Back to quilting

 

While waiting for my Needlepoint piece to be matted/framed, I decided to play with starting a new quilting project.  But what to make???  I found a pattern for Labyrinth Walk (2019 pattern), which is one of The Guilty Quilter 'illusion' quilts.  I haven't used a pattern in years so this was fun!  HA

Don't shoot the photographer...this really is a square piece.  I had to use the back of a black pattern fabric since I didn't have any light gray.  Again, this was using all spare/scrap fabrics.

 It's quite large for a block, 22"x22".  But nice if you want a quick guilt block...well, you'd need five of the blocks above and 4 of these blocks in the pattern to make a full quilt.

I made the block in one day...worked in the afternoon and then after dinner.  I don't intend to make the whole quilt. 

28"x28"

I added black border and I do like the illusion block...I am thinking of going to a quilt shop near me - I know Susan, that's a surprise to you!  HA  I only would fabric shop when in Florida with my Q Bud, Susan...so she'll appreciate the fact I 'may' go fabric shopping!  HA  Will I make more of these blocks??  Who knows...but I may at least put on a border and quilt the block.

Wednesday is dog spa day and volunteer at the library; Thursday meeting my pal, Carol for lunch - Mary couldn't make our lunch so we'll plan another day! 

 Until then, I finished painting/stamping posterboard to make book marks for our fall book sale at the library. I need to sew two pieces together for the bookmarks but had to order a Teflon foot for my sewing machine.  Regular foot sticks due to stamping and paints.  I'm back using my newer machine...giving the 'old gal-1090' a rest!

Just busy work, which I love!  Yes, I do have a knitting project I started so that will keep me busy too at night watching TV!  Love having so many projects...SQUIRREL!  I just discovered a ton of hexes I've paper pieced!  what to do with them!  Hmmmmmm   Hahahahahahah

MaryJo & Ron’s August 2025 Visit (aka another Mini Z Training Session!)

“If you build it (Mini Z track), they will come!” And sure enough, Bob’s son Ron and DIL MaryJo arrived for a fun-filled weekend. The poor kids left their house at 2 a.m. so Ron could drop off MJ at our house, then he left for a work meeting in Saginaw, before joining us back home Friday afternoon—but they made it happen!

MaryJo and I spent Friday running errands and enjoying lunch outside at Big Apple Bagels. Later, while I was puzzling over what sides to serve with dinner, I had the bright idea to ask ChatGPT. (Yes, “she” came through—twice!)  After dinner, Bob and Ron snuck off to the basement for more Mini Z racing.  They did decide to join us upstairs for some Blueberry pie from the Davison Bakery, which has the best pie around!  Food always brings the guys back!

Saturday was another adventure. MaryJo and I dropped off my finished needlepoint for framing (yes, I finished the needlepoint - blog post to follow in two weeks with pics!).  We then took off to pick up produce at the Davison Market and walk around the vendors oustide.  We headed next to Ortonville to another farmers market but they were closed as it was 1 p.m.  Back to Goodrich to have a sandwich at a local diner then we browsed one of our local shops, Live Love, Laugh.

 

 Meanwhile, Bob and Ron headed out to race at the new Limitless RC store in Millington (since their old one in Davison sadly burned down over a year ago). 

By dinner, we were all back together—though once again, the cars eventually called everyone downstairs for more racing.

 Even MaryJo took the wheel and did great!

I guess we need to have a 'race off' between Ron, MJ, Talissa and Ian sometime!  HA  The weekend flew by with food, laughter, and family time. The kids left early Sunday for their long drive home, and we were so grateful for another wonderful family visit—even if Ron still owes me for not fixing Bob’s computer. HA!

Wednesday Inspiration!

 Remember that southwest needlepoint piece I started 26 years ago from one of my previous posts?  I loved it, but—like so many projects—life got in the way (grand babies!) It ended up tucked away, waiting for “someday.”  Well, “someday” finally arrived! I’ve made real progress—woohoo!

 All that’s left is the border. Which should only take me another 3 months!  HA  I just started on the outside border, which has 3 or 4 rows to go!  UGH

Our meeting area!

The push to pick it up again came from two wonderful ladies: Beth and Cheryl.  Every Wednesday from noon to 3 p.m., three of us—Friends of the Goodrich-Atlas Library volunteers—meet to sort through donated books for our next book sale.  I call us the Three Musketeers, and while we take our library duties seriously, we are also like to ‘play’.

Once the patron donations are sorted and placed on shelves, out come our projects: knitting, embroidery, cross stitch—anything that keeps our hands and creativity busy. 

Beth is my knitting idol. Her stitches are absolute perfection, the kind you point out to other knitters and say, “See? This is how it’s done.”  She just finished a stranded knitting sweater, which is amazing.  She also dabbles in other crafts—like the Christmas cross stitch hanging she’s working on now—and every single stitch is meticulous.

Cheryl is my cross stitch hero. Each year, she hand-stitches a tiny design for all of her family’s Christmas cards—those stitches are so small you practically need a magnifying glass!  Actually, I would need a magnifying glass. And she always has multiple cross stitch  projects going, moving between them so she never gets bored. She actually finishes them, too—an admirable skill in itself.  Look at the detail in her current project.  The bird is amazing!

Both Beth and Cheryl work on 16-18-count Aida fabric. For those who don’t stitch, that means there are 324 tiny squares in every square inch! It’s no wonder their work is so precise—it has to be.  They are both meticulous and their workmanship is beyond good!!! 

Meanwhile, I’m happily plugging away at my needlepoint, with my friends’ talent and dedication cheering me on. Just some closeups of the nine blocks.  

 One of these Wednesdays, I just might finish that 26-year-old project. And when I do, I know Beth and Cheryl will be the first to celebrate. 

 

They’ll probably be tired of looking at it and hearing me complain “I can’t see the squares!”. 

You can see I took these closeup pics before I started the borders.  And those little diamonds will also need to be finished.  

SIGH.......