This n that

 Labor Day was a mix of activity. The hubbie made a 10:00 am tee time. It was my first round of golf since mid July, and it showed in my lack of skills.  I only played 14 of the 18 holes, and then decided to just ride along for the last 4 holes and enjoy the nice day.    

The prettiest spot on that golf course is the water feature at the #11 tee box.  If you look past it on the left you can even see the lake in the background.  The trees are beginning to lose their leaves, so there were a few times when it was hard to spot our balls.  It’s typical of this time of year. Also, I’ve been noticing that the pine trees seem to be loaded with pine cones this summer. 

And after we got home I headed down to sew for a little while.  I have the top and bottom pieced borders done on Circa 2016, and have one side border started.  These are coming along much quicker than I anticipated so far.  I’m hoping to get both side borders on today, and then I can measure the quilt for the plain outer borders.  These don't look like much close up, but will make a better impression with the dark border next to it.  

Design Wall Monday - Circa 2016 is ready for borders

My design wall this morning is holding a ZILLION 2" half square triangles, ready to sew into strips for border #1 on Circa 2016.  Really I think there are 120 HST, but it seemed like a zillion when I was squaring them up.  

Once the HST border is attached, then a final 3.5" black print border will finish it off.  

And this is what those borders will frame - lots and lots of tiny pieces sewn into very small blocks.  I'm actually quite pleased with how those side panels worked out.  I was very worried that they wouldn't fit, but they did fit.  Can I get these borders on by the end of the week?  

I'm linking up with Design Wall Monday:

https://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com/

And with Monday Making:
https://lovelaughquilt.blogspot.com/

 

Sunday sewing

 One side panel for Circa 2016 is complete and ready to sew onto the center.  The second side panel is all laid out for assembly.  Lots of peace and quiet around here today - perfect for sewing - as the hubbie and a son-in-law are playing golf.  

The other project that is happening today is Fish School.  The original plan had been to use a Kaffe jelly roll, and add it above and below the fish row.  Well, once I unrolled that jelly roll it became very obvious that it wasn’t going to look like I had pictured it.  So . . . A different jelly roll came into play.  And instead of doing the “jelly roll race” method, I just cut the strips the same 43” width as the fish.  Much more simple than the first plan, but it looks so much better. 

A couple more strips and this quilt top will be done.

Circa 2016 is coming together

 The zillions of 3.5" blocks for the Temecula Circa 2016 quilt are done - assuming I've counted correctly.  If not, then I'll just have to make more won't I?

That center medallion section required a frame and I used a black print, which will also be used for the wider outer border at the end.  Then 2 panels with 15 tiny blocks each were added to the top and bottom of that framed medallion.  Every block is set on point and alternated with those setting squares and setting triangles.  Now I'm working on the side panels, which are pieced similar but with only 2 tiny blocks across.  

This is a major scrappy project, although it was a "planned" scrappy.  And after 5 years, it's definitely time to finish this one up.  I'm almost afraid to set it aside to work on anything else until I at least have those side panels assembled and attached, for fear that it will become a UFO again.

I'm linking up with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge today:
https://superscrappy.blogspot.com/ 

Summer Soiree block #9

Summer Soiree - the Pat Sloan sew-along - is 3/4 of the way done with introducing blocks.  I've kept up with making the blocks in 2 colorways so far. 

One set is red, white, and blue, and will most likely end up as a Quilt of Valor eventually.  Simple sashing, and a wide outer border is my current plan with these, but of course that can always change.

The other set is all done with bright batiks and summery florals.  Pat Sloan posted a layout plan online too, with each block being framed first and then sashed.  So right now I'm thinking that each "frame" will be batik, maybe using several colors.  And possibly, that sashing could be all yellow.  I have lots and lots of batiks to choose from, but probably not enough of anything to do all the sashing.

So, by the end of September we should have all of the blocks made for these.  I've noticed online that lots of folks have already begun setting these together.  Over achievers, right?  Have they no respect for the lowly UFO?   Well, hopefully neither of these will actually become a UFO. 

Circa 2016 status

Back in 2016, the Temecula Quilt Company had a sew-along posted on their blog called Circa 2016.  Most of the blocks for this quilt are tiny versions of old traditional quilt blocks - really tiny, as in 3" finished blocks. I did pretty well keeping up for about the first 2/3 of the weeks.  Then I just printed the patterns each week and put them in the binder.  The binder and all of the completed blocks were in one project box, well organized for once.  Yay!!!

The fabrics I had gathered for this project are in 2 more project boxes.  Again - more organized than usual.  My fabric choices still make me happy, and are pretty similar to the Kim Diehl fabrics I'm currently playing with.  This is a scrappy type of project with lots of color variety.

The center of the quilt was all assembled and hanging in the closet, waiting . . . and waiting.  I really love the colors.  And I think that I'm going to love the whole quilt if it ever gets finished.

These are the most recent blocks, and you can see they are 3.5" square (unfinished).  There are also a zillion 2" unfinished half square triangles.  I counted what I still needed to make, and there are 25 of the bigger blocks and about 20 more of the HST still remaining to be sewn.  That is an achievable goal, although assembling the quilt may take more than just September.  But I'm excited to be working on this one again.

This is how these cute little blocks will go together to surround that center section.  There will be 2 rows or columns put together with setting triangles and squares.  

Unfortunately, I have no idea if this pattern is available from Temecula Quilt Co. any more, as I didn't find it in their pattern list.  But they do have a lot of other wonderful patterns.

On a side note, that Friendship Star was also one of the Farmers Wife Sampler blocks that I made this week for that challenge.  However the star points are tilted the opposite direction, and the FWS blocks are twice as big - 6" finished instead of 3". 

September goals

For nearly 4 decades I measured the years by the start of a new school year. But for the first time in 38 years I am NOT prepping for a new school year.  I can honestly say that I'm finally a RETIRED teacher.  Still working a few hours a week at my other job, but not enough to feel like it infringes on my free time.  I guess that is good, right?

Checkered Stars - this was a PIG that I chose to pull out of the drawer a couple of months ago, and actually got a good start.  But unfortunately, over the course of the summer it has now become a UFO.  All of the pieces are cut and lying on my big moveable design board, so it just keeps being moved around to get it out of the way.  This month I definitely want to make some major progress on it instead of allowing it to languish. 

The APQ UFO Challenge number drawn for September was #1, and I have 3 things on my list for this that would be fun to work on.  The Temecula Circa 2016 was a sew-along begun in - 2016!  It's also on my PHD list for The Pin Cushion, so I definitely want to finish it.  I actually have most of the 4.5" blocks finished so it is an achievable goal.  

What else is on my goal list this month?  Way more things than I could possibly accomplish.  I need to be realistic and admit that I may not get as far as working on several things on this list.  But keeping them on the list will mean they stay on my radar.  

• Monthly sew-along projects
• choose fabric for NEW Saturday Sampler
• weekly Farmer's Wife Sampler blocks
• weekly Summer Soiree blocks
• Pillow of the Month
• Simple Whatnots - NEW
• Squirrels & PIGS & other new things
• Block drive - patriotic Jelly Belly Bar
• Halloween blocks (new project)
• who knows what Squirrels may cross my path this month??
• Pick a PIG - Queen's Garden runner
• Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC21) in ?? 
• House block
• Bunny block
• Twinkle Star blocks
• Tulip Time blocks
• sandwich & quilt - Scrappy bright Friendship block baby quilt
• UFO and WIP projects - make some progress
• APQ UFO Challenge #1 (Temecula Circa 2016)
• Sew all of the Wisdom blocks into rows
• make more pillowcases
• 2 pillowcases for Quilts of Valor
• 3 Halloween pillowcases for grandkids 
• more blocks for Checkered Stars 
• navy blue Sew Together bag
• Fish School quilt 
• Quilt the little Lori Holt Bee Patriotic project 
• Cleaning and Organizing my sewing space
• clean off my cutting space
• organize the patriotic fabrics