I'm blaming Carla....

Carla posted this last week and I admit I was a little intrigued.  It is a hand pieced Trip around the World quilt with 2 inch squares. Well, I have a little basket of 2 inch squares and strips of 2 inch fabrics that I have been trimming off from scraps this year. I pulled a few and while waiting at the dentist with the kids today I got this far. That includes drawing the 1/4 inch sewing line on the back of each of them. Thanks Carla for posting about this so I had something to do for the hour I was waiting on the kids today.

A chance to sew this morning!

I was able to finish sewing the rows together for the RSC Sampler quilt. I really like how it came out. I think it will stay like that and just get quilted into a snuggle size quilt with a dark brown or tan binding. Someday.... this pile of quilt tops is really getting out of control!

Then I started playing with the churn dash blocks. I split the blocks in half and have 6 each of my 12 colors in this quilt for the diagonal layout.

Plain layout with sashings....

I am leaning towards the diagonal layout with some white triangles around the edge to finish it off and then a scrappy rainbow binding. What do you think?

I just got back from lunch with Emily at school today. We spent all day yesterday in Orlando at the GI specialist to see about her tummy issues. Just have to take her for blood work tomorrow morning to check for Celiac (fingers crossed it is negative) and then schedule the lactose intolerance testing for January. I think I'll attempt to sweep and mop the floors quickly before starting to sew these churn dashes together. Think I can keep the cats from messing it up until I get it sewn together? Yea, me either! That is why I took the picture =) I hope I can find more time to sew this week but it is a busy one. Blood work tomorrow for Em and early release from school. Thursday is bowling in the morning for me and then I take the kids from school 15 minutes early for their dentist cleaning. Friday I have lunch with Aidan at school. Saturday morning is breakfast with Santa and then I get to go to work. Busy, busy at my house again!

Slow Stitching Sunday..... hand quilting progress.

It feels so good to be working on hand quilting my Hugs and Kisses quilt. Now.... to figure out how to keep Maxie off the quilt so I can quilt it. As soon as I pull it on my lap - she climbs on thinking I put it there just for her to snuggle in! Silly cat. That is Maxie - notice she is on the quilted tree skirt? She loves quilts that girl.

I am just outlining each of the peels in the block and then one line through the middle of the 'border'. I think I need to start using my new tool - the Hera marker to mark those line for me as they are a wee bit crooked when I just wing it! It might have something to do with that cat being on the quilt... So far 4 blocks are done and the fifth is nearly done. 44.5 blocks to go!

Hubby was in charge of dinner last night... which meant I got to go with him to pick up the kids from Grandma so I could get dinner (at Outback!)... so no sewing last night. Tonight I plan to snuggle in under my quilt and get some quality stitching in while we do an early movie night with the kids - The Polar Express. Aidan was looking through the cookbooks this morning (yes, he is 6!) and decided we are having scalloped potatoes with ham for dinner tonight with buttered corn. He and Dad will be in charge of making dinner.... from scratch! Finally using some of that Easter ham from the freezer. Right now they are making an egg scramble with ham, cheese and onion for their breakfast. I believe they will also be making some gingerbread men at some point today as well. Some good Daddy and boy time today while Emmy is with Grandma for her sleepover. I get to escape and head to work for a few hours.

Head on over to Kathy's Quilts and see what other slow stitching is happening around the globe today. Remember to reward yourself with some peaceful stitching time during this very busy time of the year.

Wednesday - a sewing break...

I took a break from lots of phone calls this morning and sewed up a twinkle star block so I can finish off my RSC Sampler quilt. Now to find time to sew the blocks together......

Design floor Monday....

Time to play with the RSC Sampler blocks! I laid them out in a 9x11 setting and I think I just need one more block - a light blue twinkle star. Now comes the decision - sashings in grey, cream or white? I am thinking a light creamy white but we'll see what happens once I start cutting.

I also had to quickly do the Christmas snakes for the countdown... since I completely forgot to do it last night! The kids will get the first thing - a light up ornament (penguin and snowman) after school. This is the planning stage before I put everything in and tie each day off with a piece of yarn. The kids enjoy it and it saves me the 'how many days' question over and over again. They just go count the snake!

Thanks to Cyber Monday - the kids are done for Christmas and things will ship where they need to go. Now I just need to order the Christmas cards and get those out and then I can relax. Mom - I called on Emily's pictures and they had not reordered it like they should have. I ordered it today so I'll just bring the CD's up with me and print them out up there for you and all the siblings.

Slow Stitching Sunday

Finally - Hugs and Kisses is in the hoop and the hand quilting has started. I have two of the blocks quilted and decided to go with easy for the outside of the block - a straight line in the middle.
I like Kathy's idea of keeping track of the quilting so I have 2 of 49 blocks completed. That green one is on tap for today.... and maybe the brown one if time allows.

Head on over and see what other slow stitching is being worked on today.

November wrap up of goals...

I think I did pretty good this month!
1. The maple leaf quilt got finished. Well... I just need to hand quilt some maple leafs into that plain border. Two leaves are in the black print right now.10 to go int he black and 12 in the cream =)

2. Celtic Solstice was finished into a top. Bonnie's new mystery starts today... Are you joining in?

3. The Century Quilt was finished into a top 10/28. I'll quilt this next year sometime.

4. Snails Tail - no progress.
5. RSC color of the month was light blue. Hexies, churn dashes and a 16 patch block were made. I made a couple of missing 16 patches and then made all 12 into stars... then put them into a quilt top!

6. Tiny Tuesday - I made a couple but I think I have enough for my sampler quilt. Just need time to start putting them together.
7. Hugs and Kisses got pinned and the hand quilting started on Thanksgiving! The yellow block is done....48 to go!

8. I pulled out the Little T quilt and finished the hand quilting. It is now a finished little quilt.

9. I also decided to make 6 place mats for Thanksgiving this year. I got them done thanks to a pattern from Joanne at Canuckquilter.com.  I put Christmas fabric on the back so they are reversible!

I think I did pretty good. December there is no link party of goals.... but I'd love to finish up a couple of my RSC blocks into complete quilts. I also want to do my last two appliqué blocks for the Quilt Square Along blocks... the motive on that is to have two small things to hand quilt for a trip later in December. Head on over to see Kathi and visit her link party of goals.