LAST PAGES READY

 I did the final stitching on the last two pages of my Stitch Book 2026 today.

The pages are now ready to sew together.

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

THE GHOST IS READY

 I've been working on the applique and embroidery on this old quilt top and it's finally ready to be quilted.

The top, made of small Log Cabin type blocks, was pieced sometime in the 1990's.  It was a pattern by Terri Nussbaum.  It's languished ever since.  I put it on my UFO Challenge list this year.  It's number was drawn by Quilting Mayhem this month.  Which means I need to finish it before the end of May.

BACKING FOR INTERTWINE

 I've been working on making the backing for Intertwine.  I got it finished today.  I printed out the label and started inking it onto fabric.  I realized, after it was too later, that I hadn't printed Intertwine, I had printed Interweave.  It was either go with it or scrap it and start over.  So, I just decided to go with it.  It is now called Interweave.  The next one can be Intertwine, I guess.  I used fabrics from my stash mostly, and a few pieces leftover from the cutting of parts.  A couple of these prints made me wonder why I'd bought them in the first place.

After I got it done, I thought it needed a heart.  So I gave it one.

OWL EYES ETC

I sewed the button eyes onto the Owl body and auditioned some fabrics for around the eyes and the belly.

I ended up changing the belly fabric to a grey plaid that was a little darker.

I ordered 5 yards of Kona Blue Jay for the background of Wildflowers.  I also changed my mind about the size and am going to make it twin sized.  It will probably be a while before the fabric gets here though.

PROCRASTINATION

 There's a lot of should've's on my to-do list.  But, I don't feel like doing anything.  

So, I got out some mending and I came across the needle book I had made years ago and never finished.  So, I worked on it a bit today.  All it needed was these little needle labels appliqued on the pages.

I sewed in about four of them, and then realized I had put them in upside down on the wrong pages.  So, I unsewed them and re-sewed them.  Typical.

LET THE QUILTING BEGIN

 I've been fretting over the quilting for the big flower, Amity Baroque.

Well, today is the day.  I got it loaded onto Eric the Bold and Big (where I discovered that one of the leaders has been installed backwards.  I called Ben and he'll come out after I finish this quilt and fix it).

But, first I had to applique the circle in the middle of the petals and removed the excess fabric from behind it.  Cutting into it was scary.  And, I got to use my new duckbill scissors that came with the longarm package.  

Then I got started on the quilting.  I'm happy with it so far.

ANOTHER BLOCK

After lunch, I didn't feel like starting a whole new project or getting out an old project that needed a lot of work.  So, I drew another block design and made it from the fabrics I used for the 'Gifts' blocks.  It is about 18" by 9".

That was fun.

TWO LEAVES

 I've finished the second leaf and sewn it to the first!

I'm not wanting to start on the second two leaves because I'm still thinking about what fabric to use around the outside of each.  (more on that later)

So, I started sewing the top part of the quilt together.  It's going together very easily.  TG.

I'll take it in to the house tonight to sew a few more circles around the petals.

LOTS OF CIRCLES

 I'm hand appliqueing circles onto my flower petals.  Lots of circles, nine for each petal.  I think that makes 45 circles.  Oh, my.

CONNECTIONS

 I made a little quilt block about Connections.

I drew it out on freezer paper and cut the pieces out and ironed them onto the backs of the fabrics.  I inserted the 'Cedar' strips as I put it together.  Then I hand appliqued the blue (Windsor) circles over the intersections.

I want to make a quilt that I'm going to call "Gifts". I hope to make more blocks in this palette to go with this one.

Stay tuned.

CHANGING CIRCLES

 I finally got around to changing the color of the circles on my Flowers quilt.

Now it's ready for quilting.  

FIVE FLOWERS

I've almost got five flowers done.

I'm having problems with the diamond blocks and need to remake it.  But I love it!

GETTING READY FOR CLASS

My Design Class meets tomorrow and I have been busy finishing up some of my projects.  I've been hand appliquing the circles onto this abstract flower block.  I love it.

They are looking good.  What's next?... I want to make some more flower blocks in different styles - enough to make a quilt.  I still have to make one that is 'realistic' looking.  

I also finished sewing the rows together to get this little quilt top ready for class tomorrow.

SPLENDID FRIDAY

Julie and Jeff took us to Port Townsend, on Thursday, to look at  a promising property with a 3-bedroom home and a 3500 square foot shop on two acres [sounds perfect, right?].  It turned out to be too much of a project - so much work to be done.  

We were back home by 2:30 with a lot to think about.  

After a lot of discussion and thought, we decided we really appreciated our little home here in West Seattle [our little oasis].  We decided to stop looking for an alternative.

Today was a busy one, but I managed to get this stunning paper-pieced block  from the Splendid Sampler 2, done.  I love it!

Yesterday morning I had finished the applique and embroidery on last week's SS2 block and I got it ironed today, too.

CAUGHT UP

I got the Splendid Sampler blocks from the last few weeks done. 

I'm caught up.

'Rose and Dot' designed by Lori Kennedy

'For the Love' designed by Sharon Burgess

FINISHED THE CIRCLES

I got the applique and embroidery done on this week's Splendid Sampler 2 block.  

I almost got the circles finished.  I still need to applique the circles in the middle.  Actually, I need to make the circles then applique them down.

I did more work than the pattern called for.  I cut the backs of the wedges out and then after the wedge circle was sewn to the background I cut the background fabric out from the back of it.

Imagine them with all with red circles in the middle - the blocks, not the dogs.

 P.S. Today was the start of the 100Days100Blocks2018 Challenge.  I posted mine on Instagram.

LATE BUT DONE

Here is last week's Splendid Sampler 2 block.  I had cut out all of the pieces and pieced the backing and prepped the other parts.  I finally got the applique done.

I got this week's block cut out, but there is a lot of hand work with it, too, including embroidery.  So it may be a while before I finish it.  But definitely before next week's block is out.

NEW HAND WORK PROJECT

I sent away for a Sue Spargo's kit.  I started working on it today.  It's so relaxing - even at work.

I'll fill you in on the details about it as we go.

 I left work early, came home and put a little time in quilting.

Here's one of the rulers I'm using on the Baptist Fan.