As you read blog posts this week, you’ll see I had another busy week and that means not a lot of sewing got done. I keep telling myself that next week I’ll be a little closer to a normal schedule and have some sewing time but it’s just not happening so I think I might as well accept it as the “new normal”…at least for a bit.
I kind of kick myself because I don’t get more done and then I stop and realize, I did get stuff done, just baby steps. Then I remind myself that they will add up and projects will get finished. It’s just going to take time. This is an example.
Here is my churn dash quilt I’ve slowly been working on. I got this far and got stuck.
I don’t know how I want to finish it. Here are some thoughts that have run through my head.
I have more of the red. I only have about 1 1/2 yards.
I thought about a dark narrow border.
Reds are hard to match.
I started by… trimming the edges. This is necessary anytime I put anything in an on-point setting.
I ended up searching online trying to find more of the fabric but instead found another fabric from the fabric line. It is Garabaldi from Blue Hill Fabrics. The new fabric is black with a red flower. Being it’s from the same line, I’m making the assumption that the reds will coordinate. They only had 1 yard of the fabric left so I bought it. I don’t know if it will be binding or what it will be. I just know I am one baby step closer to having a real decision made with this.
I also made baby-step progress on my hourglass quilt. I cut out about 70 more blocks and started sewing them together. I got another row sewn onto my quilt too. As I said, baby steps.
Do you remember the deadline quilt that I was hoping to have finished and sent out? UGH. It’s not bound. It’s due November first so I’m still okay but that clock is TICKING…LOUDLY.
That quilt needs a bias-cut binding because it has a scalloped edge. I got the binding strips cut. Have you cut them before? It’s not hard.
I cut a 3/4 of a yard piece of fabric.
I opened it up and then folded it like this.
I turned it so the fold was at the top of the cutting mat. I aligned the ruler on the fold and cut.
Now treat it as you would any other piece of fabric you are cutting binding strips for. I cut mine at 2 1/4″ but most people cut at 2 1/2″.
Continue cutting until you have the desired amount of strips.
I am writing this post on Sunday and as soon as I get finished writing it, I’m heading to the sewing room to get this bound. Plans are for it to get in the mailbox Monday or maybe Tuesday morning. It will still have time to get to the magazine publisher in time. WHEW.
I am still slowly working on my grandson Anders baby quilt. I’m taking you all along as I make it. This week I filmed a video and the letters N through R finished.
These are free-form piecing with no real pattern.
You can click the play button and watch the video here on the blog or you can go to Youtube by clicking THIS LINK, save it, and watch it later on your television or device.
I also filmed a cross stitch (floss tube) video. You can press the play button and watch that here or you can save that one HERE.
As you read this I’m heading out to pick up a new foster pup. I’m not sure which one I’m getting. I’ll tell you more in an upcoming blog post…looks like next week won’t have a lot of progress either!! Oh well.
I know, I sign myself up to do too many things but I love fostering pups and want to continue doing it.
Of all of my hobbies, fostering pups is at the top of the list with quilting and cross stitch and reading and podcasts and gardening and cooking all VERY close behind!!
Like you say, Jo, baby steps add up. Looking forward to seeing your new foster pup :-)
Jo,, you do keep yourself busy between grand babies, pups and everything else. You have to be a very/ fairly organized person. I admire all you do. Stay rested up between tasks and hobbies. Of you can call anything you do a hobby. I enjoy you blog so much.
Oh—more darling puppies…….
I love how you make time for such much – just make sure you make some time for you!
Thank you for all you do for us.
Love and prayers
Is your first quilt a churn dash or bow tie quilt? It looks like bow ties to me. Am I not seeing it correctly? I like it a lot as red is my favorite color too.
Jeanine, I thought the same thing.
You may not think you are making anything but baby steps, but to some os us your baby steps are very large! You Make progress on so many different items. It will be fun when we see the finished quilts that are completed, oh and to see the mystery quilt!! Enjoy the new foster dog!
Jo, that quilt looks like a Bow tie quilt. Not a churn dash? Thanks for your alphabet videos. I am anxious to start one but need to finish a couple of other projects first.
I don’t know Jo, you got more sewing done than I did last week. So are you fostering more than one Pup now? or did I miss something
I adopted Izzy. I announced that in this blog post. https://www.joscountryjunction.com/izzy-update-2/
I can’t believe you didn’t press your fabric before cutting the bias sstrips!
I worked out just fine without a pressing. The binding is on the quilt and you would never know I didn’t press it!
I admire your devotion to fostering dogs – even with the 2 you have! We have all we can do with just one dog – although we’ve always had 2 over the years. We lost the 2nd dog several months ago. Have decided we aren’t going to get another dog when we lose our last dog — we’ve getting to the age where we need to do whatever traveling we want soon, and we don’t have a back up system to look after her when we are on trips. Since we’ve retired we’ve been home, doing home improvement jobs & we both really miss going on trips!
I have been saving and watching the videos on making the alphabet letters, thank you for sharing these with us. I look forward to meeting the new pup that you decide to foster. I have never cut bias binding but seeing how easy it is to do, I shall give it a try with my next quilt. I learn so much from your blog, it’s something I look forward to reading.
Enjoy those pups Jo. We have a collie (looks like prospective ones are too) we got as a pup. She’s now 12. They are smart and high energy and need a “job” so as not to get into too much trouble.
Love the red bow tie quilt! Inspired me to get out my scraps…have my own version cut using a green instead of red.
Do you still have Izzy? Did I miss something? Seems Gannon was in love with her.
I do still have Izzy. Her adoption was complete as of today. I’m her new owner…If you missed the post I wrote about it, you can find it here https://www.joscountryjunction.com/izzy-update-2/
Woo Hoo! So glad Gannon will be able to visit with her when he/you like! Will you make Izzy a quilt?
Jo, I love your videos on the alphabet letters. I am getting ready to start making one of these quilts for my granddaughter. Thank you so much for doing these videos as I am not sure that I would try doing it on my own. Thank you so much!
Your Most Favorite Hobbies list is pretty long – mine too! So many fun things to do! Plus family and friends.