Monday check in

I have to laugh at Skyler.  First he rousts me from bed anytime from 0545 to 0630 usually insisting that we go to the kitchen to get his treat bite.  The heck with the crunchies since he ate those all up before he got me up.  Pony up with the good stuff, Mom.

So I head back to the bedroom to get dressed and make the bed and look who crawls back in the sack?  (He was sleeping till I got out the camera and gave him some pets).  Bed is still not made and I'm still not dressed as I'm blogging, LOL.   Pretty chilly this morning so I am debating what to put on more than anything.

Well, how do you follow up a great week of sewing with your buds?  I don't know that you can necessarily. Yesterday I decided to not even start up the machine.   I pulled out my Halloween blackwork piece and later the hat I had started knitting while Cindy was here.  She makes hats and mittens for kids in need at the schools near her as an on-going project.  When she pulled out her knitting needles on Monday evening, I asked her how many stitches to cast on and pulled out a skein of yarn I had tucked up in the closet.  Only thing was I misunderstood---60 stitches if I used two strands which I wasn't.   I got a good bit of it done and when I got the email with written out instructions, it said 70 stitches for a single strand.  OOPS!  I ripped it all out and started over while I was watching TV on Thursday evening.  At this point I am a few rows over where I was on Monday night, LOL.

 I had sent some yarn from a project I had started and supply of knitting needles that she can use or give away as she sees fit to any knitting helpers she may have.  I only saved my double points and the sizes I had below 5 to over 13.  You see, I have a wonderful set of circular needles from Denise interchangeable knitting needles that my parents gave me back in high school.   One of the best presents, I have gotten in terms of how much it has been used over the years and enjoyed.  Oh, I have added a couple extra needle tips and more lengths of cable and buttons in recent years now that they have an online presence.  It is an interesting story of how the present owners took over the business---satisfied customers like me but could not find the product to order sets for their children.  When they did locate them, the originators were ready to retire and sell the business.  A portion of their sales goes to breast cancer research too.  I see that they even have a crochet set now---how cool is that?

I finished off the evening by typing up the minutes for Friendship Quilters.  Jackie, our newsletter gal put a bee in my bonnet and needed the materials ASAP.  I really should do the whole job within days of the meeting as the notes get cold.  Normally I type up the show and tell list because I know Beth will be posting the pictures from the meeting to a Facebook album.  I have to write the info down anyway for the minutes so I always send her THAT portion within 24 hrs of the meeting.  Minutes?  Naw, got other things to do, LOL.

Plans for the day?  Get my bed made and get dressed!  Only half kidding there.  I could happily keep knitting and/or embroidering but other things have been on the back burner this past week.

First, my Bama Belles "Tons of Black" challenge will need to be at least pieced by our December meeting.  Cindy had gone through her stash and pulled some fabrics she did not wish to work with for the Belles---for piecing or backs, however we saw fit.  I got to go through it first being as we are long time pals.  I spotted that dusty teal piece and immediately thought of the TOB challenge.

Bev had donated about 20 yards of that black---well, I call it black but actually it is more like a directional dark gray tone on tone.   That is a lot of fabric to find a use for so it became a challenge piece.  Beverly and Lois, I know have tops done already---even pinned and ready to quilt them.  Me?  I know what I want to do and have all along it was just which piece of contrast and background would make the cut.  I had raided my mom's stash, with her permission, when I was "home" in June.    That is where the black on white/cream came from.  The pattern is Mock Trip Around the World from quilting assistant.   My FAB pal Pat has made several of these and I have loved  them in the various colorways she has done up.  HERE  is a one such version showing her quilting choice.  Well done, Pat!   I almost emailed you to see what size blocks you normally chose and how many strips as my brain was a little slow to get going in the math area this morning.  I drew it up in EQ just to get things clear in my head.  Mine will finish at 7.5 inches, 48 blocks in a 6 x 8 set to get that medallion effect.  Without borders, 45 x 60 which is around the WTIL range.

 Secondly, I also want to cut these two projects out.  I have spoken of them before.  Joined at the Hip Button Up  #BU 19 Happy Halloween and the Harvest Door Banner from their book Folk Art Favorites that I will bump a tad in width so it will cover the Button Up Base.  Either of them are "reward projects".  I have completed all that quilting recently and made two more pro bono tops so I am due!!  Past due.  Of course the Halloween deal would just be ready for hanging NEXT year but the Harvest one could go most of the fall, when I didn't hang the turkey featured on the "Give Thanks"

And then there is this---Farmer's Wife Inspired Sampler though there is a whole 20 qt tote of fabric stored elsewhere.  I want to get the next batch cut out--25 more and I will be at the half way point.  If those little cuties are prepped and ready to go I am more apt to stay focused and sew a couple each week or however my heart leads at the time.  Kitted is always better, in my book, than thinking about cutting them.  Just do it!

Then too Christmas is coming.  Which of the holiday projects might capture my attention?     Maybe make more of the blocks for that long awaited Oxmoor House project?  Sash that Christmas JOY?  Make Allison a tree skirt?  HMMMM  finish the binding on my Twister wreath might be a start!

I already know that DJ wants us to go downtown to complete some papers at the tax office and has offered lunch out.  He asked me last week when I was trying to sew between the two sew-in dates and I said any day THIS week would be fine.  Maybe a stop at the library as well.  Best get off the computer and get to cutting and playing with fabric!

And sew it goes-------