Better on the Bed

As expected I finished my quilt top, Ladies in Waiting. I'd like  a good flat shot of it on the wall, but it is a bit too big to fit there and I didn't feel like climbing to put it up either. Maybe when the light in the room is better I can do that. That is usually in winter when the sun is shining on the snow and the room is brighter. The flash on my camera is not as effective when I get clear across the room to take the photo.

Meanwhile I continue to work on projects scattered about the room. I guess I don't need to go into the closet looking for work afterall.   As I look about my room I see finished blocks waiting for some setting fabric. Borders waiting for me to purchase more black thread. Borders to go on another quilt top that Sue had removed before she decided to give it to the Comfort Quilt group. And at least 3 quilts waiting for binding. No doubt there is more if I look. But my focus right now is really my next book. I am hoping to finish up the text and illustrations by New Years. The quilting is almost done. In between I have to do some piecing. It's my therapy. And then I squeeze in some blogging; especially on Mondays.

Hidden Stars Finished

My Hidden Stars top is done. How many stars can you count?  Yeah, I didn't count either. Some of the pieces are out of order from my original plan, but you wouldn't know which. I kinda want a bit of randomness about it. I'm happy with it, so will stack it on the pile of keepers. I can't believe I'm going with No borders on this one too. I've been seeing alot of that lately.

Tonight I am quilting with Patti and Joy. Well, I am cutting anyway. I spent a few hours planning a new project. Seems no one else has trouble starting another project. But after quilting 30 years, I sometimes feel that I have already done all the quilts I am interested in. But that just isn't true. I just have to dig a little to figure out what I want to work on. I guess I need to keep a file of pictures to remind me. A list just doesn't cut it for this.

Time to check out everyone's Design Wall linked up to Judy's.   Enjoy!

Another Top Done

My sister and her husband were on their way through the area on  a long road trip and while I was waiting to meet up with them for lunch I got the borders on my version of Kim Brackett's "Pinwheels on Parade". I am really happy with the yellow for the border. Everything else I tried was distracting to the other colors in the blocks. 

Today it is supposed to be in the 90's again so I think I will work down in the studio and get some more quilting done on my Quilts of Valor challenge quilt.

I had a great time at lunch with my sisters. The one from Illinois joined us. With mom and dad both gone now it will be interesting to see just how often we get together. Of course once everyone is retired and next to no grandchildren in the picture, perhaps we will see each other occasionally.


I am off to do some blogging at Judy's Patchwork Times. I  haven't linked up all summer but as long as it is Monday.

Home Alone

My plans for the day changed so instead of going to Quilt Expo in Madison I stayed home and got these blocks and sashing put together. I have enough fabric that matches the sashing for the back so I will get it quilted soon and take it in to church for a comfort quilt. I wouldn't normally use such a busy print for the sashing, but this works for me. Probably cause none of the other fabrics really have much going on.

I also put some time on the longarm. I found the perfect time to work downstairs. When the sun is coming in the window at just the right angle I can see the quilting so much more easily than when all the bright lights are on overhead.  Now I have plans to rig up a light so it shines at the same angle as the sun. I think that means Mark will first have to add another outlet for me downstairs. Oh goody.

We are slowly adjusting to Mark's retirement. He was gone today and I did indeed relish my time alone. I still have a few hours so I am going to see if I can find something else to sew. It is either that, or paperwork. Uck!

Loren's Legacy

My Bali Sea Star top is complete. I decided to border it simply so as not to detract from the blocks in the unique setting. Thanks again to Nann for the suggestion. I love it. I will enjoy it on my flannel wall for a while now.

We haven't had much snow this winter but that doesn't mean I don't shovel snow. I shovel whether I should or not. I can't seem to resist. I don't actually need to, but I really like to shovel.  But then when I shovel,  I pay for it for DAYS afterward. That means I've hurt toooo much from shoveling to quilt or rotary cut very much.  Oh well, so I have been doing a bit of piecing instead.

After meeting at church last Tuesday and  working with their fabric here with Lucrecia the day before I decided it was time to organize again. We left several piles for kits that weren't ready to take on Tuesday.  Several of the ladies mentioned they didn't like a kit unless it told them what to cut and make with it. Some of our kits are just bags of coordinating fabric. Other ladies prefer that. But that means the piles I have here could use patterns chosen to go along with them. Okay, no problem. Spent a while choosing patterns and tweaking the kits.

One of the bags of scraps I came across was all the triangles I'd been collecting. At least anything that would finish  3" or larger.  I knew some of the triangles were the exact size and I paired them with triangles that were over-sized and sewed them together. Now they just need to be trimmed and pressed and they are ready to go into a quilt.  I'd prefer to trim first with scissors.

If they are pressed first then a rotary cutter and ruler would be needed to square them to size. I'm trying to cut back on unnecessary cutting. I guess I could just trim the tips and leave a 1/2" or more for a seam allowance - depending on how they are sewn together. Better yet I will make a kit with 3 1/2" squares and let someone else deal with them.