TABLE TOPPERS DONE AND SWEET TWEETS

The front yard job is done.  Tree down from last week and a big rock ordered and delivered.  Took a crane to place it, but it is exactly where we wanted it set.  Nice to have all this finally taken care of.  We did have a few days of cooler weather, but it is heating up so not much out doors you want to do after about 10am.   

I have all my table toppers done, total 18 for the quilt show boutique shop.  I did a great clean out of my Christmas fabric and the last of the Hanukkah fabric too, plus a bit of fall scraps as well.      

I am off to a new project.  Irene Blanck has this 10 month block of a month going.  I did a block of the month with one of her patterns last year.  I have started a bit late so I have 3 months already in the binder.  Time to get busy on this.

I am waiting for some fabric to arrive from Connection Threads.  I was able to purchase a couple of Fat Quarter bundles.  Rhubarb Pie and General Store that have similar themes to the pattern.

A bit of stash seaching gives me a few additional pieces to start work with too.  I have the lots of fabric for the blocks backgrounds so I think I should be able to get a good start and catch up with the first 3 months.   

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TREES, ROCKS AND PLACEMATS

This week has been very busy.  Last year we completely redid our front yard with drought landscaping.  When the water bill started looking like the national debt we took advantage of our city's rebate program and removed our lawn and replaced with rock.  Unfortunately our birch tree due to the removal of some large roots to replace the front walkway did not survive.  

One morning I heard the sound of the chain saw and husband was out there taking it down.  It took us a couple of days.  Early mornings were cool enough to work on it but by 10 or 11am when it is 90 degrees we both headed into the house.  Heat stroke will not get things done any faster.

At last by the end of this week we have the area all ready for the delivery on Wednesday of a large 30 by 40 inch lava rock that is about 3 feet high to replace the tree.  We did consider another tree but as we have two very large trees on the side yard we figured enough was enough.  Also we do not have to water rocks. 

The split rail fence quilt top is done.  I am pretty pleased with it.  The  original idea for it was to give it to my charity group but the more I look at it the more I like it.  Thinking now I might quilt it myself and give it as a gift some time. 

While doing all the table toppers for our quilt show's boutique I thought that the pattern was perfect for placemats too.  I just adjusted the size down to  placemat size and  they come out at 14 by 16, a perfect size for our dining table, two done and the other two ready to quilt and finish.  I use placemats for all our meals and wash them constantly so some new ones were needed.

I must admit that wandering into JoAnn's and seeing all of their fall fabrics on sale at 40% off, did give me incentive to make some new placemats for myself.  Over this past year or so I have found JoAnn's has made a real improvement of their fabric's quality.  I just could not resist.  

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TABLE TOPPERS AND LITTLE LESS TO SHOW FOR IT

I have spent this last week cutting out and putting together multiple table toppers for my guild's scheduled quilt show in May.  So very little other than that has been accomplished.  

The only thing I did take a bit of time with was to at least finally get three rows of this quilt completed.  I should really take a bit of time and finish it off this coming week. 

I have three fall theme table toppers ready to do the binding handwork and the floral one is one of six I have completed.  I am not too sure the one with the orange strips is going anywhere except on my dining table this fall.  They are all fabric from my own stash, so they will never miss it.  

Still have these 7 all cut out and ready to go.  I figure that makes 16 once all are done and others will pick up the pace making them.  I do know at our last quilt show we made over 100 table runners and sold every single one.  So looks like we all need to get busy.  

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RICE BAGS AND TABLE TOPPERS

 This past week I have finally pulled out a project that I started in April.  Along with quilting my bird project and finally doing some clean up in the sewing room.  Sewing makes a lot of threads and the odd pin or two that seem to cover the carpet in there and dust as well.  A necessary chore unfortunately.    

My project from April was a Rice Bag.  I frequently get on Alex Anderson's facebook site and every Saturday Dee Christopher is featured with different projects.  I had some really nice heavy fabrics for years stashed away and they seemed like the perfect choice for this bag.  A fun diversion from what I normally play with.

I am continuing to sew some boutique pieces for my guild's up coming quilt show in May.  Last Wednesday Peggy the lady in charge of the boutique handed out this pattern at Warm Wrappings the group I do charity quilts for.  I had enough of these fabrics left over from a class I taught last year, enough to make 4 of these.  They are easy and I can knock one out in a day.

I decided it was also time to see if I could clean out some of my Christmas stash.  I had a giant bin with a lot of odds and ends.  As this project is easy to do with just a couple of 2", 3", and 2.5" strips other than the center which doesn't take much fabric either it, was a perfect way to de-stash.  Like my table trivets from last week's post I will do 12 or so of these than others will take over and do theirs.  At our last show we sold over 100 table runners and other homemade items.  So we will all be busy getting these items completed for the show.   
  

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