Runaway Mystery Quilt Update

Time has flown by this month!  I had a wonderful time at Kinderhook last weekend.  I really need to do that more often - go on trips to work on projects rather than to shop for more, that is!  I spent many, many hours working on the Runaway Mystery quilt.  I had high hopes of getting it completely finished, and put in at least 16 hours of sewing each day, but alas came up short...  I did make considerable progress, and even started fantasizing that I might get it done in time for my friends to take to Runaway with them this year, but I think I am going to run out of time.  I have a few more blocks to finish but started laying it out on the floor to see what it will look like:

I wasn't sure that I liked it at first, but looking at the picture, I really think I do!  It is the first scrappy project I have ever done, and it's really been difficult for me!  It's going to be a big one...I think maybe a king or at least close to it. 

I've also been making some progress on my Lisa's Garden blocks.  I've had week six done for a while but hadn't gotten around to taking a picture:

I haven't made much progress on my snowman rug.  It has to be finished by October in order to be part of our Christmas card project, so I suppose I had better put away the stitching and get to hooking!

Catching up

I've been plugging away at my Lisa's Garden blocks and the Summer Freebies but haven't taken the time to take photos in a while.  Here are the blocks from week five:

I am still completely in love with these blocks!  They are so much fun to work on.  I also finished week six:

I also love the summer freebie blocks.  I finished the second one:

Last, but not least, I finally finished the last My Garden Album block!  I had a problem with one of the fabrics bleeding but I was able to get it out by soaking it in Synthrapol.  I'll post a photo when it dries.  I now need to turn my attention to the pieced borders.  I'm not entirely sure what Homestead Hearth intended for us to use in the piecing - they sent two single pieces of fabric when the pattern calls for one plus a lot of scraps.  I don't like the idea of just using two fabrics - I think I will have to supplement with my own scraps to make it a little more like the pattern.

I'm looking forward to heading off on a four day retreat a week from Thursday.  I need to decide what to take - I certainly have a lot to choose from!

Lisa's Garden

I've been having such a great time with Primitive Gathering's summer BOW!  I prepped a bunch of blocks to take on my trip and managed to make quite a bit of progress.  Here are the applique blocks for week two:

And here are the applique blocks for week three - I also did the nine-patch blocks for this set, but didn't take a picture:

I finished the last of the week four blocks this morning:

I prepped the week five blocks along with the first week's summer freebie this morning.  I'm not sure which project I like better - the summer freebie blocks are adorable little baskets of flowers.  I can't wait to start on them!

Fantastic Weekend!

I had such a wonderful and productive weekend!  It's a shame there isn't some reason to be off on Monday at least once a month.  I got an early start to my weekend on Friday, heading over to Bread Company with a friend to sit outside (the weather was absolutely wonderful and completely atypical for this time of year) all afternoon and work on binding Bird Party.  I was 75% finished by the time we left for the day!  I finished whipping it Friday, stitched the binding tape down Saturday, and did the final steaming this morning. 

I finished the first week's applique blocks for the Summer BOW late last week but didn't get a picture posted.  I have prepped the applique for week two.  I haven't started on the pieced blocks yet.  I am absolutely loving this project!  The pieces are tiny but the blocks are so cute!

I also managed to finish the first sewing step of my Runaway Mystery quilt this weekend.  I was really worried about how all this scrappiness would turn out, but when the blocks came together I was very happy with them.  I took a peek at the next step thinking I would get going on it, but the first instruction involved making 80 of something - an immediate turn-off!  I went back to my applique.

Last, but not least, I did get some applique done.  I am still plugging away at last month's AA assignment.  It's an obnoxious block!  I have 27 of 45 pieces sewn.  I also took a quick break today and started one of the quilts that I have been wanting to work on for a long time - one of the Nancy Page Quilt Club patterns.  I appliqued one block but still need to add embroidery.  I will write more about the quilt and my Nancy Page obsession at a later time...