Finding Happiness

Recently I read this article--

https://tinyurl.com/y8xvfjzw

Its based on a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson--

 “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”

Too many times we rely on things to make us happy.   Being useful makes me happy too.  Volunteering, making and donating quilts, cooking for others--these all make me happy.

What makes YOU happy?

~Lori1R in Nebraska~

Design Wall Monday, RSC, Weekly Goals

These blocks are on my design wall--

Six orange churn dash blocks and one dark blue--because I had a dark blue scrap.  All cut with the Accuquilt 9" churn dash die.  Eventually I will have enough for a quilt. 

There are lots of scraps in my stash.  Here is where I found the scraps I used--

A laundry basket full!  I pulled out possible scraps to slash and pressed them--

They are laid over the drawer to my sewing cabinet.  Don't they look like fun?  I can hardly wait to slash them! But I am at the camper, will have to go home this week (hopefully I find time) and pack my sewing.  All I have with me right now is binding.  I MISS piecing!  Found a picture from when I quilted earlier in May--

 

I had stuck my foot through it!  Not a problem, I hand sewed it in place and you will never find it after its quilted.   

Weekly Goals

Binding

9" Churn Dash blocks

Garlic Knots blocks

Island Batik project

Anything else that looks like fun!

I'm linking with SoScrappy, Oh Scrap, Love Laugh Quilt, Moving it Forward, and Small Quilts and Doll Quilts.

This weekend I tidied up my camping site, planted tomatoes and flowers in pots.  But my favorite is my flag--

Today is Memorial Day, a day of remembering those who protected and fought for our country.  It always feels more like home when I put the flag out, I have solar spotlights on it so it can be displayed 24/7.  I have many good memories of Memorial Day.  Extended family would visit, attend Memorial Day services at the cemetery, the placing of flowers on family graves.  I'm glad I live in America!

~Lori1R in Nebraska~

Design Wall Monday

No design wall picture today, but I do have a finish!

 
This quilt is 84x100", I'll say it used 14 yards of fabric.  Too big for a boys home quilt so I'll put it on the Emergency pile.  You never know when you'll need a quilt to donate or gift.  Bricks and Stepping Stones is a favorite pattern, especially for scrap quilts.  No background needed, and you can use the most unloved (ugly) scraps in the bricks!  Want a different look, replace the black in the 4 patches with another color.  I've used black, brown, blue, purple, red--just about any color will work.  Thank you Bonnie, for the great free pattern!

Last week 2Rs helped me make a 6 FQ Bag--

It holds a LOT.  There is a large throw, a twin size, and a queen size quilt in the bag, plus two small sewing bags.  Someone pointed out its pretty heavy, can I lift it?  Yes, but I did ask Ken to carry it for me!  Its a free pattern and easy to make.  I wanted a bag to carry quilts in, ones needing binding and finished ones to donate.  This has more class than a garbage bag!  If I make another I will add pockets to the inside.  

Saturday I received a package in the mail--

Two red, a teal, a tan, and a white--all Island Batiks.  10 yards in.  I will have to update my stash report.  I only count fabrics I pay for in my stash report.  

Last week I began volunteering.  My campsite is surrounded by blooming lilacs--it smells heavenly!  To celebrate summer I bought a new nightshirt--

I have a busy week ahead, but I have found time to sew a little.  I brought binding projects for those JOT moments.  Sunday morning I had an hour to enjoy the hand sewing.  

I need to plant some flower seeds yet, but its been pretty chilly.  This morning it was 39F, some places had frost.   

I'm linking to Oh Scrap, Love Laugh Quilt, Moving in Forward, and Small Quilts and Doll Quilts.

Do you have summer plans?  A vacation?   

~Lori1R in Nebraska~

May 1st--Island Batik, Hobbs Batting, and Accuquilt

April's Challenge was a square baby quilt using Hobbs Batting and Accuquilt dies.  Here is mine, its 40" square--

I used the Accuquilt die to cut the 2.5" squares.  It is one of my favorite dies! (#2 in the 8" Cube set).  I hand appliqued a simple center motif.  Quilted with an all over panto (Clematis by Jodi Beamish) using white thread.  The batting is Hobbs 80/20.  

The Accuquilt Go is something I may never have bought for myself, but have fallen in love with it.  There is very little waste when you cut, and now my only excuse for crooked blocks is me!  I've purchased a few more dies, they support my New Starts, and really help me manage my scraps.  I bought the 9" Churn Dash, the 5" square, and the 3.5x6.5" brick dies.  So far! 😉  Hobbs Batting, what can I say?  Hobbs Batting is ALWAYS great! 

My photo props were a white sheet for backdrop, a cheerleading PomPom, a vintage Brownie Camera from my "treasure shelf" and spools of Aurifil thread.  I did this picture in less than 5 minutes, only two pictures taken instead of the usual +20.

Life is busy here, lots of unexpected life moments.  But quilting is my stress reliever!  

Have a great month of May!

~Lori1R in South Dakota~

PS--this project was made using products given to me--Island Batiks, Hobbs Batting and Accuquilt Go and Dies

Design Wall Monday on Tuesday

These blocks are on the design wall--

9" Churn Dash blocks.  I'd ordered the Accuquilt 9" Churn Dash die and I LOVE it!  So easy to cut and piece these blocks.  The two green on the left were "test" blocks using a scrap of green and natural muslin.  The six on the right are made using Island Batik fabrics.  FUN FUN FUN!!!

I finished quilting the pink 30's quilt, its stitched and trimmed, I'm taking it along to Lorri2Rs--she has pink 30's fabric for binding.  Next I put this top on the Princess--

It my April Island Batik Challenge project.  Its quilted and I sewed the binding on last night, just need to hand sew the binding down. 

No goals for this week, today I heading for 2Rs house for a few days of sewing.  Friday, Saturday, and Sunday I'm helping clean my mother in law's duplex, she has moved to a really nice Assisted Living.  

The snow is gone but we're still very wet.  It has rained a little so the lawn has a small lake in back again.  

Have a great week!

~Lori1R in South Dakota~

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Design Wall Monday and Weekly Goals

There is nothing on my design wall, I've been prepping tops and backs to quilt--

Its not as much fun as piecing but its "part of the process".  Today I prepped another top and backing.   We were without some of our electricity until today, its been repaired.  Here is what broke our line--

A large part of the maple tree on the right fell on that overhead wire.  We still need parts for the furnace--fried the transformer--but we can deal with no furnace.  This propane heater keeps us toasty--

Its an "emergency heater".  You need plenty of ventilation.  But it kept our living area 74-76F while set on low. We even shut it off when we were too hot.   A 20# propane bottle lasted from Thursday afternoon until Sunday afternoon.   

Weekly Goals--

Load a quilt
Make Bindings

That is all I'm planning for this week.  Still digging out from storm, have wound up most the extension cords.  Now to figure out where I moved things!  

I'm linking with Oh Scrap, Monday Making, Moving It Forward, and Small Quilts and Doll Quilts.

Have a great week!

~Lori1R in South Dakota~

RSC Week 14--Aqua and more GREEN

More aqua/teal/green this week--

16 Puss in Corner blocks--done with only natural light for the photo.  Why?  We had a blizzard this week--first rain, then sleet & ice, then heavy snow.  Part of a maple tree fell on our power line to the house.  

These are pics from early Thursday morning, it snowed/blew all day Thursday and into Friday morning.  Knee deep to waist deep heavy wet snow.  The entire interstate system and all the roads in South Dakota were no travel/closed.  The branch fell Thursday afternoon.  No pics of it, the live line was draped across our back doorstep, and we didn't go near it.  The electric people came within half an hour, turned the power off, cut the branch up to free the line and restring it.  Unfortunately it pulled the wires loose from the meter/box on the house and fried a lot of it.  By Friday morning we had power in half the duplex (the sewing side) and the furnace repairman was here to repair fried parts on it.  So, we have heat and lights on one side.  But our living side is without power/heat until at least Monday.  Ken had to work Thursday night, so I stayed in the local motel.  4 wheel drive only to get there.  But the freezers and fridges have power now.  We have hot showers and can cook on the sewing side.  Only an inconvenience.  

How are my goals?  

Finish binding a quilt--YES

Borders on Chains and Stars--YES

RSC blocks--YES

 

No pictures of the finished quilt, it will have to wait until next week when things are back to normal!  A backing is being dyed for the Chairs and Stars quilt.

I'm linking with SoScrappy!  Have a great week!

~Lori1R in South Dakota~

Design Wall Monday and Weekly Goals

Lots of sewing this week but no finishes.  Borders were cut for Chains and Stars--

A narrow yellow inner border and a dark green outer border.   Today I baked a cake for the Grandsons--

This is an example of little things to fix when taking photos--see the shadows behind the cake and the glass of kisses?  Moving a lamp would have fixed that.  The cake was tilted with a dishtowel under it--

Very simple setup.  (You can see how the afternoon light shines in through the window). The photos were lightened a bit too much.  Ah well, next time!  Three little boys won't care about the photo!  I finished piecing two baby quilts and have dyed two backings for them.  Sewed binding whenever I could.  I pressed some aqua/teal scraps for RSC blocks.

Weekly Goals--

Finish binding a quilt

Borders on Chains and Stars

RSC blocks

That's enough for this week, I'm planning to sew with the Iowa Sweat Shop Ladies and 2Rs next weekend.  MINI RETREAT!!!

I sewed on my OMG project--

There are a few chocolates missing, blame Ken!  I'm linking with Oh Scrap, Monday Making, Moving It Forward, and Small Quilts and Doll Quilts.

Have a great week!

~Lori1R in South Dakota~

RSC Week 13--Teal (and GREEN)!

Week 13 for Teal (and GREEN)!  Its been a busy week but I did make some Garlic Knot blocks--

Its been a busy week and I've been plodding along sewing.  How are my goals coming along?

More RSC blocks--Six
Borders on a waiting top--Cut and pressed
Load a top to quilt--not yet
Plan Island Batik April challenge--Yes
Sew more binding--Yes

Tonight I finished the 2nd small quilt top.  The backing for one is dyed and ready.  I'm linking with SoScrappy.

Have a great weekend!

~Lori1R in South Dakota~ 

OMG--April

Time for OMG.  I finished the gray baby quilt for March.  April's goal will be my Island Batik Challenge for April.  A square baby quilt 40-48".  I haven't start it yet.  But I have a couple of ideas so I'm that far.  It might include these items--

I want to have it completely done by May 1st 2019.  I'm linking with Elm Street Quilts.  

~Lori1R in South Dakota~

Design Wall Monday and Weekly Goals

Here are the last of the Blue Ohio Star blocks--

Now I can decide what to do with them.  I played with a few extra props--

A rotary cutter, thread, chocolate easter eggs, my favorite seam ripper, a cute stiletto 2Rs gave me and the cheerleading pompom. 

Weekly Goals--

More RSC blocks
Borders on a waiting top 
Load a top to quilt
Plan Island Batik April challenge
Sew more binding

I'm linking with Oh Scrap, Monday Making, Moving it Forward, and Small Quilts and Doll Quilts.  

Have a great week!

~Lori1R in South Dakota~