She Made My Day!!!

I just got an email (sent to me several days ago but I overlooked it) that the editor of Down Under Quilts wants to feature this quilt in their magazine along with other mystery quilts. I would have had to contact Bonnie Hunter (the amazing designer..so to quiltville.com if you haven't already) for permission because I would want to make sure she is fine with that and they credit her too and I am giving it away for Christmas and can't mail it off to her, but she absolutely made my day by even wanting it! I am going to have to get my hands on that copy even though this quilt won't be in it just because it might have been. WOW! Almost as exciting as when I interpreted for John Kerry at the Bloomer Stock Farm and was on CSPAN! It doesn't get much better than this for me. :)

Big Book Summer Challenge Progress and More.

I could not remember if I had quilted my last Mourning Crosses quilt (made with bits of my Dad's clothing) so I searched my blog and saw that I never posted it finished, but I it was finished and in my cabinet.  So here it is.  

For my "Christmas through the Year" challenge to myself, I made two more stockings to go to Norway to my honorary daughter Rachel's new step children.  Made both with leftover bits and love the one on the left so much I do not want to send it!

These are all my books read in June.  Twenty-four.  My favorites "I Must Betray You,: "Passing," "The Sun Does Shine," and "The Hidden Girl"  A True Story of the Holocaust."  

My big book summer challenge hosted by Suzan at the Book by Book blog is going well. Apparently, I like big books because according to my StoryGraph these are all over 400 pages and read since the start of summer.  Really enjoyed "Young Mungo" and "Persuasion" the most of these.  I did my first official Buddy Read with Sandy from Ms. Reads Alot on Youtube and we had such a great discussion on Voxer.  We read "The Robber Bride" and the first two thirds of it was amazing and then the end just fell off the tracks.  Very disappointing, ack! 

 

Soul Mates and a Sewalong!

Barb completed clue 3 of Soul Mates when we sewed with Becky last Thursday.  Then Friday she caught up on the current clue.

Here are mine.

All four clues so far.

Here is Becky's Clue.

July 31st Gudrun is having an all day sewalong of her Kimberly pattern.  I chose my fabrics last night and did the cutting today (you can make this with two layer cakes). Really excited to do this one though not sure if any of my sewing buddies are doing it.  Info at the website.  There are three different pattern options too.

 

Four Finishes, Progress on More, and a Trip to Ohio!

The rainbow scrap challenge color for July is purple.  I love making both these blocks.  Log Cabin Love above and Butterfly Bush below.  Both patterns from Quiltmaker's "Addicted to Scraps" column by Bonnie Hunter.

I sent three of my quilts to New River to be quilted by Melissa.  She does a great job and has a quick turnaround time.  Kathy made this top but I bound it.  Was hoping to surprise her for her birthday but she busted me binding it!  She is the Patriots fan in this house.

This is my modern medallion.  I designed this one myself a few years ago but got stumped and decided it was done and was a wall hanging.  Got lots of compliments on it on facebook which surprised me.  

This one was the mystery from New Year's--Merry Mayhem's Ups and Downs with my own border copied from Bonnie's Scrappy Mountain Majesties.  The quilting is beautiful.  This one will be gifted to my best friend Monica and her husband Bob. They already have one large and one mini quilt from me both in blues and browns but this one is a Christmas quilt.  

I also quilted a baptist fan on my free little mini quilt from Kathleen Tracy's page.  Love a small project and pretty happy with how it came out.  

                                        

We took a quick weekend trip to Ohio last weekend.  It about did me in since travelling and not being able to control how much I lay down makes me so much more fatigued.  Even just sitting takes it out of me.  We do not plan to do it again unless I improve significantly, but we had not seen our oldest son and his wife and six kids, and two grandkids.  We spent time with them bowling and them swimming and eating together.  We were so glad to meet the two newest members of the family and see the rest.  Here is the whole crew (Kathy is taking the picture).

 

Lots of Progress!

Hazel is really into her baby doll these days.  She puts her down to nap and covers her up and feeds her her bottle and even sings rock a bye Hazel (instead of baby, lol) to her.  Does not get any cuter!

Here is my Ruby Jubilee for the next Quiltmaker clue and in purple is Becky's.  

Barb has not started hers in green yet.

Barb and I really enjoyed working on the Scavenger Hunt Kim Diehl Mystery Sewalong.  Here is is coming along.

Here is Barb's in lighter fabrics. 

And the last clue came out today so during Hazel's nap I got it done!  

This little cute one was Kathleen Tracy's fun 4th of July mini for us.  

And Becky, Barb and I sewed yesterday (online) on clue three of Soul Mates.  This block was more fun to make than I expected.  We are all cut for the next clue too which was nice!

Here are the stacked up blocks so far.  They did not get them done yet but will soon I am sure.