Let it go, let it go. . .

 Hi everyone! Hope you have had a really good week. The weather here is about to turn, so the hubs and I spent part of the day outside raking the massive amount of leaves from the front lawn. This is the downside of having trees. It was good work that took my mind off a lot of things, until I had to go inside for another Zoom meeting.

You may remember just a few days ago when I pulled some blue blocks from deep in the closet, and then didn't know what to do with them. I had four blocks and the cut pieces for 16 more. Should I make more blocks, and how many? Or should I just make it into a little table topper and let it go? Well, after getting some really good advice, I decided to let it go:

 

Yes, that's letting it go! I used a bunch of the cut pieces and made a nice table topper that is about 36 inches square. Since I had the cut pieces from the blocks I didn't make, I was able to put this together in just a couple hours. There was even enough yardage in the project box to squeeze out a border, with enough left for a binding, too. Win!

 

It happens sometimes that I feel quite enthusiastic about a project, then something makes me put it away, and then I lose all momentum and never pull it out again. Does that ever happen to you? There are so many cool things to make, though, and I just didn't want to spend more time on this one. I'm sure that it would have made a really cute lap quilt, but I have a lot of lap quilts and I have other things to make. So-- let it go! 

Before I had closed this up in a project box, I had cut the pieces for 16 blocks. That's a lot of pieces, and too much fabric to toss, so I am getting a small bonus quilt out of all those pieces, trimmed down to the same size:

A small buffalo plaid! This is only a part of it, and I trimmed all the blues and whites from the project box down to 4-1/2 inches. I added the lighter blue, which I think looks pretty good with the darker blue and will make a nice calming blue buffalo plaid. I'm not sure how big it will be. I'll just keep going until I use up all the pieces I can. 

So, yay for using up the blocks AND the extra pieces, too! But before I go, I have to share this picture that I took at the Baltimore Zoo, because our granddaughter made us go there with her recently:

 

Actual sign! And a good life motto, too. Have a wonderful, relaxing weekend, everyone!

Sharing at Finished or not Friday, Brag About Your Beauties, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, and the Patchwork and Quilts linkup at Quilting Patchwork Applique.

Chasing squirrels

 Well, hello everyone! Been a couple of weeks, hasn't it? Sometimes life is more complicated than we want it to be, and really, I would swear it's only November first. Wasn't Halloween yesterday? In the last couple of weeks, I pieced a queen-sized quilt (which is a Christmas present, so it will be shown in January), visited a quilty friend, worked more than I can say, had about 50,000 meetings, and also managed to sleep a little. And, hey, the furniture that we ordered in April finally came! So if I need a nap, there's a place for that!

So, while I was piecing my gift quilt, I also veered off in a squirrelly direction or two. Several bloggers, including Julie, Wanda, and Nancy, are making Gridlock quilts, from a pattern by Kaffe Fassett. It happens that I need a quilt for myself, and you know what happens when a squirrel bites, so. . .

 

Yep, those are the first few blocks I've made for my very own Gridlock quilt. Once I saw Julie's and clicked through to the others, there was really nothing I could do but go and get the required book from the library (the only Kaffe book my branch had, too), start sorting fabrics, and start stitching. It just had to happen!

I need a backdrop for Zoom calls and classes, because I've rearranged the guest room where I taught last year and I don't necessarily want people staring at the bed in there (even though it's covered with a lovely quilt), plus I have a lot of leftover neutrals, so I was looking for a pattern for a neutral quilt. This one won't be as colorful as the others, but I think it will make a lovely backdrop.

 

I'm sorry to admit that the squirrels have run rampant in other ways, too. Last weekend Gudrun Erla had a one-day quilt-along with her new Phoenix pattern, and while I couldn't quilt along, I did pretty much assemble the whole top for that one, too. I just have a couple of blocks to go, so that will be finished soon, too.

 

I really don't know what got into me, but a while ago I purchased a bundle of towelling fabric, which I have never bought before. It sat and sat, and then last week I was bored so I just grabbed it, squared the ends, and hemmed the darned things. They are fantastic! I don't know why I waited so long to do them, but they work great. The hemming was super-simple, too. 

So that's my story for the last couple of weeks-- just work and chasing squirrels. At least they're friendly! Plus, even though I have to be stuck at work *a lot* right now, I get to enjoy this lovely view:

The view from my office, with the rain moving out.

Hope you all have had a good week and have some lovely views of your own, and not too many squirrels. The only way to get rid of them is to make the dang things, you know? Happy weekend!

Sharing at Finished or Not Friday, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, and Oh Scrap!