Sunday's progress...............

The first thing I did was assemble some more little 3" nine patches.  This is going to be a small project so I wanted to have at least 36 blocks to work with.

Nest I pressed the 9 patches that had the quarter square triangles sewn on and then I added 3" corners to 12 of the blocks.  As I work on this I'm realizing one block close up is really cute.  Several blocks at a distance look like gray instead of black (charcoal) and white stripe.  Seeing the blocks edge to edge is not great.

They are much better with space between them so sashing is definitely needed.  I haven't tried anything yet but I'm thinking white with small black dots might be nice.  I have lots of white with black prints to choose from so I'll be looking at them today.

Once again, all of the rain during the daytime hours missed my house.  I'm wondering if other parts of town got any rain.  A big storm was brewing at 10:30 last night and we finally we got some rain.  I'll check the rain gauges this morning.

Florals and stripes...........

The more I looked at the 9 patches with the stripes, the better I liked it so I went ahead and started sewing the quarter square triangles on.

Then I went down to the basement and looked for candidates for the 3" half square triangles.  I am checking here to see if they will all work.  I think the lightest ones on the top row may not have enough contrast.

I cut lots of the quarter square triangles and some of the floral half square triangles.  I finished the first 3 blocks and have 17 more blocks started.  After I press them and get some floral corners sewn on I will play with layout and see if I need sashing strips or another fabric cut in 6.5" squares to alternate with these blocks. 

First quilt top for August 2026................

I finished sewing and pressing this top by early afternoon yesterday.  As a comparison with the pattern photo, I'm not completely happy with my fabric selection.  Not comparing, it's OK.  I wish I could have found a lighter orange fabric for next to the yellows.  I forgot to measure it but the pattern says 60" x 80.5".  I'll get the actual measurement today and update this post.

I knew I had some 6.5" squares of floral prints left from a previous quilt that I could use for a mock-up.  I cut one strip of quarter square triangles and laid them on the floral square and then laid the 9 patches on top of them.  This is the idea I had in mind when I found that charcoal and white stripe fabric.  I did like it with the stripe as as the alternating squares with the 9 patches on yesterday's post too.  I'll have to think about this one for a few days.

Two more seams.................

I finished sewing all of the B blocks and then sewed 2 blocks together for 7 long rows.  In the afternoon I started sewing rows together and continued later in the evening and got 4 out of 6 sewn.

While I was in the basement in the morning I was looking for one particular stripe which I didn't find.  I saw this charcoal and white stripe and thought it might work as quarter square triangles around the little 3" nine patches as the first found in Economy blocks.  I think it would also look good just as alternate squares with them.

This is what the stripe would look like as the quarter square triangles.  The final round of the block would be 3" half square triangles of floral fabrics.  This idea is just in the early stages and I may keep looking for the stripe I have in mind.

I got sidetracked for a couple hours reorganizing the  rack that houses my flannel fabrics.  I have one huge blanket box of just scraps and large chunks.  Maybe when the basement cools off in the fall I can spend a day pressing the scraps and do some die cutting.  Flannel quilts are a favorite here in northern Illinois.

Good progress...............

I finished piecing all 8 of the Block A and 2 of the Block B.  I pinned 4 of them up on the design wall to get an idea whether my fabric choices worked.

A couple pinks could have been a little lighter, but overall I'm happy with it.  I'll finish sewing the last 4 B blocks today and get the 2 sections of each row sewn together.  Then I can press all of the seams before I add the rows to each other.  With a little luck I may be able to finish it today,

The rain fizzled out yesterday.  I haven't checked the rain gauges but I don't expect to find much in them.  

Decision made........................

I decided to go with the wildcard fabric staggered.  I stacked all of the pieces for 8 block A and layered them on a cover of a plastic bin so I could carry them up the stairs.

I did the same for 6 block B.  Now I have some sewing set up for a couple days.

Since I was not using fat quarters, but instead cut a 10" strip selvage to selvage, I had room to cut 2 more stacks of each group.  These are stacks of 5 pieces in the order they would be sewn.  Maybe I can use them on the back of the quilt.

Last night's sewing, this far on 8 blocks, about 1/3 of the total piecing of the 14 blocks.

In the afternoon I tackled the big project, cutting batting off the roll and trimming it to the correct length, and cutting 2 lengths of backing fabric for each of these quilts.  I still need to sew the seam in the backings.

Every year I think I'm going to make a Christmas quilt in July.  I had planned to make one with the die cut large half hexagons and had cut strips off many fabrics.  For the ones that have a one way design I cut a strip tall enough to cut the pieces in the other direction.  I even have a large enough piece of that red and green paisley for the back of the quilt.  I know I cut these strips before the big shut down in 2020 in March.  I was cutting one day when my 2 friends were over here sewing.  So, for one more year I have missed the Christmas in July project.  One part of me says still make it, the other part says what's the point when I don't know anyone who needs a Christmas quilt (however it would look good draped across the bench in front of my fireplace).  Pros and cons, I would like to see what it looks like, and I think it will be pretty, but my life is different since I injured my leg 2 years ago with the off and on pain.  This is definitely a design wall project.  Who would have thought I still have many quilts I want to make and I'm in my mid-80s.  I don't think I ever thought that far ahead to how long I would still be quiltmaking.

Pieces cut....................

All of the strips were pressed and cut into segments yesterday.  There are 2 blocks in the Kaffe zipper quilt so I laid out 1 of each.  My wild card fabric is at the exact center and this is how they would be sewn together.  That would made a stripe of it from top to bottom 2 places in the quilt.

I wasn't sure I wanted that so I rearranged 3 of the fabrics to stagger it.  I'm leaning toward this version but haven't made the final decision.  I think this way it might cause more attention to that fabric than the version above.  I have to continue looking at the photos.

Meanwhile I started sewing some sections that won't be affected by that decision.  I can sew more today while I contemplate it.

I had letters to mail so I went grocery shopping while I was out.  It was 82 degrees with moderate humidity.  Today more humidity predicted.  Rain expected tomorrow into Thursday.