update

I can't believe it's mid April already. I have been so busy with school. School is going well. Finals are the first week of May and then I'm done for all of a week :-). I'm taking two summer classes: each meets two nights a week for 8 weeks. It will be a long start to my summer, but will so be worth it because I'll be able to take 3 classes each semester next year and finish next May :-).

I'm looking forward to a quilt retreat in a week and a half. It's a Friday - Sunday retreat in Palestine, OH (west of Dayton, North of Cincinnati). The organizer works at the quilt store I frequent in Cincinnati. The retreat is a fundraiser for St. Jude'S Children's Hospital in Memphis. A portion of our fee goes to them as well as any class fees. I believe there will be some other fund-raising or maybe charity quilting while we're there - I'm not sure, it's my first time attending.

So the rest of this week/this weekend/beginning of next week I'm working on getting stuff ready to go. So I can focus on sewing I am trying to make up kits of all the projects I want to do. For each project, my goal is to package pre-cut pieces and directions and, if necessary, matching thread, in a Ziploc baggie so all I have to do is pull out a baggie, thread my machine, and off I go :-). I need to get caught up on my Thangles and my other BOM that I'm doing this year. I also need to finish a zoo parade quilt (from Kim Schaefer's book "Quilts, Bibs, Blankies, Oh my", piece a backing for it, and make about a gazillion baby quilts.

Okay, maybe that's a gazillion less one :-). Between church & friends I have 13 or so baby quilts to do (or least to make in my head, lol). That's babies born since February through ones expected in August. I do have some quilts that just need binding that I can use for some of the babies and some tops ready for quilting that can be used for the others. My hope is to get 2 or 3 more tops completed by the end of retreat. I have 5 vacation days to take in May, so I plan on doing lots of quilting then :-). That will hopefully take care of the first batch of babies (February - April)

So my next two weeks consist of cutting, cutting, and a little sewing :-) Then lots of sewing :-).

~QB29