Machine Quilting in the Summer

The heat, humidity, and rain of summer have arrived. I returned from my quilting break and have been quilting away, but not getting any projects finished. I have already started 5 new quilts this year (okay, I just revised that number upwards twice, there are always more projects than I think there are), 2 of which are now finished quilt tops. Then I decided I need to get some more machine quilting done, because even though I worked hard to finish several quilts last fall/winter, I still had 4 basted quilts sitting in the closet after the Christmas quilting rush. I started with a scrappy charity quilt that someone else pieced and I agreed to quilt last fall (no pictures of that one). Then I pulled out this extremely red quilt with little 3-inch spool blocks.

I finished quilting and binding the red spools quilt, but haven't finished sewing the hanging sleeve on the back so I'm waiting to get a good full picture of it. I also finished quilting this quilt that I call 'Canyonlands.' I love the colors on this one.

I need to start hand-sewing the binding on the Canyonlands quilt, and then sew on the label and hanging sleeve. I have been basting quilts as I quilt them (I have a limited amount of the safety pins I use for basting, so as I remove them while machine quilting one quilt I can baste the next one). But even when I machine quilt 3 or 4 in a row, I never quite catch up! I got a little crazy with dresden plate blocks--I made a set last fall, and then I cut more this spring to use as an easy, portable hand applique project to take to sit-and-stitch groups. I sewed some into a quilt top that I started quilting last weekend, but I cut out even more blocks over the weekend, so there will definitely be another dresden plate quilt in my future.