Since I am apparently able to post today, I will try to post some pictures of some charity quilts I've been doing. 

This is a bird house quilt done from some swap blocks from many years ago.  I found these in Denise's stash and loved them.  The picture is a little dark since they put our sun screens up.   It's a bright, beautiful quilt.  I gave it to our church quilt group for charity.

Next is one made of scraps I found in the fabric closet at church and made it my mission to use them up.

Lastly, this is a top that Patty put together at the retreat.  I just finished it.

astly

Thank you for sharing your quilt photos!  They are all lovely but I do like the birdhouse one best. You have been busy.

I am continuing to work on my EPP project, Inner Cube.  I've only been sewing during the evenings whilst watching TV, so progress isn't as fast as if I was working full time on it.   Mr Pirate & I are going on a small road trip soon-ish and then I will have all those hours of driving time to work on the pieces.  I hope to have made major progress upon our return!  :-)

very nice - that's going to be amazing when it's done.

I got the book on the beaded trim from Bethanne Nemeth.  I'm a bit disappointed.  Mostly Black and white photos and not all that clear (3 pages of color photos in the back - I'm guessing added because of complaints).  It is spiral bound but good quality paper.  The instructions are good, and definitely lots of tips - so it was worth it for that. 

I guess I'm spoiled because the project I've been working on, her online photos are spectacular.  (Mary Corbet's Needlenthread).  

And here is mine - not near as pretty but still I'm very pleased.  I didn't enjoy the bead process too much - kept dropping the tiny things.

Well we made one truckload back to Colorado last Monday and are back in New Mexico for 2 more days to finish up the last of it.

Wow!  That is beautiful! You sure must have a lot of patience, I would be cross-eyed.

I have been slowly plodding along on a scrap quilt idea in between taking DH to a marathon of doctor office visits.

DH fell (while walking in our house) on April 26th, cracked his forehead really good on the ceramic tile floor and needed a trip via emergency squad to the hospital where he got four stitches, x-rays, etc. Results of this ER visit then subsequently caused twelve office visits to five various doctors during the month of May before he finally was told "all is well", "go home and be more careful" and I could stop being his chauffeur (chauffeuse?).

(There is nothing worse than a physician thrown into the role of a patient.)

In the meantime I've been solving 1000 piece jigsaw puzzles to save my sanity and gradually piecing these improv pieces for a small wallhanging idea from the book Scrappy Improv Quilting by Kelly Young.

It took some time to stitch these "improv pieces" which I will now cut into 3.5 inch strips and then subcut into 3.5 inch squares.  (The blue fabric with white polka dots in the uppermost improv piece is a 3 inch square to give you an idea of sizes on these fabrics.)

This is a classic example of quilt makers cutting up perfectly good fabric into little pieces and then stitching them back together to make a quilt. Only I am going to cut these "whatchamacallits" into smaller pieces yet again.   The idea will be to try to make the 3.5 inch squares have multiple pieces. 

that is going to be one heavy quilt with all those little pieces and seams.  Glad you are having fun.

thanks.  I'm pleased now it's done, but I didn't exactly enjoy it.  It is small and those seed beads!  I couldn't do it without my clip on magnifiers - these things are wonderful.  I used to only use them late at night, but I'm finding I want them almost all the time for hand sewing now, even when it's not black on black.  I'm looking forward to having an applique project again.  I was holding off starting another hand work project until this was done.

Your poor DH!!  Did he trip over something or his feet just tangle up on him?  I imagine that not only did it hurt physically, but did some damage to his pride.  12  Dr visits as a result? Holy cow! Seems like you go for one thing and they look for more stuff.  Hope he  is doing well and you can quit your taxi service job for now.

Love your piecing.  But then you know how I love scrappy.  Sure is going to be colorful an cheerful.