I am participating in the 350 blocks challenge by Prairie Moon again this year.
Total YTD: 532
10 Sand Dollar applique blocks
82 Sand Dollar setting blocks
5 Sand Dollar top assembly
3 basket blocks
1 For the Birds backing assembly
16 Color My World houses
2 Sand Dollar backing
Getting these two off to the quilter means I finished 3 this month. I guess I was catching up from a few months of not sewing at all.
One quilt and its backing are on the hangers. I prefer hanging to folding. It seems to make less creases to iron out.
I also cleaned and organized my sewing room which included making an inventory of quilt projects and patterns that await their turn to start. My UFOs are getting down - yay, but I still have projects waiting to be started.
For the Birds backing is done. I chose to not make a bicycle. One side is blue while the other is white. That is what I had.
Sand Dollar top is done and ready to be quilted. Love it. It took me a bit to decide on borders with the fabrics I had left over. It lived on my living room floor all week.
The two challenges with finishing this one were:
1. I just didn't love it. It was just too busy and needed more negative space. This layout did the trick, and the polka dot background found in my srash was perfect.
2. My Bernina is old and does not do a pretty blanket stitch anymore. I ended up staying after school a few days to use a school Bernina thanks to the support of the FACS teacher.
For the Birds has now taken up a temporary home on my living room floor as I intend to piece a back for it today.
Today's Linkies:
A layout that I like was finally decided for Sand Dollar. Units are made and ready for assembly. Yay! I finally really like this quilt.
Four tree trunks were hand appliqued as well as two tree tops for Color My World. The other trees are glue basted and ready to stitch.
I needed a basket for a bicycle that will go on the back of my "For the Birds" quilt. It has cute bicycle fabric, so the bike began to beg me to create her. I made the basket from a Buggy Barn Pattern but removed the handle. It is cuter with the handle, but a bike basket does not need a handle. When you make one Buggy Barn block, you make three by nature of how stack and slash patterns are formed. The extra two will end up on the back somewhere with the other extra blocks made in this quilt.
Linking up with Slow Sunday Stitching.
I feel like I am in slow motion but it is progressing...
Seven houses were constructed on Saturday.
I do love this quilt. Tree trunks and hand applique should get added this week (I hope). I am also reconstructing some of the skyscrapers in the next round. I would prefer houses or barns - not a city girl.
Color My World is plugging along with nine houses added this week. I am loving this project and hope to get the top done this month.
I also have almost all of my Sand Dollar blocks blanket stitched. It feels great to have a day at home to sew. I have missed it.
Linking up parties:
The brown circles are now blanket stitched with only blue to go. I hope to put borders on these little guys and finish it soon. The browns and polka dots shown are selected for those borders. These blocks are only about 5 inches.
I have also been piecing houses for Color My World. It would be nice to finish this top as well this month.
There is a pile all picked out and ready to paper piece this week.
It would be nice to get 3 more tops done this month to keep my 2022 goals in check. My hit list has Color My World and Sand Dollar on it as well as a back for For the Birds.
I am linking up today with:
I have been on a couple adventures the past couple of weekends and have finally made time to sew a little after school.
I didn't complete my goals, but there was progress.
I have the white circles blanket stitched on Sand Dollar. Brown and blue centers are still to come.
Tom Turkey has been done for a year, but I changed my quilt hanger system and had to add a hanging sleeve to the back. I love it on the wall.
Flower Power is a top now. Hopefully I can get the backing done tomorrow and send it off to be quilted. I had a love/hate relationship with this project. I signed up for a monthly kit and got these fabrics which I really didn't love. I added some Tula Pink which helped. The blocks were super easy and fun to make, but the fabrics really don't do much for me. I purchased sale fabric to finish it off or used my stash. No sense spending lots of money on something you don't love.
Last weekend was Thanksmas with my family. Me and my siblings got a photo. It has been so long since all five of us have been together. Nearly all of our kids and grands were there as well. I am the shortest and the eldest; however, none of us are tall.
We had a great rock crawling Saturday the weekend before. Life has been full of happy days! We nearly tipped the truck over.
Oh, and I promised a photo of my book club's murder mystery night.
And how could I leave a post without mentioning Zoom with the Chookshed group. Thanks ladies!
Hello Blog Friends!
I had a wonderful visit with Chooky's Zoomers and got some inspiration to get sewing again. I went through my 2022 goals and set up a plan to meet them. It will be tight, but it is doable.
What have I been up to? Well, not much sewing. I did have a girls sew day with my three daughters. We sewed up cute little bags and projects. We also chalked each other's hair. The two lttle grand daughters loved that! There was also some home made lotion making.
Remember my quilt retreat that didn't happen in August, well my girls loved sewing up some of the make and takes I had prepared. I also gave them free pick of the bags and pincushions I had made. They loved it.
I have also been training for a hike and trying to swim laps a few times a week all summer. Hiking the highest peak in Utah was so wonderful that I wanted to stay in shape. I have also lost about 16 lbs HOORAY FOR ME!!
I traveled to Southern Utah two weeks ago to do a 12 mile hike. We also e-biked Bryce Canyon which was stunning and fun! If someone tells you e-biking is easy - well - tell my very soar legs that. I loved it so much though!!!
The hike was 6 miles down a steep mountain - not so easy. The other 6 miles was in a river bottom. We crossed the river repeatedly which was fun but exhausting. Oh, and we found waterfalls too.
With only one week left in October, I set these quilty goals to finish off the month. Wish me luck!
1. Get a top done with borders and backing made for FLOWER POWER.
2. Make a plan for and get started on a backing for FOR THE BIRDS. I wanted to put this bicycle on the back. We shall see if I go that way or just piece a simple backing.
3. Finish the binding on WINDMILL
4. Machine applique' centers on SAND DOLLAR
This week I am looking forward to a murder mystery evening with my book club. Oh do we all enjoy each other so much!! I will have to check in with you on how that goes down and try to remember to take pictures. I will play the role of Dierdre C. Deucer. Ya, that is me!
