I've Been A Little Busy

This week, I have been a little busy.  I got my sewing machine out and started sewing!

Marathon Monday, a day that I always look forward to, took on a whole new meaning this year.  Almost every year, my husband and I would go into Boston and watch the marathon.  We usually would stand on Commonwealth Ave, right where the runners would come out of the tunnel, and cheer the runners on.  We would watch the elite runners and then some more, and then we would head off for lunch then hang out in Copley Center.  For the last 5 years, since we have had kids, we have only watched it on television.  This year the kids are 5 and 4 and I thought about heading into Boston later in the day to just be there and take the kids in.

This year every thing changed.  Now that the Boston Marathon Bombing has happened, I'm not sure that we will go in again, especially with the kids!  This week, I was reading my email and I was directed to the Boston Modern Quilt Guild and found out that they are collecting quilt squares to make into a quilt for the Boston Marathon Victims.  I was so happy to have found this because I had been wanting to do something like this or be part of something like this.  Even though I have a bunch of material, I needed to buy more in the right colors.  I ended up making a 12.5 x 12.5 courthouse stairs block in blue and yellow and bordered it in a medium grey.  I actually love how it came out.  NOw I need to mail it off  in time!

"Quilt For Boston" quilt block

While I was on the Boston Modern Quilt Guild's website, I saw that they were also collecting "flags" to display, which are going to be displayed at the Museum Of Fine Arts.  I went on to make 2 "flags" for "to Boston with Love".  They didn't come out as good as would have wanted, but I am going to send them off anyway.  Again, this is something I wanted to do and was able to create something that will be part of something bigger and hopefully help the city of Boston and all who were affected by the Bombing.

"Quilt for Boston" and "To Boston With Love"

I have become a huge fan of youtube.  I have found that they have a ton of videos that I can learn from and just enjoy watching.  I was looking something up on Monday and found a "10 minute quilt block". It was a video by Suzanne McNeil.  I have to admit, she is not usually someone I enjoy watching, but this time, I loved the block she was demonstrating.  She also has a "5 minute quilt block".  The best part is that it can be turned into a faux cathedral window.  Monday was my husband's 55th birthday.  I wanted to make him something special and wanted something quick.  This was perfect.  I spent Monday night working on it and was able to get 4 (20 in) blocks sewn and sewn together as well as the cathedral window sewn too.  I had planned on doing 2 more blocks to add to it and finished those yesterday.  I showed him the quilt top last night and he was happy with it.  Now I have to decide if I want to make it bigger.  It was fun, easy, and quick, and I will be making these blocks again soon, most likely for my kids's quilts.

"10 minute quilt block"

I'm very impressed with how much I have completed this week.  It felt great to make things and have things either get completed or mostly completed.  My son has been going to speech with his sister and this morning I was able to finish basting my english paper pieced diamonds for one of my son's quilts.  Now I need to sew them together and make stars and then sew them onto the background. 

English paper pieced stars

 I am feeling like I am finally making progress!  I think I may be using the "10 minute Quilt Block" for the other 2 kids' quilts.  Will post more when I have pictures completed.

Amy