Free pattern and a giveaway on my other blog

 

Please slip over to alive and piecing for a free pattern and a giveaway for January

https://aliveandpiecing.blogspot.com/2023/01/a-year-of-stash-busting-quilts-free.html

I invite you to follow me at my new location...Alive and Piecing!

Check out and follow my new blog: https://aliveandpiecing.blogspot.com/2022/10/october.html

New Blog

Andra is now blogging at aliveandpiecing.blogspot.com  Please join her there!

Please join me...

Good morning all,
I hope this 3rd day of 2016 finds you all doing exactly what you love!

I wanted to let you all know that my blog has moved.  The new address is andragayle.wordpress.com.  A link to today's post is below...

https://andragayle.wordpress.com/2016/01/03/the-view-over-my-coffee-cup/

My new blog is called "Alive and Piecing"  It is certainly a quilting blog but will have multiple pages concerning family and health as well.

I will be kicking off my new blog with a Month by Month Row by Row, starting January 15th!  Hope you all will join me.  The goal is to use fabrics from your stash!!!!.  I will be using bright colors with modern themes along with black, white and grey.  Hint- think animals!

Hope to see you there,
Andra

Help?

Does any one know how to get rid of the blue side sections so that you can see my entire background?
Blogger is really frustrating me lately!  I may have to switch to wordpress or something...

2015 in review

I have spent my morning drinking coffee and looking at everyone's year in review.  So many gorgeous quilts!  And, I am simply jealous!  I have accomplished very little on the sewing front this year.  But here is a little tour.

Here is a little pouch I made and used on our small trip through North Western Europe.

 The Bambi themed baby quilt that went to a great-niece in Japan.

 Some pillows I made.  One was gifted at Christmas, the other sits in my room.

I made four travel blankets for our trip to Europe.  I enjoyed having mine but they sure were a pain to carry through airports and train stations, despite the design that attached to luggage.

 I played around with making pot holders but the mistake I made was to quilt through all the layers.  One can still get burned at the seams, so they mostly get used as hot pads for pans to sit on.  Next time, I will quilt the top layer and then attach to the insulated batting.  Otherwise, I really love them!

I did redecorate my kitchen a little- nothing too major.  These curtains were purchased and just had to be shortened.

And, I have worked on many projects that mostly remain in the construction phase.  This is a block I made for Block Lotto.  It went to that month's winner.
I really love it but I WILL NEVER MAKE ANOTHER!
I HATE paper piecing.
So, there is my very unproductive year.

Things I did accomplish:

• not killing my two teenagers- they are still around and I kinda like them....
• family trip to Europe
• took on some major extra duties at work
• became the secretary of the Choir Board- my daughter is the President of her school choir & drama so I am doing all I can to help her out in her very busy senior year
• lost almost 30 pounds since August
• currently teaching my son to drive
• currently the head of the Graduation committee at my school
• Hosted most of the family Holiday Celebrations and Birthdays throughout the year
• Kept my husband from beheading 4 poodles
• ran a little and participated in one race
• managed to keep a very MESSY house- no accomplishments there...

Goals for 2016

• Figure out this new Weight Watchers system so that it will work for me and I can continue on my weight loss journey
• Get back to running & other forms of exercise- elliptical trainer, hiking, etc.
• clean out the clutter this year
• get my daughter situated for college in the Fall
• get my son a driver's license before my daughter leaves in the fall- otherwise I will end up driving him to school every day- he goes out of district so no bus.
• get my son a car before my daughter leaves with her's in the fall
• get some UFOs finished!!!!- aiming for at least one per month, hopefully more!

MOST IMPORTANTLY- I AIM FOR ALL MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO HAVE A HAPPY, HEALTHY YEAR!

Happy Stitching in 2016,

Chunky Strip Race

I started what I call a Chunky Strip Race this morning.  Its with 3.5 inch strips rather than with 2.5 which would be a Jelly Roll Race.

Here are my colors.  Its actually an experiment.  I used twice as much orange as the other colors so I am hoping for a mostly orange & somewhat modern look.
After 2 hours, I only have it sewn into two rows.  Not exactly a lightning speed race...

I started with about 8 yards of fabric so I am expecting a big quilt top that I can trim to the size I want and use the left over pieces on the back.

And here is a glimpse at the lovely weather outside my sewing room window.  It was fun to look up from these bright colors to see big, fat flakes falling.

Earlier today, I sat down and made a list of some of the most pressing quilt projects that are started and I hope to get finished this year.  I have come up with 28 so far without even looking through the mess in the sewing room.

Right now I think I will start some laundry and hop on the elliptical machine, since I am not being successful in following my Weight Watchers these past couple of weeks. Hope the motivation returns soon!