Now that the weather is getting warmer at times I do not accomplish much in the sewing area – I spend more time outside – keep this in mind if I don’t have much progress to report!
Patchwork of the Crosses – wow this one is moving slow right now, I have not been working much on putting this row together – only 4 of the 6 needed before I attach it to the bottom of the quilt.
This morning at quilt group I think we spent more time talking than sewing – I did get two diamonds done for Diamonds are Forever and most of one more done. This is only being worked on for quilt groups at the moment – easy to grab!
My bolt of Bella snow was running low – I love this fabric for backgrounds and got it on sale last week and it arrived today – 10 more yards to wrap around the bolt – I got it about $5.69? a yard – something like that – time to jump when it is on sale – it will last awhile.
My King Tut variegated thread for the Red and Green Traditional Applique arrived today also – I got two spools which will be plenty and it is of course – red and green! I also ordered wide back fabric on sale from Hancock’s of Paducah and got the email yesterday saying it was being shipped – funny – I ordered the thread the same day and it is here – some companies work faster than others 
And yes I no awhile back I said I wasn’t getting more fabric this year – I of course did not include sales for backings and backgrounds in that statement – I think we all know I meant that right? everything was on sale except the thread so I did good!
I decided that the next quilt on the quilting frame will be the Red and Green Traditional Applique. I feel this one will be a good one to get to next because it will be “easier” to do than the Dear Jane quilt “Insanity Revisited” which has actually been waiting in line longer to do but will take more time. I really would like to be able to say I finished hand quilted two queen size quilts again this year. That is mainly just quilt around applique pieces and a simple grid – the hardest part will be marking it. There just isn’t room in my opinion to do a lot of fancy feathers and stuff on the border – but I am not ruling it out at this point – I still have about a month to think about it. This quilt is 100 x 100 inches. I noticed today that Hancocks of Paducah is running their wide backs on sale (make sure you notice that prices listed are for 1/2 yard but you can order as much as you like of course) so it was the best time to place an order – I am not buying much fabric this year – but wide backs as I need them I am – also batting when I need them – and thread 
I found some red/green King Tut variegated thread to use for this quilt and I got plain white moda muslin for the backing.
I did get a couple more blocks for the carousel quilt done and I would still like input on what the name of this block is – I can’t find it anywhere but I feel I have seen it and that it is an old block. Sashing is just laid out.
Applique is glue basted in place and ready to get started on – Floral Fantasy.
This much quilting done on Monday night on Bow Tie Medallion while watching an episode or was it two of Doc Martin.
I am so glad to know that I am not the only one working on more than 4 projects at a time right now – thanks for the shared e mails about your projects!!
I finished this one last week but had no chance to lay it all out where I could get a photo until this morning. Still looks the same but it is all appliqued now – last time you saw it- it was glue basted in place. Needle turn applique
The center
A flower
This quilt top will now be put aside and will be hand quilted sometime in the future.
Thank you all for your comments yesterday on that topic of expensive BOM’s – I find I am not alone in thinking that was a rather high price to pay. Many of you suggested that I try to draft the patterns myself and I was able to find a lot of photos of the original quilt, blocks, and some that are from other quilts but have similar blocks. I think I have collected up enough ideas that I might just try to draft and design a quilt myself. I have never done one something like this without a pattern already made so lets see if I am up to the challenge – I will let you know what develops! Maybe some of you would want to join me in this challenge – not until next year though! One person has said she would like a blog devoted to the making of this quilt and that she is interested in doing it too -
Now on the rain!! Last night and early this morning – 1 1/2 inches!! this should help my trees and plants somewhat.
This is the most rain we have gotten at one time in absolutely ages. One of the plants that I have that have been growing well all summer are these in these three pots – a succulent of some type – I will plant these in the ground this fall – I think they are supposed to come back every year, I will plant them on a hillside in the sun where they will never get too much water.
I quilted on Joseph’s Coat for awhile last night and managed to get just shy of finishing one end – I have actually been working on this whole length for more than a week – I have been neglecting this quilt way too much in recent weeks. I will try to do better 
This week I have also been trying to work on Lucy Boston Patchwork of the Crosses and I finished block #17 at quilt group this morning
I have showed you how messy and how neat my cutting table can get – well this is the corner of the couch – you can see how many things get piled up on one end – 3 projects being worked on in the living room X Marks the Spot, POTC in the plastic box, and in the striped box is the Red and Green Applique quilt – of which I did get more done on last night also!
Right now I am currently working on 4 quilts – how about you? I know as soon as the 4th border is done on the Red and Green Quilt another quilt will be started. I have been looking over the pattern for the Common Bride by Laundry Basket Quilts and I do believe that will be the next to get started. I have the pattern and I have a start on gathering up fabrics in the stash that will go into it. And yes I think the Common Bride will be hand pieced/appliqued as well. When I finish the Red and Green quilt that will move the numbers up on quilts to be quilted 
I will have 3 large and 2 couch size waiting in line. I do need to slow myself down by doing hand piecing instead of machine piecing.
Yesterday was such a nice day outside that I didn’t do much quilting until late in the day. I decided on a quilting pattern for the new “X Marks the Spot” – I was just going to do outline quilting but then decided to go through my stencils that I have collected over time (some from the Stencil Company who held a give away on my blog last month) and I found what I think looks perfect on it. Nothing excessive, just nice and simple with outline on the white parts. I am using just plain gray thread on this one YLI 100% glazed cotton. This is the only part that I quilted – just something to get started and see how it looked.
Last night I also spent some time watching an old disaster movie on Netflix (too many nasty little bugs were outside to enjoy the evening out) while working on the applique for the Red and Green quilt – I’m happy to report that I finished border number 3! One more border left to applique. This quilt top is getting so near to completion that I will most likely be concentrating on getting this one done and work mainly just on this one this week until I am finished with it. The final border:
Progress is such a wonderful thing isn’t it!
First thanks for the ideas for quilt names – I am going with “X Marks the Spot” it was one that I had been thinking of and when quite a few of you suggested it also I thought that was the right one to go with.
Lately it seems that I am seeing more and more stick on thimbles then used to be available. I seem to try out almost all of them and reject most. Have any of you tried out this kind? Poke-Dot-Sticky Thimbles. I saw this at the Nancy Notions web page and on Keepsake Quilting. Do they work? I have not ordered them, maybe one day. Click on the photo and it will go to the details. (I hope – I connected it right)
Another new one I have seen isn’t actually a thimble but a very thin flexible rubber disc called “Needle Grip It”? pad for your finger tips to assist in pulling the needles through fabric – I normally keep a little rubber gripper on hand for that but I have ordered a package of these to see how they work – comes in a package of 70 and it says they stick on your fingers even through light hand washing. I ordered this one from Connecting Threads, click on the photo and it will go to the details.
I think I have tried almost every known thimble out there in quilt land but I know I will stick with my hand held thimble for at the floor standing quilting frame which lets me quilt in all directions although the stick on thimbles come in really handy there as well.
