Another ending ....

It is that time when summer is beckoning .... schools are winding down, teachers and custodians are cleaning classrooms, bulletin boards are being disassembled ....

But I took a break from the cleaning and final lesson planning to make a small gift for my 10 young students this year.  Each child selected the colorful zip-pouch they liked best and then picked out a new pair of sunglasses to tuck inside. I love sending them off with a little something made by me and specially for this class. They are my first class back at the preschool where I first discovered my fascination with working with this unique age group, their parents and their families (siblings, grands, cousins, etc).

 

What a year it has been ... but we (my co-teachers, students & families) safely navigated the full year of in-person school during a pandemic. While I and some of my families did test positive for covid at some point during the year, and our class closed for a single day, we never spread it to other classmates! I am extremely proud of that (and very thankful too). This class came with an awesome group of parents!!!

Happy summer to everyone! 

 

Have a fabulous time whatever you do and wherever you may wander.  Me? I'm excited to have a renewed passport and am ready to wander .....  See you in the fall!

 

Super Simple Sampler in Blue

My final finish for 2019 is this Super Simple Sampler in Blue quilt.

 

I pieced it in early 2017 when this pattern Simple Sampler by Thangles was brand new.  I can indeed verify that this is a super simple pattern to stitch together, especially since it uses the Thangles method. The pattern and Thangles to make it are available for purchase by clicking here. As you can see by their sample, that I reversed the colors: using white in the blocks and a blue batik for the background. I love it!

While the piecing was fast and easy, it took another year (or year and a half!) to deliver it to a quilter. First I had to decide on a backing fabric, opting to stitch one made of a patchwork back of blues from my fabric collection (P. S. I am a quilter who loves to quilt-by-check any of the large bed size quilt tops that I stitch up).

In summer of 2018, I had this quilt quilted by one of the local long armers whom I frequent. Jenn Saxena did a wonderful job at quilting this top using a doodle flowers pattern.  .... then at long last in December of 2019, I stitched on the binding. Now it is complete!

Oh, wait, I may still need to add a label to it!  Guess it will be officially finished in 2020?

Doll quilts finished

I reached my August goal - hurray!

I have finished Dots for Dolly, my circle dots doll quilt.  It was fun to quilt - probably because I did both hand-quilting and machine quilting on this small quilt.

Here is a view of the front side-by-side with the back.  These photos were taken during the hand quilting stage.  I so enjoyed making this little quilt.


I also made two monster-lizard pencil pouches.  This is a free pattern available from my friend Liz.  Click here to see the directions and pattern on her blog Fat Chick Quilts, http://www.fatchickquilts.com/.

I made the striped one first in a workshop Liz gave to our Houston Modern Quilt Guild and immediately knew that I had to make one for my friend Chela and her little man grandson Isaac.

 These are the three doll quilts that I made especially for Chela... well, specifically for her son's daughters and their American Girl dolls.  I hope they love these doll quilts as much as I do.

These two monster pencil pouches reminds me of chatty lizards and you can see the quilting of the circle dot quilt underneath them.


This completes my August goal in A Lovely Year of Finishes too.  Click here to find out more about this monthly "can you finish it?" challenge being run by Melissa at Sew BitterSweet Designs (http://blog.sewbittersweetdesigns.com/) or Shanna at Fiber of All Sorts  (http://fiberofallsorts.blogspot.com/).

I am Linky #66  in the Goal posting for August (click here to see all that posted goals) and I am Linky #57 in the Finishes posting for August (click here for all who posted finishes) 

August goal for finishing.....

 

Time to declare my goal for the month of August in the A Lovely Year of Finishes ongoing motivational challenge.  This month my goal is to finish doll quilts that I've promised to a friend for

her granddaughters.  They are started but I've stalled out and need to get going again to get them completed and delivered.

The one that is the farthest from completion is nicknamed "Dots for Dolly".

I had fun appliqueing the dots onto the background but how in the world shall I quilt this?

Maybe I will try some big-stitch hand quilting .... in straight lines or in spiraling circles or both?

I also hope to finish this bargello quilt-let which I blogged about here.  Originally meant to be the third doll quilt, it ended up being too small for the requested size, which is probably why I've been stalled on finishing these three quilt tops.  Since this one is too small for the doll quilt, I think it will become a quilted pocket-sleeve for my cellphone (which is a larger size than I've had before).

Join me in the Lovely Year of Finishes fun and set a goal to finish some project you have.  Click here to see who else has set a goal in this month's challenge.  You can find me at linky #66.


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Torah portion completed

I am thrilled to announce that I have completed my cross-stitch Torah portion for the Torah Stitch By Stitch project and have sent it off to Canada .... hopefully I will receive word soon that it has been received.

My four verses tell the story of Joseph's return to Egypt after he had traveled to bury his father in the land of Canaan and about his brothers reaction to their father's death. The English and Hebrew are on my first post (here) about this project.

 Genesis 50: 14-17

I added the borders on the three sides - an option.  I look forward to seeing the entire piece assembled and on display.

For the curious - here is a view of the back of my piece.  Is it almost has interesting as the front?  Sylvia, my mother-in-law, was always more interested in admiring the backs of my projects than the actual project.  So I share this one in her memory -- may her memory be a blessing.

For more information on how to participate in the international project (recreating the entire Torah in cross-stitch, four verses at a time), or just for updates as to how it is going, follow the website: 

http://torahstitchbystitch.temmagentles.com/

This completes my July goal in A Lovely Year of Finishes too.  Click here to find out more about this monthly "can you finish it?" challenge being run by Melissa at Sew BitterSweet Designs (http://blog.sewbittersweetdesigns.com/) or Shanna at Fiber of All Sorts  (http://fiberofallsorts.blogspot.com/).

I am Linky #20 in the Goal posting for July (click here to see all that posted goals) and I am Linky #28 in the Finishes posting for July (click here for all who posted finishes)

my July goal - ALYoF

Can you tell?  After a few months of stitching, I am nearing the end of my cross-stitch verse for Torah Stitch by Stitch!  It took months for my assigned kit to arrive at my doorstep and while I started on it immediately, I am surprised at how long it has taken to reach this point ...

For information about this international project led by Canadian fiber artist Temma Gentles refer to my earlier post here.  A quick description is that "Torah Stitch by Stitch" is an impressive art installation of the Torah depicted entirely in cross-stitch.  Participants from around the world are currently cross-stitching individual portions of the Torah to be a part of this exhibit.  The TSBS website states: "Torah Stitch By Stitch honours the Five Books of Moses (Pentateuch) through the timeless medium of cross-stitch, a basic textile tradition in many cultures.  Participants from numerous national, linguistic and spiritual backgrounds - regardless of gender or craft skill - are joining hands and hearts to stitch 1463 individual panels of the Torah in Hebrew, 4 verses at a time."  The project's website is   http://torahstitchbystitch.temmagentles.com/

My portion for this project is Genesis, Chapter 50, Verses 14-17: the story of Joseph's return to Egypt after having traveled to bury his father in the land of Canaan and also his brothers' reaction to their father's death.

If you are interested in learning more about this amazing undertaking click here or send an email to:  torahstitchbystitch@gmail.com.

I am pushing hard to finish my section of the Torah for TSBS and have decided to make it my project in this month's A Lovely Year of Finishes challenge.  Click here to see who else has set a goal in this month's challenge.  You can find me at linky #20.

I believe it is the perfect goal for this month of A Lovely Year of Finishes.  Stitching away .... see you again at the end of the month!

A trio of Hamsa quiltlet gifts

Three weddings among our small religious school staff during our year with "Peace Love & Music" theme gave me the challenge to make something special for these friends.  The gifts were commissioned by our Religious School Director and would be given from the entire Religious School Staff.  Something alike yet different was needed as well as something incorporating the Judaic charms that Marna gave me.  My ideal goal was to create original pieces that would be well-loved by each of the three newly married couples.   Months of pondering lead to the idea that was shared in the post here and the finished pieces are below.

This first Hamsa quiltlet of Peace, Love and Music was made especially for Sarah and Michael, the first couple to marry of the three.  The fabric used for the hamsa is the same that I used to applique a dove on my block for their wedding chuppah.

 My dove block is on the farthest side of the chuppah - in other words, you can't really see it in this photo...

so here it is or click here.

 The beautiful bride Sarah and her Mom Cathy smile in anticipation.

One serious groom Michael is focused during the ketubah signing.

The second Hamsa quiltlet of Peace, Love and Music was gifted to a journalist Michael (another different Michael, of course) and his bride Rachael.

   

I loved using this newsprint fabric for this wonderful couple whose wedding was a lovely outdoor setting in Central Texas.  Purple was also a prominent color in their wedding and reception.

 Such beautiful smiles by newlyweds in love!

Cutting the cake is always a fun time at weddings, and moments captured on other's smart phones is the new normal.  Do you see the purple kippah?

The third Hamsa quiltlet of Peace, Love and Music is in orange, the favorite color of the groom Matt.  I hope his bride likes it as much as I do -- it may feature my favorite quilting too.  Note: I only quilt my smaller pieces, such as these which are approximately 15" x 18".

 Their wedding was small and intimate amidst the trees in the Houston Arboretum.  I do not have any photos of their small wedding and reception, so will share a favorite from last summer, when the groom Matt was traveling in Israel as a chaperone for a group of teens from our religious school (a group that included my sons).  I think he does like orange!

These three quilts were a joy to make for my friends.  They were finally completed and gifted to the couples in June, after the school year ended, though a sneak preview was shown during our closing school luncheon for the faculty.

I've missed the linky at the beginning of the month (again) but this is for the final linky for the month of June in "A Lovely Year of Finishes" ... sigh.  However, it's never too late to finish something!

Join this monthly challenge group "A Lovely Year of Quilt Finishes" at any time.  In the first few days of the month, you post your goal for the month, then in the closing days of that same month, you post your successful completion.  It's that simple.  To keep it fun, there are prizes awarded randomly - woo-hoo!  I am linky #64 on the completion posts.
(Is this a perfect number?   Eight-squared - I love playing with numbers, don't you?)

finishing another

I have missed posting on my blog this spring -- guess I was just too busy playing-err-working-&-teaching my Toddler class.  It was an awesome group of a dozen little ones with an amazing co-teacher!  Such a fun time spent every MWF with them this year .... and meanwhile, at home, I've still been stitching and sewing and creating.

So this is my official jump back into the blogging world. 

This quilt has been waiting for a binding to be stitched on to officially complete it for many years.  I do not understand why I struggle so with finishing projects (such as this one), but here it is -- the binding is being handstitched into place and I may stitch it once more by machine, just to add to the security of it staying stitched down, as I plan to gift this to a dear friend later this summer.  More on that in another post ....

Can you see the peekaboo of one furry critter who likes to be nearby when I am sewing?

I've missed the linky at the beginning of the month (as well as last month and perhaps the one before that ...) but this is for the final linky for May in "A Lovely Year of Finishes" even though I did not post my goal at the beginning of the month ... sigh.  However, it's never too late to finish something!

Join this monthly challenge group "A Lovely Year of Quilt Finishes" at any time.  In the first few days of the month, you post your goal for the month, then in the closing days of that same month, you post your successful completion.  It's that simple.  To keep it fun, there are prizes awarded randomly - woo-hoo!  I am linky #14 on the completion posts (almost got the prime number #13... but missed by seconds....sigh).

My March finish

I've been busy this month and have finished my UFO of an ancient JoAnn's Block of the Month program.  Remember these blocks?

I cut 8 1/2" squares of some similar era (as in old, probably JoAnn's remnants) Christmas prints and pieced together this diagonal row-by-row top.

It is destined to be a charity quilt, as soon as I turn it into my traditional guild, the Quilt Guild of Greater Houston (QGGH), to be quilted (or tied) and bound.

I also finished not one, nor two but four blocks for this special hush-hush quilt for a friend in my modern guild, the Houston Modern Quilt Guild (HMQG).  Hopefully we have enough blocks collected now to finish this quilt for one of our members -- hush-hush.

This is called the Japanese x and + block and it was fast and easy to sew.  It finishes to a 12.5" size (or 13" unfinished).  Megan of CityStitches has posted excellent directions in case you wish to make your own Japanese x and + block on her blog here:

http://citystitches.blogspot.com/2012/03/japanese-x-and-tutorial.html

I did more stitching and pieced another charity top for my traditional quilt guild, QGGH.  So next month I will be turning in two quilt tops to our Comforters Corner (charity quilts we make and give away) in April.

Of these three projects, I like the Japanese x and + polka dot blocks the best.


This completes my month's "A Lovely Year of Quilt Finishes" challenge.  Join our monthly challenge group, or click here to see the others who have completed their March goals and posted links.  I am linky #29 (gotta love a prime number!).  On the Goals for March page where the Goal Setting Party is happening, I am linky #58 (my goal linky is twice my finish linky - more math fun).
 

UFO to work on....

Trying to clean out old projects, give away old fabrics, basically make new space in my sewing area (it's too messy at the moment to call it a sewing studio!), I came across these blocks.  They are from a Block of the Month from JoAnn Fabric and Craft stores several years ago.  I did not purchase the blocks when they were first being released (one per month), rather I grabbed them from the clearance section.  I've done this before -- I buy multiple sets of the months I like and then create my own new setting for the quilt.

 

These blocks were already all pieced.  The quilt has a Christmas-y feel, but you may not get that from just these four blocks.  These blocks are my project to finish this month for A Lovely Year of Finishes.  I plan to come up with a new setting, and find other fabric in my stash to use to finish this into a lap size quilt which I will then donate to my local traditional quilt guild's charity quilt collection.  Click here to see who else has joined this month's challenge by setting their goals of finishing one project and sharing the progress (or lack there of) with the Lovely Year of Finishes gang.  Look carefully to find me; I am linky #58.

Also this month, I must piece a few new blocks from new fabrics for a "Hush, Hush, surprise quilt" for a quilting friend -- and that is all I can say about that at this time.  But I will share the fabrics that I aim to use.  

Here's a hint for the "hush hush" theme -- do these colors and polka dots make you think of Mickey and Minnie Mouse?  These blocks are my NewFO for March.  Sadly, Cat Patches is no longer running her NewFO challenge - it ended in January 2015.  Sigh.  It is still fun to start new projects though and I love that she gave us the permission to start something new, guilt-free.

Doll quilt in progress

I'm learning that making a small version is a fast way to try a technique.

This month for A Lovely Year of Finishes, I promised to make at least one doll quilt from my friend's sweet granddaughters using these selection of purple and green fabrics.

I pieced two tops, but along the way decided that I wanted to make one bargello quilt.  I had read the directions for making a bargello quilt several times, but have never made one, until my false start before this one (to see that click here).  Then I thought I would give a simple description of how to make a bargello quilt.  Here goes:  I selected a nice range of purples and greens to coordinate with the multi-color prints originally selected by Gracie.  More fabrics (both greens and purples) were added and arranged to create a nice wave of color.  Using my rotary mat, cutter and ruler, I sliced my fabrics into strips 1 3/4" wide, with the two multicolor strips each being sliced wider, 3.5" and 2.25".

I arranged a pleasing order, from light to dark, starting with green and shading to purple with a few multi-color prints sprinkled in.  Next, I stitched the strips together in the order of my layout.  After pressing all seams to one side, last of all I stitched the outer two strips together to make a tube.  I like to call this piece a "tube-strata".

The next step is to slice the tube into several varying widths.  Carefully align the tube on your cutting mat and slice.  My slices ranged in size from 3/4" to 2" wide.  Cut as many as possible from the original tube-strata.

The next step is trickier.  Carefully separate each loop (fabric ring) into an open strip again.  The tricky part is that you open these at different seams.  I was planning the wave pattern as I separated each loop of the sliced strata.  Narrow strips show a steep incline/decline in the wave, wider strips make the wave more of a curve.  I arranged the strips below as I opened each one.

 

Last step is to carefully stitch each row together.  I started with the two to the far left, stitching them first.  Be sure to nestle the seam allowances, pushing the seam allowances on every other strip to the opposite direction so that they nest and snuggle together nicely with the seam allowances on the previous loop/strip.

The above view of the back side of the top shows the seam allowances nestled in the alternating directions.  Below is a partial view of the finished quilt top.

Voila, the full finished top!  It is a tad narrower than the doll bed, so I will either piece one more row to add to the right side, or I will add a simple border.

This is one of three three doll quilt tops that I am making.  It was fun to make in the bargello fashion, creating my own wave pattern.  I hope you can follow these steps easily and make your own bargello quilt.  You can make mini quilts, mug rugs, placemats if you do not need a new doll quilt.  Or slice wider and longer widths of fabric to end up with a larger quilt.  I may make a larger sized bargello quilt one of these days.  But for now, I must decide first how to quilt this one ..... any suggestions?

This is my completion of February Lovely Year of Finishes challenge!  I've pieced three doll quilt tops -- hoping to finish them eventually -- but my challenge was to get at least one top complete, which I have done.  Click here to see the others who have completed their February goals and posted links.  I am linky #116.  On the Goals for February page, I am linky #115.

February goal

The new year is rolling along, gradually picking up the pace, which means we are into our second month, February and it is time to set my next goal for the "2015 A Lovely Year of Finishes" challenge hosted by

Shanna of Fiber of All Sorts 

and

 Melissa of Sew BitterSweet Designs

My February 2015 goal is to piece the top of at least one of three doll quilts.  My good friend Chela has asked me to make these doll quilts for her granddaughters, to go with their American Girl Dolls and the beds that her husband (their grandpa) has hand crafted for them.

In December, before watching her granddaughters perform in the Nutcracker (they were fabulous!), Chela and I went shopping at Quilter's Emporium looking for fabrics to inspire the doll quilts and this is what we found...

I added more purples and greens, and will possibly add a few more, once I've settled on a pattern or design.  But here we are, aready in February and I am still stuck and waiting for inspiration to hit ... so this will be my month's challenge.  I plan to piece at least one doll quilt (and would love it if I finished it completely!).

I hereby declare that this is my February goal for A Lovely Year of Finishes, 2015.  Now won't you join me with this motivational group?  The challenge is to finish the very goals that you select each month (something I do need help with).  I am linky #115 on February's Goal Setting page.


P.S.  I love that the fabrics coordinate so nicely with this year's logo for A Lovely Year of Finishes.  Don't you?