I finished a quilting project!  I used the first four Summer Sampler Series blocks to make myself a 24" square table topper and I just love it.  As I have not attempted free motion quilting yet, I quilted it by following the straight and diagonal lines that appear in each block.  Hand sewing the binding on reminded me how much I love doing it...got to get more of my quilt tops finished up so I can work on the bindings.

Summer Sampler Series Table topper

The majority of the weekend was spent on the soccer field watching my older son play in a tournament and this tournament was notable for two reasons:

They won, which is not unusual but comes after a tough last minute loss in a tournament final two weeks ago but more importantly goalkeeper son played on the field!  For most of his soccer playing life I have been used to seeing at at the end of the field wearing this:

Older son playing goalkeeper - the usual

But due to an usual set of circumstances where the team only had 13 players for their first game on Saturday, my son was on the bench suited up as a field player.  (His team has two goalkeepers and they switch off games.)   I am a cool customer when he is in the goal - I don't worry about him getting hurt or making mistakes which cause goals as I played goalkeeper myself in my younger days.  In the second half I looked over at the bench and saw my son jump up and stand next to the coach - and suddenly a sub was called and he went in as a forward.  

I listen to the Stuff You Missed in Class podcast on a regular basis and was riveted recently by two podcasts both with author David McCullough profiled.  If you are not familiar with David McCullough he wrote 1776, John Adams and the most recently published The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris which I just picked up this morning to begin reading and am now hooked.  It tells the story of Americans who traveled to Paris during the nineteenth century (1830 -1900 to be exact) and how what they learned in Paris and brought back to America helped change our country.

He writes the story chronologically and I'm up to where the various Americans profiled are arriving in Paris and viewing their new surroundings with fresh and almost virginal eyes as cathedrals and buildings are so much larger than what they are used to in their home cities.  But now I have a dilemma:  Once dinner is done and people are in their usual places around this house I have to choose between reading more of The Greater Journey or hand sew the binding on this:

Summer Sampler Series Table Topper

On the soccer field, checking in is a move that offensive players should make when the ball has the possibility of being thrown in to them.  Those strikers/forwards/midfielders should be moving around the field near when the thrower is, in order to field the ball and ultimately score a goal.  A static player is of no use to a thrower as they are unlikely to receive control of the ball.  So what's my point?

I'm checking in by moving around the internet quilting world: sewing/quilting, tweeting, reading blogs, commenting and now posting a blog post.  I'm ready to field the ball and move it down the field to score.  I have not defined what the equivalent of scoring a goal in soccer is to the quilting world, I just know that I want too.

After almost a week of minimal sewing I was able to get back into the swing of things this morning to work on some projects.  My super cute nephew Nick just turned five and so I made him a pillowcase out of San Francisco Giant colors.  My siblings and I were all born in the Bay area and although we were all raised and live in Southern California, they remain die hard SF Giant and SF 49er fans.

Pillowcase for Nick

Yesterday I listened to Episode #14 of the Crafty Garden Mom podcast and when I was about 10 minutes into the episode, convinced that I needed to let go of the Summer Sampler Series and be happily content with what I had accomplished.  Tanesha of CGM is an excellent speaker (she belongs on NPR) and her pep talk about how we should not be intimated by quilt bloggers whom are very prolific or have skills above and beyond our own and that we should give ourselves a pat on the back for what we ourselves, accomplish.   Her pep talk was just what I needed to move forward.  This morning I sewed the four blocks of the Summer Sampler Series together to make myself the perfect table topper.

Yet to be named table topper with backing fabric on the side.

I joined Twitter!  Come by and follow me at HQSuz so I can follow you back.  

A very happy Tuesday to you all...to those of you sweltering in the heat I feel for you.  I apologize in advance for telling you that here in Southern California we are enjoying perfect weather - it's about 65 degrees with bluebird skies at  8am.  I have a movie date with my boys this afternoon to see HP 7.2  but am compelled to admit that I've not seen HP 7.1.  Now that my boys are older I rarely see movies with my boys anymore so HP 7.1 just passed me by.  A movie I won't be missing in the theater is Coyboys and Aliens - I never pass up a chance to see Daniel Craig on the big screen.

Who's with me ladies?

I finally recorded HQ Episode 11 last night at about 7pm while the house was quiet -well my house was quiet but the dog next door would not stop barking!  Hopefully the barking doesn't come through.   In episode 11 talk about Dowry Quilts, Trousseaus and Hope Chests and I added in what I've been cooking and reading and a whole lot of other quilty goodness.

Here are the details:
My Little Glam Bag - pattern by Pink Sand Beach Designs.

My Little Glam Bag

Summer Sampler Series hosted by Faith of Fresh Lemons Quilts, Lee of Freshly Pieced and Katie of Swim Bike Quilt.  

Long Beach Quilt Festival

It's a well used grill.

Garlic Ciabatta Bread - to die for.

Dinner is served.

First up the giveaway winner:

Debbie who said:

A kindergarten memory I have is of me with a nose in my book on the way to the bus to go home. I ran into a post & pretty much knocked myself out & they had to call my mom! hahaha. Silly but true!

Greek Cross

 

Mosaic

All three together:

I'm off to record HQ Episode #11 ~
Susan

Before I get to a discussion about my 100th post, I need to make a confession...

I caved and joined the Summer Sampler Series hosted by Faith from Fresh Lemons Quilts, Katie from Swim, Bike, Quilt and Lee from Freshly Pieced.   I'm so glad I did!

Summer Sampler Series Block 1

When I think of the number 100, the first thing that pops into my head is memories of my children in Kindergarten: learning 100 site words, counting to 100 and the 100th day of school.  On that 100th day of school the students were required to bring to school a bag full of 100 items.  My older son brought in 100 tiny balls of aluminum foil that he (mostly I) had rolled up.  My younger son went a easier road and chose 100 beads that I had in a craft box - phew!

When I realized that my 100th post was rapidly approaching I remembered back to when my boys were in Kindergarten and how much I enjoyed volunteering in the classrooms, helping out the teachers and being part of a community of other Mother's (and one token Dad!) who had a shared interest in their childrens' schooling.

Blogging in the quilting community feels the same way as those Kindergarten days: a shared interest in something we care about, helping and teaching others.  For my 100th post I am giving away to you, my fellow bloggers and readers in the quilting community plus any new readers/bloggers that stop by:

Eight Fat Quarters of Riley Blake Designs Colorful Christmas Flannels


and

A 36" x 21" Panel of Petal Pushers by Pearl Louse Designs

and a few other goodies I will add at my discretion ~ because I can.

Four chances to win:

• Leave me a comment on any Kindergarten memory.
• Follow!  Leave a comment telling me that you are already a follower or a new one.  
• Tell the world!  Blog, Twitter or FB about this giveaway and leave a comment telling me that you did with the details.  Only one entry for this chance.  
• Listen to my podcast, The History Quilter on iTunes or Podbean and leave a relevant comment about a an episode.