Lessening my UFOs for Australia

Years ago I took part in a couple of mystery quilt alongs. I have decided they really aren't for me. I did save the instructions for one of them and after I found out what the finished quilt looked like, I did make it. I'm not really a fan of the quilts I made and have decided that they can be better used by someone else. Therefore, I am sending them to a lady in Australia who is finishing tops into useable quilts, putting quilt squares together to make quilts and is even accepting crocheted granny squares and making blankets out of them.

This is one of the quilts that I will be donating.

I was never a fan of the fabrics and just used what I had on hand when I did this medallion mystery quilt along. I think it was in 2016 that I participated. My how time flies.

This is one that I did as a quilt along. I had intended to finish it for one of the single beds but I had forgotten about it. I took a look at it and decided I probably won't finish it. There are too many open spaces to figure out how to quilt it. I'd much rather see it used by someone who could use it.
Here's my blog post on it.

I had a kit donated to me that was hanging around. I didn't much care for the fabrics. They really weren't my colours. Once I read the instructions, I was to subcut the lengths already cut. The main blocks were 8 inches and the other pieces were 9 inches wide but were to be subcut to 4.25 inches. Well, that would have been a waste of a half inch by the length. Then, I thought I could use my own fabrics for the 4.25 inches and cut the 9 inch lengths in half to 4.5 inches. If I again used my own fabrics for the main blocks, this time as 8.5 inch blocks, I could make two quilts that were similar but different and one would be slightly bigger than the other.

The fabrics in the main blocks were in the kit. The four patches and border were my own fabrics.

These four patches were in the first kit. The main blocks were from my own stash which, as it turns out were from another kit someone donated to me. I didn't much care for the fabrics but they went so well with the four patches I had done. The border fabric was in the second kit so I ended up not using much of my own stash. Now, instead of sending three tops, I ended up sending four - along with a bit of fabric left over from the first quilt I showed.
The person I sent them to has a facebook presence called Oz Comfort Quilts.

If you are at all interested, just check out the facebook site and contact Jan. She can then message you the address as to where to send your donations. She accepts tops, pre-quilted blocks about 11 inches in size (which she trims to 10.5 inches,) crocheted granny squares at 10 rounds or even crocheted and knitted blankets.

Just a little finish

I needed to get a better photo of the mystery quilt that I completed and so I got my husband to hold it up.

 It was a bit windy and quite cold out but I did manage.

Spring will be here soon. Unfortunately, the weather people are predicting a snow storm for us in the next day or so.

Bob the Snowman has been hanging up in the hall since the first snowfall of the season and I felt it was time for a change - even if the snow is not finished.

My friend Judy gave me this pattern as a gift a while ago. I was itching to make something new for the hall wall so last week I worked on this pattern.

Since I want the grandchildren to enjoy the wall hangings, I simplified it a bit and just used the word spring. Fusible applique and machine quilting is not fast. This took me a few days to do but it's finished now and hanging in place of Bob the Snowman. 

Here's another shot of the new finish. I labelled it on the hanging sleeve. It saved me some time. Little Teemu likes the ladybug and the bunny.

I've got some knitting to finish and some other sewing to get done next - and maybe even some shovelling.

I'm linking up with The Needle and Thread Network. Pop on over to see what others are up to.

The mystery quilt revealed

I finally took time to sew all the blocks together for the Meadow Mystery quilt. It's all ironed too.

I will probably add a border but not right away. There is still some of the black floral fabric left so I would have to piece it. I also have quite a bit of the off white broadcloth. Two borders would be fine by me.  

I have other things now to sew, knit and quilt. There's no hurry to finish this quilt. The blocks are 12" finished so it's a 60" square quilt at the moment.

The final step

In February we will be given instructions on how to put all the blocks together. This is the mystery quilt that I've been working on called Meadow Mystery.

I completed eight of these block #5.

All sewn up and ironed.

Earlier this month I finished four of these #2 blocks.

Between now and February I shouldn't lose any of the parts since they are all in this bin safe and sound.

Getting closer

There is only one more part of the Meadow Mystery that I have taken part in. Today was the release of the second last part.

I finished the 4 blocks that are Block Two. There's a block five but I'll work on that another day.

I got a bit more quilting done last night.

And my knitting project has had a few more rows added to it.

I'd like to finish a BOM that I started a couple of years ago but I can't find the bin that it's in. I saw it a while ago but now I can't locate it. There is another quilt or two I could work on to get it closer to completion but my mind was set on the BOM. Oh well, I may go back into the fabric jungle later to look again. Hopefully, I won't get lost.

Various things

My December installment for the mystery quilt is complete.

The pieces that were previously cut and sewn have now been made into 12.5 inch blocks. No more until January. I can now concentrate on my list of things to do.

This is a lap quilt that Marg and I are working on. We have switched our focus from baby quilts to lap quilts for the Veteran's wing of Sunnybrook Hospital. They are for wheelchair residents and are about the same size as the baby quilts we like to make. Those strips are not cut and sewn into the blocks. I borrowed a book from the library called Sliver Quilts by Lisa O'Neill and these blocks are made with her instructions. Once you cut a block to any size (in this case 9") you then iron a fold into it - right sizes together. A folded strip of another fabric is then placed into the fold and sewn in place. It's then opened up, ironed, the other side of the strip is sewn down and then the block is trimmed. We chose to trim to 8 inches. These are not completely sewn. We think we may add a small border around the whole quilt. Our next one will be in oranges and browns. 

I don't often go into Value Village but my grandsons like stamps and Luc is presently making bracelets out of colourful rubber bands. I just wanted to check it out to see if there was anything that might be useful.

I wasn't looking very hard and I certainly wasn't looking for rulers but for $2.99 I couldn't pass it up.

There was also a bag that had wool roving and needle felting supplies. Hopefully, I'll be able to find some time to play with it all.

I made 8 new hand towel bibs yesterday for the twins. They are getting so big and needed something more substantial to help keep their clothes clean. Little Teemu refuses to wear a bib.

I'm going to see if I can get a bit of knitting done now.

Carrying on

I am working on a mystery quilt that Cheryl at Meadow Mist Designs has created and so far, I have kept up. It's not a large quilt - 60 inches square. I'm using my stash to get it done. It's been fun to see all the different fabrics the other participants are using. The posts are viewed at the facebook page. Here's my version of November's instructions.

I think the blue is a tad darker in this photo.

This is closer to the true colour. 

It will be interesting to see how all of the pieces fit together.

I'm linking up once again with The Needle and Thread Network.

I'm off to get some sewing done. Perhaps a bunch of bibs this time - since new ones are needed.

Autumn

Well, the cooler temperatures have finally arrived and it is looking more like fall.

Garden centres have stocked up on mums and other fall garden plants.

I don't do much outdoor decorating but I do admire the things out there that I could use if I wanted to. I'm more of an indoor person. Always have been.

I do like the two colours of mums in one container. 

Some trees change quicker than others and it makes for an interesting photo.

Lovely trees and great colours. Soon, they will be bare branches. I'm glad I went out to photograph the colours before it got too cold, rainy and windy. 

The main street close to where I live has been decked out with wonderful planters.

All summer long we've had the joy of watching these plants and flowers grow and multiply.

Even the markets look like they've gotten into the fall colour scheme.

This is my only concession to outdoor decorating. 

In an effort to use up some yarn, I decided to make a hat for Teemu. Hopefully, this will be finished soon. The girls will get a blue one and a pink one. I asked them what their favourite colour was and that's what they told me. Mackenzie likes blue and Severn likes pink. I don't know if I'll use this same pattern (it's knit one, purl one) or if I will be looking at other patterns. I was hoping to get a sweater or two done also. The patterns have been printed out. I just need the time.

I have been busy sewing costumes. The girls will be going out on Hallowe'en dressed as aliens from the Simpsons (Kang and Kodos Johnson.) I have never watched the Simpsons but my son, the twins' father, is a fan. I just have to make a hood for them so that my son can then put one eye in the back. I thought it would be better for the girls if they could leave with the impression of Kang and Kodos while being able to walk comfortably trick or treating.

I have also been trying to keep up with the monthly installments of the Meadow Mystery. This is the clue/task for October. All cut and trimmed.