On Today’s To-Do List -

Place mat productivity is ramping up again  - let those string blocks and borders loose!

I’ve got 7 made.  I’d love to have a good 20 on hand – we know that spills happen and that is what place mats are for in the first place.  SO many license plates have been sent from all over, and I am really enjoying seeing the slogans, shop names and locations come together in these fun little projects destined to use up a plethora of strings, scraps of batting and backing fabric that really does need a new lease on life.

I have a large bin of FLORALS that are perfect.  I don’t sew with huge florals a lot in my quilt life, you just can’t cut them small enough!  Often they are prettiest when left whole, and as placemat backings they will be perfect.

And all of those batting scraps?  I am SO happy to have a way to use them up too.

Today’s job will be getting this batch loaded into the machine and get the quilting going.

Which one is your favorite?

I have alternated doing the center block in either X or O format. 

Bindings at the ready!

The sashings and bindings have come from languishing fat quarters, or gifted fabrics and have found the perfect place to land as it doesn’t take much – I have had a ball choosing accent colors to go with each one, choosing what would best make those fun license plates shine!

If you’d like to do something like this yourself, stay tuned.  This tutorial will ALSO be added to the Free Patterns Tab along with the Crooked Courthouse Steps quilt, still in binding progress.

Emmy Lou Lou Photo Bomb.  LOL.

This sweet girl has settled in so well.  Today was the day I was supposed to take her in to the vet for a check up, but yesterday’s dental extravaganza didn’t reach completion and I have to go the OTHER direction back to West Jefferson, NC to get that crown placed.

I have NEVER had dental fear.  “Numb is your friend” was NOT my friend yesterday.  It wasn’t the crown part – it was a “simple” filling in the bottom right that even after 4 rounds of numbing shots and numbing medicine even shot into the partially drilled out cavity itself would not numb. We did get that one sorted and finished eventually, but OH MAN.  This morning my whole jaw is so tender.  And I”m going back for the crown on the upper today.

Next week – we replace the old filling on the left.  I’ll keep saying “numb is my friend, numb is my friend” but seriously – it was not yesterday.

My drive home -

Southwestern Virginia Traffic Jam.

4:15 pm and this school bus slowly rambled up Grassy Creek Road, narrow and winding.  My mind wanted to know how LONG these kids spend on a school bus for them to still be ON the bus past 4pm.  I know that the bus picks them up in the morning at 6:50am.  Such a long day for kids.  

I do love seeing the school buses, and watching them slowly ramble past barns and fields and pastures – numb or not, I smiled with the one half of my face that was functioning.

The bus turned off, and I was free and clear all the way to the cabin.

(I just love seeing barns surrounded by hills and blue sky!)

Did you see that we have a Quilty Box Gift-Away happening on Monday’s post?  Head on over there to enter to win – it’s a great one with some gorgeous fabrics, and more! 

Drawing to happen on Saturday. You’ve got to be in it to win it, and you will want to win it!

I’ll be here at the Quiltville Post Office working on place mats until noon when it is time to head to the dentist – hopefully this won’t require ANY more numb, and I’ll be back later in the afternoon to pick up where I left off.

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Vintage string quilt found in North Carolina.

The best advice for a Thursday (or any day!) out there! But you have to start where you are to get it going.

Where will you start today?

Have a great day, everyone!