Priming the Pump

It was nice to be home for the whole weekend.  After being on the road the last couple of weekends, mount laundry had reached significant heights, knocking that down was the first priority.  The main task waiting for me in the sewing room was to finish prepping Morewood for quilting.  Not my favorite thing to do. With the shoulder and back issues, I had to take it slow, just clean up one row at a time, then take a break.   With Morewood completely covering my cutting/pressing table, I couldn't really do much else in the sewing room.  So I did some virtual work during my "breaks".  

Scrappy Butterflies is the next UFO on the list. Back in July I posted this layout.  

 Scrappy Butterflies
Block is available in EQ 8 Block Library

I mostly like it, but it doesn't look complete because not all the butterfly blocks are completely framed by the Irish Chain.  So I played around a bit more and came up with this version. 

This version spreads out the butterflies and finishes off he chain by adding a half block as the first border.  As much as I love the border with the repeating Irish Chain blocks, adding it to this version would make it way too big.  I was aiming for a nice sized couch quilt, not a queen sized quilt. 

While I was playing in EQ8, I pulled up the file on another UFO on this year's quilt plan, Chocolate Marshmallows.  

Chocolate Marshmallows
pattern by Amanda Bergamin of Sea Breeze Quilts

These blocks are from a quilt along with Sea Breeze Quilts back in 2014.  It's another UFO that's not finished because I couldn't decide on a setting.  Like Scrappy Butterflies there are about 20 different layouts in EQ8, none of which I'm happy with. So I played around with a few more layouts. 

This is my current favorite.  The simple sashing floats the blocks in the center. Of all the sashing options, I like this one the best.  The dark brown borders work for me, the only problem is if I remember correctly, I don't have much of the dark brown left.  But if memory serves, there is plenty of the darker pink. 

I'm just not a fan of the all that plain pink in the border. Maybe what this quilt needs is a scrappy border?  Maybe a key board?  Any suggestions?   

Linking up with Monday Making and Design Wall Monday.  

Stitching Stuff: Week 32 of 2021

The first week of August is already over. By the end of this week, August will be half over.  The second half of the year really does pass at light speed.  I missed posting last week.  The intention was there, but moving the Scientist in Training took a lot more time and effort than we'd planned for. I just didn't have time to sit down with the computer and write a blog post.  The last couple of weeks have been spent babying my shoulder and hanging with family.  My stitching time metrics certainly show that I wasn't in the sewing room. 

• 15 minute days/week = 4/7 days
• 15 minute days/July = 23/31 days
• 15 minute days/2021 = 182/219
• Success rate = 83.11%

I'm off target on my stitching time goal. I did better this week than last week. Hopefully I'll get back on track with 7/7 days next week and can quickly work my success rate back over 85%.  

How did you do this week on working in some stitching time? 

1. Ivani 2. karen 3. maggie f 4. Julie in GA

5. Meloney 6. DonnaleeQ 7. Sherrie 8. Andree at Quilting & Learning

9. DawnyK 10. Amanda 11. Quilting Gail

Powered by... Mister Linky's Magical Widgets.

August One Monthly Goal

It's the end of the first week of August. Definitely time to pick a One Monthly Goal and link up over at Elm Street Quilts.

I've noted in earlier posts that the last half of July was pretty bad on the stitching front. For the first time in at least 18 months I didn't finish my OMG for the month.  So the plan for August is to pick up where I left off and finish prepping the Morewood Mystery for quilting, then package and ship it out for quilting.   

I'm about a third of the way finished with the pressing and clean up.  If I focus on this over the weekend, then I should be able to finish this up and go back to more fun stuff.  So an easily accomplished goal, but one that I've stalled on for the last couple of weeks.  

Family Photo Challenge: Week 6

This week's challenge was much less open to interpretation then last week's. 

Even with such an identifiable subject, our photos are all quite different.  I had a hard time picking my shot for this week, so I let My Guy decide which photo to post.  He liked the colors in this photo, I like the texture.  

Kate: Gold Leaf

My Guy decided to go the natural route.  Not sure where he found his subject, it's way too early for autumn leaves around here.  

My Guy: Mulberry RFD

The Scientist in Training decided to show off a current project.

SIT: Leaf in Stitches

The SIT's photo is my favorite this week. I just like the textures and the detail.  

The challenge for next week? 

Another challenge with lots of opportunity for interpretation.  

PHD in 2021: July's Missteps

July went really fast and with the first week of August almost in the bag, it's obvious that the last half of the year is going to move at the speed of light. July had a few nasty surprises.  Shoulder issues sidelined me for the last 2 weeks of the month.  That means limited computer and sewing time till the inflammation goes down.  So I've been pretty absent from the blogging world.  Add in the two weekends I spent with the Scientist in Training one for fun and one to get her moved, my sewing time was pretty limited the last half of the month.  So a pretty negative month in terms of progress on my 2021 PHD. 

 

There are no new finishes, but at least there are no new starts. 

 

The PHD report is pretty much unchanged from last month's.  That doesn't mean there hasn't been some progress on a few projects.

Morewood just needs to be pressed and de-threaded before it's sent out for quilting. 

 

Progress has stalled on that front.  Hopefully I'll have lots of time in the sewing room this weekend to finish up that chore. 

Just two more rows of blocks to stitch together for Cabins and Fans.

 

Once Morewood is prepped, I'll get back to stitching on this project. 

Unity is moving slowly, but it's progressing. 

Just one border left on Step 7.  I'm so ready to move on to a new block!  

With Morewood rolling off the active project list, it was time to find another UFO to add to the rotation.  My 2013 Rainbow Scrap Project, Scrappy Butterflies, will be back on the active list till it's finished.  

Figuring out how to set these blocks together is what's kept it on the UFO list for so long.  I really like the Irish Chain setting, but I don't like how the butterflies on the edges aren't completely framed.  It looks incomplete to my eye. So this may not be the final setting, but it's close.  

Fingers crossed that August is more productive and less stressful than July was.  Linking up with Quilting Gail for the July PHD update.