1st Sat. Making Solstice reveal

I've gotten a lot done the last few days. I felt like pulling the covers over my head, which would last as long as a New York second. I've created a schedule for myself on weekends so I can do other things besides quilting.

It might not seem so to the non-quilter, but for me, its work that puts my spirit on the line, makes me feel vulnerable, and has me taking risks all the time. Every project is like someone birthing a baby. And with every project, I have concerns about how it will look, what the recipient will think, and moreover, what kind of energy I am putting into it.

I never work on something for someone when I am off balance or uncentered. Negative energy can creep in quickly, and infiltrate my thoughts, my heart and my hands.

Pulling back from the work is refreshing. There are always frustrations and disappointments to whatever we do which are the inevitable elements of the journey. Like any path, there can be rough parts, holes, rocks to climb and places one must jump to get over.

I love being busy, and when I made my list for Janine's new concept http://rainbowharequilts.blogspot.com/2013/10/making-christmas-2013-week-1.html, I realized I was ticking them off in what seemed to be a quite rapid-quick-like-a-rabbit fashion.

Mother's birthday gift was completed and sent.

David's quilt is basted. I use the tables in the clubhouse and because the back to this quilt was a bit more on the edges, I basted it with the top side down, then the batting, then  the back.  It worked. Unfortunately, with the top down, a name for it did not come for me. My friend remarked that the flower looked like Dogwood to her and I thought I might research the plant to see if it is and if so, what characteristics it might have.

That actually worked for this one and it gave me a last opportunity to clip threads and smooth down the seam allowances.  I also basted two mini quilts, but will hold off showing pictures of them til they are more finished.

I am still working on the Name Badge for the quilters' guild I joined. Here is my first attempt at it and may be the one I go with for now. Its only 4" and feels too big, yet was REALLY hard for me to do something that small. However, I am ready for the November meeting.

Then my local quilting friend & I got together to review our Sampler BOM. 

We started in July, and even though these are wrinkled from being folded, the top three blocks are July, August, September...and then the second row, October and November.

The Faux-Vintage mug rugs are a challenge. The first one goes into the thrift store giveaway. (Someone will have a better idea for it).

I've put a stripe-& tree border on each panel cuts, and then have the batting for them cut. I think I can back them with a beige fabric, and am not yet sure how I will bind them. I did learn from my previous work, that making smaller, mini-quilts might call for a thinner binding.

My quilting partner signed up for one of the Pay It Forward pieces. This was the last of the cookie panels and turned out as cute as she is.

And so, now on with the weekend.