Slow Sunday Stitching

 This coming week should see the last stitches taken in Connections. The last seam is halfway finished. Unfortunately, I don’t have a backing fabric for it. That means a shopping trip coming up, such a shame to need to go shopping..... not. It’s going to be a bit of a challenge to quilt and finish. I don’t want to trim the edges, which means keeping the papers in the edges and doing a turned edge finish. It also means trying to avoid the papers while doing the machine quilting. But I’m sure it will work out. So hopefully this time next week will be a celebration that this one is a finished flimsy.

I’ll link up to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching

What We’re Working On

 We had a productive day yesterday at Prayers and Squares. And some of us had productive days at home as well. Beverly has been working on a Nine Patch and Hour Glass quilt recently. The Nine Patches were in a donation box that was given to us, and she decided to turn them into a quilt. They were a bit wonky in size, so needed trimming to 8 1/2 inches before they could be used. It was her first time doing Hour Glass quarter square triangles, and she did a fabulous job with them. Somehow she ended up with leftover hour glass units, so she cut them in half and turned them into a border. They were still some blue/burgundy triangles left, so those are going into the backing.

Susan and I have been working together on a fish themed quilt. She got more borders sewn on yesterday.. I need to finish another row of snail’s trails blocks before we can finish this one. Here at home I finished the quilting on another animal panel that will go into our fund raising pile. The binding will be the same fabric as the dark grey triangles.

Today’s job is to use up some peaches to make peach jam. After that, I’ll be working on finishing the snail’s trails blocks so we can finish the fish themed quilt next Thursday. I’ll link up to finished, or not, Friday

Slow Sunday Stitching

 So close, so very close to having Connections finished. I’m now in the process of sewing the connecting row and putting the two halves of the quilt together. It is going to be a nice lap quilt size for the winter. We had such a hot and dry end of July and beginning of August that it is hard to think about winter. But the last week has cooled way down to the point that it fells like fall is here already. I’m carefully watching the weather predictions and keeping an eye out for frost warnings. I don’t want to lose what is left of my tomato harvest.

I’ll link up to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching

What We’re Working On

 I did a much better job of taking pictures of our various projects we worked on at Prayers and Squares yesterday, so I’ve lots to share. Pat started working on a Disappearing Nine Patch last week. They are all in blue plaids with light grey in between and a red and blue plaid for the centre constant. We started with 6 inch squares, so it is sewing up fast.We have a request for a gentleman in these colours. Susan has been working on a fishing themed quilt, also a request so we are trying hard to get it done.It has a few more borders to go onto it yet.  Elizabeth has been working on a heart themed quilt, using quilt as you go techniques. It is almost done. Pat did this lovely autumn themed quilt in her spare time at home. We layered it yesterday for quilting. Sharon has been working on the pink and blue 3 yard quilt beauty. It needs one more border and then it will be ready for layering. Here at home I’m continuing to slowly make these flying geese pinwheel blocks. There are now 5 done and a sixth in progress. The slowly is because it is also harvest from the garden and canning season. Every year our local grocery store has these 25 pound boxes of Roma tomatoes for $8.99, a really good deal. This is my 3rd box, in addition to all the tomatoes from the garden. It wasn’t a good year for the garden, too wet at the beginning of the summer and then 3 weeks of hot and dry. Hence the 3 boxes from the grocery store. I’ve done lots of pasta sauce and now I’m doing plain jars of tomatoes that can be turned into other things.

I’ll link up to Finished, or not, Friday

What We Are Working On

 It was another slow day for pictures at Prayers and Squares yesterday. I spent most of the afternoon cutting for a new project we are starting. It’s a Disappearing nine patch for a gentleman who requested blues and greys. We have a substantial stash of plaids at the moment, so the blues and the centre red came from those. The greys will be cut from light grey fat quarters and leftovers from other projects. Here’s an Electric Quilt estimate of the eventual quilt. We’re starting with 6 inch squares of fabric, so it will go together fairly quickly. Beverly has been working with some nine patches that were donated to us. They were oddly and inconsistently sized, so she trimmed them to a consistent 8 1/2 inches and then made a bunch of hour glass blocks to go in between them. It was her first time making hour glass blocks. She did a fabulous job. And then here at home I’ve been slowly working on some more of the flying geese blocks. Harvesting from the garden and doing preserves has gotten in the way of sewing lately. Today is tomato sauce day. It is cooking down now, so I’ve got a few hours to do some sewing. 

I’ll link up to Finished, or not, Friday.

Slow Sunday Stitching

 I have increased my numbers of 2 inch squares by digging into some unused fabric scraps. I am getting so close to having Connections finished. I’ll probably need a few more 2 inch squares before it is done but from here on I’m going to cut them as I need them. I have 3 out of 8 units done that I need for this last row. After that it is just a matter of joining the 2 halves of the quilt together. I won’t put a time frame onto it. But soon..... maybe...... I’m hoping it will be done by the time I need a lap quilt for the winter.

Anyhow..... I’ll link up to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching.

What We’re Working On

 I missed writing this yesterday. We ended up having an extra Prayers and Squares meeting. One of our past members had moved away but was up for a visit so we scheduled an extra meeting so we could visit with her, and get some things moved further along as well. Marcia has been working on this sampler for a while. She took it home and got it quilted and bound. Marg finished off the Sister’s Choice quilt os you go. She did a semi scrappy backing with it so it is a reversible quilt. Pat has been working on this Jelly Roll quilt at home. She brought it for show and share and also for help getting the sashing strips cut. She’s been working on this Bento Box variation on Thursdays. Just the top and bottom borders to add and it will be ready for backing and layering. There are a few blocks turned the wrong way that add a touch of whimsey and charm. Here at home I’m working on some Dutchman’s Puzzle variation blocks in an attempt to use up some of the blues that are persistently hanging around. The pile doesn’t seem to be getting any smaller. These are 12 inch blocks and I’m aiming for 20 of them for the finished quilt. That should dwindle the pile down a bit. It’s a good thing that blue is my favourite colour or I’d be getting awfully third of it by now. That seem to be all I’ve been working with for months now, in that same attempt to use it up.

Even though it is Saturday rather than Friday, I’ll still link up to Finish, or not, Friday

 

Slow Sunday Stitching

 I have finished the second to last row for Connections. One more row and I can start joining the 2 big sections together. Of course, before I can do that I need to make a long connector row to go between the sections. So I guess that really means I have 2 rows to go.However, I’m going to have to go scrounging for more 2 inch squares. I’m almost out again. So, I guess I’ll link up to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching and then go hunt up some more squares.

What We’re Working On

 Yesterday at Prayers and Squares was a busy day. But I don’t have a lot of pictures to show. That’s because it was layering day and five quilts were layered and spray basted. That always takes up tons of time and effort. However, Marg managed to finish putting together this Sister’s Choice quilt as you go top. And Tammy, who is new to our group, has been working on a sampler kit from Joannes in the States. It is a pre-cut quilt with all the fabrics already cut and packaged into a block of the month style package, with each block having separate packaging and instructions.

I brought home 3 of the layered quilts which I hope to have finished by next Thursday. I’ll link up to Finished, or not, Friday

What We Are Working On

 We didn’t get any big finishes at our Prayers and Squares group yesterday. But there is progress on multiple projects. Sharon is working on a project in these fabrics. I think she said she now has all the blocks finished. I’ve been working on some basket blocks on Thursdays and now have six finished. Barbara was working on finishing a quilt for a new grandson.

 Here’s the front and the back. And I finished up the star blocks I was working on at home. I hope to get the blocks all sewn together and the  borders added this coming week. I’ll link up to Finished, or not, Friday.

Slow Sunday Stitching

 The row for Connections that I was working on last week is finished and has its spacer row added to it. It is lying on the right hand side of the main piece, but hasn’t been stitched in place yet. I’ve now started on the second to last row needed for this project. The end should be in sight sometime in the next month or two. Certainly it should be done by the time I’ll need it for keeping warm. Just on general principles I’m not going to utter that word here and now. It’s way too lovely to even think about that word, let alone say it, let alone write it down.

So, I’ll link up to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching where there are lots of other warm weather posts to look at.

What we are working on

 We had a quilt finish, other than binding, yesterday. Janet finished the quilting on this lovely scrap quilt made from 3 1/2 x 6 1/2 inch pieces, cut from the 3 1/2 inch strip bin. There are many other projects in progress but I didn’t get pictures. Here at home I’m still working my way through the blue scraps. I have 12 out of 20 star blocks finished. I’m hoping to get this one done in the next week or two. And in the interests of getting a handle on the bags of fabric we have stashed at the church, I brought one of them home and am in the beginning of the process of sorting and cutting into usable sizes. So far I’m working on yet more blues. I have plans......

I’ll link up to Finished, or not, Friday

Slow Sunday Stitching

 Connections is making great progress. By the looks of it I only have 2 more full rows to do. Then I have to join the sections together and I can count this one done. It is going to end up as a nice lap sized quilt for this coming winter. I have enough squares basted to start the next row, but I need to do more of the triangles. So that is on my to do list after I finish this post. It’s another glorious day, so I think I’ll be taking my stitching and basting glue outside into the shade of the screened tent shelter.

I’ll link up to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching

What We’re Working on

 We have a couple of finishes this week. Barbara finished putting the binding onto this beauty of a quilt yesterday. I do love a diagonal striped binding.

And in an attempt to use up all the blues I have hanging around at home, I finished this quilt top. Did it finish the blues? Of course it didn’t, so I’ll have to come up with yet another design to use them up. It will have to be something using more diamonds since I have lots of those left over. 

I’ll link up to Finished, or not, Friday

Slow Sunday Stitching

 I’ve made really good progress on the Christmas stocking for our grand daughter this past week. The ginger bread house is almost completely done. All that is left is a few decorations to go on the snow at the top of the chimney. I’m confident that the rest can be completed later this year, before Christmas comes. This is the only slow stitching I did this week. So I’ll link to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching.

What We’re Working on

 I didn’t get any pictures of works in progress yesterday. We received a wonderful donation of fabrics a week ago, 4 large totes of fabric. So yesterday was spent sorting and emptying 2 of them. It is a fantastic gift to us. We won’t need to go shopping for quite a while, other than perhaps backing for specific quilts that need a specific back. I have been working on finishing up a couple of things here at home. Last summer we used a Toronto Maple Leafs themed quilt as a fund raiser for our P&S group. Our daughter saw it and thought it would work as a fund raiser for our grand daughter’s school. So I have made another one. It needs layering and quilting yet. I’ve also put together another of the animal themed panel quilts, this time with deer in the centre. It is finished, but I don’t have a picture of the finished top. It too needs a backing and layering. I did manage to find backing fabric for it out of those 2 totes we emptied yesterday. And I finally gave myself permission to start something new. This is a Judy Martin design out of her Block Book. It is a large block, 20 1/2 inches square. At the moment I am thinking of perhaps doing 4 blocks and then using more of the diamonds as a border. I’ll figure it out as I go along. I brought a quilt home yesterday that needs quilting ASAP so that it can go back to be prayed over on Sunday and then be delivered next week. So that will be my first task today. After that I hope to do more of the star blocks. I’ll link up to Finish, or not, Friday

Slow Sunday Stitching

 I didn’t  make as much progress on the Christmas stocking for our grand daughter as I had hoped. Turns out I had the wrong week for her going to camp. It’s this week. So, I kinda have another week to work on it. That’s what I’ll be doing this afternoon in the glorious sunshine. I’m up to piece 15, which is the green frame around the door, out of 80 something. Not bad, all things considered. 

In between working on the stocking I did a little bit on my Connections piece.

I was able to spend an afternoon last weekend with Gail and Christine and they each brought me some 2 inch squares to go in it. I was running low, so their supplies might take me to the end of it.

 I’ll link up to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching and then head out to the sunshine.

Slow Sunday Stitching.

 I started a new slow stitching project today. I have long wanted to make one of the fun Bucilla stocking for our grand daughter, but didn’t really have an idea about which one. Shortly after this past Christmas the idea came to me that we have always done gingerbread baking before each Christmas. She always looks forward to it and so do I. So I thought to look for a ginger bread themed stocking. And I found one and ordered it. What didn’t occur to me was how tricky it would be to actually work on it while living in the same house. She tends to pop in and out of our living area without much warning. How was I going to do it and keep it a secret. Well, this week she is away at over night camp. So I have a full week knowing she won’t be here to see it. I’m going to see just how much of it I can get done in a week. This is the stocking picture. This is where I am. There is a long way to go. I am on piece #4 out of  somewhere around 80 pieces. What I don’t get done this week will get put away until September when we go out to the trailer for a week. After that it will have to be during school days. 

I’ll link up to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching

What we’re working on

We did so well over the past month or so and had 7 or 8 quilts finished and stored in the cupboard. There is something satisfying and de-pressurising about having a few quilts ahead.  Almost like we can breathe for a bit and relax a bit. Well, that’s done as 6 of them went out this week. So we are back to building up an inventory yet again. They all go to needy people and it is fun and rewarding to make them, so all is good. This puts us up to 21 quilts going out so far this year. That’s almost one a week.

 Janet has been working on a quilt pattern called Iris for the last few weeks. She finished the top yesterday and we got it trimmed. I normally do not like quilts that do piecing on the diagonal that then need large pieces cut off. The waste really bothers me. But this quilt is so striking that it was worth it. And we decided to put the cut offs into the backing so they aren’t completely wasted.

Barbara has been working on this next quilt for quite a while. It was inspired by the landscape style fat quarter in the middle and she’s been adding borders to it. The quilting is now finished and it just needs binding. There are a few other projects in various stages, but I didn’t manage to get pictures of them. 

I’ll link up to Finished, or not, Friday

Slow Sunday Stitching

When I left off last week I was trying to figure out the fabric placement for the blues row I was working on. There were 2 light fabrics together that just looked yuck together.  All it took was swapping out one of the blah light fabrics for dark one to give contrast. When in doubt, always go for contrast, says self to self. And that finished off the blue row. I’ve gotten a small start on the next row, which is greens, paired with light pinks, along with some tans and creams. Hopefully by this time next week there will be progress on the greens. I’ll link up to Kathy’s Slow Sunday Stitching

What We’re Working on

 We had a bunch of finishes this past week. Quilting done and bindings added on by Marg. She has turned into the binding queen. Marcia did one of the bindings as well. There is a spinning Rail Fence, a very bright triangles and a Bonnie Hunter designed Hopscotch Butterscotch. As well as those three finishes, I’ve gotten the fox panel to a finished top and it has also been layered. I’m hoping to get it quilted this week. I usually spend Fridays doing the machine quilting on our Prayers and Squares tops, but today was instead spent immersed in strawberries. I did up 11 jars of freezer jam and have the dehydrator going with strawberries as well. Tomorrow will be partly spent doing a strawberry rhubarb pie, after which there may be time for some quilting.

I’ll link up to Finished, or not, Friday