Top Notch

 I was Nominated from Terry TerryKnott To Participate in a few questions about me!!  This started from Melva melva loves scraps

And I will be emailing a few of you to participate!!!

These are the Questions for me!!! 

1. Have you had any major Quilting/Sewing successes that you'd like to share with us?

Heck ya!!! Tooting my Own horn... hmmm.... I quilted a quilt that won Reserve Champion at the fair, and!! one that won Grand Champion in a Fair.

My Biggest Brag tho - is teaching 100's of Kids to quilt, and to appreciate quilts, all while helping to grow Quilts of Valor to what it is today.

2. Were you influenced by any family members to get into Quilting? and have you passed on the love to the next generation?

Well..... I started Quilting because of my Dad. My Dad was Rescue and Recovery at the Twin Towers on 9/11   . He worked with many fire departments, and was given fire patches from each of the Departments there. My Aunt flippantly said - you should make him a Quilt with those patches.... so I did.

Also - this was the first quilt I made... and the WHOLE reason I purchased a Long Arm Quilting Machine - and!!! it is HUGE!!! 144 x 144 inches.... gulp.

The second part - yep - again - teaching all the kids to quilt, and quite a few of them ( as adults) come to our QOV sew days.

3. How do you learn best? Reading/Lessons, watching a mentor?

Do you really want to know???  I have a tendency to just jump in and try things - and if they don't work - try again. 

Binding would be the one thing I did take lessons for. I was getting teased a lot for not knowing how to do them properly , so Daisy B and Laurie A from my guild gave me lessons.  I am pretty sure they would both give me a D.... I did learn from them, but I also - don't follow their rules to a T 😍😍😜😜

4. Early Bird or Night Owl?

Is Yes an answer? 

5> What Quilt are you most proud of and why?

Hmmm - I am not sure?  I think everyone makes my heart a little happier!! I know!! I am most proud that the Quilts I ( we all) Make Comfort people and show them the love!!

I love the Stories the Quilts Tell, and the stories those receiving them tell. I love being able to hug people with a quilt, cuz in real life... Hugging people takes a lot of effort for me ;-)

Who is Next?  I forgot to email them before this post - so I'll have to let you know!!!

Linking to:

Inquiring Quilter - Wed Wait Loss

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Jelly Roll Plus Quilt Pattern for National Jelly Roll Day

Which is September 20th!!

And our QOV Sew day... so!! Each year for that past couple of years we have done some kind of Jelly Roll Quilt. Its fun, its a race, and we really don't care if we finish in a day.... at some time - they all get finished!!

This Year - we are doing what I am Calling the Jelly Roll Plus quilt - because! You need 60 strips... so 3 Jelly Rolls will make 2 -  60 x 80 inch Quilts.

You have seen patterns like this before I am sure - but! I wrote up our version for my group and will post it here as well .

Link to the Jelly Roll Plus Pattern HERE  Each block is 10 1/2 inches - and all Sewn - should make a 60 x 80 inch quilt - which is my Preferred size for a Quilt of Valor!!

Also - I am cutting all the kits for our sew day out of Yardage. We were donated a box and I just thought that cutting it up myself would be a good use of it..... and then I got tired. So I am getting the pieces prepped and K took over at the AccuCut machine.

I tried to take a photo of him, as the dogs were on each side of him - watching him - but! He said no to using it haha!!

Are you doing anything for National Jelly Roll Day? 

Linking to:

• Design Wall Monday
• Sew and Tell Monday
• Monday Musings

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Stars and Rails Topped and!!! Finished!!! or not Friday!!!

Meet Stars and Rails!!!

At our August Sew day - we made these Rail blocks .

A lot of them got put into a Red Rails/Blue Rails top ( that I can not find the photo of!)

and then the leftover rails went home with Vickie.

She returned them to me in Top form, and I added the Blue and Red Row and!!

The Ohio Stars. 

I was just going to add Stars to the top or the Bottom, but K didn't like the Symmetry of it - so I added a row to the bottom/top as well - and !! It was loved!!

A group effort that I am claiming as a finish- since I was the last to touch it haha!!  or at least the last to touch it until I get it quilted and off to the binder!

Also - I shopped!  I found this over the door towel holder for our camper. and I love it - the door is right behind the kitchen sink, so I think this will be a good place for dish towels, or at least a good place for the towels we use on our dogs feet.  ( link to it here) 

Now to find hampers that I like - and that fit that little area.... 

Alright folks - it isnow YOUR TURN!! Link up your DIRECT post to the blog post you want to show us!

Visit a lot of folks, then Act faint, so you can go sew and now have to do work 😆😆

Did you have a favorite last week? I had a Lot!!! I liked the Way Elizabeth stayed out of the construction way, and I enjoyed how Deb was Rolling a long... lots of inspiration!!!

Link Up Here *********************

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Click here to enter

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The Crooners

It's weaning time ...Time for the Babies to leave the Mommas alone.... and man are they vocal about it!!!

Meet!! The Crooners!

These are the Four Steers that are staying with us, and Josh - he has a VERY deep Moo, and likes to get loud... he wants you to know what he is saying. George, well George can get down with Josh and they make Moosic together... 🎤🎵🎶

Toby is still rather shy, but when he bellows.... you all know it!!

And Reba... the red head... I figure if Johnny Cash could sing about a Boy Named Sue - I could have  Steer named Reba!!  But Reba fits right? The Beautiful Red head??

K's garden has been going nuts, Tomato's, Zucchini, Cucumbers, Butternut Squash,  Grapes, more Tomatoes, Onions, carrots, beets, and I am sure I am forgetting something.  The Apple Trees are Producing - I am canning and preserving - and! I ran out of jars!!

Have you watched *Back to the Frontier* I believe it is on HBO/Max streaming - but it is three families who go back in time to the 1880's and try to homestead.  They are learning how much food they need in their pantries to make it thru the winter.  

And!! Did you know that Pressure Canners weren't invented until the 1900's ( I googled) so they have to brine and prep foods other ways. AND!! They don't have refrigerators/Freezers... you all...

1. You noticed I googled

2. NO Freezers?

I am not sure I would have survived... but then I looked at my pantry and what I have canned so far - some weeks might be have very few choices of what to eat. Did they have Pizza Delivery??  

( well we don't have that either - too far away from town, but! I can at least pick one up if need be)

I am still happy with the fact that I am keeping up with his garden, Canning, Freezing, and more Canning ;-) 

linking up with:

My Corner of the World

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Star and Crown Progress

 Back in January - Pat Speth talked at our guild ( via zoom) 

We were inspired by her Star and Crown blocks - and at our late January sew day -we started making blocks.

This is where we were at the end of our sew day:

I put the blocks in a container to marinate - and then last week - the bucket magically appeared on my sewing table .... so I went to work.....

Got all the Blue Blocks finished, and started on the rest of the reds......

as of last night :

I actually got tow more of the Red Blocks finished, but they weren't ironed when I went to take a photo.... I can feel the end of the quilt now.... Must.... Keep.... Quilting.....

Oh ya!! and we did this most of Sunday:

I'm the smart one, I volunteered to drive... K did the Hay Pick up... we get it right out of the field, so its nice to have a cool overcast morning to load it.   

Now to unload it.... ...

Happy Stitching!!!!! 

Linking to:

• Design Wall Monday
• Sew and Tell Monday
• Monday Musings
• Wait Loss Wednesday
  
• needle and Thread Thursday
  
• Oh Scrap!
  

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(ps - a commission is earned on purchases from amazon thru my link)

The Votes are IN!!! and Finished ( or not) Friday!!!

A few weeks ago I had you all place a vote on which layout you preferred on our Jelly Roll 18 and HHS#3 blocks.... I also told you I had already started one...

I had already started in on Version 3 ( A lot of you NAILED my personality haha)

You can see the other layouts here: Quilt top Voting . I might have also posted it on my Quiltygirl FB page  and now I have tallied the votes

Layout 1 ( which is 2 on FB oops)  got 22 Votes

Layout 2 ( which is 1 on FB ) got 5 Votes

and Layout 3  ( which I did get right!!!) got 21 votes!!!

I stitched Layout 3 and I am pretty sure I will be able to do a Layout 1 also!!!

That is fun to see what others think of little design changes. 

This top is about all I finished this week personally. That's okay - I am quilting like crazy for clients and that makes my heart happy, and also.... I played with my horsies - Check out little Man Rex - He is 3 months old now:

Isn't he soooo Cute??  And he's so soft too!!

alright - show us what you have been up to!!!!

Post your direct link.

VIsit others

Have a piece of Chocolate for good measure

********************Link Up Here **********************

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

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Realities Ride and QOV

 

This is Luke

Luke has been riding with the Realities for Children ride for over 20 years .

He served in the Army for over 20 years and was in the 187th regimental combat team - part of the 11th airborne division .

He served in both the Korean War and Vietnam war . He received 3 Purple Hearts - 2 in Vietnam and 1 in Korea

There's a lot more to his service record - but suffice it to say ... it was a great honor and privilege to Wrap him in a Quilt of Valor today - and recognize this great hero .

It was an awesome day to be able to do this.

I do have to say that life has been a bit of a whirlwind around here - and I sort of look forward to catching my breath this week, before it goes nuts again ha!

I have lots of projects awaiting my attention - but! I got to dog sit again - and the three girls are getting a long SO much better. Daisy gets a little tired of all the commotion and you can tell when she is getting weary of the puppies - so she has plenty of space to slink off too

Bella - She is full bore running and jumping with puppy and the three of them wear each other out. Its quite fun to watch, This morning I walked for 30 minutes - they ran the WHOLE time and chased each other and played fetch. My arms are getting strong.

Linking to:

Wait Loss Wednesday

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Finished!!! Or NOT!! Friday!!

I hope you all have a lot of Finishes  (or not) to show me, because - I totally Did NOT Finish a thing!! What happened to this week? Where did it go? I had intentions.....

I had this top topped - but it needs borders - and so I was going to audition borders, attach them and!!! Quilt it... 

Audition 1 -- Vickie and I decided nope - wrong shade of blue

So I tried #2 and yep!!! I liked it!!

Ta Da!! I got the borders on, and there it sits.... waiting to have a backing and get quilted....

I guess two out of three isn't so bad?  Anyways - I need a day off from my goofing off!!!

Here is my Favorite that I have read so far - go check it out!!!

Terry Knott On Going Projects 

Now it is your turn!!

Link back to your direct post - as I am behind in reading - but I will CATCH up!!!

Show us what you are up to!!

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You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

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We went on an adventure!!

 

We had a horse event up in the mountains of Estes Park - It was a two day event, so!! we decided to try something new for us. I pulled the horses and the girls - K pulled the camper and off we went.

You start at 5000 feet and go up to 8000 + feet - so its quite a climb with two horses in the back, and all the winding roads - I couldn't go faster than 40mph, and truthfully, didn't want to. I want to keep my horses safe.   I don't think the speed limit in that canyon is ever above 40 - so we weren't impeding traffic, we also we not winning any races haha!

we got up there ( about a 2 hour drive) and got the horses all settled in their pens and fed, so they could get their mountain legs .... and took the girls for a walk around Lake Estes. That is some Gorgeous country!! 

Staying in our camper was fun, but there is not a lot of room. We did take the girls crates, as they sleep better in them, so we kept taking them down, and putting them up - they are the foldable kind. But it made us laugh that they would prefer to be with us all the time - and sort of thought they were human too!! 

This was our first time using this camper. We did learn that there is not enough room for both of us to cook.  Worked out great for me - K loves to *Rough it * cook haha!

Those of you who camp and have campers... any storage tips, ideas for loading/unloading, organizing tips?  

We have a little shelf over our bed, so I was thinking I could made some fabric boxes that fit, that we could put our socks, undies, etc in . Maybe that would help organize and we would know what to grab?

I saw these towel holders - but do you have enough room in the bathroom for this?

I also saw these hampers - Maybe an Idea to transport our clothes? 

I made a list of all the food stuffs we would need, and had K check it over.  Still!!! I forgot his Miracle Whip and Ketchup.  Notice I said HIS!! ha! I can live without them - him... not so much....

This was one of our views!! It was a great little get away - we had a great time on our horses, K won some, I won some, overall a great weekend.  Oh!! I made it down the canyon too - that was a little scarier that going up. I didn't want to overheat the brakes, and I didn't want to smush the horses. 

They kissed me when we got home - but I think it was a happy kiss - not a Thank Goodness We Survived kiss.

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a disappearing 4 patch finish and!!! Finished ( or not) Friday!!

 Remember those two D4P's I got topped?  I had the chance to get one quilted!!!

Whoot Whoot!!!

It was VERY HOT outside - so we only ventured out under the shade of the back patio.... We decided that you loved us anyways for not heading out into the hot sun!!

WE are working on getting the third top put together too - so you will see #2 and!! #3 sometime!!

These are All QOV's!!

And now!!! It is your turn!! Show me what you have been up to!!

Oh and also!! if you haven't voted - go vote on this post and tell me which layout you like - I have more blocks to make more tops!!

jelly-roll-18-and-happy-half-square

NOW !! Link up!!!

***********************Link up here **********************

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

*****************The End ************************

 Find me at all these places:

    

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(ps - a commission is earned on purchases from amazon thru my link)