No quilting for me...we are leaving on vacation today! We are going to Richmond to visit old friends for a few days and then on to DC to visit my sister.

Our A/C died Thursday :( so we had to make quick plans to board the cats. Now we have to figure out how to pay for a new A/C.

Donna

On Thursday, I added a border to one of the UFO's and yesterday I prepared the backings for six of them. Today I would like to get the batting cut for them. They are all lap sized quilts about 55x70, to be donated to the local cancer ward for chemo patients.
Theresa

Linda - glad to hear you are getting settled in and meeting neighbors.
Donna - enjoy your vacation! We had to replace our A/C a couple months ago. The house feels great and our monthly elec bill has already dropped by a noticeable amount, but paying for the new unit was hard.
Theresa - 6 more donation quilts for you... I"m so impressed with how much you can get done and how generously you give.

It's just Saturday morning - a little before 9am here - and I've already gotten done all the sewing I had to do this weekend! I didn't finish until about 2am last night but the signature wedding quilt is done! The matching table runner is done! and the batik engagement present quilt is done! All quilted, all bindings finished, all package and ready to go. Woo hoo!!! I updated the 'signature wedding quilt' post with final pictures and I'll post a picture of the batik later as 'Batik Started at Retreat; Just Finished'.

Kate

I am finishing up my quilting on the Retreat Challenge Quilt today. It takes a while to do the very close and tiny free motion quilting. Then I will probably load a top onto the frame. Nothing pressing, just got some tops at estate sales and want to get them quilted.

Completed the quilting on my son's quilt last night. Hope to get it bound and sent. Might not be before the end of the weekend though.

Driving to Davis today with a group to attend a memorial service for a friend's son.

LindaB/CA

I hope to get some quilting done this weekend, but I have to do some dead-heading in the garden first. Many of my hosta scapes have droopy, spent blooms on them, and things are looking pretty sad out there.

I'm slowly chipping away at my nephew's quilt. Sewing three WOF strips together and then cutting them into 6.5" blocks gets pretty boring after a bit.

I talked to my long-arm quilter yesterday, and the doctor has given her the okay to start quilting again after shoulder surgery four months ago. I can't wait to get my husband's Blockbuster quilt done. I love that quilt.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

I am hand piecing some Granny Square quilt blocks this weekend. This weekend or beginning of next week I hope to start tracing & cutting fabric for the 4 remaining 12" blocks I need to make for my cousin's baby quilt. We had such nice somewhat cool weather last week, but this weekend and next week are going to be really hot with temps in the upper 90's and at night temps only dropping to mid-70's, August is definitely here now.

Best to you and yours,
Sandra

Well, I was busy with the girls today. Included petting mini horses, taking pictures of princesses, face painting, and singing/dancing with "Sing It, Laurie!".

Also in there was a brief trip to the quilt shop for PFD (prepared for dying) fabric, gas, and groceries.

I'm piddling on my Retreat Challenge, but might not get to the next step until tomorrow...

Donna, I hope you waved and you drove b/t Richmond & DC! I waved to you!

I finished my Retreat Challenge today! Yay me! I was going to load a top on the frame but I got to playing with some Batik samples that a friend had given me a few years ago. I think that they are going to be used in disappearing nine patch quilts. I have enough to do several queen sized quilts I think. I am doing the blocks scrappy with a black center square, that way when they are cut, the black divides into the smaller squares. I am doing the nine patches with 6.5" squares.

Nope.....still enjoying a sewing room with no UFOs or WIPs. I did get a bubble sunsuit made for my great granddaughter, from a vintage pattern. I haven't seen one of those in years, and they were so popular from the time I was a kid for many years. I still need to make two buttonholes, and I think I'll wait until she comes over the next time to fit it on her so I'll know where to place the buttons. Should be able to get a couple months wear out of it before it gets too cool to use. I've been busy in the veggie garden and I have apples coming on directly. This time of year, I don't usually bother with putting the canners away.

I started staining our deck today ... then the rain started - AAAGGGHHHH! Well, 1/3 done and the water did bead up.

I got 14 vests cut and sewn together for our Lions Club. I need to wait until my Pfaff is back from being serviced to finish them with zigzag stitching. My featherweight only does straight stitches! Love it ... but.

I need to cut at least one other vest and 5 aprons and get them finished up so they can be silkscreened with the logo.

Other than that, I will be getting ready for Kristene's arrival on Monday evening. WOOHOO!

Happy stitching!
Sue

So jealous that you get to spend time with Kristene!!! Was hoping she could make it here to Orlando, then to Retreat.

I've had a traumatic weekend! Desktop computer gave signs this week that it was on it's last electron so had to get a new one. Choosing was very stressful (too many choices); paying for it was a little stressful (a little less expensive than I feared). Then went through the trauma of transferring files from old one to new one. Discovered we can't find most discs to install programs. Or if we have the discs we don't have the set up key. Or it's so old we don't even remember where or when we got it.

But as of this evening, I have a clean desk (because everything I moved off of it to set up the new computer is still on the dining room table!), a working computer and access to the internet. One of the best features of the new unit is 8 USB ports! Eight!!! I can plug in everything! Life is good.

I just got a new computer last week also. A Mac, and since the systems have been upgraded several times since my old one was new, I have lost a number of programs and games which will not run on the new. GRRR!
Almost lost my address book but managed to rescue it with a few cards missing though.
Ain't progress grand!
Theresa

I've actually had time today and got a lot done on my Retreat challenge. The background is been put together and pressed; it was sort of like a paint by number canvas. :) DD helped a bunch with color placement; she has a good eye for color.

Now it awaits sandwiching and quilting. Then accessorizing...

I'm a lot more excited about this one than the last 2 challenges I've done!