WIP Wednesday - Or, How the Heck Did it Get to Be Wednesday Again??

It's another Wednesday, and as usual, I find myself wondering, "How did that happen?"  The weeks just whirl by, don't they?  School started this week and so did early morning Seminary, meaning I have 8 high school students that show up at my door at 6:25 a.m. ready to do a little gospel study.  Needless to say, aside from lesson preparation, my sleep cycle is a little disturbed this week.  But I have to say, it's a great way to start the day.  My little den is full-to-bursting every morning, as my class doubled again this year, for the third year in a row.  If it doubles again next year, I'll have to find a new classroom, I think.

So here's my big finish for the week...  This cute little stitchery is winging its way to it's new home.  It was my offering in the Super Swaps swap on Flickr.  The assignment was to create something for your partner with "embellishments"....  If the embroidery didn't qualify, the buttons should.  I thought about rick rack and ribbon, but decided to let this little piece speak for itself.  This little cutie is part of my friend Ellyn's Stitchalong.  Too cute.  She has done one a month in 2013, and I had a difficult time deciding between August and February.  Maybe I'll get to February soon.  I haven't done a lot of embroidery lately, but it's so relaxing just to sit and stitch.

I FINISHED FINISHED the bookshelf quilt top the other day.  After giving it serious thought, I decided did want to add borders to the bottom and the top of my Bookshelf quilt (it's hanging sideways on the fence so it won't drag in the dirt).  It really bugged me that it was wider than it was long.  It was such an easy fix - especially because Leona gave me a couple yards of the fabric last week when we met for lunch.  I added a 3 -1/2 inch white border and a 5-1/2 inch pink border to each end.  I am so much happier with this quilt now!  As it happens, I am out of batting after my marathon sandwiching session at the ECMQG meeting, so quilting this will have to wait awhile, but I am happy with it now, and will put it away for a bit.

The ECMQG is doing a Modern Maples QAL, and of course, I need to be a part of that.  I cut out the focus fabric before I left on vacation last month, but hadn't done the background fabrics because I didn't know what I wanted to do.  My friend Krista suggested doing some low volume fabrics as the background, and as soon as she said it, I knew it was perfect.  Not only that, she shipped me the fabrics to use, since I'm more of a brights kind of gal and haven't really invested in low volume fabrics (aside from one "Inside Voices" bundle from my favorite fabric shop).  I really have wonderful friends, don't I?

I mis-read the instructions in the pattern, and cut 72 4-1/2" squares for the blocks.  Not sure why I thought that was such a good idea that I didn't say "huh?" and go back and re-read it, but apparently I was in a cutting mood, and cut I did.  Needless to say, I had a BUNCH of low volume squares left over after I finished the leaves.  BUT, making lemonade out of lemons, I decided to piece some of the background-only blocks, and I'm really glad I did.

I really like that ghost of a leaf right in the center - can  you see it?

So here's another top finished, and in to the to-be-quilted pile, right behind the other 5 6 waiting to be quilted...

In other news, I've been playing along with Amanda's Starflower QAL, and I'm so excited.  I'm actually keeping up!  I usually stink at QALs, but with this one, I was determined not. to. get. behind.  Amanda's instructions are superb and almost every block came out with perfect points.  I teased her about using the word "obtuse" to describe the angle, and she said, "That's what it's called, isn't it?"  Yes, of course, dear, but I honestly haven't used that word to actually describe angles since I graduated 9th grade I think.  I had to really stretch to remember what it meant. 

I now have a lovely pile of beautiful stars, just waiting for the next step in our QAL.  (See, perfect points!)  The fabric, by the way, is Beechwood Park, by Jeanean Morrison.  I am really loving it in these star blocks.  Of course, you can buy it here. 

As I said, I must have been in the cutting zone that night, because I kind of over-did the diamonds for the stars as well.  There is surely enough here to make another quilt. Oops!

And I finally got to work on the fourth (and last) "commissioned" quilt for Leona in repayment of my Accu-Quilt debt.  This one is a Scrappy Trip Around the World, all done in dots and solids.  I really LOVE these blocks.  They are so bright and happy. 

And I'm actually getting to play with my new design wall, which is really fun!  Maybe it will be useful after all.  (I really love how bright and happy these blocks are!)

So here's where I am on this project...  Again, sorry about the lighting - an electrician is on the list when the budget allows. 

So, that's what's been happening here.  What are you working on?