sewbizgirl - Your scrappy swoon is so pretty! I love that you included novelty prints. I try to put some in most things, they just add a little fun. I have a pile of squares set aside to make one of these. No idea when I will get to it.

I have 30 split nine patch blocks done. Would like to someday have enough for a queen size. Also have one completed top that will be a Christmas gift, two tops for Christmas gifts that are in the works, a queen size quilt for me that I started over a year ago and set aside, and probably some other WIPs that I am forgetting right now.

My current "gotta get it done" project is a scrappy baby quilt for one of hubby's coworkers. It's an I Spy/Irish Chain. Just finished quilting today, need to bind and bury threads. Here's a look:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]525065[/ATTACH]

It seems like I spend way too much time burying threads. My machine has a knot tying function but I don't really like how it works. I've thought about just stitching back and forth at the beginning and end of each quilting line. Would like to know what others do.

Thanks for the close-up photo, I found several of my pinks! Tee- Hee-Hee! Glad to see they have gone to work to make something pretty rather than sitting in my "pink" bin.

What do you do when you find your self short of fabric for two 7X7 blocks? Well, you just dip into last years squares and continue on with the UFO I started using my 2014 candies. I made 40 9 patch blocks to total 75. Then started on the 3 X 7 blocks, only need 25, about 20 more to go. The finished quilt is 90X90 and used 2400 plus 2inch squares. I will be making some adjustments to use the 2.5 in squares. Will post when I get a little more finished and a layout of what it may look like. It will be a while..... I need to find the fabric for those two 7x7 blocks so I can finish a baby quilt. Quilt on everyone!

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:

- Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
- Why the early bird gets the worm;
- Life isn't always fair;
- And maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.

It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death,
-by his parents, Truth and Trust,
-by his wife, Discretion,
-by his daughter, Responsibility,
-and by his son, Reason.

He is survived by his 5 stepbrothers;
- I Know My Rights
- I Want It Now
- Someone Else Is To Blame
- I'm A Victim
- Pay me for Doing Nothing

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone

Anoka Quilter I missed telling you Happy Birthday ;(

So here goes....Happy Birthday Diane<:)<:)<:)<:)<:)<:)<:)...I hope your day was wonderful!

Well I just got caught up on reading all the posts.

You quilting ladies have been very busy!

Thanks for sharing pictures, and giving details on quilts in progress.

I see some of you are doing row by row...I am also. I have collected about 15 patterns. some I have actually purchased the kit...now I need to sew them! I collected last year and did not make any :( Gotta do something about that!

I can't believe how fast people get a finished quilt done in the row by row contest! One lady had a quilt all finished in 3 days. Pretty amazing. And they are beautiful...

I am going to learn how to do appliqué since a lot of the row by row patterns have that. I will let you know if it happens!
MaT...thanks for checking in you have been VERY busy!

Jaba...show us pictures of the quilts that you are putting in the far. Good luck!

N10sgrrl.... have a great vacation and let us know who sends you packages when you get back.

Anoka (birthday girl) your birthday sounds great. Funny thing my friend Pam celebrates your day also and her husband took her on a motorcycle to 10 quilt shops. (she said that he knew she would not be able to buy much :))

Djmat.....all the traveling are you able to stop and get some row by row patterns?

Sewbizgirl...thanks for the motivation that you give to this group! Love the pink and green quilt...did you quilt it yourself?

Kele...love the I spy quilt. It is fun to use the novelty prints. :)

WMUTeach....Pink Bin.....????? do tell

CONTEST TIME

Hello it's that time again.

July 11th has a lot of birthdays.....
Diana (anoka quilter)
Pam ( my quilting friend)
Brett (a family friend..he doesn't quilt)
and Amelia...the girl I have been a nanny to for 12 years and 9 months! She turned 13 on July 11th. She is currently not a quilter but starting in the fall we are homeschooling Amelia and her brother Elijah and I will be the home ec teacher! so she WILL be a quilter!

So here are some other people celebrating a July 11th birthday:

1) A hottie DR from Grey's Anatomy .

2) Author who wrote "Charlotte's Webb"

3) Our 6th President

4) Football player who plays for the Indianapolis Colts

5) Lead guitarist for Bon Jovi.

Okay PM me your answers by 12 noon Wednesday July 15th

Good luck!!
Barb

Kele, love that baby quilt! My Juki has a thread cutter feature so I just cut the thread and move the quilt to another spot and keep going. It leaves little tails, nearly 1/4", so I go back and trim them on the back of the quilt later. I can't see myself burying tails... ever. I just cut and go, not even backtacking, and everything stays put. That's what I do.

Travelinggramma, re: The Demise of Common Sense-- AINT THAT THE TRUTH! Sad state of affairs... and I don't like the step-brothers he left behind!

Barb: Yes ma'am, I quilted it using the walking foot on my Juki 2010Q. :) Love that machine.

Your contest starts with a list of people we know with July 11 birthdays... add my son Seth!

Hi To the two Julybirthday girls, n10sgrrl and anoka quilter I mailed your candies yesterday.

I am just home from vacation. My brother and I went to Illinois to visit our other brother and two sisters. It was so fun. We stopped at 5 quilt shops along the way for Row by Row patterns. The hot weather and other circumstances kept us from stopping at others. We had such fun and would liked to have stayed longer.

Barb I hope you love appique when you get into it. I think it is wonderful, and so peaceful.