3rd Quarter Goals for 2025

The hard reality is - 2025 is half over. And the days are getting shorter again. Here in NE Ohio, the days are getting HOTTER too! It has been a record wet year so far and now it is in the 90s with oppressive humidity. Argh! This is normally August weather. The garden loves it (once we got it planted!) and so do the weeds. 

A brick edging will hopefully help keep this bed from encroaching weeds and grass. The bees enjoy all those blooms! Can you spot the hives behind the fence?

  

We have been trying to simplify some of the outdoor jobs.  We tore out some overgrown yews in the front and considering attacking the burning bush that the aphids devour and deform. It is now a job to be hired out and I am anxious to see it finished. We are still very capable of working outside but this heavy grunt work is better to hire strong younger bodies to do it. And replace it all with plants that are easy to maintain and are relatively bug resistant.

 

I have previously posted updates on completing things on my 2nd Quarter Goal List. My Kawandi, Panel wallhaning, and pillowcases were completed and have now been checked off my list.   

I even managed to finish a new start!  I just sent my Jellyroll May Flowers to the long arm quilter last week. This was a workshop project with my quilt guild and I am thrilled that ALL fabrics came from my stash! I had an incomplete jellyroll that I added strips to, then I found a perfect piece for the borders. With a little help from EQ, I designed a bit of interest in the plain inside borders.

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So here are my 3rd Quarter Goals for 2025!

1. Strip It Earth - a carry over from last quarter. I did get all the blocks completed and they are presently arranged on the design wall. I hope to get these sewn together into a flimsey that will be ready for when the long arm quilter calls.  

 

 

2. Christmas UFO Rag Quilt -  I have these cut out and ready for some mindless sewing together.  It has a deadline in August - my guild's picnic meeting.

I have just been sandwiching a large background block (shown on the right in the blue box) with a square of batting and the snowman square on top. A simple outline of machine stitching along with a circle around the snowman, completes the quilting. I then sew them together with the backs right sides together leaving the raw edges on the front. I have trimmed them to 1/4" and will clip them randomly to fray at first washing. A quick and easy solution to getting this done and donated. 

 

3. Maymont Binding - This beautiful quilt has been waiting in the binding pile for too long. The big snag I hit was when I thought of adding prairie points to the edge along with the binding. I have never tried making these and since this is a large quilt, adding prairie points will take some time. And more cutting which means the sewing room is about to get messy!

So I am digging into the stash for brights and compliments and leftovers from this quilt project and making prairie points. No idea how many I will need, but I really think this will make a super nice finish for this quilt.  

 

4. Olive Grace's BOM Jaye's Bouquet - I am still making headway on this darling project. I am now on block 5 and I am aiming for at least one block per month so I can get to the pieced blocks. Because of the other things I am working on, this often gets set aside. 

 

5. MontMellick - this has been a slow going project that I pick up and work on and then it rests for months. Broderie Perse is not a technique I am real comfortable with so that is mainly the snag I have confronted.  It is progressing nicely though so I shall just buckle down and go for the next border being completed. Done is better than perfect, right?

What is the snag that made me pause? The broderie perse pieces have a background that is lighter than the border background. I tea-dyed this fabric but it is still lighter. Hmmm, I may just keep going and hope that it will "quilt out". Ha! It's been a long time since I heard that one. And it might even be a bit out of context (usually said when a quilt is not quite square or pieces are buckled and mismatched). Maybe I can paint some stain on those pieces... Argh!! Its really bothering me and I need suggestions!  

 

I guess these can be my "Fab Five" for this quarter. I still have room for whatever grabs my heart along the way. This guild I belong to sure keeps me busy and inspired. A thread painting workshop is coming up and also a needle punch class!  I am really trying to only participate in those things that I can get completed and finished. I have enough unfinished projects already! 

And then there is the All Ohio Shop Hop beginning in September. Oh, who can pass up the new items presented. I have until then to devise a plan. 

 

 

And Bosco got a new toy! 

 

 Happy stitching!