Susan: Americana Ready for Borders

Sorry the left edge is slightly snipped off. This was the best picture I could take without a ladder. LOL
 

  I'm thinking about adding a blue border at the top, too, before I add the last borders.

Susan: Americana Update

I still have a few things to finish (like row 1!) before the borders can go on, but I made a lot of progress in January!

Mountain Row Finished

I am in love with this row! It has everything I love about the mountains - purple as the sun moves low, blue the way they look in the distance in the desert, wildflower strips, birds flying, desert sand ... Just a wonderful conglomeration of lights and shadows. My favorite row so far - and finished the earliest ever, too! Sorry it's crooked, but if I straighten it more, I lose the sides.
 

  I'm finally putting things together and finishing parts that I didn't finish for the schoolhouse row. I've rearranged things slightly, and row 1 - the fireworks - isn't done yet, either, but I'm really happy about the way it looks so far.
 

  Oops! I took that picture before I did this with the birdhouses:
 

Susan: A Little Progress

I did finish the second small star blocks and get that row together. I also made a substitute large star, because I know I'm not going to ever paper piece Deana's beautiful star! This one is 20" finished, so there will be some filler.
 

Here are all the blocks I have done, so far:
 

I still need to do a row 1 and finish something in the schoolhouse row, too.

Yankee Doodle/Liberty Stars

I have finished three that look exactly like this, and I keep forgetting to post it!
 

Susan: Schoolhouse

Here's my first block for the October row - yeah, running just a weeeee bit behind here.
 

  Here’s the little known history which goes with the school house. This is a small school house on the outskirts of Los Angeles in 1927. The students were studying the solar system, obviously. When one student asked the teacher why they had to study the planets, her answer, “Space is the final frontier”, had a long-reaching impact on young Gene Roddenberry, then six years old. No, really, it’s true. I read it in Little Known History by Itotally Made-Itup.

Susan: Two Americana Blocks

I made some changes, but forgot one important one, so my blocks are a little wonky and 10.5 x 13 instead of 11.5, It's okay. I'll see what the next row is like and then put a filler in. I hope Deana forgives me, as she knows how I feel about paper-piecing. There would have been a lot worse mistakes if I'd tried that on these blocks!

I have quite a collection of Sunbonnet Sue and Overall Sam blocks and books, so I looked through and found these two. There will be one more girl, and I don't know if she'll have a flag or maybe some balloons. Makes a cute little parade, I think. I still need to embroider the flag poles, though. I'll do that when the third block is done. There will be a bead/button on back of Sue pinafores, too.
 

Susan: 4 Birdhouses

The birdhouses are finished. I have to put the row together, make the birds and the holes in the birdhouses, but at least the 4 needed for the row are done.

I'll work on details next week. =)

Susan: One Lonely Sort of Fireworks

So, I really don't like paper-piecing. I find it frustrating and stressful. I've seen all the videos, I've done multiple different patterns, but I avoid it like the plague, except for the pineapple quilt block, which is all straight line sewing and strip cutting, no big deal. I actually printed out the paper pattern for Deana's design, but I looked at it and knew I would never do it.

I began some improv piecing from my scraps and this block is okay. I realized afterward that in my zeal to get some sky into the middle of the fireworks, I made it look a little funny, but that puppy is done and not a single stitch is coming out!

My 6.5" firework:

Flag Salute

No stars yet, but here is my Flag/Heart Row. Yes, I know there's a backward flag, and I know 4 of the hearts are not quite right. That's okay with me. It is what it is.

I don't know about the stars, but I'll give one a shot.

Susan: Good Intentions and Hot Paved Roads

I'm not even going to pretend I did anything last week, and this week could turn out the same. Part of it is other things I've had to do, and part of it is other things. See you soon with something pretty, I hope.

Block Arrived

My block arrived in the mailbox today from Texas! It's an adorable block, and there was a little something extra in the envelope that is just wonderful. I'll put a post on my blog next week about it - didn't get to do it today. Thank you, Trudie!

Block for Jo in OZ

I was mailing today, but another storm is coming in. Either Friday afternoon or Saturday morning it should be melted away, and I'll mail. Just have to wait for ice to melt off my hill. It's all packaged and ready to go!

Susan: One to Swap

I will put the pins on tomorrow, but here's the pincushion and companion block:

Susan to Lorri - On It's Way

I mailed Lorri's quilt shop this afternoon!

Susan: One Block to Swap

I can only wish this were made on my hand crank Singer. It needs a bobbin cover that fits. This is The Quilted Horse, but there's no place for words, so the quilt works like the old Amish signs - a picture of what the store is.

Steam that Seam block received

I have received my second block today. It was from Susan.

Thank you so much..

I love the button and braid cord. The green really matches well with my other blocks...

Susan Sent to Jo in Victoria

A package is on its way to Australia tonight! Watch your mailbox, Jo! I'm looking forward to mine coming from Daryl!

Susan: Steam That Seam Block to Share

It took me almost to the last day this time, but here's my block to swap.

Mail Call!

Di's gorgeous block arrived here in Tennessee today. Yay! I love it, it's perfect for my sampler plan. Mine is going out on Saturday. There were issues with my son's car, so he's been taking mine to work all week. His should be fixed tomorrow, though. So along about Tuesday, Lucy should find one in her mailbox. Don't give up, Lucy! It will arrive!