current state of affairs in my sewing world

Usually I will edit out a lot of the "mess" or "creative chaos" if you prefer in my sewing room. Not this time! I was up until 1 am last night playing. Keep in mind, I started the day by being up at 6 a.m. to walk Zoe our boxer girl and generally wake up so I could be ten miles away at 8 a.m. taking a longarm quilting class. It was a totally fun three hour time and I have booked time on the 15th to go back and quilt on some tops.
I was taught the basics of using a ruler,using the laser light for pantos, using the circle lord template for baptist fans (woohoo!!!!!) and then - of course- I was turned loose for free motion play. It's not the first time I have quilted on a longarm- but it was the first time I had so much explained and demo'd for me. After that I drove the half mile over to play with my granddaughter, who was napping-so I visited with the kids until she woke up and had some quality nona time-in fact, she actually called me by that name! It is a red letter day when your grandbaby not only recognizes you-but calls you by name. I have now joined the ranks of mama and dada in her verbal world.
So...on the way home I grocery shopped (we do need to eat) and was pretty inspired to get into the sewing room. I did not get to my January plan of a personal project, but, on the right is the start of it now. Those are flannels I fell in love with years ago-a blow out sale and I bought plenty-trying to pick up enough go with colors to play with. The larger print will be border - however, I want to use it as part of something between those rows of blocks...I am waiting for further inspiration...I have a few ideas...but at 10.5 inches I think by itself it would be too much with those size blocks...what to do, what to do? I have a brighter yellow, but I really feel it would be too much , though I may try the same size strips as in the blocks and see how it looks. that might work...worth a shot anyway. This is going to be kingsize when it's done and very snuggly.
A flannel quilt for me on the huge size *vbg*. So, that's one project on the go and a follow through on my personal project from January-0nly a few days into February. The other project - swap blocks I found from 1999!!! It was my first year jumping back into quilting via the internet. I was new online and after quite a few years new back into quilting. I joined a list and did a few swaps. I had no idea what to do with these blocks so they lived in their envelope all this time. As I am determined to sew up this type of stuff in here-up they went on the design wall and as you can see- I now have half a top done with them. I now know how to handle not quite the same size blocks and just trimmed them enough for straight edges to work with. These will become a wraptheminlove quilt- except for the cowboy kitty jar block. See it up on top? My sweetie says that one is a keeper. Great, and what am I supposed to do with this one block? Right, that's my problem/challenge- thanks honey! It graduates to the special stack of orphan blocks/one piece inspiration fabric waiting for....their turn. I did make a yummy beef stew during all this storm of cutting and piecing and trimming and pressing and stitching. And, I switched the Bernina out for the Janome. Getting the platform it sits on to be the right height is a royal pain! I have re-marked my line up line in the hopes that next time-it won't take so long...but it is really not geared for changing easily-which is why I stick to one machine in it for quite a while. I have a lot of quilting to start on and this is the dsm for the job. The tops going with me for playing on the longarm are ones from years ago that have been waiting their turn.(in the closet) These were tops given to me by a dear friend and too large for me to tackle on my dsm. It will be great to get them out of the closet! Beneath the jumble of flannel fabrics on the floor is a large plastic bag filled with pillowcase fabric to match our 2000 quilt. And on the sewing table under flannel strips? Christmas charm squares waiting their turn. I also have string blocks I am using for leader/enders to the two current projects on the design wall- once I have enough they will go up where the jars are. And, also on the design wall is another orphan block-leftover from making them as part of a small group project I was in a few years ago. I really liked the block and plan on making a bunch...one day. I also have what I believe to be my last set of swap blocks sitting on the sewing table too. They too will have their turn!
It's Sunday Super Bowl today, but, I will spend most of the day over at the lqs stitching with my charity group on the jar top and generally having fun visiting. Home by 3:30 p.m. to catch up on stuff around here that is NOT quilty which I ignored yesterday. I always wish the weekend had three days in it, don't you?