Lazy Sunday....

Everyone slept in this morning... I know, that never happens! Sleeping in means after 7AM for my kids =). I think the temps getting down into the high 40's helped with the sleeping. Too bad we are back to 'normal' Florida temps  today in the upper 80's. I was rather enjoying the 70's of the last 2 days.

The kids were looking at the cookbooks again today. They made a coffee cake - all by themselves. Yup - took them over an hour to get it into the oven and then the cook time and cooling time. Around 10AM we had breakfast! They did a good job. While listening to them in the kitchen (open area kitchen and living room so I can see them from my recliner) I got a few stitches in on my 1857 appliqué block. I know - the stem is a little off kilter.... so I might just add another little stem to connect it! That and one more leaf on the stalk should have this one completed today..... and maybe I can get the corner peels on too!

What are you planning to stitch today? Head on over the Kathy's Quilts and see what people are relaxing with on this beautiful Sunday.

RSC in GREEN!!!!

I was so happy Green is the color for May. I was in the mood to make some of the birds in the air blocks and I just happened to need some bright/light green ones! These got started in the sewing room this week. They should get finished off into their blocks later today.

Edited....I got them sewn together. Now back to outside and weeding while the temps are in the 70's! Well, shoot - I guess I have a boo boo to fix later! 

These will join their siblings that are waiting in the box for the brown and black ones to get made up.

Then they can become a nice large quilt top. I started making these for my 'own' quilt after I sewed up the last batch to make a wedding quilt for my nephew and niece back in 2015. Here is a photo of that one. These are so fun to make with the RSC Challenge concentrating on one color at a time. I used the pattern from Sylvia's Wedding Quilt but it is a standard 6.5 inch block using 2.5 inch strips for the small triangles and a 6 7/8 square cut on the diagonal for the other half.

Linking up with the RSC Challenge.

We have been Buddy sitting for Grandma's Boxer while they were over in Clearwater for Papa Andy's surgery on Thursday. Things went well and they are headed home this morning. The kids will be sad to have Buddy head home tomorrow.... but the cats and guinea pigs will be oh so happy!.

Buddy and Aidan this morning.

Emily walking Buddy last night.

April 17 in 2017 recap

Where did the month of April go and how is it May already?

I did get  my Grandmothers Choice quilt finally finished .... ok the binding is not completely hand sewn yet but that will happen soon so I'm calling it done!

I also got all the mice appliquéd in April so that I was able to put  the cats and mice quilt together into a top!

Then I pulled out the RSC 2015 Challenge quilt... which will eventually finish at 92x92 I believe. I started sewing blocks together and then into sections. The right section is sewn together here with the other two sections in various stages. The goal is to machine quilt this in three sections and then put them together since it would be way too big to push and shove under my little sewing machine. Fingers crossed for a finish on this in May!

Linking up with pomegranate and chintz for the monthly check in. Head on over and see how everyone did!

Slow Sunday Stitching.....

Today... I will actually finally slow down and relax! Hard to believe I know. We are having a houseguest arrive later today with the children when Grandma returns them. We are dog sitting Grandma's boxer Buddy for a week. The cats have not been informed... they will not be happy!

There just happens to be Harry Potter Movies on this weekend and I have a few hand stitching things to select from.

Will there be some stitching of purple binding on the Grandmothers Choice quilt?

Will some stitches be hand quilted into the trip around the world quilt on the frame?

Will some final stitches be added to the center of the leftover peels doll quilt before I move onto the border?

I think a couple or maybe a little stitching on all three might just happen today... along with some floating in the pool.

Head on over and see what others are slow stitching today.

RSC Saturday....

This week I found the stack of blocks from the 2015 RSC Challenge quilt that Angela designed. It is still accessible on her blog under the 2015 tab if you are interested in making your own!

I modified the borders for mine to extend the chains. This week is the week to sew the blocks into sections. I have one side of 2 blocks and the border sewn together and hope to finish the other side later today..... after I fix two things... the top part I guess I cut the white border a little too long as it is off and then by the yellow block - need to turn that connector block so the orange is on the bottom! Good thing I laid it out this morning!

The middle section is sewn into rows that just need to get sewn together. 

The thought process is that in smaller sections I should be able to machine quilt this on my small sewing machine. It is too big for my hand quilting frame.... so hopefully this will work as a quilt as you go. I am still trying to figure out quilting designs..... feel free to throw out ideas! I could use them. I am thinking an X through the connector and then making a petal around each section of the X..... Quilting design decisions is my least favorite part of quilting.


Linking up with the RSC Challenge for Multi colors today.

Wednesday Moda Blockhead day...

Block number 8 was released today. So far.... I have made three of the blocks. Week 1 - Whirligig is the blue and brown one. Week 6 is Sunflower - pink with blue and then week 4 is the Bee skeep.

The bees skeep  was done yesterday at the orthodontist office while waiting as Emily got her braces on. She is not happy now... her mouth hurts. Hopefully the tylenol is helping while she is at school today. This photo was yesterday afternoon relaxing on the couch with a movie.

I think the garden needs a good weeding again - and this afternoon is the designated time since the humidity should be arriving back in Florida in the next few days. Time to do it before that hits.... I can't deal well with the humidity. I did have my dinner from the garden yesterday - peas and swiss chard =) Looks like the next 4 rows of beans should be ready to pick this weekend too.

Sunday.....

Kathy reminds us each week to slow down, breathe and relax. So far today I have felt like a sloth as I have been on the computer in the morning just browsing. The kids found a recipe for donut holes and they made the batter with little help from us adults. I did step in and turn on the fryer and did that part but they did everything else. The donut holes came out great! Recipe found here.

Then they actually went outside to play! I cleaned up the kitchen and then as they went into the pool I cut the batting and started pinning the grandmothers choice quilt that I rolled onto the boards yesterday with Emily.

Just one last section to pin and then some machine squiggle stitching later will have me stitching the binding later this evening... maybe while watching Zootopia since Kathy kindly put that movie into my head!

Next was heading out to pick blueberries. I have taken my kids to pick blueberries down here for the last few years and didn't realize how much they liked it. They are so excited it is berry picking time again =)

4-5 pounds of fresh blueberries later we headed home.

We used 4 cups of them to make a yummy blueberry pie. I made up my family's chicken sauce and Greg fired up the Big Green Egg to cook the chicken. So yummy. While that was happening I was able to finish quilting the quilt,

trim it then attach the binding to the front. After dinner the kids decided it was game night. We played a game of Sorry - which Daddy won just barely... Aidan was going to win on his next turn! Then a game of SkipBo.. which I got lucky and won. Bath time is done (reading Charlottes Web to Emily) and kids will be settled into bed for the night. I think it might be time for me to put in the Zootopia video and stitch the binding down on the Grandmothers Choice quilt.

Linking up very late to the Sunday Slow Stitchers.