April projects just a little late

I know, I am very late with my April 1 post but I've been busy. So quickly, here's whats been happening on my ranch....

 I finished my Downton Abby quilt from Pieceful Gathering Quilt Shop retreat. While I am not a great fan of purple, it turned out OK. I quilted it using a wool batting which was a bit different, but gave me some good practice. Lots puffier than warm and natural!

We went to Atlanta and I took hardly any pictures. I did manage to snap one at Jack's in Nashville. Yum, great barbeque and in front of Bridals by Lori in Atlanta.

I finished by Country Threads UFO for March. Another easy peasy project left over from Star Party at Country Sampler last fall. A pinkeep designed by Blackbird Design which features vintage pins given to us by Barb and Alma! This pinkeep used English paper piecing, a little bit of cross stitch and a top of wool applique.

And I'm sure you've seen this everywhere but it is a close up of Sunflower and Bittersweet designed by Kathy Cardiff and taught by me at Pieceful Gathering Quilt Shop coming this May.

Some Finished Things in February

So far this month I have finished two projects that I really wanted done. First, is my UFO #1 for Country Threads. It is Stacy Nash's Star Party Pinkeep from Country Sampler's Star Party last October.

And look how sweet it is with two pin keeps that Maggie made for me. The little sampler was a Christmas gift and Downton Abbey is just because we love Downton Abbey. So nice of Maggie.

I finished Settlers' Pride last year but needed something to coordinate with it to hang in the dining room. Voila, another Rachel's Reel by Jo Morten. This little quilt goes together so fast and easy and provides just the right amount of additional color and design.

Settlers Pride wool on wool applique.

Rachel's Reel cotton on cotton machine applique.

I've been doing a little knitting too. I continue to work on Clockwork  (a scarf) which is very slow going. Lots of stitches with sock weight yarn. Pretty though.

And, I've started on my first pair of fingerless mittens made with Noro Taiyo yarn. I wasn't too sure about these but so far so good.

Hoping to make March just as productive! Pieceful Gathering's Quilt Retreat is March 7, 8 & 9. We will be sewing a Downton Abbey themed quilt. Sounds like fun!

The 2014 UFO Challenge has begun

Here is my first UFO for 2014. I think I must have started this little quilt at least 5 (or more) years ago. I finished all the embroidery work right away but just never liked how they set those blocks. I forced myself to put it on my UFO list this year and deal with the setting. While it's nothing fancy I like it better than the snowball block setting from the original pattern.

Had to show you the back too so you could see the quilting.

Check one off the list!!!

Country Threads UFO #12 for 2013

Hip Hip Hooray! 2013 is done and so are 12 (well actually 13) unfinished projects from my sewing room. I finished the last one last night. It is Peony Wreath from Primitive Gatherings and I did all the machine stitching on my new Singer Featherweight.

Country Threads has announced that they will be playing this game again next year and I'm in! My list is ready (I can't believe I have another 12 unfinished projects, but I do)! 

Country Threads UFO November

My 11th UFO is finished for the Country Threads UFO Challenge and it was number 11 on the list. It is "Turkey Lurkey" by Maggie Bononomi. Her original design was a pillow...I just made a little mat out of it. And bonus, I finished it just in time for Thanksgiving.

Only one more project to go...then I'm going to make my list of UFOs for next year! Anyone care to join me in the challenge?

Mike! Me! and The Pioneer Woman!!!

What a fun night at Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville. Ree Drummond, aka The Pioneer Woman, was in town for a book signing so Mike and I and 598 other people went. Despite the fact that The Pioneer Woman was stuck in traffic and arrived 45 minutes late, it was wonderful. So fun to meet her, actually I was quite in awe. And Mike will tell you that she is just as sweet as she can be. I might also add beautiful (with a drop dead gorgeous complexion). We were pretty lucky as our signing numbers were 45 and 46!

I started out at the front of the table, but Ree told me to "come on back.

So here we are.

Then Mike joined us. We  are quite the captive audience aren't we?!

Then it was time for a family portrait. Ree's words, not ours.

So I guess we're officially "family" now. How fun is that. I wonder if we'll get an invite to the ranch for the holidays? 

We really enjoyed ourselves so we took a walk down the street, which is already lit up for the holidays.

And stopped at the local Mexican restaurant for dinner because Ree always has pico de gallo in her refrigerator so it just seemed like the right thing to do!

October is done and so is another UFO!

 

Another Country Threads UFO is done 

and just in time for Christmas!