Yep, I ended up with no Monday Meanderings post and skipped right on to To Do Tuesday. I will share part of Monday distractions at the end of this post.
First up -- my very weak goals achievements from last week. I will note that it doesn't really bother me that I didn't accomplish all my goals. I'm still getting tired from the Covid bout and my motivation levels have been lower than usual. That said I will tout my forward progress on several projects.
10/17/22
Bind Flowers and 9 Patch quilt — started not finished
Quilt and bind another quilt — more than half quilted
✅Finish sewing Tumbling Triangles together
Border Oct UFO Challenge Quilt — nothing done
Make ✅Sept & October BOM from A Quilting Life -- one still to do
✅Work on Halloween quilt — laid the first border out and a possible second border. But no sewing.
10/24/22
Finish quilting and bind quilt
Finish binding Flowers and 9 Patch quilt
Make October BOM from A Quilting Life
Work on Halloween quilt
Border Oct UFO Challenge Quilt
Sew borders on Traffic Jam
Oh my! It's as long as last week's list! Although several goals are well on their way to completion.
I messed up the binding on Flowers and 9 Patch by sewing the binding to the front of the quilt. Normally I'd sew the second time by machine except I don't like machine sewing from the back. So I'm hand stitching that. I was multi tasking the binding while Ruthie quilted the next quilt. All was going fine when unbeknownst to me the top thread jumped out of one of the guides. A half later I realized it. The back tension was a flat line. So I ripped it out. Not that hard actually because I could pull out that back thread pretty easily. That was in the evening on Sunday. Poof -- the week was gone.
Here's what I seemed to spend way more time on than anything else. (Nope, it wasn't on the list.)
This is Traffic Jam, a free pattern from Pat Sloan. You can find it here. I'm switching it up a bit by using 4 blocks. If you cut 2.5" squares and have a slew of them, this is a great pattern to use them. The block is 12.5" square, unfinished. Pat's quilt comes out 56" x 56". Mine will be about 40". It's been easy to sew the 2.5" squares as leader-enders. And, yep, this has been part of my distraction over the last few weeks. I'm down to getting the border done. I've chosen only two rows of squares for the border rather than three shown in the pattern. I'm making an effort to use lighter and brighter squares and I'm throwing in some cute animals and the like. (Hum, it was a dark day outside when I took this picture so you can't see the bright parrot, dogs, and lions in the 2.5" squares. Rats!) I decided I might as well put this on my list for this week because I know I'm going to work on it.
I made this walker bag and turned it into the guild outreach committee last week. The floral fabric has a definite late 80s vibe to me. It's a decorator fabric so it is a bit heavier than quilting cotton. Unfortunately, I have about 15 yards more of the fabric I was given from an estate of a quilter. (Or at least I "think" that is where I got it.) My issue is I don't have many fabrics I can use with it. I have one more cut out. And I'll be scouring my stash to see if I have any other fabrics I can pair with it. Or maybe I'll check JoAnns for clearance fabrics that might go with it. I hope I can find some more velcro and grosgrain ribbon in my stash. I liked this pattern and if you want to make some walker bags check out the pattern here. Evidently, I am the only person at guild to turn in a walker bag this year. So, I guess I'll be making some more as the need is great.
And on to my big distraction. We met our son and grandkids yesterday (Monday) in downtown Fredericksburg. We thought they would enjoy tracking down all of the otter statues in the city. The seven statues took us all over downtown. As we found one the kids marked them off on a map. After a good hour at the playground having found the last statue, we returned to the Visitor's Center where they were given a very nice goody bag with buttons, postcards to color, and other assorted goodies.
Two pups and two kids. It was a beautiful day out and we all had a great time. (Did I mention I went to work out for the first time in many weeks in the morning? And, I had Spotsylvanian rehearsal in the evening? And, I got over 10,000 steps in yesterday? No wondered I'm so worn out today! 😁!)
I'm linking up to the following parties.
Happy Quilting All! Bonnie
Traffic Jam looks like a great scrap buster, and Ilike the I Spy possibility.
ReplyDeleteSounds you have a super day with the kids. Good luck with your list for this week, Bonnie.
Oohh, I have been thinking of doing traffic jam too. So many scraps to sew!
ReplyDeleteI may start some walker bags , I don't think any of my groups do them and the need is great as you say!!!
Make sure to take your rest but so glad you are kicking covid's butt!
I like Traffic Jam - I just now saved the pattern. Your grandkids are cuties! Glad you are still feeling better, the exhaustion is tough though. That is a pretty walker bag! Thank you for sharing with To Do Tuesday!
ReplyDeleteI bet the kiddos had lots of fun running around looking for the otters! You did really good with all your activities. I better save the Traffic Jam to my Pinterest board as I have lots of 2.5" sqs and scraps to make more!
ReplyDeleteLots of great color and design in your sewing life! I have a full to the top scrapbooking drawer of 2.5" squares--love the block you shared!
ReplyDeleteKids are the most fun distraction!!
ReplyDeleteLike your traffic jam!!! What fun
Love the scrappiness of this!
ReplyDeleteYour Traffic Jam quilt reminds me of a colorful Positive Quilt pattern, the one with the plus signs. Very nice.
ReplyDeleteA very fun scrappy quilt and a very fun distraction. You still did pretty well with your to do list in spite of your distractions. Hope you energy level returns soon, still you definitely got a lot done this week.
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