Saturday, April 16, 2022

Leader/Ender At An End

These Windmill blocks have been a leader/ender project for me off and on since October 2014! This was inspired by Kathie Holland at Inspired By Antique Quilts blog (which no longer exists). I sure miss Kathie!  The blocks finish at 4". They are going to need trimming before I start sewing them together, but I am finally finished cutting and sewing blocks. This is as far as I am taking this.

I purposely did NOT try to keep like colors apart from each other. This is the most "just throw it up on the wall" I have ever done. The lighting wasn't great at night when I took this photo, but all of the colors are a couple of shades of blues, along with deep reds and blacks--and a wide range of neutrals. There are "make do" blocks all over the place. One block has 5 different fabrics. Betcha' can't find it. ;)

The shapes are cut using one of the mini acrylic templates from a set of 12 by Bay Creek Quilting. Most of the set are jelly roll friendly.  This photo of the set was lifted from the Bay Creek website. The second from the right on the top row is the one I used here. You have to cut with all of your fabric either right side up, or all of it right side down--also, always face the ruler the same direction. I once cut a bunch facing the wrong way, and I included three of those blocks in this quilt. Can you see the 3 windmills spinning the wrong way?

About the only other sewing I have done since my last post involved using up leftover sashing strips and scraps from the purple Heartfelt quilt. I got the blocks (1 1/2" finished) assembled and now I am debating, "To border, or not to border?"

I have a lovely purple paisley I had wanted to use, but it has lots of red in it, and they just didn't do anything for each other.


So many things other than quilting have been going on, and during a minute here and a minute there, along with much help from family on their Sunday visits, this puzzle finally got finished! Hubby insisted I be in the picture. Love those sea turtles!


I also finally got my father-in-law's history printed up for the family. It has taken me a year to get photos and documents found and added to the history he had written when he was 70. It took the history from 25 pages to 160 pages! I hope he would be pleased with the final result. This Tuesday will be the 102nd anniversary of his birth. He has been gone for almost 15 years.


So many people are trying to do good things to help the situation in Ukraine--and the people who are fleeing. I have been trying to support the efforts of others, including DD#2, who is a "cookier".  She made these lovely cookies based on the Ukrainian eggs, or pysanky. She has made and sold hundreds of these cookies via her Instagram account and word of mouth. I can't eat them, but I bought some and delivered them to friends and neighbors. They are so pretty!


Chookyblue has been quite the social butterfly lately, with Zoom parties almost every week. So fun to visit, even if you can only join in for a short time. I caught the tail end of it this time around, but I was glad to have a chat, while I unpicked some seams that looked like I had done them in my sleep. I probably had!

I wish all who observe Easter a blessed day of celebration. If you would like to watch a brief, but thought-provoking Easter message, click the link #Because of Him.


Leaving you with another shot of sunset over the mountains. I was driving home the other night and about 1/2 mile south of my home I had to stop (in the middle of the road) and take a picture. I knew if I waited until I got home the color would be gone--and I was right. And yes, we have had a wet and snowy week.
You should be able to click on the photo to enlarge it.


Until next time, be creative, and be kind.
Janet O.

34 comments:

  1. You're correct, I couldn't find it! Found lots of scrap happy ones by zooming in.love your sunset picture. We got a White Easter Eve today.Hope it's melted by the morning. Up late making rolls for dinner at the oldest daughters home. So nice to be invited. Happy Easter! I shared that video on Facebook. So grateful for the Easter promises! Good job finishing the book. Did you paint the turtles?

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  2. i love that windmill pattern and yours is just perfect! i missed you on zoom due to computer issues...waahhh...beautiful teeny tiny piece, you are certainly a master at minimizing! a blessed Easter to you and your family janet...i treasure your friendship...

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  3. The windmills are beautiful. I'm not going to even try to find the one with five fabrics.
    I missed out on zoom as I had not checked my email. I love that jigsaw, such a lovely project to have completed.
    And as for those tiny wee purple blocks. Wow.

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  4. I think the one with five fabrics is in the top row, second from the right and I did find the three wrong way windmills :) Thanks for the fun seek and find. Beautiful quilt!

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  5. Nope! I couldn’t find it either. The quilt is amazing!! Your daughter’s cookies are incredibly beautiful! You live in such a beautiful place. You look so pretty in your puzzle photo. Happy Easter!

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  6. Whoops, I meant second from left! I’m left/right challenged….drives my husbands nuts ;-)

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  7. The challenges to find the oops windmills is like looking for Waldo. How challenging that quilt must have been and it's beautiful! So are the cookies. I missed the latest zoom, too. Granddaughter was in a play and that was our evening for tickets.

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  8. Beautiful ender and leader quilt! I've also been working on one since 2014. A combination of binding pieces and scraps that I've been making into teeny pinwheels. A lot of work, but its fun to look back at the blocks and remember what quilt each fabric was from! It's good to know I'm not the only crazy one lol! Thanks for sharing.

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  9. Happy Easter! I remember Kathie’s blog so well. Wow that is just a marvelous quilt! Love it! What a pretty picture of you and the finished puzzle, awesome!

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  10. Lovely quilty work! I love those tiny prints in both block types.
    Your daughter's cookies are rather amazing. Wonderful to have them helping those dealing with the impact of the war on Ukraine! The sunset photo is breathtaking! Happy Resurrection Day!

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  11. Oh gosh--I miss Kathie too--loved everything that she did! Your spinner quilt is going to be amazing. Popping in a few of the "wrong way" blocks just adds to the fun. I did find them, but not your make-do block. I've been doing a lot of that myself lately and just have a little chuckle wondering if anyone will notice. Hope your Easter is lovely!

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  12. Wow! Your quilt looks like A LOT of work, so nice though. You continue to like small parts. Amazing. . .
    The cookies are gorgeous. What an accomplishment to finish the biography. That's A Lot of work too.

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  13. It was like trying to find Waldo! I found the opposite pinwheels but not the little make-do block. The quilt blocks are wonderful along with the mini nine patches. What a awesome gift for your family. The genealogy of your husband will be treasured. The cookies are a work of art. Your daughter has true talent. I always enjoy your nearby scenery. The sunset was amazing.

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  14. Your blog posts are always inspiring! I love your little purple quilt - the cheddar accents are just right! Would you care to share the name of your daughter's instagram account with the cookies, please. There's an instagram account named "Inspired by fibers". I think it might be Kathie!

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    1. Thank you for the sweet comment, Terry. Your account is "no-reply", so I cannot respond to you personally. I don't know if you will see this.
      I am not on Instagram, so I have never known what my daughter's account is. But I can tell you that she was only taking the orders up to the time she could deliver them by Easter, and the response was so good that she had to turn some down, due to time constraints.
      Sounds like that could be Kathie on Instagram, but again, I am not on there to find out. But thanks for trying to give me the heads-up. I have limited my social media to blogs, and though I had been on Facebook for a time, I have left it now. I get sucked in to too many things and don't get anything else done. :)

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  15. Wow! I absolutely love your windmill blocks!! They look fabulous together! I found the ones going the “wrong” way, but not the one with the extra fabrics 🙂. Your work is always inspiring. And what a gorgeous sunset!

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  16. Your "puzzle" of finding blocks reminded me of the challenge to find a 6 in rows and columns of 9s (etc.) that I sometimes see on Facebook. I did find one windmill going left instead of right.... So many windmills, so much time (years), and now you'll have a fabulous quilt!
    Your tiny purple quilt is too wonderful! And amazing. I think a border would enhance the blocks but you'll know best for it.
    You spent lots of time enhancing your father-in-law's history. I'm sure his family will treasure it.
    I hope you had a wonderful Easter.
    Those eggs are amazing! Such find detail, and with frosting!

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  17. love the windmill leader and enders project......I did find the 3 backward blocks.......it's a bugger when that happens........Lucky you didn't make to many....
    The puzzle is lovely.....I like the pic looking down on you......
    Hmmm yes I have been a social butterfly.........so pleased you could join briefly........planning a big one soon very soon.........I want to sew for a LONG day..........
    I love the sunset pic.......will that be the last of the snow........it is so pretty........

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  18. You have been busy...love the windmills and your wee purple quilt, can see your dilemma about bordering it's a coin toss, both would look fabulous with or without...always good to catch up with you on the zoom...hope you are enjoying Easter...

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  19. Thanks for the puzzle, my eyes did finally spot one of the alternate pinwheels and then had to give up and just gaze at all those wonderful blocks! I like the random placement and the occasional sparkle of the lightest neutrals. The genealogy of your father-in-law is a treasured gift for your husband and the rest of his family. Your daughter's psanky cookies are works of art, definitely too pretty to eat! We have an elderly church friend who created the psanky in her younger years and also occasionally taught classes. Sadly she is no longer able to pursue this art as her hands are very crippled with arthritis. You enjoy some of the most beautiful sunsets and I'm glad you share them with all of us.

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  20. Beautiful windmill blocks, who cares if some go the wrong way! Great jigsaw you have done, and well done on the family history, that will be great for your hubby and future readers. Your daughters biscuits are stunning ,she is so clever. So glad you stopped for the sunset photo that is stunning too.

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  21. I just adore this windmill quilt and how clever of you to sew it as a leaders/enders project. Didn't it turn out beautifully!! Those cookies are beautifully decorated. Lovely photo. I work on puzzles also...currently Cobble Hill's Dog Quotes 1000 piece...I'm loving it. Yours is gorgeous.

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  22. Hello Janet ! I'm glad I can read you again ! I'm having problems for receiving newsletters from american blogs. Your quilts are both beautiful !! Your daughter's cookies are... amazing ! Oh wow ! She is a magician ! :) The book about your father history is a treasure... great and touching gift !

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  23. Janet, I want to know what's going to be the NEXT leader/ender project? That one came out amazing!! I didn't even try to find the one with the extra pieces. Sure is beautiful.
    And the Ukraine cookies are spectacular! She is very talented.
    Always love to see your sunsets--glad you stopped.
    Fun seeing you on Chooky's zoom the other day! Is't she a kick??
    xxx

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  24. :Love the Everything Goes in your windmill quilt. Great fabrics. The tiny patchwork you create is always astounding. Amazing work to update a person's history--I'm sure it is much appreciated by the family. Love the snowy scenery--we had barely a dusting of snow on our mountains this winter and no rain to speak of.

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  25. No and No to both questions! I didn't find the '5-colour block' nor the ones facing the wrong way - what a gorgeous quilt that is becoming. Encompassing so much sewing/quilting history I bet. The Ukraine cookies look amazing - good on your daughter for doing that. I missed you on Chooky's latest zoom - I was at the start of the day, before we went off to the Lion Park. Oh and beautiful sunset pic and lovely purple 9-patches - I'll be interested to see if you border or not!

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  26. Oh my, what an accomplishment! Those blocks are amazing! I am so very proud of you for "throwing them on the wall" as is. They look absolutely fabulous right where they are. I did find a few going the wrong way, but would never have noticed them if you hadn't said anything and it adds to the charm and beauty of the quilt. I just love it. That little 9-patch is stunning. I can't imagine all the work that went into your father-in-law's history. What a great accomplishment. Hope you had a wonderful Easter.

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  27. I love your leader/ender blocks so much!! I really need to do that and I have something in mind, but need to get organized. The puzzle reminds me of when I was snorkeling in Hawaii and a sea turtle brushed up against me under water. I was so excited!! Your purple mini is adorable, of course. Really an accomplishment to get the FIL history finished. I want to get some history of our family done and need to set aside some time for that. The cookies are amazing!

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  28. I always loved that Windmill pattern and was a fan of Kathie's blog! She had so many great ideas--and she was a Jersey girl :) Your quilt looks fantastic. Makes me want to make some Windmill blocks :) Love how you just put them up on your wall and left them that way! Your mini is so sweet. Your daughter's cookies are amazing. What a talented 'cookier' she is! I know your family will forever appreciate the work you put into printing your father-in-law's history :) Wow! Another gorgeous sunset!

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  29. Your windmill quilt is amazing, and how cool that you started it so long ago and are now getting it finished! I did find one backwards block but then gave up looking! lol

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  30. What a gift of love for your father in law's loved ones. And your daughter's Ukrainian egg cookies - I see that service and creativity run in your family!

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  31. I am trying to catch my breath, after viewing the sunset photo. Thank you for the reminder to appreciate our life.

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  32. Somehow I missed this beautiful post. I was having trouble with Bloglovin'
    So much inspiration and the leader ender is amazing!
    That final photo gives me chills. Absolutely sublime.

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  33. Wauw... your windmill blocks are so stunning. Just love the look of them... And thanx for sharing the video about Jesus. It is good to remember His resuraction. The title reminds me of an old song I love. Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, because He lives, my fear has gone. Because I know, He holds the future.... and live is worth the living just because He lives. It is good to know He holds our future. May the Lord bless you for sharing the gospel.

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