Thanks for all of the ideas Jo!  Those help.  I guess my bigger problem is that I don't care for this fabric...  at all.  I'll just make something and "gift" it to someone afterwards.

Hey Patty!  Does your group still use tote bags for kids books or something?

JulietDeltaOscar (fixin2quilt) said...

On the challenge to make something out of the "ugly" FQ from last year's LEFT-RIGHT story - something in which you can put something - is there a rule about how much or how little of the challenge fabric we need to use?  I didn't think there was - just so we use that fabric as part of it.  But just wanted to check to be sure. 

Good point.  I was wondering the same thing.  Thanks for asking!

Caught up!  I've been really focused on getting the baby quilt with Dumbo on it quilted and off of Lizzie so I can get it finished before our friend's baby comes.  I was able to take it off on Friday afternoon (before it was to get really hot again this weekend) and get the label made and binding on.  I turned one corner over to take a look at the back and about 5-6" from the corner was a 1/2" x 1" tear with much quilting over it due to where it was on the quilt.  I guess at some point when I was having so much trouble I must have caught the scissors in it as I was trying to release threads from underside by feel since I couldn't see underneath.  I started thinking about applique and then *boom* I realized I just needed to make my good sized label be sure to cover that corner.  Worked wonderfully!  

Then I was ready to bind.  Binding made (thanks again Shelley for the great instructions!).  I had shown DH a picture of a binding helper spool I saw in a FB quilting group.  The Gal's DH had made one for her.  I thought it was a clever idea and since my DH loves woodworking I shared with him.  Well his creative and inventive mind got stuck on the idea and he missed spending time in his wood shop so he went and created a prototype of his "better mousetrap" idea.  Asked me a few questions and worked some more.  Before I knew what he was up to he had discovered a lovely piece of walnut he's had for some 20 years.  He loves to work with the "nicer" hardwoods so got to work.  I used it today to keep my unattached binding contained and it made the process so pleasant as I pulled the length I need as I sewed along.  Mounted on a smooth ball bearing lazy susan ring bearing.  Much more posh than I ever anticipated and a quite a bit bigger but that's kinda his style.  "More power" is his mantra!

wow...what a neat contraption! 

How clever David is!

That's outstanding!  I've never seen one like it.  

Now that’s really cool. Smart hubby you have there.  Mine used to do that many moons ago with his health was better.

Another really nice block!

Judy the binding spool your hubby made you is awesome!

24” blocks, right?