Thursday, November 27, 2025

Cowboy Panel Finish!

Hi and welcome! 😁 I know - two posts in one week. It's been a while since I've done that! I'm thrilled to share with you my Cowboy panel quilt flimsy. Here's the link to this week's FM Mavericks,

4 Borders on the Cowboy quilt

I've been working on this project since January through the SAHRR 2025 (Stay At Home Round Robin). I knew that I wouldn't get this project done by March when they had the parade. However, having a completed flimsy by the end of 2025 is a huge win! 😃

Cowboy panel quilt - a finished flimsy 😀

Here's are some highlights of the project. To make things easier for everyone, I've added the links directly in the post.

Week 1 was the Art block - we had to find a block that started with the fist letter of our name. The corner block and the bottom blocks are Art blocks.

Week 2 was HST or blocks with half-square triangles. The Lama block on top is a Friendship Star block with a border. The bison block in the middle was an extra block to showcase the fabric.

Weeks 1 and 2 blocks

Week 3 was a Star block. I made two Nine Patch Star blocks with scraps from two shirts. Here's one of them.

Week 3 - a Nine Patch Star block

Week 4 was blocks with inserts. I made the first block with the horse fabric and the next two blocks have all kinds of inserts. Those are the first two blocks on top as well as the last one on the bottom. I also added a pocket block with a denim border. The pocket is from one of the shirts.

Cowboy panel with blocks from weeks 1 to 3

Another insert block made later

Week 5 was a half or quarter log cabin blocks. I ended up making one regular log cabin block to feature the Canada geese fabric and then a quarter log cabin block.

Full log cabin block wit Canada geese

Quarter log cabin block with Moo!

Week 6 was the Kite block. Other than some math issues, it came out well.

Kite block that I later added coping strips

After week 6, I needed more blocks so I made a few appliqué blocks based on a free pattern that I found.

Boot and hat

Cacti

Horse shoe with friends

Finally I needed one extra block so I made an improv block.

Last block - improv

This summer, I added an inner dark brown border and completed the two side borders. It went well, especially with the help of coping strips.

Inner and side borders done

Since the side borders went together fairly easily, I thought that the top and bottom borders would be a breeze....not so much 😔 I blame it on my accuracy challenge and poor math skills. Here is the quilt with the top border.

Outside picture of the Cowboy panel quilt with 3 borders

This is where I left the quilt until this week. I knew that the bottom border wouldn't be as much trouble because in theory, all I had to do was to copy the measurements of the top border. I'm thrilled to say that I was only a quarter inch off on both ends, so just cut that off!

Last look at the Cowboy panel quilt flimsy
from SAHRR 2025

This flimsy is my November OMG - Yay! Done with days to spare.

What I learned

It was really interesting going through all of my SAHRR posts to prepare this one. There were definitely lots of learning while making all of these blocks.
The quilt is 48" x 55".
I knew that I was being overly ambitious when I started making 2 panel quilts, but the Cowboy quilt is now a flimsy and I'm hoping to finish the Christmas panel quilt by the end of the year. This is also very ambitious but I know that I can do it after everything I've learned from making the Cowboy quilt (in theory anyway😁). Think coping strips and measure 4 times!!!!
I've looked at my Christmas panel and blocks - I don't have any fabric picked out for the borders. Oh well, I'll be checking out my stash next. I will also make this my December One Monthly Goal (OMG).
My plan is to finish both flimsies this year and start the new year with FMQ fun!
Here's a photo of the panel. After checking out my photos, it looks like I'll be spreading the blocks out or making more. Come back to check up on my progress 😊

Christmas panel quilt is next

Linking parties

I'll be linking to many linking parties, including the November One Monthly Goal Finish link-up. FM Mavericks, Off The Wall Friday, TGIFF, Patchwork & Appliqué,

Wednesday, November 26, 2025

Spiral Challenge

Bonjour and welcome! 😊 I've been chasing a squirrel this week. Read on to find out more.

Spiral Challenge

One of my favourite embroidery artist and teacher is Mirjam Gielen of Mirjam Textiles. I've been following her on Instagram for years. She has taught a couple of workshops with TextileArtist.org and I'm also a member of her Patreon. She's having a Spiral Challenge for her Patreon members, so I've watched her videos and stitched up a few spirals.

Four embroidered spirals

For my first spiral, I drew a simple shape on the fabric with a FriXion pen. It was a spiral with curves within it, like an ammonite stone or a snail's shell. I wanted to make those marks within the curve and used bullion knots and cast-on stitches. Some of my stitches are better than others but outlining the spiral with a chain stitch makes it look better.

My first spiral, outlined with chain stitch and the curves in
bullion knots and cast-on stitches

The second spiral was created with two layers of herringbone stitches. I used a variegated perle cotton of green and yellow. I really enjoyed this one, once I got the hang of the stitch.

Herringbone stitch to make another spiral

The third spiral was made using the blanket stitch and outlined with a chain stitch. I love the blanket stitch once I get it started. The problem with a blanket stitch in a curved pattern is that it tends to draw in. That's why adding a contour of chain stitch is great - you can use the chain stitch to tack the blanket stitch in place.

Adding the chain stitch

Blanket stitch

Blanket stitched spiral with chain stitch edging

My final many-spoked spiral was stitched with a back stitch in different colours of #12 perle cotton. I added two rows of French knots to jazz it up.

Back stitched spirals with French knots

What I learned

I really enjoyed playing with the different stitches to make the spirals.
I don't often embroider in a hoop, but I found it necessary to use the hoop to get a good tension.
My stitches are ok - and I know that if I really wanted to get much better, that I would need to practice these shapes several times.
Although I enjoyed making them, I just don't have the patience to keep stitching the spirals over and over because I'm easily bored!
Lucky for me, I've learned to work to my strengths. When I embroider, it's usually to add texture to a piece - so that the imperfections don't really matter.

Free Motion Mavericks

Welcome to week 559 of Free Motion Mavericks! It was a very productive week! Thanks for linking up. Here are the projects from last week that included FMQ, ruler work or walking foot quilting.

Deb from A Scrappy Quilter got two quilts quilted and finished! The first one was a pieced quilt top made of scrappy triangles. Deb quilted around each of the pyramids to accentuate them.

Deb's finished pyramid quilt

Close-up of the Deb's quilting along the pyramids

Deb's second quilt, 2000 Colors, started off as a green quilt. Deb put it aside - it was too green! Then she got a stash of "near postage stamp blocks" and the second quilt was created!

2000 Colors, created and quilted by Deb

Gwyned Trefethen has started FMQ the background of her Broken Hearts quilt with spirals.

Gwyneth FMQ spirals in the background of Broken Hearts

Donnalee quilted another runner for her guild's upcoming show and sale. It was originally quilted as you go but Donnalee added serpentine quilting to finish it off.

Donated runner gets additional serpentine quilting by Donnalee

Donnalee's quilted doggy placemat for Zoey

Melva, of Melva Loves Scraps, finished quilting two Memory Keeper quilts.

Memory Keeper quilt by Melva

Another Memory Keeper quilt by Melva

It's now your turn! 😎

Thursday, November 20, 2025

Some Embroidery

Bonjour and welcome 😊 I don't have much to share today except a bit of embroidery. So let's get to it!

Not so daily stitching

This week has been full of appointments and non-textile related tasks. I did get a little bit of embroidery done on my "Almost Daily Stitching 2024" project, which BTW won't be finished in 2025.

Sunset over water

Rain and more rain

Random stitches

I did finish Desert Landscape but I want to attach it in the hoop and take good pictures. It should be next week's post (as well as some progress on the cowboy quilt....I hope!). I also started my next coiling project. Nothing to show yet. I've mostly been stitching in the evening but this night owl has been going to bed early and waking up way too early. I hope that's going to stop soon. 😁

Here's a photo of the freezing rain that we got - it was minimal, so just pretty but not dangerous!

Freezing rain on the tree

What I learned

I must be tired because I was not motivated to write this post - sorry for the late post again.
I'm glad that I've stitched on my "Almost Daily Stitching 2024" project. I tend to forget about it except when I'm inspired. I like how my Sunset over water translated to embroidery. Since I gave the piece away, this will be a great reminder.
There have been a lot of appointments but I'm happy to say that it's all good. 😊
I can't believe that it's already almost the end of the month....I'm so not ready for what's coming next!

A Nostalgic Trip and Hand Stitching, August 07, 2025
Scraps, Embroidery and Free Motion Mavericks, October 31, 2024
Floral Fusion and hand-stitching on Free Motion Mavericks, September 05, 2024
Spending Quality Time Slow Stitching, February 06, 2024
So much slow stitching going on, January 09, 2024

Linking parties

I'll be linking up to many fun linking parties. You might want to check some out. Monday Musings, Sew & Tell, Put your foot down, Off The Wall Friday, Patchwork & Quilts, 15 Minutes to Stitch 2025, Slow Sunday Stitching,

Free Motion Mavericks

Welcome to week 558 of Free Motion Mavericks! Thanks for linking up. Here are the projects from last week that included FMQ, ruler work or walking foot quilting.

Gail of The Cozy Quilter finished a lovely winter wall hanging that will be donated for auction. She quilted it using her walking foot.

Winter wall hanging quilted by the Cozy Quilter

Gwyneth Trefethen is learning to use her Bernina 990. It sounds like she used the embroidery function to quilt a spiral motif.

Gwyned learning more functions on her Bernina

It's now your turn 😊

Friday, November 14, 2025

Desert Landscape in progress

Hi and welcome 😊 I hope that you've had a good week. I'm sorry that I'm a day late - I hope you'll link up below! This week I didn't have as much time to stitch as I thought, but I did have a wonderful week thanks to my brother and his family. There will be more about that in a future post. This week I almost have a finish!

A desert landscape

I have been doing more landscape art with coiling. I'm on my third piece and it's still fun. 😀 That's unusual for this gal who gets bored so easily. I think because it's relatively simple, quick and so full of possibilities. I even have my next one planned!

This piece is based on a picture I took in 2016 in one of the National Parks we visited around Nevada. Maybe because hubby and I are from the forests and lakes of the Cambrian Shield, we find deserts fascinating.

Desert Landscape - almost finished

The original photo of a desert landscape

I remember taking this photo because the fine sand at the forefront was actually unusual in the parks we visited. It's amazing how different the landscapes are, even if they are all considered deserts.

This piece is tiny - it's in a 4" embroidery hoop. That was part of the challenge that I gave myself. I wanted to see how different it would be to work on a much smaller scale. After making the drawing of the photo within a circle, I didn't colour it but did mark instructions about the colours that I wanted in each area.

Drawing of the image with colour instructions

Marking the areas directly on the background fabric

Getting lots of stitching done. Sorry about the dark photo.

Here's a final photo of Desert Landscape in progress.

All that's left is the bright blue of the sky

What I learned

Working in a smaller hoop was fun! I used narrower strips of fabric - about 1". As long as all of the strips are roughly the same width, the coils look uniform. Of course, if you want something to stand out, you can used wider fabric which makes a wider coil!
I also used shorter coils, especially for the mountains and the sky around them.
Different coloured coils were used underneath the mountains to ensure a strong contrast between the desert, the trees and the mountains.
I also used two different batik fabrics for the mountains to get different colours in the mountains.
I used a FriXion pen to mark the pattern on the background fabric. You can see on the earlier progress picture that I just cross out the lines that I don't want to use. In theory I could use any pen but I don't want to get into that habit...and then use the wrong pen by mistake!
My next hoop will be 5 or 6 inches. I want to add embroidery on top of some of the coils. We'll see how that goes!😊

Related links

Sunset over water, November 06, 2025
Pink Turtlehead Flowers Finished, October 22, 2025
Julia Wright, website, Instagram, Artist interview in TextileArtist.org

Linking parties

I'll be linking up to many fun linking parties. You may want to check some out, after you've linked up below! Put your foot down, Needle & Thread Thursday, Off The Wall Friday, Finished (Or Not) Friday, Sew & Tell, Patchwork & Quilts, 15 Minutes to Stitch 2025, Slow Sunday Stitching, Monday Musings, Design Wall Monday,

Free Motion Mavericks

Welcome to week 557 of Free Motion Mavericks! It was a very productive week! Thanks for linking up. Here are the projects from last week that included FMQ, ruler work or walking foot quilting.

Preeti of Sew Preeti Quilts made a gorgeous quilt, Sulaxi, for the Timeless Traditions Blog Hop.

Sulaxi by Preeti

Kat of Scrapbox Quilts made a lovely Tossed Leaves and Pumpkin runner with 2 placemat panels. She quilted this with a diagonal around the small squares while she FMQ around the pumpkins and leaves.

Tossed Leaves and Pumpkin runner

Kat used a serpentine stitch grid for this string baby quilt that was made from donations from the quilting community. It will also be donated to a good organisation.

Baby quilt made by a community for a good cause.

Deb the Scrappy Quilter made this very lovely water coloured quilt. After struggling, she was able to FMQ a water ripple design on it.

Deb's lovely quilt FMQ with a water ripple design

Gwyned Trefethen finished her thread painting demo, A Dance Among the Flowers. She stippled the background and will be wrapping it around an 8" x 8" canvas.

A Dance Among the Flowers by Gwyned

Brenda of Songbird Designs made Sedona Starburst for the Timeless Traditions blog hop. What a beauty! You'll want to visit her post to see more of her FMQ! Here's the quilt and a peak at the FMQ and ruler work.

Sedona Starburst made by Brenda

Brenda FMQ Sedona Starburst

More FMQ by Brenda on Sedona Starburst

Frédérique of Patchwork & Quilts presented BB quilts that will be donated. These were made by her friend Maribé. Here is one that was quilted with hearts!