August and September Chookshed 2024 Stitchers Challenge

Well, for the Chookshed 2024 Stitchers Challenge .... for August, my Lorna's Vine bin got taken off the shelf, a few pieces pinned onto my design wall ... a few decisions made on what the next few steps should be .... and that was it.  So, I failed there.  Oh dear me!  LOL

Instead of working on that challenge .... this project is what is keeping me grounded.  I just love working on the single hexies one at a time.  Great progress since my last photo.  There are now 3-1/4 rows done and all stitched together!  Yeah me!  The hexies that are pinned a few inches below the others are quilted but not sewn together.  They will be in time.

Here are a few close-ups of the finished hexies.  This way you can see the fabrics better instead of at a distance.  I just love the fabrics in each hexie.

A lot of hand sewing of the binding and hand quilting have been done on each hexie and I love doing this method of quilt-as-you-go.  Will be doing more quilts this way as time goes on.

A couple of feet of binding got sewn down on this quilt.  Many more feet to go ....

So, for September ..... I'm not going to even look at what the number is.  I just looked at my calendar and the whole month has appointments and events.  There are two sessions per week with the Alzheimer's Society and a wedding and babysitting and school pick-ups.  There is outside work that will need to be taken care of as well.  I know what my reality is and taking out another bin won't help at all.

Instead, I will continue to work on my hexies and the above quilt and be happy if anything gets done on them.  By the time I sit down after supper to watch some t.v., I will be tired and may even fall asleep in my chair.  Instead of napping, one of these can be pulled to be worked on.

Cherish your day, cherish your life!

Obstacles and Life

August has been a very busy month with life getting in the way of my quilting!  Darn ...

First off .... what are the obstacles?  This little guy keeps sleeping on my arm and preventing me from working on anything.  He recently had a bout of seizures again and I just don't have the heart to move him off of me.  I have come to the understanding that he won't have a long life, but he will have his best life ever!  Poor little guy!

Still .... here and there another row of these hexies got made.  This is the back view.  I think I like it but not totally sure yet.  Maybe down the road when more rows are made and the pattern evolving, I might change my mind.  Anyway, too late now to change it as too much work has gone into this project so far.  The bottom row needs to be sewn to the top rows.

Now, the life bit.  Next week I will be helping out looking after two wee littles boys and none of my work that I want to take along can have too many pins.  So, what can be done?

Binding got sewn onto two quilts.  They should keep me busy for a few days or the whole week.  It depends on the little boys and if they agree to get along and play well together.  LOL  Who am I kidding!   I was going to take a break from doing bindings, but they will come in handy after all.

This row can be added to the other two rows already assembled.  It feels good to see progress on something!  This can be done while babysitting.

These two hexies have the bindings all pinned and ready to be sewn and then hand quilted.  This is the start of Row 4.  Happy, happy!  These will not come with me for babysitting at this stage.  They can come for hand quilting instead if needed.

Now, for other things that got accomplished.  Batting hexies have now been all cut out.  A huge dent was made with the bin that the batting pieces were hiding in.  Great to see them being used up and the bin almost empty.  The reason for cutting out all the batting now was that I got a tad anxious that there would not be enough of this particular poly batting.  No problem. There was enough with a bit to spare.

Some of the batting pieces will need to be frankenpieced in order to use up even the smallest pieces of scrap batting.  Waste not, want not.

Then, to keep me from getting bored .... there are two junior bridesmaids dresses that need minor alternations plus pants for the little boys to be hemmed up.  Yep, those items will round out my sewing for the rest of the month and into September.

There are meetings for me and hubby to attend with the ALS (Alzheimer's Society) for September and October.  They should be interesting and very informative.

Then, school pick-ups will start and life will get busy once again.

Cherish your day, cherish your life!

A Pile of Quilts

This is the aftermath of changing out the quilts each month ..... a huge pile of quilts to roll up or fold.

Help is always appreciated when doing this job ...... but this fella kept getting in the way!  He really liked the rolling bit and the string tying.  Play time!  LOL

Sister and I went to the cottage for an overnight stay.  We saw a momma partridge and four babies.  Momma just sauntered slowly across the road in front of my car and her four babies flew across the road.  If you look closely to the left side of the road, you can barely see a baby there.

We've been seeing this deer carcass for a while now.  It has been picked clean.  A pack of wolves or a bear must have brought down this deer.  There were actually two carcasses ..... a doe and a baby deer.  The rest of the bones were plowed off the road by a truck, but something dragged out this carcass.   Sad yes, but that is Mother Nature.

Change of topic from sad to beautiful.  

I don't get many comments for my posts and wonder about those that do not comment.  Do they like what I write about?  Do they like my photos of quilts?  Regardless, I just write anyway and hope that I strike a cord of interest with my followers/readers.

Then out of the blue, I do get wonderful comments and I'm taken aback by their lovely words to me.  Thank you Ruth F for your comment .... it sure made my day!  I couldn't reply back to you as your email is set up as no-reply, but I just wanted to acknowledge you here.

Cherish your day, cherish your life!

Lorna's Vine

Three fabrics were pulled and pinned onto my design wall to see which one would be best for the alternating squares.  The one on the right is out completely.  I like the other two and am having a hard time to decide.  The one in the middle has an obvious diagonal line and I don't really want to see that.  So, thinking outside the box .... te he ..... what about taking the left hand fabric and cutting it into squares the same size as the corner stone and using the middle fabric to frame it?  Now, that idea appeals to me a lot.  Looking at the sashing and corner pieces just pinned in place, I'm liking this project a lot!  The striped fabric on the left will be the borders.  So, more on this idea in another post.

My niece sent me this photo of the quilt that her oldest daughter (age 12) picked to go with them on their family reunion.  I'm surprised that she still is using it!  That quilt was made for her when she was just a few years old.  It is still going strong.

Cherish your day, cherish your life!

August Quilts on Display

You know this post was coming!  These are my quilts to choose from to display this month.  Enjoy!

Cherish your day, cherish your life!

Chevron Log Cabin blocks

Well, much progress has been done on these blocks.  They are all done.  Now, I can slowly do the QAYG (quilt as you go) for each block.  I'm happy.  I have something for take along sewing to keep my hands busy.  So, for the Chookshed Stitchers 2024 Challenge, my challenge for the month of July is DONE to where I wanted it to be.

Below are the fabrics that will be used for the backs.  It will be interesting to see them done up..

Lo and behold .... look ..... one row is done!  Hand quilted and each hexagon sewn together!  Very happy.  I will continue with them for the month of August as part of the Chookshed Stitchers 2024 Challenge.

For the Challenge, #3 was chosen for August and this is my #3.  Lorna's Vine.  My colour choice is blue.  I was initially tempted to go with red, but hubby said no to that choice.  So, blue it is.

There are 12 of these triangles to make.

Four of these squares.

All the sashings have been done.  This batch needs trimming.

There are 2 different fabrics to chose from for the large alternating squares.  I just have to put the fabric up on my design wall and pin the sashings on top of the fabric and decide which one to use.   I will show you that choice on another post.

This project is more along than first thought.  I'm surprised this hasn't been finished into a top by now.  Guess I needed this challenge to push me.  LOL

No binding got done for July challenge.  No-blog Mary is taking a break.  I think I need to also take a break from doing that for a few months.  I've struggled recently with the binding challenge and that must be my clue to take a break.

Can't believe we are into August already.  We are enjoying a heat wave right now.  It is hot and muggy but no complaints because in a number of months we will be getting cooler and then colder as we move into the new year.  We pay good money to experience this heat by taking a trip to the Caribbean.  

Cherish your day, cherish your life!