It is Done!  I made my goal for March to  "A Lovely Year of Finishes" with the dishes, wash and housework put on hold! 

I wasn't home 18 days this month and during that time I got sick too, so not much was done while I was gone.  So the last week I was sewing at lunch, sewing waiting for dentist appointment, sewing each evening and sewing at Easter family dinner and I got it done!

I put my own spin on the pattern.   I left out the "Liberty Garden"  at the top.  Wool leaves were added at the bottom instead of just stitched leaves.  I used buttonhole stitch around the "daisy" flower stems and a running stitch around the tulip leaves.  I also used 2 shades of green when I was doing the stems and the lazy daisy stitches. 

The blue flowers had to be cut out with sissors, because the hole punch I had wouldn't cut the wool.  It went fast though. 

On the tulips I added stitching to add a bit of detail.  You and see the V shape I stitched in the tulips.

I just have french knots to stitch in the center of the "daisy" flowers. Then to layer and bind!  I plan to finish that this week along with doing our taxes, (ugh!)

Wishing all a joyful finish to March which is going out like a Lamb here. 


Marsha

I have been away from my sewing machine this month and away from home too!  I have been taking care of our son in Florida after he had foot surgery on the 8th.  I took my project for this month's finish but didn't work on it much.  He is getting along very well and he 'sent' me home this past Saturday! 

I think why this project hasn't been done is that I didn't know how to place the appliques on the background and mark all the stems and leaves.  One day, after I had cut out all the items, and was placing them on the back ground, if I pinned them, the pins would stick me which didn't seem like fun ;-0.  So  I remembered tailor tacks. I used these years ago to mark the circles on my garment sewing pieces . The tailor tacks worked great!  I could stitch down each flower without getting poked! and pull out the 'tack' once I was finished. I  have  all the tulips sewed down and now on to the white flowers! 

I tried to take a picture, but the tailor tack thread was white and so wasn't the flower and it didn't show!  I will try later to get some pictures to show what I am talking about!

Marsha

On to March!  We had sunshine Sunday afternoon and all day yesterday!  It was a glorious gift as we haven't seen the sun in Northwest Ohio for weeks!

 I have chosen a hand sewing project for this month's A Lovely Year of  Finishes hosted by Sew BitterSweet Designs and Fiber of All Sorts. This pattern is so sweet and patriotic too!

 I just love the pattern and saw that it had stood the test of time by being published again in 2008  in the "Better Homes and Garden Fast and Fabulous Quilting Ideas".


 I purchased the wool in kit from a local quilt store over 8 years ago.  Back then I couldn't figure out how to mark the wool and there wasn't much info on how-to and blogs and surfing the computer for info never occurred to me back then! Lol! What a shame!


My goal is to get the entire top appliqued and embroider.  If I get it backed I will be happy.









 I have a busy month ahead and will be out of town most of the month.

Look for the Joy of Living!
Marsha

It is Finished!!  I did  the happy dance when I got the binding finished during "Castle" on Monday!.  #2 for  2013 - A  Lovely Year of Finishes hosted by Melissa of Sew BitterSweet Designs and Shanna of Fiber of All Sorts,

          I like how it turned out and hope the woman who will receive it, gets a bit of joy during a hard time in her life, as I am donating it to the local women's shelter here in our county.  Our quilt guild donates quilts to the women's shelter and makes youth and baby quilts for the Children Resource Center.

           The pattern is Bonnie Hunter's "String X", found in her free patterns.  I didn't use a foundation for the strip.  I just pieced the strip and then trimmed the ends with the template.  I only had a few places not match by doing it this way.  I  had picked up a lot of the scraps from the guild's free table and added some of my own.  I did have some trouble quilting as I quilted all of the straight lines first  but got some creases when I was quilting inside the area I had stabilized. 


I had fun doing the flowers in the green part and decided to change up my 'go to' flower

and try some squared off petals

and then some narrow petals.

 These daisy blossoms were fun to do.    I put them around the edges.

 (Sorry for the too light pictures!  I will try to do better next time. :-) I quilted the border with straight lines of stitching.  Each time around, the the line of quilting was wider then the row before.  I think the border could use a bit more quilting as it does have a  little wave in it.

So glad this project is finished.   Have tried some new quilting designs and learned a bit about quilting borders! 

Thanks Melissa and Shana for the deadline!

Keep the Joy!
Marsha 

Three Day weekend to Sew!
        
I have a 3 day weekend and have been making some good headway into quilting my quilt for this month's goal for  "A Lovely Year of Finishes". 

Friday night, I starched and ironed the backing, and top and got it sandwiched and pin basted.

           Saturday, I didn't get to do any sewing but it's ok.  I had a great day with hubby and son.  We celebrated son's 27th birthday by taking him to a movie  (Argo) and then dinner at Granite City.  The movie kept you on the edge of your seat,  and while I was a young adult during that time in our history, I don't remember anything about the 6 who came home before the other hostages.  The meal was wonderful.  I had the best hamburger with toppings! I couldn't pick it up so I ate it with a fork! 


             Sunday,  I did get to sewing and made some headway on quilting the top.  I decided to outline the lattice work and then do a design through the lattice work.  In the green squares I am going to freemotion  a flower design.  The thing that drove me nuts last night was getting "lost" in the maze of outlining.  I didn't want to go over lines twice so I would get stuck somewhere.  At the end.  I took the quilt and marked every seam I need to quilt with painter's tape. 






(I hope it sticks on until I get to that place)  Today, I am planning to finish up the outlining and then start the quilting.  So onward I go.


Marsha!

Wow, it's the 6th day of the month and I haven't had time to link up with A Lovely Year of  Finishes! 

 I have been sewing, piecing really;  working on an old Block -of-a-Month.  I finished block 7 and now working on block 5.   These 2 blocks also have pieced blocks for the first border.  It is 'Northern Skies' from Thimbleberries.   I will have some pictures, once I find my camera.  I was using it on Sunday, but now can not find it. LOL!  It drives me crazy some times.

            Anyway!  I decided  what project I do want to finish this month.  It is a quilt that is all pieced with bright pinks, purples, yellows and lime greens.  I love how happy it it.  It is a Bonnie Hunter's pattern from her blog.     Here are 2 blocks

 but to be fair, I have the entire top pieced and the back ready to go.  Just a good pressing/starching, pin baste and then quilt and bind.   Whew!  that sounds like a lot to do, but,  I am going to try really hard to get it done this month.






Best wishes to everyone to meet their February goal!

Joyfully sewing along,

Marsha

I just sewed the last stitch on the binding!!  It's Done!  My first finish for "A  Lovely Year of Finishes" hosted by Melissa of Sew BitterSweet Designs and Shanna of Fiber of All Sorts .

 I did choose the 'funky' green-gold thread to quilt swirls over the entire quilt.

 I had never tried the swirls, but they were fun to do.  Do a few big ones, and then a small one, then maybe a loop to get somewhere and then more swirls!   

 The yellow green thread works good with the white stars too!

Really liked seeing everyone's progress this month.   Thanks Melissa and Shanna for the 'push' to get it done!

Seize the Joy!

Marsha