August and Fair Sewing

In one of my sewing groups we had to show our "long-term" project. Most of my projects are not real long term as I like to make and be done. This scrappy trip around the world is my slow WIP. I make a couple blocks every other month or so. These are the latest 12 that I have done. The main top is together, but I decided it needed to be bigger, so I have to make at least 26. I'm half done with those, then I'll decide if it's big enough.


I'm currently working on the Take Along Bag. It's going to be great, but I'm sore on zippers, so I have to wait to pick those up. Only 1 store in town carries them. The bias binding and straps are done.

Mikaela wanted to enter the cats in the fair, so we spent Saturday afternoon sewing and stuffing. She did a great job. Papa and the other kitties will have to wait. This was the extent of her sewing time.

I was visiting with Jen the other night and saying I hate BOM's and I thought this one would be bigger and it wasn't so I quit on it. She said just finish it and be done, so I took it out, fixed the few spots I felt needed to be sewn better and put a white border on it. It's 90x114" which is actually plenty big, so now I'm working on trimming all the threads on the back and getting it ready for quilting. I need to get a backing and batting. It's going to Marie to quilt.

When I was at Herbergers going out of business sale, I found this in the kids' section. It's hexie dry erase, magnet, and cork boards. I'm going to cover them in fabric and decorate with them.

The other day I had the chance to go to a friend's hairdresser. Look at the great cut she gave me. I love it being short again. I took this picture in the Radiology waiting room. Isn't the quilt awesome? I had to have additional testing done and it came back cancer free!

Where has the summer gone?

I can't believe it's been four months since I last blogged, but looking back I can understand why. I worked every weekend in April and then May flew by as I taught my first graduate class in Student Affairs Administration. The class was one month long, so it took all of my time. June was busy with a family trip to Brookings for a family reunion/work trip as well as starting our 3-week vacation at Hart Ranch. I was off for the first 2 weeks of July, but it seemed we were almost too busy for me to sew. My MIL's knee surgery mid-June saw me playing transport to therapy for 4 weeks, so used up any free time I did have.
My priority for vacation was to finish my husband's t-shirt quilt. It turned out amazing, but it's huge! 116x120. Just how I wanted it, so it would fit on our bed and we wouldn't have to pull on it. He loves it and I'm sure I'll be doing another one soon. He has a lot of racing shirts!

Flat Jack needed a bag, so I made this one for him. I still have another to make, but wanted to make sure this one worked first.

I took my leftover blocks from scrappy Trip Around the World and made a table topper. It needs to be quilted, but my quilting machine is in the shop, so I'll have do this one at home. My other Scrappy TATW was pieced on vacation and is on the longarm frame waiting for the machine.

I've also been working on Quilters Planner BOM blocks. I've finished May-August to get caught up again.







I'm also excited to try a miniature scrappy trip around the world. These finish at 3"! It uses up my leftover yellow and blue scraps.

My next project (a new one) is a Cobblestone Quilt with Glamping Gypsy fabrics. I laid it out at work on the table and it took three table widths to get it laid out. Hopefully, it will sew up just as nicely. I'm thinking once we're back at Hart Ranch on August 15th, I might find time to sew it then.

This past week my boss Lindsey Hamlin was out from Brookings for a Lunch and Learn event at Ellsworth AFB, so we got a picture with Jack!


My numbers are looking significantly better after a few big finishes in the last couple months.

Stash Numbers:
In July - 18.5 yards
Out July - 27 yards
In Year to Date - 137.5
Out Year to Date - 153.75
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I'm AHEAD by 16.25 yards!