While we were travelling in the spring I was able to visit Hancocks of Paducah where I treated myself to a fat quarter bundle of Tula Pink prints…I didn’t have a plan for the fabric I just liked them.
A few weeks after returning home I decided to treat myself to a new Oliso project iron, I chose the Tula Pink one because it looks so happy! This was definitely not a need purchase just a I really want purchase 🥰
For a year or so I have been watching and admiring Minki Kim’s YouTube tutorials and her patterns and when she came out with her pouch pattern for the iron I knew I wanted to make it!
I began piercing my Postage Stamp quilt in January… personal piecing time is at a premium these days which is one of the reasons that I chose this project.
It does at times make a bit of a mess in my already at times messy looking studio but then creativity can be messy!
My piecing time is usually after I turn the Longarm off for the night… and allow myself an hour or so to play.
The project began by cutting strips of scraps 1 1/2” and sewing them together alternating with Kona White until I had 9 strips together and then cut those units into 1 1/2” strips. Playing with so many different fabrics was where the mess was mostly made… this was followed with evenings of putting together groups of 9 strips with the rule of no same fabrics in a block.
Once I had enough 9 strip units together I tucked away the strips etc into a tote…until the next time I needed to put the 9 strip units together.
I find it relaxing to have some simple sewing to do and this project fills that need right now. I haven’t decided how big to make this quilt or who might want it…or should it be made into smaller quilts…it will come to me at some point.
I counted the blocks the other day and I have 53 finished.
When Darlene brought me these two quilts made with her Mothers house dresses it very quickly brought to mind my Grandma who we lovingly referred as to Grandma on the farm (my other Grandma was in the city)
Anyways my Grandma and many Women of her generation wore house dresses and saved their “good clothes” for when company came or they were going out. Anyways this job brought happy memories.
There are two quilts in this picture. Darlene chose the pantograph Two of Hearts…(an often requested design) as these quilts were made as a gift for family.
Some of the fabrics were seersucker… more memories of childhood clothes!
The backing fabric is the softest flannel, so nice to work with!
Her quilts were trimmed and ready for binding when they were picked up.
I saw a reel on Instagram for the Holland Pouch by Center Street Quilts and liked it so much that I bought the pattern!
The pattern has three different sizes, it’s well written and is easy to follow.
I had fun playing with scraps and also quilting it with my Juki. The Zippers by the yard with fun pulls a fantastic to work with.
I love how this one turned out…
This led to making a smaller pouch to match…
And an even smaller one…
Not pictured is the fourth even smaller one.
The Holland Pouch was so much fun I made another one…
My little sewing buddy Kaija and I have been busy making pouches when she has been here this summer… we made a Holland Pouch first (not yet pictured) then this week a smaller pouch. She loves the idea of making smaller ones so that will be next week’s project!
Sometimes I just want to play in my sewing room and lately when I am not quilting (which is how I spend most of my sewing time) I find myself trying new patterns that I find for pouches.
The first two were made from watching you tube videos…
I used the pattern Itty Bitty Bowlers from Around the Bobbin to make these three little bags. They are a little more challenging than the above pouches but are so cute!
I gifted the first two to two of our Granddaughters after their dance recital and I am sure that the third will be claimed sooner or later.
I have my eye on some patterns by Minki Kim that I think my Tula Pink fabric would be fun to use for…
Just before our trip I was contacted by the daughters of a quilter that I knew of through guild and online. They wondered if I would help complete a quilt that their Mother had begun and sadly had passed away before completing it.
The quilt had been intended for her granddaughter.
I was happy to accept this project and let them know that I would check with a friend of mine to see if she would complete the quilt top for me while I was away as they hoped to have the quilt ready for the Granddaughters bridal shower.
Kim did a wonderful job! Due to the Grandmothers illness some of the blocks needed some work and some needed to be made.
The daughters had a card that their Mom had written to her Granddaughter and had it printed onto fabric for the label.
I attached the label onto the backing before quilting the quilt.
The pantograph Two of Hearts was chosen for the quilting…perfect for a quilt that has so much love attached.
Hot pink was requested for the backing which I found locally. It was also used for the binding.
I was told that the Granddaughter absolutely loves her quilt 😊💗
A few weeks before our big trip I wanted to finish up a quilt for the Motorhome…I had one in mind that I had begun making in 2019 it started out as a kit from Craftsy back when they had their own fabric lines.
My customer quilts take priority for the most part over my personal projects especially the ones that I have pieced just for fun with no particular plan in mind for them.
The top had been completed as per the kit however it wasn’t big enough, thankfully I had collected some of the fabrics and had some scraps in my stash.
It was a generous twin size to begin with so it needed more blocks, I had almost enough of the background fabric and in the end I added in some solid white in a few of the blocks.
I also used the fabric that I had planned for backing for the borders.
I had some left over blue backing from a quilt of my Moms that I had quilted for her and used that for both the containment border and binding.
Adding some fun I chose the pantograph Bubbles for the quilting design. The backing is a wide back full of friendship quotes.
I truly believed that I would have time to stitch the binding on our trip and I did work on it here and there and did finally finish it before we got home…
We decided to leave Texas the way that we arrived, taking the Galveston Ferry. Headed to Lafayette Louisiana for a night.
Continuing on we drove along the coast…enjoying the scenery. it was fun watching the dolphins swimming along the boats.
Our first night on the way home was in Lafayette Louisiana, we spent our evening relaxing and going for a walk to check out the campground.
The next days driving took us to Hot Springs Arkansas driving through the Ozark Mountains was amazing and at times a challenge. We made an interesting stop at the Hidden Bridge … the sign said no trailers or long Motorhomes and once on the very winding narrow road we could see why…it was well worth the driving adventure!
We attempted to find rv parking in Hot Springs Arkansas to check out the baths however parking wasn’t to be found and we were tired so made our way to the campground, had supper a walk and slept!
One of the things that we really enjoyed were the welcome centres in most of the states. Unfortunately the one in Springfield Missouri had closed just before we arrived. Route 66 is on our to drive list.
After another one night stop we were on the road again! Headed to Hamilton! For a few years I had mentioned to Erik that I wouldn’t mind going to Hamilton Missouri and so it was added to the list!
When we arrived, Erik dropped me off to explore! It was a bit overwhelming but my kind of fun overwhelming! Walking through and exploring 13 quilt shops!
We spent the night at A Country Charm Campground which I highly recommend, it wasn’t far from the shops and was a relaxing quiet stay.
Our next destination was Clear Lake Iowa. We made a fun stop at the Iowa Visitor Center…
Clear Lake Iowa is the home of the Surf Ballroom… it was the last place that Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and J.P. The Big Bopper performed before “The Day Music Died” sadly they were tragically killed in a plane crash February 3, 1959 shortly after takeoff.
That night we stayed at a Harvest Host location, we found a nearby park to grill at and explore before settling in for the night.
Onto our next adventure and headed to our final campground for this trip was to Hinckley Minnesota.
We love the areas around Minneapolis and so made some stops along the way…
First stop was Northfield, famous for the Bank Raid of September 7, 1876.
We also stopped in Hastings for a walk, the weather was not cooperating it was a cool rainy day not at all what we had gotten used to!
We settled into our campsite in Hinckley and woke early in order to have some time in Duluth before heading to the border and home.
We had fun in Duluth and bought a fun pattern… for a really cute little bag at the new quilt shop in Miller Hill Mall.
We arrived home early evening…
Erik had been watching for the smelt run so on the way home he had me ask Liam if he would go with him that night…that was a big yes and a very late night but fun for them.
We were both tired and it took a few days before we felt settled in again. The first few nights we woke up wondering where we were 😊.
