Switching back to red & setting some new goals

 OK - On Friday afternoon I just had to make a quick switch back to red from all of the yellow sewing I've done lately.  

The Falling in Love blocks have been my #1 RSC project so far in 2022.  I made only 4 red ones for January, but made 5 of the aqua/teal blocks in February, and 5 of the yellow ones this month.  So I decided I really needed to make a 5th red one.  Going forward I plan to do 5 each month. 

And while that red drawer was open I also made a red Ohio Star block.  There were a couple of red ones with white background in the collection, but now this reversed color version joins in.  

The goals for next week are important, and I'll be deviating from RSC sewing.

#1 - make last week's Riley Blake challenge block (blue/white)

#2 - make my last 4 Farmers Wife Sampler blocks

#3 - make this month's Saturday Sampler blocks

Yellow bits and pieces

Friday was the first day I was able to sew anything since last week Friday.  It's been a very busy week, but spending a couple of hours in my sewing room was the perfect way to relax and unwind.  One yellow Twinkle Star was high on my priority list for RSC, and it's a cute one.

I did add another Friendship Square block, with yellow frames.  This square was shared by a guild member who must have visited Sturgis - maybe even during the big motorcycle rally.  I just know this square was in the box with the other guild exchange blocks. 

And I pulled out a couple more yellow centers from that same box. These will be yellow centers, with purple or green frames.  These Friendship Square blocks will be a variation on an Eye Spy quilt I think.

Tulip Time block #40 is also done.  Now I need to lay out these blocks and make a decision on how to sash them, and whether to set them on-point or straight. Bonnie's original pattern used a green sashing and a green piano key outer border.  Maybe that will happen . . . and maybe not.  This will require some experimenting I think.

Not much sewing will happen this weekend either.  Grandchildren activities to attend will take precedence today, and we are attending another WNIT college basketball game on Sunday afternoon.  Note to self:  I'm about overdosed on basketball for this season!

Let's see what RSC fans are working on this week - 
https://superscrappy.blogspot.com/

Sew much fun

 I still haven't had any sewing time since we've been home, but I have to show off some goodies from the Sew Vintage group.  This is my favorite "quilt-y" group, and that is mostly because the ladies in this small group are just so nice and they are fun.  Our little group has such fun each month as we share our love of all things vintage. 

We decided a few months ago to do a signature block exchange, and chose this little 4.5" heart block.  We were missing about 3 ladies last Saturday, but this is the heart collection so far. Aren't they cute? I'm not sure yet exactly what I'll make with these.  

One group member (Sandy) brought everyone a gift - these jar openers that she made. OMG - the pigs are just so cute!!!  

The front was sewn onto a piece of shelf liner to grip a jar lid. This is one of the most clever ideas I've seen lately. She did mention they were tricky to sew because of that texture, so she sewed them onto a sheet of paper to keep that shelf liner from gripping the machine.  I know this will get a LOT of use in my house.  

Taking the long way home

When we left the Twin Cities area yesterday we expected an uneventful 5 hour drive home.  Well . . . that was nearly the case.  No accidents, but we did end up with an extra 50 miles.  Dave was on the phone with a coworker talking about a work project, and I was reading a book on my phone as we drove - and neither of us noticed when we got to the junction of I-35 south and I-90 west at Albert Lea, where we should have turned.  I looked up at one point and saw a road sign that caught my eye, and asked Dave why we were in Iowa.  We were actually 25 miles SOUTH of I-90.  We turned around at the next exit and headed back north. I can't believe neither of us noticed we had missed our turn!!!

So . . . I was lucky he was willing to still let me stop further along I-90 in Sherburn Minnesota at a quilt shop.  The Old Alley shop is actually in an old bowling alley building.

This is a shop I've visited several times over the years, and it is so cute.  I picked up some fat quarters, plus a "chunk" of what may be a former Minnesota Shop Hop print with words and pictures of winter fun in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. 

It was wonderful to finally get home yesterday and sleep in my own bed. I'm not unpacked yet, and haven't replenished the food in the fridge.  But I'm glued to my desk this morning trying to catch up with some work things.  I needed a break, so I'm dashing off this quick blog post.

My stops into a couple of quilt shops while in Minneapolis resulted in a few purchases.  That top fabric has fireflies with their butts lit up! So cute and made me think of childhood summer nights growing up in small town Minnesota.  That piece will be cut into 6" squares to share at guild next month.

I also picked up 2 patriotic prints for QOV blocks, a silvery batik with snowflakes, and a cute snowman print.  There is no plan for those, but they called my name.

Now - I guess I need to get back to work and finish updating some budgets.

City explorations

 Yesterday was my day to play while back here in Minneapolis, and I had an excellent day My cousin picked me up at the downtown hotel we are staying in, and we headed back to NE MPLS to one of her favorite restaurants to have a late breakfast/early lunch.  The Buttered Tin - a cute neighborhood stop with amazing food.  I love going out for breakfast! I ordered the “Damn Good Breakfast Sandwich” - egg, bacon, tomatoes, aioli, slivers of onion - all on toasted white bread.  And it came with a salad!! 

We tried stopping at one of her favorite bakeries to pick up bread but it was closed on Mondays, unfortunately. I had to take a picture of the sign at least, since it was Sarah Jane’s Bakery.  My name is Sara Jane too, but without the H.  

We ventured over to the suburb White Bear Lake for some fun shopping. Affinity For Quilts is definitely a stop I hope to make again.  The quilt shop is in a cute area full of interesting little shops. We walked all around a couple of blocks, exploring several shops.  My cousin even got the bread she needed at a bakery across from the quilt shop.

The afternoon ended up at her house briefly to visit with her husband and then it was back to the hotel for me.  We’ve stayed at this downtown hotel many times over the years as my husband has been coming to this conference for a long time.  But this year I am less than impressed. Yikes!!  It could be a poster child for staff shortages.

Like many hotels, they don’t provide daily room cleaning, which really is OK as long as we can get clean towels.  But this pile of linens was piled outside a room down our hallway on Sunday when we checked in.  Still sitting there!!  And last night when we returned to our room there was a vacuum cleaner and a bag of trash in the hallway between our room and the elevators.  

Our room appears clean, but you can tell in the photo that the hallway probably hasn’t be vacuumed in a while.  I heard yesterday that the conference committee is considering moving this conference to a different hotel after decades in this location. Might be time!!

  

AWOL for a couple of days

I’m away from my sewing room for a couple of days - actually the furthest from home that I’ve been in 2 years.   This skyline may even be familiar with some of you.

If things go as planned I am getting together with my favorite cousin, for a quick visit.  Tomorrow I have to spend some time working the booth for my hubbie at this conference.  But today is mine.

A little hand stitching on the road

 I needed a bit of hand stitching for a road trip today.

Yup!!  I have more hexies laying around.  These are just a few of the ones made from a Moda Candies pack.  Actually there were 2 matching packs, and I have no clue what the original plan was for them.  I used about 2/3 of one pack for hexies and the rest were in the bag yet - untouched.

I now have a plan for these, so stay tuned.