Where did the week go?

OK, it's my own fault because I have a short attention span.  

All I did with the colorful paper pieced blocks this week was move them around.  I'm leaning toward the pinwheel arrangement.

The big stitch quilting on the batik lap quilt continues.  I hope that by the time I finish the inner border I have decided what to do in the outer border.

I made two more "Splendid Sampler" blocks.  I'm going to have a Stitch and Sew group at the shop for people making the blocks, so I'd better be a good example!

Then I took time out and made another pair of baby socks. 

Last but not least, I've cut pieces for another quilt.  It will serve as class and shop sample but I think I'll enjoy it in these colors.  Batik fun!!! 

What I did with my weekend

I went upstairs to the playroom this afternoon.  It's not fancy enough to call it a STUDIO.  Across from the sewing area, on the opposite wall, I have a smaller table set up with an Ott light and my beads.   Copper wire in 4 different sizes and tools.  It had been a while, and I was rusty.

I persevered and now I have a new bracelet!

Not the greatest photography, taken with the phone, not my nice camera.  Now I think it's time to head for that easy chair and a pair of socks that are almost finished.

So, no quilts today, but there will be quilting again tomorrow in my special Monday group.

Playtime

I'll start with the little idea I found on the internet, searching for "turtles", believe it or not.

I drew it out on EQ4 and printed 15 copies, thinking that I would make 3 columns of 5 blocks.  Just as I was finishing the 15th block, it dawned on me that because it takes 2 columns to form the pattern, I would need 5 more.

Tonight I trimmed.

Then I arranged my blocks in 4 columns.

THEN, I had a "what if?" moment ......

So, I might need to think about that for a while.  It's a good thing I have 99 other projects waiting for me! I've gotten started on my Splendid Sampler blocks by making the first three in the book. 

Then I picked out a couple of easy ones from the middle of the book.  The blocks vary widely in difficulty and method.

I've invited interested people to come to the shop on the 3rd Saturday of the month, beginning in July, to work on the blocks together, sort of a Splendid Sampler Support Group.

I've put the hourglass quilt aside for just a bit.  I have another hand quilting project that I've worked on sporadically for a WHILE.  Now that I've reached the borders, I want to concentrate on getting it finished.  It's one of my Cotton Fields patterns called "Crooked on Purpose".

I challenged myself to quilt it with no markings.  The only guide I gave myself was to score lines with my stiletto in the side triangles to keep myself even. I used the stiletto and a 1" ruler because, who knows where my hera marker is?! 

Progress

Well, I'm working on about four different things this week, so progress is slow on each but it IS progress.  I had a chance to start the quilting on the hourglass quilt.

I've also had time to play around a little with the quilt idea I found on the internet while looking for something else.  

I'm making a quilt along side my beginner class AND starting the blocks for the "Splendid Sampler".  There's a SAMPLER support group meeting for the first time at the shop on July 15.  So, I'd better get back to the machine.

Hourglass Quilt Top

I almost stopped after the plain gold border.  But, it was PLAIN.

I didn't have enough of any of the gold left to work with, so I found some off-white instead.  I used what I had of the leftover browns and added a couple more.  Then I made 40 curved half-square triangles.

36" square - it will be my next hand quilting project.