WIP Weds/check-in

What is a blog without pictures?  I've got a couple, LOL.

I quilted up the August Button Up on Monday afternoon and started on the "Faux Button Up" row quilt right after that but only got the first two rows and a little bit of the third one done before I hung it up for the night.  "The Closer" was on, after all and this next Monday is the series finale!    The binding still needs to be done on both wall hangings.  You still see pins in August because I am considering hand quilting around the melon seeds.

Tuesday, I finished up the row quilt, bound and labeled them both.   I realized that I did not have near enough information in my head to complete the label but was not entirely sure where I had put the journal notes that were passed around with it.  I knew all about the top three rows----I did the stars, Lauri from MD the flag,  Diane W from IN (who has since passed away) did the kitty, bowtie and log cabin blocks.  Cher did the butterfly and veggies row---my OR FAB pal of many years.   BUT it was not clear to me which row Jacquie from WA had done and who had done the 6th one??  What year was this anyway?  I should say that the piece was inspired by the Summer wall hanging in the Country Threads book from that patchwork place Quilt Shop Series way back in 1992.  Thankfully the girls did not slavishly follow the one in the book as I think their choices made it much more unique.  I didn't like parts of that piece anyway!

After throwing  picture up on Facebook, Jacquie posted that she thought it was from 2000 and she believed she had done the watermelons as she is not an applique aficionado.  Right on both counts!  I found the journal notes in the file cabinet along with the signature squares.  Off came the label that I had applied to it that had the wrong information and cross outs on it!  WOW, it is about time that this row robin get completed.  Of course I am thrilled that the piece is the same size as my other button ups so it can be used on the base just like the others.  I will not have to do up the June Button Up unless I want to----it is picket fence with tall flowers.   Meh.   Do the May basket, skip June, the July one is done.  Sounds good to me!

Here is the proper text with the sig squares pinned to it (the fan was blowing them away, LOL)  The green and white print is the reverse coloration of the backing I used.  These strips look like white on green while the backing was green on white. Blend-y though not a match.  I will piece the squares together to make a special label for the piece.  That is on today's "list"  Cutting fabric was as far as it got this morning as DJ needed me to go up to the license tag division at the Country Administration building and a few other errands along the way.

The other pile is the prototype for DJ's nighttime neck "brace" deal.  Coincidentally this yardage is what I used on the back of August.  I have plenty of fabrics but nothing I cared to cut into for this project.  Wrong color, floral or juvenile, headed to another project---you get the picture.  That job is also on today's "list" though I know I need to get some wide velcro on the next store run to finish the piece.

Before putting away my good and faithful servant Erik the Red I gave him a thorough cleaning inside and out the best I could anyway.  I re-positioned the sewing table and got out Brother Man though left him unplugged. I vacuumed up my stringy mess and even cleaned off the ceiling fan.  It is amazing how quickly a white fan can get dusty looking!  Yeah, I know---quir looking up!

Next up in the pictures for today----some more of my bday present.  Yeah, it isn't for a couple of days but who knew it would get here so quickly?  Boy, that DJ sure knows how to "shop", LOL.    Half yards of a bit more of the Vintage Modern for my Farmer's Wife Sampler.   Love, love that aqua and red combo.   I had ordered some half yards of a few selected pieces last month but my quilt will not be make entirely of the fabric line as I want a scrappy look in my 111 block sampler.  I may not have taken a picture of that stash acquisition when it came in.  Don't remember.   I am thinking that a stop for another snap lid stackable tote is going to take care of the remainder of my spend down, LOL.

My other selection----set M of Marti Michell's Perfect Patchwork Templates which is sized for a 12 inch finished block 5 x 5 grid.  I am pretty well set now and will use these on the Farmer's Wife Sampler.  Also since I love her 1 and 2 inch finished log cabin ruler so much I got the next smaller strip sized on which finishes at 3/4 inch and 1 1/2 inches.  

Here is the longer range plan----

• Finish up Popsicle Sticks ---roughly half done at this point.   Then I can raid whatever fabrics and strips that I want from that container.  It has not seen the machine since mid-Feb 2012 meaning it is fairly new UFO
• Start cutting for Farmer's Wife Sampler at least the first 10 blocks in whatever sequence I finally settle on---numerically by the book or by the conversion chart or how they are laid out in MY version.  
• Quit talking about it and get started on those blocks, will ya?!
• Finish up the Prairie Stroll top at the next Bama Belles meeting(s)---the blocks are done, after all.

Just noticed that is time for lunch and I have to pop it in the oven---best get off the computer and into the kitchen!  THX for stopping by.