Welcome to the Weekend

And not a moment too soon, eh?  We got our weekend started (in my little world, the weekend starts Friday morning!) with a trip out to spend the day with my Dad.  At 92, he’s getting frail, getting out is becoming more of a task for him so I like to get out to spend some time with him regularly. 

On the way out to my Dad’s, I reminded DH that in 3 weeks from right then, we’d be in the car as well ... on our way to Hilton Head.  I surprised him as he had been convinced that we were 4 weeks out … it definitely was a pleasant surprise. 



My guild’s Projects Chair has issued a challenge … we are to submit to her a list of quilting goals that we’d like to accomplish by the July 2016 meeting … at least 5 projects we’d like to finish over the next year (she’s leaving the definition of “finish” up to each of us … it could be just a flimsie, or it could be a quilted and bound quilt.  Hmmm … now to decide what 5 projects I’d like to finish).  I would like to think I could get my Martha Washington’s Flower Garden to at least the flimsie stage … and my EPPd Bow Tie quilt, too?  Of course, I should be able to have my Kiss quilt finished, quilted and bound, long before then.  I have a tumbler quilt next up on my list of quilts to make … I don’t know why it couldn’t have it pieced, quilted and bound in the next 10-11 months.  That’s 4 projects … I need at least one more.  Right now, I’m thinking of making a Kaleidoscope quilt after the tumbler quilt, and I’ll need to start another EPP project (for our travels and for swim meets, etc.) … I’ve got the papers to make an EPP sampler, so I guess that’ll be #5.  I’ve added my list to my sidebar, to keep me focused … and maybe so you all can help keep me on track. 



We got back home from my Dad’s by 5:00, which meant that I had plenty of time for a night of sewing … especially since the ballgame didn’t start until after 9:00, perfect for a Friday Night Sew In (FNSI).  It was quite delightful outside so I grabbed my EPP case and set up shop out on the deck. Ahhhhh … bliss!  I finished up the last block for my Martha Washington’s Flower Garden; I last worked on this block over a month ago, and since I’ve been slowly but surely making some progress on basting the connector hexies, I was determined to get this block finished.  I had a few seams to stitch on the outer ring as well as the two end hexies to add.  Here’s what the last block looked like on my way out to the deck:
Here’s the finished block out on the deck: I still have to make the partial blocks for the outer edges (to square it up), but I want to get the full blocks finished, surrounded by the connector blocks before I start on the partial blocks. 

And speaking of the connector blocks, I got right to work on basting them after I finished the piecing on my final full block.  By the time I called it a night, I had over 50 hexies to add to my bag of basted hexies.  I’d hoped to get more done, but it was well past my usual bedtime and our Cardinals weren’t making it a game worth staying up for … I need to count them all again, just to see where I stand.  I need over 600 hexies for my connectors, and at last count, I’d basted 145 … I’m guessing I’m over 200 already – a third of the way there.  Looks like I’ll be able to start piecing these connectors while we’re in Hilton Head.

Today my plan is to do more quilting on my Kiss quilt.  But it’s going to be another gorgeous day … I might not be able to resist the urge to spend more time out on the deck.  If that’s the case, I’ve got a few more hundred hexies I could be working on. 



I hope that whatever you have planned for today includes a little something that brings you joy ... have a great day!
Kathy