Pineapple Crazy

Wow, it's been a whole month since my last post. Definitely time to check in again. 

Earlier this month I made a Pineapple block, fashioned after a pineapple quilt found while doing a web search on quilt-related query that was NOT related to a pineapple. Funny what one discovers while surfing.  Anyway, my daughter LOVES pineapple items. Pineapples are quite the craze with millennials and post-millennials. I gave it to her during our visit a few weeks ago as a house/apartment - warming present. She loved it! 

Somehow the entire month of August seems to have disappeared. August is such a long month, too!  At least I continued to work on two UFOs. The first one is a Patch Pal fox from Quiltmaker magazine. I did enough FMQ on it to apply the binding and am hand-stitching it down. The rest of the FMQ should go pretty well. It will be great to finally get this old project done.

The second UFO I am nearly finished with is the red/white disappearing 4-patch that was finally finished by my longarmer. The red micro-dot binding is ready to apply. There are lots of hearts stitched in variegated red/pink thread. I will post a close-up when the binding is done. 

Next up is more FMQ work to finish up the Red Cross quilt. You can bet I will show that one off!  It's been sitting and waiting for an embarrassingly long time.  

And....I have to confess that I have NOT worked on the August orange blocks for RSC18.  Swat me with a plastic ruler!  But I can remedy that situation this Labor Day weekend. And maybe I can dust off the cobwebs from my airplane and enjoy some time in the air. And file papers, and weed the landscaping, and sweep the floors, and clean out the junk drawer.  That's what happens on a long holiday weekend.  Hope you will enjoy your weekend, too!

By the way, my recent post about mentoring a young person has come to fruition, although their age is a bit younger than I expected. At the church I belong to, kids from the youth group are 'adopted' for the school year by other members so we can encourage them and pray for the kids.  I chose the envelope of a young boy whose parents I happened to know (surprising, with me being a newbie in the congregation). Then I decided to also 'adopt' a young girl whose parents I talk with at every church service. I am definitely praying for these kids - and their parents - and sending weekly cards. Sometime I will also give them small gifts, too. I am so glad this program exists and that I can participate.   

Sapphire Stars Progress

Today was such a beautiful day in South Carolina!  Is it still winter? Well yeah, because there is supposed to be at least one more cold blast coming next week. But in the meantime I got to fly!  This afternoon I piloted my trusty taildragger in big circles over the airport doing some landing practice. It's amazing how flying always lifts my mood (literally I guess). I feel more balanced and ready to conquer the world.

At least I am conquering my UFO backlog. This past week I prepped the backing for Big Star County quilt. The Magnolia Mystery quilt is assembled, but there is not enough background fabric left to use as a backing. Oh wait, I just discovered SEVEN yards of turquoise fabric I had set aside after selecting an alternative backing on another quilt. Yes!  Two UFOs will soon go to the longarmer and will be quickly bound and finished.  One more UFO to go then I will let myself start another project. <squealing in delight>

And that one UFO will be Sapphire Stars. This week I cut the final neutral triangles and began assembling the blocks. Today I attached the sashing.  Check this out:

Kevin, you came up with a really fun pattern! The blocks are big which makes it a breeze to ease some of the triangle-angley-issues I tend to have. One of the ladies who made this quilt in time for Kevin's gallery had opted to group the reds and yellows which inspired me to do the same. Next step is to assemble the borders and I can check off a third UFO finish. Oops, gotta find a backing for this one, too.

Little Fox Patch Pal from Quiltmaker magazine of July/August 2014 also came out of the closet.

The borders were sewn on years ago, but I didn't get another picture. After assembling enough leftover batting to use for this little guy and a little touch-up with the iron, he is ready to be sandwiched for free motion quilting. And BAM! another UFO will be done.

Up next will likely be assembly of Grand Illusion and Colorado Sunshine (also known as Floribunda), both of which are Bonnie Hunter designs.  Or maybe 1860's Revival with its zig-zag sashing will come out of hiding.

Hopefully I can keep up the UFO-busting burst of energy. Then maybe I will be able to admit how many UFO projects I really have left.  It's kind of like not wanting to admit my age.  Do you find yourself hesitant to disclose your UFO count?

Also, at what point does a few orphan blocks become a UFO?  Do we count a pile of fabrics set aside for a project?  And is there a statute of limitations?  I have a UFO from 25 years ago that is still folded up waiting for a border fix and longarming; should it count?  Inquiring minds want to know!

Began Carolina Crossroads

I was making such good progress on my UFOs that I let myself begin another project. <sigh> I know, I know. This year is supposed to be about finishing up, not making my To-Do list even longer.

But I really have accomplished a lot....

The little fox quilt is now a flimsy, ready to be quilted.

I finished another block for Colorado Sunshine (a/k/a Floribunda).

The Mocha Swirls quilt needs only 12 more blocks and I decided to just repeat some fabrics rather than buy more fat quarters. I resisted. My stash is big enough.

So....

I ordered orange fabric and a white with a soft gray print which arrived promptly from Connecting Threads.  Then I began cutting the blues in my stash and filled a box with various strips and blocks. Last night and today I sewed and ironed. Even after all that cutting, I will definitely need to cut more blue strips. It's unbelievable how many strip sets are required for this quilt!  Here is my inspiration: