Mid-January update

Ah-choo!  Okay, right now, be thankful you're on that side of the screen my friends, because whatever ails me does NOT need to be in your house.  Poor John, he's getting as much sleep as I am with these sneezy-coughing fits.  I thought this stuff was supposed to leave after about a week?  But really, 3 weeks is pushing it...  Well, I hope you are all healthy and making progress on your quilting projects.  I am having a case of Oh look a butterfly!

 

No forward progress happening on my table runner, I ended up starting on the birthday quilt for my niece Susie who turned 5 yesterday.  I have the top finished and am working on the jeans for the backing.  I believe I have deconstructed 8 pairs of jeans, and I probably only needed 4 or so, but why not get ahead a little, right?

Some of the "parts" of the quilt

 

Thomas playing with the little strings, I had a rough time getting him out from under the top.

 


The block is Burgoyne Surrounded, I didn't follow any directions just drew it out and figured the measurements on my graph paper.

The multicolored fabric is from the Christmas exchange we had at our guild last month, where I received that fabric, a notepad that says "Brilliant Ideas", plus a really neat cross-stitch that someone made in 2015 but they didn't sign it.  It's a picture of a lady hand-quilting in a rocking chair and will grace my sewing area, as soon as I clean up.

 

I finished my block lotto block the day after guild.  That is the fastest I have ever made a block, and I'm excited for the new way we are doing the lotto.  Mary changed it up so instead of one person winning all the blocks brought in, if we bring a block we can bring a fat quarter and then the winner gets a pile of fat quarters and the blocks will go to our children's charity group.  You can see the full design of the quilt Mary came up with on her blog post.  I think the idea is that people are more likely to make the blocks in the hopes of winning fabric, and bonus, we will have blocks to work with at our Sew-Ins!

 

 

I also made the Aurifil block for this month, which can be found here.  I did not follow Heather's directions... I have issues with fabric prints not matching up so I figured out how to make it work so I didn't have to worry about it.  Next time I'll even pay attention to how I'm sewing the blocks together!  I still really enjoy how it turned out though.  And I'm very excited that the color-way they are encouraging this year is blue and white, my favorite!

 

 

My kitty share this post is not the happiest, the week after Christmas they got to visit the doctor for their annual check up.  Our biggest learning experience is that we need to take those two for car rides more often, so I don't get this look again:

Belle has the most pitiful "mew" when she is sad, and the 10 minute drive was HORRID for John and I.  However, they are both perfectly healthy and that is what counts in the end!  Belle has gained a pound, is up to 7.5, and Thomas has gained 4 pounds, up to 14.  Dr. Fazzari says if he keeps gaining like that we'll have to figure out a different eating arrangement for them, but that since he has such a big frame his weight is healthy.  Same with Belle's little frame.  So, besides the emotional strain on their owners the vet visit went well.

 

Oh, and since I've been so into changing other people's quilt patterns to suit my own needs I thought following this pattern writing series will be right up my alley.  Cheryl at Meadow Mist Designs is good at explaining steps clearly, and I've seen a number of the ladies who will be pitching in ideas along the way, and they are also great.  I am very much looking forward to what I will learn from them.

 

 

 

Now, it's time for us to take a nap, even if it is 4:30pm...

~Brandy