tuckyquilter said:

love having two serving baggies of soup "on the ready".  I do the same with pasta dishes too

I do the same thing.  My mom taught me that if you are going to make a mess making a casserole, you might as well make two or three extras.  I do the same with soups and chili. It is so nice to just grab something out of the freezer when you just don't feel like cooking.

That amazing quilt just gets better every day! So beautiful!  I'm impressed at how fast it is going.

Oh, Judy-- I love your bright and scrappy string quilt and the quilting looks great!  There are so many things you can do with strings and I really like the layout that you used.  What is the destination of this lovely quilt?

Thanks, Lynne.

Long story short, if DD doesn't want this string quilt I might offer it to the receptionist at my family doctor's office.  I have watched Connie juggle phones and grumpy patients for years and I'd like to surprise her with a Christmas gift. (I go there monthly for B-12 shots and she's always so pleasant and cheerful. She's very petite so the quilt should be a good fit.)

My first peak at this thread in a long time.   

Love your chicken quilt, Shelley.  I knew I would.  So cute.  Your 3-d blocks are amazing.  They really jump out at you. 

 Dee, as usual, your applique is exquisite.  I think it's kind of fun to just build your quilt the way you want it.  This one promises to be another beauty.

Judy, I love your string quilt.  I have quite a few blocks I need to lay out.  I haven't tried this layout.  I may just "monkey see, monkey do" it, as you would say.

They only thing I've worked on the last few months is a t-shirt quilt for my granddaughter with her rock climbing competition t-shirts.   I just got it back from Carrie yesterday.  She quilted it for me.  Now to bind it.  I'll post pictures when it is done. 

thanks Cathy.  The quilt is all done & washed.  It turned out very snuggly with the "premium" fleece from JoAnns.  It was $20 per yd though on sale for 40% off.  More than I would usually pay for fleece but I decided she's wroth it (of course ).  I keep looking at it folded at the foot of my bed thinking I'm going to miss it, I've spent so much time with it the last couple of months.  I'm going to give it to her for Christmas.

Rather than starting Ring Cycles (modified Jack's Chain), I think I'm going to try this 1st.  I purchased the pattern last fall but got busy with t-shirt quilts and forgot about it.  I am going to give it a try as a semi-miniature (half size).  The pattern calls for 2" width strips and finishes at 58" square.  So that would be 1.5" finished width of the strips.  If I cut then at 1.25" wide, that will finish at .75" wide, so I think that means the finished size will be 29".  I'd like it a little smaller but I think I would regret trying to sew strip sets any smaller. I've never done a Lone Star quilt and I liked the movement in this one a lot.  Hmmm, maybe I'll add some applique in those corners, those big blank squares would be a good place.  Not sure what tho.  Any suggestions?

I think those corner squares might be a perfect place for a Texas state flower; am I correct in thinking it is the bluebonnet? Is there an applique design for  a bluebonnet? 

Oh, dear, I just looked up the bluebonnet and saw lots of "bluebonnet tattoos". That would be a most difficult idea to applique!

yes, though I have seen some bluebonnet appliques that weren't horribly detailed.  I think I need to decide on the fabrics 1st.  The picture looks very southwestern because of the colors, all I can think of is southwest designs (think Pueblo pots).  Once I have the fabrics/colors picked out something may suggest itself.  I'm kind of thinking I'll use some of that dark blue you sent me.  I'm really missing having any applique going.  I might even grab another one of the blocks from Aunt Millie's garden.  Flowers would really really pop on that blue.

A fun option would be to take that square, set it on point on the blue fabric and then applique on that and then do a little border ispired by the strip sets in the star. To  me putting stuff on point is a go to for adding an extra element.