Handwork on Sunday - Bring on the Binding

Tonight we are going to watch the Olympic closing ceremonies as a family.  While that is going on, I will sew the binding on the Irish Chain quilt.  Lizzie is here to keep me company.  First I'll have to fight her for the quilt.  I think I'll win. 
Be sure to visit Kathy and see what other handwork people are up to on Sunday.  Thanks again for the reminder to stop and breath at least once a week.  

Midget Grindstone

I was determined to get the last of the midgets sashed and up on the wall for admiration.  That meant individual inspections with time for paper removal and trimming.  I was almost certain there were more than 100, but somehow only 97 seem to have shown up so far.  I'll have to search  in the morning and see where the others are hiding.  Until then, it is time to call it a night. 

ScrapHappy Saturday

I am starting to wonder if my blogging is going to hop from Tiny Tuesday to ScrapHappy Saturday with nothing in between now that school has started.  I hope once things settle down I will have time and energy to sew at least a little bit during the week, until then though, at least the weekends offer a little time for fun.  What turquoise creations have you all been thinking up so far this month?  I'm off to dig into my scraps and start turning them into something fun.  Use the linky below to show us know what you have made. 

Another First Day

 School started today with all the ceremony and excitement that a new year brings.  Today was Anna's first day of junior high.  She is coming to school with me now, and seeing her face around campus during the  day is such a nice surprise. 

Ryan thinks that 6th grade rocks, and Sydney ended up with the same teacher as last year and says it is like having the same year all over again.  My classes all went well, though by the time 7th period rolled around, everyone looked SO tired.  Getting back into the school schedule isn't all that easy I suppose.  I'm pretty much wiped out too, adjusting to the new routine is going to take a few days.  It is nice to start with a short week, by the time a long week rolls around we'll all be ready to move ahead full steam. 
I apologize for getting behind on answering e-mails, I am still reading, but responding hasn't happened much lately.  This weekend should allow me to catch up again and maybe even sew a bit?  I hope so. 

Tiny Tuesday - Another Flower Block

 This is another applique block from the Midget series.  It is called Flower #3, which is horrid name for a block.  I think maybe it looks like a pansy.  I guess I'll call it Playful Pansy. 

Here is Lizzie helping me quilt.  Isn't she a great quilt assistant?

Design Wall Monday August 6, 2012

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It's been two years since I started working on these Midget Blocks from Sentimental Stitches.  I have about 100 done and am working hard to get them set in a cream background and up on the wall. I thought I would have all of them up by now, but being back at school again is seriously cutting into my quilting time.  No worries though, these little guys have been simmering for a long time, I want them to end up just right.  Check out the Midget tab at the top to get a post on each block as it was finished.  Maybe I will have them all ready in time for Tiny Tuesday this week? 

Handowork Sunday - Tortoise Time

I've been so busy sewing bindings since the Olympics started that I almost neglected my Dear Jane Blocks this week.  Today is Sunday though, and thanks to Kathy's hand work linky party, I remembered to pull her out again to take along to Sydney's piano lesson.  It isn't a long lesson, but even a few stitches forward gets me further along than I was yesterday.  I am determined to get this quilt done faster than my last hand quilting adventure which clocked in at 3 years and 7 months. 

Next Time

 The Midgets aren't done yet, but I'm already thinking about my next big quilt. 

 I'm not sure yet what it will be, but if it requires paper piecing, I will remove the papers as I go. I'm sashing out my blocks now, taking out the papers and checking them over.  57 blocks have made it to the wall, and a big stack is still waiting patiently.  It is taking much longer than I thought, but I want to make sure it is done properly. 

 Yesterday we got the kids to help with a bit of cleaning and organization.  Anna cleaned the pantry. 

 Ryan took care of the drawer that holds the kids school and art supplies. 

Sydney did the tuperware cupboard.  They all did such a good job that we all celebrated with doughnuts when they finished. 
Today we enjoyed the last weekend before school starts with a movie and lunch out.  Sydney has a piano lesson next, but after that I would love to get back to my blocks for a while.  It has been two years since I started working on them and I am anxious to see them all together. 

It is a brand new month for the rainbow scrap challenge.  We are shifting from the true blue of  navy and royal to the green end of the spectrum that houses turquoise, teal and aqua.  I'm thinking tropical beaches with accents of sand.  How about you?

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.