Mind in Neutral, Body in Gear

That’s what my Dad would call it when we were aimless and distracted. And that is what I have been this past little while.
Saturday I had my first weekend off all month and was ready to get some quilting done. I headed off to the sewing room and it decided to tidy first. Halfway through tidying I found the blocks I had been collecting for the new grandbaby of my BFF. A quick text to her confirmed that the birth is only a few weeks away. Time to get in gear on this one. I had planned on doing an Ami Simms pattern from the book I got and it needed 126 light blocks. So I started cutting.
And soon fabric was everywhere again.
But even going through all my bins, I could only come up with 66 light blocks. So I decided to change patterns.
Had enough to do this one which uses both 2.5” and 3.5” blocks. Ended up cutting down my 4.5 blocks but with no regrets because I used all those slivers in these.

Which Bonnie would call crumb piecing, Ami calls OTF borders (off the floor) and was so much fun to do it should be illegal. With all this activity poor Thomas remains un-sandwiched.

New Editor

Trying a new approach to writing my blog. One of the bloggers I follow , Lane at http://quiltfool.blogspot.com/, mentioned that he uses Windows Live Writer to compose his blogs. Always willing to try something new, I’ve fired up the program and giving it a try-out
While watching quiltcam tonight I worked on piecing a back for the Thomas quilt. And then, while straightening up papers, I glanced at the pattern and realized I had forgotten to do the side borders. The pattern called for a 4.5” at the top and bottom in blue and then in red on the sides. However, I had purchased some fabric with railroad tracks on it to use in this quilt and hadn’t figured out a place to use it yet, so it now has tracks running up the sides.

Started laying out the back pieces in a four-patch setting but with the new sides it is going to have to be 5 blocks by 6.

I think the balloon fabric is going to have to go, just doesn’t fit.
Now to see how this loads the post.

my new fabrics

Last Friday evening I missed quiltcam.  This was a disappointment but I had my in-laws over for dinner. And somehow I couldn't see them understanding why I had to go watch someone sew. But they did brighten my day by bringing me fabric from their trip.  batik from tahiti. Will I have enough nerve to cut it.

Choo choo

The princesses are at the hand sewing stage.  So moving on to trains. Specifically Thomas the train. For this project I bought a panel and coordinating fabric.  When I promised to do a train quilt I thought I had fabric but seemed to have used most of it. Unfortunately this panel is from 2010 and I could only get a couple of the coordinates.

So the plaid is standing in for a red stripe and the beige shifting for a cream stripe. I think it looks alright.  Very hard pattern to follow as it is so random,  I have to keep referring to the print out. And since I printed on the non-colour printer I've made a few mistakes. Hopefully the only one who'll know will be quiet about them.

Working away on UFO's

Trying to spend my time finishing overdue projects.
One of which is a baby girl quilt that I call the Princesses
It is a fabric I bought back in 2010 called Princess Portraits.  I fussy cut them and used the princess crown block.  Now that I've got them all together I'm thinking I should have used the star block instead. This is a lot more matchy-matchy than I have done in a while but I was trying to use up all this fabric and get it out of the stash.

Easy St. Finale

Not a finish like some of the posts over at Bonnie's link up. Mystery-monday-link-up , still a work in progress.  I have the large triangles all done and the four corners.  Have started piecing block A. Then I discovered that I hadn't finished the 128 double bricks. So sewing on those in between.  But looking at the blocks I have on the wall,  I'm unhappy with some of the white/black fabrics. One of them is too dark. I might have to do something about this. Don't have the energy to take them all out, maybe I'll just remove them from any future blocks.

I was really happy with my ability to keep up with the clues this year. Most of that due to the wonderful portion control on Bonnie's part. And if we hadn't come down with the flu here I'm sure I'd be further along. Thanks Bonnie for a great time and challenging us to work outside our comfotable colours and block size.

Down for the count

Have falling victim to the bug that is going around. Not doing anything but resting.