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These small cross blocks in two different sizes have been my Leader Enders for a while. They are very easy to piece, and I do them up to this point without even pressing them, so they just seem to fly along.

I made thirty of the smallest ones and set them together in between sewing Sawtooth stars, and then made twelve of the larger ones because that's how many pieces were cut out. Ignore the fact that there's only eleven on the design wall....

I had a plan for the setting them together which involved sewing a narrow strip around each block, which I dutifully did, and laid them out with the rest of the sashing-

And then the blasted things said "NO! We don't want that!"

So it's back to the drawing board. I'm getting sick of these projects that boss me around and tell me what they will and won't have. The Sawtooth Star was sulking about it's border, and now I've decided to give in and let it have the fabric it wants, even though I think it's too 'good' for it. I'm sick of arguing!

At least Pippi appreciates my quilts. She's supposed to be using the tiger striped blanket, the one that's cheap and easy to wash, but obviously the little lap quilt is much more to her liking. It's probably warmer and the floral border suits her, don't you think?

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We had quite a few family commitments on the long weekend, so not as much got done as I thought. But playing card games with the crew and going for walks on the beach with all the dogs was great fun and much more important anyway. 

 I managed to get the Sawtooth Star blocks in one piece, and I'm still trying to find something for the borders, preferably from stash. The hard work is done though, and I want to quilt this one very soon, if I can.

I also began sewing the backing together. I had three leftover stars, so I added bits to make them 10" too and I'm incorporating them into the squares. This goes together so quickly; after sewing piles of 2" pieces these large blocks seem to be finished at the speed of light.

Yesterday was the wettest day we've had this year, it rained all day without stop. I took this as a sign that I needed to stay inside and sew for as long as I could stand it. At her usual walk time Pippi started to get excited, but I explained to her that it was too wet, we'd have to skip the walk today. I continued laying the 4 patches on the design wall, but when I turned around this is what I saw....

Pleeese!!!

I had to actually lift her head up to get the next block out, and then she immediately laid on the pile again..."Want to go for a Walk!!"

"Now?"

After about five minutes of this I gave in and got my coat and we went for a spin down the road. She was so excited to be out in the wet grass, and everything smelled so good she didn't know where to go next. It only took fifteen minutes and I was glad that we went  out- I used to love walking in the rain, but perhaps I'm getting old and like being warm and dry better!

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Woohoo!! It's a long weekend here in Australia and the second lot of washing is spinning in the machine and I've been sewing since seven this morning. I have the first half of the Sawtooth stars in one piece, and various chunks of the second half are on the design wall waiting to be sewn. I want this top finished by the end of today if possible.

I was going to buy two metres of fabric to use as the setting fabric, but I realised I wasn't really in love with this set of blocks. Well, not enough to spend $50 on them! I used the pinky apricot background fabrics because I wanted them out of my stash, not because I liked them, so I probably wasn't starting from a good place anyway. In the spirit of frugality I hunted through my collection of browns and found this ancient piece of material, bought in the very early '80's I think. It was marked down and I bought everything on the roll because I loved it so much.Hmm.... could this be the place to finally use it?

The blocks said "Yes", and the more I thought about it, the more appropriate it seemed. While I still love the fabric, it's very dated and there was certainly enough of it, once I'd raided Keryn's stash and pinched back the metre that I'd given her. I had nibbled away at my piece over the years, but now I've got plenty for the block settings and maybe the border as well. It's a lovely feeling to finally choose a place to use a special fabric, especially one I've been saving for, *gulp* thirty years.

I was so happy to be sewing away with purpose that I started to think about backing fabric, and I remembered these giant four-patches that I started in 2010. They were inspired by an antique quilt backing and used quite a few of my expendable brown pieces when I sewed this lot.

 I pulled them from the drawer and counted them- 52, and I roughly estimated I need 76 for this top. I need more!! So that was a great excuse to cut even more browns up , and now I've got some super mindless sewing to do.

My short attention span coupled with the whole sewing room being covered in nothing but BROWN (even the bloomin' leader ender was brown!) made me unearth a set of little red cross blocks, and I'm setting them together in between sewing  the rows of stars. The red is proving a nice lift to my spirits, and I'm getting another little top together, so I feel doubly virtuous. I haven't started another project yet, but I make no promises that by the end of the holiday Monday there won't  be something new on the design wall.....

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  I've been diligent and sewn together 65 sawtooth stars so far, and I'm Bored!! I want to start something else, but  I'm making myself stick with this project.

I'm soo tempted to relegate these to leader-enders and begin some fascinating new quilt, but I know I'd reach the same stage as this one and want something different. Can we say "short attention span"? So I'll plod on, but I'm looking at magazines and saved photos.....

This is the last piece of the blue leaf fabric, which is so old it's been in my stash forever. I still have it in brown, but the blue is now officially gone.

Likewise this brown repro. These fabrics were so precious when I got them, I only ever nibbled away at them and rationed them out- how awful to use them up entirely! Well I have none left now, although there may be a few bits hiding in the pre cut shapes containers.

 I have enough  points for another ten or so stars, and then I can start setting them together. I was going to make it bigger, but now I think I need to finish this before Total Revolt sets in. I certainly don't need another set of blocks lingering in the cupboard.

 And the tin won't close on these so it's best if I just get the top in one piece...

Here's Pippi in full wrap-up mode. Her head is closest to the bottom of the photo and she's got the blanket tucked well in around her. She's as warm as toast and usually snoring contentedly. The only worry is that she'll hear a car pull up outside or someone knocks at the door. Then she blindly  leaps off the bed barking and shouting warnings, and trailing the blanket out into the hallway. Sometimes with it still over her head...She's clever in some ways and not in others!

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