Monday Meanderings 7 - 15 - 2024

It's been a hot, busy week. And it's going to continue this week. Two days are expected to go above 100 degrees.  Yikes.  And that doesn't include the humidity.  Air conditioning is working well and I plan to stay in it!  I did a good job last week getting my goals worked on. Look at all those check ✅ marks!

7/9/24

✅Keep working on seaside top — 10 more little pieces were sewn down.

✅Finish small bag — finished and ready to use. 

✅Cut another kit for retreat — at least 1 more done. 

✅Organize and pack up retreat supplies — mostly done. 

✅Make backing for a quilt top — ironed and 2 sections sewn together. 

I'd like to show you the Strippy Zipper Pouch Kit I used to make, yes, a pouch.  I picked up the kit for free last October at the Country Piecemaker's retreat.  I decided to give it a try.  You can buy your own version of it through AccuQuilt. Or look at the other kits that June Tailor has at the AccuQuilt site. (This kit contained the "Sew on the Line"stabilizer, a Zippity-Do-Done pre-sewn zipper, and a video link and instructions. I never looked at the video link.) 

I found the process a bit strange and it created excess bulk. On the other hand, it wasn't hard to do and the zipper was a breeze.  I'm not sure I would have bought this kit, but I'm happy to have this little pouch to use. 

One lining section done. 

Above is the front and back sections done.  The zipper is sewn to each piece. (The zipper would be down the middle if I had thought to take that picture.) Once that is done, the bottoms of each side are aligned, right sides together, and then sewn together.  Yep, through the two linings, the front and back and 4 pieces of stabilizer. The weird sides are aligned and sewn to make the corners. My machine was working really hard to get through all of the layers. Even though I used a jeans needle it broke just before I finished the last seam. It took me a couple of days to do the whole thing although I didn't spend that much time each day.  This measures about 8" x 3" x 3". 

I plan to use it this week.  Doesn't the tab look funny sticking out?  The patterns available now have the tab as a handle, parallel to the bottom.  No worries... this is going to work well for how I want to use it. 

Here's what I did off list.  Ok, honestly -- I probably only made 4 or 5 of these this week. 

These blocks are for Nancy, one of the FCQ Equilters. I have been putzing along with these; it's time to finish them. I've picked one more bright fabric to make the last one to send.  I'll get them sent out next week. 

Here's what I hope to do this week, mostly at retreat. 

7/14/24

Retreat! Make —

Forest Animals Easy Attic Windows

Baby Buggies -- Boxes and Bow (3 yd quilt, except I'll make it smaller.) 

Benny’s Quilt 2.5” squares 

Sew a Happy Block Quilt Together 

Work on a new needlework project

The top two are kits I've cut out. Benny's Quilt has the units ready to sew into blocks. The Happy Blocks have already been placed in order so I'll only have to sew them into rows and then into the quilt top.  I might get some stitching done on the new needlework project too. But I'm going to focus on the quilting projects. 

Once again, I was able to spend at least 15 minutes stitching.  Here's where I stand now. 

W/ending 7/14 — 196 days in to 2024. 

• 15 minute days/week = 7/7 days
• 15 minute days/July = 14/14days
• 15 minute days/2024 = 189/196 days
• Success rate = 96.4%

I'm linking up with the following parties: Stitching Stuff, Oh Scrap, Design Wall Monday, and Monday Musings. 

That's it for now.  I hope everyone has a quilty week. 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie

Monday Meanderings 4 - 10 - 2016

Here's what I've been working on: 

I won some of these blocks from a block of the quarter drawing from Faithful Circle Quilters in Maryland. 
There were 2 12" blocks, 4 9" and 1 8" block that didn't make the picture.  This was a stripe challenge.  Most of them were browns, rust, greens and cream or grey.  I've made most of my blocks with the teal/turquoise because of the one block on the left that was bordered in teal.  Check back to this blog to see the purple stripe block I made. (Sometimes it helps to actually attend the meetings because I'm pretty sure there was no stated color plan for this!) 

I've been making blocks off and on since the beginning of the year.  I've purchased a beige fabric to go around (between?) the blocks. I might need to do some brown/rust/beige ones but, honestly, I don't think I have any stripe fabric with too much of the other colors.  Eventually, I'll have enough to make a lap quilt of some sort with these.  I've add these blocks to my to do list for a while so after maybe another 7 or 8 blocks I'll be ready to figure out how to place them into a quilt.  

I've also been making these cute zippered pouches.  Sharon and I will be making enough to give to our fellow retreaters in May.  She's already finished 15 and I'm at the 11 mark with fabric and zippers at the ready for at least 4 more. (The FCQ retreat will have 29 participants! Yikes.)  Any extra ones we make we'll donate to the $10 and under table at the 2018 quilt show.  It's a win-win for sure.  I'm having a lot of fun picking fabrics.  Here are two of my favorites:

The dog fabric was used on a professional tote for Aimee. (It had fingerprints on the outside and the dogs were on the inside.)  The foxes were the backing for Theo's quilt.  No doubt I'm going to keep one of these as I just think they are way too cute.  The pattern is Bridget's Baguettes by Atkinson Design.  This is surprisingly easy to make.  Once you have your fabric, interfacing, fusible batting and plastic cut and prepared it only takes about an hour of sewing time. (Yep, it's all of the prep work that takes the most time.  And, picking cute fabric pairs.)  You'll see it is still on my weekly goals.  I'm getting close to the number needed so I should be able to move on to other things soon.  

Speaking of goals -- how did I do this past week?  Not bad. I admit I've been goofing off a bit recently.

April 3, 2017

Make more pouches√

Make 6 folding boxes√

Knit additional rows on Jenny’s scarf√ started

Continue cutting fabric for Hands 2 Help Quilt √

Make more blocks for stripe challenge quilt√

Finish red RSC blocks√ and begin multicolored ones not yet!

Plan April OMG quilt√

And this week . . . 

April 10, 2017

Make more pouches

Finish the last of the boxes

Make some Stack N Whack blocks

Cut more fabrics for Hands 2 Help quilt

Cut and make multicolored RSC blocks

Make more stripe blocks

So that's it for me this week.  I'm linking up with my favorite Monday links Monday Making, Main Crush Monday (that is moving to Tuesday -- I'm not sure if it is a permanent move or a short term move. I'll link with it tomorrow), and Moving It Forward Monday.  Be sure to take a few minutes to check out these blogs for some great inspiration. 

Happy Quilting All! Bonnie