What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

It has been weeks since I have spent any significant amount of time in my studio... not that I haven't been doing plenty with quilty projects.  The bulk of my time has been on the computer writing and researching for the last few stories for the Pieces From The Past Sew Along.

I had been stalled for three or four days and then last Tuesday the floodgates opened and my fingers flew over the keyboard.  The ideas flowed and I felt good about it... I hope that all of you will feel the same about what is to come ...

As I read the accounting of a Christmas celebration at Camp Trinidad for the German POWs and how ...

Sometimes we make plans and everything falls into place... and sometimes... we are taken for an unexpected ride.

We went for a detour ride (again) this week.

✔  Playmat quilt for our Great-nephew.

I had great fun creating the various buildings, landscape items and  more for this playmat.  

The hot air balloons that help to form the mountain range is one of my favorite features.  

I quilted waves into the water and added some loops to be like grass in the light greed and some rolling hills in the dark green.

Remember the pattern was free over on the JoAnn Fabrics ...

 As the calendar page turns, it seems that all thoughts turn toward Christmas.  I know that 2020 has been a different and challenging year for so many.  One comfort is knowing that despite all that has transpired, there is One that has been, is and always will be the same - My Lord and Savior - the center of the Christmas Season for so many.

My faith is what has sustained me throughout the year... and we are smack dab in the middle of Advent - a season of preparation.  Trees go up, decorations come out, manger scenes get unwrapped and gifts get ...

 Last week's list...

This little hummingbird still needs an eye embroidered, but I think he turned out pretty cute!

Our time away was fun, wild and crazy and boy do we have stories to tell!  lol.

 I set forth my list of To Do's and they all became Ta-Dah's!  I love a productive week...

✔ I'll be wrapping up the table topper with our business logo

He did tell me that it is too nice to be left on the table between shoots so it will be protected from grease and oil stains.  

Just look at all that texture!  Though it ...

And just this morning I sent this to a friend... 

 As I had planned last week I have been a busy little elf in the studio creating some special WOW gifts for our church's Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes. 

✔  I will be making items for the Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes...  I have fabric pulled to make shorts for little boys and skirts for the girls.

 As it turned out, I have had extra time... let me explain.

On Thursday we received a message stating that our son-in-law had reported for his mandatory bi-weekly covid test on Monday.  The results revealed a positive.  Ummm... we had just delivered the kiddos ...

 I recently spent an afternoon doing "playing" as I waited for the delivery of the flannel backing I had ordered for the latest commissioned t-shirt quilt.  

My friend, Mark Montano, had announced a second postcard swap since his first was a resounding success and there were many that had missed it and wanted a second chance.

I had a new idea for postcards... quilted, of course!  I wanted to create some in the likes of the hand-sewn hello card I made in the World full of hearts post in April.

I chose some "words of wisdom" fabric.  Now, I'm ...

 Has it really been only a week since I last posted???  It flew by!  Yet there was so much that went on...

My To-Do List consisted of...

❧ Piecing the top for the third memory quilt in a month. 

❧ Write the last Kansas City Star quilt block pattern.

Did I meet those two goals?  I can answer with a resounding "Yes!"

 Last week FLEW by!  I didn't complete each of the items on last week's Tuesday To-Do list, but I did make progress.

❧ Apply fusible stabilizer to the t-shirts for the graduation gift and begin the layout of the quilt top.  I have a story about the stabilizer...

❧  Oh, and I have a pattern test  Still testing, but I should have the top pieced by the end of today

❧  If I have time... I would like to "harvest" the graphics of the third set of t-shirts ...

 The week flew by!  But I had a productive week!  And this week will probably fly by quickly as well since we are planning a camping trip.  Our original plan was to go to Red River, NM with some friends, rent an ATV and go exploring some of the mountain trails.  

Since their plans and schedule changed, we are still going (we NEED to for our sanity), but we will instead head just 80 north to Pueblo so that we can combine running errands, visiting the girls and grands and having some time away.  Taking a long ride on the ...

It has been several weeks since I linked with Home Sewn By Us for their Tuesday To-Do planning party...  Life was really busy, and suddenly all of the deadlines have passed and I have time to relax and take time to smell the roses.

Well, sort of... While I don't have any quilt projects waiting in line and screaming for attention, I DO have a need to begin writing out the patterns for the final six blocks of the Pieces From The Past Sew Along, along with gathering more family photos, stories and research dates and events... oh and ...

Sometimes life get so busy all you want to do is press the pause button.  That is where I am at right now.  

I don't have any big quilt projects going on, yet there is so much other "stuff" going on around us that it is a good thing, because I am not sure I would be able to focus much.  

Nothing too serious, just out of town doctor appointments, learning details of international wire transfers, figuring out tips and tricks to make the computer side of worship leadership less stressful, Dave monitoring the local water association water tank ...

Last week was rough!  It seemed as though I faced a new challenge each day, though none of the obstacles were quilting related.  You know, just life stuff.  Issues with a major credit card company, technology issues that affected the latest release of the Pieces From The Past Pattern - Russian Sunflower, an update that were required on the church computer before being able to create the Sunday worship slides, and notifications that recent medical bills are not "covered" by our "non-insurance" provider.

Somehow another week has passed and it is time to set up my list of my quilty priorities...

Last week, my unofficial list - because I only linked up my previous week's accomplishments...

Last week was a whirlwind!  Did anyone else experience the same???  It was as if I blinked and a new week started... yet with all that took place last week, it was as if time stood still.

There were memories made, conversations over breakfasts, late night chats, fellowship with some of the bestest of friends, pedicures, snuggles with grand-daughters, giggles and squeals of laughter, legos, video games and Barbies, worship and stories about Jesus, water fights, desserts, hot days that didn't ever want to cool off.

I finished the commissioned quilt on Monday and sewed a label on it ...

As I worked on meeting last week's Tuesday's Two Goals I was pondering...

I pondered life in general, but more specifically I was pondering the digital quilting community.  Through this blog, as well as social media (fb, instagram and bloglovin') I have met so many wonderful and talented quilters.