31 Day Blog Writing Challenge 2019 - Day 9

Day 9 - Favorite Tip


Join a Quilt Guild or start one if there isn’t one near you. I belong to two very different guilds. One meets the 2nd Tuesday evening and the other, the 2nd Wednesday morning of the month. Between them there are @265 members. Both Guilds offer nationally known presenters, amazing programs, workshops, sew together days and retreats. This week it is Holiday parties and activities.

We swapped Holiday socks stuffed with all kinds of goodies, played Quilto/Bingo,and ate the most delicious food.

It is the camaraderie, friendship and talent that keeps me going back.

The benefits of joining a Quilt Guild:

• Learn from and encourage each other.
• Show and Tell - members bring quilts that have been made recently - one of my favorite activities
• Quilt Show
• Explore new techniques
• Sharing of fabric, rulers, etc. (no pattern copying)
• Charitable work- we make comfort and QOV quilts, pillowcases for children in the hospital and port pillows. (We donated over 200 preemie quilts to area hospitals as part of our Quilt Guild Challenge)
• Retreats - I attend two retreats a year and always enjoy it, make new friends, complete projects, and take workshops.
• Sewing Together Day

The two Guilds that I belong to and love- Brandywine Valley Quilters and Calico Cutters

#31dayblogwritingchallenge2019 #day9 #favoritetip

31 Day Blog Writing Challenge 2019 - Days 7 and 8

Wow! This is much harder than I thought it would be...I am already 4 days behind and have a really busy week coming up.

I will combine posts when I can, less reading for you and maybe I will be able to keep up better.

Prompts 7 and 8 - Dream Project and Skills I Wish I Had.

For years I have wanted a Little Free Library and this year my husband is making one for me as a Birthday present. I wish I had the know how and ability to make it myself. He is an engineer and does amazing work. My part in this project is research and books. An owner of a Little Free Library may apply for a charter and receive a number at Little Free Library. The organization sells plans to make one, bookstamps, tshirts, etc. If having one in your front yard isn't your thing, you can sponsor one in a park, playground, community center, etc.

In doing my research, I was surprised to learn that vandalism is the biggest problem. Some libraries have been damaged and others have had all of the books taken in one swoop and resold. For more on this topic - https://littlefreelibrary.org/re-selling-little-free-library-books/ Is it theft to take something that is free? Greed? Desparate times?

I purchased a self-inking stamp from Staples, "Little Free Library, Not for Resale" to discourage the sale of the books. Stamping the books was a pleasant reminder of my library days. Someone created the sign to put in the window to explain the process and I will do so also. I am considering making up a flyer for my neighbors too. Surprisingly in my township, no permit is required to put it on my front yard.

My plan is to have a launch when the engineer has finally finished it and it is in the yard. Right now, I am collecting books and happily stamping them. I will continue to post about this adventure. Happy Reading!

#littlefreelibrary #dreamproject #skillsIwishIhad #31dayblogwritingchallenge2019

31 Day Blog Writing Challenge 2019;- Days 4 and 5

Day 4 - Favorite Tools

This prompt is an easy one...my cutting mat, rotary cutter, and my ruler. I started quilting in 1986 and these tools were not in use then. Definitely a game changer,

Day 5 - First Project

I made this wall-hanging in a Sampler Class taught by Dot Key. All of the pieces were cut using cardboard templates and scissors. All of the pieces are hand sewn by drawing a line for the quarter inch seam and all of the seams are hand sewn. It is completely hand quilted.

I still enjoy hand quilting, but rarely do it. My hands are not as flexible as they used to be and my stitches aren’t as neat. When I worked as a librarian, I would sew a quilt top and put it in the quilting frame in August. Every day I came home, put dinner in the oven and quilted until dinner was done. By the end of the school year, the quilt would be finished! The process of hand quilting
was a relaxing activity to transition after a day of working with high schoolers.

For more information on the challenge,  http://muppin.com/wordpress/index.php/the-2019-31-day-blog-writing-challenge/

#31dayblogwritingchallenge2019

31 Day Blog Writing Challenge 2019 - Day 3

Day 3 - Machine

My everyday sewing machine is this work horse, a Bernina 440 Quilters Edition.
I love this machine and have had it for a few years. The silver faceplate was scratched due to my
pins, scissors, etc. At the last service, Bernina replaced the faceplate with a shiny new one.

I purchased this special edition 350 Cotton + Steel  Bernina as a traveling machine to take to classes, Sew In, and Retreat. She has all of the stitches I need and the feet are interchangeable between the two machines. When I see the beautiful colors and the “ Hello Lovely” message, I can’t help but smile.

I never thought I wanted or needed a serger.  I attended a Cases for Smiles Event and the women seated close to me all had sergers. They were making  2 pillowcases to my 1. I attended the Quilt Show in Oaks, PA and purchased this serger at the show. When I told Fred from Pocono Sewing what I would be using it for he gave me a great deal. What a game changer it is,  I love it! In addition to pillowcases I also serge the inside seams of some zippered pouches, serge the edge of my quilts and walker bags before binding.

I share my machine freely with my quilting friends, it makes me happy to see my machines being used.

My favorite machine is my Granddaughter's, it's a Bernina 215 Simply Red with a zebra skin. We ordered the skin from Germany and she was so excited to receive it.

#31dayblogwritingchallenge #machineday3

31 Day Blog Writing Challenge 2019 - Day 2

Day 2 - Sewing Space

My sewing space is fluid, I have a dedicated sewing room which has spread into areas of the basement. I tend to choose where to sew depending on my mood. If I want to be social, I move up into the dining room, if I want alone time, I sew in my sewing room. Occasionally, friends come to sew and we set up in the dining and living rooms.

My latest project is to make a walker bag for a friend's mother. I found this great pattern called Cheery Saddlebag Helper and it's a bargain at $3.29. I made a few changes and used velcro intsead of snaps. Velcro seems easier for older hands. 

I put one pocket on the back instead of two to decrease the weight.

Serging the edges makes binding lay flat.

I love this coordinating stripe!

Because of its size it can hang in the front or on the side.

I am also making Christmas gifts for friends and family. Zippered pouches are an instant gratification type project. Crafty Gemini has a tutorial on this Zippered Box Pouch.

This is my go to pouch, fast fun, and easy! It is available in three sizes at Noodlehead Open Wide Zippered Pouch. This one is the medium size. 

#31dayblogwritingchallenge2019

2019 Monthly Color Challenge - December

December - Crocus (purple)

This moth's block is super easy to make, check it out on Jen's Blog.

Surprisingly, I do not have a lot of purple in my stash and I used what I did have in September's Lilac block.

Then I discovered the black fabric with the purple polka dots, I love it! There isn't much of it left and I'll have to be creative in order to make it work. I chose the lighest fabric to compliment it.

The blocks are complete, the setting is next! My goal is to complete this quilt before the 2020 Color Challenge begins. Don't forget to sign up to join us!

Visit the blogger's for this month's block!

Patterns By Jen

the Geeky Bobbin

Two Maker Chicks

Scrapdash

Everyone Deserves a Quilt

The Quilted Diary

Don't forget to sign up for the 2020 Monthly Color Challenge!


Finished quilts will be posted January 1, 2020 on these pages!

Patterns By Jen

Everyone Deserves a Quilt

Kathy's Kwilts and more

Two Maker Chicks

The Quilted Diary

#2019monthlychallengeblock #decemberblock

31 Day Blog Writing Challenge 2019

December 1, 2019

I’ve signed up to join the Writing Challenge by Muppin.com. I am going to give it a try and blog for 31 straight days in order to get into the habit of writing more often. I will be using the hashtag #31dayblogchallenge2019 on social media. I had the pleasure of meeting Cheryl Sleboda who did a presentation at both of my Quilt Guilds. Cheryl is amazing and I was so excited, I may have embarrassed myself. 

There are some suggested prompts and I may or may not use them.  

In addition to quilting, I read and review books for authors, agents, publishers,  and for fun! I publish my reviews on this Blog, Goodreads and in various FB Groups. I am also a member of an online FB Book Club/ Swap, the  The Whimsical Wings. (a subgroup of the Book Hive Book Club) My current book to read for the month of December is the idea of you by robinne lee. More on the book later in the month.

I am a member of two Quilt Guilds which meet monthly and are an amazing group of quilters!

Brandywine Valley Quilt Guild meets the second Tuesday of each month from 7 - 9 pm.
Calico Cutters Quilt Guild meets the second Wednesday each month from 9:30 - noon. 

Both Guilds are very active in charitable and educational activities. 

The activity that really warms my heart is sewing with the children at Children's Hospital and Shriner's Hospital in Philadelphia. I volunteer for a nonprofit organization, Case for Smiles

Whew! Day 1 is done, stay tuned!

 Follow me on IG at kathy.nester


#31dayblogwritingchallenge2019