Sharon, What a good idea!!! I have a R-W-B mini JR of 28 strips. I also have no electricity (yes-again!) since last night. Bad storms came thru - and it is sweltering heat for the next week - as described by the weatherman. This time, on day 1 of the outage, we figured out how to connect to the internet...and I probably have TV.....during Isabel last fall, we didn't figure it out until the 4th day. So the gas generator is running--DH is out looking for a gas station with power & gas....and I am going to sew on my featherweight. I had already looked at the 28 strips JR 1600, but my brain is fried and I didn't think of cutting up more strips to make it big enough. I need to sew something that requires no pressing!
Another thought I had was to make pinwheels and sew to the ends of each strip joined straight, not on the diagonal for some variety.
I am in a slump......but when you cannot sew - that's when you want to sew!!!!!

Sharon - look at these pictures in the link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: 1600 JR variation

Marsha, sounds like a good time to get a treadle.

My only plan is to get my depression block quilt done and to the long armer. I'm not ready to do a fmq on a king size yet. Those gals really earn their keep.

I am aching for hand work so might have to drag out some old applique project and see what I can do. Of course, if I would finish up some of the tops laying around here, binding is hand work, too.

No real quilting plans. Gardening takes up most of my time during the summer.

I will work on my Sampler blocks as time allows.
Other than that, I won't be doing much sewing.

~Geraldine

Marsha I hope you get your power back soon! We have been playing games getting our AC fixed and thank goodness it went out Wednesday and not Friday lol!! It is about 115 here.

My July goal is to complete the top of a scrappy Irish Chain and quilt it.

I have reached a point of 'it's too hot to quilt'!!!
Rosa

I plan to finish my T shirt quilt (nearly done) then make a bed skirt and valance for the spare bedroom. After that I'm not sure what I'll tackle next. :)

Donna

My July goal is to finish the Confetti Log Cabin quilt top that I started in 2009 in a class. I have been working on it today and now have a system to the piecing. I usually like to cut out the entire quilt and chain piece. I can't chain piece this quilt because it has random pieces of bright fabrics scattered through the block. I have twelve of the thirty-five blocks finished.
Linda OH

Thanks for the links, Marsha. I really thought I'd like the rectangles, but seeing the squares, they look nicer to me and they seemed to be scattered better, too. Also, using this method, no need to sew the strips together diagonally.

Here's a cute one using the black strips she found in the jelly roll with mostly brights......

Here is a link that might be useful: Super Mom's quilt

I have to finish the quilt I am donating to the family shelter my sister works at. We have a family reunion the first weekend in August and that is my deadline. After that I will probably work on my Sylvia's Bridal Sampler.

Mary

I think it's going to be too hot to be outside this month, so I hope to spend some time at the machine.
Quilt and bind the silk painting from Juanita Yeager's class Finish the small blue/white quilt top ("Diamond Snow") Start and complete a QOV treat muslin with soy milk and try another painting; this could be my labyrinth quilt!
Kate

I am planning to sandwich and quilt a couple of the tops I have in the closet to donate to the High Park Fire victims in our area. The fire was less than 10 miles from our house and we have friends who lost their house. I have some lotto block tops ready to go so I hope to finish at least 2 this month.
I might try to get a couple of the July lotto blocks done too (don't hold me to that Kate!)

Sue

I finally was able to get the machine set up today. It's on a folding chair overlooking my bed and facing big windows to the back yard, the box it came in is being used as a table with cutting mat/ironing pad on it and I'm sitting in an overstuffed comfy chair that I can just sit back and close my eyes when needed. Laptop is to my left on top of the upended suitcase and I have a TV tray to my right......I love it! Four snuggle neck warmers are completed and 7 more cut out ready to sew. woooohooooo
SharonG/FL-IN (where it's 98* and the heat index is 103* at 6:45pm)

Enjoy, Sharon! Sounds like you're all set up. :)

Sue, I'm glad you came through the fire okay. I didn't know you were that close!

Donna

My goal this month is to finally find some time to finish two quilts, one is for a charity auction in August and the second is just b'cause...it's time to finish. Also two more log cabin blocks in black/white/and red - did two,they are striking.

Sue...sounds like fire victims could use a quilt or two...when I finish the just b'cause quilt, I was going to donate to the linus project, but if there's a need elsewhere, let me know...I'll send this on to you.

Valarie

You're all amazing! So many great ideas and such energy. I'm just hoping to find all my tools by the time my hubby finishes painting the unfinished room. We moved in this Feb. and when my quilt buddies came last week I couldn't even find the scissors!

We still had a great time eating, gabbing and learning to dye using sun sensitive dye with all manner of items laid on for patterns.

Well, July is nearly half over. How's everyone doing on their goals?

I finished my T shirt quilt and the bed skirt for the day bed. Also painted that bedroom and rearranged the furniture.

Goals for the rest of the month:

- Finish small quilt to go with stuffed bear

- Four more minis for the guild's silent auction (that will make 12 total and our challenge was one a month)

- Get a couple of handwork projects started to take on our cruise at the end of the month

Donna

One large and one small quilt to hand stitch. Nearly finished with the big one and then bind it. Going great guns on the baby quilt and both should be finished by month's end. Amazing how quickly the little quilt is going and I attribute that to enthusiasm and a change of pace since I was burning out on the big quilt.

Kept up to date on my monthly obligations (BOM, $10 quilt block etc)
Just finished sewing the last strata for the Kaffe Fassette quilt I am making for my sister`s work. I bought the fabric for the next border and then will make a 4 patch border before the final 6" border. I will post a picture after I get the top done and also a picture of the one I made last year.

It has been very hot here so sewing is not always pleasant but I am getting it done!

Mary

I am about half way on the scrappy Irish Chain. I really need to spend time cleaning.

The heat caught up with my yard work, but at least we are getting rain.
Rosa

Although I didn't post it as a July goal, I'm finishing up that Tree of Life UFO I found in the closet, one that I detested so much I all but threw it out. I've bound it and am now sewing some beads in some areas. It's a wall-hanging and will probably go into the spare bedroom for the grand-kids. It's a combination of machine raw-edge applique, FMQ, and thread painting.

I am so jealous of all you girls with the sewing you're getting done and proud of you, too! I'm not getting as much done as I thought I would, but the 7 neck wraps are almost done. With a 17 yo grandson, a 15 yo granddaughter who is babysitting (daily) my 10 yo great-grandson and 4 yo great-granddaughter....plus, this seems to be the 'place' to be for the grandson's friends, it isn't quite the environment I'm used to for sewing.....even though it really isn't all that noisy and they're all very respectful.

My daughter brought in a folding table for me yesterday to put my sewing things on so maybe that will help. Hoping to finish up the wraps today and do some mending. Now that I have a table, it'll be easier to rotary cut can get started on the white 2 1/2" squares and can get started on the QOV.

Still no rain here.....drivers caught tossing cig out the window will be ticketed. To be in the high 90's today....

SharonG/FL-IN

Not listed as one of my July goals but........I've discovered mug rugs!

They are easy to make. I make them 'in-between' times...whenever I get a few extra minutes.
They look something like a coaster but are a bit bigger to hold a mug and a small snack.
They are usually rectangular but may also be other shapes (circle,octagon etc.)
I am making them for my sisters and a few other friends.

Check out this Google link.

mug rugs

~Geraldine

You've all been so busy and productive! I haven't done anything on my list yet except most of the background quilting on the silk painting. I think I need a day off!

Kate

DH is recovering from surgery, so time to sew this month is somewhat limited as I am happily taking care of him. For the Seeds-N-Stitches July swap we made "crazy" 12.5" quilt blocks to swap and that was a new learning experience for me. So I have been making "crazy" blocks for fun. My great-grandmother on my dad's side of the family made beautiful "crazy" quilts with multi-colored thread using the herringbone stitch, she must have been very good at tessellations! So it has been kind of neat to have a connection to a great-grandmother who lived before I was born. My aunt, a few months back, sent me some photos of the quilt-tops my great-grandmother made, so I have started collecting quilt photos from different members of my family and putting them in a photo album with descriptions beside each quilt, thought that would be something good to pass on to future generations. And my son this month has a taken a small interest in my quilting so I got him a pair of fiskars student scissors and as time allows have been trying to teach him how to cut fabric. Figured he needs to learn how to do that before anything else. Am happy though that he has a taken an interest in sewing/quilting as he has a creative side to him like I do, though I am in competition with his interest in Legos, computer games, and Transformers at the moment. Last summer we had severe drought here in Louisiana, but thankfully so far this summer we have had rain off and on. I am ready for some cooler fall weather, and try to only venture out to put feed in the birdfeeder in this triple-digit heat. Well off to pull some fabric out of the dryer.

Best to you,
Sandra

We finally had a good rain overnight! Thank you, Lord!!

All the fleece I have is made up into neckwarmers....12 in all plus 4 or 5 at home.....need to buy more fleece to get at least 20 more made. Can start cutting WOW today.....woooohoooo.

Geraldine, I think those mug rugs would be cute for a child's BD party then the guest could take it home with them.

Sandra, Hope your hubby has a quick recovery and your crazy quilt picture project sounds like a winner! I'm all for passing family history on down to the next generation.

SharonG/FL-IN

Thank you Sharon. Hubby is recovery a little bit each day, but with his surgery it is a like a 6 month recovery time, so hopefully he will be totally healed by Christmas. Glad you got some rain! Hope we get some more soon too. Have a great week! :-)

Best to you and many thanks,
Sandra

Here are my 2 minis for the guild:

And another finish...remember when K8Orlando posted pics of her bear and his quilt? That's our guild challenge for this year. Buy or make a bear and then make a quilt to go with the bear. They will be donated to local law enforcement, who keep them in their patrol cars to give to kids involved in traumatic situations.

I wasn't going to do the challenge - not really interested in making or even buying a bear - but my friend and I were at a business convention last month and she got the cutest little bear from one of the vendors. I told her about the guild challenge and she gave me the bear.

Here's the quilt:

And here's the bear with his quilt:

All the fabric except the outer borders was left over from the taupe quilt I made for our pastor. I got a lot of mileage out of that kit!

Donna

Donna, I love that quilt you did with the bear.

Very appropriate, Donna, using Bear's Paw pattern for the quilt. Good job on making use of your leftovers, too. And a really cute bear!

SharonG/FL-IN

Cute bear quilt!!!

Donna I like your bear quilt and mini's. My favorite S-I-L is at my house today and she helped me cut 29 feet of 6" fabric strips for the border of my Grandma's queen-size quilt. Have gotten 2 border side strips sewn on. Now just need to choose and then draw out pattern for 5.5" blocks that will be the 4 corner blocks of the quilt. And then will just have the top and bottom border strips and 4 corner blocks to sew. So hopefully by this fall I will be ready to hand quilt the layers together. Am am excited about getting this quilt done. :-) Getting rain here today. Gotten an inch of rain the last 3 days.

Best to you,
Sandra

Hi everyone! The end of July is near, I don't even want to think about August weather! The kids are off to church camp this week, so I'll be alone during the daytime and should be able to sew to my hearts content. I bought a couple remnants of fleece for more neck warmers....seems like as soon as I get some made, they're spoken for....just can't get ahead of the game. But, at this point, I don't really care. @:)

Hope everyone is enjoying their sewing experience this month and are thinking about the 'To Do List' for August.

SharonG/FL-IN