Taking shape

I'm having a bout of quilter's ADD this week.  I'm actively working on these four quilts, going back and forth as the mood strikes.  This means that quilt backs, batting, fabric scraps and sewing paraphernalia litter just about every available surface in the living room and mudroom (aka my sewing room).  There are also a sink full of dishes and an overflowing basket of clean laundry- two loads worth, waiting to be folded.  But what is housework when there's sewing to be done?

Today I think I'll work on Vintage Stars.  The back is pieced:

 
I'm going to try my hand at thread basting this quilt.  It seems like that would go much quicker than pin-basting, and I'll try anything to save my finger tips from getting pricked a hundred times. 

And while I'm shuttling kids to various activities this afternoon, I'll bring along Marcelle.  Progress is slow on the center medallion, which I'm EPP'ing.  After a few false starts where my stitches were showing through the front using a whipstitch, I found Lori's helpful tutorial using the ladder stitch.  The result is much neater for me.

However, sewing and housework both will have to wait.  The little one has decided it's time to put together his large floor puzzle of the United States.

Linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.

On the cutting table

There's a new project on my sewing table.  I should be working on burying loads of knots in this quilt, but after burying about twenty of them, I'm taking a break.  Threading the needle over and over gives me headaches, thanks to presbyopia.  Also, two lines of quilting need to be ripped out and done over. 

So I took out my lovely Rosette yardage and started cutting.  The quilt pattern is from BHG's Antique Quilts and is called Vintage Stars. 

Very unlike me, to cut into newly purchased fabric!  I usually let new prints sit and marinate for a while in the stash.  But I've been wanting to make Vintage Stars for ages, and the stack of Rosette sitting on my sewing table seemed a perfect match.

Now I've got three quilts in progress.  Next week the older kids are back and school, which may or may not mean more sewing time to work on Vintage Stars, 41, and Kieran's brick quilt.  The little guy may be clingy until he adjusts to not having "the Big Kids" at his disposal at all times!  

Linking up to WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.  Go on over and take a look at what others are working on today!