What Comes after Quadruple Check?

In math I always tell the students to show their work and double - triple - quadruple check.  They want to know what comes after quadruple check!!  If only they would at least double check. 😣 

I feel like I made some real progress on the Baby Blocks quilt.  Lots of math and finally some sewing.  It will work.

Good thing I like math!

The upper right and lower left sections are completed.  I double-triple-quadruple checked the math on the inner sashings, so the next step is to trim them down.  I had made them wider just in case, but turns out I didn't need to.  Still, I appreciate the safety net.

Getting Closer

Next step is careful trimming and then lots of pinning to get it all together.  I am finally feeling excited about this one again!  Not sure if it is because this step is almost over or because my math worked.  Somewhere along the way, I realized that the big problem was having the 9-patches on point with setting triangles instead of making them as a square in a square.  Oh well, lesson learned.

I was looking forward to making another crayon for the RSC since those are fun, but October is make a plan for the blocks.  That just didn't happen with all the planning for this quilt.  Maybe next week.

2026 15 Minutes to Stitch

15 minute days this week = 6/7

15 minute days/Oct = 9/10

15 minute days/2026 = 218/281

Success Rate 2026 = 78%

Knowing I was closing in on a finish for this round kept me going this week.  Only missed one day when I just could not keep my eyes open when I got home from school.  I slept 12 hours that night and was still tired the next day.

   

2026 Stash Totals

Used last week: 0 yards out this week 

Used year to date: 44.79 yards

Acquired recently: 0 yards  

Acquired year to date: 35 yards

Stash movement for 2026: 0.14 more yards acquired than used

Linking up to:

Kate at  

Donna at   

Frederique at quiltingpatch

Angela at soscrappy!

Pressing the 9-Patches

I'm didn't keep track of all the little things I did this week, but I kept working away at things.  The biggest was getting the 9-patch strips pressed and accurately measured.  I think I may be ready to figure out the math and move forward. 

Pressed - getting closer

 2026 15 Minutes to Stitch

15 minute days this week = 6/7

15 minute days/Sept = 27/30

15 minute days/Oct = 3/3

15 minute days/2026 = 212/274

Success Rate 2026 = 77%

Holding steady at 77% stitching time.  My personal goal was not to go under 75%, so my numbers are good.

  

2026 Stash Totals

Used last week: 0 yards out this week 

Used year to date: 44.79 yards

Acquired recently: 0 yards  

Acquired year to date: 35 yards

Stash movement for 2026: 0.14 more yards acquired than used

Linking up to:

Kate at lifeinpieces  

Donna at  quiltpaintcreate

Frederique at quiltingpatch

Angela at soscrappy!

Better Late Than Never

A week of slow and steady.  Some planning, some unsewing, some thinking ahead, and bit of sewing.  

eraser fronts

The actual sewing was to make more erasers for my students' individual white boards.  Every year some disappear and with the increased class size this year, I really needed to make more.  Each batch uses up a bit more from the flannel scrap bin, but it seems like the bin never gets emptier.  I think I am at least finishing up with the smallest bits though, so I actually used larger pieces for the backs.

eraser backs

I should have made these weeks ago, but at least they are done now.  

 2026 15 Minutes to Stitch

15 minute days this week = 7/7

15 minute days/Sept = 24/26

15 minute days/2026 = 206/267

Success Rate 2026 = 77%

Mathematically, I am curious about how long it is going to take to nudge my stitching minutes forward now that I am back on track!  It doesn't matter, but numbers fascinate me.

  

2026 Stash Totals

Used last week: 1 yard for 8 white board erasers

Used year to date: 44.79 yards

Acquired recently: 0 yards  

Acquired year to date: 35 yards

Stash movement for 2026: 0.14 more yards acquired than used

Linking up to:

Kate at lifeinpieces   

Donna at quiltpaintcreate

Frederique at quiltingpatch

Angela at soscrappy!

A Welcome Change

I totally avoided the Baby Blocks quilt this week and it was a glorious feeling to just handle fabric and sew wherever the whim took me.  I am a "make it up as I go along" person and it turns out that's a real thing.  Having to be so careful and precise on fitting in each round of the baby blocks is just not me.  I will get it done, but after a break.

First, I got caught up on the RSC crayons.  Quick, easy, and fun.

All Caught Up!

The next closest project at hand was the random Christmas blocks that were made at least 20 years ago in Guatemala.  The original pattern was for a twin/full size quilt that was all various Christmas themed blocks.  Our sewing group learned several of the blocks and then moved on to another project, so it got set aside.  

Rediscovered Christmas Blocks

I don't have any desire to finish this as originally intended, nor do I have the pattern.  The candy cane blocks are pot holder size, and for as long as they have been up on the design wall I have been thinking pot holders for my daughters as a remembrance of Guatemala.  I emptied my little drawer of Christmas scraps to see about backings and that led to sorting, pressing, and trimming to usable sizes.  That was a good task for several zoom meetings this week.

Glorious Mess

That led me to be more creative with my potholders.  Some of these scraps worked perfectly to add a bit of size and make them more interesting.  I even unsewed the red angel block and used it to frame up a pair of candy canes.  With two blocks done-ish and one ready to sew, I am liking this change of plans.  We'll see where it ends.

Making Changes. Where will it end?

2026 15 Minutes to Stitch

15 minute days this week = 7/7

15 minute days/Sept = 17/19

15 minute days/2026 = 199/260

Success Rate 2026 = 77%

Still creeping ahead slowly.

  

2026 Stash Totals

Used last week: 0 yards

Used year to date: 43.79 yards

Acquired recently: 0 yards  

Acquired year to date: 35 yards

Stash movement for 2026: 1.14 more yards acquired than used

Linking up to:

Kate at lifeinpieces   

Donna at quiltpaintcreate

Frederique at quiltingpatch

Angela at soscrappy!

Full Steam Ahead!

I made the needed blocks, did some math, and decided to wait until I was fresh to do anything else.  My later thoughts led me to the idea of working the borders backwards.  I need to complete all 4 sides of this nine patch on point border even joining the corner blocks.  Then .... figure out the inner white border.  On the previous rounds getting the corners on wasn't a big deal.  For whatever reason, this time it is.  I think this new idea will work.  If not, I'll try something else, right??

This round has been a doozy!

Since I wasn't thinking about making 9 patches fit, I reached for a no-brainer.  I had never made the August block for the RSC and of course September is now needing to be made as well.  I cut the paper foundation, pulled colors from the 2" strip bin, and then cut into the odd shaped scraps.  Neither of these are colors I have a lot of.  Yellow needs to be arranged and then sewn.  Purple needs more fabric.  It was nice to work on something that was not a struggle.

Crayons in the making!

2026 15 Minutes to Stitch

15 minute days this week = 7/7

15 minute days/Sept = 10/12

15 minute days/2026 = 199/260

Success Rate 2026 = 77%

Creeping ahead slowly.

  

2026 Stash Totals

Used last week: 0 yards

Used year to date: 43.79 yards

Acquired recently: 0 yards  

Acquired year to date: 35 yards

Stash movement for 2026: 1.14 more yards acquired than used

Linking up to:

Kate at  lifeinpieces

Donna at quiltpaintcreate 

Frederique at quiltingpatch

Angela at soscrappy!

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

I figured out what was wrong and how to fix it, but that meant unsewing and more unsewing.  My block count was off by one too few blocks on each side and top and bottom.  Since I'm really winging it, I was not too surprised. 

Longer sides ready to go!

At least I knew what to do.  Make more blocks, unsew and add them in.  Then unsew more of the 25 year old blocks to make even more blocks, resew them with better seam allowances.  

Working on top & bottom.

The top and bottom are causing a bit more difficulty in the color placement.  It doesn't really matter, but I am hesitating to join the blocks until I am sure of my decision.  Since the blocks are not all ready yet, I still have time to think on it.  They were almost symmetrical and not they won't be.  I'm not sure what that didn't bother me on the sides but it does on the top/bottom.  Maybe because it is more visible?  There is no rush, so I will just keep plodding along!  

Just for fun.  This caterpillar would not settle down and form its J in the enclosure on Thursday.  A student had brought it in, so I didn't know where it really was in its cycle like it do with the ones I bring in.  In the afternoon it was on the open zipper.  Not great, but okay.  Was it even ready to form the J or was it searching for milkweed?  When I got back from a meeting I couldn't find it at all.  I kept widening my search perimeter and finally found it on top of the nearby sea turtle skull from The Traveling Turtle Trunk.  Not wanting to touch it, I moved the entire skull into the enclosure and zipped it shut hoping if it did move it would form safely on the mesh.  Imagine our surprise when Friday morning it was hanging from inside the skull!!  The students are concerned that it will not have enough space to open its wings when the time comes.  I am also worried that it will not emerge before it is time to return the Turtle Trunk!  Can't wait to see the chrysalis on Tuesday!

2026 15 Minutes to Stitch

15 minute days this week = 4/7

15 minute days/Aug = 14/31

15 minute days/Sept = 3/5

15 minute days/2026 = 189/248

Success Rate 2026 = 76%

Numbers are still not great, but I'm on the right track and that's okay with me.  I think I am so wrapped up in the blue baby blocks, that I don't have an easy "go to" project and I need that - not just for my numbers but for my sewing "mojo."  Maybe I'll get it figured out this long weekend. 

  

2026 Stash Totals

Used last week: 0 yards

Used year to date: 43.79 yards

Acquired recently: 0 yards  

Acquired year to date: 35 yards

Stash movement for 2026: 1.14 more yards acquired than used

Linking up to:

Kate at Life in Pieces

Donna at quiltpaintcreate

It's Been a While

I finished July strong, but then life met sewing and life won.  That's okay.  Little S started back to college a week later than previously and I took advantage of more time with her.  A new school year started and that wiped out all my energy for a bit.  

mid-July

This week I am getting back on track.  I spent some days getting my space cleaned up and even sewed - mending, but it was sewing!  Now to get back to the fun stuff.  I have to rework the math on my medallion baby blocks quilt.  The 9-patches are not fitting the way I calculated.  Considering some of the 9-patches are over 25 years old, I am not surprised.  Just take deep breath and figure it out.

end of July

Figuring this out - again - will be a welcome break from grading papers and lesson planning this week!

2026 15 Minutes to Stitch

15 minute days this week = 4/7

15 minute days/July = 28/31

15 minute days/Aug = 6/22

15 minute days/2026 = 178/234

Success Rate 2026 = 76%

My success rate is the lowest it has ever been, but it is just above where I set my limit this year.  So my timing is good to get back at the machine again. 

  

2026 Stash Totals

Used last week: 0 yards

Used year to date: 43.79 yards

Acquired recently: 0 yards  

Acquired year to date: 35 yards

Stash movement for 2026: 1.14 more yards acquired than used

Linking up to:

Kate at Life in Pieces

Donna at quiltpaintcreate