Sit and Sew

Today was our first sit and sew for the year. There was a bit of catching up to do with people who I haven't seen since early December, but I did manage to get some sewing done as well.

Before today I had sixteen blocks assembled, and had sewn one strip of sashing to each block. The other sashing strips were assembled, but I but wanted the chance to spread everything out and look at it before sewing the rest of it together.

After a bit of shuffling of blocks and sashing, by 11:30 I had decided on this arrangement. In the course of actually sewing I discovered a few things I should have rearranged, but it was too late by then.

I got a bit of exercise, as after I sewed each sashing strip to its adjacent block, I walked to the ironing board at the other end of the hall to give it a press. It took me two hours to get all the sashing strips sewn to the blocks, so that the quilt top was in 16 pieces:

From there it took less than half an hour to get the blocks all webbed together:

Now it needs a good press, then three seams to turn it into one piece. I brought it home to work on that. Once that is done I will need to make some decisions about borders.

Bonus magpies:
 

The photo is a bit dark as this was just before sunset this evening. It is the three baby magpies, drinking at the birdbath. It is getting difficult to tell the babies from the adults; they have lost their fluff, and their bills seem to be turning white like an adult's. One nice thing about the babies growing up is that the adults have begun to sing again. They were very quiet during the breeding season, but now they are gracing us with their beautiful calls again.