2017 Quilt of Valor Stars - April Block -Brasstown Star

I am working on getting caught up on my Quilt of Valor Star Blocks.  They have posted the block patterns through July, so I am going to get them done so I don't get behind.  I much rather be ahead then behind.

April's block is called Brasstown Star.  I am doing two blocks with each block have the colors in opposite placement.  Here is the one color way that I got done this evening.  I will try to come back to this post with the other color placement when I get it done. I came back and posted the opposite placement of color block.

Warmest...

Quilt of Valor Stars 2017 Project - March Blocks - Army Block

I am a little behind the eight ball in getting blocks done timely.  But last night I finished the blocks for March.  This is called the "Army Block".  I struggled with making it because I cut out the fabric a couple of days after my eye surgery.  Bad idea.  I believe in brain fog from the anesthesia was the cause, because either didn't cut enough of one piece or other pieces were not the right size.  Note to self, wait a week to do any cutting, figuring, or stitching after any anesthesia.  Hopefully it will be a long time before I will need one again.

Anyways, here are my block for March.  What is interesting is they are the same pattern, but different use of color.

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2017 Spring Is Finally Happening

Finally, I think we are going to have a Spring around here.

I have started some seedlings of flowers and vegetables in the greenhouse, but it is still too cool at night, so I have a heater going to help them along.

Thank goodness most of my herbs are perennials and come back every year.  I found these glass herb signs while waiting for my Mom's prescriptions to be filled at the drug store.  I thought they would look super cute in the barrels.  

These are planters on my back porch filled with spring blooming annuals to brighten up the place.

My chickens have a new place to play in the backyard.  I fenced off an area of half of the back yard, so they can come and go to lay eggs in the hen house and roam picking at the grass and be more free range.  They are very happy chickens.  

This is a flower bed off my back porch that the perennials are coming up nicely.  

I had a spot up front along my garage driveway that I have been building up for a couple of years, so that I could plant me a mini orchard.  Late fall, I picked these tress up and got them planted, and now they are blooming.  I couldn't be happier.

Rainer Cherry Tree

Peach Tree

Pear Tree (grafted with 6 different types of pears)

I am holding my breath for some warmer weather, but that probably won't be such a good idea, as the Pacific Northwest warm weather can wait to come clear into June.  Waiting....

Another Surgery

WARNING:  Picture could be not for the weak of heart.



When I was 5, I had an aneurysm burst, and I hemorrhaged through my left ear canal (which saved my life).  In doing the repair, they cut all of the facial muscles on the left side and it caused paralysis. My left eye has not ever been able to close all the way, and now that I am getting older, the eye is drying out.

The fix for this was to put a gold weight in the upper eyelid to help pull it down to close over the entire eye.  I understand this is fairly common, and done more often than one would think.

Also, this procedure has been around for over 20 years, as it was suggested that I have this done in my late thirties, but my eyes were not dry, so I opted to wait and see if I would really need it later.  Well, later came and this is what I am recuperating from this week.

Hopefully, between this surgery and my knee surgery of last December (which I am still dealing with the aftermath doing surgery)  I am done with surgeries for awhile.  Age has it's drawbacks.

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2017 Finished Quilts - "Mum's the Word" Mystery Quilt - #30

This is my first finish for 2017.  I'm slower this year.

I started this mystery quilt, from a blog site back in April 2013, and all I did was pull the fabric together and started clue one.  Then it got put away until I pulled it out in June 2016 (you can read about the details here)and finished the top and pinned it together to quilt on my machine rather than sending it out to a long arm quilter.  And it sat there on my to do pile, got moved around, and sat some more, until this last week when I was at a point that I wanted to quilt it.  Part of my procrastination in working on this is because I have not done any quilting on my vintage machine, and wasn't sure how it would perform.  Although, I think it was just plain procrastination on my part, because I don't like this part of the quilt making process.  I knew from following a group on Facebook called Vintage Sewing Machines, that this machine would perform just fine.  And, of course it did, and it works wonderful.  

This is the full size, about 40" X 50".  At first, for me, I couldn't really see the pattern of pinwheels, but the camera brings out them.  It is all made from one jelly roll, including the border and the binding.  

For the backing, I used a scrap of leftover fabric from the backing of my Chocolat quilt from last year.  I did just a cross hatch stitch in the ditch following the pinwheels top to bottom, sided to side.

It has been a cold winter this year in the Pacific Northwest, so I am going to use it to throw over my legs while I'm siting at the machine.  But, since it is finally spring and warming up, it will have a place on the back of my sewing chair.

Size: 40" X 50"

Fabric Lines Used:  Moda Whimsey by Fig Tree

Pattern: Mystery Quilt "Mum's the Word" 

Designer:  Heather Spence (www.heatherspencedesigns.com

Long Arm Quilter:  Renee Steele

Year Began: 04/2013

Year Completed: 04/2017

2016 Finished Quilts - Thimbleberries Sunset - #18

Sorry this is out of order again, but I gave this quilt away this week(please read all the way to the end for important information of where this quilt was given)  so I took some quick pictures and can now right a post about it.

This UFO is from 2005.  It was a BOM by Thimbleberries annual club program.  Only this year, Thimbleberries started to offer two color ways, and two sizes.  I happen to selected to to both colors.  

This one is the darker of the two, and is called Sunset.  It is the smaller size coming out to be approximately 64" by 64".    

It is a mix of a sampler, with alternating blocks that are the same.  Interesting concept, but I don't like the size.  Not long enough to put on a bed, so it just is a simple "couch throw".

This is a picture of the blocks up closer showing the house in the middle, and a tree in the corner.  Not exactly what the other blocks are supposed to represent?  Your guess is as good as mine....

Most, if not all my Thimbleberries quilts are backed with a light fabric from any thimbleberries line.  Some of the kits I bought from Thimbleberries always had a light back, so I kept  up doing the same in quilts and kits that didn't come with a backing.  I bound it in one of the red fabrics in the quilt, and now it's done.

Now, for the best part of the post.  I follow a long arm quilter in my state when she put out this post a couple of weeks ago:

Hello fellow quilt lovers! I am reaching out in a attempt of getting some help.
As most of you know, I founded a non-profit "Quilts for Cops" where we make/send handmade quilts to First Responders (Police, Fire & EMT's) who are injured in the line of duty.I Started this in the Fall and at first the numbers were high but not unmanageable. Since then, the numbers of First Responders has truly become overwhelming, often with as many as five or six per day.We now have over 80 on our waiting list for these quilts which are being sent nationwide.If you have time, could you possibly make a quilt top? Heck, we'd even take "mostly made" UFO's that maybe all we need to do is add borders to...or orphan blocks that we can use to throw together in a quick easy lap quilt.Our only requirements are that they be of good quality fabric....size of approx 60x80 (give of take 6 inches)...they are meant to be lap Quilts, not bed Quilts. We are in desperate need of "guy friendly" colors/prints since 98% on our list are men. I have the ability to long arm quilt them, so that's not a problem. If you wish to send a finished quilt it must be machine Quilted...we want these to withstand use & washing.
We can provide a tax deductible receipt to you. They can be shipped toQuilts for Cops7601 NE Blackburn RdYamhill, OR 97148You can like/follow us on Facebook under Quilts for Cops or check out our website www.quiltsforcops.comThank you for any assistance you can provide. It's for a great cause!

After reading this post, I knew I could send one or two of my finished quilts to this cause.  I selected this one to be the first one to be sent, as it is dark colors, and would be very suitable for a man nice couch throw.

Size: 64" X 64"

Fabric Lines Used:  Thimbleberries 

Pattern: Sunset BOM 2005 Club

Designer:  Lynette Jenson

Long Arm Quilter:  Carol Logan Nelson

Year Began: 01/2005

Year Completed: 09/2016

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Quilts of Valor Stars 2017 Project - February Block - Heart

I said I would be back to show you the February block for the Quilt of Valor Stars project.  This block is easier than it looks, and went together faster than I realized.  Actually the cutting out the block pieces took longer than sewing it together!

This is the pattern, if you are interested in making a block for our group.  You can find the information and all about the project here.

This is my first attempt at this block, using the scraps from January.  I need to make at least another one, as the group would really like blocks to come in pairs.  

I have been very busy working on a full complete quilt for this group, so I haven't gotten to getting this other block done.  I will be posting more about the full quilt in a few days.

I have been out of town every weekend since the new year, doing trade shows with my husband.  When possible, I visit a local quilt shop, and I have been able to pick up some appropriate fabric for future blocks and quilts for the QOV Stars project.

I am hoping to get to making some blocks this week and next week, as the weather will keep me inside.  It is and supposed to be raining here for the next two weeks.  Sigh.  I guess that's better than snow, right?

I also have been up to my eyeballs in that four five letter word - TAXES.  Our tax return has 17 schedules and forms.  SEVENTEEN.  I can remember it being only two.  But, that is behind us now and I can get back to quilting, gardening, and anything else that might be fun.

Warmest...