one thing, one week

Amy of Amy's Creative Side (and the Blogger's Quilt Festival) has issued a challenge on her blog...  Choose one thing to challenge yourself with for the week (starting today) and at the end of the week (next Tuesday), she's going to have a Mr. Linky so we can all share.

I need help.  I'm in.

My challenge for myself?  Get the I Spy top together for Miss Makayla. 

(I have all weekend, right?) 

Here's where I stand:

Those blocks need a fourth border (there's 25 of them) and those purple rectangles get a white stripe between them (24 blocks).  This should be easy if I can just drag myself away from the air conditioner...  (Actually the sewing room isn't all that bad until I turn on the iron.)

But if this isn't bad enough, I went out and bought fabrics for the handprint quilt I plan to make.  Turns out there has been no diagnosis yet, but in the process of getting hand tracings, the cat was let out of the bag and now I'm committed regardless.  Oh well...

I was thinking about doing hearts for alternate blocks, but these fabrics just don't intuitively scream hearts.  Maybe random circles?  I'm still thinking on layout too, since the person it was supposed to be a suprize for knows...so I'm thinking to add her hand and the family's last name instead of "Mom".

And you think I'm done, right?  Nope.  As I was working on Makayla's quilt, I realized that my sis-in-law will probably be a little jealous that her little one isn't getting a second quilt for his second birthday like Makayla is...so while I have the box of I Spy fabrics borrowed from my mom, why not work on a second...

But I don't want them to be matchy-matchy.  The family already calls them girlfriend and boyfriend (they're about 2 months apart in age and see a lot of each other), so I had to take care of that.  Off to Flickr for inspiration.  Found it!

So back to JoAnn's I went for more fabric.  Boy is that store busy...

The smaller circle print will be block background, the larger will be outside borders.  Lime green sashing and binding, blue cornerstones.  Applique circles are pretty easy...she says before she's even picked fabrics for the 42 blocks she's planned...  (And I did not realize until just now that I'm using some of the same black prints as the original!)

But wait, there's more!  Books, that is.  Some friends borrowed the hubby's fishing boat this weekend and left these hanging on my doorknob (they were here very, very early):

Because that stack of books I bought on July 3rd isn't tall enough.  The friend who went to the book sale with me mentioned this other friend had these books.  I filed that info away into the deep recesses of my brain, thinking I'd ask to borrow them when the ginormous stack got a little smaller, but she beat me to it.  Now I want to read these instead!

And finally, Theri beat me to it, but I was going to make a list of projects I need to finish.  We'll leave out the few UFOs that have no destination in mind (truly there are only a few that aren't at least tops) so that I can concentrate on the ones I need to remember to make.  There are so many I keep forgetting and then going "oh no, not another one!"

In no particular order:

1.  Hubby's new bed quilt (Christmas deadline)

2.  Makayla's I Spy quilt (November deadline)

3.  Ethan's I Spy quilt (January or Christmas deadline)

4.  Alora's sports teams quilt (if I can find all those I want - Christmas deadline)

5.  Kim's hand print quilt (as soon as possible - I should probably set myself a real deadline)

6.  Erik and Jennifer's quilt (as soon as I get their address...and the binding on!)
7.  Make Life Charm Squares quilt (needs borders - no deadline, it's for me!)

8.  Amanda's twin quilt #1 (babies due November)

9.  Amanda's twin quilt #2

10.  Julie's 3rd baby quilt (no clue when this one is due or if the rumor is true)

I have at least fabrics and a plan for # 1-7.  #8 and 9 I called tonight too ask and the babies didn't cooperate at the ultrasound to find out the sexes, so she has another appointment next week.  #10 may not pan out, but I might as well include it.

Next Saturday (the 31st) my sister-in-law who quilts is coming down for a quilting day.  She's got 4 baby quilts she'd like to make, though I'm not sure she's committed out loud to the recipients, so she's not in quite the bind I'm in.  But we'll have a fun day, no matter what we're working on.

And I work better with multiple projects and deadlines. 
Especially deadlines.

Now that I've committed to the challenge, I'd better quit typing and start sewing!

Happy quilting,

Katie

(7/21)
Oh dear, I've forgotten a few more UFOs...

11. Birdies on a Wire quilt (for me, no deadline, just want it done!)
12. extra June dolly quilt
13. July dolly quilt
14. APQ swap quilt (borders only)

Let's hope that's all of them!