This is really my work in progress: my class on Critical Thinking, and here’s a stack of books I’d assembled to cull through, glean from.  But in the end I found as much help from the textbook I used when I went to this class as an undergrad, and so dragged that out (now where’d I put all those notes?) and feel quite a bit less panicky. But doesn’t the desk where I quilt look smart with all those book on argument stacked up?

This was the work in progress over the weekend.  A measly bitty border block for the Lollypop Tree quilt.  Actually I sewed three of these baby blocks, feeling quite impressed with myself.  (A side effect of spending too much time thinking about my class is the desire to climb into my jammies as I arrive home and curl up with a book).  Didn’t Mary Poppins sing that a job well-begun is half-done?  I kept thinking about that as I pulled these out.  At least I’m starting on the appliquéing part.  At the very least.

I assigned my class the task of listening to any one of the four following political speeches: the keynote from the Dem or GOP convention or the nominee’s speech from the same two circuses parties conventions.  So I watched Ann Romney’s speech last night, which led into the keynote of the GOP, Gov. Christie, and sewed on this new EPP block, while my husband and his friend provided the local color and play-by-play commentary.

Then today in class we had a lively discussion on whether or not the students voted, and did they think it important?  A few offered up that they didn’t think it was important, but many felt confused by the propositions on the ballot (we live in California) and what the candidates stood for.  I offered to take some office hours time to help them sort it out so they could decide, but that they had to help do the research.  I purposely keep my preferences under wraps so as not to prejudice them, but really often I feel the same as they.  I’ve decided that voting is a little like the block above, all the pieces coming together to make a democratic whole.  A few other students encouraged the bystanders to take their vote seriously.  I was really happy about that. And as I look at this block, I can see I’ve got some rearranging to do up there.

The last thing for this work in progress post (posted soooo late in the day) is this wonderful birthday card my nephew made for his daughter Charlie on her 7th birthday.  I love all the stylish dogs and puppies.  Very fun to look at it.  And yes, he got his masters in art, and works for a fashion design firm in New York City.

His wife is equally talented (that’s one of her photos, above), and her blog, Found While Walking, always has the most beautiful bouquets of flowers, gathered up mostly from her garden.

Okay, this post is a little off of quilt topics, and yes, it’s a stretch for my brain to even work tonight (I’m already in the jammies), but this weekend is Labor Day and I plan to labor all day at the sewing machine, stowing away the books and distractions to really enjoy my Labor Day holiday.

Happy Labor Day to you too.  Now head back over to the Freshly Pieced blog — guest hosted by Michelle of City House Studio — to see other Works In Progress.

Yep, the mess is back in my sewing studio.  This is block number six.  After this one, I’m halfway.  Putting down the big petals and leaves is fun and goes quickly, and then it’s the small circles which take up the time.  I’m currently debating the ones dangling from the tips of the magenta leaves: do they work?  Should I go to a different fabric?  What WILL work there?  I’m getting quite a collection of “no, not quite right” pieces in a ziploc bag.  Sometimes I think it’s best to just lay it down and move on, as these trees will be seen in a collection — a riot of colors and shapes and no one item will stand out.  I hope.

Finished my comittment to the Polaroid Blocks and sent them off, but just cut out a bunch more centers (you can see them in the Lolly photo, on the windowsill).  At our group’s quilt day, Lisa had brought out an old project I’d abandoned (anyone remember “I Spy” quilts?) and she let me sneak back a few of those centers.  It was like strolling through a historical section of the quilting timeline, to see some of those fabrics.  So I cut a few more Polaroid centers.

I received an Amazon gift card.  You know what I need to do with these.  READ THEM.

I worked on these when the quilters met, and at the end of the day, took a good look at a couple of the blocks.  Like the blue/green one above.  See the problem (the correct layout is the yellow/lavender block)?  I did unpick the blue/green block, found its companion of green/blue, and swapped out the corner pieces.

Here they are, all arrayed and correct.  This is another Work in Progress.

To see more, head back over to Lee’s Freshly Pieced Blog, where Taryn of from Pixels to Patchwork is the guest host, for another WIP Wednesday.

My grandchildren are visiting and I’m graced with renditions by lovely Keagan, my nine-year old grandchild.  She saw my Lollypop Tree and made her own version.

We went to the beach and collected shells, which we had to wash when we arrived back home.

And we made a French Berry Tart, all hands working to get the berries in place.

But lots of the real work has taken place in the making of curtains for my daughter’s home: Riley’s room got a Roman shade and a bedskirt, Keagan and Maddy’s room has colorful panels to drape on the side of their blinds, and Barbara’s master bedroom will receive new blue draperies.  We’re also working on kitchen and family room curtains, which necessitated several runs to JoAnn’s fabrics for bits and pieces of the same.  That’s today’s production.

Barbara’s here because her husband is studying for his dental boards, and she needed curtains. So we’re sewing, daily sewing, but not on quilts.

For more views of quilts, and a guest host by Felicity, click to return to Freshly Pieced Fabrics.