pinks finish

yesterday i finished this commission piece.  though it isn't on my official UFO list for the year, it's another thing crossed off my "quilt to do" list.  last night i started on the hawaiian applique for a handwork project, you know, while listening to TV.  i'll do that as long as the weather allows, then switch over to smaller things.  for a machine project, i'm working on the christmas scrappy which won't be done (the top) right away.  still lots of pieces to cut out yet. 

thrifting again

sauntered into the local thrift for a look-see and found these 2 shirts half price.  i wouldn't have paid full price for them, but at half they were a good deal.  the darker shirt is an XL tall, so probably at least a yard of fabric.  the lighter plaid will go into my light stash.  ***** the pinks is DONE, will post a photo later.  now i get to applique on the hawaiian, yippee!

happy birthday mrs. b!

if you see this little cutie today, be sure and wish her happy birthday!  this is DD at about age 2, now all grown up and married....can you believe it?  she was then and is now the most beautiful girl!  can you tell, she inherited my straight hair gene (sigh)?  i wish her the happiest of birthdays with her DH and wish i could give her a big hug and kiss.  enjoy your day, dearest, and know that i am with you in spirit......

half done

the small stack is now half gone, which yielded about 200 of the christmas print pieces for the quilt.  i traced them early yesterday morning and then took them to the beach where i cut them up.  i'll do the same today.  that'll give me nearly 400 pieces, so still a ways to go.  then i have to cut the background (whites), same amount of nearly 900 needed.  i know, time consuming, but no matter, right now i do have the time and this UFO needs to get moving.  ***** another gorgeous day here, not too hot but it was beautiful at the beach yesterday.  with my over-size sunglasses and visor, i have a raccoon-look sunburn on my face.  being able to go every good day is not quite as good as actually living there but still very enjoyable. 

monday plans

maybe today i'll finish off this little pile of scraps, cutting them into pieces for the christmas scrappy.  after these are gone, it's cutting into FQs and yardage for the pieces.  i am pretty sure i have adequate christmas fabric stash for this top.  since i am slowly veering away from bed-size quilts to smaller pieces, every one that gets done gets me closer to that goal.  ***** the pinks is ready for the binding, so that should be a finish this week.  **** and since it's monday, i'll do a bit of laundry to satisfy tradition.

placemats out, wallhanging in

the patriotic nickels in my stash are no more!  i decided against placemats (2 things to quilt/bind) and opted for this.  could be used as a tabletopper as well, i suppose.  gave me the opportunity to use some pizzazz-y plaids too!  it'll get bound with either the blue plaid or maybe a solid navy, need to audition both.  today i have some drunkard's path leftovers that'll get put into an orphan block and THEN i can get back to the christmas scrappy.  i hope to finish quilting the pinks today as well, then binding and voila, it's done!  this is basting week as well.  the boston commons and lovers' links quilts will (hopefully) be basted by week's end and the lovers' links will be my next quilting task until it gets too warm; then i have some small pieces, like this one, that need finishing. 

scraps to squares

there weren't many of these little black strips leftover from a previous project, but my conscience wouldn't let me throw them away.  i saw this block on the calendar and thought about them.  instead, i made these little 9-patch blocks that will probably go in a border of a small amish quilt at some point.  i might even have to make a few more with a different black but no matter; this is stashbusting and that will work just fine.  every little square helps to use it up! ***** it's a beautiful, sunny, breezy early summer morning here in coastal maine.  good day for the beach you think?  always!

secret project revealed

many years ago, a creative mom made a set of these for her precious baby daughter.  however, life was sometimes unpleasant in the little kingdom and the mother sold the dolls to earn some money.  the mother promised herself that one day they would be replaced.  that day has come and the dolls have been sent to the daughter, now grown and married, the promise fulfilled.

whites vs lights

these are the 2 elfa drawers containing whites and lights.  as you can see, i have far too many white scraps, most of which are from backing leftovers.  fortunately the christmas scrappy needs about 900 more of these for the scrappy quilt, so hopefully the drawer will be closer to empty when all the pieces have been cut.  i would much rather be using the lights, but they will keep.  ***** this morning already i have "busted" more solid scraps, tiny pieces that in years past would have gotten tossed but have now been repurposed into mini amish 9-patches.  *****  i have noticed again today that my other elfa drawers are less full. meaning i can open and close them without difficulty...LOL!  every so often i go through each drawer and see what scraps i have and how i might use them.  i have started a few new small projects and have others planned.  sewing has overtaken housework for sure!

christmas scrappy progress

here are 2 rows so far.  they look pretty lonely on the design wall.  the unfinished width of each strip is 3.5" and each strip is 72.5" long.  the finished size will be 66 x 72, big enough to hand quilt and for whatever use i'll need.  all you quilt police turn your heads because this is a real scrappy, meaning no rhyme or reason to prints placement.  the whites are some WOW and some solid, again no placement order.  and some of my points got mysteriously cut off.  so there, that's the whole truth.  even so, it's pretty and will be a great holiday (or anytime) snuggle quilt.  remember, i do this for pure enjoyment, nothing else.  ***** see those videos stacked on the floor in the lower right corner?  they need a home; hoping that i'll finish enough UFOs that will clear space on the shelving unit for them.