May Progress: Only a little squirrel like

I completed a fair amount of sewing this month which feels really good.  I was able to join a group of ladies sewing on Mondays which also meant I was able to combine my stitching with some social time.  Its fun and I plan to take advantage of as many Mondays as I can.

I finally got a set of red and cream blocks completed for QOV Canada.  I also have one of the pieced kit blocks on the design wall that I need to get to them.  I think I can deliver both to a couple of ladies at guild next week so I need to confirm something on the kit block and then contact the ladies to see if they will be there.

The strip sets for the outer border of Common Bride got made and cut.  I've since sewn them in pairs and they are waiting to be pressed.  The stems also got made as well as the pieced leaves so the flower blocks are pieced and the triangles to go on either side are ready to be appliqued.  After looking things over carefully, there isn't a way of redoing the next border to avoid a bias edge so I've added the leaves to the stem blocks and have stay stitched the diagonals on the large squares to be cut for the setting triangles.  I thought the setting triangles were half squares but they are actually quarter squares.  Each setting triangle needs pieces appliqued on to them so I'm appliqueing as much as I can while they are still large squares before cutting and adding to the flowers and having to deal with a bias edge as I applique the final two leaves and another stem.  The stem and one leaf cross a seam and the other leaf covers the end of the stem.

I timed the applique the other day just to get an idea of what is required as I was setting a goal for the week.  It takes about 3 hours to applique the 12 pieces to the large square.  I'm watching a backlog of programs on the PVR so I'm well entertained while I do the applique.  It also went quickly on Monday while chatting with the ladies and while waiting for an appointment this morning.

In the midst of working on Common Bride, I got a bit distracted by the shimmering tulips kit that has been sitting on the table for several years (since the last guild quilt show I think).  The tulips are now traced and fused to the background and the border pieces made.  Even the binding is made.  Yesterday I picked out the backing (the kit was supposed to have backing but black was a bit short).  I was going to satin stitch the tulips and leaves then quilt but I may change my mind and sandwich the top and do the quilting and satin stitching all in one go, which means I need to add the borders to the centre before I go any further.  There will then be three pieces on the design wall that need thread painting so I guess I better brush up my free motion skills.  I have a couple of friends who are new to quilting and want to do some free motion.  A refresh for me before they come over will be a good idea.

I also got Christmas A-Z back out and prepared blocks K and L.  The letters are already appliqued on all the squares and both the shapes for both blocks were already traced.  Those got cut out and K is completed to adding the white to Kris Kringle's coat and L is completed to the embroidery.  I decide the wire for the lights would be embroidery rather than 1/8 inch bias as the pattern suggests.  Most of the embroidery for blocks A-J is completed (some lettering is outstanding) so I'll save the embroidery for K and L until I have a few more blocks completed.

My goal for May had been to make those stem blocks and figure out the setting triangles for the flower blocks so all has gone very well.  Linking up Patty's One Monthly Goal Finishing Party