Vacations with Grandchildren are the Best

 I am late catching up on this blog.  In June I had a road trip taking 4 grandies from Texas and Tennessee to Michigan.  It was lots of fun.

Koala Progress

 I had a day retreat with a friend.  I added 2 new Koalas.  I love the blue one.

Koala Started

 I am still juggling projects.  The one project with a deadline is for a gift.  I am doing Elizabeth Hartman's Koala pattern.  I have time but I thought I'd feel better if I got the top done.  I was at a day retreat with friends last Tuesday and I worked on it there.  I think it is going to be a fun project.  Picking the fabrics has been fun too.

Not A Lot of Sewing

 I haven't sewn much in the last week.  I made another log cabin block and that project will probably just be a couple blocks a week until I finish a couple things.  I also tried my new accuquilt Glorified Nine Patch die and started a new mandala.

I love the new die.  I only made one block and will probably make a few more blocks to perfect the techniques but I think it is pretty and once I am caught up on projects I'd love to make a quilt.

I also practiced quilting for the Mandala Club and have started a new one.

quilting practice

 I have tried the mandala practice a couple times.  I am struggling with quilting small motifs.  I asked for suggestions in a longarm facebook group and received some ideas.  People suggested microdrive handles (I have some but took them off the machine a long time ago so I need to figure out where they are), higher stitches per inch for smoother curves and stitching in manual mode.

I am starting to feel a little better but progress is slow.  2 pics below both pieces are about 14 inches square.  The brown was the first.  It was so wobbly I knew it was going to succeed as a mandala and I just added practice to it.  The red I tried stitching in manual mode and I can see lines are smoother for the most part.  Still knew early on it was not going to be a mandala I would be showing anyone, so continued practicing.  I am not sure if I will repeat this design or go on to another lesson.  I am improving although slowly

Not Your Daddy's Log Cabin

 On Friday I took a zoom class through Mancuso .  David Sirota teaching his log cabin class https://www.quiltmavendave.com/copy-of-not-your-daddy-s-log-cabin-1  

David is a good teacher and it was a fun class.  I am still trying to catch up and keep up with other projects but I had been wanting to take this class.  I need 36 blocks.  I used Bella Super Black, the green is a shot cotton and the beige a linen.  Picture of one of  mine below:

Dresden Mini Quilt Finished

 I decided to leave some dresdens hanging over the edge and some wrapped around.  Overall happy with it.