Positivity QAL Final Link Up #3

 

This was so satisfying on several levels! The initial need for quilts and the answer from Preeti and Bernie!  Lots of time and effort to organize an undertaking of this magnitude! The long slow timeline made it enjoyable and not stressful. For me personally I used up fabric that was in my stash for a long time. As I cut the  neutral backgrounds, I reminisced. Some gifts from friends, some used in other quilts. Even some rescued  from the trash! 

Some of the stitching needed to be remedied. When you use precuts they are not always equal in width. When you have rescued fabric, it is not always cut precisely. 

Pretty soon it was a flimsy!

And a backing was constructed!

Then it was delivered to the quilter. And quickly, in 3 days, returned to me. Binding was already cut. 

And it was attached to the quilt. 

It's a wrestling match to keep it straight and square going under the walking foot. Tape on the machine bed helped this time. 

Marathon stitching down sessions while watching Netflix, Nascar and the news. 

I thought I was done!  Nope, one more corner and the adjacent side. 

Now it's done and ready for the required photo op on the front lawn! 

A close up of the contrast block!

With the help of the Wyoming winds, the backing appeared!

A trip to the washer. I was concerned about the batiks. I did not prewash them. So I took some of the leftovers and tested them and the dark blue binding in the sink. No bleed. 

I used 2 color catchers just in case. The ended up yellow ochre!   So a little bleed, but not on the quilt! 

Then to the dryer and a fold up to go to UPS. I had Mr Busy help me measure. I've never checked a quilt after washing. This one has some shrinkage.....1.5 to 2" top and bottom.  That seems like a lot!

But off it went to Bernie on Monday and she had it on Thursday!  Yay, UPS!!!!

This was a fun QAL and so simple. I did chose the simplest setting! I got lots of positive comments on it in different stages! I’m so pleased to participate in the worthy cause, Mercyful  Quilts. I'm linking up with Bernie and Needle and Foot today, Sunday 8-22-21

Stay Busy and Stay Happy and Healthy (I hope you’ll wear your mask)

I LIKE Thursday. #57

 

Good Morning friends! I’m joining LeeAnna and friends at Not Afraid of Color  to share good things and likes in our lives! 

Still watching my calorie intake, and we found this flavor at our Smith’s Grocery! They are a Kroger Company! Triple Berry, caffeinated sparkling water. I can’t really feel the caffeine kick, but the flavor is refreshing!

This is my biggest strawberry harvest yet! I don’t know how the birds didn’t see them! Their loss! 

The tomatoes are from our little pot! 

Enough to slice for sandwiches, and to eat out of hand. No sauces or canning, but oh the freshness is extraordinary! The cuke  was a gift.

As were these Zucchini 

I like that is much cooler the last two days! Wednesday morning when I ventured out for my neighborhood walk, it was a crisp 55 degrees. Glad I had my hoodie! Today the high is forecasted to be 66! A big change from our 90s of recent weeks. Guess I’ll wear long pants to my Stitcher’s group! 

I’m still reading The Autobiography of Mrs Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin. Nearly done. I am enjoying it. 

We started watching Penguin Town on Netflix. Thanks Diann at Little Penguin Qults for the recommendation. And last night I endured Gunpowder Milkshake on Netflix. It’s action packed, loud, bloody! Not my cup of tea, but still better than what was on Prime Time. “Girl Power”! 

Stay Busy and Stay Happy and Healthy! 

TO-DO Tuesday #52

 

Good Morning List Makers!  Thanks to Chris at ChrisKnits we have a forum to make a list and then be accountable. No one throws stones though, only accolades! Join us won't you. Make a plan then link up with ChrisKnits on Tuesday to share. 

Last week

1. Backing for August OMG! ✅! 

I chose the fabric. A baby green gingham flannel! I had just enough, but hit a “snag” when I started to press it! 

Drat!

I fixed it by backing the snag with a piece of Pellon SF101. It's fusible and lightweight. 

Then I found a Noah's Ark motif from the fabric I used for this baby quilt 

back in February!

Ironed it on with WonderUnder and zigzagged around it very carefully with white thread. I love it!

 

Now on to the "quilting" and the binding. 

2. Think about Turquoise TSC.    I’m like Winnie The Pooh….just “ think,think,think” No decision has been made. 

3. Make one more Question Mark block! ✅

Now there are 5 and all sewn together!

4. Finish binding Positivity , wash and mail to Bernie! 

Finished!

The backing!  With the help of the famous or infamous Wyoming wind!

It went to UPS store yesterday! Bernie should have it on Thursday!  Fingers crossed!!

Next week Aug 17-Aug 23

1. Work on  OMG (see #2 above)

2. Make a decision on Aqua Table Scraps. No more thinking, get 'er done!

3.  Maybe, add some sashing strips to Hollow 9 blockes. 

Stay Busy and Stay Happy and Healthy!  (we are back to wearing masks in unknown crowded spaces, our choice, not mandated)

ScrapHappy Saturday. Third Saturday of August!

 

I’m linking up with ScrapHappy Saturday over at Angela’s blog, SoScrappy!

I only was able to sew one more Question Mark block and join them in a row! 

I spent a great deal of time hand sewing the binding down on the Positivity Quilt. It is done, ready to be delivered to the UPS Store on Monday!  I probably should have taken my binding project with me to Thursday Stitchers, but I didn’t. I took this embroidery instead. Yes, it's variegated thread and the stitching will be done in all green. 

 I helped Mr. Busy in the yard! No aqua there, just green and more green! We moved some sort of invasive ground covers from my hosta bed to a new surround around the birdbath. Hopefully it will fill in and stay there!

I still haven’t made up my mind what I will do for Table Scraps! It’ll be Aqua/Teal/Turquoise something!

And my August OMG project is looming! But I have come up with a solution to the hole in the backing fabric. Appliqué! That seems like the easiest most straightforward fix! I’ll keep you posted! 

Stay Busy and Stay Happy and Healthy!

Finished or Not Finished Friday #63

 

I’m still working on getting the binding on Positivity aka Cappuccino and a Blueberry Bagel .  I fibbed on Sunday when I said I was on corner three. It wasn’t! It’s taking longer than it should. I lost my thread heaven and spent over an hour going through project bags looking for it. I even perused the internet for a DIY solution! Down a rabbit hole I went! I finally found one small blue box!  Oh, and look, there's  a leather thimble dot! 

Ok, enough posting! I’m putting the tablet down to sew some more binding down!  You can see I have 3 corners done. Then there is about 20” on the last long side and then the last short side…so about 80 inches! Today for sure! 

I’m linking up with Alycia at Alycia Quilts and the Finished or Not Finished Friday gang!

  

Edit: All 4 corners are done, all sides are done. It’s in the dryer! 

On the front lawn!

A close up of the Blueberry Bagel! The quilting design is a pantograph called “Kiss”! 

And a gust of wind decided to show the backing! 

Stay Busy and Stay Happy and Healthy!

I LIKE Thursday #56

Good Morning All!  I'm here to share some likes from the last week. 
Thanks LeeAnna  at Not Afraid of Color, for giving us this platform to share the good in our lives. To focus on the happy!

 I like finding something new on my morning walks.

This scraggly bush has been here a long time. My route usually takes me a different way.

I’ve never noticed the flowers before! I don’t know their name but their orange-y color is nice! 

I like that I am finally able to reach my goal of 10,000 steps, I haven’t done this since before 2019! And the added bonus is my weight is down also! 

I like calm breeze less mornings so I can have coffee on my front deck.

Looks like maybe I should be making a Table Scraps table mat for this little table!  The sun is really doing a number on the plastic! Yikes!

And I like that I have a community of stitchers and quilters who will give me solutions to this dilemma! I found the perfect piece of soft green checked flannel to go on the back of the nearly vintage cross stitched baby quilt. It had been in the drawer for awhile, so I decided to press it. Smack dab in the middle was a snag or flaw! It even had tape on it, so I’m sure the shop who sold it knew it was there. Now what? I have few ideas what to do…I’ll see what my friends think! 

It was the perfect size and the soft baby green was perfect too!

Til I discovered this!

I'm off today to spend some time with friends. Hoping that we will be able to continue to gather. We are having more cases of the virus variant in our community, but so far no closures or masks mandated. I will wear my mask when I am indoors with big groups of people!  

Stay Busy and Stay Happy and Healthy!

To- Do Tuesday #51

I’m joining friends at ChrisKnits this morning to share a list of to-dos. Come see how we all did!

Last week’s  list: 

1. Mail 8 flag centered blocks to Kat ar Covered in Love! Done!  I didn’t have a big padded envelope so I built my package at the Post Office Thursday morning. No photo of the package, but here is the receipt. Redacted,  of course!

Off to Texas! She should have it by now! 

2.  Start assembling the backing for August OMG!  Nope! I got involved in getting the binding on my Positivity Quilt! 

3. Put Hollow 9's on the design wall to see how many more blocks are needed! Make Aqua blocks of needed, if not decide on Table Scraps Project in Aqua!  sort of 1/2 done

Because I had an abundance of blocks I did not use aqua here and will pair them with the browns to make another quilt. 

 I did sew aqua though.....I think I'll make one more question mark block for Full Stop!

 And I did not decide on a Table Scraps Challenge project! 

So, I was busy!  Just not on the listed items!   No worries!  There is always the upcoming week!

Next week  August 10- August 16th.

1. Backing for August OMG.

2. Think about August TSC, 

3. Make one more Question Mark block .

4. Finish binding on the Positivity Quilt, wash and mail to Bernie!

That should keep me busy and out of trouble!

Stay Busy and Stay Happy and Healthy!