The Rain In Spain Stays Mainly In The Plains

I recently posted the start of this quilt... I can't believe that I am finished with it already!

I missed the quilt along but maybe I can encourage a round II of the Scrappy Swoon Quilt Along.

Actually, I intend on sharing this at my retreat in October as a project.

Just like Swoon or Scrappy Swoon by Thimble Blossoms, it's a great pattern

and there isn't one fabric combination for it that hasn't looked great!

I already have a second one cut out and ready to go... except this time

I will use the TB pattern that calls for a jelly roll.

(hint: I found my JR on Chestnut Street)

This large version was made with 3 1/2" squares.

This is the photo of  Scrappy Swoon was the one I shared on Instagram.

I made a promise to myself to get my sEvERal Dresden projects under control this month...

and I'm afraid that I didn't quite meet my goal in doing that...

but I have made progress...

I have 16 out of 24 blocks ready to sew together... 

the other blocks  need the center circles still.but I'm getting the 

hang of it and even though it's easy to sit down at the 

sewing machine... for piecing...

I find it harder than heck to

make myself sit and do hand stitching...

but

it

is getting

done.

At first I was going to make it larger than the 24 blocks...

but that was during a brief couple of days when I was looking

for ways to drive myself more insane.

Aside from quilting...

my gran little #2 had some news to share...

a sibling will be arriving the first of February!

That will make gran little #6!

We don't know if it's pink or blue yet... but it will be a tie  if it's 

a girl.

Gran little #5 will be arriving the first of December and he will make

it a count of 3 for boys and 2 for girls.

Yep... we need to tie it up with the February arrival!

Over the weekend my friend Rhonda and I went to see...

a matinee of My Fair Lady!

It was so fun to be out and immersed in 

a classic musical!

The songs still keep playing in my mind!

(now does the post title make sense)

hehe

I Love Nine Patches

I have been wanting to share

 these quilts with you for a couple of weeks now!

If you haven't already seen them...

it's good eye candy and inspiration to start off the week!

This first quilt is by Corey Yoder

 (at Coriander Quilts)!

Isn't it a fun and unique 9-patch quilt?

On a little side note... I have to

 show you Corey's new fabric group...

which I intend on purchasing as soon as finish this post!

It's called Sundrops

 and it's so fresh and happy that I cannot resist!

Then there is this fun nine-patch quilt....

(all photos by Brent Kane for Martingale)

This one was created by Sherri Falls of This and That.

I wish I could find a photo of the actual quilt... 

I'm sure it will be popping up any day now on IG or

maybe even Sherri's blog. I love this quilt!

Really. I 

really

 love 

this quilt!! 

I will be making this one soon!

I also wanted to share this fun red white and blue quilt...

It's also a 9-patch quilt and this one can be found on

Sherri's blog, A Quilting Life

                              

(photo is from A Quilting LIfe blog)

See how fun it is in "real life"!?!

You can see more of this beautiful quilt on Sherri's blog.

These are just a few of the wonderful quilts that are in the 

I Love Nine Patches book by Martingale Publishers.

This book is packed with a variety of 9-patch quilts, 

16 quilts in all,

that vary in sizes and also in styles... 

from modern to traditional!

The quilts are made by several 

designers that you are familiar with...

including...

 Lynne Hagmeier, Carrie Nelson, Sherri Falls, 

and Kimberly Jolly. woo hoo!

Sometimes You Just Need To

I found a new project to play with... not that I needed a new 

project...

I just thought it would be fun!

And although I contemplated a variety 

of color combinations, I decided to 

use me fun little stash that had been set aside for

"Lucy"...  but I hadn't made yet,

So what I have so far is a Scrappy Swoon.

I found a Scrappy Swoon Along

This quilt along is long over but I had just purchased the 

Patchwork Swoon pattern from Thimble Blossoms but this one looked like a 

fun version!

One difference is the Scrappy Swoon Along uses 3 1/2" squares

and the Patchwork Swoon if great for a layer cake or jelly roll.

I think I forgot to share this new addition to my family!

This had been quietly sitting 

 in a family members garage in Rhode Island for the past 7 years.

Her husband's mother had passed away and they held on to the her

little featherweight. But were about to put it up for auction...

which is when I heard about it.

So, even though I have a Centennial edition already

... which turned out to be close in serial numbers...

I felt I needed to rescue her!

Sometimes you just need to do that!

Olympic Events and Such

I ran across my small vintage sheet stash and I was inspired to

make the Fig Tree Sherbet and Cream Sew Along

project that was going on a

couple of months ago.

I am still going to use an assortment of solids to make the wedges...

maybe some vintage greens, blues, orange/yellows and of course some pink!

I was making the four patches 

Friday morning (early)

when my day took a sudden change. 

My poor husband woke up realizing that he had had a stroke.

Life can sure get crazy quickly.

***

I had told him recently

 that it would  have been amazing to be in Rio to see the Olympics 

and Christ the Redeemer statue..

but  

as it turned out... we saw a lot of this statue outside the hospital

and watched the Olympics on a I phone in the ER. 

We also cried... 

and we 

laughed... 

what else can you do because you realize...

it could

 be

 worse.

And the bottom line is... the husband gets the gold!

He came home yesterday... only  slightly worse for the wear.

Grace, prayers and angels surrounded him and he

is recovering very well.

*** his speech came back and he only has slight weakness on his right side***

An amazing recovery and sight to behold.

On a much happier note.. 

last week started off with my 

oldest son getting married.

A small simple and sweet courthouse ceremony.

Which was just fine after two of his

 other brothers had weddings already within the last 4 months!

Here is the sweet couple!

Teague and Blakeley

8-8-16

I think

I might even make it back into the sewing room this week!

One Turns Into Nine

Last week I started putting the blocks of Fanfare together...

and it didn't take long before I had this quilt completed!

I really love how this block comes together! And I am so happy that

I used my DS fabrics from my stash!

I would make this again.. and make it larger!

Last week...

At our local guild we had a guest speaker that included a trunk show!

When I saw this one... I knew it would be an inspiration for

 bed covers for my two grand daughters!

I'm about to investigate finding a pattern...

which would be best case scenario!

But, in case I can't

 I need to start pulling the large flower ideas together.

I want to add a few little butterflies also. 

Evie gave it her approval when she saw the photo.

Elsea can't talk yet but I think she'll like it.

I have been meaning to share the  Christmas project that the

girls at Moda pulled together with a little help from some of

us out here in blogville...

They called it the Office Pillow Project!

You can go take a look, or a second look at the Cutting Table blog.

Here is my test block... and it's one that didn't make it into the mini.

The stripes made me always think "yikes" when I looked at it.

So, you won't see that one in the final group.

This is from a Fig Tree pattern: Mini Sunshine

This one is called Down South by She Quilts A Lot aka Peta Peace.

This is how the group of minis came together...

all the small tops were made into pillows!

Aren't they perfectly sweet?!

Woah... It's Nearly the End of the Week!

I have been making  my small blocks 

for my "Cozy low-volume Quilt".

20 done and 80 more to go! 

But since that is slow-going... I thought I would audition 

background fabrics for the large spaces between the rows.

In other words... I was procrastinating!

Over the weekend I wable to spend some time making 

my Bees Knees Quilting Bee blocks... 

I seem to get behind a couple of months and 

catch those up with the current month... 

I guess I have established a pattern!

This one was a paper pieced block.

It was fun to make... and I can't wait to see how all the blocks look

when they are together!

\

This one was a version of the Hunter's Star block!

I think it's an easy version! I like how it went together!

And again, I can't wait to see how the blocks look side by side!

This is a familiar project!

This group member was having us make blocks for the APQ

quilt along from a year or so ago!

Each block has 97 pieces in it! 

I really hate knowing that!

And even though I do know it... I want to make one for myself!