The Dirty Dozen

Mary and Connie over at Country Threads is starting "The Dirty Dozen" UFO challenge.  But I'm changing it up a bit.  I have some small kits that I never seem to get to.  Such as table toppers, bags, and mini quilts.  So my "Dirty Dozen" consists of those projects.

Number 8 is the number Mary drew for July and that is a mini quilt kit I have from "Bloomin' Minds" called "The Squirrel".  It was a kit that was designed for the 2018 All Iowa Shop Hop.

I'm planning on starting it today.  This is good.  I have a big project that I'm working on and this will be a little thing to give me a sense of completion.

Sampler

The center of my Sampler quilt is finished!  WooHoo!

I have the first small border on.  The next border is a stripe fabric and it calls for it to be mitered at the corners.  I've never mitered a corner before and I don't think I want to start with this one, but I'm not sure.  I'm stopped here until I decide if I'm adding corner stones or mitering the corners.  Decisions, Decisions, Decisions. 

Pat Speth Class

Two summers ago I took a class with Pat Speth of the "Nickle Quilts" fame.  The quilt I started is called "Waltzing Butterflies", and it made using 5 inch squares.  I have tons of 5 inch squares so it was hard to choose which ones to use.  Even with pulling for that quilt, I still have tons.  

I took this UFO on Quilt Retreat with me this past weekend.  Lots of progress was made.  I'm excited to get the top done.  

Last week I also finished my challenge for the Quilt Guild, a quilt on a stick.  So much fun to make.  The theme was "The Fair", anything that reminded you of the Fair.

Come to the Harrison County Fair in SW Iowa. There are over 30 little quilts on a stick to check out.   Here's a link to all of the events at the Fair:

Harrison County Fair.

Another Slow And Steady Week

Another slow and steady week with this quilt:

It's been very relaxing, which is good as there are changes happening in my life.  And last month seemed to have lots going on.  Last weeks of school, Federal Jury Duty, and retiring.  

I'm now Retired!  

I'm hoping to spend more time sewing.  Since I'm usually off in the Summer, I won't feel the changes in my life until next Fall.  

I'm excited!

Jigsaw Puzzle

I feel like I've been putting a jigsaw puzzle together as I make the setting blocks for this quilt.  I'm loving it!

My design wall happens to be the floor of our guest bedroom, which is next to my sewing/quilting room.  Each of the setting squares has "steps" that match the pieced blocks around it.  Once I figure out which "steps" are needed I can move the block to my sewing room to work on it.  I've been wanting to make these design boards by Lori Holt.  It would make working a quilt like this go so smooth.  But I don't have them done, so am using my 12.5 inch square ruler.

I love how it's coming together, very slow, but I'm enjoying the process so much!

Retreating

This past weekend I went Retreating and made progress on this quilt, Julie's BOM:

It's so hard to get a picture of a pattern sometimes as the slick cover creates a glare.  So it looks a little wonky.  The fabrics are from a line that Julie Larsen designed when she had her shop "Prairie Star Quilts".  

I finished these 5 blocks:

 And on this block you miss the nine patch because there isn't much contrast between the brown and red fabric.

Progress always feels so good! 

Flat Nose Geese

Have you made flat nose geese before?  I have, but I didn't know the block's name.

These have been fun and fast to make.  Plus I am ending up with 2 inch HSTs!  Win/WIn!