Sew & Tell ~ Happy New Year!

It's a new year... a year full of new opportunities, new experiences and 365 chances to start new each day!

I wrapped up 2022 with calm and quiet... rest and renewal of health.  I didn't step foot into my studio for a full 7 days once the Dresden Quilt was completed and delivered.  I slowly found my way back there as I picked up and organized all that had been left in the wake of that finish.  I cleaned and polished the wood floor that had been long neglected and ignored.  I collected all of the dust bunnies that had collected and accumulated and promptly evicted them. LOL.  

As I considered goals and plans for 2023 I made mention of the I Found A Quilted Heart project... 

And my intention to start making some quilted hearts to help pass the time as we travel for business this week.

I have numerous hearts ready for embellishment and quilting...using scraps of batting and scraps from my scrap bin I pieced them QAYG (quilt as you go) style.

I used a cardboard template to trace the hearts on the batting and pinking shears to cut them out.  

I have an assortment of lace, buttons and trimmings to fancy them up and make them pretty!  I can't wait to get started on these!  It is sooooo tempting to just grab one and go sit and have fun with it and see one finished!  

Instead, I pulled out my retreat quilt and finished doing the partial feathered wreaths and then quilted the border with free-motion feathers.  I was able to sneak in one final finish for the year... sans the binding.  Which will be hand-sewn during the road trip.

I am pleased with the finish... 

When I showed it to Dave he asked what the significance of this quilt was... When I told him that it was what I made at the quilt retreat he responded with "Oh, the quilt that started all of the sickness for us."  Haha!  Well... yes, probably.  Since there was an attendee that was sick with a horrible cough... and weeks later I heard that some many most of the other ladies had also gotten sick.  Hmmmm... I only have to say... If you don't feel good or think you may be coming down with a cold/flu/virus/strep... STAY HOME!

Dave then asked if I had ever counted how many quilts we have around the house.  Ummm... no.  In a quick calculation I came up with 12... that are out for use or on display... with many more in a closet or two.

How many quilts do you have?

Leave a comment... I'd love to hear from you.

Let's get to last week's Sew & Tell features...

Andree at Quilting & Learning shared some mug rugs that she used free-motion quilting on...

Nancy at Grace & Peace Quilting shared a year end review and her Top 5 quilts from 2022...

And Gretchen shared her progress of some 3/4" hexie flower garden piecing... 

And now... it is time for you to Sew & Tell me what you have been doing!  Linky party will be open all week.  Tell your friends about the linky party too!  The more the merrier.  😊

One last thing...  The quilt parade for the Pieces in the Garden Sew Along is open through January 15th.  Even if you didn't get all of the rows done, if you used the blocks to make a smaller project, you could link it up.  There are prizes!  Did you see them?  Follow the link above.

Keep Piecing!

Melva

Linking with:

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

Monday Musings at Songbird Designs

This & That at Days Filled with Joy

To Do Tuesday at Quilt Schmilt

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2023 Planning Party

 

It is the time of year that many of us take time to reflect on the previous 12 months, assess, and then make plans for the coming year.

You can catch my review at Best of 2022... since the past several months have been physically challenging for me I long to simply "dip my toes in the waters" and wade in slowly to 2023 rather than doing a polar plunge.  So some first quarter goals are as follows...

We have a January business trip planned as well as making tentative plans for a camping trip in late February/early March. We have reserved the first two Harry Potter books and I am making a few quilty plans as well to be able to pass the time on the road.  I have two EPP Postcard blocks ready to go.  These two blocks will wrap-up the documentation our camping adventures for 2022...

My daughter sent me a fun project idea ~ I Found a Quilted Heart ~ ❤... and this is a perfect project to occupy my hands as we road-trip! 

Here's the story of how it all got started...

The most random thing happened while vacationing in Nevada.   Three sisters and our husbands took a day trip to Valley of Fire State Park.  After an afternoon of hiking, exploring, and soaking in the beauty, it was time to check in for our return flight.  We drove to Rainbow Vista, as it was the only location in the park with cell phone service.   While the three sisters look for just the right place to get that coveted cell service, the husbands searched a cave off in the distance.   Following a deserted trail around the back side of the cave, the most incredible gift was found: a little quilted heart with a tag reading, “I need a home.”

Well, it certainly found a perfect home! We may never know who placed that quilted heart in the desert of Nevada, but we are thankful for it.  This beautiful little heart started a whole new purpose for us; blessing others with the same simple act of kindness.

Have you heard of I Found A Quilted Heart?  

I'd like to hear from you if you have... Have you found a quilted heart?  Did you report the quilted heart?  Have you ever made hearts like this? 

I have enjoyed making smaller, improv mug rugs or postcards over the past few years.  Recently, I was inspired by something I saw on Instagram (Sorry, I don't remember who to credit) but this is one of the first projects I'll be making when I decide it is time to return to the studio.

I have been fiddling around in there with various things... I gave some special attention to the wood flooring the other day and I have it looking shiny and clean again. I cleared the various piles of project remnants that lingered after finished the Dresden Quilt and have my retreat quilt in que for finishing.  I also pulled out an extra jellyroll that I had purchased as an option for the retreat quilt as well as a pattern book that I was gifted a few years ago from one of my daughters.

One of my Christmas gifts this year was a laser light that will attach to my sewing machines.  I am excited to get it set up so that I can try it out.  For years I have had a piece of tape on my sewing table making a center line as well as the 1/4" seam, but this will offer a longer line for larger HST units.  It isn't complicated to attach... just some sticky velcro... but I need to decide on the perfect position on the machine so that it isn't in the way and won't easily be bumped and knocked out of position.

Have you ever used such a tool?  

What are your thoughts?  

I'd love to have some feedback or suggestions.

A little longer range... I'll be working on getting a pattern book for the Pieces of the Trail Quilt printed.  The owner of the quilt shop in Raton, New Mexico is interested in doing another block of the month event.  So, I really need to get my ducks in a row and get a pattern book ready to sell.  I'll be using the same printing company I used for my Pieces From the Past book ~ Blurb.com.  I had considered making or creating a calendar with the patterns, but simply haven't found a good source or program to design something like that without making a big investment and learning how to use a new program... but to be honest... I haven't spent a great deal of time researching it either.  Maybe Snapfish or Shutterfly has something that would work...

I have been considering hosting another sew along for 2023... I am definitely interested but need to take some time off to be able to plan and design with fewer deadlines and pressure than what I put on myself this year.  If nothing else, I have learned from the lesson of caring for my health, which I had apparently taken advantage of this past fall. Be sure to watch for some details to come in the spring!

Thanks for following my thoughts, plans and dreams... I hope that you will continue to be one of my faithful readers! 😘

Keep Piecing,

Melva

Linking with:

Planning Party at Quilting Jetgirl

Put Your Foot Down at True Blue Quilts 

Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation

Free-Motion Mavericks at Quilting & Learning

Thankful Thursday at Brian's Home

Little Things Thursday at Good Random Fun

Can I Get A Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Off The Wall Friday with Nina Marie

Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty

Peacock Party at Wendy’s Quilts and More

Friday Foto Fun at Powered by Quilting

Thank Goodness It’s Finished Friday

Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts

Scrap Happy Saturday at Super Scrappy

Patchwork & Quilts at The Quilting Patch

Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework

Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate

Year End Review & Best of 2022

What a year!  And each one of you reading this has made it a better year than I had hoped and anticipated.

Last December as I turned my focus to 2022, I saw a blank slate... I had no well-defined goals for the year other than to lead the Pieces From the Past block of the month at Patchwork Phoenix, the LQS in Raton, New Mexico.  I did just that and though the group got smaller as the year continued on, those that hung with it grew as quilters and enjoyed the opportunity to try new techniques.  It was a pleasure watching their confidence grow with each block.  

I sold out of the original 100 copies of the Pieces From the Past books that I published and ordered a second, much smaller quantity so that I can maintain a small inventory of them.  This book contains all of the letters, stories, recipes and pictures that accompanied the original sew-along series that ran here on Melva Loves Scraps from January 2020 through March 2021.

New To Me in 2022...

I hosted a new sew along that told the story of my Maternal Grandparents, Forrest & Tressie Teegarden.  The Pieces in the Garden quilt was a row quilt with each row made up of 3" or 4" blocks and one row of 6" blocks.  While not as popular as the previous sew alongs, it was fun and there were still many of you that enjoyed the stories of their lives despite not making the blocks.

I began hosting a new weekly linky party ~ Monday Morning Sew & Tell.  A place for all of you to share the progress of quilts and DrEAMI or squirrel projects.  It is fun to see what everyone has been up to, despite it being a bit dangerous with the temptations of so much eye candy to admire.

I co-hosted/sponsored (with Brenda from Songbird Designs) the on-line National Sewing Month blog hop and Instagram photo challenge.  The hop was a wonderful event and made the "National" event and "International" event with bloggers from around the world participating.

Top 5 Quilts of the year...

#5 - Camping Journal Quilt - our journeys have continued and as I completed the center portion of this quilt we upgraded to a larger 5th-wheel camper.  I have started piecing the blocks that will make up the borders.

#4 - Hanna's First Year Quilt - a collection of onsies and special holiday outfits... It includes all of the monthly shirts, the newborn hats, two special personalized blankets and more.

Hanna seemed to have liked it... and her Momma was pleased too.  Heather noticed that the binding was from one of the baby blankets and Emma, just 8 years old, commented that she liked how I put all of the smallest blocks together in the middle.  (I think the girl may have an eye for design 😍)

Hanna received some matching pillow covers in her Christmas gift and gave her new little pillow a sweet hug. 

#3 - Pieces Revisited - My cousin's half-sister, Kendra, contacted me to purchase a copy of the Pieces From the Past book. She soon followed up with a request for a custom quilt using two of the blocks from the book, Our Country and Dragonfly.  This quilt was a real joy to make... almost as much as it was to meet her in person to make the delivery!

#2 - Funfetti was a quilt that was inspired when I found a collection of 4-patch pink and green blocks as I cleaned and sorted my fabric stash closet.

#1 - Pieces in the Garden Row Quilt inspired by the story of a Bride's Quilt and the product of this year's sew along...

“Bride’s Quilt”

Once upon a time, there was a little girl, who wore a bow in her hair. When she grew up, she began a friendship with a young bachelor. As the hours and days passed, they began to look at each other with stars in their eyes, and as their love grew, they thought about taking steps to the altar. So, the young girl got out her spools of thread and made clothes to get ready for their wedding ring day.

After they are married, some of their times together will be bright as noon and others will be dark as night.  But they will try to share their happiness, their miseries and their chores – she grabbing a wrench to help with household repairs and he grabbing a towel to help with the dishes.  Sometimes they will have broken dishes, but they will try to remember that “things” can be replaced, whereas harsh words, possibly spoken about the broken dishes, could chip away love.  They will try to follow the Golden Rule as they are learning to communicate openly with each other.

They will also try to keep in mind the symbolism of Jacob’s ladder – “steps of communication” between themselves on earth and God in heaven.

From last year::  On a personal note... for the last several years I have had a focus word.  The word that continues to come to me is SUCCESS.  More specifically, from 1 Samuel 18:14... In everything he did he had great success, because the Lord was with him.  I have had an internal argument that it seems prideful... or boastful... I, myself, cannot measure the greatness of success.  Against what do I measure it?  Previous years?  Others?  

In the end, I have accepted the word given to me and know that my success in whatever I endeavor will be ONLY because the Lord will be with me.

Overall, I feel that the year was a success... with the exception of the 4th quarter.  My immune system went a little haywire and I dealt with a case of shingles, and two cold viruses that all knocked me on my hiney.  My quilting slowed to a snail's pace, my writing lacked a certain "zest", the weekly Sew & Tell features were overlooked (though I did make a visit to each link) and any responses to comments and questions here on the blog were slow to go out, or sometimes even ignored.  My apologies for those that I have neglected. 😔 

I think it all went awry when we didn't get in one last camping trip in October... LOL!  "I googled my symptoms and I just needed to go camping!"

I am (planning on) taking a few weeks more for rest & recovery... We'll see how that goes (haha!).  The Sew & Tell party will continue, but my weekly to-do lists will go to the wayside.  I have a few small ideas/projects in mind, but when I will actually execute them remains to be seen.  

How has your year been?

Smooth and completely as planned?

Or, full of surprises?

Leave a comment... I'd love to hear from you!

Keep Piecing,

Melva

Linking with:

Best of 2022 at Meadow Mist Designs

To Do Tuesday at Texas Quilt Gal

Mid-week Makers at Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter

Free-Motion Mavericks at Quilting & Learning

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Sew & Tell ~ Christmas Style!

Merry Christmas!  Happy Boxing Day! Or any other holiday celebration that you may be in the midst of celebrating!  

Short and sweet here... I have done NOTHING in my studio or in the quilty realm since last week.  It has been a refreshing break and I will be back at it soon with plans to return to my retreat quilt.

Did you get all of your gifts done?  

Did you receive any great quilty gifts?

Leave a comment, or leave a link (fb or instagram works too).  I'd love to hear from you.

Merry Christmas!

Melva

Linking with:

Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

Monday Musings at Songbird Designs

This & That at Days Filled with Joy

To Do Tuesday at Quilt Schmilt

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Pieces in the Garden Final Assembly

This post is a bitter-sweet... Here are the final instructions for the finishing of the Garden Row Quilt.  When I was auditioning fabrics for the final border and binding, I tried a wide variety of options.  This quilt with so many small blocks was so busy I had a difficult time finding anything that was acceptable to me... Until I tried the bold, bright solids.  These are not a typical choice of mine, but when I placed them on the design wall my eyes (and mind) were pleased with the "calming effect" that they brought to the blocks.  My eyes were no longer bouncing around, almost freaking out... I was greatly relieved to realize that I would not want to bury this quilt in the closet (or in the garden) because I couldn't stand to look at it.   

I hope that you will be in love with your finished quilt as well. 😍

Cut:     14 horizontal sashing strips, 1-1/2" wide and 48-1/2" long.

            2 vertical strips, 1-1/2" wide and 70-1/2" long (for side borders)

            2 horizontal strips, 1-1/2" wide by 50-1/2" long (for top and bottom borders)

NOTE::  It is important to cut these sashing strips to this specific length to help in keeping the quilt as straight and "square" as possible.  Because of the length of the rows and the varying sizes of the blocks (as well as the size of the pieces making up the blocks), you may notice that some rows will be a little more "springy" than others.  

It is best to choose a fabric that is wider than the standard 42/44" width, to avoid having a seam in the strip (1 yard will be an ample amount of fabric).  OR you can purchase 1-1/2 yards and cut the strips on the length of fabric, 1-1/2" x 48-1/2". 

Mark the center of the sashing strip by folding in half and pressing a crease.  Pin that center crease at the center of the row, pin each end of the strip to the ends of the row.  Easing in, if necessary, pin into place the remainder of the block seams to the strip.  The sashing strip will help to stabilize the rows and help keep everything lying flat when you are ready to sandwich the quilt.

Using the same fabric as you plan to use for the binding, cut 8 strips, 1" wide.  Join the strips together, cut two strips to 70-1/2" long and two to 50-1/2" long.  Press in half.  Using a 1/8" seam sew these flange strips to the outer edges of the borders. 

From border fabric, cut 8 strips 2-1/2" x WOF.  Join two strips together to make four long strips.  Trim two to 70-1/2" long.  Sew borders to the sides of the quilt.  Trim remaining two borders to 54-1/2" long.  Sew to the top and bottom of the quilt.  You are now ready to sandwich your quilt and quilt as desired.

I used a template to trace 5" clamshells onto my quilt.  I found a tutorial that you may be interested in looking at by Kathy Kwylie.  She suggests starting at the top or bottom of the quilt.  I chose to start near the center of the quilt and work my way out in both directions.  It is all a personal preference.

A hanging diamond design would be a good option as well... perhaps placed about 2" apart?  

Binding:  Cut 8 strips, 2-1/2" x WOF.  Join strips together and press in half.  You can find my tips, suggestions and a "tutorial" on a variety of binding options HERE.

The tea party in the garden has come to an end... I thank you for joining me for this sew along as I told the story of my grandparents, Tressie & Forrest Teegarden.  It has been a good time!  But before we say our final good-byes...  

Won't you tell me if you had a favorite block or part of their story?

My favorite block to piece was the Hours block...  And I love the Noon & Night blocks... you can never go wrong with a classic log cabin. 

Least favorite???  No doubt that row of Wedding Ring Day!  What a booger those were!

I have heard from several of you that this quilt has inspired you to start to document the lives of your loved ones. The "Priceless Conversations" document is a wonderful tool to assist you with this.

Thanks again for joining me!  I will have a linky opportunity for you to share your finished quilt tops open until January 15th.  At that time, I will do a drawing for a grand-prize drawing.  The prize will include one final chance to win an assorted tea selection from Cornerstone Tea company as well as a pattern book and a teacup pincushion. 

Let the quilt parade begin!

Keep Piecing,

Melva

PS: If you made some of the blocks, but not enough to complete a quilt like mine you might get some ideas and inspiration from @cynwiestam_nordicquilter and her La Fleur quilt by Kitty Rose Cottage

Linking with:

Put Your Foot Down at True Blue Quilts 

Free-Motion Mavericks at Quilting & Learning

Off The Wall Friday with Nina Marie

Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty

Peacock Party at Wendy’s Quilts and More

Friday Foto Fun at Powered by Quilting

Thank Goodness It’s Finished Friday

Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts

Scrap Happy Saturday at Super Scrappy

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Sew & Tell ~ December 19, 2022

It is done!  The dresden plate quilt is finished and on its way to the recipient!  Inside I'm doing a little happy dance but am honestly sooooo exhausted I don't have the energy for it.

I'll be resting up after my final push to get this out the door... so now it is your turn to show & tell all of us of your last-minute Christmas projects and gifts.

Keep piecing,

Melva

Linking with:

Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework

Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

Monday Musings at Songbird Designs

This & That at Days Filled with Joy

To Do Tuesday at Texas Quilt Gal

Mid-week Makers at Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter

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Making a Happy Plate

It is not a finish... but I am so close!  I see the end is near and I don't want to lose my momentum, so this is just a really quick update.

Like eating an elephant one bite at a time... slow and steady is how I have managed to get this quilt as far as I have... 

Stitch in the ditch was the first step and then the plates and centers outlined...  followed by the cut lace tablecloth sections being outlined.

Next was the narrow border with leaves and the final border with big feathers...

I have 8 setting half-square triangles and the 4 corners to quilt, and it will be ready for the binding (which has already been cut and pressed and ready to go). Once done, I will have successfully made a happy plate. 😂 

With fingers crossed and my prayers whispered, I believe this will be ready for delivery this weekend!

Gotta run...

Keep Piecing!

Melva

Linking with:

Can I Get A Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Off The Wall Friday with Nina Marie

Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty

Peacock Party at Wendy’s Quilts and More

Friday Foto Fun at Powered by Quilting

Thank Goodness It’s Finished Friday

Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts