Sunday, October 2, 2016

Floral Wreath & One Monthly Goal

Block 13 of the Pastor's Attic Quilt has been completed. It is called Ruched Floral Wreath, but my red flowers are not ruched. I'm planning on hand quilting this quilt. I was afraid ruching would present a problem so my flowers are just appliqued. The red flowers and the forget-me-nots are backbasted.

The centers of the flowers were supposed to have embroidered french knots but I decided to fussy-cut black circles and use them. Now I'm think they are kind of creepy looking, like eyes staring at me. 

I did add the french knots to the center of the forget-me-nots.


The two Row By Row wallhangings are finished. The quilting was done on my domestic machine before I ironed on the horse and buggy. I don't do much machine applique, but I did these. The pattern is the 2014 Row By Row from Yoder Dept. Store in Shipshewana, Indiana. Another Christmas present and a spare.

And two more Christmas presents are completed! Since I made the cute Sweetpea Pods for the granddaughters, I was afraid the boys would be upset they didn't get bags too. 


I found a good tutorial on the Missouri Star Quilt Co. for The Zipper Pouch. They sewed up really fast; less than two hours! The zippers are different colors so the brothers can tell the bags apart.

In the middle of October, I will be traveling to visit the Pennsylvania grands. I'm planning to take their Christmas presents along. These bags were the last project on the list.

Now I can start in on my quilting projects. I made a list of all the projects I would like to work on this season. There were 12 projects on that list! 


I haven't pieced any blocks for Nearly Insane since March so that is what I'm going to start with. 

For my one monthly goal, I want to sew the 5 whole blocks and the 2 half blocks for the next row of Nearly Insane. That may not sound like much of a goal, but since I'm going to be gone a full week, I had better set smaller goals this month.

I also want to applique one more block of the Pastor's Attic Quilt then I need to switch to another applique project for a short while. 

I'm linking up to - One Monthly Goal, Kathy's Slow Sunday StitchingQuilting is More Fun than Housework, Em's ScrapbagLove Laugh Quilt, Quilt Story, Esther's Wednesday WOW!, Sew Fresh QuiltsMy Quilt Infatuation, Crazy Mom Quilts, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Show Off Saturday

43 comments:

The Cozy Quilter said...

Lots going on in your corner of the world! I need to get going on some Christmas gifts too. Lovely projects

Deb @ Frugal Little Bungalow said...

The applique centers are not creepy....just lovely! :)

Denise :) said...

Gracious, you've been very busy! I don't think your flower centers look creepy at all -- I think they're very cool! Your "Nearly Insane" piece is a wowzer -- that'll be fun to work on this month! :)

Deb A said...

Good luck with your goals this month. 12 projects...yikes! Love how your flowers turned out - I really like the centers of the red ones. They add such personality.

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

I love your applique block - I was going to try ruching a flower once for a block like yours but couldn't get it to look right and took it off and started over with ordinary applique. The block actually might be the same as yours is it looks much like it.

Karen said...

The flowers are very pretty the way you stitched them. I would not have done ruched flowers either.

Quilter Kathy said...

I like the flower centres! Great idea!
Good luck meeting your goal this month!

Deb said...

I love the spiral centers for the flowers, love the row by row pieces, and those bags are just sweet.

Pam said...

Wow Gretchen-you are busy! I like the flower centers you choose-adds interest to the flowers. the row by row is really striking!

Gretchen Weaver said...

I had originally appliqued beige circles in the red flowers but didn't think they looked right. I do like the red better. Blessings!

Gretchen Weaver said...

Thank you.

Gretchen Weaver said...

I have been working on Christmas projects all summer. It feels so good to finally have them completed. Thank you.

Gretchen Weaver said...

I'm not going to work on all 12 at the same time but hopefully I can complete some of them this winter. One of my favorite projects is the applique blocks I am working on.

Gretchen Weaver said...

Thanks, I think it turned out pretty good. I've never ruched anything and sure didn't want to try it on this project.

Gretchen Weaver said...

Thank you.

Gretchen Weaver said...

Thanks, but I can't take credit for the Row By Row wallhanging, it was a kit.

Gretchen Weaver said...

I've never signed up for OMG before but decided to this month. With all the projects I would like to work on this winter, I need to have some kind of goal.

Cynthia Brunz Designs said...

Sounds like a lot to get done to me. It took me months just to get a few nearly insane blocks completed. Thanks for sharing all your lovely blocks with Oh Scrap!

Kate said...

Very fun projects. The bags for the boys turned out perfectly. Bet they find some fun things to put in them. Good luck with your October goals.

Mary said...

Way to get going early on your Christmas and UFO stuff. OMG is great for getting those worked on. Gotta have a goal.

Karen's Korner said...

Some lovely work happening at your place. Cute bags for the boys.

Glenda said...

A lovely visit Gretchen, I love the Amish quilts they are quiet stunning. They don't look like eyes to me I think they add depth, great choice LOL. I'm sitting here watching Peter Rabbit with my DGD she is not well so is spending the day with me. She does not want to do any thing so we are Beatrix Potter DVDs!!! Hugs Glenda

Angie in SoCal said...

Love that Pastor's Attic block and all your other projects. You do keep busy and do such great work.

Dorian said...

Looks like you've been busy. I like those row by row's especially. Great job.

maggie fellow said...

I recognized the row by row right away - we live central Indiana and I like yoder's row. Congrats on getting a start on Christmas

Gretchen Weaver said...

Yoder's 2016 row is really pretty too but a lot more sewing than the 2014 row. Blessings.

Gretchen Weaver said...

Thank you.

Gretchen Weaver said...

Everyone is busy one way or another. From reading your blog, you keep busy too. Blessings, Gretchen

Gretchen Weaver said...

No one else thinks they look like eyes, I guess I'm feeling better about them now. Beatrix Potter DVD's sound lovely. Around here it is Thomas the tank engine. Blessings!

Gretchen Weaver said...

I definitely didn't want the boy's bags to look girly. I don't know if they'll use them in school or not. Blessings!

Gretchen Weaver said...

I am definitely a list person. Since I've blogged about it, I've got to get the blocks pieced. Blessings.

Gretchen Weaver said...

I'll put some treats in the bags so they start out fun. Blessings, Gretchen

Gretchen Weaver said...

I've been wanting to piece more of Nearly Insane. Since I've blogged about it, I've got to do it now! I thought maybe people would think I'm a slacker since there are only 5 full blocks and then the half blocks. But those blocks are challenging. We'll see what happens. Thanks.

Miaismine said...

Wow! Thank you for the link for the zipper pouches! I love your Nearly Insane quilt! It's stunning! Thank you for sharing!

Gretchen Weaver said...

The pouches sew up really fast. I have idea for adding pockets to the inside, children don't care about that but us adults do. Thanks for stopping by. Blessings, Gretchen

Bonnie said...

Hope you meet your goals for OMG. I too have had to cut back on goals at various times during the year. But I really like having the goal to make me get off my duff and do something. (well, some of the time I need a push, other times I can't get enough of stitching and sewing!)

Heidi said...

I am thinking your goal looks pretty good as those blocks look to be nearly-insane with pieces! Good Luck and thank you for the pouch link!

em's scrapbag said...

I like the swirl in the center of your flowers. Good job being so ready for Christmas. Good luck on your goals.

Nancy said...

So often when someone suggests an idea (like those little circles looking like eyes) I see it right away. I can't see eyes in the swirl centers. I think they look fabulous -- one extra detail of interest to an already great block.
--Nancy. (ndmessier @ aol.com, joyforgrace.blogspot.com)

Run 'n Stitch said...

You have all kinds of lovely projects to keep you busy for the month. Your little guys are going to love those adorable zipper pouches.

Chopin - A Passionate Quilter said...

Busy Lady. your blocks look great. I am certain you will meet your monthly goal!

Jo said...

Wow, what great work. I love your row by row runner. Maybe I need to get my Nearly Insane back out and sew along with you.... I a man half way through and haven't touched it in ages

Gretchen Weaver said...

Come on and join in. I'd be glad to have someone working on Nearly Insane with me. Two of my friends said they would start when I did. One even had her fabric, but they never started. I'm impressed, half way done? Wow! Are you piecing the rows diagonally too and sewing them together after piecing the blocks? Thanks for stopping.