Friday, July 31, 2015

July Quilt Update

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I have moved the previous posts to the end of the entry.  I hope that you make it that far.

Goals:  Oh My Heck No --- What was I thinking?

Round Robin (RR) blocks (14)  for last top selected and fabrics chosen -  pattern and fabric selected
BOM blocks (3) complete -  yes
Easy Street (ES) Clue 8 - no
Orange Crush (OC) ripped out, re-sandwiched, quilted and bound - no
Bow-Dacious (BD)  area ripped out, quilted, labeled, binding on - no
Old Tobacco Road (OTR)  - Clues 4, 5 - no
Jennifer's 9 patches resewn, signed, and mailed -  started resewing
Christmas blocks - worked on - getting there
Block a Day continued (BAD) -  current
Tumbler L/E Challenge worked on - no
Collect Row by Row Patterns - Oooooohhhh I did good here!

1st -  We have a few days break in summer camp sessions leaving me with an opportunity to SEW!  I am so excited and hurriedly make my way out to the studio.  Mister is working from home and needs quiet in the house so it's a great excuse for me to get the heck out of there.  Christmas in July?  Why not?  My Christmas blocks are calling and the little 1 1/2" squares for the large reindeer block scream the loudest.  Once I have it finished, working on group blocks as leader/enders, I move on to machine appliqueing several other blocks as well.  (I haven't pressed the reindeer block down yet but I promise, it is even all around.)




2nd -  It's a playday.  I am meeting up with Tammy to  go Row by Row hopping.  For details on today, please check out this LINK.  It's a great day and my goodies are abundant to say the least.

3rd -  My days of solitude are few this month and I really want to finished some of the Christmas blocks by getting the satin stitching complete, I LOVE how they are turning out.  Once the back threads are tied and everything is trimmed to size, I move on to another pieced block - the gingerbread man one.  A wee bit of embroidery on the Nativity and Santa blocks and they are in the "done" column as well.  Leaders/enders are three more sections for group blocks.  Yes!  I feel good about checking so many items off today.  It's about time.


4th -  Happy Independence Day.  Making my way out to the studio first thing in the morning allows me to finish my Ornament block and a couple more group units.  Things are moving along.  After a break, I tackle the snowflake and tree blocks which are paper pieced as well as the last of the red group units.  Mister treats me to a fireworks night I will never forget.  Watching from the top of the Cotton Bowl makes it seem as though I am in a space time warp.  So incredible.

5th -  The last of my pieced blocks are calling my name this morning and soon I am again knee deep in 1 1/2" squares.  My Merry Christmas blocks are now finished!  That leaves me with only one "extra" Christmas block to do and Janet is helping me with that one at retreat in October as it involves a technique that is new to me.  What do you think?  Here are my "extra" blocks all laying in a random NOT permanent layout.


6th -  I'm trying so hard to work on the blog, do some sewing, and still prepare for camp sessions.  This morning I devote time to the blog before settling in.  Today's mission:  BOM's, their bonus triangles, and BAD's as leader/enders.  I wind up spending so much time trying to set up the November Christmas quilt that I finally throw my hands in the air and cry UNCLE.  I think it comes down to I'm just going to do an extra block for everyone as the emails just became too confusing and I know people are lost.  Ugh.

7th - It's my last day alone for awhile.  I am determined to get my BAD blocks caught up and it should be rather easy as they were mostly done as leader/enders yesterday.  I zipped out 10 more this morning and that makes me caught up.  Whew.  I am ready for another camp session and after a delightful lunch with Stephannie, she is kind enough to transport me to the office to pick up my car.  I am now headed 1/2 way to Abilene to pick up Jon and come back.  Upon our arrival back, we pick up Mister from work and enjoy at wonderful dinner at Thai Orchid before returning home to settle in for a movie.  MIB 3 fits the bill tonight.

8th -  Jon and I are off to meet my nephew downtown for lunch and then some time at the DMA.  We have a great time and get home just before Mister.  I really need some food in the house thus am off to do the grocery shopping.  Upon my return, Jon and I make meatloaf, baked potatoes, and green bean for dinner.  Strawberry shortcakes for dessert.

9th -  It's a quiet morning around the house as Jon is sleeping me.  That allows me some time to work on the blog.  Our afternoon is at the roller skating rink, where I take up a post in the snack bar, commandeering a table to work at.  I lay out all of my 2 1/2" squares for the nine-patches and start sorting them.  Then, I gradually build my nine-patches again so that I can resew.  Jon and I spend the evening cooking again as he learns to make strawberry Maul Dasha for dinner -- oh yum.  Amanda arrives LATE at night and crashes.  I have a full house - all beds are occupied.

10th -  Since I need the car this morning, I am up early to take Mister to the DART - he is training it today.  My next step is to get Amanda off to her conference after a nice morning visit.  I follow that up with a trip to Jump Street for Jon before picking up Mister from work in the late afternoon.  It's leftovers and the movie "Sixth Sense" for our evening entertainment.  Check off another day.

11th -  Mister, Jon, and I are off to see the Minion movie first thing this morning then meet Amanda at the house.  After lunch, all three of them are off to take naps allowing me some time to work on the package units for my group Christmas blocks.   The afternoon finds us back at the skating rink as Jon has talked his Aunt into skating with him.  Some shopping, dinner out, and a relaxing evening with Grandpa and Jon doing Arduino - shakes from Sonic for treat.  Another full day.

12th - Amanda is heading back home this morning so it is studio time!!!!  Jon wants to sew and is interested in making a stuffed bear.  Yay.  This means I get to sew too.  While he draws and cuts out his bear, I am able to stitch up a few more package units.   We are also baking bread today so a few trips back into the house are required now and then.  After the bear is finished, complete with eyes,  we have a great talk about how to determine the price of things when you figure in the time it takes you to make things.  This gives me a great chance to share the opposite view as well.  I pull up the Moda video on making batiks and have him watch and then realize that when I say I can buy it for only $8.00 a yard, I am shocked.  The work that goes into that is astounding.  After Grandpa and Jon return from the hobby store, our evening movie is The Prestige


(I need a picture of the finished bear.)

13th - Today is a car day.  After dropping Mister off at work, I drive to Abilene and switch out Jon for Jacob then drive back to pick up Mister,  We are a bit early returning so make a stop at the Fort Worth Science Museum on way back.  I head to the store again (teenage boys can eat) and then spend the rest of the evening with Jacob and Mister.

14th -  Jacob and I are off to the Aquarium for the day.  Just family time.

15th -  It's time to tackle the Lego mess.  Jacob has them out and I decide to start building each set to determine what is missing.  I am pretty sure I've lost my mind, but am going to give it a try anyway.  We work at this all morning, take a break and go to Jump Street, where I work on the mystery clues, and then build again all evening until the wee hours.

16th - Legos are still all over the place.  We spend the whole day working on them and then dinner at Cane Rosso.  The good news:  The Harry Potter ones are all finished and mostly intact.


17th - After working on Legos off and on all day, Mister and I finish them up in the evening.  Whew.  Jacob and I went to see Antman today and it was actually pretty good.  I am pleasantly surprised.

18th - Mister located a new (old) sewing machine on Craigslist and set up a time to look at it.  This sweet Necchi is coming home with us.  Yay.  Mister then asks if there are any shops nearby that I can collect a few Row by Row patterns.  What a man.

Quilt Country is the first stop and it is such a cute little shop.

I LOVE that there is a turtle on the pattern.   Too fun.  I will say, though, that stopping in shops with Mister and my grandson in the car certainly speeds the process up.  Quilt Country is not really even open yet but I still manage to pick up the pattern.  I also run into Maria while there -- a bonus.


Next up is Must Love Fabric.  What a deceptive little shop.  It is filled to the brim inside and has lots of nooks and crannies.  What a great place and definitely a return trip is required.







One last stop at Quilter's Dream.  The little fishes are so cute.  I can't wait to start on these rows but know that it is far down on my lists.  They are going to be ultra cute though.

The winning quilt here put the rows into an aquarium.  Kind of a cool way to do it.




Mister and Jacob need to stop at Frye's for something on the way home and since I don't do Frye's, they drop me at a thrift store nearby where I manage to find 3 new shirts.  Great fabrics.

Jen arrives in the evening to pick up Jacob and drop off Bekah.  We are all off to Cane Rosso for dinner before she has to head back to Abilene.  Bekah doesn't seem to be thrilled to be here but then again, she doesn't know what I have planned for her.  We have a great talk before bed and she is all smiles when she goes to sleep.

Jen also brings the Row by Row patterns that she picked up for me in Montana.  Woohoo.  Two more.


19th - I let Bekah sleep in and spend the morning working on the package units as well as the ROL clues.

I also get a package in the mail from Cassie.  OH MY GOSH.  She has sent 7 Row by Rows from Utah along with a couple of kits and some fat quarters.  Ooooooh.  My girls are the best!


20th -  Not much going on today.  Working on ROL clues and taking Bekah to the drumline show tonight.

21st -  I am off to Boston with Bekah,

22nd - Boston

23rd - Back from Boston

24th - It's another drive to Abilene after dropping Mister off at work.  I make the exchange again and return home with Josh.

25th - Time with Mister and Josh

26th - Time with Mister and Josh

27th - Oh yay!  I have been away from the machine for over a week now and my fingers are itching to make something.  Josh has asked to make a pillowcase and I jumped for joy in saying yes.  Let's go.

Cutting and designing are first up.  then onsies become twosies.


He is very attentive and works along methodically.

Twosies become foursies and then strips of eight.  As the strips are sewn together, the next step is the quilting and he opts for a diagonal approach.  Once the lines are drawn, he is off and stitching away.

Little hands on the machine make my heart feel good.  We get halfway through the quilting before he wants to take a break and call it a day.  Okay.  Meanwhile, I cleaned up around the studio.  It's a disaster out here.


28th - After a morning walk to the coffee shop and dollar store, Josh and I made cookies before heading back to the studio to finish his pillowcase.  All that is left is to finish the quilting, attach the cuffs, and sew up the sides.  Easy peasy.

In about an hours time, we have a finished product and a huge grin.


29th -  I am heading back in the direction of Abilene again today but am meeting Jen in Weatherford at Splash Kingdom.  We arrive a bit early after dropping Mister at work so locate Quilting Around, a local quilt shop, to pick up a Row by Row.  Again, what a cute shop and I love the way it is set up.  The row is delightful and the kit is so reasonably priced that I don't even hesitate to pick it up as well.




Josh has come into the store along with me and has located a Halloween quilt that he really wants to make.  Oh my goodness, my heart it so happy that we start locating the fabrics for him right away.

He is one happy camper as we leave the store and I cannot wait to see how his quilt turns out.  I bought everything except the back and batting, mom has those.

I just walked out with my row and pattern.  Fun stop and we laughed cos he really didn't want to come in with me to begin with.  Now we are off to the water park to return him to his mother, have a fun play day, and then drive back to pick up Mister this afternoon.  I am going home alone.  Wow.


30th -   I have one free day.  I should be doing laundry, cleaning house, grocery shopping, etc.  What I AM doing is sewing.  I miss it so much.  I catch up my BAD squares and make a few test nine-patches for Jennifer again.  OMG -- I cannot tell you how happy I am.  They are coming out big enough this time, even requiring a slight sliver trim.  Oh happy day.

I also get out the Row Robin top that I need to finish and pick out the fabrics and pattern for it.  I am ready to go when the next camp session is over.

31st -  I am off to Denver to retrieve grandsons today.  It's a full day of travel, dinner, and getting everyone settled in.  Camp session number 7 (and the last one) is now under way.

Thanks for checking up on me this month.  Check back in now and then and please check out the link to OUR QUILT BLOGS at the top of the page for many of the quilt groups are starting to restrict the posting of blogs into the groups.  If you want to still have a long monthly read and time for your tea, join the group.  Thanks for sticking around this long -- I appreciate all of you who read each month.

Links to Previous 2015 Monthly Update Posts

January Quilt Update
March Quilt Update
April Quilt Update
May Quilt Update
June Quilt Update

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