WOOFA for November

I finished the "Jack of Hearts" quilt that I started back in 2012 as a mystery QAL.  I'd had the flimsy done for awhile but had planned to use it for what became the Sophie Project for my DIL. I was excited to find the perfect EPP pattern of an Italian Greyhound so I added that plus the 2 "pillows" to the top of the Jack of Hearts flimsy and it became "Sophia Popia"

The first photo below is my Kitty (Cali) giving her approval....the 2nd is my DIL's Kitty (Louie) so the quilt got a Double Stamp Kitty Approval....lol...

I also finished all the blocks for Long Time Gone but haven't finished the flimsy yet.....

Thanks to Lovely Cheryll for hosting WOOFA and you can click HERE to visit her link-up to see all the work done for November....

 

Mini Snow Globe throw pillow, EPP Mermaid, and some new barstool covers......

 I have been visiting Mom this past week...will head home on Monday.  Before I left home I made a little mini pillow for my Granddaughters using the vinyl applique snow globe.....

I had a snowman printed applique which I used for the back of the pillow......

I brought all the LTG blocks to Moms to start putting together but was having so many problems with the checkerboard filler block and one of the churn dash blocks that I decided to wait til I got back home and remake the filler blocks.........

So instead I decided to make one of the EPP patterns I got from this awesome little book by Mary Hertel called "Sew Magical"......

The book is full of paper piece patterns for all kinds of magical creatures that my granddaughters love.....my first try is this mermaid.........

my next project from this book will be one of the unicorns..........

I also helped my SIL cover 5 of the barstools in the fabulous family bar that she and my brother have in their basement...........

Since COVID19 took over our lives we have not taken Mom to any of the restaurants she used to enjoy nor shopping but I do try to take her on a drive when I visit.  Yesterday we drove out to the cemetery where her grandfather is buried.  She never knew him but was excited to see the gravestones of 2 uncles that she did know.............

I always enjoy visiting with Mom but, as you know, it is always good to get home.........and Mom loves our visits.....when I leave my younger sis will be here for a week and then our eldest sister comes in December.......I have 2 siblings who live next door to Mom and between the 5 of us we make sure she never has to sleep alone and that someone is always nearby.  We are so blessed to still have our Dear Mom and doubly blessed that she is still able to live at home at the young age of 99!

Vinyl Applique...some Christmas Decorations.......and Sophie is on her way to her new home....

I have been having fun trying out some of the vinyl applique designs with my embroidery machine. 

First design I made was a pretty mason jar with flowers inside........it made a sweet throw pillow 

sweeter still when it is filled with lightening bugs

 I've also made a couple of Christmas wall hangings to send to my Grands.........first off a pretty glass jar filled with Christmas Candy.........and, of course couldn't do without the lights inside.............

and finally, a cute little snow globe........this one called for some added rhinestone snowflakes inside that fall around just like a real snow globe......not sure what I'll make with this one yet.... I had a bit of trouble with the stabilizer and it made the globe part a little wonky....probably should have used something different....at one point I actually lost everything out of the hoop....luckily I was able to re-hoop it but I think I'll try this one again and see if I have better luck on the second try....

and Sophie is done and on her way to my dear DIL.... 

 

Working on Sophie Night and Day....................

Yes I am even working on the Sophie Project in my sleep!  Lol........do you do that?  Get so involved in a project that you begin dreaming about it?   

I actually got the sandwich made but before that I needed to get the backing "Kitty Approved".....

I put the label on the paw print on the back......

Once Cali approved the backing I was able to get started on the quilting yesterday.........

I used a simple decorative stitching with a variegated thread and my walking foot..........I will stitch in the other direction today.............

on the top I tried doing a FMQ bones motif.....not very well done but it's my first try so it stays.....lol.....I was also not sure about the variegated thread here.....but again....it stays.....

I decided to just finish the top area quilting with a large meandering FMQ and will do the edges the same........

So I'm off now up to the sewing room to make some more mistakes progress!

FNWF---- Sophie Project Flimsy is Done!

I have finished the Sophie Project Flimsy and  am linking up with FNWF  ............(well I am finished except for her eyes......don't know if I will use buttons like the EPP pattern calls for or embroider them instead....I am leaning toward the embroidered eyes plan)...

and YIPES!

I hope I don't forget to put a label on it....(my menopause memory sometimes kicks in and I forget important stuff like that.....)

 I added a machine embroidery dog collar and finally just winged it with the tail......I sort of did "backward" paper-piecing (without the paper) for the tail piece....lol........

I really like the beige colored background fabric I had chosen "way back when" in 2012 when I made the Jack of Hearts quilt that I adapted to this project.  I think it looks like a wrinkled bed sheet which is perfect!   The two pieces with her name and the puppy foot are supposed to be pillows in this "bed" quilt...........

Thank you to our wonderful host, Cheryll, for keeping us motivated at Friday Night With Friends at her Blog..........Click HERE to see other friends who are working together virtually to get some projects caught up or finished......

and I just remembered that my Jack of Hearts quilt is on my WOOFA challenge list since it's a UFO so this will be a "killing 2 birds with one stone" kind of deal:  I get to start a new project and finish a UFO all at the same time!  It just doesn't get any better than that, right???

The Sophie Project

 After finding the EPP pattern for the Italian Greyhound and doing the practice piece I couldn't wait to get started on the Sophie Project.

Here is the actual piece I will use for the project....it was enlarged to 125% of the original pattern....

I have been thinking about doing this quilt for awhile since I saw a quilt called "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie" in a magazine........

But I will adapt it to a flimsy I have had finished since 2012, when I participated in the Jack of Hearts Mystery QAL.....I didn't put the blocks together like the actual Jack of Hearts Pattern but chose to be a rebel and put them together in the pattern I liked:

the layout below was the layout I was supposed to use....but in my own defense I actually posted the 2 layouts to my blog back then and asked for opinions.....most of my comments said the first layout was best.....(grin)

I will only use one doggie for this quilt and I will use these 2 machine embroidered pieces too

You know how Mom's do when their kid is in trouble?  They call them by their first and middle name?? Well my DDIL gave Sophie her "in trouble" name.....and I just had to include it in the Sophie Project......."Sophia Popia"............she is so missed......

I still have to make her skinny little tail, which will curl up next to her on the right....and then decide how to finish out the top.......but I like where this is headed......