Olympic Binding Marathon #4

 Being back at work is seriously cutting into my sewing time!  Even if time remains at the end of the day, energy can be hard to summon.  Sitting on the couch to sew some binding before nodding off during the Olympics has been just about right for the last few evenings. 

This quilt was based on Bonnie Hunter's Little Monkey Pattern.  The blocks were all from the strip bins, with a bit of fabric added for lattice strips, border and binding. The middle is quilted with a small meander while the border has square spirals.  I had fun with the edges this time, saving them for the end and then just rolling the quilt backwards and then forwards again, while quilting all around the border.  It is a new baby gift for my mom's husband's daughter's new baby.  Mom just got home from the hospital this afternoon after the reconstruction surgery following her mastectomy last year.
Tomorrow is the first ScrapHappy Saturday of the new month.  Most people have surmised that turquoise is the new color of the month.  Look for anything on the greenish side of the blue bin, or if that won't work, try light blue as a substitute.  For most people, blue is just too big to polish off in a single month.  If you need to, just keep working of your blue bin to whittle it down a bit.  Look for Mr. Linky in the morning so we can all find some inspiration in the new month. 

Last Quilts

So first thing this morning I trimmed up the t-shirt quilt and made some binding to finish it off.  I got the machine sewing part done, and Meisje wants to do the handwork, so that one is done. 

Lizzie wanted to help with the Little Monkey blocks, I've had lots of helpers for this one. 

I decided on a green border for this one.  I think it brightens the quilt up quite a bit.  This one is done being quilted and just needs binding.  I've got a nice green and yellow stripe that will be just right.  First though, I am going to get cleaned up and go out with Meisje for dinner and drinks.  I'll deliver the quilt to her and have one last night out before school starts again.  Everything right now is all about one last whatever before school starts again. 

Design Wall Monday - July 30, 2012

With just two more days before teachers are back at school, I am trying hard to cross a few projects off the list.  This is a baby quilt for a relative who is going to have a blue, green and yellow nursery with farm animals.  I could not find any farm animal fabric, so I just found fabrics with the right colors. Everything was already in my strip bins except for the yellow which I thought made a nice background.  The pattern is from Bonnie Hunter at Quiltville and is called Little Monkey.  Isn't is just the sweetest pattern for a baby quilt?  Sydney gave it her seal of approval, so all that remains is to sew the blocks together and get it quilted up before the baby arrives. Be sure you head over to Patchworktimes to see what everyone has been up to over the weekend. 

Handwork Sunday - Slowpoke Edtion

 Here are the next two Dear Jane Blocks.  We have all been enjoying the Olympics as a family in the evenings during which I have done lots of hand sewing of binding.  I'll do a final photo shoot on those quilts  as they are finished. Be sure to visit Kathy to see what others are up to on hand work Sunday. 

Today though, I am trying to get these little monkey blocks together.  I'm about a third done so far. The girls wanted to go shopping for back to school clothes this morning, and then while the boys are off playing Dungeons and Dragons this afternoon, they have asked to see a movie.  In between though, I'll be working my way through more of these little guys. 

Saturday Miscellany

Today I had lots of quilting fun.  First, my friend Meisje came over to quilt her sons t-shirt quilt.  She wasn't so sure she was qualified to use the quilting machine, but she did a great job on a loop-de-loop pattern.  I keep trying to turn her into a quilter, but so far she isn't a fan. 

While she was quilting, I got a few Little Monkey blocks put together.  Aren't they cute?  The finish at just 5 inches, so the are definitely on the petite side.  I have 30 blocks prepped and ready as soon as I can get back to the machine. 

Tonight we are having appetizers for dinner and watching the Olympics together as a family.  So far we have seen rowing, archery and handball.  Sydney is cheering for USA while Kurt and Ryan are discussing the physics involved in each sport.  I think I'll go find a quilt that needs binding sewn down.  I think there are still a couple (or maybe 7) in the stack. 

Opening Ceromonies

We tried to watch the opening ceremonies of the Olympics as a family.  Sydney was asleep by Cameroon, Ryan nodded off around France, and Kurt gave up and turned in sometime after Monaco.  The festivities are just finishing up now.  While enjoying all of that, I got all the bits cut out for Little Monkey.  This was a request for my mom's husband's daughter's new baby who is due in October.   Sir Paul McCartney has just finished with Hey Jude and I am off to call it a night.