The Best Laid Plans...

Around my house, the best plans I have are always having to be adjusted! That is probably the kindest way to say totally interfered with by other people, whether they want to or not. This time, one of my sons has just gotten through a bout of kidney stones-- no envy from any of us. So all my resolve to do a blog every week had to readjust. But I am back and he is doing well. He is calling himself the Quarryman. Let's hope that is a short-lived nickname!

Mostly I have been catching up and finishing the volunteer work I didn't even raise my hand to do. Given that, I feel like I have done my duty for the next 10 years. Yipppeeeee! It's nice to have that about finished and behind me. I can proceed guilt free on that front for quite a while.

Here is an auction quilt from my guild's board that I have pretty much done. A very sweet member quilted it and I am ready to bind it. I hope it brings in a good amount. It will make the effort worthwhile.

The quilt is from the pattern, " Arlington", by Red Crinoline Quilts. One of the blocks I was given to incorporate was magenta and yellow. Well, I just couldn't figure out how to make that look good with all this red to yellow-orange, so I made that single block into a lap size top that can be auctioned separately.

Some people say I am too concerned about color, but that one I just couldn't make work. It is such a lovely block, that I didn't want it to look bad!!!

I have the binding sewn on the big quilt, and I will hand sew it tomorrow in the car. My husband and I are actually taking a few days away from everyone and everything! WOW!  

On my little Yoko Saito quilt, "Floral Bouquet", I got stuck. Does this ever happen to you? I couldn't quite figure out why I wasn't moving ahead. I had made the basket and selected the background fabrics and flower parts, but I wasn't putting it together. I realized I just didn't like the block. So, I switched the block for another one. I am keeping the background fabrics, but I changed the rest.

I went with another Yoko Saito block, because I want to stay in her style, but I now love the block! I think these are my choices for the motifs in the block, but until the block is actually finished, I do never know.  I would like to gather the doily up into a large flower (somehow)...we'll see.  At least, I want to make the block now. 

Next project I worked out is my English Paper Pieced stars. It is one that I really love, but had to put down for a while because I just tired of it.  Hand piecing is very slow for us, I think!!! I picked it up again with relish, added several more rows and am pleased with how it has turned out.  The difficulty was how to finish the edges.  I didn't want to just chop off the pieces. I figured out a way to make the sides both an even zigzag pattern and am adding stars to the top and bottom.  I will then appliqué the entire quilt top to borders. I realize this is not how everyone finishes these quilts, but I felt like mine is not large enough to just lop off the edges.

My other car project is EPP stars! These are great to take along! My husband and I are going to a sleepy little Texas town and hope to do nothing!!! Rest and relaxation is really the order of the day!!! EPP stars fit that bill for me. Actually there are 6 (SIX!) antique stores in the town and lots more in the surrounding countryside. That sounds like doing nothing to me!!!

Hoping your summer is going well! In Texas we have four seasons and August... nothing's perfect!

Happy quilting,

cynthia