QUILTING DIAGONALLY

 I started the actually quilting on Spider Legs which I have mounted diagonally on the longarm.  It's going well.  I'm using the ruler exclusively to make straight lines in the 'background with a light teal thread, and zig-zaggy lines with black thread in the black and white 'leg' parts.

I only worked on it for a few hours, then I went back to work on the Dear Jane blocks.  I wanted to get my third and fourth one for the week done.

This is B12 and B13, which finishes off the second row.  This makes 26 blocks I've made, only 143 left to do.

B12 was all curves

B13 was an easy one to complete the week's 4.

FRIDAY FINALLY

 I finally got the backing for Spider Legs pinned onto the longarm.  I've been procrastinating about it for what seems like a very long time.  It barely fits onto the longarm because I added fabric to all the sides so the backing would be diagonal when I quilt it.  

I also loaded the batting and the top and even wound one bobbin.  Then I joined the Brave Patch Finish It Friday group.  

I was able to get the next Dear Jane block, B11, finished before I had to go in to make dinner.

BLACKBERRY JAM

 Wednesday Darrell and I went blackberry picking in a local 'park'. Jelly went too, but wasn't too happy.  She doesn't like blackberries and really doesn't like trying to walk in them.  So she stayed away and watched us.

Today I cooked them up, using a very low sugar recipe, into Blackberry jam and canned 12 little half pints and one pint.  That should last us for a few weeks!  

TINY PIECES

 I made the next Dear Jane block today, B10.

It has tiny pieces.

The middle part

2-1/4" square at this point

Getting bigger...

All done, 4-1/2" block.

CANNING PEARS

 We got a big box of Bartlett pears yesterday at the West Seattle Farmers Market.  With Darrell peeling and me cutting in half and coring, we made a good team.  He could peel them as fast as I did the rest.  We didn't make it through all of the pears, but I think we got at least half of the 24 lbs prepared.  We couldn't help but sample one - it was very delicious.

I hot packed them in quart jars and ended up with 6 quarts.

CANNING FRUITS

 Darrell and I went to the West Seattle Farmers Market and bought a box of peaches and a 24 lb box of pears.

We came home and canned the peaches right away.  We were disappointed with them.  Once they were peeled you could see a lot of bruises and soft spots - which all had to be cut away.  I think we were probably a bit too late in the season.  Hopefully, we'll remember this next summer.

But, we got four quarts put up.  

DEAR JANE B8 AND B9

 I've made two more Dear Jane blocks.  And again, they were challenging.

The center four pieces were fussy-cut and sewn together, then the corners were added with a Y-seam.

I added the appliqued leaves later.

This block was also fussy-cut and entailed Y-seams.

DEAR JANE B6 and 7

Working on row B of the Dear Jane quilt.   Today I got B6 and B7 done.  I doubt that I could have completed B7 with its curves and inset circle back in 1996.  But, luckily I have the skills to do that now.  But, this little block was still very difficult for me.  

I took B7 into the house with me to finish the appliqued little diamonds in the corners.   

I thought I would foundation piece B6, but that wasn't going to work, so then I thought I'd make the center square and foundation piece the rest, but that wasn't how I did it afterall. 

Making the parts for the center square.

I thought I'd foundation piece the rest of the block, but in the end, it seemed easier to just piece it.

Completed B6, 4-1/2" block

Then it was on to B7:

Sewing the little 'melons' on the center circle piece.  Can't have enough pins.

Once I got the center circle completed, I inset it into the outer square using the 6-Minute Inset Circle technique.  I think the original was probably made with four individually pieced sides and mitered corners, but I thought this new way would be better, and faster.

Completed B7