Busy Hands Are Happy Hands

This was a kind of non productive week for me. Maybe I was melancholy because Wednesday would have been my mother's 97th birthday and I am missing her a lot lately. It's been 7 years since she passed, but it's a grief that doesn't go away.

If you read my posts, you know I finished my One Monthly Goal for August! You can see that project here!

I sent off 8 blocks to Covered in Love. The requested block was Red, White and Blue stars, any kind of star.  The only requirement was that they be 12.5" unfinished.



And my challenge for my October retreat is in the final leg of its journey. I do not think my friends read my blog. So I am going out on a limb to show you the progress made on this Scrappy Wild tablerunner.
 I have had this variegated orange brown, gold thread for ages.  Like 10 years....I need to use it up!


 I use the #4 stitch( it's called the running stitch) on my old Bernina, a Virtuosa 153....and lengthened it and widened it to the maximum setting. It is in the black and white dotted sashing fabric.



I stitched straight lines in the dividing HST blocks. They stack one on top of the other to make a rectangle. I did not do each HST individually.

There are lots of thread to bury and I have one more pass on the second sashing and then something in the final border. So no, it is not finished. But it will be, before the end of October. I only do my own quilting on things I will keep, or really small projects. I'm not very good at it.



And then I saw this squirrel!!!! A cute little baby lovey quilt, posted at Treadlestitches. I have lots of pieces of novelty fabric that needs to be used up! 

So I started cutting:

I have 5 blocks in various stages of cutting and ready to sew. Sylvia's little quilt had only 9 blocks, so I am almost more than half way!  That's positive thinking!


So there you have it, all my NOT FINISHED projects. Maybe I'll get something done in September!

Oh and I hemmed a pair of capris and ironed some pillowcases and helped Mr Busy get the camper ready to go to the Black Hills of South Dakota for a few days after Labor Day. I am going to give my brother his Baseball quilt!

Stay Busy and Stay Happy







I'm linking up with Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts.

This is what I started with. Sorry this is a video, I am so wobbly lately!

Then there was this! The pattern is called Wiggle Time by Cynthia Brunz.

Then I shifted the rows around.
I even tried rotating the photo to see if I liked that better!

I finally settled on this arrangement!

 And this backing!


Thursday the 22nd of August :   It is now in the hands of one of my favorite long arm quilter, Marva!.
And Sunday, the 25th she texted me that it was done!  So Monday, after lunch, I drove to her home to pick it up. I love it!  She did an awesome job, quilting it with variegated thread in a pantograph called Classic Blossoms.

The design sort of mimics the flowers in the aqua floral.  I love it!

It's draped over my antique child's rocker, but you can see it just need to be trimmed and bound. Here is the backing. I think the rainbows and the clouds really pick up the colors in the top.
I am going to bind it in the yellow plaid, if the LQS still has the fabric. I purchased it one month ago, so they should. That store is 150 miles from me, we are going that direction to camp in the Black Hills the day after Labor Day, so I will stop then and pick it up. I will call them today, to put it on hold. I will wait until the baby is born to complete the label, so I can include her name and pertinent birth info.




My OMG Goal for August was to get this quilt to flimsy stage. I have gone to the next step, so it is a Completed Goal!!
I'm linking up at Elm Street Quilts, One Monthly Goal for August finish post.


Stay Busy and Stay Happy

I had so much fun doing the Quarter Log Cabin block from last weeks Tiny Tuesday post. I haven't put the setting triangles on it yet, I was sort of waiting to see what I needed. But I am pretty sure I am going to set it on the diagonal.   Below is the traditional straight look.





And I have my 2" basket on my cutting table and cut rectangles for Garlic Knots whenever I get a minute. I have ??  48 blocks done( I just counted) and have 20 kitted/put together in sets to make 20 more.  I am running out of neutral strips to make the background. That means I have to cut into chunks or yardage. Hard for me!



I also worked on my challenge for my October retreat. I can't show it to you here. I am not sure my friends read my blog, no one has said they do, but just in case......it's some secret sewing. I will show you some of the fabric that were the challenge to use and the backing I will use. I am going to quilt it myself. So that is a challenge in itself!


The challenge fabric were from a charm pack: The orange with pumpkin face and gray spiderweb, and the mini dots of orange,gray, yellow and purple, and also the black with stars and squiggles. The black with white dots and the pebble fabric, and the edge of the witch's hat, were all in my stash. Below is the backing!

I  really like it! It's Timeless Treasures Fabric   Pattern #BOO-C 7082. I ordered it online. I think from Fabric.com, but I am not sure!

Then if all else fails and you still need to sew something....there is always the basket of strips to make fabric yarn for a crocheted utility rug!

Stay Busy and Stay Happy

Im linking up with Angela at  ScrapHappy Saturday and Cynthia at Quilting is more Fun than Housework's, Oh Scrap
Wish I could figure out how to post the buttons, horizontally instead of vertically!

I have shown photos of this quilt in progress in the past. Today, except for the label, it is done.
I took it to a local Little League field for some photos.

 Of course, there was some wind!  It is Wyoming afterall!


Then I straightened it, and took another shot.  Also the backing is red/black buffalo plaid!

 Tben I stepped back, trying to get the whole statue!  Entitled SLUGGER!

 Oops, I cut off his head.

I finally refolded the quilt, and using my phone (that is the only camera I have now) I took another.

And a final!  Sorry for the  photo laden post. This is my finish for this Friday!

Stay Busy and Stay Happy
  I am linking up with Alycia Quilts!

Last Sunday, I think , I cut the tiny pieces for the last pink block and 2 blue blocks. The Tiny Tuesday Blocks have been such a challenge for me! Fun, for sure, not always perfect, but so good for me!




I have not set them either straight or diagonally. I am not sure about them. The Double 9 patch, I hope to set diagonally because.....look at the center! The fabric is little angels and pink breast cancer ribbons, when you cut so small you never know what you will get, but I got an almost perfectly centered little red headed angel face peeking out at me.  I have be able to see her!



I really liked doing Libby’s block too...but am crushing on her fabrics more than mine! Teehee 😜!




I am working on a figure-it-out-as-you-go, table runner for a challenge. It is got me in a "pickle".  I don't have EQ, so graph paper is my go-to. Sigh!  It is definitely scrappy, and definitely not blue. I'll have pictures next week!

I did get my Wiggle Time top completed. That was my OMG for August. And I purchased flannel for the back. Now to get on the list for my long arm quilter. The baby is due the 2nd of October and it must be mailed. But I hope to wait to find out her name, so I can make a proper label.

I arranged the rows every witch way. See this first post.  Then I tried this way:



I even rotated the photo to see how it looked upside down:



I finally settled on this arrangement- suggested by Cynthia.  So it has the top and bottom sashings on and is ready to be quilted.

 I chose this Snuggle Flannel from JoAnn's. It has been washed and today I will piece it per the pattern instructions.





I'm linking up with Angela at Scrap Happy Saturday and I am linking up to Oh Scrap on Sunday!

Stay Busy and Stay Happy

I got a few scrappy things done.

Three bow tie blocks  in blues and a couple of just scrappy garlic knot blocks.


  Also 2 blue Scrappy Sprout blocks:




And this project  that I need your help on.

This is Wiggle Time in fabrics called Home Grown by Nancy Halvorsen. This first picture is on the design wall as I cut the fabric. No plan.
And yep the last yellow block is headed south!
What do you think of the placement of color?




I thought, after looking at the photo..that the two darkest colors are at the bottom and that maybe there was a better way.

So here I moved the darker rose color to the top and moved the peachy to its place. Better?
Just overlook that the last peachy block is upside down. :(  The blocks are sewn together into rows now and the placement is correct. I could move the colors around, they are not together into a flimsy, yet.


So, please give me your opinion.  I love this pattern. Easy and quick. The pattern is extremely well written and the diagrams are wonderful. Even the coloring sheet that is included will be a help when I make this one AGAIN!

Stay Busy and Stay Happy






I'll be linking up with Oh Scrap tomorrow morning after my laptop does it's Sunday Morning Scan.  Then I'll be looking for your comments.

My week was ho-hum!  It's been warm and wonderful in the weather department, but my sewing was minimal. I did get 3 light/bright blue Bow tie blocks cut and sewn together. I drafted a layout, so I would know how many of each color I needed. I only need 6 blue blocks and I made 3 in June in the navy/dark blue hue.

Don't you love the monkey with the guitar?

I do need to dig through my scraps for some more black. I don't want duplicate fabrics, and I have 5 black blocks made and need 8. It takes a larger chunk to get 2- 4.5" squares and 2 - 2.5" squares out of just one fabric. I may have to go rogue and mix the colored squares up!



I did start on a new project toward the end of the week. It's a baby quilt for a great great niece?  ( Mr Busy's sister's granddaughter is having a baby girl)  The new momma's mother and father are absent from her life, so my SIL has been there for her. She is an engineer in Montana. Doesn't want any thing "too girly", so this is the fabric I chose. Feminine but not too girly, I think. I'll get the top done this week, then off to the long arm quilter! Baby is due in early October!


Just some of the blocks from the pattern called Wiggle by Cynthia Brunz at Quilting is more fun than Housework! The background seems kind of dark, but I wanted the "wiggle" blocks to pop!  Have not picked a backing yet!

I'm linking up to Scrap Happy Saturday.  So hop on over and check out all the scrappy goodness!

I'll be back next week too!

Stay Busy and Stay Happy