Lots of sewing, no photos

 I've been busy working on various WIPs over the last week or so.  First, I got busy making more blocks for the Arboretum quilt.  This is an old photo; I have about 60 blocks now.  I'm just waiting for two blocks from Karen in Ontario, the last two in the swap.  I'm also waiting for some orange batik because I wanted more color and less gloom in the final quilt and think I'll also use it for a border and binding.

It's going to be about 60" x 60" by the time I get done.  Some people in the swap group are lining up their blocks so that the tree trunks go all the way down.  But my blocks will be offset, 9 or 8 across and 7 down.  They measure 6 x 8" finished.  There will be half blocks at the ends of every other row.

I haven't sewn the blocks together at all yet because I don't know what colors Karen has used.   I may have to rearrange them a bit when hers arrive.  Meanwhile, I have them in bunches by row, carefully clipped together with plastic clips and in a plastic bag.

Saturday, I got out all of my pineapple blocks and decided to get those ready to put together.  I moved them around and around until I settled on an arrangement I like.  I knew I needed to make at least four more 12" blocks.  Each 12" block is made of 4 6" ones.  I realized I have been at this for two years, so it is time to get the whole thing together and move on in my [quilting] life!

I wasn't sure about colors until yesterday when I finished making the four blocks that make up another green block.  I will put the lone brown block on the back of the quilt and add orange, yellow and turquoise blocks.  Today I made three out of the four I need in orange.  Now comes the onerous task of taking all the foundation papers out.  Ugh!  There is just no alternative, so I'll watch TV while doing it for several nights, I'm sure.  Dear Jane and Hunter's Star have been set aside for a while as I concentrate on these.

Good news!  Mom wants one of my two Jane Austen quilts, so that has been boxed up and ready to mail out tomorrow.  It will look nice on her dining room table.