Final Day Hugs and Kisses Blog Hop

When I heard that the early February blog hop was slated to be something foundation piecing, I signed up.  I love foundation piecing though I know it is not everyone's cup of tea.  This time around Mdm Samm of sew we quilt and Soma of Whims and Fancies put their heads together and came up with three Valentine's themed blocks that participants could purchase for a 5 dollar donation, the proceeds going to two charities.  Details on pattern purchase can be found HERE.

I got a little bit of a late start due to a January donation quilting binge and then my sewing room floor and painting re-do.   I made my 4 blocks in short order and had big plans for them. I was going to replicate one of the Love Stamps and had purchased a 20 inch square wall decal from Stencils and Decals using the shapes for applique template/tracing, borrowing their image here.

Picture this if you will---the foundation pieced blocks would act as cornerstones and it would finish about 40 inches square, a nice table topper size.   I didn't have a whole of the red fabric I wanted to use so my X blocks were pieced a bit creatively and I was saving the longer pieces so I could recreate the stamp perforation.  It would have worked.

Then you know what they say about plans?  The bottom fell out of my world and I lost the love of my life unexpectedly in the early morning hours of February 1st, just days after our 15th anniversary.  His son and I had a funeral to plan and I needed to arrange to get me and DJ back to IL.  I revised my plans to include a tribute to our time together as a couple.  While I feel that one should show a completed project when participating in a hop, it was just not going to happen, in light of the circumstances.  I let Mdm. Samm know what had happened.  She assured me I was not going to land on the dreaded list, LOL.

 So I moved on to plan 2.  I found a lovely heart design in the Readers's Digest  1000 Great Quilting Designs by Luise Roberts.  The book tells you how much percentage to  increase the motif to fit a certain sized block.  I played around in my irfanview software till I arrived at a number that would fit on a 10 1/2 inch finished block.  Then I did it up in redwork even matching the thread to the coral undertones of the two prints I had chosen.

Here it is in the body of the top

I planned to hand quilt this and quilt in the same motif, minus the names adding some fill work around it.  BUT.............I think it looks schizophrenic.   The X's and O's are fun and free wheeling and the redwork just looks out of place.  I will be moving on to Plan 3.  The redwork will come out and find it's own place of honor in our home, I am thinking framed and matted, when completed.  Plain white will go in the center square or I may get some inspiration from what the others have done this round.  I dropped the ball this round for sure.

I was gone for 10 days and did not feel like sewing.  Internet access is limited  at my parents home so I am hopelessly behind in cheerleading my fellow hoppers on.  I'll get caught up over the weekend.  Promise. Meanwhile please stop by and see what today's participants have come up with.   I promise to be in a better frame of mind the next hop I participate in.  The sewing mojo will return.  It always does!  Good therapy too.

Feb 19th

 Lady Bente

iliketoquiltblog

Lady Kristen

meadowbrook

Lady Linda

catsnqlts2

Lady Marcy

Madebymeinred

Lady Susie

SusiesSunroom

Mdm Samm

sewwequilt