positivity quilt along tops

Yep, you read that right.

Plural.

Tops!

This week is a prize-awarding linkup for the quilt along, so I'd better get my entry in, right?  Because who doesn't need more fabric or patterns or whatever goodies might be in store!

The last time you saw the actual Positivity quilt it needed a border.  I buckled down last week and sewed that on.  It wasn't that big of a deal, just those long seams...

This was actually a good thing, as some of those edges were still on the bias.  This will keep it all stabilized while I procrastinate quilting it.

Next up is the bonus quilt using the extras from making the above leaves.  It was going to finish kinda small and I wanted to make it a bit larger for wherever it ends up.  I thought to use the sea turtle print left over from Jenna's baby quilt, as it looks batik-ish, but when I pulled out what was left after using it for cat hammocks (big prints like this are fun for quilt backs, but rarely get used otherwise, so hey...sew it up!), it turned out I didn't have quite enough.

Back to the stash and I found leftovers from the Tiny Stars quilt back - perfect!

Even better, I have enough to bind it in the same fabric!

So now I just have to get backs for them and get them quilted.

Oh, and my local friend Carol chatted with me last week and mentioned that she has taken smaller quilts (as small as this one without the border even) to a local nursing home to be used as lap quilts.  I decided it still needed a border.  A little extra to tuck under your legs is never bad, right?  So it will finish about 42x42.

Hooray for tops!

In other sewing news, the hammock production continues despite this fiasco...

My Purple Thang broke!

I've had this for probably 15 years.  It came in a goodie bag at a retreat and I kinda rolled my eyes at it.  At the time, I was making quilts and nothing more.  (Of course, I was also working full-time and hadn't ventured into crafty stuff much yet.)  But it has been indispensable in making hammocks.  And cat toys.  And masks.  It has seen a LOT of use over the last few years.

And then it came to this fabric.

This is denim.  The flowers are probably 4" across for the largest.  It is HEAVY denim.  It will make wonderful hammocks.  But poking out those corners...sheesh!

I sat there for probably 10 seconds with my jaw hanging down, amazed at what I had done.  I knew I was pushing it, but really?

So, until I could get to my local quilt shop for a new one, enter the things I used to use when doing crafty things, before the purple thang.  (I did some crafty stuff, just not on the level I do now.)

A "stuffing tool" from the bag of stuffing (I have a half dozen of these thanks to the cat toys I've made over the last few years) and a nutpick.  Not a very sharp one, which is fine.

These worked okay, but it made me wonder about the size of that nutpick end...

Pretty darn close, right?  I'm as surprised as you are.

But the purple thang is definitely easier to handle.  For one, it's flat, which means it doesn't turn/rotate on you, so you don't have to grip it at tight.

And my local quilt shop had one, so I'm back in business.  (Though in looking for a link to share with you all, it came to my attention that these come in a variety of colors.  If purple wasn't my favoritest color of all time, I might be sad.)

Hammock construction seems to be dragging, but I'm into a batch of fabrics that are in larger pieces - like 8 yards - so though it seems slower, I'm actually probably working faster.  Oh well.  It's all fun.

In other quilty news, I had planned to share the Tiger quilt today, as I finished the binding on it this week, but since I have the Positivity linkup, I don't want to overwhelm the blog.

Just in case you wanted to see it...

Toby and the hubby put it to use that night.  With the air conditioner and fans running (the hubby is crazy, please know it's not me), even the hubby gets cold (some nights I'm in a sweatshirt despite it being 80+ outside), so he used his new quilt.  And Toby...well, if you want Toby snuggles, get a quilt.  He loves them all!

Time to get rolling.  Lots to do today, including lunch with some friends.  And maybe I'll get some work done on the 10 hammocks that are half-done?

Happy quilting,

Katie