This and that

Let's see what have I been doing since I last posted??  This and that probably describes it fairly well.  I had a routine doctor's appointment Thursday morning and then met a friend at our meeting place to help him pin a twin sized quilt.  I offered when he mentioned that it was getting too big for his normal basting methodology.   Happy to help him out as no one needs to be crawling around on the floor and killing their knees if I can help it!!

Friday was not a good day for the fuzzy headed.  I thought it was getting better and had talked to the doctor about it the day before.  He seemed to think it might be med effects and possibly my B/P med might be need to be changed if it continued--check my pulse and b/p and see if a pattern emerges.  Well, I was really rocking and rolling.  Gait disturbed more than anything.  I stayed on the couch like a lump.  Thankfully, by Sunday I was able to get back to my walking regime after laying off for the better part of two weeks.  Now stay away, will ya?  Not welcome here!

 I should probably be sewing and specifically sewing Aline's D9P blocks together but I am in a holding pattern before I get any further along than placing the blocks on the "design wall".  She wants it bigger and one way to achieve that is to sash them.  I have some stuff her daughter's sent me--a soft yellow like her small squares and then a light blue for an outer border.  I think maybe too light with the bold teals, greens and purples.  She is still recuperating from her recent injuries and family members are there to help.  Might be wearing her out!  I told her call when she had a few spare minutes for me to run out for a consultation, LOL.

Meanwhile, over the weekend I have been digging around in the closets.  At first it was just to switch some of the long sleeves and jeans around in favor of my summer wardrobe.  Read:  a few things more than bike shorts!

Then I was off on a treasure hunt and looking for quilt backings for some of the recent top finishes.  I thought I had all the Ribbon Candy tops paired up but I forgot one.  I did have some yardage set aside  but initially I thought that it was going for a different top.  I want something else for the binding though.  I had a list started for Connecting Threads anyway as I discovered I do not have quite enough yardage for the queen sized Pixie Stix quilt from the GE Designs book Strip Your Stash  (or alternately, one called Quartet on craftsy.)  I need to get another yard or two of the denim Quilter's Candy Mirage I had previously purchased.

I also puzzled over which gray was which---Moda Bella Solid has a Gray  9900-83, Zen Gray 9900-185 (I think!) and Fog  9900-282.   One might be a tad dark but the Fog might be perfect for a challenge quilt I need to work on in the next few month.  Since I had the invoices and could check past orders, I believe the storage methodology is straightened out.  The hangers are labeled if it won't fit in a project box for now.

How about a choice of Hay 9900-104 or parchment  9900-39 or Snow 9900-11?  What is really the difference between Bleached White PFD 9900-97 and white 9900-98 anyway?  Would it hurt if you mixed the two in the same project.  I am trying to keep them separated for now.  Making my head spin.  You too, no doubt.

I found something I can use to back the Charming Boxes but it will need to be seamed.  I've got a little time before our quilt meeting to get that together.  It is a striped fabric and NOT horizontally either.  It is waiting over the machine which still needs to be de-linted and bobbins wound, needle changed before I start on any sewing.  Working with pre-cuts makes for a good bit of dandruff bits in the machine, on the pressing surface, probably what is floating around on the ceiling fan blades too.

I drew a bit in EQ which helps me figure out how to re-size the block and layouts if I wish.  It is an alternate idea (or two, LOL) for the challenge quilt.  However, I am fairly certain that I will go with my original idea.  I reserve the right to change my mind.

In reviewing the online order history at one site I saw I had gotten a Blooms and Bliss layer cake and charm pack.  Huh??  I don't remember what I did with that let alone what I make with it!!  Of course, it was in a container, even labeled as it turns out, but in with another project.   I was noting the other project but not the small print.  LOL.

 That lead me to ponder the difference between the Moda Bake Shop Speedwell Quilt presented by Nicola Dodd and the similar looking Missouri Star Double Square Star.   I guess it depends on many seams you want meeting at the block intersections.  I like the cleaner looks of the Speedwell one better---and the pieced in border color.  I've printed the pattern off and put it with the fabrics and in its own container.   I love the pretty pastels and florals in Blooms and Bliss and it would work well for this pattern. I will work it into the "mental" list.  I should really start a document so I can scratch off or remind myself what I planned to do with my fabric treasures though I have been doing better about leaving notes in the containers if not the actual pattern print out or copy!

Meanwhile my friend Lucy has completed not one but two Floating Squares!  She said I could post the pictures.   Mine is waiting but I may work on it tomorrow, after I cut out something else I have in mind.

This is from her relocated Peppered Cottons and is probably quite similar then to the one shown on the Missouri Star tutorial.  I really love how these turned out and seeing them makes me want to get cracking on my version!

What am I cutting out?  Have you seen the Fat Quarter Shop free patterns page?  Or their videos?   Scroll down and there is one called "Layer Cake Lattice" that is a currently craze of plus quilts..  I would link it but it goes straight to pdf download.  You should check out the page when you have some time.   I have a well antiqued layer cake I got for Christmas from DJ (Silk Road from Benartex) that I will use.  I am using a Moda Bella Parchment and maybe bind it with Hay, LOL.  (he gave me money to spend down---worked for me and even more for him!  Pants that turned into an iron instead any indication of his shopping expertise??)

I puzzled how you did Indian Hatchet shapes if you don't want to do a flippy corner half square triangle.  Marti Michell had covered this in a Farmers Wife Sampler post---I know because I read back on her blog to find THIS POST on cutting tricks.   I have many of her template sets in my sewing collection and the idea of not wasting the fabric but removing the fabric and sewing on the correct sized half square triangle could possibly be explored.  Scroll down to what she shows in the Ava Block #19--that is an Indian Hatchet shape and what is needed in the Speedwell Quilt.  I couldn't get it to work necessarily with the charm square but may have found a work around but need to do the seam to know if it will work for sure.   OR I could try Trudie Hughes Rotary Mate with the speedy triangles shown in several of her books, Crib Quilts for one.  I have the ruler.



I spent a good part of the day Saturday washing and trying to dry the pet linens.  Skyler is not using either of his perches so I took them down to wash the sheepskin stuff.  He would rather park on the dog crate or the front door rug right now.  However, that danged washing machine is not good about heavy or bulky items.  I could not get the water to spin out properly and that meant prolonged drying times.  So what does Mister Mister do after all that?  Dumps his bed upside down along with his frog and sockie laying on the BOTTOM, not the cushy top.  What a goofball!  Oh and drug it over to the front door area.  Not quite to in front of the TV but close.

And this one?  He had been snuggling up with me on the couch till I needed something, like the camera off the coffee table.  Of course, I can't get a decent picture of him.    He won't look at me, or is licking or scratching for a kitty blur.

So I resort to this..........I had switched out the quilt on the master bed to the more summery Cheese and Crackers quilt.  Then threw the light weight 50's vintage bowtie on top of it. Skyler is acting like he found a long lost friend.  Oscar wants up there in the worst way but mainly because Skyler is on there!  Hop, hop, hop.  Lucy says I should get him steps, LOL.  I think not.

Well, Oscar is acting like it is time to walk again and I am about ready for supper. Greek Salad awaits!

Hope you have had a good day in whatever you chose to do.  I've been busy as usual but trust me, that is way better than mugwumping on the couch like Friday!  Till next time------