4 Finished Quilts by fall?

Well, I'm so excited to announce that after approximately a year after starting Amy's

"13th Birthday Quilt" I am almost done....all I have to put on is the binding strip...woo hoo!!!!

There were times while making those blocks that I didn't think that I would ever get done or that I would ever get to see the light of day....after being in the basement for so long. The original pattern called for 80 some....I don't think I quite made it...in fact I only made half, but it was close and plus bigger quilts are getting harder and harder for me to finish with such lack of room. At least that is my story and I'm stickin to it.

I was looking for something colorful for her, since that is what she is all about....colorful socks, colorful sheets, colorful clothes. I love it. I was browsing through quilt images when I ran across this one. Once I showed it to her, the excitement started to grow...for a while (I think even she thought it would never get finished ). So to start, I had to cut out pages out of an old phone book. You heard me right....actually it was a new phone book, but I didn't like it. That is what I pieced them on for a foundation. I thought that was very clever of the woman who thought of it....which wasn't me, by the way. So you start with placing a white strip diagonally down the middle of the square, then place your next color strip or string down on top of the white, but face down. sew the edge a 1/4 inch and then fold it back (face up) and press. and just keep on going. Once you do one side, then you work on the other side of the diagonal square. It was a very time consuming project. First there was purchasing a ton of different fat quarters and some whole yards of fabric, then cutting them into strips, which I think were 3/4 in? There is even some fabric in there from my neighbors mother's house dress. (she died about 5 years ago at the age of 93)

I think it was well worth all the effort.

Now for the other 3 that are still in progress....oh boy! I am really going to try to get them all done this summer, that is if I don't get burned out. I have been doing "quilt as you go" which is nice because once you are done....You are DONE! But, that too is time consuming with all the border cutting of both front and back fabric along with the batting. It's funny that we homeschool mom's think of summer as a break, but really it is just a break from the school books. You still have all the other "mundane" tasks you normally do, but now, in my case I have all the things I've put off all school year to try to get caught up on. Speaking of that there is a bookshelf still in the box, just calling my name and asking if I would be so kind as to put it together so it will actually be of some use. hm..... And by the way...I know that none of these things are earth shattering necessities...but if I didn't have some sort of creative outlet, I think I'd go mad. lol

I'm sure we are all in the same boat........closets that need organization, floors that need to be scrubbed, basements cleaned and organized, garage sales to have, lawns to mow....oh and outside of windows to be cleaned. My mother use to come and do that for me once a year and even clean the screens....wow, was that nice. But the list can get endless. If only the world would stop and we could go in super hyper mode for one day....o.k., maybe two days...oh, I can only dream of all that I would get done! But until that day happens....hee hee.... I'll keep dreaming and plugging away.