Unfinished Business

When Randy apologized for taking more "grandma time", which would make the next Barrister's Sow-Along blocks late, I breathed a sigh of relief. How about you? I was not caught up on the last three. But I am now! I have filled the design board I have been using to keep these displayed, so it is a good thing we are nearing the end of our "Sowing". This is what it looks like.

The three blocks on the bottom right are the newest. I'm not finished with Fall colors yet, so I chose some fall-ish plaid shirts for these blocks. Maybe I could have used more contrast (that seems to be a reoccurring theme with me), but I still like them. Here they are at a closer view.

And speaking of low contrast--I played with border options on my "Mountain Trail" from Lori's QAL and this was what finally clicked for me.

I bordered it with the same dull red (it seems to appear brighter in this photo than in real life), but I have tucked a little blue around the edge to show that I am going to bind it with that when I have it quilted. For some reason an inner border didn't do it for me on this quilt, but I felt it needed something more than red binding.

And finally, I have gone back to the bay--Orca Bay. I didn't start it last year until it was no longer a mystery. I don't know how so many of you can keep up with Bonnie's mystery during the holidays. I just watched in fascination and then decided to do it after it had been revealed. It got put on the back burner months ago. I have everything cut and have pieced a little on it now and then, but recently decided I would use it as my leader/enders while I work on Christmas projects.                                                  You may recall that mine is named "Sunset Over The Men's Department" because I'm making it from men's thrift store shirts--yes, even the peach and purple were men's shirts. I cheated and didn't use string blocks (not my favorite to make, but I love the look). I subbed stripes and plaids instead. Mine won't be as large as Bonnie's and I don't have enough of the solid cream and black shirts to make her border. But I think it captures the feel of Bonnie's design and I love it, even though it is so outside my normal comfort zone. Hopefully it will be a flimsy by the end of the year.                       I am binding another little project and will be starting the quilting on another. I will share those soon.                                   Until next time,                                      Janet O.