Grandmother's Flower Garden Plan

Today I go on the record with my plan to make a traditional Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt. I've loved them from afar. I've taken pictures of them at quilt shows. I've saved images of them on all the platforms. It's time to bite the bullet and make one.

A lot of the work has already been done. The flowers for the garden are finished. Over the last few years, I've made all these, mostly just for play. I didn't have a plan; I just enjoyed making them. I sorta' thought I would end up appliqueing them to neutral background squares and then sewing the squares together.

But every time I saw pictures of traditionally done GFGs, with their paths around the flowers, I considered going in this direction. The very idea of making all those plain hexies absolutely seemed overwhelming.

I enjoy making the hexies when they are colorful, but endless plain ones? Surely I would grow bored. Wouldn't I?

The most recent flower I made was back in November when I stitched this one from my aunt's fabrics. It was during this time that I began looking seriously into making the traditional GFG. I found a big collection of neutral 2.5-inch strips in my stash while doing that massive cleaning and purging. I realized that the paths need not be a solid fabric; they could be made with these low-volume prints.

The entire project is largely a long series of unknowns. I have absolutely no idea how many of these low-volume hexies I have prepped, nor do I know how many of them I will need to complete my quilt. Moreover, I do not know if I even have enough flowers to complete a quilt, and I don't know how I will proceed with finishing the quilt, once the top is all sewn together. 

I'm walking headlong into a mystery, I suppose! What an adventure!

For awhile, I was entirely out of hexi papers, and I asked my friends in the Frankfort group if they had any I could acquire. By the time of our next get-together, sweet Becky gave me a baggie full of hexies that she'd punched out of card stock. I was so touched! I must say, Becky is quite a skilled hand stitcher. Few compare to her when it comes to a needle and thread. She told me she was so happy that I'd decided to make my paths and do the traditional quilt, that she made the hexies for me as her way of encouraging me forward. Bless her. 

Just because I'm curious and need to see a visual, I laid out some paths around a few flowers. Sometimes, ya' just gotta' see how it's gonna to look. 

And I think it's gonna look mighty fine. *smiles*

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

Slow Stitching Into the New Year

Every single bit of the sewing I have done so far in 2025 has been in my lap with a needle and thread. I am not sad about this. The time will come when I set up the machine and busy myself with piecing, but for now I am entirely content making yo-yos and hexies.

 Having everything I need tucked into this handy, portable tin bucket suits my current needs and keeps the clutter contained.

You saw all the red yo-yos I made on our trip south. Under these I stacked the smaller circles discovered during my summer of purging.

I now have all circles stitched into yo-yos, and all - big and small - are ready to be stitched end-to-end. They will become garlands on next year's Christmas trees. I like the look of a primitive-style tree; these will be perfect. The red ones measure 1.75"; the multi-color ones measure 1.25".

Before making garlands, though, I was in the mood to make some hexies for my plan (as yet to be shared here) to complete a Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt.

In the bottom of my little tin are about 'leventy-hundred' hexies cut from shirting remnants. These and a baggie full of hexi templates will give me ample 'paths' for my flower garden. Stay tuned to see a more complete explanation of this plan.

I have a solid start on these, as you see in the photo above. I stitched the ones them throughout the November and December.

Below, see the ones I've made since being in Florida. Not many as yet, but lots more cut and waiting.

 Hey, did y'all hear that the OSU Buckeyes are going to the National Championship game? We have been cheering our team on to victory! Hopefully, they have one more WIN in them! It's been so fun to watch them as they charge through these post-season games.

 I will link up with Kathy's weekly Slow Sunday Stitching party. It's always inspiring to see the pretty creations these quilters and sewists are making. Kathys talking about quilting goals for '25, and as I alluded to in a post a couple of days ago, I have not made a goals list. However, ideas have been niggling their way into my brain. I suspect that before the week is out, I will have jotted down some semblance of a goals list; I gotta' have some way to keep me focused! Stay tuned.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

Jan - A Fairy God Mother!

The last get-together of the Frankfort Girls which I was able to attend was held at the end of December. As always, we talked about gazillions of things, but in particular, the topic of goals for the new year were on my mind, and I wondered aloud if anyone had any specific projects they wanted to work on this year.

 

One of my specific projects, I told them, was to make a sewing caddy similar to the one shown above. This would be super-handy to take to retreats or to use by my machine, especially here in Florida, where space is so limited. I'd seen a few of the girls use them over the years, and someone even shared a pattern with me. I have held onto that pattern, always intending to get around to making one. This would be the year!

Isn't it convenient when all the necessary tools are just an arm's length away? I am such a clutter-bug, I know I waste far too much time looking for things that ought to be easily accessible. This caddy seemed like it would benefit me in my space. Below is another version (from Pinterest) similar in style using an acrylic stand.

Upon mentioning my goal to the girls, Jan up and offered to make one for me. What?!?!! She sure did. As always, there is no person I know who is more giving and helpful than Jan. She thrives on doing for others.

She asked me to deliver to her 2 coordinating fabrics, shown above, and she would whip one up for me. Jan, ever the whirling dervish, made and sent it to me - in Florida! It was actually waiting on our doorstep when we pulled up. Here's my new, Jan-made caddy. I wouldn't even have procured all the essential supplies in the time it took her to make and deliver it! *geesh*

And that sneaky Jan doesn't just stop at making the caddy and sending it to me. No, she adds the goodies you see inserted in there - a little cutting mat, a seam ripper, and various other quilting essentials fill up my handy caddy. What a generous, sweet friend she is. *smiles*

Henceforth, my sewing table will be clutter free, right? *wink*

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

Smoked Cheddar

The only absolute project I know I will make this year is Smoked Cheddar. Back in the fall, quilty friend Terry purged several kits from her stash. As she offered them up to us Frankfort Girls, she stipulated that we HAD to make whatever we took. This Smoked Cheddar kit with its wonderful baskets and vintage-style fabrics appealed instantly to me, and I grabbed it up.

I am not known to buy kits - I've maybe only bought one in my entire quilting life - so this will be quite a fun little endeavor. I like that all the thinking is done for me. Where to place fabrics and such has already been figured out. I simply need to sit down and start sewing.

I've laid out all the parts and will investigate the instruction next. Do kits come already cut? Maybe Terry got this far and stopped. I don't know. Anyway, making this will be my primary quilting goal for the 3 months we are in Florida.

After I've checked out the instructions and taken a few measurements, I will be able to discern if this yardage (shown below) is setting triangles and border, or just setting triangles. It doesn't appear to be enough for borders, but maybe...

Generally, I am giving much thought to the projects I want to prioritize for the new year. I've had very specific goals lists for quite a few years. After pretty much ignoring the goals I made for '24, I fear that making a list will further jinx me rather than motivate and keep me focused.

I may yet come up with a list of goals for '25, but for now my focus will be on completing Smoked Cheddar.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

Making Yo-Yos!

They're fun! They're fast! They're whimsical! They're happy! They're easy!

Did I say they're fast?

The little pile of yo-yos you see above were all made while we were on the road to Florida. And I didn't even begin on them until we were well into Virginia. I cut the circles for these yo-yos out of a remnant. I'd made a tablecloth for our screened porch table, and with the leftovers I cut circles. My plan is to stitch these together into a garland for next year's Christmas tree.

They are so easily transportable in a cute little tin. 

Yo-yos were on my mind because, as I mentioned in yesterday's post, I discovered so many long-forgotten projects in the midst of my summer's purge. One of those discoveries was a supply of already-cut circles, shown below, for yo-yos. These circles will make smaller yo-yos than my red ones.

I really hadn't planned to work on these, but why not?? I can create a garland out of these, as well. Working on these is far more productive than scrolling mindlessly on the phone.

I'm going to try to be both more productive and waste less time on the phone in this new year. These yo-yos are a good start! And I already have a lot more done since taking this last picture!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

2024 - Quilting In Review

Yesterday I shared my December highlights in a collage; today I will share a second collage showcasing all the quilts and projects made in 2024. Believe me, there were far fewer than intended.

TOP ROW: The Blue Ohio Stars were made from the depths of my Aunt Margaret's sewing tubs. Her son Sam, my first cousin, in going through his mother's belongings, set aside her quilting stuff for me. I was happy to get it, and I was thrilled to see these stars. I made the setting blocks to go with them and sewed up the quilt top in short order. With the stars already pieced, it went fast! 

Next, are two pillow cases I made to accent the newly fashioned bedroom we set up. The quilt on this bed is one I call Dusty Trails, as the fabrics make me think of women piecing quilts as they crossed America on the Oregon Trail. Everything would've gotten dusty, and these fabrics all have a "look" that exudes faded old clothing cut up to use in quilts. The pillow cases exude that look as well, and all came from existing stash.

The last pic in this row is of my continued work on Lake Effect. I had a goal for the year to have the 4 long borders attached; alas, this goal was not met, but I am close!

MIDDLE ROW: As I purged from all the upstairs rooms, I unearthed some long-forgotten tubs of fabric. This blue and yellow quilt was constructed from fabrics that I thought had been used in a quilt my grandmother made for my niece. Grandma is long gone, and the niece doesn't remember it - nor does her mother (my sister)! Apparently, I must have my facts all wrong on this; regardless of the origins, I now have a quilt top ready for quilting and eventual gifting. 

I found Penelope Handmade on the internet; she offered up directions for making the Inverted Stars in the center photo. I was so enamored with her quilt that I succumbed to a spontaneous whim and began making them, too. I ended up with enough to make a quilt top, and it, too, awaits quilting. This was fun to do, and I wouldn't need much convincing to make more. *wink*

One quilt I made, quilted, and gifted was this baby quilt for Ruby Jean, my grand-niece. It is made from a layer cake, and I have now made 3 using this pattern I made up.

BOTTOM ROW: Two more baby quilts made, quilted, and gifted are carbon copies - one was given to another little grand-niece, McKenzie Mae, and the other was for our own little Reagan Jayne. 

Another impromptu quilt top came as a result of an impulse purchase at Old Town Fabric Shop in Chillicothe. I saw pre-cuts of Chelsea Gardens, and I just could not resist. I bought two mini-charm packs and some yardage, then proceeded to create this very spontaneous 9-patch quilt. And yes, it too awaits quilting. 

I had to go way back in the files to find a picture of this last quilt - Tag Sale made with a variety of Bonnie and Camille fabrics. I think it looks like an absolute mess, and I have no idea what I will ever do with it. Someone suggested that it'd be a great picnic quilt, and I agree. So when I get around to quilting it, it will either be gifted with that purpose in mind, or we will use it ourselves.

I don't know if you were counting, but all told five quilt tops are featured in that collage needing to be quilted. I fell way behind my in quilting goals in '24; I really have got to do better - much better - in '25.

My crowning glory quilting accomplishment in 2024 was the Tiny Nine-Patch Challenge, a sew-along hosted by on Instagram by Taryn of @ReproQuiltLover. For last year's Florida sewing, I brought most of my scrap tubs with the intent of just making a bunch of 9-patches or 4-patches and waiting to see what inspiration might pop into my head for how to use them. 

Taryn's sew along was so perfectly timed, that I had my inspiration almost immediately. I cranked out those 9-patches in January, February, March - I thought I'd never see the bottom of the tub! Once I was back in Ohio, I began constructing the quilt top, and guess what?? I still needed more 9-patches!

I made about 35 more 9-patches which was enough to finish this absolutely gorgeous quilt! All scraps! Yeah! And to shock you all to crazy-land, I actually quilted it! Yep! I sure did. A quilt not even on my radar as 2024 began, was finished and on the bed by September. Wowzers!

There you have my quilting year in review. It is not nearly the long list previous years have had. Maybe I can return to maximum output in '25.

I shall be back tomorrow - yes! I will! - to share some of the current sewing, and what is in store for Florida sewing this year.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

Official Bloggy Welcome to 2025!

We made it safely to Florida on Wednesday and Thursday; have spent the intervening days getting things situated and comfortable. And now it is time to get serious about blogging! I really piddled out last year; I hope to do better.

I have always like the beginnings - beginnings of months, of years, of projects. The fresh new days of 2025 are pumping me full of ideas and projects and plans - many of which are sewing/quilting projects and plans.

Before I get too far ahead of myself, however, I need to review 2024. Typically, I use one collage to do this, but as we are ending a whole, entire year, I made two.

This first collage represents my highlights for December. I tell you, I did so very little sewing! It saddens me just a tiny bit to think of those projects which were left unfinished. However, all the fun and fellowship I did have most assuredly makes up for it. And you can see from the snapshots in these pictures, people play a very big role.

TOP ROW: I will reiterate here what I've said often in the blog posts I've made since summer - we remodeled and updated our upstairs. These three pics show the three sleeping bedrooms - master bedroom, then bedroom 2, and bedroom 3. We remodeled in this order. The master bedroom was technically the project we set out to do, but it quickly became evident that in order to do it properly, the others would have to be dealt with as well. Bedroom 2 was formerly the long arm room, so major things had to happen which forced my involving the sewing room. Yikes! It was all so very daunting!

Bedroom 3 didn't get so much of a remodel as it did a severe clearing out. We had used this room as a catch-all, and it had gotten to the point that even walking into the room was an athletic endeavor. 

All three rooms still have some small things that need tending to. Art for the walls; hang a ceiling fan; install a TV on a wall mount; continued purging in that third bedroom - these would all be a healthy start.

MIDDLE ROW: Granddaughters took lots and lots of our time, which we never find to be a problem! Reagan and Cate are such darling girls, and we take so much joy in watching them develop and grow. Reagan is 3 months; Cate is 26 months. Cate is such a good little helper when Reagan is around, as illustrated in that center photo.

BOTTOM ROW: The first picture was taken at a family luncheon in Hillsboro - extended family on my mother's side joined us for fun and frivolity. My cousin and her husband are in the foreground, then my two aunts are behind them. That's me way in the distance. *grin*

The middle picture shows the one sewing project I finished in December - a Mondo bag to gift to Helen in our Frankfort Girls gift exchange. This may be about the 6th one of these I've made, so you'd think I would have finished it in a timely manner. Uh-uh. Nope. I was topstitching the night before the party. Geesh.

The last picture is of the Frienzies. We only had 5 present, but it was so much fun. We did a Progressive Day. We seem to always be so busy that when we do get together, we never get to truly visit with one another. So we devoted the entire day to connecting. We started with brunch at my house at 9am, then went to Pam's for coffee, tea and games. After that, we went to Susan's for lunch and a quickie project; then off to Hettie's for after-dinner drinks and dessert. It was a wonderful day, as we ended about 4pm. We got to see each other's houses decorated for Christmas, and we really took the time to enjoy the company. I hope we do this again next year!

Well, I have that other collage, but looking at the length of this post, I think it'd be a good idea to hold it off until tomorrow.

Happy New Year, Quilty Friends!

Jayne