Cupcakes

 I'm staying busy, which is a good thing:)  This past week I made some time to remake my cupcake table runner. 

Lots of cutting, sewing and appliqueing. But I love the end result.

Cute backing fabric in the right colors to make this runner more festive.

While making this I got the bright idea that I needed to make this in patriotic colors, you know for the 250th celebration! So a couple days later this was finished.

While I was in the patriotic bin again I figured I should get another of these done. This time instead of a white background I used more of a beige one.

Thanks to all who stop by to check out what I have been up to!  Now shall we go check out some more inspiration that has linked up at these blogs...

TGIFF

Off the Wall Friday

Finished or Not Friday 

Beauties Pageant

Stars and Stripes

 Playing with my patriotic fabrics is still going on. This first one I had pieced last year and didn't need it in the shop so it was waiting for this year. That makes for a quick finish, and it is gone already. I have one more I can quilt and get listed and then I will have to start making them from scratch.

The backing is from the bolt I bought at Marshall Dry Goods.

This one I made from the ground floor up this week;)  It's one of my original designs I did a couple years ago and forgot to make more for the shop. So we'll see how this one goes. 

I quilt the blue piece and then applique the stars and stripes. 

Won't you join me in checking out what others have been doing over at Finished or Not, Beauties Pageant, and TGIFF

Swirling Stars

 Two swirling stars were pieced, quilted and bound over the weekend.

This is a free pattern from Krista Moser using the 60 degree Diamond ruler from Creative Grids. You strip piece and then cut and sew back together. It might look a bit complicated but it is not!

And before long you have two halves ready to be assembled into a finished topper.

I used some squares that were given to me plus some I had precut myself for the backing.

Both table runners were quilted with the hook swirl that looks good on everything!

I had the perfect blue backing fabric to match the shade of blue in the star.  I better get cracking on sewing/quilting the next runner.  Hope to see you at these linky parties...Monday Musings, Sew and Tell Monday. Design Wall Monday

Three finishes

In my last post I showed two table runner UFOs that needed done ASAP. Well here they are all finished. I had to sew on their borders, quilt and bind them. 

A quick hook swirl quilting was perfect to get these done fast.

Photographed and listed in my Etsy shop.

The pattern is in one of GE Designs books.

Not only did I finish these two but also quilted this morning star table runner. Cut using the Morning Star Accuquilt die. This was pieced over the winter, I have one more identical to quilt. 

I hope to get a few more quilted over the weekend as we have no plans as of yet. We created an opportunity to see our daughter, SIL and the three grands earlier this week so that was good since we hadn't seen them for quite a while. 

Linking with Off The Wall, Finished or Not Friday, TGIFF and Beauties Pageant

 

Finishing patriotic topper

 Yes I am back to my regular sewing/quilting room and it's now time to kick it in gear and finish things. It's getting to be Patriotic season so I need to add items to the shop. First up is a round wedge topper which I pieced on Friday and quilted and bound it Saturday.

I thought maybe you would like to see it on the longarm with the quilting progress. I pin the backing fabric onto the longarm leaders and lay batting and the topper on that. Basting around the edges of the first half of the topper holds it in place.  Do you see the large bar type magnets on the right side of the photo, they hold the unbasted top in place while I quilt the top half of it. 

I bought a bolt of red/white print fabric from Marshall Dry Goods. I love this for backings for my red table runners.  Buying a bolt from them is very inexpensive, but you do have to pay postage but it is still a very good price.

Sara inspired me with all the cleaning/sorting she has been doing so I cleaned up a little area that had leftover bindings scattered about. They are now all corralled up into one container. Just perhaps I will use some of them up.  While in the process of that I uncovered some patriotic UFO runners.  Putting borders on these didn't take long and they are now on the longarm getting their quilting treatment.

Linking on Monday to Melva Loves Scraps, Small quilts and doll quilts, and Songbird Designs

Twin Starstruck runners and new pineapple

 I rarely work with blue unless it is patriotic, however I pieced two blue Starstruck runners recently. These are from my tutorial.

And then in a desperate attempt at using more scraps I started another scrappy pineapple quilt. Another 3 or perhaps 6 blocks will be made and then I will sash the blocks and add borders.

Linking with Finished or Not Friday, Beauties Pageant, Off The Wall

Slow stitchin'

 It's another warm Sunday and some slow stitching in the air conditioning sounds good to me. A while back I showed you a start on a Valentine cross stitch. Here is where I am at today, progress has been made.

I have also continued hand knitting slippers for donation through my daughter in law. Last time I showed them I had eleven pair done. Thirteen have now been knitted, one them still needs sewing up which I will do today. 

Yesterday I made the other two matching southwest placemats. 

I also finished up the last orange pineapple block, took a photo, put the project away and then as I was getting photos ready for this post I deleted the pineapple block one. So you will just have to take my word for it that it is done because I don't want to dig it out!

Lots of slow stitching happening today so I am linking to Slow Stitching Sunday and Sew and Tell Monday

Two Projects

Sometimes thinking of a title for a post is easy and sometimes not!  Two projects to show you today. First up I finished piecing the last delectable mountain table runner that I had kitted up. 

Then I turned my attention back to the orange pineapple blocks. This is where I left off several weeks ago.

I decided on how many blocks wide and long I wanted it to be. So I set to making them on Sunday.  They look messy here before trimming. This progress shot was taken on Tuesday afternoon.

Here they look much nicer after trimming this round. I am using the Creative Grids pineapple trim tool. You have to trim after each round.

I was buzzing along nicely finishing up these 9 blocks and putting them up on the design wall. And bam, I am one short!!  I miss counted on Sunday:(  No time to make more as we were invited to the neighbors for Margaritas. 

It's been really hot here so we got up early and went on an ATV ride with friends before it got hot. We trailered the ATV's half an hour from home and hit the trail around 7:15 and we were off the trail at noon. We all brought our own lunches and ate in the desert under the shade of a scrub tree. So glad to have gotten out and did something fun. Here is one of the donkeys we saw as he crossed the trail right in front of us and stopped for a photo op! Someone said they spotted two more in the area that we didn't see. Also someone spotted a big horn sheep, we did not:(  A gecko was also spotted by us girls.

Linking to Wednesday Wait Loss.

 

Triplets

Good things come in three's right? Things have slowed way down this week with the heat we are having and it is only getting worse in the next 5 days. So it's best to stay in and sew, hehe. So I made triplets of this wall hanging. The pattern Pumpkin Stack is by Karen Walker. A fun one to sew. Yes there are a few small pieces but it comes out so cute it is worth it! The pattern does not include the outside black print border but I wanted the wall hanging a little larger.

Linking up with Wednesday Wait Loss and NTT.

Delectable Mountains plus...

 A delectable mountain table runner is a pretty fast gratification to wiggle into the middle of a bigger project. I use Bonnie Hunter's Scrappy Mountain Majesty tutorial for it.

You cut strips and then blocks, sew and cut etc, I had extra blocks so I decided to make a small mat with the leftovers this time. I am pretty sure I have some of the dark fabric left and will hunt it down and add a border to make it a useful size.

Same thing happened with this color batik set.

Here comes the plus part in the title of this post. I finished the sashings of this leaf lap quilt. I will add a gold print border before it gets to my longarm. 

An update on my slipper knitting for this winter season.  This is my evening TV viewing project, they will become donations to those in need. I am using a 4ply red heart yarn with a strand of sport weight. The pattern is a freebie from Fave Crafts.

We were going to be out boondocking for two weeks and with the heat we canceled it for now so there should be lots of sewing time with the AC on!

Linking with Beauties Pageant, Finished or Not Friday, TGIFF

Strip time

 Making strip sets has been my focus for the last few days. First cutting a bunch of strips of neutral and this black which has little gold circles. Then sewing into long strips and then the sub cutting began. 

Sewing going along smoothly. 

Oh I forgot to say these are for the leaf quilt. Here is what is going on with the strip sets. Still a ways to go but I am loving it!

For some slow stitching time I started a new little cross stitch. You are asking why I started another new something?  So I will be joining in with Slow Sunday Stitching.

That's because I actually finished two in the last two weeks!! So I kinda thought I deserved to start a new one, LOL.  Once again I used colored pencils to make a grayish aida cloth. I 'think' I used my Derwent water color ones.  White embroidery floss didn't show up very good while doing the snowman so I outlined it with a metallic looking blue gray. Then instead of stitching snowflakes on the top I used snowflake buttons I had on hand.  I also added three snowflake buttons to the green polka dot fabric. This finished up at 9" wide and 6" tall.  I don't consider this late for the season, I am ahead for next winter;)

This one I got done on time for this upcoming St. Patty's Day. He's about 6" square.  Both of these were monthly freebies from Primrose Cottage Designs.

Here it is with my little shamrock wall hanging. 

Linking with Finished or Not Friday, TGIFF, and Off The Wall.