Tuesday's Sewing

Did you vote today?  You're probably tired of being asked.  We, here in Oregon, vote by mail, and so I cast my vote last week.  Now we wait the few remaining hours to find out the results.  Are you as sick to death of the campaign as I am?  Maybe the value of the campaigns as we do them here in the US is that it makes us so glad to have it over with that we're happy no matter what the outcome.  It's a lot like running your sewing machine needle through your finger several times, isn't it?  You'll just be glad when it stops.  But enough of politics.  Here's what I did to pass the time today.

I completed the November block for the Hello Sun QAL.  There is just one block left to go.  I'm curious to see what the suggested setting is going to be.

Then I did something kinda fun.  When Sandy hit the Northeast, I was hoping someone would start up a donation process of some kind.  And someone did!  Leave it to quilters for an outpouring of generosity during times of extreme need.  Vesuviusmama over at My Patchwork Life is collecting blocks to be made into quilts.  You can click on the link to her blog for more information.  She chose the disappearing four patch block and is requesting blocks made from one multi-colored floral fabric and one contrasting solid (or reads-as-solid) fabric.  These go together quickly and easily.  I made two that I'll be putting in tomorrow's mail.

It's a pretty block, and I'm glad to help out even if it is in a small donation.  Won't this block be pretty made up into scrappy quilts?

Then I decided to go ahead and do the Free Motion Quilting Challenge for November.  

This month's tutorial was created by Sarah Vedeler.  It was harder than it looked.  The goal was to make swirls and to change direction.  I've been making swirls in my own free motion quilting attempts, but I haven't previously known how to change direction.  I had a few little problems, but all in all, I think I have the idea.  Rather than go edge to edge, I tried going around and around my little block, getting smaller as I went.  When I got to the center, I kind of ran out of room, and so I tried making a few little ribbons.  It worked out okay.  A couple of times I went the wrong direction as I was coming out of the swirl and ended up crossing over a line.  Obviously, this needs more practice.  Oh, and pay no attention to that black smudge at the upper left corner.  I'm using scraps for this challenge, and that was a failed machine embroidery attempt.  I quilted over the top of it.  

So that's what I did for today.  Tomorrow I'm getting a haircut and then hopefully, I'll have a little more time to sew in the afternoon.  I have several embroidery blocks that need borders put on them.

How did your Tuesday go?