Disorganized and distracted

I am really feeling disorganized.  Lots of piecing happening and lots of fabric organizing but a pile of printed papers including more pattern ideas sitting here and I had fabric everywhere after stitching blocks and tops for the last week.
Finally, I stopped and tidied up. 
There is a stack of quilt tops with batting and backing waiting for me to load the B-line home quilting system and get busy.

I have far too many batiks, scraps and strips in country colours as well other themes of fabrics.  For some reason, it felt overwhelming and even though I have been stitching like crazy, my containers stay full. 

My July is looking like this:
1. Quilt and bind Saratoga batik quilt
2. Quilt and bind Town Square #1
3. Piece, quilt and bind Town Square #2
4. Quilt and Bind Stepping Stones #1
5. Piece, quilt and bind Stepping Stones #2
6. Finish RSC blocks for May, June and July
7. Quilt and Bind 16 patch #1
8. Quilt and Bind 16 patch #2
9. Bind a quilt for my quilting buddy
10.  Trim and figure out how to make a quilt from leftover 16 patch bits
11. Finish Jelly roll ripples.. UFO This is now a strip block quilt top
12. Quilt for my granddaughter
13. Batik 2.5" strips kit #2: needs piecing quilting, binding
14. Batik strips #2: quilt top made - needs quilting, binding
15. Batik strips #3: quilt top made - needs quilting, binding
16. Red and white quilt top made - needs quilting and binding
17. Floral blocks made, need to be put together into a top, quilted and bound
18. Funky house block made for a block swap that I am NOT swapping .. just one block swapped

So, I added more projects to my list and have nothing quilted or bound.
I stitched up these blocks and have the top done.  My container of reds is still full. 

 I pulled out my hanger of strip pieced 16 patch blocks surrounded by a border.  Not enough for a quilt so I dug out containers of fabrics that are a little more dull and country type colours.
And I started stitching.

 I made more blocks and got them put together into a top.

But now, still have leftovers because I didn't count as I working and have more on a hanger for next time.

I had a stack of 10"floral fabrics and played around with a couple of ideas.  This wasn't bad but not overly thrilled with the block.

 So, I figured out another idea and grabbed more of my country colour fabrics and made these blocks.  I think I have enough to lay out a quilt top on the design wall.  A few florals and solids gone... but, the containers are still full. 

This is number 3 quilt top made from batik strips.  Now folded and hanging in the line up for quilting and binding. 
I sewed a lot.. I have a lot of tops made... I need to get busy quilting!
So much fabric, so little time.  But, one day at a time. 

Mid July and our summer weather might be coming?

Our weather has been pretty dreary up until now with days of lovely weather happening once in a while to give us a teaser of what it should be like ..... this is summer!
I took a chance and put away my long sleeve tops and brought out short sleeve and sleeveless but still wearing hoodies most of the time for warmth.  There have been some capri days and much more enjoyable than jeans days!
So, what have I been up to... well my list has a few finishes:
1. Quilt and bind Saratoga batik quilt
2. Quilt and bind Town Square #1
3. Piece, quilt and bind Town Square #2
4. Quilt and Bind Stepping Stones #1
5. Piece, quilt and bind Stepping Stones #2
6. Finish RSC blocks for May, June and July
7. Quilt and Bind 16 patch #1
8. Quilt and Bind 16 patch #2
9. Bind a quilt for my quilting buddy
10.  Trim and figure out how to make a quilt from leftover 16 patch bits
11. Finish Jelly roll ripples.. UFO
12. Quilt for my granddaughter
13. Batik 2.5" strips kit: needs quilting, binding
14. Batik strips #2: blocks are made
15. Batik strips #3: working on strip sets
And, I have added a few more projects.  I was sorting my batiks and, as you can guess, I have far too many and they were scattered in various containers.  That prompted me to start stitching more strip sets and another top was born... and then there were leftover strips so top number three is in progress as well. 

This was started after finding a kit with batiks in it but no pattern.  I decided to go with this simple block and cut up some background for it. 
I made a wonky house block for a swap with another guild member.  And the one she made me arrived in the mail.

And, time out for another visit to the skin care center for more Moh's surgery for skin cancer on my husband's neck with a biopsy done on his face and a repair to his ear from an earlier surgery where there was a hole.

I cut batting and made backings for the next four quilts that need to be finished.

And three quilts finished:
Saratoga, the kit from Keepsake quilting of unknown age.

And two St. Louis 16 patches made from strips cut a couple of years ago (the purple one) and then a bunch of older green and yellow fat quarters for the other one.

A fairly productive week.  Some projects finished and new ones started while the UFO's still sit patiently waiting.

Feeling a little better about July

Rainy weather.  UGH.  Another year older.  UGH.
But, I have tidied, organized and done some stitching so am feeling more organized and have a plan for the next week.  And enough dry days to play some tennis.  I need to appreciate the good times and ignore the crummy stuff.


1. Quilt and bind Saratoga batik quilt
2. Quilt and bind Town Square #1
3. Piece, quilt and bind Town Square #2
4. Quilt and Bind Stepping Stones #1
5. Piece, quilt and bind Stepping Stones #2
6. Finish RSC blocks for May, June and July
7. Quilt and Bind 16 patch #1
8. Quilt and Bind 16 patch #2
9. Bind a quilt for my quilting buddy
10.  Trim and figure out how to make a quilt from leftover 16 patch bits
11. Finish Jelly roll ripples.. UFO
12. Quilt for my granddaughter
13. Batik 2.5" strips kit

It doesn't look I like accomplished very much but, I have gone through my container of floral fabrics and organized it.  I have tidied all of my scraps and organized.  I made a few new buckets for scraps.

All of my blocks for the rainbow scrap challenge for May, June and July are done!  That was a huge job and I won't let them pile up again.

I cut kits and made up two more of the 3 yard quilts.  I used up some of my old floral fabrics.  But the bin didn't seem any less full?

The RCMP block lottery quilt finally got the binding done.

And my Rainbow scrap challenge 2019 quilt #3 is finished.  It is a little smaller but will still be good for donation.

My newest project is being made from batik strips.  I found the kit of fabrics but no pattern?  I have no idea where I bought this, when I acquired it or what it was supposed to make.  The other day I saw a pattern, figured it out and am making these blocks with the strips.

But, now, with quilt tops finished and waiting, it is time to start quilting a few of these and get them finished.  I keep sewing but I don't see any less projects or fabrics here?

The weather is still crazy... rain then a sunny, lovely day.  I took a chance and moved my long sleeve t-shirts out of my closet and put my short sleeve and sleeveless shirts in there?   Maybe a mistake but warmer weather has to be on the way!

My July goals and lists

For July, some unfinished projects leftover from June and of course, new ones!

1. Quilt and bind Saratoga batik quilt
2. Quilt and bind Town Square #1
3. Piece, quilt and bind Town Square #2
4. Quilt and Bind Stepping Stones #1
5. Piece, quilt and bind Stepping Stones #2
6. Finish RSC blocks for May, June and July
7. Quilt and Bind 16 patch #1
8. Quilt and Bind 16 patch #2
9. Bind a quilt for my quilting buddy
10.  Trim and figure out how to make a quilt from leftover 16 patch bits
11. Finish Jelly roll ripples.. UFO
12. Quilt for my granddaughter

Entering July slowly in cool, dreary weather

Our weather goes from using our a/c to having the furnace on.  Crazy times. I felt once again that I was spinning my wheels even though I did accomplish a few things... but most of them aren't visible!
Tidying up patterns from my printer was one task.  Organizing my lists was another.

My list looked liked this by the end of June.
1. Quilt/bind cracker block quilt
2. Quilt/bind QOV  donated by a local quilt guild member
3. Quilt a Quilt of Valour made  by a friend
4. Quilt/bind a project I picked up from our modern guild parking lot gathering in May
5. Quilt /bind RSC #3 -
  6.Make set of blocks picked up at FVMQG gathering
7. Makestrip pieced triangle blocks picked up at the FVMQG gathering
8. Make some scrub bags for Abbotsford guild donation
9. Work on RSC blocks for June - pink
10. Make Saratoga quilt (a kit from Keepsake how many years ago?) Quilt and Bind
11. Pick up income tax and pay the accountant!
12. Work on some St. Louis 16 patch blocks
 13. Make tinker tote
14. Dark green RSC  blocks for May
15. Block lottery from FVMQG - red/black 9 patches
16. stitch a new purse
17. Finish postcard for modern guild challenge
18. Make an armchair caddy
19. Cocktail mug rug for Modern guild challenge
20. Bind RSC #2 
21, Quilt and bind RCMP quilt (FVMQG block lottery)
22. Stepping Stones, Fabric Cafe - piece top 
23. Town square: make blocks, piece top.

I don't have all my Rainbow scrap challenge blocks done for May, June and now July.  However, I did make a start and have my strip pieced blocks done for all three months.  Some papers to remove from the last of the July ones and that is finished.  However, I am making a variety of blocks for the RSC and the other blocks are still calling my name.

I did manage to get the RCMP quilt done and it was made from a panel from 3 years ago plus blocks I won in a lottery at the modern quilt guild meeting last November. 

 

 It was my birthday this week and our Wednesday Diva group has been meeting with social distancing, outside our local ice arena.  Yesterday was brutal weather and very cold so we decided to move our chairs under the cover of the roof by the entrance.  We were still far apart but we didn't get wet and of course, we all had quilts to keep us warm.  My stack of blue fat quarters plus the cute pouch was my birthday loot!  Lucky eh?

So, what else have I accomplished?  Well... I managed to get the another quilt made from one of the 3 yard patterns and this one was called Town Square. 

Then, when I had looked into my bin of "old" florals, I was little sad at how much is in there so I cut out two new quilts from the two 3 yard patterns.  The one pictured is the first one I pieced. The second one is the portion of the new one from old fabric that I am making.

I did get my hair cut... what a wonderful feeling!

And, even better, I finally got my mother's ring sized to fit my small finger.  She is now with me all the time.  My sister has the wedding ring and I kept the engagement ring.

Last week, I ventured into Michael's for the first time since COVID and bought a perfect set of drawers that fits in the spot I wanted it in. Of course, it was an all afternoon project to get it together.  But, I did it! I would like to get projects off the floor yet still visible and handy.  

My last RSC quilt is quilted and binding is half done and that was one of the projects on my list for June.  But, it will be done by later today and then I can feel good about what I accomplished last month and get busy with a list for July.

One last thing that I feel I must say something about... with all the turmoil happening around us with COVID and Black lives Matter, I am not ignoring the entire situation.  We have adopted aboriginal daughters so have always been aware of racist attitudes. But, I thank my parents for raising myself and my siblings to not tolerate treating others differently that we would ourselves... treat one another as you would want to be treated.  I did see attitudes when I was teaching, to students who were different than the 'normal' kids and again, any kind of negative attitude was never tolerated in my classroom and I offered my room as a safe place at lunch for any that were feeling lonely, rejected or even scared to be in the regular lunchroom... a safe hangout.
I saw this earlier this week and it pretty much says what I am feeling and thinking.

I escape into my safe world of tennis and quilting but I am not unaware of the world around me.  I do pray for peace and understanding as well as a medical breakthrough for Covid.