Monday Meanderings 8 - 24 - 2026

Has school gone back in session where you live? Our county started August 11th! Yep several weeks ago.  When I was an elementary library Media Specialist the staff would start working two weeks before Labor Day. The kids would come the week before Labor Day.  Starting the second week of August just seems weird to me -- it's still summer. On the other hand, they will be out by May 28. So are your kids or grandkids in school now?  Does that mean you have more time or less time to sew? Or doesn't it make a difference? 

Here are my goals from last week.  I did ok but really didn't get as much done as I would have liked. 

8/17/26

✅Quilt one of my quilts — sea life baby top quilted. 

✅Plan projects for in-home retreat in NC — I’ve got about 5 but may add or subtract from that number. 

Start sewing the Idiom Challenge project — no sewing done. 

✅Make more blocks for July UFO — all blocks made - maybe. 

Make Marigold Mystery blocks — nothing done

✅Continue hand quilting fall applique blocks — 1.5 are left to quilt around. 

I'm not sure why I didn't whip through all these goals.  I did spend some time reading but I don't think I read all that much! Not a lot of pictures of what I did get done. 

This is what I'm calling Sea Life. I started calling it sea creatures and decided it showed a lot more than just that.  I purchased the fabric as a kit years ago. Do you remember Craftsy? That's where I got it from.  I don't remember what the kit was actually for in terms of a pattern. I think I made a wall hanging with the same fabric a couple of years ago but I couldn't find a picture of it.  So, maybe I didn't! 

I used navy blue So Fine thread and Curly long arm design by My Creative Stitches. Here's a close up of the stitching. The red fabric near the bottom right corner was also used for the backing. Except I didn't have enough so I added some light grey fabric evenly spaced in between two sections of the red.  The binding is going to be navy blue.  I prefer a darker binding mainly because it will hide dirt that might get on it. This quilt will be donated to one of the local hospitals NICU.  

The July UFO was a 12" fall block and a few 6" blocks also in fall colors some of which were from the same line.  I've been trying to make more 6" blocks and finally got the number I need done.  And, I'm underwhelmed by the top so far.   I've added a 3" borders around the 12" block. I figure 6" would work around that border.  Every time I look I see too white backgrounds on some of the blocks. I'm not particularly excited about it so far.  What do you think? If I remember correctly I'm out or nearly out of the yellow with the little brown flowers that I used with many of the blocks.  I don't particularly like the basket on the white background on the left. The other three blocks with white are the same beige fabric but different from the basket. I think I might need to replace the block with the white background with some other block using the beige background. Or?  Any suggestions.  I'd like to get this to about 36 by 42 or so as then it could be used as wheelchair quilt. I'll probably need another row of blocks or ?? on the top and bottom plus add 3" borders around the whole thing. I have no idea what fabric I would use at this point. I have some of the dark brown left but not much. Most of this fabric was actually fat quarters. I won it from a gal who had been making samples with the fabric many, many years ago. Those were the days when I won quite a few things while reading people's blogs. 

So my thoughts right now is to add something on the top and bottom that will be 3" total. Then figure out a 3" border for all around. Of course, that would be after I decide about that white background on the basket! Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. 

Here are my goals for this coming week.  I will be down in North Carolina at my friend Sharon's house.  The current list "looks" doable while I'm down there but who knows. I may add one or two extra projects in case I run into a problem.   

8/24

Enjoy in house retreat at Sharon’s

Make Marigold Mystery blocks

Start sewing idiom challenge top

Finish sewing string quilt together

Bind sea creatures quilt and fall appliqué

I've continued my 15 minutes of stitching every day.  Usually a lot more! Here's the stats. 

Week ending 8/23/26: 235 days of 2026.

 234 stitching days out of 235 days 99.5%

I've also been sewing blocks for the most recent FCQ Equilter's turn.  I'll be taking these and a few more down to Sharon this week.  I may end up stitching a few that are already cut out down at her house. 

The block came from this year's Sewcialites 3 blocks.  It's #17 by Sandy Gervais.  It's an easy block to make -- it takes longer to cut than to sew if you ask me. I think I have 3 more cut out and fabric chosen for another one. Sharon will be making kids quilts with most of them.  

Monday begins singing season again.  The Spotsylvanians have their first rehearsal that evening.  I'm looking forward to seeing old friends and making new friends too.  I've enjoyed my free Monday evenings but I've been missing singing.  

So now is when I post all the Linky Parties and ask you to visit them.  Consider yourself asked! 

Stitching Time 

Oh Scrap

Quilting Patchwork Applique 

Design Wall Monday

Monday Musings

 

I'm ready to call it quits tonight. Oops. I wanted to name the book I really enjoyed this last week.  It is The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. It was an unusual way to read a story as all of it was mail or notes.  I know I was drawn into the story quite quickly and finished it within a couple of days. 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie