Military Bear BOM - Delayed

The next block for the Military Teddy Bear BOM will be delayed until February because of all the hoopla with the Craftsy debacle, my vacation in December and an unexpected trip to the hospital last week for me.

Thanks in advance for everyone's patience!

Moira

Teddy Bear October Block of the Month

I'm running late this month in getting this block released, life just got too busy and I didn't manage to get it done.   My apologies to all who have been waiting for this.

This months pattern is Charles, the Navy Sailor.   He's dressed in is white uniform and waiting on the deck of the ship that he's been deployed on and ready to see his family again.

The block will stay up as a free BOM through the month of November, with the next block released the first of December.

To download the pattern, click here to go to my Craftsy site where I have the pattern.


Gratitudes:

1. Patient blog readers!

2. For having a weed-whacker that enabled me to at least whack down the tall stuff in the front yard last weekend.

September Block of the Month - Fran and her Design Wall

September's BOM has been released. 

Meet Fran who has been busy making her quilt blocks and is now arranging them on the design wall at the quilt retreat.

This bear was named after a dear friend who passed away several years ago.  Fran loved to make small blocks, and I thought of her as I was piecing the 1.5" quarter-square triangle blocks on the design wall.

And this is the setting that I used to put my blocks together into a finished top. 


You can find the pattern for the applique block and the setting for the wall-hanging here on my Craftsy page.  The bear pattern will be free till the middle of October, and the setting pattern will remain free after that.


Gratitudes:

1. For the rain received today - even if it meant not being able to have my yard mowed.

2. For the gift card that I was able to use to pay for part of the shelving hardware that I bought for the house.

August Block of the month - Jane and Ann

Meet Jane and Ann who are showing the quilt that they finished during the quilt retreat.

You can find the pattern here on Craftsy.

Enjoy the block!


Gratitudes:
1. Progress in getting things done today.

2. Payday came!

Wrapping up the Week.

Busy week last week.  Worked from home for 4 days which takes a lot more concentration because it's easy to get distracted by all the 'fun' stuff here.   On the other hand, I did get a lot done while waiting for the computer to process things.  =)

The biggest thing accomplished this week was getting my quilt frame set up correctly.   I'm so happy to have it back up and usable for the first time in 3 years.   And even happier that my machine is behaving nicely.

First quilt that went on for me to practice on was this UFO made from swap blocks.  Checking back in my pictures swap was late 2014.  It's now waiting on binding.

Second quilt on the frame was this UFO quilt top.  Quilted in a meander pattern, this one has been sold.

I also put together three snack mats, all of which still need to be quilted.  The first used a UFO piece of cross-stitch for a focal point.   Green fabric and the lime green pleated trims were both remnants and worked perfectly for this.











Another piece of cross-stitch formed the start of this snack mat.  The cross-stitch was done on my road trip taken back in 2016 and started about the point where I visited my friend Susan.   I have a piece of hand-dyed aida from her to make another on using this pattern.  The green fabric was a remnant picked up this year, and the cream fabric with the dandelions on it was bought back in 2016 when I was row-hopping.








This snack mat started with some UFO HST's.   And even tho the pic makes it look wonky, it really is straighter than the pic shoes.

All three snack mats will be listed for sale when they are finished.

I also managed to design and then finished the four spool blocks that I need for the setting I've designed for my Quilting Bears mini-BOM this year.  I plan to release the setting at the same time as I release the August BOM.   There will be one more quilting bear to come in September and then this series will be done.

And finally, I had to stop by Joann's to get something I needed for a project and saw this piece of drapery fabric in the remnant bins.  I couldn't resist getting it (half off of the 50% off sale price).  It is heavier weight than the quilting cottons I've been working with but I think it'll work in the passport wallets.   If not then I'll use it to make travel pouch's or something along those lines for sale.

Gratitudes:

1. The start of a new decade for me today, been a good one so far.  Looking forward to seeing what happens next.

2. For help in getting the cord swapped out on the dryer.

July BOM - Ben the Army Soldier

Meet Ben the Army Soldier, he is proud to serve his country.   He is currently standing at attention and saluting as he waits for review by his commanding officer.

You can download the pattern for Ben for free until the middle of August here at this link.

I hope you enjoy it!

Gratitudes:

1. For being able to watch two special young people pledge themselves to each other at their wedding.

2. For a God who supplies all my needs no matter how things look to me.

June Teddy Bear BOM

The teddy bear is Leah and she is busy sewing up a storm at the quilt retreat with her friends.

The pattern can be made with fusible or hand applique.

With this pattern just a little tweak in where you place the sewing machine will give you a different look to the finished block.

You can find the pattern here in my Craftsy store.  It will be free until I upload the next Teddy Bear pattern in July.

Enjoy the pattern!

Gratitudes:

1. For the fun that I have in designing new blocks.

2. For others liking what I design

May 2018 Block of the Month - Sherry the Bear

This month's block of the month is Sherry.  She was not able to go to the quilt retreat with her friends, and is out walking her puppy to have some fun.

Click here to download the Pattern for Sherry the Bear.

Enjoy!



Gratitudes:

1. Only a few more days till the house closes!

2. Packing is progressing.

April Bear of the Month - Jan the Ironing Bear

Meet Jan who is at a quilting retreat.   She is busy ironing a quilt for her friend Susan.

This block finishes out at 12" and may be done by machine applique or hand applique. 

The pattern will be free for one month, and can be found HERE.


Gratitudes:

1. Offer is in process of being made on the house I saw on Friday.

2. God will provide the finances that are needed to make my budget work if I get the house....even if that means a PT job.

2018 Block of the Month - The Quilt Retreat, Block 1

This year I will be doing something a little different with my Block of the Month designs.   Instead of having one over-arching theme for the entire year, I am planning on 2 or 3 groups of blocks that have a common theme to them.  At this point these blocks will be more teddy bears, but instead of being centered around the month of the year like last year, there will be several themes.

The first set of blocks will be centered around a theme of "The Quilting Retreat". 

Meet Susan who is attending her first quilt retreat.   She was getting ready to do some handwork on her quilt when one of the others there wanted to take her picture.

You can click here to go to my Craftsy shop and find the pattern.   It will remain free for a month and then will be $2 for the pattern there after.

There will be a setting for them as well, but first I need to decide if I'm doing 4 or 6 blocks in the series.  I have three blocks designed right now, and am thinking about what else I want to do.   Any thoughts of scenes from quilt retreats for a design or how many blocks you'd like to see in the series?

Gratitudes:

1. House inspection is this afternoon!

2. Payday is tomorrow.....lol.....

Calico Zoo.....Delayed

A designer let me know that the lion block was similar to a quilt design she had published, so I will not be releasing it in the BOM this year.   As a result, it's back to the drawing board for me to design another block to release as the first block in the series.  Not sure of the timing on that since I'm also prepping to move before the end of July (have to find a place to live first).

Gratitudes:
1.  There are lots of animals that I can choose from for my BOM

2.  The place I rent is on "high" ground with all this rain we've had here in the last week.

Signature Wallhanging

Almost done with this signature wallhanging that is needed for a baby shower Saturday afternoon.

The lion is the same pattern as the first block for my BOM in 2018.   The block will be released on March 1st.    I will be writing up a pattern for the wallhanging and releasing it at the same time.   It is one that may be used with any of this years BOM.

Still to be added to the front is a small border, most likely in gray with binding in one of the blues used for the lettering.

The back is where people will be signing.  For that I plan to cut a square of one of the coordinates that I have for this, and then border it in the same grey as the front.  I'll then iron to freezer paper to make the signatures easier.   Once the shower is done then I'll finish the wallhanging.

Gratitudes:

1. Much warmer temps today before the much colder weather tomorrow.

2. For the extended family that I'll be seeing at a memorial service on Saturday.

Calico Zoo - 2018 Block of the Month - Fabric Requirements

The 2018 Block of the Month, Calico Zoo, will be starting on March 1st.  One block will be posted each month from March 2018 through Feb. 2019.    The blocks will be free the first month that they are posted, and then once the next block has been posted will be offered for sale for $2 each.

The fabric requirements (amounts are generous) for the BOM are listed below, with pictures of the fabrics that I'll be using in my blocks.

The patterns this time will have instructions for both a traditional fusible or hand applique block and for a block with 3D elements in it.

Block Backgrounds - 

12 squares of assorted greens and blues that are roughly 11"-14" or so in size.  These will be trimmed to a finished size of 9" after the applique is added, so you have some leeway in what size you start with.













There will be one or maybe two blocks that have some blue in the backgrounds.   These are what I've pulled for them.

 Block Border - 

Used to represent a "cage", you'll need 1 yard.  The wood/bark print at the bottom of this pic is what I'm using for this.

Sashing -

Used to represent the walking trails and paths between the "cages", you'll need 1 yard.   The middle fabric (grey print) is what I'll be using for this.

Cornerstones -

Used to represent " trees and grassy areas, and the final border of the quilt - you'll need 1 yard.  The green at the top of the picture is what I plan to use for this.

Binding -
1/2 yard

Backing - 
3 yards

If you would like to add a blog button to your blog for this BOM, you can use the one below.

And then you can link it back to this page.


I do hope you'll consider making the quilt as we go along this year!


Gratitudes:
1. Payday finally arrived!

2. One final month of dental coverage as I go in for a reworked bridge this month

2018 BOM Sashing fabrics - heads up.........

I've found the fabrics that I'll be using for the sashing for the 2018 BOM that I'm designing. 

There will be three fabrics used for the 'sashing' and the sashing will be a part of each block.    For the quilt you'll need the following:

• A green - will be used to show grass and leaves
• a dk brown - for the "cages" in the zoo
• a gray - for the "path" or "walkway" between the animals

The fabrics I'll be using are shown below.   I picked up one yard of each and that should be plenty for what is needed, although I will admit I have not calculated out yet exactly how much will be needed.  I'm hoping that I'll have enough of one of these for the binding as well.

Gratitudes:

1. For being able to find what I think will be good fabrics for the sashing on the BOM last weekend when out shop-hopping

2.  For feeling better as I lose the weight I need to.

Scrap Happy October

I tested the first block for what will be my BOM for 2018 today using scraps.     The working name for the BOM is Calico Zoo.   At this point I'm not sure if I'm going to do 9 or 12 blocks in this one.   I do plan to have the setting made as part of each block and have a possible design in mind, but not drawn up.

I used all scraps to make this block.   The background was from a 12" remnant sized scrap, and the remaining were out of my scrap bags.  The mane and ears are 3-D.  Most, if not all of the blocks, will have two possible ways to make them - with or without 3-D elements.

Check out the rest of the postings from those of us that are taking part in Scrap Happy postings by going here .


Gratitudes:

1. The test block worked out ok (twas the first real time to design with 3-D elements like these).  =)

2. Clear weather today.