What I've Been Up To

I've been trying to finish up a number of items this week.  The second quarter of the 2020 Finish-A:Long is coming to an end, and I've been trying to finish up items on my list, and also a few that aren't.

Last year in the Facebook Group Quilts by Cheri Friendship Group we had a stitch along, and I stitched this piece.  I decided to make it into a patriotic cushion. 

This week, I also stitched up this piece.  I plan to make it into a cushion cover for one daughter, and plan to stitch another one for the other daughter.   I've been making them a different cover for each season.   This was one of the stitcheries last year on the Kathy Schmitz One Stitch at a Time embroidery group. 

This week I also got caught up on the Joy McDonald Scrappy Mystery @ Days Filled with Joy  I still need to sew my blocks together. 

I also caught up on the latest Pieces From the Past block from Melva Loves Scraps,  This block is called Friendship Quilt.  When this one is eventually finished in 2021, it will be grandson Jaeger's graduation quilt.  The blocks in this quilt were all originally published in the Kansas City Star, and Melva got permission from C&T Publishing for her to scan and share them with us.

Also this week, I got this month's Ella Maria Deacon blocks done, offered through Sentimental Stitches.  

This block gave me fits.  The first one I made wouldn't lie flat.  It looked more like a hat.  I pressed the seams open, but it was just too curved.  Thankfully the second one worked out better. 

These are all 4 blocks for this month.

That's it for now.  Thanks so much for stopping by!

What I've Been Up To, Great Mail Days!

I'm still working on my project for the Stitching Sunshine Blog Hop, but I do have a few things to show that I have been also working on.

First up, I got May's block for Cassandra's Circle BOM, the 2020 applique BOM by Barbara Brackman @Civil War Quilts.  I have been trying to keep my blocks mostly to blues, so I chose a brownish print for the stems and leaves, so the blue is what stands out.    This block was called Russian Sunflower. 

Joy @ Days Filled with Joy is having a scrappy mystery right now.  The steps are coming out on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and I am caught up until the next step.  It's using up a lot of my 2-1/2 inch squares, and I am thrilled! 

I have also had a couple of fun mail days.   First, I received a gift from Sarah @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict for my participation in the Hands2Help Confort Quilt Challenge.  My surprise was a little pouch containing two charm packages of Moda Fabrics, and I love them.  Thanks so much to Sarah and all she does! 

My second surprise in the mail came from my friend Moira @  The Quilted Snail.  She knows how I love nautical fabric and she sent me a package with some FQs, and they are lovely.  Many thanks again Moira you made my day!

My neighbor has an apricot tree right on the other side of my fence.  I was wondering who kept eating apricots and dropping the skins on my side of the fence.  I caught the culprit red-handed.  This guy sits on the fence and munches away and then drops the skin and seeds in my garden!

Hope you  are all having a great week.  It is hot, hot, hot here ( upper 90's) and  I need to get my gardening done early in the mornings.  I was trying to repot some plants this afternoon and by the time I came inside I had sweat pouring off me.   Hopefully tomorrow I can get an earlier start !