OOPS !

Oh my, I hope I'm not the only one that does this: sews right side to wrong side of fabric instead of right sides together. Seems like I've been doing a lot of seam ripping lately,

but, not to worry: I'm still getting lots of fun blocks for daughter Anna Maria's Rainbow Around the Block project

I thought I had all my stashed half square triangle blocks used only to find that there were more hiding under my scraps. So I guess I've got to come up with some more inventive ideas to use them attractively. That is after I do a few simple children's charity quilts.

Speaking of attractive, I'm sure my grandson is going to look quite handsome in this sweater that I finally completed. I'm hoping it's not too terribly large for him. It's supposed to be one of those "oversized" sweaters, but even though I made it a size 12 (and he'll be 13), I'm sure he'll swim in it until he grows a bit more.

I got the sweetest phone call a couple evenings ago from my almost 8 year old granddaughter in New York. I answered the phone, thinking I would be talking to my son and heard this little voice say, "Thank you for the present; the sweater is gorgeous." A "Nani" can not ask for much better appreciation than that. (Photo of that sweater on my June 4 blog)

So now to get back to the matching (though different color) sweater for her big sister's October birthday.

CRAZY !

Hmmm, I can't think of this one bloc of "crazy quilting" without being reminded of my friend "Crazy Ann" who calls herself that because she likes crazy quilts. Also thinking I should open my internet Pandora and listen to Patsy Cline!

At any rate, this is the first time I've ever really done any crazy quilting. I'm more of a structured kind of gal. But I also don't like to waste ANYTHING. All I had left after this bit of piecing on the left were a few pieces of the 30s reproduction fabric -- the largest piece being about 1/2 x 1 1/2 inches. So I guess I didn't waste much.

The 30s repro fabric was from this baby quilt that I made a few years ago.

Of course, if you've been reading my blog lately, you know that I'm making blocs for daughter Anna Maria's Rainbow Around the Block project to benefit victims of the May Nashville flooding.

These are a few other blocs I've whipped out in the last couple days -- mostly starting with leftover blocs or strips from other quilts.

Those of you who sent me fabric for our "light / dark" fabric exchange a couple years ago might recognize your fabrics in most of these blocs.

Now, before I can get on to any other sewing, I MUST figure out just how I'm going to use the fabric pieces sitting on my cutting table. Then there's a bag full of more half-sqaure-triangles to use up. Oh, my--I've got my work cut out for me!

But it might just be time to go cook some pasta to put under the sauce that's been simmering on the stove all afternoon -- Yep, from our garden tomatoes.

Ah, and then a quiet evening back to the knitting needles and that sweater for my grandson.

BETTER THAN QUILTING & KNITTING

Well, I haven't gotten any quilting or knitting done for the past few day.

And this is why. (Just so you don't have to count, there are 12 grandchildren.)

As much as I love my needle work, I'll forego it any day to spend time with family. Our 3 children and their families were with us for the holiday weekend.

I think I can speak for all when I say: A GREAT TIME WAS HAD BY ALL !

'FESS UP TIME

OK, I promise to make a couple (actually several) extra blocks for the Rainbow Around The Block project.

The pillow on the left is the one I made a few years ago after my first official quilting class. I had lots of the postage stamp size strips left and used them in blocks for the project. However, this block on the right just seemed to be a great mate for the original, especially since I still had some of the piping trim all cut and stashed away. Luckily as I was going through my stash of fabric pieces I came across 3 log cabin blocks EXACTLY the right size for the project. So then I didn't feel quite so guilty for lifting this one.

Oh, and since we are going to have AT LEAST 18 extra people as overnight house guests next weekend, I might just need some extra pillows--even if they're not bed pillows. I think this size pillow might be just right for some sweet little heads that will be ready for sleep after long days playing with cousins.

Ah, and a couple of those cousins I mentioned will have sweaters made from these yarns come January.

Hmmmm, maybe I need to get off a few e-mail lists. Too many tempting sales! But at least now I'm only buying for a particular purpose in mind, not just 'cause it's a bargain.

As for the August birthday, I'm making progress. That's the back of the sweater draped over the arm of the chair and the front is almost finished as well.

Not sure when I'll be back here in cyber land. But my guess is the next time I'll get to show you some photos of those cousins!

Can you tell I can hardly wait!

PATCHWORK -- BIG, LITTLE, AND FRUITY ?!

I've been having lots of fun the past couple days using up some "postage stamp" strips that I've had left over for a few years. (They are from one of my very first quilting projects. I am pretty much a "self taught" quilter, but I did take one class a few years ago, just to learn some basics. The class available at the time happened to be for a postage stamp quilt, so I took that class and made a couple pillows. I don't think I'd ever have the patience to make a whole quilt with such little pieces (1 inch squares {finished}). Anyway, I had a lot of strips left over and decided that my daughter Anna Maria's "Rainbow Around the Block" project would be a good use of that part of my stash.

So this is what I have come up with. All of these blocks, as you see, do not use the postage stamp strips. I simply used up the fabrics that I had put with the strips.

There were several blues and greens:

and a few in the reds:

And although the postage stamp stash is gone, I still have lots of other little pieces to use somehow.

And I see that there are a few (down in the bottom right corner) that will go with the above blues. Hooray.

Oh, and since we've been doing patchwork inside and out around here, I even did it in the kitchen the other day.

If you don't have enough of one kind of fruit to make a pie, might as well make a patchwork pie, too.

;-)

Oh, and yes, it was quite yummy!

THEY'RE ON THEIR WAY

Hooray, I have finished the Irish Chain blocks for my block exchange and have them all packed up and ready to take to the post office today.

This is what it would have looked like had I kept all of my blocks for a quilt. I will look forward to seeing the different blocks that I get in the mail over the coming weeks and play with the arrangement.

Oh, and on the outdoor "patchwork". Mission accomplished. AND we had a good rain yesterday afternoon with NO water going where we didn't want it.

Now to get on with my next quilting fun: blocks for my daughter, Anna Maria's "Rainbow Around the Bloc"

project.

THE PROOF IS IN THE . . .

Well, in this case, not the "pudding" but the piles.

See, I really am working on a bit of quilting, even if it has been going rather slowly the last couple weeks.

At least I now have all my blocks trimmed so I can start the final assembly. FINALLY!

Oh, and a project that is no longer a WIP (For those not familiar with the lingo: that's "Work in Progress".) but completed.

So here is another birthday sweater ready for August.

At least, I'm ahead somewhere, instead of behind.

Hope to get caught up real soon.