It's been a while!

Gosh, how time flies when you're busy! I just cannot believe that summer vacation is almost over! School will start for me, after a year and a half of health saga, on September 4th. That always stresses me out. Somehow I feel that I should be living and breathing school. I know it's not healthy, but that's my definition of a "good student". I'll be working on that new definition, incorporating some quilting in there for pleasure.

Despite my hectic week, I did manage to get some quilting done. I have finished the Pine Grove quilt. It is now at the flimsy stage, in the process of being machine quilted.

It took me a whole day to get the last borders in. I really can't figure that one out! My brain just wasn't activated and I made a few cutting errors. Luckily, I was able to use the wrong size strips for the binding. I recall having one of those moments when doing Carolyn's quilt! Focus is what I need or at least find the button to activate my brain when it's in that mode! lol

I picked up this magazine yesterday as a distraction. I thought I would use my Designer Plus software to make the quilt on the front.

Saturday afternoon I started working on the block. Wanting to multi task, I thought I could get one quilt going on it's own while I machine quilt the Pine grove quilt. Yea, yea I know! I'm into this "gotta get that UFO list down before the year is over " mode. Kim tells me that quilting is not a race! LOL I'm thinking that perhaps I can multi task. lol

This is it folks, the block! Don't mind the fabric, it's from my scrap bin! I digitized the pattern and came up with this version. Of course I did quite a bit a tweaking to get it just right, but it was well worth the effort. I decided to leave the middle out. Too much satin stitch for my taste.

I learn quite a bit about this fabulous software. It never seizes to amaze me what this baby can do. This method is called machine embroider applique and is quite easy to do. The machine will do the bulk of the work. You just cut out your pieces and place accordingly.

On the subject of Fun Mail!

Donna from Chookyblue sent me a little surprise a while back, a stitchery pattern. That was so sweet of her to think of me. I do think that hand embroidery is beautiful but I don't know that I can manage too many hobbies at the same time. I really don't understand how you gals manage all your various hobbies on Blog Land. Somehow they all seem to get done. Perhaps I need to stop being anal about finishing stuff and just do it because it's fun.

Of course I still think this is all a conspiracy to get me to start hand embroidering again. If that wasn't enough, look what I received in the mail the other day!

Yes, another beautiful stitchery pattern, this time from Wendy of Snippet of a Quilter.

You gals are just amazing, thank you so much. Now I must take on that hobby. I'm guessing that it is not as time consuming as hand applique. Perhaps that is why you are able to get your squares done in a reasonable amount of time.

But, it's been a while since I hand embroidered, perhaps I'm way off in the left field. Nonetheless, I will take the time to re-acquaint myself with this medium so that I can work on the gifts from my friends on Blog Land. Besides, perhaps it will be a good project to take along to school on those off moments!

Thank you for stopping by! Have a great day!