Under the Needle: August

 These monthly Under the Needle posts really help keep me on track. I still sew what I want to sew, but I don't feel so scatterbrained and I often start writing them at the beginning of the month, giving me something to aim for. Shall we begin with the mess in my sewing room? I really need to address this. Sigh.

I made all the blocks for my Americana 250 quilt last month, but I pieced it into a top, pressed it, made the backing and binding this month and the victory laps have been completed.

I cut everything out for this Saddle Ranch quilt this month. I made the binding, but have yet to sew the first stitch for the top

I got sidetracked by this Tres Leches project that I posted about HERE

The result of that rabbit hole is that this Country Christmas top was cut and pieced

As was Open Range

My Don't Fence Me In quilt top was pieced last month, but I pressed it well, and made the binding. It's getting a Minky backing.

My S'mores quilt is up in the binding que and I just started adding stitches to it in the evenings with Skeet's assistance.

I also added the binding to this Teriffically Tilda 2x4 quilt, making it a finish this month

And this Safari Stars baby quilt is now beginning it's adventures with a sweet little new arrival.

A busy month that had me moving lots of projects closer to a finish and that's always a good thing.

Under the Needle : July

 How is it already the end of July?! We don't live a crazy busy life, but our days are full and every time I turn around, another week...month...year ìs in the rearview mirror.

If I didn't write this little blog, I'd look back and wonder what we did with our days. 

But I figure every time I step into my sewing room, I'm making progress on something. This month I  surprised myself and finished piecing all the blocks (64) for my America 250 quilt and am ready to get it into a top. I love everything about it.

Focusing on that filled up most of my sewing time in July, but I still really need to have a couple of masculine quilts on hand so these pieces were called into action 

I cut everything, pieced it into a top and made the binding, but I still need to press it and make a backing, and binding.

This is currently on my cutting table.

And as we close out the month, I'm binding my Terrifically Tilda quilt

I've been pretty good about finishing 2 quilts most months and I put the last stitch into my Tropical Twist quilt this month

And I finished clipping all the fringe on my First Ride Western Rag Quilt, giving us a cozy finish to enjoy on crisp mountain mornings.

Under the Needle: June

 DH was away for 2 days at the first of the month and I spent much of it in my sewing room. I dug into my Tend the Earth quilt project and made 462 hsts. 288 went into this quilt top

And the other 174 are trimmed and ready for a 2nd quilt once I settle on a pattern. I love the versatility of hsts.

Later in the month, I spent some time cutting batting scraps and flannel down for a western rag quilt

 and stitched all the pieces together

I made the blocks and pieced it into a quilt and I am currently snipping the fringe...a little each morning before I tie into the day.

Earlier this year I pulled my bin of flannels and comitted to using them up. I posted about that project HERE. The rag quilt is one of the 6.

My favorite sewing assistant spent some time creating and designing one day

And together we got some stitches under her belt

We made a happy pillowcase

I also felt inspired to make a quilt to commemorate America's 250th birthday and it was fun to dig through my stash of old reds and blues and neutrals to make these blocks

I finished this flannel froggy quilt last week

And I put the last stitch into my 2nd camping quilt

I hope ya'll are having as much fun working on projects as I am!

Under the Needle: May

Progress slowed down in the sewing room this month, but that's to be expected with outdoor projects and the fire burning close by on our mountain filling the days. However, I was able to move some things forward before the fire started on the 14th.

This month I managed to get Old Dirt Road into a top. The full blocks were made last month and I made the 20 half blocks this month. When I was pressing the individual blocks, I noticed a rougue hourglass block. An easy fix

 Binding was also made and I am using this toile on the back. 

It's in line to be quilted, but It'll be a while, as my friend and long armer moved this month and I want to give her time to settle in before I start handing her quilts. I still have 7 here that I need to bind anyway. 😊

4 of those are ones I picked up last time I was in town and I got those trimmed

I needed a baby boy quilt and bought a bundle of fat quarters on sale

These will be perfect for a safari baby

It didn't take too long to get it cut and stitched into a top. This is the 2nd time I've made this pattern. The quilt I am currently binding is from the same pattern. It's the Layer Cake Scattered Stars pattern from It's So Emma.

The original pattern makes a 14.5" block, but I down-sized it to an 11" block. 

The last few days of the month, I dusted off this FQ bundle and started pressing and cutting for a new project

And the hsts are piling up, but there's a long way to go

I also stocked up on some basics when I saw them on a good sale. I like this burlap print and use it often and these were 3-yd cuts so they ought to last a while.

I am still binding the same quilt I was binding last month although no actual binding took place since the fire started so no finishes to share this month...but it's close.

 but I DO have a quilt related story to share.

When we discussed the fact that we may, at some point, truly need to evacuate, we had conversations about what to take besides Skeet and the horses. The Pelican case of documents, my Bible, a painting of DH in the mountains with horses, a few firearms that are not replaceable, photos, 3 old favorite cast iron skillets that can not be replaced, an old metal pitcher from Austria that belonged to my mom that I use almost daily, and a handful of quilts. 

Of course, we talked about things with the kids and they were quite insistant we take ALL the quilts. I love that, but I told them they had no idea how many that was! Our son said, "Our car is empty. I'll load 'em up." Gonna need a bigger car son. 😂 He had talked to his sister who lives in Oklahoma and she threatened to come get them if we didn't take them all. 😂  

I'm glad that the kids love and appreciate the quilts I have made for them and  tried to reason with them and said I could make more. 

During a conversation, our girl said, "Every one of those quilts has a piece if you in it and when you're gone, I want all those pieces." 🥰 I chuckled, but when we finished our conversation and I hung up, I may have walked out into the forest and shed a few tears.

Under the Needle: April

 Last month ended on a sad note. My friend, Jackie passed away. She was 85 and has been my longarm quilter since I began quilting, 18 years ago. The first 2 years I only made a few and I hand quilted or quilted a simple cross-hatch on those. This is the first quilt she quilted for me in 2010.

It is well loved these days, but still a favorite. I probably wouldn't even still be a quilter if it wasn't for her.

Jackie was always so encouraging and kind to me when I began making quilts. She was a retired teacher, working in the fabric department at Walmart when I met her. I was always delighted when I was there and found her working. We struck up a friendship and soon after, I asked her if she knew anyone who quilted for the public. She said that she was considering it, but wasn't sure if she would be able to stay busy enough. I vividly recall that conversation and telling her, "Oh, I will keep you busy!" LOL. At the time, I only knew one friend who was a quilter, but word spread and she was always swamped. 

To this day I have finished 183 quilts. I quilted 14 of those, and she did the rest. At 85, she still pieced every day but had stopped long arming last year.

Her daughter, who teaches school, now does the quilting. When I stopped by after Jackie's passing, she told me that she was moving to Texas to be closer to her daughter and SIL and 5 grandchildren. I am tickled for her, but sad for me. But her son still lives here and she'll be back often so we're going to continue as before. 

I'm not even sure if there are other folks who quilt for the public in the area, but after all these years, they have become friends and they have spoiled me. I will miss this dear friend.

DH was away for 6 days at the first part of the month moving cows and I feel like I spent more time in my sewing room than I usually do, but I don't feel like I accomplished much more. If I wasn't in the sewing room, I had my hands in the dirt outside and the weather was so nice that I was out there a lot...behind a shovel. Grin.

I picked up 3 more quilts from Sandy at the beginning of the month and stitched the bindings onto the fronts so those are close to a finish

I finished piecing the blocks for Old Dirt Road.

I cut everything for the 6 little flannel quilts I posted about here and I pieced 3 of them. Pandas

                         

And frogs

And the squirrels (only have a photo of the 1 block)

And just 2 days ago, I picked up 3 more quilts

I am chipping away at that list I made back in January. Next up in the binding queue is my Love You S'more x2 camping quilt

And I have 2 finishes this month - Land of Enchantment

And Pink is Perfect for a birthday girl

With the longer daylight hours, I'm pretty bushed by the time the sun sets so my evening binding time has slowed down, but I don't mind. I love getting my hands in the dirt as much as I love making quilts and I feel blessed to be able to do both.