To Do Tuesday
To Do Tuesday, it’s been awhile since I’ve written one of these posts! I’m going to see if I can get back to weekly check-ins and see if that revs up my quilting mojo, which has been a little low lately. I’m linking up today with Carol over at Quilt Schmilt for her To Do Tuesday linky party.
Monday was Memorial Day here in the United States, a day when we remember those who served our country and gave their lives for our freedom. I’m grateful for those who made that sacrifice for our country.
You know those tee shirts you see that say “Mom and Dad went on vacation and all I got was this t-shirt”? That’s a bit how I feel about my weekend sewing – “I had a long weekend to sew and all I have to show you is this little quilt”! I’ll show you that little quilt in a minute.
Our weekend weather here in Minnesota was perfect. We did a lot of work outdoors. Our flowerbeds were in dire need of weeding, so we got that done. My body isn’t so sure it was fun, but it definitely looks so much better! Here is a shadowy photo of our hosta patch, looking so much better without all the weeds!
It was perfect weather for meals out on our deck, so we enjoyed quiet evenings with good food, lovely views, and good conversation. So needless to say, there was not much time spent in the quilt room, it was too nice to stay indoors and quilt! I will admit, however, that I did find time to stick my nose in a book while I was resting my achy muscles. If you are looking for a gentle, cozy read, I’d recommend this one.
Okay, so back to that little quilt. As I was cleaning up the chaos left from the improv fish quilt, I came across some little leftover bits from this runner that I recently made.
I completely forgot to take a photo of the finished runner! Anyway, I liked the little bits left over and was able to put together this little 12-inch mini.
I used a gray dot fabric for the backing, and used the green fabric for the binding.
The quilting was quickly done on the diagonal using a light variegated thread. I have no plan for this little number, just wanted to use those bits rather than toss them. I like having little quilts like this on hand for a quick gift.
Meanwhile, there’s something a little different on my design wall.
While trying to decide what to work on after the improv fish, I pulled out a bin with Jo Morton and Kim Diehl fabrics. You may not know that before all the bright colors and improv arrived in my quilt room, I enjoyed the cozy warm fabrics from these two designers (and still do!). You can see my initial post on these blocks here, from way back in 2019!! The block, Union Square, was at one time a free pattern from The Fat Quarter Shop. It is still available through that shop, but it is no longer free.
I have some cryptic notes on my pattern that indicate I was going to do a 60″ square quilt, but I’m not sure I will stick with that plan. For now, I am going to make some more blocks and then decide.
Ok, my to do list for this week:
- Make more Union Square blocks
- Work on the next challenge quilt for The Endeavourers
- Shelve and clean up fabric
It’s a short list for this To Do Tuesday, but I’m excited to work on those blocks. What are you working on this week?
Wendy
12 Comments
texasquiltgal
That sounds like a very enjoyable weekend. Your Hosta patch looks beautiful. I like your runner and the resulting mini quilt – those are pretty fabrics. Your Union Square blocks are neat – love the pattern as well as the fabrics!
Yvonne @Quilting Jetgirl
Sounds like you made great choices for your weekend. We spend a lot of our long weekend outside, too. I hope your list helps you move forward and kickstart your sewjo.
Kathleen McCormick
I think the outdoors time is necessary after the blah winter and spring! I have done the same after our retreat. I have 3 tops to quilt! Looking forward to more posts and a renewed mojo in the sewing room. Love seeing your little quilt from your scraps and your old blocks returning for a finish!
Laura Kate
I like the Union Square pattern. Is it fun to make?
Diann@ Little Penguin Quilts
That sounds like a wonderful weekend, Wendy! I think making something small from another project’s scraps is one of the most satisfying things to do in the sewing room. Your mini quilt is really sweet! I like those Union Square blocks, too. It’s really enjoyable to have all kinds of fabrics and projects to work with!
Carol in Texas
Oh, your hosta bed! I love those plants and they do not do well here in central Texas. Our Walmart always carries them in the spring but they are not built for our hot summers or our limestone soil. But they are beautiful…….I love seeing your bed of them. Glad you are enjoying such lovely weather.
Cheree Hull
Love the Union Square blocks! Of course you know those are my colors, and my fave designers! I’m glad you’ve had such a lovely weekend and thanks for the book recommendation. :o)
Karen
weeding is no longer easy I have found for my body – and my strawberry beds need weeding desperately now that the berries are done. Grass is growing really well in these beds and volunteer trees! so many. I will need to spend sometime pulling things out.
your maybe 60″ square sounds like some of my projects that have been sitting around for awhile and then I suddenly look at it and decided no longer like it and change it to some thing else.
Vicki in MN
Oh the necessary outdoor work for Spring! We have been picking away at ours a little at a time. Lots of pretty quilting projects in this post Wendy. What pattern did you use for the first runner? I dug out another UFO from long ago and a WIP from the winter.
laura bruno lilly
Happy return to ToDoTuesday, Wendy. I noticed the book was atop a quilted minky backing…just sayin’…HA! My quilty focus has been a leisurely dive into finishing the pieced center focal square of the quilt I started with my long deceased Ma in the 1990s…it was based upon the then new method of making half square triangles using bias strips…so part of the complication of finishing it was in having to stay consistent with that icky method!!! HA! But it’s coming along nicely – balancing my music projects and my need to be outdoors with sweet stitching! 🙂
Mia is mine
Your header photo is absolutely lovely. From what I’m seeing in Bloglandia, many stitchers are looking/finding their sewing mojo. Your garden is lovely. Weeds are not my issue – it’s the snails – in Southern New Mexico! I just put Kelly’s book on hold. Thank you for sharing! What a beautiful mini – your stitching is lovely! Your Union Square blocks are lovely as well! You’ve been quite productive!
Helen
We shouldn’t waste a minute on regrets for spending time outdoors on a perfect day. Those don’t come around too often.