Wyoming Breezes

seaming shoulders on BSJ July 2022 Nothing motivates more than a publicly declared goal.  These two projects (Baby Surprise Jackets) we’re neglected in a bin for years, needing only minor effort to bring them to completion.  It took less than 15 minutes to seam the shoulders together on the brown sweater. That finished, I was able to pick up stitches at the neckline for the small collar. Knitting the collar and weaving in the ends was completed in short order. adding collar to BSJ All that remained to be done for both Baby Surprise Jackets was selecting and sewing on buttons.  Baby Surprise Jackets - complete with buttons July 2022 The sweaters are finally finished and off the “To Finish” list. Obviously, I prefer knitting projects like the BSJ rather than completing the “finishing” tasks. 

July 2022 Five projects are currently in my knitting queue: the Noro scarf, a pair of scrap yarn socks, the Redcliffe City socks, and two Baby Surprise Jackets (BSJ). The scarf should be finished tomorrow, the scrap socks (one finished and the mate at the heel flap), and the first Redcliffe sock is at the heel flap.  While cleaning the sewing room, I found a BSJ that needs shoulder seams and a collar added. The jacket came off the needles in 2020 . I also need to sew buttons on this BSJ as well as a purple one that was finished in 2018 .  I don’t know why I didn’t finish these BSJ years ago!  Currently, I seem to be in a mindset to get clear out lingering/stalled knitting projects, and they are out of bins and in a queue. 

May UFO Challenge Project 2022 Since I finished the April project early, I opened bag #4 for the 2022 UFO Challenge. I pulled 5 inch squares (charms) from my scrap bin when I prepared this bag several months ago and selected Mary's " L-Block Charm " pattern. The charms are remnants from my Tavern Blues quilt. This will be the third quilt I've made from the Tavern Blue fabric , and I still have more left!  

Flying Free 63 x 78 inches Quilt of Valor #217 Flying Free  was made with a panel donated by Sue and Bert O.  I used a Villa Rosa design ( Fernanda ) but the black frame was added to meet the size requirements for Quilt of Valor.  The panel was in the April 2022 UFO challenge bag #9, so that can now be crossed off my list of UFOs.

National Pride 59 x 71 inches Quilt of Valor #216 Last week, I finished the project inside bag #2 in my 2022 UFO Challenge . I changed some of the fabrics once I started framing the center panel.  The pattern used for this quilt is called Simply Susan by Pineapple Press Patterns for Wood Valley Designs. I've used the pattern before for a Quilt of Valor: first for Tranquility  and then for Boldly American . 

fabric cut for project bag #2 February 2022 Since Project Bag #6 is finished, I pulled the March bag (#2) from the queue. This is the last eagle panel square I have (of course, I’ve said that before, and someone gave me several more), and it’s time for the eagle’s turn at the sewing machine.  I cut the fabric for the quilt on Monday afternoon. Some parts were cut from scraps and some from yardage. The only part I didn’t cut was the outer border, which will be blue. I like to select the specific fabric when the top is at that point of completion.  The project bags are giving a goal each month, even if I’m working ahead as I finish the designated project for the month. 

panel for project bag #6 January/February  2022 Since I finished project bag #3 ( Stars Abound ), I pulled the project bag for February out of the UFO queue.  I received this large panel (34 x 43 inches) from Sue and Bert O. last April . The pattern in the project bag uses a panel that is a similar size, so I’ll only need to make minimal adjustments. 

Lone Star II 56 x 67 inches Quilt of Valor #144 I intended to finish this QOV in May but got sidetracked and finished it on June 1, 2018. The red gradient fabric was much different than any I've used before - mottled and almost batik-like. I told my niece the fabric looks like a tomato soup factory exploded.  Note: As I stated in an  earlier post , two vertical rows were added in order to meet the minimal size requirement for a Quilt of Valor.

Blackbird Village 62 x 87 inches May 2018 While the main section of this quilt was assembled at Marilyn's house when I visited  in April , the top could not be finished until the border fabric (ordered from a Colorado quilt shop) arrived in the mail. On May 29, 2018, the quilt was measured, the fabric cut, and the outer border added to the top. Once the backing is prepared, this UFO will be quilted and one step closer to being finished.

Lone Star 56 x 67 inches Quilt of Valor #143 This UFO can be checked off of the May UFO Challenge list. It didn't take long to make, but all the HSTs required tedious trimming and squaring. I've cut the fabric for another flag quilt and hope to have it finished before the end of May. Notes: As I stated in an earlier post , two vertical rows were added in order to meet the minimal size requirement for a Quilt of Valor.

trimming HST blocks May 2018 I'm making slow progress on this month's UFO . Because I added some width to the pattern in order to meet the QOV size requirements, I made 48 red/red half-square triangles, and 40 white/cream half-square triangles. 88 trimmed and squared HSTs Whenever a pattern says to make two HSTs at a time  from a square of fabric with a measurement like 6 7/8",  I cut a 7" square instead to give myself a tiny bit of wiggle room. Invariably, if I don't add the 1/8", I end up with a HST that is too small. When squaring the blocks, the trimmings are sometimes a sliver and sometimes merely the 1/8", but the blocks are always the correct size. This small adjustment always works for me and eliminates the frustration of having to redo the HSTs.

UFO to be made in May A roll of the die revealed that number three is the project for May. The project from my UFO Challenge list under that number is the Freedom Flag quilt. Marilyn and I made quilts with this pattern in 2011: the two I made were  Quits of Valor . I liked the pattern so much that I wanted to make another one. The pattern calls for a gradient red fabric, and since 2011, I've had a heck of a time finding it. When my great-niece was married in 2015, I chanced upon the fabric in an Ogallala, NE quilt shop. The yardage has been marinating for three years and is ready to be used. Finding time to sew this month will be tricky, as May is full of my annual "ists'" appointments: optometrist, periodontist, cardiologist, dermatologist, pulmonologist. Do you schedule your annual appointments in the same month?

two Blackbird Village panels by Kathy Schmitz - Moda Fabrics These two panels with coordinating fabrics were purchased at a quilt show in Lander, WY about three/four years ago. I placed this project on my UFO Challenge list, and April was the assigned month for working on this project. I initially thought the birds were crows, but they are blackbirds, and the Moda fabric line is called Blackbird Village. My thought was originally to cut the panel blocks apart, and after doing a lot of searching for ideas, I decided to come up with my own plan. rough sketch of my "plan" for the panel The panel blocks would be framed to finish at 12 inches, so I searched for some fun 12 inch block patterns to sew from the coordinating fabrics. some quarter triangle blocks ready to sew together - the black and tan fabrics were not included in the fabric bundle I purchased with the panels quilt in progress Little by little the 12 inch blocks were made and placed on the des...

#1 on die indicates the UFOs for April orphan blocks and a "Crow" panel quilt Two very old projects were selected from the UFO challenge list with a quick roll of the die. Number one on my UFO list included some "waste" triangle orphan blocks and a "Crow" panel kit I purchased at a quilt show a couple of years ago.  It's clearly time these projects saw the light of day.

High Ridge Crossing 60 x 72 inches Quilt of Valor #139 High Ridge Crossing was made with a Northcott Naturescapes panel. The mottled dark green fabric used for the end "reflection" strips gave me fits. It stretched and then shrunk, causing some issues with the borders. I think the wide outer border solved some of the problem. I warned the longarmer that this one may be a problem for him, too. Needless to say, the fabric has been pitched. Pattern : Reflections by Mountainpeek Creations Modifications : I shortened both the top and bottom "reflection" strips by two inches.

Nature's Call 57 x 73 inches Quilt of Valor #138 This panel has been in my stash for a long time and was added to my UFO challenge list to be completed this year. Horizontal panels can be a challenge, so I searched Pinterest for ideas and discovered this pattern that highlights and complements the panel. Pattern : Reflections by Mountainpeek Creations

March UFO selection Marilyn asked me to roll the die for this month's UFO selection - a five. My #5 UFOs are unfinished Quilts of Valor - a word panel and some wildlife panels. The wildlife panels have been in my stash for over three years. In recent years, more veterans in this area have selected wildlife or hunting related quilts over patriotic quilts.

Shoo Fly 61 x 67 inches QOV #135 Shoo Fly used the last of the eagle napkins, so I can officially cross them off of my UFO challenge sheet. I considered making individual quilts with the final four napkins, but I was growing weary of working with them. I'm sure you are getting tired of seeing them, too. I do like how the outside design on the napkins creates a secondary pattern around the center burgundy block, made from fabric donated by Judy . The red border was also some yardage from Judy. This quilt is named for the huge " shoo fly " block in the center. Quilts made using the eagle napkins :     Clean Sweep     American Spirit     Super Moon     Morning Star     Shoo Fly

Morning Star 62 x 70 inches QOV #134 Because I prepared kits for two Quilts of Valor on the national QOV Sew Day, all I needed to do was sit and sew. Morning Star was made with another medallion pattern from Evelyn Sloppy's book Sew One and You're Done book: Springtime, pages 46-49. The eagle in the center is one of the eagle napkins I purchased at a silent auction last winter. My goal for February is to make QOV from all of the eagle napkins. Morning Star is the third quilt made this month. I have four more eagle napkins to use. The wide, blue border was made with some yardage from Judy M. ( see yesterday's post )

Super Moon 60 x 70 inches QOV #133 The center of  Super Moon  is one of the patriotic napkins I purchased at a  quilt silent auction in 2017 .  This quilt was named for the red, super moon that appeared January 31, 2018. I adapted the design from a pattern called Flannel Roses (pages 28 - 30) in Evelyn Sloppy's book,  Sew One and You're Done . One of my UFO challenge goals for this month is to make Quilts of Valor from the napkins. Super Moon is the second quilt made this month with the napkins.