WIP???

I have been busy with things on the home front but not much in the sewing related department. Such is life sometimes. It is so blamed hot and humid (read: summer! so what do you expect?) that you honestly feel like expending the least amount of energy possible. The sun is so intense that just going out to the mailbox can reduce you to a puddle of sweat. I know that I am far from alone in this predicament. Much of the country is still roasty-toasty judging from the weather maps.

The quilt group met on Tuesday as planned. The fill-in spot is maybe about 2 miles from my house and I was not in charge of the key so I didn't have to leave the house till about an hour later than I normally would. Some of the group was missing but seldom is everyone there to start with. We had a couple of special guests instead.

Aline was on grandma duty so we all got to meet her first great-grand Lily who is just three months old. Grandpa was standing by at home just in case she got too fussy or it bothered the ladies. Good as gold!

I was happy too that my guest Teresa could come join us. We met thru my blog and chat on Facebook a bit but did not meet in person till the Pell City group meeting earlier this month. I helped Teresa with some foundation piecing on the Friendship Quilter's name tag thing---well, enough that she could finish up at home. I ended up sewing a bit on 3-D bowtie blocks using the Belles scrap challenge project materials. Nancy and Linda had there machines revved up and a couple quilts got pinned as well.

Nancy asked me to cut the borders for her Buzz Saw quilt made from Civil War reproduction fabrics. Being left handed, cutting has always been an issue for her. Accu-quilt has helped with some of that but she was afraid she would ruin the yardage by a miscut. She also needed some help in cutting the stripe she had selected for bias binding. I could have probably done it at the meeting---they have such a nice island unit in the kitchen at the church---but I would have had to run home for my large mat and my own rulers. I took care of that yesterday. I should have taken a picture of the top so far when I had it spread out to measure it but Skyler was making things difficult by laying on it and then trying to bite me when I tried to make him move. He is also quite attracted to the bag she sent home with me. My guess is that he smells either her kitties or dachsunds on it.

The wrinkle in the deal was she wants to do a double border and mitered corners. If I understood her correctly, Nancy wanted me to sew them. I don't do them but was a little familar with the process---or at least sorta knew what to do. She has put so much time and effort into her quilt that I felt she should finish it. I would do what I could to help her thought. I found a good video on the Fons and Porter/Quilter's Club of America site presented by Jodi Davis HERE that may help Nancy with the piecing along with some tutorials online. Jaybird Quilts had a good tutorial as well. I also checked my home quilt book library and found a section in the Rodale Quilting Library's Sensational Sets & Borders that may also be a help. LOL, I still don't want to fuss like that on my own quilts but I am pretty sure that I could pull it off if I had to. Just like a giant attic window block.

Today was laundry day so that took up a chunk of the morning along with a quick run to the bank for the Belles. I also had a few things to prep ahead in the kitchen for our supper and threw a couple burgers on the grill for our lunch. Next thing I knew it was 1 p..m. Day is half over without half trying.

I should get started on some of that button hole applique----and I might. I may, just for today, do a little embroidery on the honey and biscuits block from Bee Tree Designs' Flickr page. There is a ton of stitching on these things but I love them!

I hope that you are having a good day!