Sunday, August 10, 2014

Busy as a Bee

 

(clip art courtesy of www.all-free-downloads.com)

 

I’ve been busy, busy, busy … quilting up a storm!  Wednesday afternoon, I finished up all the interior blocks and started quilting the outermost ring of blocks and the border. 

photoWith the end in sight, I spent Thursday in a marathon quilting session and got in a good amount of quilting on Friday as well.  I’m just over halfway done with the borders at this point … and that’s where I’ve been since Friday evening.

 

DD will be starting school back up tomorrow, so we spent the day together yesterday …  one last hurrah for summer 2014.  I brought the Ts back home with me for a sleepover, so Mama and Daddy could have a date night and so Mama could have a “teacher’s institute” day today. 

 

I took the blocks I had finished for T#1’s quilt for review … and those blocks will be set aside to become a quilt for DH.  Even though I used a limited number of fabrics, the quilt was a little too busy for T#1 … he would prefer more subtle and fewer fabrics.  Can you say road trip?  Winking smile

 

We got some much-needed rain … we got 3” Thursday and another inch yesterday.  Woo hoo!  There was some happy dancing going on here at Chez Nana!

 

Not only did I do some happy dancing over the rain, but I did a little dancing when our mail man delivered two packages.  One package contained my copy of Jinny Beyer’s Quiltmaking by Hand

(photo courtesy of www.jinnybeyer.com) 

As you all surely know by now, I love hand stitching, so I’d love to try some hand piecing. 

 

The other package contained a couple of quilt patterns.  I’ve been wanting to do a medallion-style quilt, but I hadn’t been able to find a medallion-style quilt that didn’t feature applique.  I want to learn how to applique … but it’s going to take a lot of practice before I’ll be ready to even think about tackling a quilt with applique as the focal point.  So when I found a couple of pieced medallion-style quilt patterns at Country Threads, I promptly ordered them. 

 

(photos courtesy of http://www.countrythreads.com/)

Of course, who knows if I’ll ever get to either one.  I’ve already got blocks pieced to make a king-sized quilt for our bed, I’ve got half the blocks pieced to make a twin-sized quilt for DH, I’ve got to make quilts for both T#1 and T#3, and I’ve got fabric already kitted for two other quilts (both for us).  So many quilts, so little time.

 

Tonight is another Super Moon, and reports are that this will be the biggest and closest Super Moon of 2014.  We’ll see if I am able to remember to get out to see it this evening … I missed July’s Super Moon. 

 

Have a blessed Sunday!

Kathy

17 comments:

  1. I feel so bad that you need to get more fabric for T#1's quilt - ha! Wish I was close enough to join the road trip. And DD's quilt will soon be finished - wow!!! Hope you are having a great day with the Ts. Two of our grandson's will spend tomorrow with us - won't be long before they are back in school too. ~Jeanne

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  2. Good morning! yes, you are definitely on the home stretch with dd's quilt! I am anxious to see the whole thing done, but probably not nearly as much as you are. I love the two new patterns. But I know what you mean. I have soo many things lined up not sure how long it will take me to get to them all...lol. You sure have been busy! We are off to a karate tournament this morning that my grndson Cody is participating in. Should be fun. Enjoy your day!

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  3. Kathy,
    What an eventful post... you have been busy!! Love that you are to the borders of your quilt!! So exciting that you were able to get more done... can we have a pic of the quilt in your hoop on the next post you make maybe??? lol
    It sounds like you have a busy lineup ahead of you but sometimes a pattern has to step up and get it's own time too I have found... I have quilted for everyone else all year... after this project I will do one I WANT to do :) ha! Kathi

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  4. Enjoy the moon gazing! I, too, love medallion quilts; your patterns are inspiring. I wish I could say that Ii had the time to devote to hand quilting again, I do love it so; congratulations on your dedication to this.

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  5. I always love reading what you are working on. I spent most of last night quilting and then today as well. My chalk marks are coming off my fabric in the focal squares, so I'm trying to wing it. I do prefer the look of the lines on the bark fabric.
    Fall feels like it is arriving early this year; so many friends have commented on it as well. I hope not, because that may mean we are in for a hard winter. Hope you had a great afternoon stitching. I knew Judy Matheson, who is a renowned designer of Mariners Compass quilts and I could never do anything with applique-I like your alternative better.
    Hugs,
    Noreen

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  6. Love the patterns you ordered for the medallion quilts. Have fun with that new book!

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  7. Those are great medallion quilt patterns. Just came from moon gazing. A few hazy clouds around it here, but it still looked big and bright. : )

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  8. It was an amazing moon. I hope you saw it.
    I have loved those quilts by Country Threads for so long.
    I have done one quilt from them and I loved working with their patterns.
    I have always wanted to do the one on the right.
    I bet you were happy when you got that book. I do like Jinny Beyer.
    I just can't even imagine that much rain. It sounds like heaven to me.
    Have a wonderful new week.

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  9. You have been busy! Hope you got out to see the moon last night, we did, and it really was super!

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  10. The moon was gorgeous! Hubby reminded me to take a look.

    Our daughter started up home school today, too. I hope all have a great year :)

    Happy quilting! It looks like you'll have plenty to keep you busy!

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  11. We made a point of going down to the beach to get some photos of the "super moon" There were several photographers doing the same thing we were. It was a nice evening with just minimal cloud cover. Hope you were able to see it.

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  12. We stood in our front yard last night & it was like daylight!

    You've put so much time in this blanket.. its going to be one of your best, isn't it? :)

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  13. You are making amazing progress quilting DD's quilt! So sorry you have to get new fabric for T#1"s quilt! lol I sure liked the fabrics you had picked for that, will be interesting to see what he prefers. I like you new pattern too. I have a question. How to you sit and position your quilting hoop when you are doing hours of quilting to prevent your back and neck from hurting?

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  14. We got a good down pour yesterday which we also needed badly. Glad the quilt is continuing to come along!

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  15. Did I ever show you the very first quilt I ever made? It involved hand piecing and applique. Yikes. I am so glad I finally finished it.

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  16. You have been busy. Glad you had a special day before school starts and that you gave them a date night! The super moon was awesome. I read that there will be five this year.

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I am SO glad you stopped by! No proving that you're a robot here ... I want to hear what you have to say! ;-)