To Do Tuesday #96

We had a gorgeous Memorial Day Weekend where we remembered our veterans ~ those who lost their lives here and abroad in defense of this great country we live in. Thank you for your service. I appreciate my freedom with every breath I take. You are remembered!

I will be linking up with Carol over at Quiltschmilt for this week’s To Do Tuesday Linkup. Come join us.

Under the Needle Last Week

I didn’t feel nearly as productive this week but I am feeling good about what I did do.

I spent a couple of days this weeking working on applique again. I got delayed when I couldn’t figure out what happened to my red thread I took on the train. I needed it to put back on my sewing machine to sew the red pieces in both Blooming Pointsettas and Year in Words ~ Christmas. I finally found it under a table in the living room of all places. (#Nala)

• Finished all the red on A Year in Words: Christmas
• Finished two of the pointsettas from Blooming Pointsettas project. I have a lot more to go and this project is still under my needle.

I was able to work on some small projects as well. I was excited to make forward progress

• I finished cutting all my 12.5 inch squares that will be my spring napkins
• I was able to find enough greens to cut my 13 x 19 backings for my spring placemats. Both the napkins and the placemats are so pretty
• Since I was on a roll, I pulled out this PIQF class technique project to see what I could do. They are perfect size for placemats. In my batik bin I found leftover backing what seemed to be a perfect match for those colorful batiks.
• I also sewed the binding for my last two design boards (not pictured)

I also spent a couple of days working on my English Paper Piecing. I opted to focus on trying to finish my Ruby’s Garden block 23. I was able to to piece together the sashing for one size, but still need to do the other side.

I spent one afternoon working on two of my UFO quilts.

• Sunshine quilt pieced borders pieces are done, I just need to pick the long pieces between the pieced units for the borders. I had a variety of fabrics pulled to test. After a few hours, I realized the colors I had were fighting with the quilt center. I started looking at the quilt for some accent colors. I found that there were small amounts of a salmon red throughout the quilt. That is a color Alison Glass uses often so I went to my Alison Glass red bin and found a half yard of the above color. It was perfect for the quilt. I calculated I needed 1 5/8 yards of the fabric so I went on line to order more.
• I rediscovered the backing for the Sunshine quilt and have now stored it with the quilt top so I don’t lose it again.
• While I was on Alison’s website, I decided I should go ahead and pick out a backing for my 2019 100 days 100 blocks quilt top. I opted not to put any borders on this quilt. I used Alison Glass’ Christmas collection from 2018 for the quilt but have never found anything to use for the backing. I decided I wanted to quilt it with probably with a light pink or red maybe. I decided the above fabric would be perfect for the backing so placed my order for an additional 5 yards.
• Received notification today that my happy mail is on its way!

May’s Goal List: Week of May 28th (So Many Possiblities!)

I have made some great progress on my list once I broke up my projects into different categories: Applique, SAL, UFO, small projects, english paper piecing.

While I am still trying to do at least 15 minutes of quilting/sewing a day, I have set myself up with a focus for each day. It kind of worked. I figured I should give this at least a three month try before I abandon this way of working. Here is what is left on this month’s goal list:

1. Cut #100days100blocks2023 blocks 85-90. I pulled fabrics already
2. Sew #100days100blocks2023 blocks 84-87.
3. 2023 Sweet Childhood Memories assemble two side borders
4. Continue working on Leaders & Enders blocks Daydreamer.
5. Tula Pink Butterfly Quilt – make so half square triangles for Section 1
6. EPP Ruby’s Garden finish block 23
7. EPP 1920’s Farmers Wife recut and baste missing pieces for block 45
8. EPP 2021 Lost & Found ~ sash one block
9. 2019 Zuma charm quilt make one side border
10. 2017 Halifax Temperature quilt ~ finish September 2018
11. 2021 Sunshine Quilt ~ sew side borders
12. Blooming Pointsettas ~ finish red applique
13. A Year in Words Christmas ~ finish brown applique
14. Bunny Knoll on Wander Lane – assemble top
15. Add borders to Patriotic Table Runner
16. Spring Placemats – Layer and quilt
17. Design boards – finish last 2
18. *Organize pink threads
19. *Sew 4 coordinating spring napkins
20. *Layer and quilt Batik placemats
21. *Build Foundation Paper Piecing quilt in EQ8. I downloaded fabric swatches to be imported to EQ8.

”*” is not part of monthly goals but I didn’t want to forget they need to be done.

Afterthoughts

I had the best of intentions to work on more things but still I am not disappointed on what I did get done. I feel especially happy with my UFO’s. Gammill should be coming out in June to service my long arm. Before they get here, I have to come up with a cover that keeps Simba from unthreading the darn machine. Beginning in July, I hope to start quilting the tops that are ready to go! Meanwhile I will see if I can’t get farther along with my UFO’s so that I have even more to quilt.

Wishing everyone the best of luck with their projects this week.

Peggy Stockwell in San Jose, California