Preparations for the weekend

Before I get too embroiled in my post, I want to note I joined a swap and you can, too! It's so simple. Just 5" charms out of 1 yard of fabric. That's all the work you need to do.  Check it out and join us, will you?

I really wanted to show you a picture of something completed or even started and well on its way.  However, I didn't have anything I could show. 

I began to wonder how that could be and then I realized this week, for a lot of time, was about getting organized so that I could just "go" with whatever suited me this weekend for projects.  This weekend, by the way, will be all about my projects.  Because I'm still pondering what to do as the quilting motif(s) for the Make Life top, I decided not to load that.

So here you are, this is actually what I accomplished this week so far:

1) I spent a lot of time wondering why I bought the chicken fabric at this little store, Cottonseed Glory Quilt Shop, in Annapolis, MD. The other fabric, Maxine and the flowers, I know I'll find a use for. I took a spur of the moment trip out to Dover, DE to surprise my mom and have a Mom/daughters weekend at Dover Downs Casino. My sis, SIL and mom were there and I just showed up to surprise mom. We had a great time and if Sis ever lets go of the photos, I'll post photos of just how nutty we got.

2) Son #1, P, and I finalized a design for his monopoly quilt. And then we saw a pattern adn thought we'd use that.  Go figure.  The fabrics have been pulled out and await the rotary cutter.

3) I loaded the quilt frame with my old double wedding ring quilt top in a fit of, "I'm tired of being cold at night and therefore I'm finishing this dang thing." Of course, I loaded it, pulled out the backing and realized that while my top measures 108"wide, the backing fabric is a few inches short.  I do believe that is because I pre-washed. So, I need to add a small border. This took out some, "I'm cold" incentive and now I ponder what border to use and contemplate ironing the back sometime soon. Maybe tomorrow.

Oh, here's a question, I'm thinking about trying a tarpunto effect in the circles of the quilt but I'm hung up on how much waste I'll have from the batting. I want to. Oh, how I want to, but I man, cutting out all that batting around the tarpunto, do I really want to do that? 

4) Also, while considering what quilt to put on our king sized bed, I pulled out the top from P.S. I Quilt's QAL. I realized it was too small for my bed. And then I realized (and come on, has this ever happendd to any of you?) that I had a bunch of blocks left over. I went, counted, found I had enough to add a row to each side. I thought I had planned for a king sized quilt! lol  So, I sewed the two rows this week. When I pull out the iron for the DWR quilt back, I'll get these pressed and added to the Postage stamp top.

5) I managed to choose and cut out fabrics for the Made in Cherry Star QAL. But wait, I didn't just plan for one 60x60 quilt, oh no! I decided to go patriotic and cut out fabrics for 2 quilts! I plan to finish these as 2 of the 6 charity quilts I've committed to. I'll donate them to Quilts of Valor.

6) Finally, I choose my fat quarter bundle, Sip of Summer from Connecting Threads, which I had sitting around from last summer. This is for the Swoon QAL I've joined. (You know, because I didn't have enough to do.)  I tried different backgrounds. Dark blue didn't work as pretty in real life as it did in my mind. White was too white.

How about that tan, basket-looking print? No, didn't work for me.

Maybe the mottled, dark green?  Hmm, that's kinda neat but do I want a quilt with all that green as the background to the stars? If I keep it, would I do the sashing the same or use a different color and if so, what color sashing would I use? 

Or maybe I should play it safe and just use the standard muslin.  The color works with the FQs.  It's a question about stepping out of my comfort zone or not. It worked well when I made the Pinwheel Sampler but can I get lucky again?

My last note, a good one and a sad one. Good news, my FQ bundle from Fat Quarter Shop arrived (for a string quilt probably on next year's agenda) and they are gorgeous! Also arrived, my LSU fabric, which is sad b/c LSU gave away the Championship game last Monday and I'm still a wee bit bitter (okay it might take until next season) about it.  No LSU quilt on the near horizon.

So, how have you spent your week so far?  Was it as productive in non-productivity as mine?

ETA- I slept on it after writing this post and I think I'm going with that mottled green. It's different, for sure, but I want the starst to pop and while the muslin works, I don't feel the stars would blend with the background for a softer quilt. I want ones that stand out from the background.  I'll decide what sashing, if any to use after the blocks are put together. Wish me luck.

Cheers!
Beck