This n That

 No sewing to report today, as we have 3 grandkids here for a few days.  This morning the kids are going to help pick up the branches and leaves scattered all over our yard from this week's storm.  The NWS has called this another Derecho - the second one this summer. 

I "borrowed" this photo from ABC News because it was probably the most dramatic picture of our sky from Tuesday afternoon.  The sky really did turn this scary green color. 

Besides yard work, I believe grandpa plans to take the kids golfing with him this afternoon or maybe we'll all go to the outdoor Aquatic Center if it's gets really hot.  

You have to love life in a small town!  On Wednesday evening we decided to go out for supper and ended up at a Main Street restaurant and bar that is right across the street from the famous Corn Palace.  It was a really nice evening, so we chose to eat out on the patio.  Right about the time we got our food (chislic and a patty melt), a man came out of the restaurant, got onto a lawnmower parked out on the sidewalk, and road away.  I learned later that the man is disabled, and doesn't have a driver's license and can't walk from his house to the restaurant.  So he rides his lawnmower.  And in a small town like this (about 15,000 people) it's great to know that he can actually do that without being ticketed or harassed.  

On a more personal note - the date has now been set for my first hip replacement surgery - August 8.  So I'm hoping to have some binding to work on for the first week or so while recuperating.  I was expecting to have to wait until mid-September, so that earlier date makes me happy.  It's definitely time to get started on this process. I'm tired of being in constant pain. 

Hello Birdie!

It's good to have a plan, right?  I'm a list-maker and a planner, but I'm also OK with straying from that plan.  But I always need those lists and plans in place to fall back on.   

The Sew Vintage group has been doing a monthly color this year, and I was just making those heart blocks (big and small).  That was my plan - until I saw the Hello Birdie block on Pat Sloan's blog and on the Fat Quarter Shop website.  Detour from that plan!!!  And yes - those heart blocks are still happening anyway!  

I made a purple batik Birdie block first, and then my brain went to the 30s prints I keep collecting.  And these happened over the long weekend.  I even went back to make a block for the previous colors.  The 30s prints are perfect for these Birdie blocks, although every single one I see posted online is adorable too.  I don't know yet what I'll make but more are in my future.  Wonder what color the Sew Vintage ladies will choose on Saturday. 

Sewing time will be quite limited for the next few days as I'll have 3 grandkids here beginning tonight.  Maybe Olivia will want to go to Sew Vintage with me on Saturday afternoon.  

Friendship Squares & summer storms

The Midwest is no stranger to summer thunderstorms, but this has sure been a crazy summer for storms.  Yesterday afternoon the sky turned a very scary green and the wind howled. We did get some decent rain, but it fell horizontally in 70-80 mph winds.  The damage here was limited to some tree branches but we heard reports of much worse.  We have been lucky so far. 

No sewing happened yesterday, but I can share more holiday weekend sewing. . .

Over several years of membership in the local quilt guild I've collected a LOT of the 6" "travel squares" that is a club tradition.  When members travel somewhere we try to bring back fabric that reminds us of the place we visited.  With our relatively small membership it takes about 1.5 yards to cut a 6" square to give to each member when we return.

My first quilt using these was a star quilt with the center of each star being one of these fun little squares.  They are usually too cute to cut smaller.  

This month we received 5 different travel squares!  Kind of a jackpot, right?  Sunday - while my husband was playing golf, I was sewing.   

The multi-colored ladybugs and the camping print are both framed in purple.  

I've been calling this block a Friendship Square although the block pattern was from Pat Sloan's Winter Fun sew-along.  I knew I wanted something that showcased the square, and this one works perfectly.  There are now 23 of them in the project box, with lots and lots of squares left to frame.  I'm thinking they will make some fun kid quilts to donate.  

One more finish - Wisdom

 I can happily check off one more UFO from the list because Wisdom is finished.

This was a Rainbow Scrap Challenge project from the past couple of years. The block was a free pattern from Fat Quarter Shop called Wisdom.  It's basically just a churn dash block with a 4-patch in the center.  The backgrounds are a variety of neutrals - whatever I had.  

The binding is a pink stripe with a touch of floral to it.  This should make a good donation quilt. 

Next in line is the Scotty Dog child sized quilt.  The binding is on and I'm starting to hand stitch it down on the back.  This will be a daylight project as the binding is a black and white polka dot and hard to see by lamplight.  This is another UFO that will be good to check off once it's done. 

Design Wall Monday - Happy July 4th!!

Happy July 4th!!  Is there a red, white, and blue quilt on your design wall today?

https://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com/

Our local quilt guild met on Saturday morning and there were some really beautiful patriotic quilts shown during Show 'n Tell (my favorite part of the meeting).  Wow - so inspirational!!!

Aren't they wonderful?  I just wanted to rush home and start another Quilt of Valor!!

But I didn't . . . instead I went home and worked on things already in progress.  The Happy Cats quilt top is done and ready to quilt.  It's now hanging in the closet with some other flimsies - waiting.  

The cat fabric was something I purchased late last winter on a short road trip for college basketball, and it was originally planned for pillowcases.  But then Mary Quilts had posted pictures of her latest Happy Blocks quilt, and I realized the cat print would be perfect for that.  So I collected several colors of Grunge fabrics for the frames.  I do wish I had separated the purple and black blocks more, but overall it's pretty cute.  It will be gifted or donated some day. 

I also worked at getting the Checkered Stars top put together.  This one is only 35" square so far - just a bit small for a baby quilt.  I only made half of the blocks originally planned.  This was from one of the Fat Quarter Shop Sew Sampler boxes.  I think I started it over a year ago but lost interest.  The charm pack used was Spring Brook by Corey Yoder of Coriander Quilts.  I still have the second charm pack left over.  The grey and white was from my stash and I've used pretty much all of those. 

One more border should make this one a better size for a baby quilt.  I hunted around online and finally found some of the yardage from this line, and ordered some yellow.  So this UFO is getting another step closer to finished.  

Purple is hard to resist

It's always fun to shift my attention to a new color of scraps at the beginning of each month.  Purple was especially fun to dig into for some reason.

This Hello Birdie block was just too cute to resist.  I kept seeing these all over the Internet - a free Riley Blake pattern.  I was seeing the birds on Facebook and on blogs, so I caved in on Wednesday morning and made one using the purple fabrics I already had laying out for other RSC blocks.  My original thought had been to make them using 30s prints, and that might still happen some day. 

And of course since I had a lot of sewing time this week I have plenty of other purple things to show for all that sewing time.  There are Nanci's Stars (3), elephant, Falling In Love, Happy Cats, Twinkle Star, and Bricks (4) - all with a purple focus. 

After this morning's quilt guild meeting I hope to cut the pieces for the other 4 Falling In Love heart blocks, and maybe a couple more elephants or birds.    

Check out more Rainbow Scrap Challenge fun:
https://superscrappy.blogspot.com/

July goals

 How did it get to be July already?  Summer just flies by, whether or not we want it to.  And whether or no we are ready for it.

My UFO Challenge goals for June included the Scotty Dog quick strippee quilt.  It isn't completely done, but it is ready to bind.  So that's a win.  The binding will be that black with white dots.  I'm also in the process of binding another UFO - the Wisdom quilt.  And the Kaleidoscope table toppers are ready to bind as well, although I don't have the binding made yet.

Goal #1 for July - finish binding Wisdom & Scotty Dogs & Kaleidoscope

The UFO I'm choosing to tackle first in July is the Happy Block project with the cute cat fabric.  I had about 8 or 9 blocks sewn, but it has been set aside for awhile.  I got it back out, and am determined to get enough blocks made to put this child sized quilt together by the end of the month.  Or maybe by the end of next week. 

With all of the parts already cut for this project it really shouldn't take too long to have a completed quilt top.  I just need to FOCUS.  

Goal #2 for July - finish the Happy Cats blocks & assemble top

Looking at the other projects on my UFO and WIP and lists, I know immediately that I have several things going that are getting pretty close to having finishes - if only I would just dig in.  

Nanci's Stars has a total of 18 blocks so far, all in batiks.  This has been a Rainbow Scrap Challenge project.  I have the purple blocks sewn for this month already since I had the pieces cut early in the week.  These are only 9" square (finished) so 20 blocks would make a good lap size.  But if I just keep making more blocks as new colors are announced, then it could be bigger.  Decision, decisions!

Goal #3 for July - keep up with monthly block projects

**  Saturday Sampler blocks

**  purple Falling In Love blocks (need 4 more)

**  additional elephant blocks in past month's RSC colors

** continue with Brick blocks (leader/ender)

**  additional Quilt of Valor blocks

Goal #4 for July - progress on other selected UFOs

**  sashing on more Tulip Time blocks

**  finish top for Checkered Stars 

**  add borders to Shooting Stars

I know I'll find lots of other things to work on as well, but this is a good start for setting some goals.  I really want to bring a few projects to that flimsy stage this month.