May 2023 Quilt Update

 

Our theme this year, Binding Us Together, is just so needed.  If you didn't get a chance to check out the post explaining it all --- here is the LINK to the initial post.  I'm looking forward to the direction this can take us all, but especially myself, if I give it a whirl.  Sometimes stepping out of comfort zones is challenging, but it almost always allows for growth.  Here we go:  That brings us to May.  This is MY month and I hope to make it a good one.  Let's focus on such a simple method to increase the "Binding Us Together" theme.  PHONE CALLS.  Take the time to make those connections.  They truly do lift the soul and keep us bound together.

If you are new to the blog, you may be asking, "just what is a monthly update?"  I decided long ago that I just can't keep up with blogging daily.  I just can't.  Sooooo, what happens is I document each day in my life within one post and if something special happens, a separate post takes place.  See, you can stay caught up with a once a month check and then, if you're interested, see the other posts too.  It's a great system for me.  There will be links throughout this update that go to related posts of MINE.  They will open in a new window so that you can keep your place here.  Just click on the hyper-links if you wish.

 In years past, I have set goals for each month that I NEVER was able to reach.  However, I NEED that guideline to follow, so I will continue to do that simply to keep myself on track.  UFO mode will continue around here with minimal purchases (those who know me know that this has been a miserable failure so far this year), but also a few fun and new items will make an appearance now and then.  The "hopeful attempts" will change each month and will always show up at the bottom of the update if you read that far - and they are joined by links to the previous monthly updates for the year.

Now, grab a cuppa and sit back for a fun read and perhaps a new idea or two.   (P.S. I format on a computer, so if you are reading on a phone, well sometimes the pictures will be before or after the story.  It is what it is.

1st - Happy May Day!  Do you remember making May Baskets?  I'm just that old.  A new month means new blocks for the Civil War sew-alongs.  It's not too late to join in as two of them go all year and the third is a two-year project.  Here are the April blocks and links to join the groups if you wish.  Barbara Brachman Sampler

The Loyal Union Sampler 

Dear Jane

The APQ Challenge Number for April is:  8 - For me, that is my Puzzlers Quilt and, happily, it is already on the frame waiting for me to quilt it.  Well, that will happen at the end of the month this time as I just can't face it before retreat.  A few packages today - the sickness is still a bit out of control.  However, in my defense this time - two are prizes for retreat, the charm packs are for a project I'm working on and the baby crinkle goes with something I bought in Ohio.

These, though, are just frivolous.  Another book and some fun rulers - again, though, they are not all mine as others added to my order.

Sewing Happened!!!  My Anna's Baskets block for May is done.  Woohoo, a check mark the very first day.

All of the greenware is now dry and ready to be cleaned.  Step one done.

My Pressed Flowers kit arrived.  This fabric is just luscious.  Sugarberry by Bunny Hill.

2nd -  Working on a HP block today and doing this to fabric is sooo hard for me.  What a waste.

But the block is pretty cool.

Underglazing has begun.  I have one set done and another started.

Both HP blocks are sewn.  Now, I just have embroidery to do and I'm being honest with myself.  It likely won't happen until the road trip next month.  I don't have a minute to give it right now as there are just too many priorities surrounding me.

3rd - I'm ticking things off as fast as I can right now.  Spooky Season blocks for this month are done.

And . . . my Designer Mystery block from last month finally arrived, so it's done as well.

Junes blocks for the Barbara Brachman sew along are also in the done column.  I told you, no time to breathe.

Two quilts are cut and ready to start.  They will be gifted in June on our trip.

I'm trying to get some blocks prepped for sewing at mom's in June - these are ready for applique stitching.

More underglazing.  Still a bit to go and they have to be at the shop for firing tomorrow morning at 10:30.  Hmmmmm.

Out to Intrinsic for the evening.  Yum.  (There was also a BBQ plate.)

4th - Happy Birthday to me.  It's MY day.  I am trying to enjoy it, but I've been up since 4 a.m. painting like a crazy woman and just barely finished in time to pack things up and drive to the shop.  Goodness.

Dinner out with my love and presents.  What could be nicer? I picked one out myself and ordered.  As for the rest of our fun, well, check out this LINK and you'll see.

5th - I'm still plugging away with these tea sets.  Another drive to Garland has me picking up the tea sets from their first firing.  At least I am making progress and so far, so good.

Off for an evening with my sweetie.  Yum.

6th -  Morning fun with my love.  The above link shares all that we find today.

Days with my sweetie are the best and I love birthday season.

One thing has managed to get finished today - the embroidery on one of the POD blocks.  Yes!

7th -  Birthday season comes to an end with baby elephants and hippos and dinner with great friends.

8th - Some sewing happened today.  I am once again, trying to get ahead of the game.  I have soooooo much to finish this month before leaving town.  Loyal Union for June is done.  That's a huge relief.

AND the glaze is on the tea sets.  I have it done by afternoon and make the trip to drop off for firing tonight.  

9th - A phone call this morning informs me that the tea sets are ready for pick up.  I have never had a process go so quick.  This has been amazing to me.  Before noon, the sets are back in the house and this moves into Mister's realm.  He will finish everything up.  The rest of the day is spent working on Dear Jane blocks.

10th - Dear Jane for June is DONE.  I cannot express how happy this makes me.  Now - the rest of the day is spent packing for retreat.  It begins tomorrow and I don't have to take any Civil War blocks with me and can work on gifts, gifts, gifts.

11th - Retreat begins today and here is a LINK to see all the fun.

I'm working away on the blocks for Mariel's quilt.  I'm trying Jenny Doan's Trailing Squares for the first time and crossing my fingers that it all goes well.

Actually, I'm making two of them - one for Torsten as well.  All blocks are done and ready for setting.

Spending time with these amazing women is always a highlight for me.

12th - Day 2 of retreat and I'm working on layouts.

The best part of retreat is all the different eyes helping.  I LOVE it.

We have a final layout for the first one.

And the second as well.

Set and borders on.

I've fixed my mutant leaves and the Bountiful blocks are done as well.

Second top set and borders on.

13th - The retreat is still going, but today I am Gammy.  I'm off to San Angelo for Jon's college graduation.  Here is a LINK if you are interested in seeing the pics.

All five of Jen's

Just missing one - loved the day, but time to get back to retreat.

Beautiful Texas spring made for a enjoyable drive.

14th - Happy Mother's Day to all.  This is the end of session one and beginning of tweener time.  Here is the LINK to all that we do.  While talking to Mom, there are a few pretties around.

Today, I'm working on jelly roll rugs.  All four are connected and one rope is ready to go.

15th - First one up and the morning sun is great to work in.  Like my system?

Dinner out with the gals.

Today's accomplishment - two rugs and two sore arms.  Making progress.

16th - I planned to make 6 of these bags for gifts and worked on the first one before moving into assembly line.  It's a good thing, because I completely forgot one step and this one does not have batting or quilting.  What was I thinking?

I'm also working on a new wallet.

It is TA-DONE

Dinner out at Pastafina's.

All my bags are prepped and I'm ready to rock and roll.  A few get the quilting done and are ready for assembly.

17th - It's another roping day.  I still have two rugs to complete and with a new retreat group arriving tomorrow, I have to finish today so that I can clean the extra table I'm using.

YES!  They are TA-DONE.

18th - The calm before the storm. 

Yesterday, I managed to slam my little toe into a box and break it.  Yep, a big toe in Ohio and now this one.  Life is always interesting.  To make it all even a bit more interesting, Debi has also managed to hurt a toe.  What is wrong with us?

And with that, it is the end of tweener time and the beginning of second retreat weekend.  Here is the LINK to share in our adventures.  The Silver Saloon gets us started right away.  Ice cream sampler for dessert.

My totes are TA-DONE.  You can really tell the difference in the first one I made.  It just doesn't have the same structure.

My room is quite the display case.  With a new retreat beginning, I have moved everything in here to flatten out.

Books, a bag, and a strange cat TA-DONE (well, almost on the cat) also happens today.

Love these ladies so very much.

19th - It's another glorious day at retreat.  I think you should know that if you've never attended a retreat - you really should.  These are some of the best times with the most amazing women on the planet and I'm not just saying that.  It's totally true.  Each day is a day to be thoroughly enjoyed.  I'm starting out today with my Sewcialites blocks.  All of the setting blocks were made as leader/enders on the previous projects.  One of the ladies here, Linda, is always absorbing everyone's scraps for various projects and she can make most things work.  As a joke, I have left the sliver trimmings from my blocks to see if she says anything.

Here is the layout.  I think.

Yep, it worked.  TA-DA

AND a Mia bag TA-DONE for today too.

Some time feeding the chickens.  I adore how they come running when they see me.

Game night and I'm traveling.  Yes, this is how I look (minus the tiara) when traveling off the beaten path with my sweetheart.

Last ladies -- gathering around Frieda.

20th - Morning at the river - 

Followed by more Mia bag TA-DONES.  Three in total.

Group picture - Back row - Lana, Bridget, Cindy, Frieda, Ramona, Janet  Front row:  Virginia, Stephannie, Linda, Debi, Anne, Laura.  I'm in the front (I know you never would have guessed).

Last night, last ladies.  How did this go so fast?

My treasures from retreat.

21st - Stephannie and I have shut the place down and it's Brazos Out until July.

Texas spring once again ---- so many pics share in the link.

Home once again and out for a late lunch with my sweetie.  Ten days in the house alone always warrants a quick trip out before the work week begins again.

22nd - While I was gone, the mailman did his job well once again.  Mister just shakes his head and thinks there is a problem.  The number of packages was great, but many were BOM's and fabric I ordered to finish the tops I started at retreat.

May's Sew Sampler.  This one I will not get to for awhile.  The plate is too full right now.

Missouri star box.

23rd - Now to buckle down again.  Recovery day is over and I have a very long list before we leave town in a little over a week.  First up - the backing to Torsten's quilt.

Pillow sham layout for it as well.  I had to hunt down a charm pack as the quilt had zero leftovers.  This is laying on another sham for sizing.  No red/white border.

This month's terrible picture of Sunny Patches.

The sham, label, and binding are ready to go.

24th - Now for the backing to Mariel's quilt.  I worked on the center with leftover squares at retreat and have now added the fabric I ordered to finish it off.  Binding is made as well.

Barn Star blocks for the month are finished.  That's enough for today.

25th - Longarm time.  I have had the Puzzler quilt loaded for a bit now and today it gets quilted.

I carry it in the house, take a pic of some plants, and quickly load and quilt Torsten's Trailing Squares as well.

26th - Pat Sloan's new quilt-a-long begins today.

We're cut and I've put the binding on the puzzler quilt.  Handstitching time.

Some quick sewing nets me my last Designer Mystery block.  I wish I had time to keep working on this, but August will come before long.

A start to the new Pressed Flowers BOM - comes in my Sew Sampler box each month.

I've worked as hard as I could today, but it's noon and Mister has taken a half day off to drive to Abilene for Jared's graduation.  Number two for this month.  Here is the LINK to peek into our fun.  On the way, I finished up the binding on my Puzzler quilt.  That is the APQ challenge #8.  It is TA-DONE.

While there, I gifted my granddaughter with her Mia bag and my grandson with the Puzzler quilt.

Family shot.

27th -  On the road back from Abilene, we make a stop in Baird.  Here is a quick LINK to our visit and some wonderful information on train cabooses.  Loved it.  Check out these cuties I spot while having lunch.

Needle and thread are back out and I've almost finished the binding on Torsten's quilt by the time we are in the metroplex.  

Once we're home, I just keep stitching.  Before the day is done, I have a TA-DONE, including the sham.  Woohoo!!

Back - 

Some pretties in the yard.

28th -  The days just keep clicking by and I'm feeling the pressure today.  I'm off to the studio first thing to quilt Mariel's quilt.  I just want to get the binding sewn on and will finish this project during our drive north.

When Mister wakes, I'm done and ready for a walk to the coffee shop.  Hmmmm, was Stephannie in my neighborhood?

As we get close to the coffee shop, we notice that they have put up a marker in the Little Egypt area.  It reads:  "The rural settlement of Little Egypt began when former slave Jeff Hill bought a tract of approximately 30 acres of land across Thurgood Lane from this marker in 1883.  By the 1920's, the Egypt Chapel Baptist Church and a one-room school had been added to a growing number of homesteads on the tract.  Due to Little Egypt's early establishment and distance from Dallas, for more than 70 years it retained many of its rural characteristics despite the growing encroachment of urban development.  In 1962, however, the entire community collectively sold their property to developers.  The church was relocated to South Dallas, where it remains as a testament to African American accomplishment and perseverance in Texas."

Yum.  

For the finishing acts today - one label

Two tea sets - Mister has their boxes finished.

I've added to my Pressed Flowers blocks and they are done for this month.

Starlett blocks - Pat Sloan - trying to stay current, but worried about next month.

And the final tea set.  We are ready!!!  I'm so thrilled that Mister helped me with these - love him to death - I promise.

29th - We took the car in this morning to get everything ready for our upcoming road trip.  SOMEHOW, I managed to smash my left thumb.  I was getting out of the passenger door.  Just think on that for a minute.  It takes talent to do what I did.  This is within 5 minutes of the smash.  It's gonna be pretty in a few days.

Back home, I'm in gift wrapping mode.  Soooooo many to do.  (Yes, I took pictures of the outside of the tea boxes above after this ---- kind of out of order.)

The Feathered Star quilt-a-long started today.  Goodness, must do real quick.

Out for dinner - Intrinsic.  So good.

30th - I still have one BOM sitting on the table --- it's the last block of my Joy-Filled quilt.  Whew.  Done.

My very last moment of sewing is to applique these letters on my Spooky Season quilt.  I'll bury threads while driving, but at least I'm current with this one too.  I think I did it.

31st - So much packing/blogging/picture devloping and stuff.  I was hoping to take my Forever My Valentine blocks along on the trip, but I'm missing a piece and, realistically, I'll be doing good to get the ones done I've already packed.

Mister trimmed the basil, so it's in the pantry drying while we are gone.  The house smells great.

By the time Mister is off work, I have us packed and ready to go.  The car is FULL!!!!  Our roadtrip is underway and with fingers crossed, we will return with a much emptier car.

It's nearing 11 p.m. by the time we leave Texas.  Gonna be a LONG night.

That brings us to June.  The beginning of summer and all the busy-ness that comes along with that can sometimes put friendships on the back burner.  Make an effort this month to at least send a text and let someone know you are thinking about them.  A letter would truly be fabulous, especially handwritten.  Give it a whirl and see how it helps bind each of us to one another.

Thank you for reading this far.  If you made it here, kudos to you.  I've done some reevaluating once again the the UFO lists grew, but it's real.  I'm still making good progress, but with my road trip underway, I will have limited time.  Goal is to just stay current.  Hope you have a great month and find a way to bring joy into your life.  Stay creative Y'all.

I've tried to make a COMPLETE list here so that I have only one place to look it all up.  I apologize in advance for the boring nature of this to y'all, but it helps me.

UFO's to quilt:  these are staying on this list and I am so hoping to actually make progress this year with the quilting aspect. 

BOM #1 - quilt and bind - 
BOM #2 - quilt and bind - 
BOM #3 - quilt and bind - 
Winter Wonderland - quilt and bind -

Witch's Night Out - quilt and bind - 

Quarantine Challenge - quilt and bind - 

Dawn's Early Light - quilt and bind - 

Xing - quilt and bind - 

Straits of Mackinac - quilt and bind

Pfeffernusse - quilt and bind 

Long May She Wave - quilt and bind

Oh Happy Day - quilt and bind

Puzzler - quilt and bind  DONE  

Skillbuilder - quilt and bind 

Current Projects:

Torsten Quilt - DONE

Mariel Quilt - just need to finish binding while on road trip

Sunny Patches BOM Mystery - current

Joy-Filled - current

Designer Mystery - current

Spooky Season BOM - current

BB Civil War Sampler - current

Loyal Union Sampler -  current

Dear Jane - current

Country Christmas BOM (2 per month) - a bit behind here but a road trip coming up

Harry Potter BOM - finished embroidery on April's block, finished one May block and just need embroidery on one May block

Anna's Baskets BOM - current

Sewcialites BOW - ready to quilt and bind

Bountiful BOM - current

Barn Star BOM - current

Forever My Valentine - behind due to missing parts

3 Mia Bags - DONE

6 Totes - DONE 

4 Rugs - DONE 

Small set of infant books - DONE

UFO Items to work on:
 
Neutral strings - 

Alphabet project from MSQC last summer - 

Half Moon Rising project from MSQC last summer - 

Snail Trail Quilt from MSQC last summer - 
BAD blocks as leader/enders - 

Whims 2nd quilt - 

Summer Moon - 

Rhododendron Trail - 

Sandcastles -

Midnight Flight - 

Daybreak -

Farm Girl - backing/binding made - 

Round Robin (mine) - 

Row by Rows - 

Make progress on tea sets - All 3 DONE

UFO Handwork Items:

Hand Quilting -- 

Stocking - in Montana, will work on there

Wool Wall Hanging - 

Links to Previous 2023 Monthly Posts - 

January 2023 Update

February 2023 Update

March 2023 Update\

April 2023 Update