
I’m bingeing on binding! 2020 and 2021 were my most productive years, quilt-making wise. Binding, not so much. March and April this year will see at least some, if not all, of the waiting quilts be finally completed. I spent some time last week making these bindings:

In addition to those 9 there are 5 in the fabric room with their quilts. Monday I get 2 more quilts back from the quilter. So, 9 + 5 + 2 = 16 quilts to bind. I finished binding 2 quilts before I made the bindings shown above. I don’t even mind doing binding so much. It’s the trimming the quilt I don’t enjoy. I know at least 2 will get done because they are entered in my guild’s quilt show in May 2022. What am I waiting for, you ask? My primary machine just went in for service last week. There just isn’t room to bind a quilt on the table where my second machine is sitting. So, it will probably be the end of March before I get the Bernina back.
With the Bernina in the shop, how have I been occupying my time other than making binding? I decided it’s time to get all the works in progress stashed around the studio to finished tops ready for the quilter. I got backs made for these two:


I cut another back that has to be pieced together. There is another Covid lockdown top that needs to be trimmed so the edges are even. I did a stupid thing when I made it and have put off fixing it. These two might get attention this week.
I’ve said before that I’m a blocker – I like to make blocks. I’m also bingeing on block assembly. I pulled out some block piles and laid out these for assembly:




I also laid out a scrap checkerboard top but I don’t seem to have a picture of it.
I played with some string blocks:



Let’s see, that makes 6 tops laid out for assembly. I also had 3 or 4 others laid out previously. They’re all going with me on retreat later this month. It will be interesting to see how many I actually do.
Speaking of retreat, I reviewed the projects I had put aside for the 2020 spring retreat. We all know what happened to that. The same projects are going with me this time- I think there are 4 or 5. I certainly won’t lack for choices of things to work on. Ooh, I just remembered that I was going to take the Edyta Sitar Christmas tree kit also. Will have to add that to the stack.
I am essentially up to date with my 40 years in Maryland temperature quilt. Here is my fabric chart:

I’m not entirely happy with the transitions between some of the colors but without access to a reliable color chart (the monitor colors bear little resemblance to the fabric colors) and limited time I had to make do with what I had.
February is waiting for the last section to be pieced when the Bernina comes back. I want to keep the seam allowance consistent which requires me to use the same machine. Others are able to switch machines and have the same 1/4″ seam but I’m not. March 1982 is on the design wall minus one day. I’m waiting for an order that includes more MistyFuse. I’m doing the applique on my Eversewn Sparrow 30 using #100 Kimono Silk thread from Superior because I have all the colors. The thread isn’t doing me any good just sitting in the drawer. The rhythm of the machine buttonhole stitch lulls me to sleep when I’m doing chain applique. I went through and prepared as many of the 1982 leaves as I could before I started running out of fusible. The strips for the summer temps are all ready when my order arrives this week. Here’s January, 1982 on left, 2022 on right:

As for status on the rest of the 2022 projects: I haven’t started my first year of life temperature quilt. Nor have I cut the background for Twilight Garden. I made 3 Dear Jane blocks in January. I prepped a couple in February but didn’t get them sewn.



I’m very close to having all the blocks made for my March 2022 RSC project. I had to skip February because I got such a late start on the January project. Perhaps I’ll pick up the February color if time permits over the next months. I know the intent of RSC is that one makes some blocks of each color from scraps and has enough for a quilt by the end of the year. I’m working with my overflowing string boxes so am planning a monochromatic quilt for each color. Color me ambitious. If I can make myself go down and sew strings after supper instead of staying upstairs eating everything that isn’t nailed down while sitting in front on the TV, it will happen.