Glad the thread thing works for you. It really keeps things together and I use old junk thread for that, usually two strands with a nice knot on the bottom and a paper template marked with what it is. I can't wait to see your little herd grow after the retreat. 

Costco had very colorful llama dog toys a few months ago and we got Aspen a set. She just loves them and now we wish we had gotten more as they no longer have them. She is very careful with them and prances around with one in her mouth. When we tell her to go get her toy she knows we mean a llama. Pretty cute.

I do the same thread thing to keep my hexies bundled together prior to stitching them into whatever shape is required.  Of I've prepped 6 hexies for a flower unit, I sure don't  want to lose any of them!  I typically prep-prep-prep instead of prep-stitch.  So the thread thing keeps all the prepped hexies of a unit in tact until I get to stitching them.

We're on the road right now.  I prepped a bunch of hexies to work on.  This is what I've accomplished so far: made (4) 4-hexie units that are partial flowers.  To complete the flower unit, the bottom two spaces are filled in with background hexies.  Over the top of this unit, 5 more background hexies are stitched.

I'm still working on the others .... there needs to be a total of (6) of them. 

I have (4) more to work on here.  The other 2 are back home, pinned to the central medallion.

Each flower unit has a stack of (5) background hexies (shown at the top of each unit) that will be stitched to them.  The two extra stacks have the hexies held together by a threaded stitch... what Dee and Ami were talking about to keep their applique pieces together.

*If* I finish all of this while on the road, I do have other hexies to be stitched.  There's never a shortage of work to do!

Rosie got a Mr. Bill doll that she carries around. If anyone steps on him to make him sound "oh noooo" she comes and takes him away, pretty funny.

I took your suggestion on the wrench quilt.  My boss's daughter is pregnant with her 3rd child (1st boy).  The two girls each have quilts and I am regularly hearing about how much they love the quilts, play with them, bring them to grandma's, etc.  So of course I need to give them one for the new little boy (with blue backing to distinguish from big sisters' quilts).  I decided what better quilt for a boy than the wrench quilt.  I added the "bolts" you suggested using prepared edge applique - I really love having various "tools in my toolbox".  I turned under the edges using the same method I've been using for my Christmas quilt - freezer paper and starch to turn the edge.  Then just top-stitched around each one.  It worked great and the entire process from cutting to sewing took about two hours.  The blank white hexagons from the original pattern were kind of distracting to me, I like it this way much better.  Thanks for your suggestion.  All ready to quilt.

the pattern has half left facing & half right facing llamas.  Another complexity to the pattern, I have to keep up with each as certain parts of the pattern change depending on which way they face.

Glad my idea (which meant more work for you) was do-able.

The baby boy's dad or grandpa will get the joke of wrenches and bolts in case mom doesn't.

Funny! I remember Mr Bill.

I leave Tuesday for hubby bucket list trip.  ND to see his grandparents home place that is falling down.  Only cousin still in the area.  I have no idea what we are doing for a week - DH is beginning to wonder that himself!

so, as Patty said- take a bunch of hand sewing!

I have both Dear Jane blocks and Dresden plates that just might get packed tomorrow.

enjoy that stitching and traveling!

That is cute!