a friday finish

this is the 2nd pinwheel puzzle runner i made and now it's done as well.  the pattern does call for that border but i much prefer the one made without.  the points of the neutral pinwheels get lost, but i think it's more pleasing to the eye that way.  i've already started quilting the next piece, the cheddar and blue bow ties. **** up and dressed already, progress from yesterday.  few errands for today and then back to sewing.  plus, the swaps must be readied for mailing.  still olympic watching....love that synchronized swimming!  **** a friend introduced me to a new quilty website and already this morning i've been drooling over yet more civil war fabrics but, more important, got some ideas to use up the stash i already have.  taking 3 machine projects to lancaster, a small project that is ready to go and my civil war diary papers are in a folder and ready too.  will also be taking a handwork project, probably the hawaiian or maybe a quilting project.  if i could stay a month, could probably get that dang hawaiian all done. 

not exactly a finish

remember this?  gorgeous, i know, but it's a bigger quilt top than i usually make.  and truth to tell, with my already-basted stack plus the ones currently being quilted, not to mention the ones i have planned, there isn't any need for this one.  plus, it'll cost more than usual to finish.  and with so many seams, it wouldn't get hand quilted anyway, just tied.  so, the decision has been made to fling it to a finisher and then donated to someone in need.  that will get it off my shelf, off my UFO list and off my budget and, more important, off my mind.  knowing it is going to a good home to be used for its intended purpose is satisfying indeed. 

when in rome...

and in the interest of fiscal management, we thought it prudent to pick up some of these, given the current glut on the market.  at $3.29 per pound, cheaper than ground chuck, it only makes sense.  i'd tell you where this place is, except then i'd have to kill you....LOL!  **** the muggies are still with us, so this morning i was sweatin' to the vacuuming, after which i sat down at the old viking and proceeded along with the ocean waves units.  yesterday did my own little "state of the stash" and refolded the elfa drawers, pleasantly surprised as a couple of them are not full.  the lights drawer, however, is packed to the brim. that was reinforcement to me that i AM using up the stash and not a moment too soon, either; the Lancaster trip is 2/2/3...two months, two weeks, 3 days. *** the lilac pinwheel runner is almost quilted and i pulled the binding fabric to prep for a soon finish.  looking good for maybe a couple more little finishes this month! 

honeycomb progress

this project is one of those "whenever" that gets worked on whenever there are spare moments.  i decided to sew the hexagons together in pairs, making it easier to handle and hopefully quicker when the top assembling time came.  here i've got about half the 202 total hexagons for the top; all are basted and i started sewing them together...on the left.  what i need is a large design wall and time to leave it up to see exactly how the colors are placed.  since i have neither of those, it'll probably get put together in sections, the best way i can manage.  at some point, i'll spend more time on getting this flimsy together but not right now, just "whenever."  most of the fabrics used are cherrywood hand dyes, so i'm hoping it'll be eye pleasing when finished.  the edge and border are navy blue and so it'll get quilted using navy blue thread.  **** we are stuck with the muggies, even on cloudy days like today.  no matter, i'm getting myself acclimated for an eventual move a bit more south with more muggy weather, a trade-off for miserable maine winters.