sew. sew. sew

First you cut, cut, cut.....and then you chain yourself to the sewing machine and sew like crazy, LOL.

At left, the Gordian Knot from my quilt class. When I stopped sewing on Saturday with two halves of the top. (it's on point) That elongated rail section is the last piece to be added when you go back to finish off the partial seams. Today's goal is to finish this top up.

Pattern source: Gordian Knot designed by Mary Whitehead. Our teacher said Mrs. Whitehead had drawn up the designs before her passing but died before she could include the assembly instructions. The teacher spent 4 years figuring out how THAT part was done for the 9 designs. This is knot #1.

I started this pile of Triple Rail blocks on Thursday using scraps from the Belles scrappy challenge container. By Sunday afternoon I counted them up while I pressed the final seams-- 80 blocks separated out by color groupings. I had some left (22) from my last quilt of this type. Just how many did I need for straight sets anyway? I made 8 more, LOL. Depending on whether I want a border or not it would take 77 or 108. A whole quilt hiding in that little scrap box, in other words! Some of the "singletons" are sewn up as well into 4 Ashcombe panels. It is the equivalent of two blocks worth if I cut a center strip to assemble them. I set this all aside for a meeting sewing project.


I showed you the two bands that could be for either RR crossing of Grandmother's Scrap Bag on Friday. Since that post, I made a total of 8- 3-D bowties blocks. A few are on the design wall. I need 35 for an on point set and have a total of 12 on hand.

I also made 2-Puss in the Corner blocks from the nickel squares. The Belles and I made a ton of these blocks using the Billie Lauder Quick Trick method for uneven nine patches. I had to refresh my memory on how to do it, LOL.



And then I finished off the evening by making some string blocks. Had I hit my own scrap basket a bit more, I could have kept stitching for days but these used up most of the odd bits from the Belles Challenge scrap box---plus some longer strips from my 1 1/2 cuts to cover the longest required lengths.

Obviously I will need quite a bit more of these. 35 total blocks if I just sash and cornerstone them. BUT I am considering treating them as a HST and making a "Kitchen Sink" version. I could have sworn that I had a picture on the blog of one of those but can't locate it now to link back. Guess you will just have till I find one of my mom's in the WTIL gallery pages or an old Belles version from the photo archives.

Because we are about to turn the calendar page on the month of February, I swapped out the wall hangings and seasonal decorations this morning. I think the March Joined at the Hip (JATH) quilt of the month should be next on my reward list along with a completion of the Spring "In Season" quilt!! For the base unit of the JATH can hang up there naked, LOL.

It is hard not think it is spring already when we had an overnight low of 62 degrees, albeit with rain and storms on the way in sometime today. The daffodils have been out for a week and the neighborhood Bradford Pears are opening up like popcorn. I have seen a few tulip trees out on my drive into town as well. Our camellia bush will be next provided we don't get the beginning blooms zapped by a late winter frost.

So the Gordian Knot finish is today's project. Then I want to swap out machines and start something else. Even though I want to do those two reward projects I just mentioned, Sheila and I are sort of challenging each other to start on the 4 patch diagonal chain quilt I showed HERE. We have been emailing back and forth about it. She will hit some squares she had set back for this quilt and I will hit the nickel squares with a goal of donation sized quilt for me.

The birthday girl FAB also has a plan for us to sew for her bday party. It would use 2 1/2 inch strips and we would do the Jelly Roll 1600 race, I guess. Date has not been set but I DO have a pile of the required strip sizes in my Belles scrap box plus an overstuffed container on the shelf that could be raided.

Looks like I am going to be busy--------but that's the way I like it! Hope you find something that captures your attention too.

ongoing sewing

Hey, that title rhymes, LOL.

I started sewing a bit from the Belles challenge scraps last night. Actually I was sewing in part to make sure the Jem was going to behave before I drag it off to class in Pell City tomorrow. ( I had some tension issues the last time I used it. ) Mostly I wanted to make a dent in that little bin since it has a lot of little things planned for it---see the label on the little bin, LOL. After a few days of cutting, I was ready to sew!

Rail blocks seemed to be the easiest to start with. It takes a lot of blocks to make enough for a top since they finish at 4.5 inches hence the "ongoing sewing". I have blocks leftover from the last quilt I made for a jump start on the next one. I am thinking this time I will do straight sets rather than on point with a heart pieced in.

Bowtie blocks are also another ongoing project around here. I have a whole container set aside for that purpose---3D type and the diagonal corner method. Again, there are a few leftover from the last tops I did . Funny, but I didn't really cut that many 3.5 inch squares this time around. I had pulled a lot of possible strips from a larger bin when I cut for the Twin Sisters the other day. I saw it as an opportunity to straighten out the contents and I cut up some of the short pieces, etc. Some bits did land in the bowtie container but I recognize a few of the fabrics as challenge fabrics or from my own scrap bag. For continuity I tend to use the same color background throughout but I really would not have to---maybe next time.

Since I have been making the rails with pairs of strips, what do you do with the singletons? The stack you see next to the machine are the one that mate up with that pile of blocks in progress. Singletons, are grouped in another pile for now. I did piece two bands though that you see above. I trimmed down the one you see on the cutting mat from the original 5 inch width to 3.5. Those can be used for a Miss Rosie's "Grandma's Scrap Bag" or RR crossing bands. Ongoing sewing.

BUT I also have a plan for another of Miss Rosie's patterns called " Ashcombe". To see what those two patterns look like, visit the Miss Rosie's Quilt Company site HERE and then do a ctrl+F and type in the quilt name---then click on "view patterns". I own the pattern but drew it up in EQ to re-size the blocks to use my available strip size (I have a boat load of 2 inch strips to use up!!) and see just how many blocks I need for the project to make one Wrap 'Em size. Drawing in EQ allows me to produce a printout to count up do my calculations for setting triangles etc. Generally I mark up rather than mark up the pattern pages itself and then file it away in my donation quilt notebook for future reference.

I told you about the nickel squares plan the other day---that 4 patch diagonal chain (or whatever it is called) or Puss in the Corner, Billie Lauder style. I just didn't get any of those sewn yesterday for examples. Maybe those will be a "design wall Monday" fodder, LOL. I just have to remember which machine I used when I do this for consistent seam allowances. Maybe ALL ongoing projects should be designated to the Jem, in that case.

We had a storm blow thru last night after midnight. There was some risk for damaging straight line winds and one point around 1 in the morning we were under tornado watch then warnings. The weather radio sounded three times and the outside sirens, twice. As much as you would like to complain about that, it is foolish to just shut it off since it there for our protection. No one got much sleep early on, just sayin'. Skyler gets a little hyper. DJ says there was 1.6 inches of much needed rain in our rain gauge and we did have a fair amount of wind along with it. Our power stayed on though others may not have been so lucky. I never did hear/see any lightning or thunder for being under a severe t-storm warning. Sun's out this morning--and I'll get my walking in.

And that is how it goes around here-------hope you get some sewing in this weekend!

WIP Weds, wk 9/yesterday's meeting

Cutting and kitting again!

I finished quilting my Kitty "Leap Frog" Monday evening and could have worked on the binding at the quilt meeting yesterday. You know I didn't since you know how I feel about binding, LOL. Instead, I cut the two kit bags you see on the top middle and right, the fall-ish colored stuff from mostly challenge fabrics. It all kinda- sorta went together but the quilting pals made some suggestions and even handed me a good "go-with" that Linda C had just placed in the donation fabric.

The one on the right will be a staggered bricks quilt. I was minus one yellow-y olive green strip that I needed to complete the kit but found three possibles in my stash here at home and cut up what I had left. There are some loose 4 1/2 inch strips in there from what I was able to squeeze out that might end up a Snuggle Up down the line, depending on what remains when I am done with the Bricks idea.

The middle one uses a large scale fall print from the Belles scrap bag challenge and some yardage that Ellen the head honcho at WTIL sent me in fall leaves. Seems perfect together, color and theme-wise, right? I plan on making either a two color Snuggle Up or I am leaning toward using Billie Lauder's method of Uneven Nine Patch (Puss in the Corner) in a positive-negative arrangement. I have done that before though I cannot find the quilt now that I am looking for it---see the EQ printout HERE above my cutting table to get an idea of what I meant.

The other bag---I had most of that one cut out before but was missing a few of the aqua-ish squares and had not cut the setting triangles or binding----till this morning, that is. It will be large 4 patches on point in a sort of zigzag set. It features some leftover oriental prints from Judy J's personal project a few years back. I just needed to match the Kaufman fusion print and get the background, and dig in my stash for a pink to make this happen. I don't know how well you can see the printout in the project bag but it will look somewhat like the quilt seen HERE in this post.

The other piles----Linda C had left a bunch of semi-pieced together 5 inch squares in the donation bin. I checked with her first that she meant to be giving these away to whoever felt like doing something with them. I un-sewed them last night and cut up a bunch of background squares.

The plan here is to use Billie Lauder's method of 4 patches (twofer) for the nickels to make the quilt at left. I don't know the name but it was on the stashbuster list some time back. Anyone know??? I have been calling it Diagonal Irish Chain. The other thought is: if I have doubles of some colors, they might be Puss in the Corner blocks. Can always trim them down from 5 inch to 3.5 for bow ties as well.

At the meeting, we also discussed some ideas for a large piece of a Oriental print from the scrap challenge though I will need to dig up some go-with's before that happens. You know how quilters feed off each other and the creative ideas start flying!Linda C and Lois were layering backings and tops so the stash at the church was getting hit up---good! That is what is there for! Some will need to be pieced so we didn't drag out the cutting tables.

Janet was sewing borders on a cute Christmas wall hanging and Beverly, binding her Romance Patience Corner. Since we are all looking for scrappy quilt ideas, we were looking thru the photo albums and notebooks for ideas again. Judy Martin's previous BOM Zippers was one that struck their fancy. And the Patience Corner---we had done that years ago as a pro bono mystery quilt from Judy Hopkins (she called it Block Aid) but a couple of the girls were not with us and were not familiar with the pattern. I see there is a link for it online on the Marsha McCloskey page about Judy Hopkins page--scroll down a bit. I had to right click and save file to get that to open but you might have better luck since I recently upgraded Adobe Reader.

Lastly, this pile is destined to be an Eleanor Burn's style Twin Sisters top but I need to pull the contrasting fabric to pair them with. I found this grouping of fabrics last night when I was looking for something else. Lois has made several of these but I haven't tried it yet. I may cut the strips a little bigger than she calls for at 3 1/2 ( instead of 2 1/2) as those blocks are fairly small. The alphabet print will be the border, the gold the sashing--maybe. I have a feeling it is going to end up in the body of the quilt as it is too bright NOT to. LOL, I even have binding leftover from whatever quilt I made before.

So that is how the creative bent is going this morning. If I still feel like cutting, I brought home a small tote from the meeting place that I am not sure that needs some attention, re-cutting or something as it can't be used as it is. It would be ready to grab and sew at the meeting place since I always have a machine in the car and some sewing supplies with me. BUT for right now, it is time for me to head out to the kitchen and put on a pot of pasta fagioli for our lunch unless it morphs into another idea before I get there. See? I change my mind about cooking too, LOL.

checking in

Just a bit ago DJ asked me what I have planned for the day. I am finding it particularly difficult to get motivated today since I am going on only 3 1/2 hrs of sleep for the 2nd night in a row. Hate that! DJ and Skyler are both morning "people" so no way are they going to let me crawl back in bed and try to cop some zzzz's anytime after 7 a.m.

You try to put everything out of your mind so you CAN sleep but sometimes thoughts keep coming unbidden. That block at left is part of what I was thinking about in the wee small hours of the night. I need to make a 3 inch finished friendship with a half inch finished frame around it for a name tag for the Pell City Quilt group at some point. I want to foundation piece it so I eliminated a few lines when I drew it up in EQ. To me, this is spinning backwards but that is their insignia, being the Friendship Quilters. I should have just gotten up at 230 and drawn the darned thing instead of thinking about "what size did she say we were supposed to make?" I have a Gordian Knot class scheduled on Saturday with the guild but I think I can either fork over the quarter for NOT having a name tag OR use my old one for this trip anyway. I am not sure where you are supposed to be embroidering or inking in your name (continuity needed for the quilt show in the fall.)

This is what I am actually working on --well, Friday and Saturday anyway. I took Sunday off except for marking the top's 8 inch squares. I finally decided to go with a sitting cat shape and the shape of a cat's face alternately. I found the shapes in my foundation piecing software, printed them off, scanned them to re-size and then printed it up to the size I wanted to fill the block. All that remained was to transfer to thick template plastic and mark around them. I'll set up to quilt the blocks this afternoon---after lunch and a couple errands are run.

The pattern itself is called "Leap Frog" but only because of the fabric the designer used to make it--found in McCall's "Quick Quilts" May 2001. Cher brought the pattern to the Belles attention when she came to Alabama from her Oregon home for one of the groups Sew-In's way back when. I re-sized the blocks to use this fun cat prints and some of the go-with's gifted to me from my pal and fellow Bama Belle Linda S. This will finish about 63 x 81. Better yet, it is one less project piled on the armoire when finished!


I did a little baking this morning to use up some ripe bananas. These are Banana and Cream Chocolate Chip Muffins from the Taste of Home site. I prefer to make jumbo ones and then DJ and I split one for "coffee break" time around 10. We don't do this every day even when we do have something on hand in the freezer. He is just as happy with a piece of toast and I try to hold out till lunch most days. Pretty good actually in spite of my mis-measuring the liquid. It calls for a 1/4 cup of 2% milk and 1/4 of sour cream. I was talking to DJ at the time and poured a 1/2 cup into the batter so all milk it was! The mini chocolate chips added just the right hint of chocolate so I don't think I would eliminate that part from the recipe. I don't know how they will freeze with that dab of cream cheese (fat free version) in the middle. Guess I will find out!

And lastly, here is Skyler in play mode---at that point he was pushing off the couch back with his paws and about to take off running. His toys are there and they might get a token pawing but mostly he just wants to run at top speed up and down the hall using the couch for a launching pad.

The weather is staying reasonably warm---highs in the 60's and even close to 70 by our thermometer. I figured if it is going to stay that warm I can resume a walking schedule. Even if it cools off again, and it will, I can get back in the habit and adjust the time I go. I am breaking into it easily so I don't aggravate my back, hips or knees. Just a mile every other day for a week or two and gradually increase my rate and add a lap or two as we go along up to 2.5 miles/5 days a week.

Soon we will be changing the clocks to Daylight Savings Time (hate it! and how exactly does that save energy????) and it be spring by the calendar anyway. DJ said we have a daffodil open this morning so I will be sure to check that out when I get ready to roll on outta here on my errands.

I have quilt group tomorrow so will need to pack up for that-------hope you are having a good day and thanks for stopping by.

a finish

..........well, actually two finishes but I can't show you one of them till later in the month.

Shown, Christmas log cabin circa 2000 something as I just took the last stitches in the binding a few minutes ago. I quilted it in late December. I had a little more than half of the binding done last month but got back to it today. Learned my lesson on one thing on this project: I had used a sheet on the back which makes for a seamless backing but it was not easy to needle especially where I had the extra thickness of a hanging sleeve at the top. My fingers are a little needle bruised so I think I will switch to quilting one of those pinned tops tomorrow. I am guessing it will be my cat leap frog, last seen HERE in Sept 06 when the top was completed. Antiqued enough, you say?? What to put in that large open square--shape of a cat's head?? I think I can find a model around here somewhere.

NOT shown a FAB birthday challenge piece from the Joined at the Hip Button Up collection. That was my Wednesday project. It is okay to say that much, LOL. I told her to give me a choice between two that she liked and I would make her one of them. Yeah, she knows what but not which one till she opens it.

checking in

LOL, this post will not fit either the design wall Monday or WIP Weds protocols. I have been busy here in the sewing room since I last posted but just don't have a whole lot I can show you.

The base for the "In Seasons" Spring piece was sewn. Machine applique was done on the FAB birthday piece with the deadline coming up by month's end. February JATH QOM is stalled out for now. I may jump ahead to March and finish February up later since this month is half gone now. For now the January snow man is still hanging and I'm cool with that.

Saturday I spent a big part of the day cutting my way through a stuffed to the brim grocery bag of scraps for the Belles scrappy challenge. My bag(s) contained a stack of some yardage that I didn't want to slice down yet as there were some piecing possibilities for some of it so I attacked the true scrap stuff. You know the drill--whatever you can squeeze out of the piece.

It turned out to be: 3 inch squares for an existing project in the storage drawers, 2.5 inch squares and strips, 2 inch x 3.5 and 5 inch for other scrappy projects and 2 inch strips. I also cut 5 inch squares if I could get them out and "true" strings--1 1/2 and up strips. In the end I got the stuffed grocery bag cut and contained in a 13 x 7 x 4 shoe box styled container. At least I have a better idea of what I have to work with now and can proceed with a couple of ideas for it over time. Actually you can see a bit of one of those ideas in the picture below---hanging on the hook above my work space for inspiration, LOL.

Here is the aforementioned FAB piece ready to quilt. Batting was pieced and I managed to pin it here at home. I did not think I had enough 505 on hand to spray baste it but this worked out okay since the piece is long but narrow. I did the "honors" on it yesterday but a search for thread to match the binding will continue today. (It isn't green and it isn't blue so nothing I have on hand will really work---odd color!)

In between I did a little of the redwork cornerstones stitching on my long time Bird Brain Santa project. I think I have 7 of those itty bitty motifs done now---13 to go??

Sunday DJ awoke about 0515 to the furnace making some racket and then a hot, burning smell. The whole unit had be replaced almost 10 years exactly 10 years ago. To complaints about "what next?" and "why does stuff like this always happen on the weekend?" we shut it off. No way was there anyone who was going to come out on a Sunday but he made the call to the answering service anyway.

Thankfully the house remained fairly warm as the outside temps hit the high 50's. We did okay till Sunday early morning hours but in bed, under covers, it was fairly cozy. The guy from the heating/air conditioning firm came about 930 Monday. He replaced the burnt out starting capacitor and removed a small sponge that had managed to get into the blower wheel. We don't have a clue how that got in there as 1) we don't own any sponges like that 2) he never used one around the grate in the first place. Weird! Hey, maybe those ants that shorted out the a/c part of the unit a few years back drug it in with them??

We didn't do anything special for Valentine's Day. Our anniversary in late January is far more important to us and that is what we chose to celebrate. When we were still single, yeah, cards were exchanged, flowers given and special dinner out. We just did all that about two weeks ago!

Today's plan: thread hunt shopping run and hand finishing binding. Maybe some more of it after this project is done too. I really, really want that stack on the armoire dealt with, once and for all. Two quilts are waiting for binding finish---that twin/lap sized Christmas log cabin which I have at least started and my queen sized Daisy Chain. And if I don't want to bind or my fingers need a rest, there are two smaller tops to quilt and 7 blocks of a full sized one to finish quilting. I will be due a BIG reward project when all that is done! I will have the illusion of being caught up anyway, if only I don't think about the tops waiting to be pinned in my closet, LOL.

THX for stopping by and hope you have a wonderful day in whatever you chose to do--------

WIP Weds

Other than making a pile of binding, there is not a whole lot going on here today creatively. I AM preparing to mail two boxes of quilts off to Wrap Them in Love Headquarters. including the two tops I made last weekend.

Normally we only send in finished, ready to ship out quilts but Ellen had indicated that the shelves were pretty low right now after she had prepared a large shipment for a site in South America. I have put a moratorium on my pinning anything more to quilt till that pile on my armoire is dealt with. If she didn't mind quilting these two, she could have them a whole lot sooner than if I had to do it. (She has a long arm at the shop. ) After some back and forth emails she said to pop them in the box and she would do the honors.


So there is the aforementioned pile of binding about to be pressed. The project bag is my FAB birthday present for later in the month---I was basting down some of the elements of the design at the quilt meeting yesterday. The stack of fabrics? All fallish themed stuff---some Ellen sent recently, some from the stash, some from the various challenges I have going on right now. I think they may pair up well for On the Boardwalk or possibly Snuggle Up but I want to think on it a bit first.

We may get 2-3 inches of snow again tonight in evening and overnight hours. Maybe some ice if the project path is further north than they think. SO any errands that need running will be done today, just in case. I need some mailing supplies as those two quilt boxes aren't the only thing that needs to go out and a few grocery odds and ends. No, I am not going for the "milk, bread and eggs" that you usually hear mentioned when a winter weather situation occurs, LOL. Typical of me, I have changed the menu plans a bit and now am missing an ingredient or two but that happens. I will happily stay home and applique my gift piece after that. Gonna be cute!

tada---#7 11n11

#7 11n11, PIF challenge flimsy completed

today's goals

This is where I left off last night with #7 of 11n11 and the sewing weekend---all the strip sets are done. The pattern is The Craftsman Quilt from the Quiltwoman.com site and like the one I did over the last two days, designed by Anne Wiens. Basically the same fabrics, plus 1 since I didn't have extra of the focus fabric to use.

SO since all my grocery errands are run, menu planned for the week, frozen stuff pulled out to thaw, etc I am ready to put this puppy's borders together and finish up the top.






This is who has greeted me when I have headed back and forth from the kitchen for the last 10 minutes. I do not have a clue what he wants and he won't tell ME. DJ had left to help someone next door so he might be hoping he will come back soon. Who knows??



And look what has just come up in our back yard---yellow crocuses. There is a bunch more but I just focuses on this clump. We also have some purple ones planted but the yellows always arrive first.

Well, the quilt top will not sew itself so I guess I better get to creating! Tomorrow I hope to switch gears and go back to the pieced and appliqued birthday project. But it has been sewing the last few days too.

I'll post the finished top in a bit----------

#6 of 11n11

Finished to flimsy #6 and part of the "Pay It Forward" challenge as well. Some of the WTIL list group is working together this weekend to see what we can get done.

Center panel from fabric from Over the Rainbow and rest from my stash. I know it looks kind of dead out on the edge but it will be bound in the same blue as the sashing.

Moving on to #7 from the same fabrics but different pattern.

Note cat chewing on hanging down string? That little booger boy!

Design Wall Friday?

Or today's project, LOL. The base for the SPRING Nancy Halvorsen seasonal wallhanging from her "In Seasons" book.

I figured while I was cutting I would get that rolling too---even though I still have a February QOM and a birthday present to finish first.

I pulled some of the applique motif stuff and that is what you see hanging around the periphery. That and some pieces I cut to audition on the base. Live with it a bit before I sew it.



And this is what the one on the book looks like. My borders will not be so olive green in color. I can't begin to replicate those fabrics in the first place but it is fun to raid the plaid and strips box anyway.

Once I get the base assembled I plan on starting one of the kits---Right Angles featuring a girl's sports fabric Red Rooster's Sports World. Stay tuned, LOL!

It is pouring down rain and the temps are just a little above freezing. I'm crossing my fingers that my car doors don't freeze up again or the roads get icy and cause havoc for those who have to drive in it.

still at it---designing, cutting

Yesterday's cutting output at left.

Clockwise from upper left, the go-with's for Lyn Brown's Cypress Quilt (leftovers from Mom). Some old Debbie Mumm animal print will show up there.

Upper right---whatever it was intended to be, it is now cut up and re-purposed for a Naptime though not near as fun and bright fabric as I cut up. No clue as to where it originated.

Lower right---Prairie Window but I am not going to do an outer border. Shells fabric from the BB challenge. Not sure where the stripe is from but I found a use for it and whacked up some old yardage from my stash that looks a lot like wet sand color.

Lower left, BQ 1 the half sized version. The focus fabric is some of the Over the Rainbow PIF challenge fabric. The red dot is donation fabric though I am not sure about the source. It may have been in the BB challenge, not sure. It was not a purchase I made though.

This is what I am supposed to be cutting for today but I have gotten a little sidetracked drawing in EQ, etc. I am taking a Gordian Knot class as part of the Friendship Quilter's sew-in later in the month. The instructor has indicated that there will be no time to cut in class so we are to cut and label what we need ahead of time. 16 bags worth---and I needed to go get some ziploc bags for that purpose 1st. Other than cutting some fabric that has not arrived yet for one of the kit bags, this is probably going to be the end of the cutting binge till I am ready to trim down the cut pieces in my Belles scrap challenge bag.

To that end I was considering more what to do with some of those strips and scraps. Printouts were compiled from my clippings files, computer and otherwise.

Tomorrow I believe I will set up to sew and get a jump start on the WTIL sewing weekend. LOL, no shortage of things to pick from, with all the organizing I have been doing.


I had to laugh at DJ and Skyler this morning. DJ was practicing his putting on the living room rug. Skyler was flopped on the "green" and impeding progress. At one point he was playing with the golf ball as he would his puff balls or catnip mouse but it didn't scratch up as well OR fit his mouth.

It looks like we have snow flurries dropping. A little earlier, it was sleeting. The temperatures are right at the freezer mark but I don't think much of anything is expected. Nothing like what my friends and family in the Midwest have had to deal with, that's for sure!

That's it for now------busy girl this week!

cutting and kitting

I guess today's post is cross between Design Wall Monday and WIP Weds, LOL. You have to cut and kit before you can do either of those posts.

I've been busy today and will probably still be at it tomorrow. Pressing fabric in preparation to cut, calculating if I have enough yardage, debating on which background to use for another project bag.

Yesterday I had gone thru a former project bag and decided there was no way on God's green earth that I wanted to complete the original project plan. Actually I already had switched gears once on it. Originally it was a millenium quilt from Patchwork Studio, 12 blocks with alternating chaining blocks. I did 6 of pieced blocks, enough of the chaining blocks and cleverly called the quilt "500 Years"---perfect size for a donation quilt. BUT I had a good bit of WOW that could be re-purposed and the two leftover blocks can go in an abandoned block top later.

So this morning, I put that WOW to use. I need a fresh project to work on for the WTIL sewing day on Saturday so I started out by cutting a Right Angles top using the large figured "Sports World" fabric from Red Rooster. The yardage was part of my "Pay it Forward" challenge from Over the Rainbow. Since I am doing the crib sized version, I found that I had enough leftover from my panel type cut for the quilt center. Should I make another one just like this or try another pattern? I think YOU know, LOL.

I had enough of the "go-with's" if I substituted a different white fabric. If I swapped out the sashing colors, I could try the Craftsman top. Not having a coordinating fabric that goes in the bits around the cornerstones, I dug around in the blue and green bins auditioning fabrics. I was able to squeeze out what I need from a bright green piece but will have to piece the strips. No biggie. If it was good enough for my quilting foremothers, it will work fine for me.

Next up, I have a pile of 5 inch oriental type print squares that one of the Belles donated some time back. I decided on a 4 patch on point, framed or maybe not framed, that will be similar to the one shown HERE. I guess that makes it technically a 4 patch strippie with a half drop block between. I never did find the EQ file where I had drawn it up the first time around so started from scratch. Originally I had thought maybe that pile would become a Jewel Box quilt but I like this idea too. I am not sure if I will go with a soft creamy yellow background or a soft pink. Also I had to order a bit of fabric for it that will be here in a few days. I'll decide once the blocks are together.

Lastly I cut out a donation sized Prairie Stroll (Quiltmaker #81 Sept/Oct. 01) using some of the fabrics someone had shared with my mom when the owner had to be permanently admitted to a long term care facility a few years back. Mom and I spent a few days pairing up fabrics for various quilt projects when I was home on a visit a few years back. I got part of the yardage after that, what didn't come back with me at the time.

I still have a couple more piles of fabric to cut thru---one will become a On the Boardwalk once Pam sends me some red cobblestone kit fabric. Those are words I never though I would say but it works with that leftover lunch box fabric. Another stack, I am considering for Diane Weber's Big Block Bargello .

I'll think I will call it quits tonight after I find something to use on the Cypress kit that my mom just sent.....and/or cut out a Naptime top. Good thing I made myself a list to keep me on track!