To Do Tuesday #108

Hi Everyone!

This last week we had gorgeous Faux Fall weather and I loved every minute of it. Yesterday and today we are back to summer with today hitting a high of 91 so far. We haven’t even gotten to the hottest part of the day. While I prefer Fall weather, I am going to enjoy these final sparks of summer. We are feeling pretty lucky here in Northern California to only have a few wildfires so far this year. Our neighbors to the north (Washington and Oregon) are not so lucky. The air quality is very poor. Sending rain thoughts their way.

I will be linking up with Carol at Quilt Schmilt for To Do Tuesday. With summer upon us, those who have linked up has dwindled but the projects are so fun to look at. Come join us now that the kiddos are back in school and let us see what you are working on!

On the Cutting Mat Last Week

This past week was a low volume sew week and a high volume prep week. While I did get some sewing done, I spent the majority of my time prepping to sew. 😝. You have to appreciate that as you can’t sew if you haven’t prepped.

All Sewn Up

• I was on a roll one night and rolled right into a finished Farmer’s Wife block ~ Block 47: Homemaker
• I spent a ton of time over the last two weeks fiddling around with this month’s UFO ~ Tula Pink Tiny Beast Jelly Baskets quilt. I finally settled on a combined 1 inch plus 2 inch solid mitered border to be followed by a gorgeous Bear fabric in purples from the line. I had to make a quilt shop run because I moved the light fabric to be between the dark and bear fabrics and no longer had enough to do the 2 inch mitered border. Above is my sewn strips together before combining for the borders
• Last week I pulled all the threads needed to machine applique On Wander Lane – Bunny Knoll wall hanging. I need to edge a couple of cross stitch fabrics so decided to do a little on Bunny Knoll. Totally got sucked in and over two nights finished all the applique (my August goal).

Cut & Glue

Since I finished all my other English Paper Piecing projects on my list for August, the moved me to Queen of Diamonds project. The actual SAL is long over. They say to go at your own pace; this is me going at my own pace. I thought my original goal was to cut, glue, and start block 3-1 from Month 3. Oh no! I had put down prepping all FOUR blocks for Month 3. It makes sense, but my first thought was “Really Peggy?!”

I am not generally a fussy cutter for my quilting projects. With EPP, it is SO easy to fussy cut. This project’s instructions, even tell you how to line up your templates to get exactly what you want. Over the course of three nights, I got all four blocks cut. Honestly two are the same and are small so they were a slam dunk. Block 1 was a half diamond and not too many pieces, but block 4 had 43 pieces! Whew. The owl will be the center of the block. It’s going to look fantastic!

You may notice in some of the cutting photos, that my templates have “something” on the seam allowance of the templates. During this sewalong, one of the great tips we got was using glitter washi tape on the backside (fabric side) of the template for two reasons

1. Let’s you see the final piece you are fussy cutting
2. The template does NOT shift at all
3. Easily comes off and on.

Best tip ever! I am thinking about using that on my regular rulers. Just haven’t done it yet.

All Cut Up & Ready to Go

Interesting enough, I have developed this habit of precutting many of my quilts while others I cut as I go. This week meant some were pulled and others were cut, but all are prepped and ready to sew!

• Next 8 blocks of the Cheerful Daydreamer quilt are ready and waiting
• Pulled out the next row of 2023 100 days quilt to be assembled
• Laid out the Center Economy block for the Foundation Paper Pieced quilt I started AG Venti Sunprints
• Here is a photo of the 12 log cabins I was in the middle of prepping last week all ready to go for AG Venti Sunprints.
• I cut the centers for all of Row 1 on the Alison Glass Stamp Quilt last week. This week I cut all the borders and organized them to be sewn. I figured I could practice on these before doing my Tiny Beast mitered borders. Good practice!

August Goals that are Left

I was able to check off one more August goal and this is what it looks like now:

1. 2023 AG Sunprint 100 days 100 blocks ~ Assemble rows
2. 2019 AG Christmas 100 days 100 blocks ~ assemble backing
3. *2022 TP Tiny Beast ~ Assemble Top including borders
4. 2023 TP Queen of Diamond EPP – Cut & glue baste March blocks / Start blk 3-1
5. ✔️ Applique: Begin machine appliquing Bunny Knoll from On Wander Lane
6. Finish Patriotic Table Runner
7. *Quilt 2021 Sunshine Bed quilt

✔️ is completed and * is #1 priority for the category. August started with 14 goals. Doesn’t mean I am not working on other goals, just that these last 6 are the top priority with Tiny Beast and Sunshine quilt at the top.

With five days left in the month, there is time to check off a few more if not all six remaining goals. Need to really FOCUS on my top three though. Really hoping to get that bed quilt on the long arm by Friday.

Check out the margin for all of my August quilting goals and what I have accomplished so far this month.

Afterthoughts

This is a hobby and hobbies should be fun. I found this cute little thread cutter at my LQS and couldn’t resist bring it home to add happiness to the sewing room. I don’t have any ramblings to share with you today (lucky you!) so I am just going to leave you with the cuteness!

Peggy Stockwell in San Jose, California