, etc. from Fat Quarter Shop

This lovely will began in October--sponsored by Sherri from

A Quilting Life blog I'm loving the reds and pinks--hope to be ready

for February 14th!

and since it is fall--I'm thinking Fall Leaf patterns as well as Pumpkins!

did you know that fabric producers offer free patterns on their website?

This is Happening! Now! Blue and Gray Sampler BOM from Debby--

a little piecing and little applique--looks interesting!

Aby Quilts has a great tutorial to making a fall table runner--but this layout

could be used for any season of the year!

Monday, September 13, 2021

The old man, a tree and birds

Here is a little tale to bring to you. It’s about an old man, a tree in his backyard and visits of birds.

The man is not quite ancient although his hairline is receding with what hair he has graying and thin. He is slightly bent, walks with a limp at times, coughs once in awhile and sends out loud sneezes without warnings, that make you jump sky high. Some call him a curmudgeon. But, his family thinks he’s loveable. The old man is fighting a battle in his own backyard.

The tree is quite lovely—reaching over rooflines, sending out branches of pear shaped leaves—it is perfectly fashioned as an open umbrella. It provides shade morning and afternoon—it is a welcome sight for those to rest on the hammock strung from its base. Breezes blow gently, rustling noises abound—ahh, so peaceful.

.. in all the life span of the tree, it had remained a symbol of nature in the old man’s backyard until one morning the old man woke to the sound of hundreds of chirping birds! Sure, that sound is nice to hear upon waking—but, do the birds need to perch and roost in his tree? The old man thought of all the surrounding trees—why his beautiful tree in his backyard? What made this one tree inviting? Why are the birds holding a convention with a host of thousands in his tree?

Sure, friends said birds need to roost somewhere to wake you in the morning. They never give a thought how birds leave their droppings all over the old man’s backyard, patio and deck. Then the visiting dog rolls through the grass to pick up that stinky smell of chirping birds.

The old man has declared war on the birds! He didn’t want to harm the birds, he just wanted them to move to another tree not in his yard. First, he figured he’d shoot a blast of water from the hose into the inner most branches of the lovely tree. That worked and hundreds of birds would fly out to sit on rooftops and survey the old man’s actions. the old man needed to do his water blasting every evening and morning—he is an old man after all and sometimes he’d forget in the evening; so next morning there were the chirping birds, leaving their droppings all over the old man’s outdoor furniture.

Off he goes to do research on how to repel the birds from his lovely tree and rid his backyard of falling poop. Ahh, he found that birds don’t like peppermint—so he says to his wise wife—“I’m going to soak cotton balls with peppermint and sling the balls into the tree—that should do the trick”. He was quite proud of his solution.

The wise all knowing wife said, “first off, how are you going to throw cotton balls up that high? And what if a wind comes up, which happens often, to blow out the cotton balls? We’d have white cotton balls all over the backyard.” The old man considered this—then said, “I’ll forget that idea—I’ll use my sprayer to shoot the peppermint up in the tree”—so off, he went off to stream the concoction into the branches. Just like that, a wind sent the spray back into his face and he smelled like peppermint for hours. Certainly repelled birds and anything else from the old man.

What now? The birds are still there morning and night. More research the old man said. Ahh, small birds don’t like big birds! He bought a big bird kite that he installed near the tree. The old man was quite proud of himself! The big bird kite soars over the tree, scaring off the little birds—the tree still stands quietly for the time being. Now, the old man has another problem—the old man’s neighbors have a dog, which barks at the big soaring bird!