Find the Magic in the Ordinary

Thank you for visiting my stop on Preeti's blog hop last week.

It was so nice to see so many old friends.  

 

One of my goals this summer was to complete as many UFOs as possible.  In June, 2019, The Crafty Quilter, hosted a Disappearing Nine Patch QAL.  Once the top was completed, it was time for my annual migration south, so it was tucked carefully away.  Well, we all know what happened next.  I wasn’t allowed across the border into Canada again until August, 2021.  The border opened up, with restrictions, on August 9, and I was on a flight north the very next day.  

Fast forward to summer, 2022.

No longer willing to climb around the floor on my hands and knees, I thought I’d be smart and purchase some tables like we have at the 'hall'.  I ordered the tables that fold in half for easier storage.

The joke was on me.  They are so heavy, I can’t lift them!  Living on the ocean, the best time to layer a quilt out on the deck is early morning, before the wind picks up.  So, if I give Ranger Ron, not a morning person, plenty of notice, he's more than willing to set them up for me.  He even hangs around, and helps me layer the quilt with spray baste, so it goes very quickly.  

With the Serpentine Stitch, 

this one quilted up pretty quickly, too.

I named this quilt “Find the Magic in the Ordinary” not only because it started out with just ordinary nine patch blocks, but also because I’m gifting it to a young acquaintance who is struggling right now, and it’s my secret message to her. 

Today we started battening down the hatches.

Hurricane Fiona is heading right at us on Saturday.

It’s difficult to know just what to expect at this point,

but it could be ugly.  

I do admit to being little nervous.

I'm within that little red circle.

One thing for sure is I’ll lose this 8+ foot tall sunflower!

What joy it has brought me!

Thanks for stopping by.

Now that I’m figuring how to post using my iPad,

maybe I’ll be around a little more often!

XO,

Karen

Tops Turvy Blog Hop and Give Away

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 It is truly my pleasure to return to my blog to share this delightful, new quilt with you today.  Sew Preeti Quilts has created yet another fun beauty and I found it very difficult to resist when she asked me to be a pattern tester.  Despite my dwindling stash, and the lack of shopping opportunities up here, I eagerly accepted.  And then I spent the next few weeks second guessing myself and wishing I had told her I wouldn’t be able to do it.

Finally, on August first, I cleared my sewing space, dug through fabric remnants and scraps that were stashed away high and low and lots of places in between, and set to work.  I had exactly 1/4 yard of black, and fortunately had some silver gray Free Spirit yardage tucked away high on a shelf to use for the background.

I am notoriously famous for choosing a simple pattern when I need a quick quilt, and then spending hours and hours stitching to the moon and back.  That was NOT the case here!  In exactly 2 weeks, it was completed.  Label and all!  Since I always have someone to send a quilt off to, this quilt could only be destined for one very special young lady.  (My quilts speak to me.  Do yours?)

I did not sew every day, there were no marathon sewing sessions, and I was having sew much fun!  The instructions were clear and precise and before I knew it, the blocks were all made and it was time to arrange them on the design wall.  Next time I need a quick quilt, I’ll be revisiting this pattern!

Thank you, Preeti, for asking me to test your new pattern.  I absolutely love it!  I am already collecting fabric scraps for my next one!  The possibilities are endless.

I have it on good authority that one lucky comment will win a free copy of this pattern.  It is also available for purchase at Preeti's Etsy Shop .  Preeti is offering the pattern at a reduced introductory price through 09/15!

Visit the other pattern testers for more Topsy Turvy eye candy and extra chances to win a copy of this delightful pattern.  You can construct it from your stash, your scraps, or using that one lonely jelly roll that’s been sitting on your shelf.

09/09 - Preeti

09/09 - Nancy

09/11 - Turid

09/12 - Wendy

09/13 - Yvonne

While I was working on Topsy Turvy, I was also working on a scrappy leader/ender project.  

This is Weaving Stars by Nancy Mahoney Designs.  If I don’t have a leader/ender project in the works, it just doesn’t feel right.  I thought this would be a good stash buster.

Thanks for stopping by!  Good luck in the give away!

~The give away is now closed.  Congratulations to the winner, Bonnie, from Institches With Bonnie!~

Is My Blogging Mojo Making a Return?

Oh, my goodness!

I may have figured out 

how to create a little blog post

from my iPad!

Before I left Texas,

I redressed my daughter's table,

upcycling a pair of my son-in-law's jeans.

It was time to start packing things away for the summer,

but I wasn’t quite ready to stop sewing.

I freehanded the curve onto a large piece of paper,

and cut it out to create the pattern.

A little walking foot quilting,

and voilà!

Today, I’m off to the Massachusetts shoreline

to revisit my old stomping grounds.

Hope I can embrace the changes

that I’m sure have occurred 

over the years.

I’m not big on ‘development'.

Enjoy your day!

Stay sweet!

XO

 

I'm Still Out There

 To all my blogging friends,

For some reason, blogger is not allowing me to comment on your blogs, even though I’m signed in.  So, I want you to know I’m still reading your posts, and enjoying each and every one.  I’m still sewing myself to the moon and back.  I’m on my way to the island as I type, bouncing up the east coast, visiting family and friends along the way, and looking forward to spending my 20th year in Cape Breton.  

Happy sewing,

Karen

Long Overdue

 I’m loathe to admit I’ll not be blogging anytime soon.  Changes to Blogger that I couldn’t navigate through, and too little enthusiasm to keep trying until I figured it out, sparked my lingering absence.  Negotiating life during a pandemic has been a major challenge, we can all agree.  But the political atmosphere in our United States has disheartened me beyond repair.

I am not depressed, I am still sewing, and I will continue to randomly visit blogs and leave comments.  Maybe one day, I’ll wake up and declare, “Today’s the day to start taking pictures again and revisit my blog!”

I have made many friends over the last 12+ years through blogging and I covet each of those friendships.  Thank you for your support, encouragement, and motivation throughout those years.  It was a lifeline in more ways than one.

Stay healthy and safe!

My Little Corner of the World

I've become a real news hound during this pandemic,

simply because I feel the need to know what's going on.

Things aren't pretty.

It doesn't really matter what political party you align with,

the facts are the facts.

It's time to stop laying blame for all the things that were done wrong,

and time for everyone to get on the same page,

and to start doing everything right.

This morning I read a new post from

Julie at The Crafty Quilter,

and she has graciously shared a free

Quilt of Valor pattern.

Thanks ever so much, Julie!
This would be a fun quilt to make no matter what the colors!

I also want to bring to your attention that
Stephanie of Loft Creations
has reissued several of her patterns for incredibly low prices
and they are available in her Etsy Shop.
Her incentive is just to keep everyone sewing
during this incredibly difficult time.
I have made many of her creations
and have many more to make.
I love them all.

Know what else I love?
This quilt!

Signed, sealed, and delivered
to Crafty Daughter's boss, and well received!
It came out beautifully.

I also completed the second quilt top for the two children
who lost their mom in a vehicular accident last summer.
This one is for the little boy.

I used Bento Box blocks with a Fandangle fat quarter bundle

by Christa Quilts.

I found the perfect flannel to use as backing

for each quilt,

so all I need to do is layer and quilt them!

I just know that one of these mornings,

I'm going to wake up and say,

"Today's the day!"

Last, but certainly not least,

I'd like to share Crafty Daughter's Little Free Library suite.

She asked her significant other to build her one for her

November birthday,

and asked me to register it for her as my gift.

The yellow library is the original,

and when it became such a success,

the children's library was added.

Crafty Daughter takes her stewardship

of this little free library very seriously, and does a great job.

On instagram, check out #LittleYellowLibrary!

Please stay safe,

use caution when you go out,

and wear a mask!

Don't be part of the problem,

be part of the solution!!

~karen

One Day at a Time!

With everything that's going on in the US,

it's difficult to know how to begin a new post.

I am so thankful that I have the quilting bug 

and not the corona virus,

and I can lose myself in my sewing.

I was still in a slump
during the initial stages of the pandemic,
so I whipped up this simple little top
using a 5-piece fat quarter bundle by Kanvas Studio
called Cherry Twist, that I found for only $5.99

Measuring 58" square,

this quilt, along with the one I am currently working on,

will be sent to my extended family in Maine.

There are two young people there who lost their mom

in a fatal car crash late last summer.

I'll show you quilt #2 in my next post.

The first week of sheltering-in-place,

the bobbin winder on my Singer broke.

Considering all my options,

I ordered a Simplicity Side Winder from Amazon

and was saved!

Reviews were all over the place,

but I took a chance, and since I knew what to expect beforehand,

 I'm not disappointed.

The second week of sheltering-in-place,

it became quite obvious that I was going to run out of thread soon,

and I had to place another online order.

Thank goodness, Quilt in a Day was having a sale.

That's pretty much the extent of my

Pandemic Blues,

other than not being able to return to Canada.

It is what it is!

Piecing my simple quilt top did the job

of  hoisting me up and over that slump

and I was ready to get back to work on something

a little meatier!

Working with 3/4" and 1-1/4" strips,
I really took my time building each of the 20 blocks
for this quilt top, which measures 54" x 66".
The block is called Roman Square by Amy Sinibaldi.
I mentioned it in my previous post.
I hope to have it quilted up
and ready to gift to Crafty Daughter's boss/friend next week.
You know how sometimes you immediately 'click'
with someone?
That was the case with these two gals!

I always have a leader/ender project or two in the works,
so thought a quick pic of my design wall was in order.

I couldn't resist making a shelter-in-place quilt.
Village, by Miss Rosie's Quilt Co.,
was released for free by Moda Fabrics when the pandemic began.
The little houses whip up quickly.
I'm making some with chimneys, and thought I might
add some tree blocks.  Maybe.  We'll see.
The plus blocks were my leader/ender project
for RSC2020, but kind of took the back seat to the houses.

Last, but not least, the winner of my little give away!
With the help of the random number generator,
Angie's comment was selected to receive a scissors keep
from Gardenia Drive Etsy Shop.
Congratulations, Angie!
I'll be in touch!

As always, be cautious, stay safe,
and enjoy your day.
Take things one day at a time,
and we'll get through this together.

~karen