ok...but I think that is a super contrast color for the red plaids...

I'm alternating back and forth between my scrapbooking pages and my needleturn blocks.  I tend to work on the scrapbooking pages during the day but if the page is being difficult (and mentally exhausting), I will plop myself down in front of the TV and do some hen needleturn blocks.   I have a list of shows that I think I might be interested in, so I'm more willing to spend a bit more time working on the hen blocks than working on the scrapbook pages.

As of Sept 27th, here is the progress I've done on the hen blocks.  The latest addition are the hens, at the bottom, sitting in their laying boxes.  The yellow squares are the "straw" and the wood strip is the box itself.   The wood strip is my addition because I misplaced the hens.  Ooops.  The final, trimmed block is supposed to be 8.5"x10.5".  Well, due to where I placed the hens, I couldn't get 10.5" to the bottom of the straw squares, as I had placed the hen too high.  I should have put her a bit lower on the background.    But since she's too high on the background, it was only 10" to the bottom of the straw squares.  Ooops.  I could either trim down ALL the blocks to 8.5"x10" ... OR ... find a way to add some fabric below the straw.

Well,  if she's supposed to be in a laying box ... and I happened to HAVE some wood grain fabric ... why not just PUT a box there?

So, I did and now  have the full 8.5"x10.5" blocks.  And no one's the wiser.  Except for you guys.  And you wouldn't tell, would you?  :-)

I've already thought about adding some embroidered green grass around the feet of the other hens, so that the wood strip won't look so in-your-face, but I think I might add the embroidery after the quilting.  I'll need to tack a note to that effect on the finished top so when I get around to the quilting, the idea won't get lost.  :-)

They are looking good!

I finished quilting a very old UFO today and actually found the fabric I used for the border to make binding. It is just a table runner but I took my time and care with the quilting.

I also pinned the leaves and two flower buds to the last corner of Joy's picnic quilt mystery.....making progress on that project.

Need to sew a Henley top I cut up from a XL mens I thrifted. It had the perfect color and the neckline is great.....just cut it down to fit.

So cute!

Wow Ami - you've been doing a lot.  They all sound amazing.  Especially can't wait to see the applique on your picnic quilt. 

The applique on the picnic quilt is coming along. I have 4 leaves left. Then the two birds on center top and center bottom. The birds are already assembled so they just need to be applique around the outside. Then I had two little butterflies. Should be done really soon.

I sewed up the top I cut down from a mens XL. It looks ok but because I kept the original neck and shoulder seams it does not fit as nicely as I would have liked. It looks good enough to wear but not great. The next item I am going to cut down I am going to alter the pattern a bit and not use the neck on the sweatshirt. That may help.

I need to piece some quilt backs so I can load something else on the longarm. I think I will try to make backs for the next half dozen quilts.

I also have to make binding for my table runner I just quilted and sew that on.

longer I appliqued one last butterfly to the border of the picnic mystery and it is now ready for quilting!!!! I just need to sew one seam for the backing and am loading it on the longer.

Shoot now need to get going on designing applique for my string circle quilt top from some years back. I am really enjoying doing applique right now. I think I am leaning towards an Art Deco/Art Neuvo vibe for this one. 

In the mean time I still have the 3D hexi top to finish the applique on.

Need to take some photos of some tops and do a blog post. I have also been posting in progress photos of my quilts on my Instagram which is under my first and last name.

latterberry said:

After 70 days, I got sick of it so called it quits.  

Cute quilt.  Had you kept going, you would have 3 quit tops by now.

Pirate (PIRATE_SR) said:

I think I might add the embroidery after the quilting. 

Won't that be harder do do after the quilting?  For one you will have the whole big quilt in your lap and then have to quilt through all layers of the fabric and it will show on the back.  Unless you know how to embroider just the one layer after it is quilted.