...or is that frantically?!
Where to start...
The 100 blocks in 100 days challenge is going well. I've kept up - actually a few days ago I sewed ahead because I knew things were going to get tight. But as of today, I'm just caught up, so tomorrow I will need to sew more blocks. Let's see them - last I shared I had made just one block!
Blocks 2 through 9, with some bonus projects - tiny stars and a little pincushion made from bonus half square triangles. The tiny stars have made a reappearance as leader-enders for the 100 blocks and it feels good to be working on them again.
I also am caught up and only need to make one book per day. I'm more than halfway done, but have also employed the working ahead technique here in the last week. But, as with the 100 blocks, I am currently just caught up, so tomorrow I will be sewing at least one of these as well!
This puts me at 30 blocks. For the quilt I will need 56. So I'm getting there, but having so much fun, maybe I'll make a bigger quilt? (Ha ha ha ha! Nope.)
Part of the reason for working ahead was knowing I need to get the baby quilt quilted. I knew the quilting and hand-binding would take a chunk of time and, planning ahead, I chose yesterday. It was a cool morning (below 60!) and the heat of the day only took us to about 82. So I got up early and got busy quilting...
And I got all the way to here before the second bobbin ran out. Oh so frustrating!
It's hard to see here, but I just did overall swirls in varying sizes. That's my default and I feel kinda bad, but I wanted something quick and easy and this was it. Also, this quilt had some poofiness that needed to be quilted out, and swirls can do that nicely. It wasn't bad, but enough. It looks just fine now.
After this was done, I trimmed it and sewed the binding on. I spent a good chunk of the evening hand-sewing down the binding and now all it needs is a label. Since I hadn't thought to make that ahead, it still isn't done, but the shower is still almost two weeks away. I can do that! I'll share a final reveal after it's been given.
In addition to longarming, I needed to be sure to plan around my work schedule. It's not a lot, but it does take up an 8+ hour chunk of my day when I go in!
Saturday we had two of these little guys (or gals?) visit in the breakroom while I was eating lunch. A coworker and I caught and liberated them to the field behind the building. That's not a chipmunk. It's a 13-stripe ground squirrel. But basically the same thing. I'm so glad I work with folks who would rather catch and release these guys than kill them. It just seems mean. I mean, we have this whole store full of shelter and good eats, so why wouldn't they want to come in?!
I also visited family on the 4th and celebrated with steaks and other good food. And there was the annual book sale, of course. I still haven't read books from a year or two ago (but I am making a good effort to put the phone down and read and the stack is getting a little bit smaller already), but when they're $1 for a paperback and $2 for a hardcover, who can say no? Plus, it goes to the Friends of the Library group and they do all sorts of worthy programs.
I didn't go as crazy as usual, but I knew I had a lot at home still, so I tried to keep it under control. I hope by this time next year these are all gone, as well as most of the other stack. This hot weather is a good excuse to sit down in front of a fan with a book, right?
But all of these 1 block per day challenges have proven to be less than challenging. I mean, I do work ahead, but sitting down to make two blocks is kind of a tease. I feel like I should be doing more. So I decided to join another quilt along. I know. Roll your eyes. This one is based around a jelly roll and makes a pretty cool quilt. And I have a jelly roll that I'm clueless how to use, so I figured this would be a great excuse!
The quilt along is the Jelly Roll Waves pattern from Busy Hands Quilts and is hosted at her blog. I haven't gotten further than opening up the jelly roll, counting how many strips of each color I have (why do I have 14 green and only 5 of orange and 5 blue?), and pulling a chunk of white from my stash that should be adequate.
Tonight, I think I will start cutting. I'm still debating how I want this to go...I'd like to do rainbow order, but for the number of blocks I'm making, I don't have enough strips of all the colors. And I'm not sure I want to supplement from my stash because that means I'll have more strips left over than if I didn't supplement. And I kinda just want this used up. I like it, but I'm just not a big fan of random strips hanging out in my stash.
So there you go. All caught up.
Tomorrow I will be sewing ahead on the block-a-day challenges, as I have some upcoming events that may not allow me to be in my sewing room for a few days again. And I'd like to be prepared. But tonight is a free night now that I've worked a shift and done my chores. Dinner will happen next and, if I'm not too tired to focus properly, sewing will commence.
Happy quilting,
Katie
7 comments:
You may not think so, but those 100 day challenge blocks would be too much for me! How will you ever get them all together? Your book blocks just cuter, and I can't wait to see your 'library' when you get them all together. I've never bought a jelly roll, and probably never will. I'm not that crazy about strips either. Sound like you have it all under control! I'm not surprised about that either! Have fun! ---"Love"
**slightly embarassed** in my last comment I said 100 days to make 1 block. You're on target though for 100 blocks in 100 days and they look good so far. Not surprised at all that you have joined another quilt-a-long. You like being busy. Nice colours. Quilting swirls on all those straight lines and sharp corners will look amazing. So how many stripes does a chipmunk have?
Forgot to mention how good the book blocks look against their crumpled paper backgrounds.
Love your book blocks - such cute fabrics! I'm happy to see that you are keeping up with your challenges - and rolling my eyes at the new one - LOL - ;))
I like the pink and black blocks! That color combo looks real crisp to me. I did laugh a lot reading your post! Your hubby must be a saint!! Of course, mine is too, but I'm not nearly as bad as you - I don't think. I took a picture of a real snail today on my walk. He had a really nice shell on his back and was crossing the street very slowly. Maybe I'll post him next time. I've never taken a picture of a snail before. I love your book blocks again - you have the most interesting pieces of fabric for them. I definitely wouldn't want to kill one of those guys that was in your office either. Cockroaches, yes. But little furry things, no. I saw a chipmunk running across the road yesterday and I don't think I hit him.
I am loving the black/gray/pink fabrics you are using for the challenge blocks, so pretty! And the books continue to be so cute. You have some great fabrics to work with. You get so much done, wish you could bottle and sell all that energy!
First, I love all your blocks! The pink and black for the 100 Days Challenge are so classy. And it cracks me up that we have some of the same fabrics (and as I looked around your other blog posts, I saw more that I have or have had). Missouri Star Quilt Company has lots of good tutorials on YouTube for any type of Pre-Cut. But the Wave pattern you’re doing was pretty tempting to me, too. But then I came to my senses and realized I should probably finish a UFO or six before starting something new!
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