Hello Fall! Love this time of the year! While we do get the trees turning colors, it is just not as much as when I use to live back East. Love all those yellows, golds, oranges, and reds. So fun! The neighborhood is slowly being fully decorated for Halloween. 👻 My neighbors can be so inventive. I have really been enjoying my daily walks.
Under the Needle Last Week
Friday was a Quilt Zoom day and it was super productive. I just love these days. I end up prepping for them a couple of days ahead of time – laying out blocks to assemble into rows, cutting blocks to sew, making sure all my instructions are on hand. Really love sewing my the ladies in my group. Friday included my friends Toni & Teri (sisters), my long time friend Mary Elizabeth, and a new friend from Arizona Robyn. Let’s check out what I was able to do.
2024 AG Venti Sunprint FPP Quilt – Free Pattern from Fat Quarter Shop
Last week I finished up the Economy blocks I needed for Rows 1 & 7.
- This week I finished up the Courthouse blocks I needed for Rows 2 & 6.
- Quilt Day I assembled all 4 individual rows. They are going to look so awesome. Can’t wait to actually sew the rows together.
Everything Else
- Worked on my Queen of Diamonds block 3 -1 making the middle units that attach to the center star. All the units are now complete. Just have to finishing sewing all of them together. This is my english paper piecing project.
- Bound Bunny Knoll. Just have embellishments for a finish
- Finally washed the 81 patch that I made for the Let’s Talk Autumn cross stitch pillow. I love the textured created.
- I had fun pulling fabric for the October Monthly Color Challenge. This month’s color was Black/Grey and I just loved using the Alison Glass Elipse fbric with the scarbs. They really add interest to the block.
- Started my monthly churn dash block as a leaders / enders for Friday.
- I made a two more strip sets for my son Steven’s Rail Fence quilt. I love these San Jose Sharks colors. Then,
- I cut those strip sets into 10 inch blocks for a total of 8 more blocks.
- The first row of the October cottage was easy peasy with temps in the 100’s for a whole week which meant ->
- I need to make some more over 92F half square triangles. I almost didn’t do it because realistically we should be done with the hot weather. But I have already started thinking of how I will use the leftover HST in the quilt.
Very pleased with how much got done this week.
October’s Goals To Do List
- ✔️SAL: 2024 SJ Temperature Cottage Quilt: ✔️Finish September Cottage and ✔️assemble the July – September row and ✔️add to January – June. ✔️Then I will start the October Cottage.
- ✔️SAL: 2024 October Monthly Color Challenge Block
- SAL: 2024 Venti AG Sunprint FPP quilt – ✔️Make 4 Courthouse blocks and ✔️4 Economy blocks so I can assemble Rows 1, 2, 6, & 7
- EPP: Finish Queen of Diamond Block 3-1 -units all made
- EPP: Pull out Lost & Found. Figure out layout of the 24 blocks and begin sashing the first row of blocks.
- EPP: Farmers Wife 1920: Start Block 48
- Applique: Finish Bunny Knoll on Wander Lane – Bound/ Need to add embellishments
- Applique: January Gnome is Where the Heart is start & hopefully finish
- Applique: Start September Backdoor Banners
- Small Project: Finish Patriotic tablerunner – binding ready
- UFO: ✔️Pull out 2020 Meadowland blocks and figure out a layout, then start assembling.
- UFO: 2019 Tula Pink Zuma Charm Quilt finish – just need to assemble the pieced border and attach
- UFO: 2017 Rainbow Log Cabin – Decide whether I am really going to add top and bottom borders or follow the pattern and have no borders. Make the final decision and then move the quilt to be Quilted pile.
- Long Arm: 2021 Sunshine Quilt – quilt it
- Long Arm: Halloween Quilt – quilt it
- Long Arm: 2013 Fall quilt – load it
- Cross Stitch FFO: Finish Let’s Talk Autumn Pillow – 81 patch washed & ready to trim
- Cross Stitch FFO: Start Autumn Basket pillows x 3
I am able to check off two things from the above list and am close to several more.
Focus Last Week
Totally successful week.
- ✔️2024 Venti AG Sunprint FPP quilt: Make the 4 courthouse FPP blocks
- Change all the needles in my sewing machines
- ✔️Bind Bunny Knoll
- ✔️Finish the October Monthly Color Challenge Block
- ✔️October 1-6 completed for the October Temperature Cottage
- ✔️Magic 8 HST for temperature blocks
- ✔️Work on Queen of Diamond Block 3-1
- 1/2✔️Wash and trim up Cross Stitch pillow Let’s Talk Autumn
- Wind bobbins for the Sunshine quilt
- ✔️Find my Meadowland blocks
- ✔️Sew 2 more strip sets for the Sharks Rail Fence quilt
- Sew Churn Dash block
- Make at least 2 blocks for my Stamp Quilt.
Focus This Week – Next steps for October Goals
- Change all the needles in the sewing machines
- 2024 Venti AG Sunprint FPP quilt: Finish assembling rows into units 1+2 and 6+7
- Add embellishments to Bunny Knoll
- Oct 7 – 12 added to October Cottage
- Finish Queen of Diamonds Block 3-1
- Assemble pillow top for Let’s Talk Autumn
- Wind bobbins for Sunshine Quilt
- Come up with a layout for the Meadowland blocks
- Sew 2 more strip sets for the Sharks Rail Fence quilt
- Finish Churn Dash Block
- Make at least 2 blocks for the Stamp Quilt
- Start January Gnome is Where the Heart Is
- Layer & quilt Patriotic tablerunner
Afterthoughts
I am still finding my way on how to get the most out of my quilting time. I guess it was easier to get in the groove with my cross stitch as that is a fairly new hobby (old one resurrected) so it was easier to be …. Organized?
I have made a ton of strides since June with my new approach to my quilting WIPs. I have added a few tweaks which seems to be helping. My UFO Goals have been a bust, but I saw someone else use a goal approach versus a project approach and I think I might try that in 2025. Yes I am thinking about 2025! LOL
Lover’s Point Beach in Pacific Grove, CA
Day 1 of Scuba Adventures. I took a 3 mile walk along the Pacific Coast Trail while Shaun was diving
San Carlos Beach in Monterey, CA
Day 2 of Scuba Adventures
Happy Mail from Fat Quarter Shop
A while back I signed up for this exclusive pattern done with Tula Pink true colors and and tiny pint sized prints block of the month by Fat Quarter Shop. The first month arrived while I was in Monterey. I can’t wait to start. When I signed up, I didn’t realize it was foundation paper piecing, but I have really enjoyed the other FQS FPP quilt (see my AG Venti Sunprint quilt above). Their instructions and paper pads are fantastic! It is so much fun to take traditional blocks and combine and color them into amazing designs. I can’t wait to start! 🐿️I know!
I am holding this project hostage. I need to finish Bunny Knoll and Patriotic Tablerunner before I can start. I put it out there to you guys to keep me accountable. If I do this right, I could be starting this as soon as next week and yet have two more finishes! I would call that a win.
Happy quilting my friends. Nala and Simba hope you will have a great week.
Peggy Stockwell in San Jose, Californa