What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

Wildflowers at Illinois Beach State Park on Saturday:  monarda, elderflower, lead plant; sawtooth sunflower, mounain mint, swamp milkweed; Queen Anne's lace, spurge, purple prairie clover.

60 x 72.  If I'd taken more time the color balance would be a little better but I mostly wanted to avoid two-same-fabrics-touching.  

108"w ...

 I really can't believe how fast last week flew by.  I felt somewhat in control on Monday and then before I knew it - It was Friday!  

And I feel like I don't have a lot to show for it!

 I got myself all tucked into bed Saturday night and realized I forgot to write the Oh Scrap! post.

See how important all of you are to me?....

I didn't really do any scrap quilting this week so I guess you will have to settle on seeing some scrappy quilt tops sent in by others.

 I haven't been doing any teaching since I started Many Hands and Many Hearts but sometimes, I still get to see a finish that I inspired.

Welcome summer! 

I was up really early on Sunday and caught the solstice sunrise over Lake Michigan.  

In the afternoon I took a nap, rather than a walk, to compensate for the early morning. 

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I did get a 2-mile walk on Saturday.

 Water lily, nodding thistle, blackberries, St. John's wort, elderberry, self-heal, white avens, coneflower.  

 It is never dull around here at Many Hands and Many Hearts.  I tried all last week to get a few things put away to clear off some workspaces.  There always seems to be quilts needing labels or bindings, scraps needing cut or items waiting to be checked in and receipts written.  

It is a bit like Whack-a-Mole. 

I did get quite a bit of cutting done this week.  I pulled all the small pieces of florals and autumn-colored prints for a sew day project this fall. I will let you know at a later date what we are making ...

I got teary-eyed at church yesterday.  The opening hymn was The Summons.  It so perfectly summarizes Stevens' life and ministry. The sermon was about "Sarah laughed" (when God told ...

 Whenever I find myself with a few minutes, I try and cut or sew some of the flannel scraps around this place.   This week, I actually finished another quilt made from those efforts.

Beardtongue foxglove, wild flag iris, oxeye daisy, feverfew, Japanese rose.  

I used up two ziploc bags of triangles. The hourglasses (top right and lower left) were made from 4-1/2" triangles cut diagonally and repieced. 

Some fabric in the "used" column but more fabric in the "acquired" column.   

 Well, I didn't get any finish posts out this week.  It doesn't surprise me because this is the week I prepare for the MHMH board of directors meeting and that takes up huge chunks of time.  Plus, we are already starting to receive blocks from the newest block drive. Lots to process!

I did, however, put aside some time to do a bit of sewing.  We received some tubs of fabric and tucked inside one of them was a partial jellyroll.  It looked like it was leftover from a project.  I did some quick calculations, pulled a few ...

 "Live Like Lulu--Be a P.E.O. Builder" was the theme for Fran's presidential term.  Fran is a historian with a specialty in women's organizations and Lulu Corkhill Williams was an influential early P.E.O. 

Fran, Lulu, and me

 I introduced Fran to ...

 I don't often release the new block instructions for a Many Hands and Many Hearts block drive on a Sunday.  But this is such a fun scrappy block, I thought this week it was appropriate.

We are going to make a variation of the Potato Chip Block.  The true Potato Chip Block is a 12.5" square.  We decided to do a truncated version that is only 8.5" square.

 I can't believe how fast this week zoomed by.  I think I am going to spend the long weekend organizing a bunch of fabric.  There is a big shipment of quilts going out next week and already loaded into my car, so there is some space to move around right now.

Warm on Friday, warmer on Saturday.   Clockwise: blue-eyed grass, skunk cabbage in full leaf, golden Alexander, field horsetail, star of Bethlehem (a garden escapee, very aggressive).   

It was much cooler on Sunday and I took a nap instead of a walk. 

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Several months ago I made string X blocks into a flimsy and added a border.  I didn't like the border but it was the only fabric on hand that sort of worked and that I had in enough quantity.  I put the flimsy in the box and hoped I'd like the border better eventually.  It still didn ...

 I have had a stack of RWB blocks sitting next to my sewing machine for weeks.  I finally had a chance this week to turn them into a quilt top.

*** I just realized today is not Saturday! Oh Scrap!***

 Recently, we finished some quilts made from scraps and orphan blocks we received.

There are four raffles:  50/50 cash, a gift card tree ($195 value), a ...

 I am writing this post quite a bit ahead of time.  I am taking a quick trip to see my two sisters and an aunt/uncle I haven't seen in many years.  In fact, by the time you read this, I will probably be back.  I'm a bit torn - I am looking forward to seeing everyone, but I am sure going to miss my boi Arthur.  We haven't been apart in over two years!

I am wwaaayyy behind in sharing finishes so I thought I would do that in this post.

One year.  How I miss him!

I'm grateful to everyone for their love, support, and kind thoughts.

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The 101st  AAUW-Illinois convention was in Rockford this past Friday evening and Saturday.  (I didn't go last year because (see above).  The last time it was in Rockford was 2002 and I didn't go because my mother passed away.  Hmmm...)   Helen drove and we roomed together. (It was a test because in October we will travel together. We got along quite well.)  

 I did work on a few scrappy projects this week, but I forgot to take any photos.  Mostly, I was doing a bit of a clean-up and I just finished a bunch of partially sewn blocks and binding strips.  I guess we will have to settle for some photos of some quilt tops donated by local volunteers.