Monday Meanderings -- 9/1/2025

I can't help but rave about our weather in the Mid-Atlantic region.  The humidity has been low. The temps have been in the low 70s to the high 70s.  But wait, there's more! We woke up to the high 50s a couple of times this week.  Amazing.  So much nicer than it has been recently.  And yet, I did spend a lot of time in the studio this week instead of outside.  

Here are last week's goals with a bunch of green check marks. Yea! 

8/25/2025

✅Bind Space quilt and ✅ Red, White and Blue quilt — both done! 

✅Quilt another small top — little quilt went fast! 

✅Cut a top for October retreat — Hens and chicks cut out!

✅Finish Cali-Co block — done.

✅Keep working on project bag — got another section done.

Here's the Red, White and Blue Sampler quilt done. (I took this on the floor in the studio, not outside so the lighting isn't as good as I wish it were.) I need to figure out why the borders are waving more than I expect them too.  Any one have suggestions? 

You can't really see the quilting design on it but it is Quick and Easy Stars by My Creative Stitches.  I like it because it does go quickly and it is easy! 

I quilted the little Happy Quilt from last week. It was less than 36" square so I only needed 1 1/4 yards for the backing and I found it in my stash. And it went really fast!  I'll share photos in the future.  

I finished cutting out the pieces for Hens and Chicks.  You can see the pattern and the 3.5 (unfinished) 9 patches on the May 5 post. (It's close to the bottom...) First are the 3.5" bright squares. And then all of the background fabric except the border and binding.  I'm looking forward to getting this to top stage.  I think I have some bright green fabric for the borders. May be there will be enough for the backing too. (dare I hope so?) 

I was happy it didn't take all that much time to tear out the stitches from the August Cali-Co block.  And I didn't have to start over -- for the most part the center blocks minus the 4 corners were ok.  Here's the finished block. 

And here are the first 8 blocks together.  I really like how this quilt is coming along.  (Hum, is this going to be another keeper for me? It could be...) I just slapped these up on the design wall.  I'll pay more attention to colors once they are all done and I want to finish the top.  

And now, what I hope to work on this week. 

9/1/25

Put borders on Soho 3yd quilt from July retreat

Quilt another top

Cut a top for October retreat

Clear off right side of design wall 

Begin cutting fabric for Magnificent Mystery Quilt from Meadow Mist Designs

My next retreat is only 6 weeks away. I hope to have 6 projects to take with me. If they are really easy I can easily make one a day. Two kits are done -- one left over from July.  I have a paper piecing project I want to start now and see if it would be easy enough to work on at retreat. Maybe not the whole thing but a couple of sections finished would be great. It would be good to have a couple more 3 yard quilts to work on too. 

Sunday we decided to go on an adventure -- well an adventure for us as we had never been to the Virginia Scottish Games.  We weren't going for the games as much as for the Scottish dogs.  There are 13 breeds that come from Scotland.  You can read more about which breeds come from there here. I'll wait if you want to check it out ... lalala ... right, you're back.  Did you read the list to the end? Yep? Well guess who is a Scottish breed?  Yes, our own little Sunny dog.  We thought she might like to meet some dogs that look like her.  And she did.  Westie Rescue -- Mid-Atlantic Region had several dogs looking for homes and a bunch of Westies who had been adopted through them were there for Sunny to meet and greet. Here's some photos of our morning and early afternoon. 

Sunny is the dog in the back.

Each day there is a parade that includes a bagpipe band, a showing of the clans and the walking of the Scottish dogs. Usually the dogs are at the back of the parade. Except this year they ended up being at the beginning of the parade.  No picture of Sunny in this group -- she was behind, closer to the end. (I believe the brown dog was with one of the spectators to the right.)

There was also a Wheaton Scotty dog and a Black Scotty. 

After the dogs, the bag pipers marched out. Below is a 30 second video I took of the bagpipers with some of the dogs walking at the end. The last two dogs are the Wheaton and Black Scotty.  Sunny is right in front of them. 

I can report I stitched every day this week.  Here are my current numbers. 

W/ending 8/31/25. 236 days of 2025

• 15 minute days/August = 31/31
• 15 minute days/2024 = 243/243 days
• Success rate = 100%

One more thing to report this week.  Some of you know I read a lot and try to read every day on my Kindle. I'm sadden to report I forgot to read one day this week.  (Silly me, I put an extra 15 minutes in knitting after I'd spent half the day sewing!) I was just beyond 500 days and, sigh, I was knocked back down to zero. Today I'm up to 5 days.  The positive note is I've read 371 weeks in a row. That is over 7 years in a row.  Not too bad, eh? 

As always I link up with several different parties. Please take some time to visit these sites and see what others are working on.  I apologize for not linking up the other two parties last week. I don't know why I forgot about it but I did.  Sigh. 

Stitching Stuff

Oh Scrap

Design Wall Monday

Monday Musings 

I hope you make time for quilting or stitching every day.  I know with all that is going on in the USA now it helps me find peace and calmness.  

Happy Quilting All!  Bonnie