Round and Square

 If you have never tried a 'in the hoop' sewing project, this month's Creative Machine Embroidery has a very cute chapstick keychain idea!  I cut out piles of coordinating fabrics with the bit of ribbon and hair elastic for a closure to assemble....you guessed it, in the hoop!

 I removed basting stitches and carefully removed the finished embroidery each time...

 so I left a hole but did not disturb the whole piece of stabilizer.

 This way, I just added a piece to cover the hole and then made the next one....

 I did this over and over this week!  By cutting them out with pinking shears, I also cut out the curves so they require no 'clipping the curves'!

 This is a view of the hair elastic placement after the pocked has been basted in place.

Then the top fabric goes on the whole thing right side down and it stitches leaving an opening for turning.

Thankful I remembered to use my tube turners because trying to turn the first few without it was a misery!  (made worse by the diminished hand strength!)  I cannot tell you have many hours this tool has saved me!

 After poking all my corners and sewing on the button-voila!

I just kept making them ....

 and making them.......

until I had enough for all the kids at church!

I also have enough eyeglasses for all the ladies, too!

 I finished the grout on the last windowsill!!!!!  

When it was dried this morning, I put all the decoration back in place and smiled!

 The quilt is getting near the finish line!  If I stop playing with other things, I will get back to it!

 I made a loaf of banana bread with some of our own bananas....this is an experiment in using whole wheat and and the bread machine.  I must admit-it turned our yummy!

This is what kept me busy today!  The top and focal point of our chimney outside on the porch!
(No, the chimney is not crooked, the photographer is leaning from exhaustion!  lol