Monday Meandrings 7 - 6 - 2026

It was a really busy weekend for us and it will continue that way for the rest of this week.  We are having our bedroom and bathroom painted.  To facilitate that we have been clearing everything out of our walk in closets.  The painters start Tuesday and should finish by Thursday.  

My closet almost cleared out. 

I still have some stuff on one of the shelves across from this picture.  It's just stuff that I have no idea where to put. It shouldn't actually be in the closet but I don't know where I should put any of it on a permanent basis. I'll decide some day but not now! 

Here's where some of the stuff is going -- the office. Yep that clothes rack is hiding my first t shirt quilt, hubby's race shirts including the Peachtree Road race in Atlanta. 

On with my goals from last week. Boy it was a long list! 

6/29/26

✅Sew table runner together — sewn together and quilted. 

✅Quilt another section of June UFO project — done. 

✅Work on Snowman #2 - ironed the rest of pieces on #2. 

✅Start clearing out “stuff” to prep for new carpet in painting bedrooms — most of the “stuff” is out of the bedroom.

✅Sew more Veronica blocks — 2 finished and 4 blocks partially finished. 

✅Make more string blocks — done, will sew together at retreat. 

✅Enjoy 4th Of July party in neighborhood — led patriotic sing along with neighborhood singers before pot luck lunch at the clubhouse. 

Unfortunately there aren't many pictures from all of these goals. 

Last week I stitched in the ditch around each of the appliqués. This week I stitched the lines in the orange rectangles.  I've got a plan for the next step but I may not have time to do it this week but it is on the list. 

Now for this coming week - 

7/6/26

Bind table runner

Organize more block sets to sew together at retreat 

Move some stuff back to closets

Finish more Veronica blocks 

Prep Snowman #3 for hand appliquéing

Quilt another section of June UFO project 

After painting this week, new carpeting will be put in our bedroom, the guest bedroom and the office next Monday. So, of course we need to find places to put the stuff we're storing in the office. And we need to clean out a lot of stuff stored in the guest bedroom.

Here's a look at what we found in a big box in our guest bedroom. All it said was Bonnie's Wedding dress and grandma's ---. (it didn't say what!) No, I've never had my grandmother's wedding dress. No clue what was in it. So I opened it to find - furs. I think they were mink. A full coat, a stole, and the dark one can be clipped on a collar.  Did I mention I have a fur stole of my mother's too?  And, I really don't need any furs. The box also had two linen table cloths, a pair of men's pants that neither of us recognized, and my wedding dress. More things to find a place for!   

Hubby did a search on what to do with furs.  Here were the suggestions:

Donate to theater group

Try to sell item

Repurpose it as stuffed bear or other small clothing or pillow

Donate them to animal rescue group

I haven't decided what I should do with these but I know I'm not keeping them. 

I've had another week of sewing for at least 15 minutes every day. Here are the stats. 

Week ending 7/5/26:  186 days of 2026.

  186 stitching days out of 186 days. 100%

One week from Tuesday I leave on my retreat.  I need to make sure I have enough projects with me.  I'm looking forward to seeing this special group of friends next week. And, getting a lot of projects moved to tops. 

As usual, here's my list of Linky parties.  

Stitching Time 

Oh Scrap

Quilting Patchwork Applique 

Design Wall Monday

Monday Musings

 

I hope you have a quilty week ahead! The temps are not as bad as this weekend was but they are still pretty high.  I'll spend as much time as I can in my sewing room in the basement. It will be a lot cooler.  But there is a lot of stuff that will need to be put back after the painting and carpeting. Fun times ahead! 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie 

Happy Fourth of July!

250 years ago a fledgling country was born.  On July 4, 1776 the Declaration of Independence was adopted by representatives of 13 colonies of England.   

The Declaration starts "“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.”  Yes, for the time it was exceedingly radical. 

As Heather Cox Richardson wrote in her 'Letters from an American' on July 3, 2026 "America was founded on the radical idea that all men are created equal."

But over the years America has made great strides to live up to this concept.  I remember the joy and happiness of the Bicentennial in 1976. We weren't perfect. For instance, it wasn't until 1974 when the Equal Credit Opportunity Act was passed allowing women in all states to take out loans or open a back account without having a man co-sign.  I was surprised to see that date as I started my own bank account in 1969 when I started college. It turns out California was way ahead of the curve by allowing women to have control of their own bank accounts from 1862. 

Today I do not feel great joy and happiness. I am wary of where the country is and where it is headed.  I honor our country but not our leaders. It is time for everyone to read the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution to see what we should be doing. If we want to continue living in a democratic republic that truly believes in our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution we must act. Start by registering to vote. Become informed citizens. Learn about what people actually stand for. And plan to vote and encourage others to vote in November.  

In honor of the United States of Ameica I am showing all the patriotic quilts I've made or been gifted.  Most have been on display in our house since before Memorial Day. 

I made this many years ago, probably in a class. 

I made this one within the last ten years. This one Block Lone Star pattern  is from Debby Kratovil.  

This was made in 2022. It was a mystery block of the month by Sherri McConnell.

This was given to me over 20 years ago by Juliann Phillips. We had been secret pals in a Prodigy quilt activity.  It is hard to see but it is sitting on a small desk that was about the only piece of furniture that my grandfather kept from his youth. 

I made this banner a while ago.  There is no label on it so I don't remember how long ago it was.  (Reminder -- label your quilts! Do as I say, not as I do!) 

A table runner made many years ago.  The color isn't as bright as this shows.  But, it does a great job decorating our dining room table. 

I have another table runner in the works that I shared the beginning of on 6/29/26.  Just scroll back if you want to see the start. I'll be showing the whole thing one of these days.  

Have you been making patriotic quilts?  Enjoy your fourth of July. And remember to vote in the fall. 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie