This week's blocks

Preparations for Operation Grandma & Grandpa Visit are ticking along here, but I am procrastinating like crazy. Today I made gluten free lemon squares, then borscht and now I'm writing a blog post. Haven't actually done anything that would qualify as visit prep. Only three more sleeps until they arrive. As long as they have a bed to sleep in, that's all that matters, right?

I'll share some of the re-organizing photos in my next post, but I thought it was high time to show you some sewing. First off, I am pleased to say I have completed my third foundation pieced star block in as many months for the Stash Trad bee. I was not anticipating all of this foundation piecing when I signed on for a traditional block bee, but it's been good to get back into practice (see next photo below). I haven't done much foundation piecing since I made all of these bee blocks about 18 months ago.

It really is a beautiful block and totally worth the effort. If you'd like to give it a try, Corey's tutorial is here. It helped that Felicity (and Berene) came over for an impromptu sewing day on Wednesday. Felicity and I support-grouped our way through it together. Yay for local sewing friends!

My mom got an iPad for her birthday in July and put in a request for an iPad sleeve. It's the least I can do in exchange for the 6 pairs of socks she knits every year as door prizes at my retreats. Her Sybil socks are definitely the coveted prize (so much so, that I have a rule you can only win one pair until every participant has their own!).

We are still a bit pre-occupied with the above-mentioned Operation, so this block is as far as I've gotten with the iPad sleeve. Isn't it cute? It's Kerry and Penny's latest Sew-Ichigo foundation piecing pattern called Latte To Go. Perfect for my latte-lovin' mom.  That even more perfect text fabric on the lid? Designed by none other than Berene for Spoonflower (where, ahem, it won #8 in the Typewriter text contest a couple of weeks ago!). You should check it out. It's designed specially with a 1/4" of background above and below the lines of text so that they can be perfectly pieced into latte lids. Or anywhere else you need quirky idioms we English-speakers are famous for!

I think I'll vacuum now.

p.s. did you notice we got our house painted? That was one major element of the Operation that we (thankfully) contracted out. Our 93 year old blue cottage is looking rather refreshed!