June 2020

It is hard to believe that the end of June marks the end of the first half of the year. June saw the end of school and the start of summer camp for our kids - it is one of the few camps that is still open and the first two weeks called for kids to wear masks. They will go back to masks this week as well, as cases here are on the rise a bit. The kids have really benefited from time outside and with other people and so far, thankfully, they have both stayed healthy. The warmer days mean shorter or earlier walks but we are still doing our best to get outside with Grace and get some exercise. We did venture out for our first few meals in a restaurant this month - one with an outdoor patio and half as many tables. It was nice to be out, but none of us are feeling the pull to go many more places. 

Our happy girl Grace

I had a great month with quilting time every weekend and several days of good stitching time. Work was busy and I had some late evenings and early mornings, but it is easier to manage those when all you have to do it wander down the stairs! 

Mask making continued this month - I made a few more for my daughter to wear to camp, and made some for the girls in my Girl Scout troop. Beyond that, the goal in the sewing room was mostly quilting and binding. I made and attached the binding to my Broken Star Log Cabin - you'll get the final picture for July as I didn't get it all sewn down until the 2nd. 

I also had another sewing overnight with my mom and this time, we had a project with a purpose. We made a comfort quilt - this project was certainly a tough one - from the curved piecing to fitting it all together correctly, it took us a full day and a half with both of us piecing, cutting, and ironing. 

I brought it home and quilted it the next weekend - gentle curves across the full quilt. It made for a quick quilting job, which is nice. I dropped it back off for my mom and she will add the label and binding, and then we will put it in the mail and hope the recipient likes it. We had such a good time that we've planned another quilting overnight in July - I think we will try to keep this up as long as we can, and it really helps me to stay motivated to move along some projects. 

The other quilty project I worked on a little this month is the blocks for my son's new bed quilt. I've been making scrap blocks for a few months now, so thought I'd put them together with the blue scrappy background and see how he likes it. I got the first three made, and need to finish up a few more to really see how it comes together. The pattern is End of the Rainbow from the book Irish Chain Quilts by Melissa Corry. 

On the stitching side, I worked on continuing to move along the projects I started during Maynia. I worked on and off on all three and got one to the finish line on the 28th. This is a Bent Creek pattern called "Patriotic Cracker" that I bought at a Stitcher's Garage Sale last year for $3 and it came with the linen and threads - not bad at all! It looks a little wonky, but really did turn out square. 

I also worked on some finishing during June - I moved a few pieces closer, and actually finished one! Here's Country Cottage Needleworks Stars and Stripes. I worked on this in 2016 during our summer vacation to Michigan and love having it done in time to put out for the summer holidays. The frame looks purple in this picture, but is is actually the same shade as the lightest blue in the bunting. I think I might need to find an embellishment or two for the frame. 

I think that's all the activity for this month - here are the stats: 

Stash Report - linking up with Donna at quiltpaintcreate

Fabric added this month: 0 yards

Fabric used this month: 5 yards (masks and backing)

Fabric added year to date: 0 yards

Fabric used year to date: 18 1/4 yards

Stitching time - linking up with Kate at Life in Pieces

Days with crafting = 23/30 = 77%

Exercise time - 

Weeks with at least 90 minutes of exercise = 3/4 = 75%

Hope you had a nice June and that your July has started off well.