After taking Finn for grooming and getting in another 4 mile hike, I finished up this Easy Flock of Geese top. It’s my second finished project for our Precut challenge for February (triangles) and I’ve got one more project in process – my twisted pinwheels – but so far only the pinwheel blocks have been made, they’ll go back to Tampa for twisting.

You’d think that bin of fabric I brought with me would be a little less full after making two quilts from it but nope … not much noticeable difference. There will be others from this bin. This is the 5th top assembled this month – 3 were from blocks made in Tampa, 2 were pieced here, and a set of Pinwheel blocks were pieced and will go back to Tampa to be finished up. The sewing room is shut down for this visit. Tomorrow I’ll clean, do laundry, and pack and if time and the weather allow, sneak in another hike.

Remember these scraps? I’d pulled them and packed them up to play with here in GA.

I’ve made the first top from them and I’m thrilled with how they all played together so well. I love scrap quilts. This is a simple 6 inch finished hourglass block from quarter square triangles. There will be no border and the quilt measures 54 x 72 which is my favorite size for donation.

I cut enough squares for a second HST quilt but I won’t get started on that one just yet. I not sure how many quilts I thought I could get from that group of fabric but the two I’ve cut haven’t made much of a difference so there will be more to come.

Today was pretty much like yesterday … first a hike – 4.3 miles today. I love this little historic cabin in the middle of the woods.

Then I came back and assembled the other Strips and Strings Log Cabin top. So I brought 3 sets of blocks to assemble and they’re all finished tops and it’s just week one of our visit. Luckily, I’ve got plenty here to keep me busy.

I brought 3 sets of strips and strings blocks here to assemble this month and Hopeful Hearts is now a finished top. I’ve had such fun with this one and I’m going to be making a few more. I’ve even roped Mom into helping with some of the appliqué hearts! I have some brief notes on the website sharing how I made this one.

I’m going to work on sewing some HSTs next for the Twisted Pinwheel quilt which is my project for our Precut Challenge this month – did I tell you that half square triangles are February’s challenge? And after working on the HSTs for a while, I think I’ll start to sew down the binding on the Camouflage bedspread for Chris.

These tumblers make for a quick quilt even when cutting them from scraps. The green tumbler top is assembled. I used my Accuquilt GO 6 inch die and set the tumblers 13 across and 13 rows down.

Not quite a quilt in a day but the top is done. My Bright Tumblers have been assembled. I debated those darker blue blocks but left them in. In person, the contrast isn’t as severe as it looks in the photo and I liked the quilt better with them in it.

Maybe this photos demonstrates that better. At any rate, the decision is made, the top is done and it will make a nice donation quilt.

I’m setting easier goals in January. I want to get back in the habit of walking and biking more frequently. I’m not going to say everyday but I’d like to be out there doing something more active several times a week and that takes away from my quilting time. If I get everything done, I’ll add more to the list.

• Quilt the last 3 tops from Sue and get them all bound
• Add the last border to Mom’s Hunter Star and get it quilted
• Make a Tumbler top – done
• Work with my strings and make a set of Strips and Strings log Cabin blocks
• Bind my Rainbow HeartStrings quilt
• Make progress on the ripple blanket

My December precut project is assembled. We had our choice of precuts this month and I chose to use a Jelly Roll and my Windmill pattern for an easy project since my focus has been the quilting and binding marathon. You can find brief instructions on my website.

Just yesterday afternoon I was wondering if I’d be able to get the 3 projects finished before we left Tuesday morning. That 4 hours working last night changed everything. I’ll actually be done early. The hat is done, the top assembled, and just a few inches left to crochet on the blanket.

I finished trimming the last blocks and assembled my Sharon Inspired HeartStrings top this afternoon. I was afraid there was too much turquoise in this one but I love how it turned out.

I have brief instructions on my website for this HeartStrings variation but I’ll warn you, if you’re a perfectionist this is not the quilt for you. Because of the way we piece our HeartStrings blocks and trim them to size, things won’t always line up perfectly. It’s more exaggerated with strips and strings of various sizes but you will have blocks where things don’t line up as well like the one below. This always bothers me a little during the piecing process but I know that these quilts are about the impression the fabric makes as the blocks come together and by the time the top is quilted, these imperfections don’t jump out at you and in a finished quilt, they don’t bother ME at all … if you’re a perfectionist, they might bother you.

I finished the Granny Squares top today so I’m all ready to start my HeartStrings sew along tomorrow.

• Quilt notes
  • Quilt size is 50 x 68
  • Blocks are 6 inches finished (6.5 with seam allowances)
  • Borders are cut 4.5 inches

The idea for this quilt came from a Craftsy class and as usual, I modified size and setting to suit my needs. You can see more information at this post. (I didn’t watch the class but liked the quilt!)

Thanks for all the well wishes for my latest challenge … I thought maybe the facial swelling had gone down a little today but now I’m not sure but at least it hasn’t gotten worse. I expect the antibiotics to kick in soon and hope to see a definite improvement in the next day or two. I had to run to the post office today and this is one time wearing a mask comes in handy. I didn’t have to see anyone recoil in horror when they look at my face – it’s angry and red and swollen and luckily, hidden under my mask!

So my mistake from yesterday was just that I had mixed up two squares as I sewed the blocks together and I did not like how the resulting three blocks were looking in this row. That green block in the 3rd row was supposed to be one block to the left.

And now that I’ve picked out a bunch of partial seams and resewn them, I’m happier with this one.