A new adventure

 I love quilting and making quilts.  I have gifted quilts to many friends, family, Quilt of Valor, church fundraisers and groups and still have quite a few stored in tubs in the basement.

The last several years I have had a vendor booth at Santa's Workshop, the local guild show and my church festival and sold quilted items.... and I still have more in storage.

 I have been looking for more outlets to sell my goods and recently I was presented with the idea of a consignment shop in town.

 We celebrated a grand opening 4th of July weekend with a ribbon cutting and visit from Mayor Ricky Shelton. I am one of 14 vendors with various items and gifts for sale....furniture, jewelry, knitted/crochet items, glassware... and of course, quilts and quilted items!

My shop is set up and stocked and I will be continually adding or changing items for sale.

I am working on some samples for memory quilts and pillows to be added soon!  I will take orders and make quilts in colors, sizes and a choice of design patterns.

I plan to spend one Saturday each month in the shop visiting with customers and taking orders... (I'll announce on Facebook which Saturday depending on my family schedule each month)
Shop hours are Monday - Saturday 10am - 5pm I can be reached via Facebook    
https://www.facebook.com/Hillsdale-Quilts-300338760018564/ 
or by phone

Fr. Chris' Cactus Patch #6

I have been making some progress on the Cactus Patch quilt for Fr. Chris.  

I love sewing on my vintage treadle during the early morning hours while everyone else is still sleeping.

All 25 blocks are now assembled.

  

Next step is to cut the light/dark blue fabrics into sashing and border strips.  The gold is for an inner border.

The orange and blue grunge fabrics in the front will be pieced into a backing.

Garden happenings

Since our return from Canada and Pennsylvania I have been working, alternately, on several projects.

I've gotten the overgrown weeds in my flower garden under control again.   We weed-wacked the heck out of the overgrowth of vines in the far corner past the tomato cages, where it looks like(is) mud.  It looks ok for now, but I need to get in there and dig out the roots of the vines that are growing back before they take over again.  I'm hoping to plant a fall crop of Kale, Kohlarabi and brussel sprouts .

We are making progress on the water drainage too.  We've laid down some weed barrier  and are slowly filling in with dirt.  With each rain the dirt is settling in and becoming more stable so that we can lay pieces of slate across the pipe.

This pretty orange gladiola is a nice surprise that popped up unexpectedly.  Only a few came up last year, so I was surprised to see these return.

The vegetable garden overgrowth has been cut back and partially tilled.  The strawberry plants are to the left of the tree and still need weeding.  The blackberry/raspberry plants are to the right.   But we have enough area cleared now and can plant the green bean crop.  

We harvested 1 green pepper and 4 roma tomatoes yesterday, and are hoping the eggplant will produce some fruit soon.  

The yellow squash has blooms so we should be harvesting them soon too.

Fr. Chris' Cactus Patch #5 update and a Visiting Karen

After leaving Niagara Falls we drove through NY into PA on the way to visit my sister-in-law, Karen.  We stopped at several quilt shops along the way and I was able to purchase a few more fat quarters to make the last 100 HSTs.  I also found the perfect fabric for backing this quilt. ... an orange grunge... and because it wasn't wide enough... I got some blue grunge to go with it for a pieced backing.




I set up a little sewing corner in her dining room. 

I continued working on the last of the HSTs and then began the quarter block assembly.

I was able to complete all 100 quarter square blocks before we had to pack up and head home.

While there, Stan worked out in the gardens with Karen until she had to go to work (noon-8pm).  Then he worked on and off through the afternoon... stopping for breaks to get a drink and cool off.  I went out late in the day to help out when it was cooler... I don't do well in the sun and heat.

Lots and lots and lots of weeding got done.  We layed down the weed barrier and mulched and the gardens were looking quite nice by the time we left.

 

 




We always forget to take the before pictures ...  so you only get to see the beautiful results.

The boys helped a little bit with the weeding.   Matthew did some mowing and dug out three small tree stumps... forgot pictures of this too!

They also enjoyed visiting with Cousin Kim and Nick, who got a horsey pedicure while we were there.

Kim also took Cayden on hikes along the stream... looking for fossle rocks.

 


She bough him a gemstone archeologicl dig kit and coloring for Matthew.

 

Thanks Kim!

After 3 weeks away we came home to our own gardens full of weeds and are working on getting them cleaned up.  I remembered to take a picture after starting and getting the first wagon full pulled.

2019 Gypsy WIfe Quilt Along - Section 6(right) Assembly

We are now ready to do the assembly of Section 6(right) and attach it to the left and center groupings.

Cutting measurements and diagram can be found on page 28 of your pattern book.

Start by carefully measuring, cutting your strips and lay them out.

Sew the strip sets below and above the SqNsq blocks

Attach the strip sets to the SqNsq blocks.

Sew the long strip to the right of the lower SqNsq block

Sew the bordered SqNsq and Courthouse Steps block to this grouping.

     

Sew the long strip to the two shorter ones (leave a bit un-sewn for the partial seam) and attach the 3strip set to the small SqNsq block.

Attach this new grouping to the first.

Sew the two strips to the right side

Attach the upper SqNsq to the grouping and close the partial seam.

  

Add the long strip on the right

Sew the Indian Hatchet and Bordered Pinwheel together and attach. There will be a partial seam on the right side.

Now we can attach this right grouping to the left/center grouping.

Start by sewing the Bordered Pinwheel to the Indian Hatchet.

Sew the long vertical seam joining the two groupings. Then sew the horizontal seam joining the Bordered Pinwheel and Indian Hatchet to the blocks below... completing this section.

  

We are now ready to begin Section 7.

2019 Gypsy Wife Quilt Along Section 6 (right) Bordered Square in a square

The cutting measurements and directions for this Bordered Square in a Square can be found on page 23 right hand column.

As we have done in the past... make your square in a square center block.  Draw diagonal lines on the square.  Sew opposite corners to the center square and flip.

Sew on the border strips... top and bottom... then the two sides to complete this block.

   

2019 Gypsy Wife Section 6 (right) Square-in-a-Square Blocks

We have made these SqNsq blocks several times before.  In this right hand side of Section 6 we need (2) 4in and(1) 3in block.

Cutting directions can be found on page 22.

 Cut the center square and 4 corner squares. 

Press the corner squares in half ..... or you can draw a diagonal line... and sew opposite corners onto the center square.  

The stitch line is beside the fold or drawn line so that when you flip it up the corners will meet.

Trim off the excess and then add the two opposite corners.

          

 


We have now completed all the blocks for this Section 6(right) and are ready to assemble.