January beginnings

 I typically will try to do a no buy January each year. That means going through my supplies on hand for the next projects.

I have had 2 soft book panels for quite a while so out they came today. Fun projects on a snowy Tuesday.

I broke out a different sewing machine today as well. Riccar 808E. She followed me home a while ago and had some TLC in her new home. She sews like a champ.

I must confess that I did buy a quilt kit today, however, in my defense it was the last one they had & it's something I have been looking for. Brings back memories of my school days in CA.

I promise to try to be better at no buy January. Well, unless something on my dream list crosses my path. 😇

Enjoy your week!

Mistletoe Kisses - First quilt of 2025

 When I first saw the Sleigh Bells pattern from Fran Morgan of Fabric Cafe in their book Quick Christmas 3-Yard Quilts I knew I was going to make it.  I had purchased the last of a bolt of Poppy Cotton's Warm Wishes & Mistletoe Kisses from their Snuggle Up Buttercup line and was waiting for just the right time to use it.  There was less than 2 yards which was required for the twin size quilt but I took a chance!  I had just enough of the focus fabric for this quilt.  I had purchased the maroon colored fabric from Creative Notions with this quilt pattern in mind.  I had the green fabric in my stash & a bolt of fabric from The Winter Twist Collection from Jason Yenter for In The Beginning Fabrics.  I really like the way this pattern worked up.

I machine quilted it with Glide Thread in the color Jade using the Red Christmas Poinsettia pantograph from Quilting Pantographs. As there was space between the flowers I did free motion loops to fill the blank space.  I machine bound this quilt after glue basting the binding.  The glue does not hurt the fabric nor the sewing machine.  I use Elmer's School Glue using a very light bead then press it in place.  This process relieves some of the pressure on my hands when I machine bind.

Here's hoping you have a blessed New Year.

Finished size: 59" x 71"

Pantograph with free motion loops as filler.

I called this one Mistletoe Kisses in homage

to the focus fabric.

TBear 2 & TBear4

 Last night I completed the last two quilts for my grandkids.  Now all of them (including the adopted grands) have a "grownup" Grandma quilt.  

TBear 2 was made for #2 Grandson.  The pattern I used for his quilt is Porch Rails from the Pretty Darn Quick 3 Yard Quilt book from Fabric Cafe. This is the 4th pattern that I have made from this book.  The pattern allowed for the focus fabric, Winter Forest from Benartex which I purchased from Creative Notions in Salina UT together with the brown & the green fabrics, and it worked well in the large block.  I machine quilted this quilt with an edge to edge pantograph called Live Wire from Meredith England.

TBear4 was made for #4 Grandson.  This pattern is called Legendary by Elizabeth Hartman. I have a few of her patterns and I would strongly suggest you take a look at all of her patterns as there are so many fun ones.  I used assorted fat quarters for the green trees, the brown is Shades from Riley Blake Designs, the background fabric I purchased from Joann's Fabrics in Cedar City.  I quilted this quilt with an edge to edge pantograph called Nylon from Urban Elementz.

These quilts bring a 2024 total of 19 quilts PLUS 9 for the Sleep In Heavenly Peace project.  So 28 quilts this year.  Not too bad considering I had a 2 month period of no sewing after hubby's accident.

May each of you have many blessings in this coming year.  Enjoy each day as there may be days that seem not so good but they will have something good in them.

God Bless!

Legendary pattern from Elizabeth Hartman

Size: 66" x 78"

Quilted with the Nylon pantograph from

Urban Elementz

Label: TBear4

Porch Rails pattern from Pretty Darn Quick 

3 yard Quilts from Fabric Cafe

Size: 63" x 86"

Edge to edge pantograph is Live Wire

by Meredith England

Label: TBear2

Loving Caring Anonymous Friend

 A morning trip to the Sunflower Quilt Company in Axtell UT this morning. Hubby's longest outing since coming home. To my amazement there was a lovely gift waiting for me from an anonymous friend. My heart is full. Thank you, thank you for this amazing gift. I am speechless.  Please know what a joyful impact you have made! I am humbled & blessed by your thoughtful gift. From the bottom of my heart I am sending love & hugs to whoever you are. I will make a quilt for myself to remind me that good people exist & I am blessed to know them.

Divine Intervention

 Sunday, October 13th. Tom was hit by a car while taking a short ride on his motorcycle. The impact severed the motorcycle in half. EMS arrived shortly after the incident. Assessed at our local hospital then Life Flight to Utah Valley Trauma center. Broken foot, ankle, tibia, femur neck, wrist. They put a titanium rod in the right tibia, screws in the femur neck. It was decided that the ankle & foot did not have enough displacement to warrant surgery at this time. This morning he is in surgery to put a plate & screws in the wrist. He woke up in pain before surgery so at least when he is under anesthesia he will rest. 

Upon seeing photos of the motorcycle remains my oldest son said: "For the ones that don't believe in anything, these photos prove them wrong. You don't walk away from this without Divine intervention."

As hubby had no head, neck, or back trauma I can testify to the truth of this. Injuries were all on the right side of his body.

He has a long road ahead of him, however, he won't be traveling it alone. I am grateful to a loving Heavenly Father who has brought me patience, peace, & hope.

Hug your loved ones.  Pray for those in need. Be a friend who watches over others. God bless you all.

Front of bike.                   Back of bike.

What's left of the bike.

Ride Free

 I had purchased the cotton motorcycle print a few months ago (oh and I recently bought the same fabric in tan/brown colors) and I had also bought 2 pieces of Minky fabric thinking that's what I would use for a backing for this fabric.  Well, I ended up making a twin size quilt so I had to piece together Minky in order to have enough to use for backing on this quilt.  The pattern is "United" by Fran Morgan of Fabric Cafe from their Make It Patriotic With 3 Yard Quilts book.  I have enjoyed using their patterns as they are fairly quick to make & always fun.

I called this one "Ride Free" as that was one set of the words on the motorcycle fabric.

I machine quilted this one with a pattern called "Square Halls" from Quilting Pantographs.  It was graphic enough to work well with this quilt.  I used Glide thread in the color Cool Grey for the quilting.

Even though the backing turned out more wonky than I had planned, I don't mind it at all.  Sometimes I push myself outside the box.  This backing did that for me.  Yes, I am still vacuuming up the Minky fluffies.  I even had to clean the ceiling light fixture as it had more fluffies in there as well.  I guess I do sew fast sometimes.  Let the fabric fluffies fly!!!

Size: 62" x 87"

Label - Ride Free

Pieced backing

TBear3

 I have 2 more grandchildren quilts to make after this one.  This one is for grandson #3.  He is into martial arts and I found some fabric that would work.  Though he doesn't do karate he does do Tai K'wando.  The pattern is called Jamboree designed by Fran Morgan of Fabric Cafe.  I added one more outer border to the quilt to make it just a bit bigger for Bear#3.  The quilt measures 65" x 82".  I pieced the back with some remaining strips from the top.  The machine quilting is an edge to edge pantograph called Heatwave from Urban Elementz. I used Glide thread in the color Cool Grey3 for the machine quilting.

Deco Deer

 Completed the second wall hanging pattern from Corey Yoder of Coriander Quilts. This is her Deerly Loved pattern.  I changed the deer from a light tan to a brown which for me is much in keeping with the deer that roam our yard.

I called this one "Deco Deer" (because he is DECOrated)!  I know that made you smile.

I used the Starberry fabric line from Coriander Quilts & used a solid white for the background.  I have really enjoyed working with this fabric line.

I machine quilted the project using a light tan cotton thread using my Brother 1500S machine  (which has been replaced as it is no longer available) on my Start Right frame from Grace Frame (which is no longer available due to new products).  This set up has served me well for over 12 years and allows me to put a smaller project on the rails without having to piece the backing to give me the needed fabric for my longarm.  As this quilt only measures 42" x 42" I was able to use a width of fabric cut from my yardage.  The edge to edge pantograph is called "Feather Meandering" by Linda V. Taylor.  I really like the way it looks on this project.

Now, onto the next quilt in line!

Find joy in your journey.

Wall hanging = 42" x 42"

Binding & backing used some fabrics

from the Starberry line.

Starberry Wooly

 When Corey Yoder of Coriander Quilts came out with her Starberry fabric line for Moda Fabrics I knew that I had to have it!  I went to one of my favorite little quilt shops, Sunflower Quilt Company, in Axtel UT & bought at least 1 yard of the entire line.  There were just a couple of the fabrics that I didn't get as I wanted to use some of the sheep print fabric instead of the tone on tone one in 2 or 3 of Corey's patterns.

I purchased the Wooly wall hanging pattern which measures 40" x 40" when completed and changed the background from the beige fabric to the beige sheep fabric.  I love this wall hanging.  Corey's patterns are written very clearly with step by step instructions that make sense to me!  I have the next pattern cut out and will post that once completed.

I named this one Starberry Wooly (after the fabric line & pattern used).

Find joy in your journey!

Starberry Wooly 40" x 40"

Of course the label made with some of

the same fabric line.

Never Forget To Dream

 Several months ago I purchased some 5 piece Fat Quarter bundles called Never Forget To Dream by Fabric Editions from Missouri Star Quilt Co.  I found a free pattern called Essence Winds from Moonkin Stitchery (who has a wonderful You Tube channel ) and she shares many of her patterns for no cost.  By the way, she has also just published her first quilt pattern book, & yes I purchased it through Amazon!  It is called Quilts Surrounded with Love. The Essence Winds pattern has 5 sizes.  I made the twin size which uses 20 Fat Quarters.  I used a white on white stars for the background.  The backing is a light pink mottled 108" fabric which I purchased from Sunflower Quilt in Axtell UT.  I used some of the backing for the binding as well.  I added 2 small outer borders to the pattern so that I could use up the purple fabric from a previous project as well as some of the trimmings from the Fat Quarters that I used in this quilt.

I machine quilted this one with an edge to edge pantograph called Scrollwork from Urban Elementz. I named this quilt after the Fat Quarter fabrics - Never Forget To Dream.

Now, on to the next project!

As there were only 5 fabrics per bundle I ended up

laying the blocks in rows light to dark colors.

Scrollwork pantograph

The Label - Never Forget To Dream

Pattern from Moonkin Stitchery