One last binding done to finish up March. This one was pieced by Mary in Maine and quilted and bound by me. It will go to Maine this fall when I go up for the HeartStrings sew-in (hopefully). Pantograph is Kindle and while I usually photograph quilts outside during the day, I am leaving before dawn and I actually kind of like seeing all the texture from the quilting in this light tonight.

This is a larger 16 patch from a online pattern that I’ve also made several times. The website is no longer active but I found the page in the web archives if you’re interested. It’s perfect for fat quarters!

I did OK for March considering the travel and the other things going on. I finished everything I had on my list to do including completing one UFO of mine and even got a little more than I expected to get done.

• pieced the Chisel Star top
• quilted 3 tops
• bound 6 quilts
• made some progress on the pink knit blanket (it’s going slow but there is progress!)

I finished the binding last night on Maine quilt #4 pieced by Little Mary. Pantograph is called Raindrops. I’m working on borders and binding today.

UFO #3 is finished. I feel like I’m catching a up bit which is great because we’ve gone through the inspection process with the new house and our closing is set for April 8. We’ll drive back to Georgia on the 5th of April and stay several weeks.

The pantograph I used is one that came with the machine and it’s turning out to be one of my favorites. Easy to quilt and looks good. This is one of our HeartStrings quilts and rather than just piecing random strips on either side of the center, lights were pieced on one side and medium and darks on the other.

I’m going to head into the sewing room now and start to assemble those chisel Star blocks into a top. I’m also going to grab a couple bins and start packing up projects and supplies to take to Georgia.

I can’t tell you how good it feels to be home and making progress with my quilting again! Both of these were tops I brought home from Maine, quilted and they’re now bound and will go back to Maine in September for donation.

I think this Strippie was pieced by Sharon

And this Sharon inspired HeartStrings quilt was pieced by Barbara.

The rest of the day I’ll work on more binding and I’ll get another top loaded on the longarm. Preliminary reports (from the realtor) of this morning’s inspection of the Big Canoe house sound favorable — we’ll wait to get the written report before we make a decision to go ahead with the purchase but it sounds like we might be heading back to GA in a couple weeks.

Several people have commented and I think they missed a part of my posts that said we are NOT moving to GA right away. We will continue to live in Tampa and visit Big Canoe when we can. Keith travels extensively for his job and that makes Tampa a much more practical primary home right now but with the kids being in GA, I’ll want to visit often!

This Quick Strippie was pieced by Susan and it’s the first of the 6 quilts from Maine waiting for me to bind. Freehand quilted with swirls and loops.

I was much happier with the quilting on this one than on the one finished yesterday but as Dee said, we don’t always like EVERYTHING we do. I would say I’m very happy with about 95% of my quilts so I’ll count the moose wallhanging as a learning experience.

Maine quilt #2 is almost bound and I plan to finish that up today as well as load a top of mine on the longarm AFTER Keith and I go for a bike ride. All restaurants have been closed in Florida by order of the governor so we won’t be able to get lunch out or even stop for a beer but I’m ready to be outside for a while.

Today is National Quilting Day, what are your plans for sewing today?!

My Charm Squares Happy Block quilt is bound – this is UFO finish #2 for the year.
Brief instructions can be found on my website.

I also finished knitting the brown hat last night and started my orange Rainbow HeartStrings blocks. I think I’ll look through my Ravelry files and pick my next blanket pattern.