more 4pp

I sewed the remaining cut out 4 patch stacked posie blocks (4pp).  You knew I would but it looks like I need to make 3 more as I count 45 and I need 48, I think, if I am going to squeeze out two pro bono quilts.  I have plenty of fabric, I think, so it should not be a problem.  A couple of these are near twins but truly, there is not a lot of variety available in my fabric selection.

This shot will show that basic groups they broke down into, mostly the bold purple flower.  The fewest that turquoise flower on the right hand side.  The fabric at top is what I am thinking about using with the blocks to expand them in some manner.  One piece is perfect color wise but I don't think I have enough of.  Some calculations will be required at any rate.

That is it for now on this one.  Newsletter must be readied today.  I was not feeling well yesterday afternoon and wondering if I was not having a form of intestinal flu plus a killer headache, achy all over.  I basically pulled on my jammies and went to bed at 4 p.m.  Better this morning, thankfully.

No playing till that thing is typed and posted on our website as you see, I am one of the webmistresses too.

what you do on New Years..........

I had to laugh at a comment from my friend Gene yesterday

You know he is right, LOL!  I'm retired but I would love to sleep in but the "boys" usually manage to not let that happen.  Skyler wants to be fed while the husband can take care of himself for breakfast anyway.

As it turned out we had the neighborhood pyrotechnics going on to ring in the New Year---every 4th of July for several days before and after and New Years for several hours before and after.  This year though they managed to keep firing  intermittently till about 2 a.m.  Since I had only gotten about 3 hours of sleep Tuesday night and had been awake for almost 24 hours at that point, I was NOT amused.  Thankfully, I slept about 7 hours straight last night in spite of Skyler's wake up call at 5:30 this morning.

But I stuck to my plan to sew something personal and something pro bono.  I even snuck in a little minor re-organizing and vacuumed most of the house (shudder---housework!).  Last night DJ pointed out that I had not done his floor.  Of course I didn't.   His doesn't get stringed up like mine or the rest of the house unless I drag a large top in to strike some measurements for borders.  I had not done that so I ignored it.  He is still on surgical restrictions or I would have told him to take care of it.  I do not live to clean, he knows that.

On the sewing front this is what how I spent my day doing "what you do on NYD, you do all year"

• Binding finished by machine.  Ongoing goal:  learn or perfect a new technique by practicing on Aline's pro bono quilt I had just quilted Sunday and Monday.

Conclusion?  Looks good on the front.  Looks better on the back than previous attempts.  Needs work as I overcompensated for the pull over factor. The corners don't look as good as they could.  Maybe next time apply it to the back and pull it to the front and try it that way?

• 2nd goal:  piece something pro bono.  I pulled out the 4 patch stacked posie from the fall sew-in and did up 13 blocks.  I think I counted 13 more to go?  I may finish that up today actually but I want these for the centers of another block  (inside a BQ 1 and maybe a Framed like Camille Roskelley)

• 3rd, 4th and 5th goals:  work on a UFO, handwork and a personal project.  Actually I meant embroidery but hand applique works too, LOL.

As background info,  I wanted just one hexagon rosette for my Farmer's Wife Sampler, untouched since Sept 2012.  At the time Brenda had completed her Grandmother's Flower Garden and I asked her what size the hexies were.  I thought that one motif might fit on a 6  inch finished base.  She handed me one of her leftover blocks with the plastic/mylar? pieces that you baste over still in with instructions not to remove them till I had it appliqued down.   Anyway, it stood in for all those goals yesterday.  I placed it on the base at this angle because FWIS is on point.   I am more likely to pull out my FWIS bins and at least remind myself where I left off now.  I KNOW that there is a block in there that needs to be re-done due to an iron stainage and wonky section.  That would not take long to complete.

It was about 9 p.m. when I finished this up and I was wiped out from the two nights of not enough sleep so my plan to knit a bit did not happen.  Whatever---I know I will work on some pro bono hats at some point this year.

Must get started on the guild newsletter at some point today even as I wait for something that needs to be included in it.  So do I be "good" and do that first or go straight to fun sewing???   The great debate rages, LOL.  I also want to do some sort of year end accounting or list of what I want/need to work on in coming months yet.  A reminder can 't hurt!

4 patch stacked posie

Several weeks ago some of the gals in my local quilt group and I explored the 4 patch stacked posie technique.  I didn't get pictures at the time as I was helping some get started on the cutting procedure, the concept of stacking the fabrics, etc mainly.  Once these are cut then it is just a matter of finding a pleasing layout.  I did get 21 blocks made that day and have 21 more ready to stitch up possibly at our next meeting.

Janet was using a gorgeous fall print, Marilyn went off without her foot pedal or power cord but she had a country floral and has since done some stitching.  Lois chose a very feminine piece with a strand of pearls and ribbons running through it.  Valera stitched up some wonderful blocks at home with tans, greens and a rusty brown shade that she showed me yesterday.  Of course, no pictures.  I'll get them as they finish up their tops.  I am pretty sure that Jane, Aline and Donna were all working on their own projects that day.

Then there are mine which I CAN share since I finally remembered to take some pictures.  My lefthanded quilter friend is waiting to see some pictures as she too is working on her own version right, posting them as a Wordless Wednesday  post.  Actually that might be what reminded me that I was supposed to post my blocks, LOL.

I don't know that there will be a whole lot of variety in the blocks since the fabric is all pretty similar in the motifs.  It should make a fairly girlie quilt for donation at some point.  I have my own quilt that has been waiting to be quilt for some time---uh, clear back in April 2009 and last shown HERE.  Maybe in the new year it will cease to be just a flimsy I move around in the closet?

Tomorrow will be my feature day on "For The Boys" blog hop so I hope you will consider dropping by to see what I have made.  I was out taking some pictures yesterday morning so will be writing up my accompanying post next and schedule it to go live at the appointed time.

And sew it goes---------

Move It Forward weekend

Norma and I planned another Move It Forward sewing day for Friday since that had worked out so well for us last month.  The idea is to kick start a project that had lingered too long on the shelf.  It might be borders, binding, assembling blocks into a top.  Since I didn’t get as much done on the 4 patch posie as I hoped last month, I knew what to pull off the shelf as my choice.

First though I needed to clear up some of my “mess” from Thursday’s project.  My mom had sent that box you see below full of some 30’s scraps and fats but I had also put in my leftovers from the Cheese and Crackers top that I had recently made in there too.  I wanted to cut out a full sized version of “Two of a Kind/Cheap Trick” and started cutting my way through the box.  Two of a Kind called for 3 inch squares and 3 x 5 1/2 rectangles so I was able to just take the seam ripper to the CNC pieces as they were the same size.The larger pieces of yardage I set back but essentially I kept cutting and stacking them up into 8  color groups. 

By Friday morning I had some nice piles but no clue just how many I had towards the 240 sections that I needed.  I had worked my way through Mom’s stuff and the smaller pieces I had stored in the Longaberger basket.  I was down to a leftover pile of scraps like you see to the right of the pizza box---not sure what I want to do with them at this point so I just bagged them up for storage.  I was a bit shy of 240 but not by much. Then I pulled a little more fabric out of the stash to have at least 30 sections of each color.  The “before” and “after” pictures if you will.  Still need to cut backgrounds.
I didn’t get started back on my 4 patch posie top till after lunch. Last time out all I had gotten done was pre-sashing all 64 blocks and one row of the 8 I needed assembled.  By 9 p.m. all the rows were assembled and just the center seam left to join the top and bottom halves.  Not bad for a day’s sewing! 
The weather was awful yesterday---strong winds and lots of sirens going off.  I had to keep shutting off the computer and the sewing machine so it is wonder I got that much done.  Still, others had it far worse and the tornado warnings we had were about 12 miles north of us and 20 or so south of where we live.
I had already decided that I was NOT going to piece in a itty-bitty border cut 1 inch as the framing sashing had been done.  Instead I cut strips 1 1/4 for a flap insert between the body of the quilt and the outside border.  I had already cut and sewn the binding for the quilt but not folded and pressed it so took care of that while the iron was hot.  Pressed back the binding on the bargello quilt while I was at it as that is due up next around here.

So TADA!  Here’s the finished top----I hope it will click bigger.  (Blogger didn’t want to load pics tonight so I am writing this in Live Writer)  If not, I’ll try to replace it later.    DJ was having a little trouble holding it all the way out straight but I think you can see what the starting fabric was in the borders.  I told my mom when she called that I thought some of those iris stems were probably going to grow sideways on the top and bottom but I really did not care, LOL.

The machine is put away, pins picked up from the floor, the threads all vacuumed up.  My goal for the coming week is to get the binding done on my bargello quilt and cut the backgrounds for the “Two of a Kind.  For the rest of the evening, I think I will pull out my Santa redwork and move IT forward too.

Move It Forward weekend

Hope you got to do something quilt-y this weekend.

Norma and I are always bouncing ideas off each other and tracking down websites and blogs that have quilts that we would like to try or that might be suitable for donation quilts. In some ways, that is bad because we have more ideas than time but mostly, that is great! We get an idea percolating and we are off and running. Perhaps in a slightly different tangent than originally planned, but we go with it.

To that end, we issued a "Move It Forward" challenge to whomever of the FABS was available for this Saturday. Could be an old UFO or just something you were dragging your feet about sewing, binding, quilting--whatever you needed a push to get going on. I chose my 4 patch stacked posie which has been antiquing for at least a year. I could go back through the blog entries but I would guess early 08 anyway. The picture above shows where I left off----the BEFORE shot. That stinkin' narrow border (cut 1 inch wide) about did me in and it got set aside.

There are 64 blocks and will be a square quilt---70 ish in size when finished, 8 rows of 8 blocks. I love how interesting the blocks look and I think it will be pretty quilt. I didn't get started sewing till Saturday after lunch so the AFTER pictures shows that I managed to get one row sashed and joined. The stack on the sewing machine table shows that the bottom sashing and the right side sashing w/cornerstones have been added to the other 56 blocks.

I hate to put this aside as I did have some momentum going on it. I might drag my machine and work on it at the meeting tomorrow. Best be deciding soon so I can finish packing up the car. I know feeling that the two pay projects will take and should take precedence. I'll probably need another nudge next month. The fact that it is a personal project normally would doom it from the beginning in my case but the FABS keep telling me how happy they are that I am making something for ME. We have found that it really does help to have someone else pushing you and cheering your progress with time out for chat on break time. Somehow it seems to make you more accountable then just setting a goal and then blowing it off in favor of something else.

I am so excited though! Norma officially began what she thinks should be called (and I agree wholeheartedly in this small world) International Quilting Day by finishing up the quilting on my bargello quilt. Woohoo!! HERE is the link to her post with pictures of the top beautifully quilted with Baptist Fans. I won't post the pictures here preferring to wait till it comes home and I put it on the bed. Knowing me, I will get that first sleep under it even if the binding isn't on, LOL. I had to go on a treasure hunt this morning knowing that it was one of two places in the bedroom. Because I was digging in both areas, I straightened them up and even have some stuff to donate to the thrift store the next time I am over that direction.

We have had cool mornings and by afternoon it is up in the 60's. This is what I call a"two shirt"s day---cool enough for a sweater or long sleeves in the morning and change to a short sleeved t-shirt by afternoon but not hot enough for my short sets. No rush for that as the heat and humidity will be here for months when they arrive. I love spring! I don't love the yellow pollen stuff that has just started but that is part of the process, I guess. I noticed that the tulip trees (not their proper name but what I have always heard them called) are out now. The Bradford Pears are done but the redbud is out and I have seen some flowering cherries or flowering plums. Next up will be the dogwoods, azaleas and wisteria. Actually just today on my trip into town, I did see one yard that has a few of their azaleas in bloom ---the dark pinks. The owner also has white and pink ones but I did not see them blooming yet. Lovely!

DJ has taken advantage of the nice weather to do some painting on the house. Others in the neighborhood are also in involved in outdoor projects. The neighbor that died left the house to his step-daughter and they just put a chain link fence so their dog has place to run. Across the road behind us a neighbor knocked down his existing privacy fence for some reason and seems to be putting up a more open variety. DJ of course is wondering why since they have a small pool in the backyard. I tell him he is asking the wrong person, LOL.

Well, I have some t-shirts to whack up and interface so best get cracking. Could probably toss the framing and shadow fabric in the wash too. Background is ordered but I can at least get started on the process.

THX for stopping by------------

Retreat wrap up

A week ago I was preparing to "roll on outta here" for the quilt retreat. I picked up Aline Thursday afternoon. It was pouring down rain, and would for a good bit of the weekend, but that didn't dampen our enthusiasm for the getaway. We were up in Collinsville (AL) in time to drop our luggage off at Joy's house and stake out our sewing spot for the weekend before dinner. The Georgia girls, Debora , Kim and Patti were already there along with Joy. We made two new friends from the Birmingham area , Jewell and Unav.

This is a great sewing space since the quilt shop is right next door if you need anything. Plenty of tables to sew on, huge cutting table and pressing station set up, lighting is good too. The GA girls stayed upstairs in the small apartment area rather than Joy's house this time. Didn't have too far to go to crash for the night. Seeing as they were are used to the EST time, that was good idea. They were up and sewing by the time we got uptown at 8 or so.

The food was provided by Nessa in our retreat costs. How wonderful to just be called to the table! One afternoon they were baking a ton of cookies!! It smelled heavenly. She brought down a freshly baked berry banana bread that tasted even better the next day. We had tea cakes ( melt in your mouth sugar cookies to me), chocolate chips, peanut butter cookies the size of saucers----yum! The best was a pecan pie cookie made from a recipe Kim had brought Nessa to try. Kim said her 9 year old boy was telling his daddy "I can't believe Momma is going away and didn't even make us any cookies" Guilt trip?! She loves to cook and bake anyway so made them 6 dozen pecan pie cookies. When the daddy joined us for supper Saturday night and Nessa served cookies along with peanut butter cake for dessert, he said he was sick of eating cookies. Wonder why? I brought a few home for DJ after Sunday "leftover lunch".

I did get my bargello top completed at the retreat. That's it up higher on the page. The quilt shop had nice yellow that I could use for the first border. I also found the Jinny Beyer greeny-blue print to go with it. I couldn't decide if I saw more blue than green in the top but I have forest green carpet so was leaning for green anyway. Got the backing as well from the markdown bin and sewed it together as well as cut and joined the binding. As I said in my last post , if I had had a big enough batt on hand, I would have probably pinned this at our meeting this week. Closer to be being on my bed and big enough to cover the blankets and pillows with that oversized mattress.

Debora and Joy were both sewing on rag quilts Thursday when we got there. Jewell is fairly new to quilting and was working on a large nine patch block while Unav was cutting and working on a double Irish chain. Aline was stitching all weekend on a Peony quilt using a pattern from Eleanor Burn's Egg Money Quilts. She found a nice fabric for the alternating blocks so had started to assemble the top by Sunday morning. I didn't get a picture of it before she packed it up, unfortunately. That's Debora with her quilt at right.

She also whipped up this little rag quilt for her niece Rosie's dollies. After that she shifted over to a star project that she had been working on through 3 or 4 retreats, shown below right. I think she said it was called "Memory Star" and was from the Caffrey book Another Can of Worms.

Joy moved onto a miniature log cabin blocks for the rest of the weekend but I don't have a picture of it.

As my other project. I got all the 1/2 inch finished frames sewed around all of the 64- 4 patched stacked posie blocks. BORING!! And I have a hard time working with such skinny pieces accurately. Won't do that again. I think I was over-tired though when it came to making the cornerstone and sashing units. DUH!! Not every strip needs a cornerstone when you pre-sash blocks, Linda! Plus they were all too long. I had to pull the stones off half of them and re-cut. I set it aside and put the borders on the bargello instead. Didn't touch my Christmas Patience corners but found a nice piece of Moda "ho, ho, ho" fabric to add to it.

In looking over the pictures I took, I realized that I had a bunch of stuff I could not really share with you. Patti and Kim were both working ahead on the row quilts. On the off chance that one of the row group will be looking at my blog, I best not post them. I DID find out that I had made two extra blocks for Joy's quilt I could have sworn that Joy said her quilt was 72 inches, not 60 and didn't bother to measure it when finished with my part. It was 72.5 on the nose, LOL. I can put the extras in Sarah's memorial quilt so no harm. I also got to see what will be coming to my house before long to get some ideas.

The Georgia girls are doing their own Block of the Month of some Mariner's Compass blocks taking turns teaching each other the blocks. Patti had her finished block to show and somehow Kim convinced Debora's sister Teresa to try it. Now, bear in mind that Debora has been trying to tell Teresa how much she might like to foundation piece since she is already sewing and flipping making crazy patches. Off to the quilt shop to pick out her fabrics--nice brights! They have a washer and dryer on premises for the tea rooms linens as well as pre-washing fabrics so she was set. Teresa ended up borrowing some pjs and a change of clothes and staying over on a blow up mattress just so she could finish her block! Jewell and Unav were Kim's other pupils though it kept her from working on the handquilting on her husband's quilt as much as she would like. Two of Debora's students Sandra and Ann came to sew with us on Saturday. Sandra was working on a some "homework" from class and Ann, a pink rag quilt.

This is a top that Aline had recently completed after Janet Worley visited the JOY group in Jacksonville. All the quilts are named after food, not sure of the book's name but this is Aline's version of "Red Velvet Cake" Beading, ruching and so forth but hard colors to pick out a backing---she will keep looking. (I have a shot of the one Lois made but will show it in my Bama Belles note. )

We had spa lady come on Friday night after supper. Penny is a good friend of Kim We got a facial as well as a hand care treatment and ran around with some foot creams and spa socks on. Penny led us through a relaxation technique at the end and had product available for sale if we were interested.

Saturday a massage therapist came for neck and shoulder massages and then led those who wanted to, in a yoga session. It was billed as "gentle stretching" but I was a bit stiff the next day from doing it. Using different muscles, I guess. I don't think I better go into what I was thinking about "air on my toes, softening eyeballs and relaxing organs"---stop laughing, FABS!! I don't think I am quite cut out for some of this "New Age" mumbo jumbo though the exercises would be good thing to continue if I could remember what she had us do. One of my local friends teaches yoga but she said "soft eyeballs" was a little out there for her too but they call it the "wind position" for a reason, LOL.

So we had a wonderful time away last weekend. Lots of laughing and bantering, good food, good company and some production. Could you ask for anything more? Aline and I will be back in August when we have the "rowers reveal retreat" Arrangements are being made at a retreat house that is opening up in the country about 5 miles out--house sleeps 10 or 11 but we will still sew near the shop and eat at Nessa's, Debora said.

Actually, Aline and I plan on going up to Joy's again late next month with two of our pals from here who could use some time away. We told them we would kidnap them if we had to. It will be dialed way back though. We will sew if we want to--or not. Relax at the house, work a puzzle, play dominoes, watch movies, or do handwork. There is a quilt show not far away and a couple of fabric shops we could visit. Nessa will be vending at that quilt show so we will be on our own for meals but that's okay too. DJ can't say I didn't tell him I'm headed out again but will need to remind of the dates when it gets closer. Think I have to bribe him with 6 doz. cookies?

That's it for this note--I'll post about the meeting in another note.

getting ready to roll

I'm getting ready to roll on out of here for the retreat tomorrow afternoon. A load of laundry is tumbling in the dryer. The wardrobe selections have been narrowed down--some lighter clothes if the room is too hot and sweaters if it is not. The suitcase is on the bed ready to be packed. Pippi is not sure that she likes THAT idea since it is encroaching on HER space. The car trunk is emptied of non-essentials since I need to make room for Aline's luggage and sewing things too.

My sewing projects that I would like to work on are all set and packed up as of yesterday afternoon incorporating something old and something new. Do-able in that time that I have to work:

• Bargello--WIP
• 4 patch posie--UFO
• Christmas Patience Corner--PIM

We had thunderstorms and tornadic activity here in Alabama on Sunday and I had intended to get some bargello sewing done. Instead I had to bail from the computer and sewing machine for a good chunk of the afternoon. To make good use of the time, I cut bargello strips and paired them up for sewing the last two stratas. In the end, the only sewing that got done Sunday was joining the subcut sections for the 3rd panel and adding it to the two I had done already. Then on Monday, between errands, walking and a haircut appointment , I got the 4th panel done and the 5th panel up to the subcut stage---it is about done, in other words. I hope to find some border fabric at the quilt shop this weekend as I know I do not have any long enough dark green yardage--at least so far I am thinking green will work. I need it all to be spread out and look at it first.

I did some cutting yesterday trimming a pile of print Christmas squares to a uniform 5 inches for the Patience Corner I intend to make (like Finn's and Norma's). You see who had to test it out at least temporarily. Earlier in the afternoon I had cut a stack of squares from a scrap bag from the Christmas Cloth Store. I had purchased it a month or so back when Norma and I were talking about my making one of these quilts. (The website/store is merging with the fatquartershop.com site today and the site indicates that. ) So anyway, the Patience Corner is all cut and kitted up in the pizza box, minus the cat, of course. I also cut out the sashing strips for the 4 patch stacked posie UFO so I am ready! It won't take me long to grab my sewing supplies though I know I have to wind a pile of bobbins for the machine I am taking first.

I plan on quilting a bit this afternoon and tomorrow morning so best get the packing part done. In some ways it would just be easier to stay home and sew by myself like always but no way, no how would I want to miss out on this fun time with my friends! DJ is acting like I am abandoning him and pulling that "poor me" act but it won't hurt him to miss me a little. Good company, good food and shopping plus a break from the home routine? No contest. I'm there!

lazy Sunday

Another day of not a lot going on---I guess with both of us "retired" and homebodies it just isn't going to be a thrill a minute in the first place. I shouldn't expect it to be otherwise, LOL. Our weather turned fall like again for a few days with mornings in the mid 40's and afternoons up to the mid 70's. Lovely weather really. They think we are in for some rain tomorrow though--cross your fingers that it materializes. This morning I was dressed in a sweatshirt and long pants trying to keep warm. Tomorrow morning, it is supposed to be in the 60's again at 6 a.m.--I'll be back in my summer walking outfit trying not to get overheated. Make up your mind--which season is it? *VBG*

Thursday I did go on the trip to the Collinsville (AL) quilt shop taking a couple of the Belles along with me as part of the carpool trip. Three other vehicles left from Calhoun County but we took a slightly different route up. By the time we arrived the others were already standing in line with bolts in their hands waiting to be cut.


Here is what followed me home. A couple of flat folds yards--the soft green, pink chopsticks and two yellows. Actually I had bought the calico yellow before and used most all of it on a quilt back--and wanted some more. The black and white gingham was needed for the commissioned t-shirt quilt I will be making at some point. And lastly, I love that blue and yellow print and took the 6.5 yards left on the bolt. It is on the back of the quilt I am handquilting and is so soft and quilts like a dream. I think my purchases totalled about 17 yards and I didn't find that Christmas fabric I have been drooling over in the shop so that's all the stash enhancement for this trip.
Our group of 16 had a yummy lunch at Nessa's. Because the menu is always set by Nessa (no ordering off a menu) I was a little indulgent but ditched the croissant on the sandwich since I knew I was eating dessert regardless--Italian Cream Cake.

Because the room had cleared out a bit once lunch was done, several of the girls stopped to see if there was anything they may have missed. Actually, earlier the group was at the point that once something was cut, the one standing around the large cutting table held up the bolt and asked if anyone wanted some yardage off it before it was put back on the display tables---like shopping from someone else's stack.

We took an unintentional scenic route on the way back. Some fall colors emerging though it is a little early for that here and the weather persons have told us not to expect much of it with the very dry year we are having. The road out of Centre looked sort of familiar but I apparently went too far back to the west but figured we would hit the route we needed if I turned back to the south eventually. I didn't have my Alabama map with me and unlike the other vehicle, no GPS either. Jane called her husband to see if we were on the right track--we were not lost. Soon we were in the county just north of us and then hit a little map dot with a service station. Jane ran in and got directions. Turns out we were about a quarter mile away from a road that took us further south and to the route we needed. I think we all 3 breathed a sigh of relief when we were back in our own county though. Oddly, we got back 30 minutes before the other vehicle did and they left BEFORE us. It would not have mattered but Jane's mom was in the other one and Jane was her ride home.


This is what was waiting for me when I got home. My mom had been to the Bloomington (IL) Hancock's looking around and some of the fabrics were marked down to $1/yd. She got some more fabrics for quilt backs or sewing purposes for the Belles. Nice and bright and pretty kid friendly, right? As I was taking pictures for this post, guess who could not resist the emptied out shopping bag? She stayed in there for well over an hour!

Friday I did get some sewing done---I was able to get 32 more 4 patch posie blocks made for a total of 64-5 inch unfinished blocks. What fun those are! Looking at for cut squares and seeing a different little mirror image emerge is like a little mystery is solved as you work. Yesterday I started on the narrow sashing though I take turns like and then not liking the color I selected. While I love the technique and the pattern idea ( a simple variation of a stack and whack), I do not particularly like looking at the pattern itself. So much verbiage that it about makes my eyes roll back in my head wading through it. Being more a visual learner I probably would be better off with some pictures than all those words. You know, I don't think that I ever did see how wide to cut the narrow sashing---I asked Norma and looked back on her September blog archives. The link will take you back to her first one--she also has one in pumpkin fabrics later in the month.
Saturday morning we were off to a pancake/sausage breakfast after I got my walking in. Jane's husband's was involved in it as a fund raiser for his lodge and she gave me two tickets. I sewed through one side of that sashing on all the blocks between chatting, hands of solitaire and watching a bunch of programs I had recorded on the DVR for later viewing.
Today, I was toying with the idea of handquilting a bit again---I said that I could finish it in a month of Sunday's and this is Sunday after all. Didn't happen but that's okay. Researching a few things on the computer, more hands of solitaire, read for awhile, just generally taking it easy. Doesn't make for an exciting, thrill a minute post but that's how life goes at least around here.....................

something fun

The quilt at left is a UFO that Nancy started and sent on to the quilt group. Theramae was up to the task of assembling the Double Irish Chain. I quilted it on Labor Day and finished the binding on Friday. It will be going out to Wrap The in Love Headquarters sometime next week with whatever quilts are turned in at the meeting. I love the little daisy print in the Puss in the Corner type squares. Too cute!

I'm almost done with all the binding lacking one short side and about 20 inches of a long side to go on the last one. I have stated before that it is NOT my favorite thing of the quilting process but in the interest of getting that box sent, I opted not to wait till month's end t0 let someone else in the group do it. Here is Pippi (below) "helping" me bind the abandoned block quilt and generally, settling in for the evening. Okay, cat, I can take a hint and quit for the night.

After spending three (or was it four?) days, working on binding the four quilts in my stack I was ready to do something fun today. I was chatting with Norma yesterday; she has been working hard on customer quilts and was also ready to take a break from the "hafta" work. We have been talking about trying the 4-patch Stacked Posie from HD Designs so today was the day!!

This is a "stack and whack" type technique but so much easier than the other two versions I have tried in the past. You just need four pieces of fabric and it is four patches---easy peasy piecing. No weird angles or bias edges to contend with. I had to cut my strips/squares 2 3/4 inches as I had a wide repeat and not much fabric for the 4th strip I needed. My blocks will finish at 4.5 inches and I got 32 out of half the yardage I had available. This was what was left on the bolt from some fabric I picked up the retreat. Busting stash and having a ball sewing today!

Norma apparently could not wait to get started because she already had her cutting done and a few blocks made by the time I caught up with her this morning. I think she had 12 blocks done while I was just studying my fabric for the length of the repeats but that helped get me started because she could confirm what I thought the first steps were. She might have made a decision about her sashing and cornerstones fabric too. Me? I'll wait till I make all the blocks I think I want to make and then decide. I am cutting the other half of the yardage tomorrow. Someone asked if I'm going to keep this one or not---that doesn't matter, I am just happy to be trying something a little different and playing with fabric today.

I have other piecing I want to do---my part of my Christmas row quilt has to be done by month's end. The merkitties challenge at some point but I have till December. Speaking of which, my mom already has hers done--quilted and everything. So cute--sorry for the fuzzy pic though. I'll take a better one at the meeting spot in a few days. She also sent Grandma's Scrap Bag top that I will quilt for Pam's Mexico project--another pattern that I am wanting to try out--nice and scrappy! I bet is was some of that fabric I spent time cutting when I was back visiting too.

She also sent a bit of fabric--one that she and I will do as a challenge between the two of us though it can wait a bit. The Puss in the Corner I cut out recently from Ellen's challenge box is one that I would like to do fairly soon. And of course, I have any number of UFOs to chose from including a whole list of personal projects I would like to get to one of these days.

Someone called about the possibility of some commission work but I have no details other than tops of her grandma made finished up for some nieces and nephews. Same thing happened last year though. I was finally done with the donation quilts and then the guy calls and needs 3 more SEC quilts made up by Christmas. The money was nice and helped pay for my new sewing machine but my stuff just got postponed-- again. We'll see what she has in mind. I can always refer her to a longarmer!