Oh, I guess keep working on my miniature tree blocks. And maybe get the wall hanging out of time out and finish it. :)

Donna

I just want to get everything put back in the sewing room! August is going to be one busness trip after another for me, so I won't have much time for anything else.

And I have to get ready for the retreat too!

Kate I want to see pics of your sewing room when you are done. I spent last night browsing furniture online "dreaming" about my "future" quilt room that DH promises me that I will have in the next house, so am do a little planning now, so that when the time comes I am ready. In the month of August I want to:

1. Finish making crocheted lace and get it hand-sewed on to Christy's grandbaby quilt. And after I show her quilt off in person to a few friends and family I want to get it mailed to her.

2. I want to work on embroidering the last pillowcase for my Grandma which I undoubtably will not get finished in one month's time --- so I just want to make some progress on this project.

3. I want to start hand-sewing the 100 Card Tricks blocks together to make my parents' quilt top. I had originally planned to hand-quilt the layers of their quilt together in 2014, but am toying with the idea of maybe starting to hand-quilt it this fall, I really don't think I would have it completed by Christmas though and don't want to put that kind of stress on myself.

Best to you,
Sandra

I took a quilt top for my aunt and uncle to my LAQ two days ago, so I'll be getting that back and binding it when I return from vacation in late August. I'd like to wash the fabric for my daughter's quilt and start cutting. I'll continue cutting Marimekko scraps for my great-nieces' Chinese Coins quilts. I hope to get a lotto block sent in. That's about all I can handle this August. My job has been incredibly busy and stressful, and this vacation that I scheduled has turned out to be very poorly timed. I can't wait for September 5. Things should have returned to normal by then.

I keep plugging away for short periods of time every day or two on my Chinese lantern quilt. I'm about done with the top border, and shall do the bottom in a matching one, but the jury is still out how to finish off the sides. The lanterns hang one below the other, and there is a spacer strip between them, changing the dimensions. I'll be inspired and make a choice when I get to that stage. I was going to take a hiatus from quilting for a month or two, but having one project to work on when the mood strikes me is a hiatus for me. LOL. Too many irons in the fire to feel like spending hours on end at the machine.

I finished both of my Grandma's embroidery pillowcases, so yay! one Christmas present completed. I finished the crocheted lace and mailed Christy her quilt which she loves, so yay! for that. I probably will not be sewing the Card Tricks blocks together this month as some other projects have popped up. So will be making some blocks to frame of a close family friend's grandma's and great-grandma's fabrics, and for another close family friend am making 5 dog pet quilts that will be made partially from an old quilt that has sentimental value to her - am working on this project today - got all the mini-quilts cut and pinned the layers of the quilts together.

Best to you,
Sandra

Sandra, It seems like you're the only one with enough gumption to be doing anything this month. Good girl!

The only thing I've accomplished is getting the boys quilt tops completed and a lotto block. My new glasses got lost in the mail and I had 3 teeth pulled yesterday.....sigh. It looks like implants are in my future. I think I'll just snooze through a bunch of NCIS shows today.......

SharonG/FL

Thanks Sharon, I just got to get some of these little projects done so I can get back to my big quilt projects. Am having to use my thimble a lot on these pet quilts - I got 1 finished and 4 to go.

Best to you,
Sandra

We spent time with the family at Daytona Beach yesterday as it worked out better than Labor Day week-end. We had a nice time but it was exhausting. (I went almost 20 hours without being on a computer!)

Today, I feel inspired to get some sewing done on the crumbs. I might even surprise myself and get the top finished this month! I have a couple of baby quilts I need to think about and also a wedding quilt for one of our granddaughters.....sigh......life goes on.

SharonG/FL

Sharon, did you get rain yesterday at Daytona? It didn't rain in Winter Garden, but looked like it might for a while. It was VERY hot and steamy!

Looking at my goals...the wall hanging is done and hanging in my office. :) I got the tree quilt to a stopping point and it's getting a rest for a while.

Yesterday I started getting a hand applique project organized to take on our trip. I also made plans for using some blocks from a swap earlier this year.

Donna

Rained off and on all a lot this weekend in east Orlando. Nice weather for napping, playing with the new kitten and working on the sewing room.

My goals for the month were pretty simple and I've come a long ways, but still the sewing room isn't put back together. I keep getting distracted by fabric! OMG, it turns out that I have a LOT of fabric and I'm not sure it's going to fit on the shelves. I wanted to get everything out of boxes but there's just too much of it. Those 30 gallon plastic storage boxes hold way more fabric than will fit on two shelves. But if I don't unpack it I'll never know what I've got, so it has to happen. Eventually.

The good news is that goal #2, getting ready for the Retreat, is just about accomplished. I have a project in mind with the necessary HSTs sewn and the other fabric set aside. I have my charm squares cut, my yard of fabric cut, my challenge project finished, the little gifties done, and all sewing supplies packaged. I may still bring something for hand sewing but I did that last year and never got to it.

Donna, No rain, but overcast while we were at the beach. We had a problem finding an area to get in as most of the entry ways were closed due to high tide. We finally found one that was open to walk-ins and 4-wheel drives. Our van and DGD's car didn't qualify but SIL's truck did, so we loaded up the truck with all our stuff and had a good day. There happened to be a couple parking spots close to the booth, so we didn't have to walk very far.....lucky for me.

Oh dear, Kate, you're going to have to get reacquainted with your fabric and then build more shelves. lol

SharonG/FL

Kate, you have a new kitten!?!?!? Pictures, pictures!

And if you find you have TOO much fabric and need to let some of it go...I am close by. :) LOL

Donna

New kitten! This is Boo Radley Williams-Pile. 8 weeks old. A fashion disaster wearing stipes and spots together, but we forgive him because he is so stinkin' CUTE he makes it work!

Boo

Oh, Kate, he is adorable! I think he will look a lot like our George when he's older.

George also wears stripes and spots together, but it works for him! LOL What a doll-baby. Thanks for the picture!

Kate, I love Boo Radley's stripes and spots! If you made a quilt in those colors, he would be lost in it! lol Talk about camo!

I didn't work on the color crumbs, but was able to get Love in the Mist to the point of being ready for the last step. Just need to sew 2 1/2" X 9 1/2" sashing onto 26 blocks, sew them together, then sew them onto the top for the last border and hope they fit! Whew! Never mind I started this in 2011!

SharonG/FL

Kate, when Mark saw your picture of Boo Radley he said "It's a Mini George!" LOL

Donna

Donna: Is George in the dryer sleeping?
V.

Thanks for sharing the picture of George! He's so handsome! I bet he likes the dryer because it's warm.

Oh, not the dryer - it's the washer! What a goober. His latest thing is tunneling under the bedspread. LOL And hiding under the corner of the bed to ambush you when you walk by. He's a constant source of amusement.

Donna

Adorable!
The assisted living facility where my Mom had been living had a Momma cat deliver four little ones. They kept them and neutered, gave them shots and now they're an endless fascination for the residents out on the patio. I had the sad task of cleaning out Mom's room today, but the most approachable of the kittens, the one that made Mom smile was there to inspect my every move.
LindaB/CA

Funny, as I posted that I remembered something Mom used to say as her dementia progressed. When we took her on outings, especially overnight, she hated to leave her kitty and always said, I wish I was a kitty, then I could stay home. I'll bet she was there with me today.
LindaB/CA

Linda, I'm so sorry to hear about your mom! My MIL had Alzheimer's, so I know what you went through. I'm glad she had the kitties to make her happy.

Donna

Thank you. Pretty shocking for us. She fell on Wednesday and left us yesterday. Hospice is a wonderful organization and she had excellent care from her home as well. She lived with us until this spring and we still have her kitty, who has moved into the bedroom at night with our two dogs now.

LindaB, My sympathies on the passing of your mom....sending you thoughts of peace and comfort.

SharonG/FL

So sorry Linda. But I am sure you have lots of good memories to keep her with you.
Theresa

Linda, I am so sorry about your mom. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Linda OH

I got a lot done this month. Finished hand-sewing 5 dog pet quilts with corduroy backing and top borders with the top centers being parts of an old thick cotton batting quilt that had a lot of sentimental value for my friend Judy. That's what I got done last week. This week I finished making 4 framed 12" Roberta's Jewels quilt blocks for another close family friend and his family utilizing some of his late grandma and great-grandma's fabric. Now am going through some old quilt patterns about 4 grocery bags of them that and elderly lady in my community gave to me Wednesday --- she was happy that they would be getting some use and said her daughters did not want them. So I have had a blessed week. It feels like Christmas getting to look through all these quilt patterns.

Best to you,
Sandra

Here are pics of the 4 Roberta's Jewels quilt blocks.

Best to you,
Sandra

Good job, Sandra! Those framed blocks are really neat. Did you frame them yourself, or have them professionally done? That's a great way for many family members to share the memories of the quilters.

Donna

Great idea, Sandra. I'm sure the family appreciates it. I'm thinking the lady that gave you the bags of fabric is happy to know her stash has a good home.

SharonG/FL

Donna I machine sewed the quilt blocks and then my husband framed them with frames we bought from Hobby Lobby at $10 a piece. The ladies the fabric came from did not quilt, but they did sew clothing and that's where the fabric for the blocks came from except for the tan/white floral neutral that I used from my stash. The older fabrics that belonged to my friend's grandma and great-grandma will be donated as I do not use old, old fabric in my quilts as I feel that would shorten the life of the quilt using 40 to 60 year old fabrics. Some of the fabric used in the framed quilt blocks developed holes in them during the handwash cycle in the washing machine, so the fabric is very, very old and delicate, and I did not feel it would be wise to use it in a quilt as I like my quilts to get a lot of utilitarian use.

Best to you,
Sandra

Quiltingfox, love the work. What a great way to use the fabrics.

Thank you all for your kind thoughts.

LindaB/CA