Monday Meanderings 7 - 1 -2025. Um actually 6-30-2025

We are whipping through 2025 at sonic speed -- or so it seems to me! Welcome July!  (Oops I got ahead of myself!) We've had some relief from the really hot weather -- now we're having high 80's with some low 90's mixed in.  Sounds good to me?  Although we're suppose to have some rain this week too. Not to bad as it's been dry for a week. Of course, if they come with thunderstorms like forecasted I'm not going to be happy as I won't be sewing if it's lightening in our area. No doubt the weather forecasts will change a couple of times before the week is out! (At least we're not having snow!) 

It's been a busy week and I've been lucky to get all of my goals done. Here's my to do list from last week.  Wow! I'm surprised I got all of this done. 

6/23/25

✅Quilt another quilt --  finished and returned.

✅Add borders to Whirl -- done.

✅Make June's block for Cali-Co mystery -- done.

✅Attend Road to Virginia -- yep, totally enjoyed it! 

✅Begin quilting guild charity quilt -- started and finished it.

I quilted this darling quilt for a customer who is also a neighbor.  I don't look for business any more but I still quilt for a few people and charity quilts for the guild. I loved quilting this quilt. My customer has really been working on accuracy and she is nailing it! I love the grey and pink colors especially the corner stones -- she also used it as the border.  I was surprised when she said she got it at Hobby Lobby.  I may have to visit it if I'm desperate for fabric! The pattern is her favorite -- Ginger Heart by Apricot Moon. 

I appreciated everyone's comments about my Whirl dilemma last week. I decided to take a look in my 3 stacks of multicolored prints. Well, what do you know? I had an odd ball piece of irises with some leaves. And it looked great with the whirl blocks. I was highly uninterested in working on it until Saturday.  All of a sudden I was all in favor of getting it done. The irises were pink and blue.  It has fairly bright, clear green leaves with the flowers. I may see if I can find that green for the binding and/or backing. Most of these blocks were made several years ago and I've used up the fabrics. It now goes into the To-Be-Quilted Closet to wait its turn unless I run across a perfect backing for it. 

My friend Sharon and I got together on FaceTime on Tuesday and made our June Cali-Co mystery block. She'd been on vacation for 3 weeks so we really hadn't been talking and texting as much -- it was wonderful to catch up and hear about her trip. Unfortunately I haven't taken a picture of the block.   Maybe I should spread out the 6 that are done and get a picture of the first half of them. 

I did attend the new show, Road to California I mean Richmond (Oops again! Weird I wasn't writing this in the middle of the night either!) . . . but I'll wait to tell about it after I get through all my goals. I will say I thoroughly enjoyed myself. 

The last thing on my list was to start quilting a big piece of fabric for my guild. Yes, it was just a pretty piece of fabric. It was big - something like 80 x 90".  We've begun giving quilts to people active in our community along with veterans.  These colors were exactly what this recipient said she liked. I loved the backing fabric. I picked a fairly simple pattern and got going on it. I expected it to take 2 days to actually stitch out. I was pleasantly surprised at how well it went. I had only 2 rows left by dinner time and came down afterwards to finish it off. Here's a pic of it as I was starting it.  Nope, you can't really see the stitching on the front. 

I chose a royal purple for the thread and Ariana as the design.  A lavender thread might have shown up a bit better but maybe not.  Ariana is a simple, curvy design that works well and quilts out with no problems. Today 75% through the last row I ran out of bobbin. Lucky me, I had another bobbin with a bit more purple thread so it only took a few more minutes. Someone else is going to bind it. (Lucky me again, as I am not a fan of binding!) 

Let's look at what I hope to do this week.  Not as much is going on so I should have no problem doing everything on this list. Unless I feel more like reading! 

6/30/25

Quilt one of my quilts

Start trip around the world baby quilt(?)

Cut out popsicle quilt kit

Finish knitting a hat 

Start on July’s UFO 

Not a bad list. I've already got 3 quilt kits ready for the late July retreat I am going on.  It's 5 days so I plan to have at least 5 kits ready and maybe a group of blocks to put together.  I have two more fabric pulls waiting for me to decide on patterns so I can cut them out. 

Now more about the Road to Va.  Richmond is an hour drive from home and I left shortly after 9. It was beastly hot -- probably hit mid 90s during the day. Unfortunately I arrived right after 10 and the parking garage was filling up. Darn -- I had to park on the top level in the sun.  Bummer.  There were many different quilt exhibits but no quilts entered in a show.  I spent time looking at all of them but didn't take my time over them.  I did take some pictures. I've got one to share today and I'll try to get the other few shown in the next week or two. 

I was happy to see a large number of vendors many from far away.  My fairly large town no longer has a quilt store. The closest is in Richmond - an hour away. So I was happy to shop and look at everything. And, I did a bit of shopping.  Actually more than I normally do. Yea Me! I bought a layer cake of batiks. I bought a couple of wool balls that I'd like to use to make a pin cushion using some of my mom's salt cellars. Except, I can't find the salt cellars I thought I had. I'll keep looking and hopefully find one or two. 

My big purchase was a kit to make this really cute counted cross stitch zippered bag. I have a bunch of bags similar to this that I use to keep current projects in. I decided to get the "Sheep" pattern so I can keep my knitting in it.  We'll see how long it takes me to get the counted cross stitch done! The pattern and the DMC pearl cotton floss came in the kit. I purchased the bag separately. And yes, it is made of pliable plastic canvas.  I could also make the two other items shown although I probably won't. I'll keep you posted as to whether I can actually do this! It was suggested to start from the bottom. Makes sense to me. Did you notice the sheep face and little bird? Several very cute buttons came with the kit. 

I took several pictures of this sweet dog portrait done by Jenny Martin.

I was tickled to see the music fabric as part of the dog's face.  Hum, should I try to do a portrait of Sunny?  Here's Jenny's artist statement. 

As you might imagine I was able to get my 15 minutes of stitching done every day -- even on the day I went to Road to Va. I didn't stay more than 3 or 4 hours. I did not want to get caught up in evening traffic on the notorious I 95 freeway! Plus, I was tired of walking on the cement floor.   I was able to do a bit of knitting when I got home. 

W/ending 6/29/25. 180 days of 2025

• 15 minute days/June = 29/30 
• 15 minute days/2024 = 180/180 days
• Success rate = 100%

Here are the links to the parties I'll be joining this week. I hope you can spend some time to see what others are working on. 

Stitching Stuff

Oh Scrap!

Design Wall Monday

Monday Musings 

I'm looking forward to getting some more projects cut out, sewing on a new top, knitting and reading. Ooh, I might just start my counted cross stitch project. 

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie