No mowing here – another 1.5” rain instead. Last night I took the time to water all my plants individually with collected rain water and today they’re drowning in rain water. I hope they make it because they are way too wet right now.
Patriotic quilts and more
And more wonderful quilts:
I am making progress locating Jamie. I have a cousin who lives in Phoenix and I asked him to help. Jamie has been in the hospital and is now at a rehab facility. I will follow up with address and all. Stay tuned.
In the barn today because of the rain:
I just read that Bonnie Hunter is starting a year long leader/ender project. She warned readers that nobody is getting recognition or a prize for finishing first. That’s not the point here. Its leaders and enders, not a focused quilt.
So I was thinking I would start my own leader ender quilt with those 30’s prints making that little 3” block from Rose. I cut out this many and I’ll keep them close by to send thru my machine as I’m working on other things. Anyone want to join me?
Center is 1-1/2” x 1-1/2”
Top and bottom are also 1-1/2” x 1-1/2” in a different color.
Sides are 1-1/2” x 3-1/2” in same color.
The Fever lost a heartbreaker tonight by 2 points – TWO POINTS!! Arghhhhj!!!!!
And the tragedy in Texas puts it all in perspective, doesn’t it? All those little girls at camp – still missing as well as many others. I have no understanding of that much rain and that much flooding. What if it keeps raining there? How do people survive such a disaster? And where can they go? No answers.
Heart is broken for people of Texas. I thought of the many times I left my kids at camp and never thought of losing them. God help them!!
Love the red, white and blue sunbonnet sue. A quilt I’ve always wanted to make but never took the time to figure out.
I hope to get in the sewing room soon. Haven’t had the energy since health issues have dominated my time. Leader and ender sounds like fun. Have to make new greatgrands quilt first.
Thanks for your blog about nothing about something! God bless you Mary!
Helen – why don’t you cut your leaders and Enders to use while you make the baby quilt? That’s the idea – you make it while you work on something else. Tell me about your health issues – I hope you’re ok
I will join in with the leaders and Enders. Prayers are needed in Texas.
Mary, Thank you for the update on Jamie. The patriotic quilts are just great. I’ve never made one, but I plan to now . . . I just need to pick a pattern and get some additional fabrics. It has been raining most of the day. A good way to end the holiday weekend. Can you please show us the quilt that is draped on the back of the rocking chair. It looks like rabbits?? It is in the photo with Becky’s peas Thank you, Janice, Traverse City area.
I’m saying prayers for the people in the Texas floods. How do people recover from these disasters? We just had heavy rain here again. I think we have gotten another two inches or more. The quilts are gorgeous. I love the one with the red and blue stars down the middle. I was just wondering what to do with 1930’s fabric I have accumulated. I also thought of doing some English paper piecing. I went on Paper Pieces; and they have a free print out about the size to cut squares for hexies. The sizes covered are from one-fourth up to six inches. There are too many projects I want to start, and I have too many projects that need finishing. Have a good day.
Mary thank you for posting all the lovely quilts! Love seeing them. I’m still on my cross stitch focus and can’t seem to want to sew…… 🤷🏼♀️ but the itch is starting. Would love to join in your leader/ender project.
I have no words for what’s happened in Texas…… I had to turn the channel, as it just broke my heart. Prayers for the families …… I cannot imagine the pain and sorrow. Mother Nature is sure unforgiving.
Star spangly quilts! Congrats to the contributors. Not a fan of small squares, but am tempted with your leader and ender project. I’ve been thinking about how to celebrate America’s Semi-quincentennial (a mouthful for 250 years) next year. Maybe your leader ender in red, white and blue? Remember the quilting boom with bicentennial?
Gloria B – in 1976 every magazine pictured quilt after quilt and that’s when I began to be a quilter! Maybe 2026 will produce more visible quilts and more quilters.
I see that that question about mosquitos is timely in that I just spotted this youTube instruction to discourage them. One consideration is to avoid wearing scented lotion. He describes a recipe for a repellant made with whole cloves, vanilla extract (paste), unscented lotion, and using a fine strainer if your skin is not too sensitive. 6:32 A flavor injector can be found in a store meat department
I heard an interview yesterday with the mother of two girls who were at the Texas camp. She was able to pick up her daughters. The mom explained that the youngest & newest campers are at the bottom of a hill. As they get older, they move up the hill, so the oldest and more experienced campers are higher up.
Rock Valley, Iowa, McCook Lake, SD and Canton, SD all had over 20″ of rain last June and subsequent devastating flooding – so not that far from Garner. It’s hard to comprehend that level of flooding and destruction.
Glad you’ve likely found Jamie! I hope your cousin is able to connect with her.
I have trouble not sewing up any pieces of fabric I have ready to go by the sewing machine. I want to run them under the needle as soon as they’re ready! But I appreciate the utility of leader-enders.
Mary, can we please see a photo of the 16-patch quilt in bright fabrics on the rocker behind the peas? Thanks!
Hi Mary! Yes I would love to join your leader ender. The patriotic quilts are great and so inspiring. Have a good week. Belated Happy Birthday!
Love the quilt show. My mind is spinning with possibilities for quilts – patriotic and otherwise.
A few years ago I ventured into the leader/ender background quilt idea. Although it takes planning initially, I love the efficient use of scraps and my time. Now it feels strange if I’m not doing that. Just yesterday I prepared for a small leader/ender project. But, it will be done in no time and then I’ll launch into Mary’s little block. Thank you all for materials for the project – batik, Christmas, etc. scraps. Like I said spinning mind.
Prayers of comfort for the Kerrville families – such loss. Prayers for Jamie and her recovery.
Jan
Beautiful display of quilts!
Tragic loss of life in TX, no warning of impending disaster.
Prayers for Texas flood victims. It’s too awful to contemplate. The ground gets dry like concrete and flooding happens too fast.
Prayers for Jaimie in Phoenix, too.
Thanks for sharing all your patriot quilting pictures. Fantastic.
We’re hot here in Ohio. No breeze today. Air quality not good either. I’m staying inside!!!
What an absolute beauty of a quilt show.! Such talented quilters. I too am horrified by that flooding. It seems we are having more catastrophic weather conditions than I remember seeing In my almost 85 years on the planet.
Great quilt show!!! Better than fireworks.
Loving all the patriotic quilts 🤩 such fun this time of year. And all the other quilts – such outstanding work everyone 👏🎉
Texas tragedy is heartbreaking 💔 so very sad!
Such cute goat photos – love seeing them!
How’s Hazel? Always enjoy her antics and photos 😁
The tragedy in TX is heartbreaking. Coming in the night while sleeping is the worst. Prayers forthe families.
I love the idea of leaders and enders quilt. I have one reedy for quilting. All bow ties in 4″ block. It does take time to organize for something like that and I just don’t have the time right now to do that. I love 1/2 squares but hate the trimming to size and square. I encourage others. And BH is right about the “race”. I hate the competition!
The patriotic quilts are just beautiful. No other word for them.
It’s rather cool this morning so here is hoping I can get out for a walk but I slept in unexpectedly.
Really enjoyed all the quilts, but the patriotic ones were especially inspiring. The hooked rug was amazing. Very hot and dry in central Illinois. I’ve been watering every day as I have new plants and seedlings coming up. A chance for rain later today so I’m hopeful. I remember sending our kids off to camp many years ago and hoping they would be safe and have a good time. The horror of the flooding in Texas is so hard to imagine. God bless them.
Wonderful show of quilts all you fantastic readers sent it!! Who needs a magazine – we needs Mary’s followers to inspire us! Thank you to all who sent in photos of their work. Sure enjoyed them.
We were sitting outside enjoying ice cream yesterday afternoon at the farm market across the street from our camp and out comes young girls carrying bags of shelled peas. $4 a bag. Nice idea for nibbling or adding to salads.
Once again Mary we can’t thank you enough for checking on Jamie.
She needs our cares.
Great idea to use up scraps with your block. No hurry. Just cut them up and keep them near the machine.
Wonderful quilt show! The quilts are gorgeous. Thanks to everyone who shared.
WOW, what a great quilt show today. Such a talented bunch of readers. And, looks like a couple patriotic rugs included. I’ve wanted to try primitive rug hooking for quite some time but never got to it. Maybe now is the time to start.
Thanks for tracking down the information on Jamie. I hope she knows we missed her.
Love the quilt show, thanks everyone for sharing. We received 1.6 inches of rain yesterday and last night. Was very much needed. The garden and veggies are happy to have rain. Had a rabbit eating raspberries and tom turkeys walking through the yard this morning.
Trying to use Leaders and Enders as I sew together a 4 patch quilt.
Have a good Sunday everyone.
Gorgeous quilts! Would love to know the pattern for the one that looks like a Union Jack 🇬🇧 flag, first railing/deck picture.
We’re 4 hours away from the flooding in the Hill Country area. We could use some rain here. Just an awful destruction and sadness.
Day 10 after knee replacement. Doesn’t hurt as much but will be so glad to get the tight bandage off. Penny and Lucy will be glad when the walker is gone and Mama is back to sleeping in her bed, me too.
Yes, I want to do Rose’s 3” scrap blocks too! Will be a great leader/ender.
Pamela – you’re doing great! And I know how much you want to sleep in your own bed!
Pamela, I saw a picture of that quilt and couldn’t find the pattern so I drafted one myself. I made two different color ways and just recycled the pattern pieces last year. Sorry!
It’s so beautiful 😻! I will look too, thanks!
Pamela, that quilt block is called ”Plus and X”. It was very popular around 2021. I did a search and found this site with free instructions:
https://stashbandit.net/plus-and-x-block-instructions/
I’m happy to hear the news about Jamie – we’ve missed her. The flooding in Texas is very sad; we are getting more frequent extreme weather.
Pamela, I was writing about the first quilt in the SECOND railing photo! Sorry for the confusion. Dot, thanks for clarifying and finding the link. I have made several of the Plus and X block quilts and love that pattern.
Prayers for your successful recovery from surgery, Pamela.
Pamela – please check my post tonight – Vicki sent me her pictures for you to see.
Thanks everyone, will check for the pattern and pics 😻!
Yes! That’s the block! I’ve made one before with just the x’s in 30s fabric and my daughter loves it. Adding the plus and planned color layout is what makes the block so pretty to me. Love the red, white and blue ❤️.
Love all the quilts. The leader enders sound good. I’ve started once several years ago but didn’t stick with it. Maybe I can now.Lol.
Dee – this leader ender project can be stopped at any time and really it’s simple with only 5 little pieces. If you want to make a table runner and stop you can. No rules here.
What is leader ender? Am I the only one that doesn’t know 😊
Leader ender. Think header footer on a Word document. There should always be a piece of material under your pressure foot, even when you’re not sewing. I didn’t know that until a few years ago when I started quilting. The less you lift the presser foot up and down the better. So, when it’s time to start sewing just keep going from the scrap under the presser foot on to your project pieces. When that project piece has been stitched feed another little scrap of material under the presser foot. Making a leader ender quilt means instead of using scraps of material you are using planned pieces, which over time will be used for a background quilt ((a secondary project.) BUT, to be efficient with this it requires that you have a secondary project planned and cut ready to go. Mary’s plan is perfect – small pieces to start. No time frame on when to finish. Stop making the small blocks whenever you want. Then that becomes the main project to complete at some point.
leader – main project piecing – ender – keep repeating the process
Jan – I like your explanation much better than mine – thank you!
Dale – you might be! Instead of a scrap of fabric that you feed thru your machine first, piece a small block by. feeding two pieces.At the end of your intended seam, feed another two pieces or “ender” thru. Before you know it you’ll have a pile of pieced units, you’ll have saved thread and nothing gets snarled up under your needle! Have I confused you even more?
Outstanding quilt show! Love, love the patriotic quilts, but all of them are great! I’ll join in with your 30s fabric tiny blocks. Love those fabrics, and love tiny blocks. Send some rain this way, please…
Am praying for those families in Kerrville.
Hi Mary great quilts again, l have a flying geese one to photograph and send this week. Very sad about girls lost on flooding, the weather is going haywire lately. I found some small cuts of batik in one of my scrap bags, so may join your leaders and enders challenge. Take care everyone ,best wishes from Sandy
Sandy – like I told Dee, you can make a project any size and stop. There aren’t many rules.
Wonderful quilt show! Love the Sun Bonnet Sue.
So many quilts, lovely.
Such a flood disaster, was on the news in Australia. We have our share of flood events but to lose so many young people is just devastating.
Bonnie Hunter does a different leader ender challenge every year. Most are still free on her blog
Decided to use up some ugly fat quarters I got for free. As Bonnie says if it is still ugly cut it smaller
Cynthia – I’ve heard that suggestion from Mary Ellen Hopkins 40+ years ago. Just cut it smaller – ha!
Outstanding collection of finished projects. Well done everyone.
What a gorgeous quilt show of patriotic quilts! such inspiration for the 4th. I think doing your leader ender would be fun and I have loads of scraps that would fit this size perfectly. I will get some cut and see what I think of them put into a block. I also follow Bonnie Hunter and cut a few to make her leader ender blocks. Thank for finding out about Jamie, I will keep her in my prayers and hopefully we can send her some cards to cheer her up while she recovers. I can’t imagine the pain all those parents are feeling with their children being caught up in the flash flooding in Texas, how awful!
Loved all the wonderful quilts today. I like Bonnie Hunter’s leader and ender but I like yours better because it is less pieces and easier. I did Bonnie’s one year when it was tumblers and made a large bed sized quilt which is one of my favorites because it is like a memory quilt, using fabrics spanning over forty-five years.
I cannot imagine what the families of those girls in the flood are going through. What a terrible tragedy!
I have been teaching my two granddaughters how to sew. They wanted to make scrunchies to sell at a craft sale.. I will send pictures. They are nine and eleven.
Kim – the Hill Country floods are terrifying and so so sad. It’s hard to think about those little girls.
Today Bonnie Hunter had a picture of a friend’s quilt done in Christmas fabric. I don’t usually do leaders and enders, but I thought that might be a way to use up some of my stash of Christmas fabric, since I really like this year’s leader and ender project.
Candy – yes, that’s a good idea! I loved what she said about not being any prize for finishing fast! One year I did a mystery and one gal ruined it for all of us by arriving with her block finished and bragging about how she figured it out. We were meeting once a month and after that nobody came back.
Such eye candy – I love all the quilts but especially the patriotic ones.
We are in Flagstaff AZ right now escaping the Phoenix heat and Wednesday it hailed. Hailed! It sure didn’t feel that cold. Then it rained over an inch. Same thing on Thursday, but a bit less rain. Believe me, I’m not complaining about any of it.
I’ll join you making those cute little squares.
Lots of wonderful quilt pics. Many I would like to make.