2017 Finishes - Little Birdie Stitches - #31

This is the other project using the fabric line called Sunkissed by Moda.  Each month an embroidery scene depicting something special to the month it came out, featuring little birdies.  The embroidery work was fun, the little birdies are cute, and the colors were scrumptious.  I had a lot of fun doing this project.  Anything with little birds are right up my alley, since my name is so much like the little bird wren.  This was the first time working with gray as a background color, but it was a light gray, and this line had a couple of pieces of gray print, that went with all the other colors very nice.  I started the embroidery this in January 2012, and if you would like to read the progress of each block and finishing the flimsy, you can click here.

Unfortunately, I also have had this flimsy done since 2014 and it got stuck with the other project, waiting to complete the other two projects I had in mind to do with this fabric line.  But these last couple of years have been a diligent work of completing UFO's and not worrying about other projects that haven't even been started.  

Therefore, I sent this off to the long armer to get quilted, and it came back last August.  I got it bound in September 2017, but the weather was very cooperative until about a month ago.  Sometimes, it takes me awhile to get the whole package done.

Again, sorry for the wrinkles, it has been folded up for almost a year before I could get time and weather cooperation to take pictures.

Close up of border, binding, and quilting.

Close up of the backing.  Had to piece the backing with a couple of prints, as this line is hard to find now.

Size: 52" x 66"

Fabric Lines Used:  Sunkissed by Moda

Sherberts - pink, yellow, green, orange, gray

Pattern: Little Birdie Stitches

Designer:  http://littlemissshabby.com/category/birdie-stitches/

Long Arm Quilter:  Carol Logan Nelson

Year Began: 01/2012

Year Completed: 09/17 

Daisychain ABC's

I was looking on pinterest the other night and came across a pin of this pattern, Daisychain ABC's.  Back when I first started blogging, I found a blog, Pretty by Hand, that I was following, and the blogger did this pattern in her own colors.  You can see her version here, hers is very pretty!  I had wanted to do this sampler when it was the "popular" project everyone in blog land seemed to be doing, but I was still working outside of the home, and knew I didn't need to add another project to my ever growing to do list.  But, I now have more time, and I remembered seeing done in different colors, so I followed the link and bought the download pdf pattern.  If interested, you can go here.

I chose a almost white linen to trace the pattern on, mainly because I like white better for my background, rather than using a color like the designer did.

The embroidery colors I chose to use are the same colors that I used in the "Birdie Stitches Quilt"  (post can be found here).  This way, when I am done, I will be able to hang it on the wall in the room where the quilt will be, which will be in the spare bedroom.  A good way to tie in all different fabric, thread, and types of crafts together.

Warmest...

Another UFO BOM Done

To begin with, I wanted to show that I got my rose bed done as I posted about it yesterday. Just a couple of words. I AM VERY SORE, but it is a great satisification to have it done and looking so nice!

As, promised, I also finished this top that I also posted about yesterday.  I did get the borders sewn on last night, and I was able to get a pretty good picture outside this afternoon.

This is a close up of the border fabric.  Really liking the polk a dot that has all the colors of the quilt.

Close up of some of the embroidered squares...

This is the fabric I am using for the binding and the backing.  The orange sherbert check is going to
be the binding.  and the other swirls fabric will be the backing.


















I am stock piling of the these UFO Tops so I can do them on the long arm rental machine after I take my class next month.  I think that is why I usually did not complete the blocks into tops, because I didn't have a good way of quilting them.  I have done four large quilts on my home sewing machine, but it took several days to get each one done, and for the longest time, especially while I was working outside of the home, I did not have that luxury of time.  So, hopefully, I can get caught up on all my tops and have an avenue to get them all quilted!!

Warmest...

Status Update

Just stopping in to say I am still here, just working on other things besides quilting and sewing.  The first project I am working on is gardening.  It is turning out so nice this Spring here in the Pacific Northwest.  Most of the time Spring brings weeks of rain, and it makes it difficult to get out and do the gardening I want to get done.  This week, we have gotten a break in the rain, so I have been busy on my first project, which is to dig out the grass that totally invaded my front garden bed.  If you know anything about roses, grass is bad for them, very bad.  My roses are heirloom roses from original root stock, not grafted stock.  So, I really needed to get the grass out of the bed.  If you look close you can see where the better grass is and where it has creeped into my curved rose bed.

This is my first section I got done last week for a short period of no rain, about 2 hours one morning.

My biggest issue became after I started digging up the grass, was where to put it, this little section filled up our yard debris container and then I would need to wait another week to fill it up again after collection.  So, I have another bed, that I will have to work on at a later date, so I filled up a garden cart, and hauled it over to this bed and unloaded it there, and hopefully hubby will rent a bucket tractor and haul it all off at once. (Update, hubby will be getting a tractor to haul off all the dirt!).

Today was just beautiful, and much progress was made, and plowing ahead I was able to complete this rose bed.   I am sore and will probably not be able to move tomorrow, but I am hoping to transplant my roses in the holding bed, and get the bark spread tomorrow, because rain is expected Friday!

And, this is not all that I have taking up my time,  I am brooding 24 Rhode Island Red baby chicks!  I got a mixed run this year, as I want to keep a rooster and about 6-8 hens.  The rest will go into the freezer in about 6 weeks.  

Finally, last night I did sort through some of my UFO BOM's and decided on one to work on, Birdie Stitches by Little Miss Shabby using Moda's Sunkissed line of 2011.  I did the embroidery blocks back in 2011 to 2012, and then put it aside and did not finish putting it together to complete the top.  Last night I did get the sashing cut out and pieced all the blocks together.  I have a border to add (hopefully tonight) and I will have another UFO BOM to cross off my list.

This is just a peek, I will have better pictures to post tomorrow if I can get to the borders tonight.  And, with it suppose to be sunny tomorrow I can get a full picture outside!

Warmest...

Birdie Stitches 6,7,8,9,10,11, & 12

As promised, here are the rest of my embroidered Little Birdie Stitches blocks. I am so happy these are done and now I can get them put together!

5th "Birdie Stitches" block

Today I was working a show with my husband, so I worked on the May "Birdie Stitches" block. After I get another block completed, I like the project more and more!

Next Birdie Stitches

This is block three.

This is block four.


I took these on the quilt run and while riding in the car, I managed to get two more blocks done of the project Birdie Stitches.

Second "Birdie Stitches" Block

Well I'm on track so far in getting this project from last year done. I'm committed to get at least one block done a month, and so this second one is done for February. Aren't the two love birds just too cute!

I am planning on working on future blocks on our quilt run. We'll see how far I get!

"Birdie Stitches" Block One

Remember when I was in Vegas, and I spoke of working on a BOM from 2011 while in the hotel room during the evenings? Well, here is a picture of Block One. See, I told you I would get pictures posted!!

It is my most strongest desire to do this 2011 BOM for the 2012 year - doing one block a month. By posting here on the blog, it gives me incentive to work on these things and get them accomplished.

Over the next week or so, I will be posting other things I have planned and mapped out for 2012, some with pictures, and some with references to other blogs. Let's make this a most wonderful, blessed year.

More Vegas

This is another boring post about being in Las Vegas. I am so tired of walking, yes walking! In Vegas, one must walk more than one can imagine, as the casinos on the strip are the size of football arenas. Yes, arenas, not football fields, but the whole field and seating areas.

Now, with that picture in mind, we have to walk three of these casinos to go over to the conference each day and back. And there's more.... Once we are at the conference we have had to visit over 5000 vendors, on three floors of the Sands Expo / Conference center. We did have to divide up the vendors to about 1000 per day. We finish up the last of them tomorrow! Yeah!!

While walking around today, though, I was planning in my head (ok, maybe daydreaming) about setting up my new sewing room, what projects I'm going to be working on first, and a little bit of spring garden planning.

I did get to work some more on my next "Little Birdie Stitches" block while resting my feet in the hotel room tonight!