tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66170901929840408032024-03-19T19:13:40.134-04:00Mary's Bloga sporadic sharing of my quilting adventures and any other note worthy events Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07788050553764300232noreply@blogger.comBlogger282125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6617090192984040803.post-8612170040842752492019-10-30T15:37:00.002-04:002019-10-30T15:37:44.850-04:00A Fresh StartIt's time for a fresh start on here. A lot has happened since I last posted, things that kept me too busy to write and some that were too personal to talk about ( at least at the time they were happening).<br />
But tomorrow Bonnie releases the fabric colours for this years mystery and I want to be ready to jump in, so time to play catch up.<br />
In January during a trip home, my oldest daughter opened up to us on the problems ongoing in her marriage. We spent the next month and a half devising a plan to get her out of it. Since she was on the other side of the country this was complex. We pulled it off and extracted her without too much trouble. Then came the work of fitting her into out downsized life here. Fast forward a few months and my nonagenarian in-laws decended into a medical crisis and needed to be relocated into a seniors home. Still dealing with the aftermath of that move to this day. Throw in my second daughter's marriage on the east coast just to add some happiness to the drama.<br />
Between all this, the sewing continued, quilts were made and gifted, fabric was bought. The only thing that didn't happen, was blogging. Time to correct that omission.<br />
First up: last years mystery.<br />
Usually I need Jo at Jo's Country Junction to kick start me into finishing last year's mystery but not this year. It actually got finish some time in February, date uncertain, due to the Monday sewing group I was in. That worked so well I joined up again this fall and plan to use the mystery as my Monday project.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifXTyrmCO_ji_FAl36PWbZzF8gQEExozMPNnVCnbDtRGPwGBxAXBOSvpNfHjQrACNc2_ULYMpuxIQAmf5Q_tqDwZ5Zg5zO2poBePmY5GowSZu308wsOytWiTR32F721bZWNILUjwZi0Klo/s1600/2019-10-15+10.17.03-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifXTyrmCO_ji_FAl36PWbZzF8gQEExozMPNnVCnbDtRGPwGBxAXBOSvpNfHjQrACNc2_ULYMpuxIQAmf5Q_tqDwZ5Zg5zO2poBePmY5GowSZu308wsOytWiTR32F721bZWNILUjwZi0Klo/s320/2019-10-15+10.17.03-1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
There it is in all it's finished top glory, not quilted as yet. Too busy with other tops.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJgvQ6NMthCCjzA7TKQdXigdVPWDLd7GONzt8oIi2G2Di3eR4yG69d29mTASN8ML93Ynzap7FeKu-0K39bhGratJjGSAmCQVnDLacBtrUb-dCMWro_ri6UOU_bT949UsM20Jy21T2V0le/s1600/2019-10-15+19.04.49-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeJgvQ6NMthCCjzA7TKQdXigdVPWDLd7GONzt8oIi2G2Di3eR4yG69d29mTASN8ML93Ynzap7FeKu-0K39bhGratJjGSAmCQVnDLacBtrUb-dCMWro_ri6UOU_bT949UsM20Jy21T2V0le/s320/2019-10-15+19.04.49-1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
This one at the moment is under the needle and would even be finished if I hadn't run out of quilting thread. See that cone of thread on the machine. Been using it for over four years and it finally ended. New ones are on the way but couldn't work on it even if I did have thread, son is sleeping in my quilting room. Why ? That's a tale for another post.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07788050553764300232noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6617090192984040803.post-57220768194419697992019-01-08T12:37:00.003-05:002019-01-08T12:57:40.062-05:00What? IT’s Tuesday? Already?Woops. I was so busy sewing yesterday that it completely slipped my mind to blog. What was I so busy with? The final clues of the mystery of course.<br />
It was the first sewing day of the year with the group and I used it to full extent. Pedal to the floor ( actually button mashing ‘cause I took my Featherweight). Finished putting together the blue/neutral HST and the chevrons. Big sense of accomplishment from both having all of them done and ready to sew, and getting all of them together plus ironed. And I did get all the red/neutral 4 patches made into 16 patches. Well, made into the 24 that we needed. If only I had all the orange string pieces done I could start putting those blocks together. <br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-u2rwuOUTB2c/XDTe--TJQNI/AAAAAAAAGJU/KLAM_XMl8FwEIJSvzwWlgf_zVXQzFS_4ACHMYCw/s1600-h/2019-01-08%2B11.25.46%255B4%255D"><img align="left" alt="2019-01-08 11.25.46" height="180" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-L15RCMhc_FY/XDTe_sr-AwI/AAAAAAAAGJY/EeKcNEKutuEy_Z_2OH76Z201myRMKPlIQCHMYCw/2019-01-08%2B11.25.46_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: left;" title="2019-01-08 11.25.46" width="240" /></a> Here’s my stack of units in their trays. This has become my favourite way to store completed and working on units. Food trays from Costco, with the lid to seal them up when I’m not working on them. And they stack nicely in the bag that I take to the sewing group. In the middle is the tray of orange pieces with a puny 21 done. I was sure I had more. So, time for a clean up to see where the missing pieces are hiding.<br />
Part of the clean up is getting a handle on the amount of projects spread over my work area. So I spread them all over my bed instead. And organized them by project. Turns out I had 6 things on the go. No wonder I was running out of room to sew. <br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ec1rypH20zc/XDTfABDWQjI/AAAAAAAAGJc/4AuksnqW44Y6QyUhogWNM_ewwXZSiS1PQCHMYCw/s1600-h/WIP%2Btabulated%255B3%255D"><img align="right" alt="WIP tabulated" height="180" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kEontZf6OVA/XDTfAs88vYI/AAAAAAAAGJg/XdVWmnGg5DolyhjKwOb6CBfbZrVslir7wCHMYCw/WIP%2Btabulated_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right;" title="WIP tabulated" width="240" /></a>From the top left: Show Off; A Day at the Beach; Toy Box Bargello.<br />
From the bottom left: Blue Diamond; Good Fortune; HST Sampler; Talking Turkey. <br />
( Blue Diamond is a Becky pattern that’s actual name is Diamond Row, which I can never remember so just call blue diamond). Show Off is another Becky pattern that is now a finished top. Sewed the final border on yesterday. <br />
Now that I’ve gotten them corralled into containers and grouped in their patterns I can focus on finishing. Blue Diamond is the closes to completion so that will be the goal today. <br />
After I find the orange rectangles I was looking for.. And after I <a href="https://quiltville.blogspot.com/2019/01/mystery-monday-link-up-reveal.html" target="_blank">link up</a> with Bonnie.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07788050553764300232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6617090192984040803.post-23359574411799665682018-12-31T15:45:00.000-05:002018-12-31T15:45:10.937-05:00Another Monday, another link-up<h1>
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Woot woot ! I’m on a roll. Both with the posting and the sewing. Enough so that I almost thought I”d get this done early today. But life gets complicated some times so here it is halfway through the day before I get anything to <a href="http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2018/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-6.html" target="_blank">link</a> to Bonnie. On the bright side, it is <i>still</i> Monday.<br />
I didn’t get all of the outstanding units finished but I did make a huge dent in the pile., <br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-oWjdIy7ywr0/XCp_Qdrs4GI/AAAAAAAAGIE/4xpq97CiV3g2AQ4OKrpDQqcaIqkXQ8zwACHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-12-31%2B15.18.48%255B3%255D"><img align="left" alt="2018-12-31 15.18.48" border="0" height="244" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nc4JAQ0YwO8/XCp_Q5X1eYI/AAAAAAAAGII/3HGtE8dimfMRvSErC87GIH80yc9tC1rUgCHMYCw/2018-12-31%2B15.18.48_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: left;" title="2018-12-31 15.18.48" width="184" /></a> Doing the string piecing on papers this big was a new one for me, but boy is it going fast. <br />
The orange ones, not so fast. Working with papers that small ( I went and cut them all before I realized how fiddly it was) is time consuming. So I fudged a bit and started sewing strips, then cutting them down to size. That is speeding things up.<br />
And boy was I ever glad for the Scrap User System with the last clue. I did need to cut some neutrals, they always seem to be depleted. But digging through my 2 inch bin I discovered a whole roll of orange strips from a Strip Exchange I took part in three (?) years ago. They are adding lots of variety to my quarter square triangles.<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-P5K0y6fofys/XCp_RcAX3TI/AAAAAAAAGIM/5sjDaVgwaoEkd5s4pQ6Tcc9DViBBlMnhgCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-12-31%2B15.18.32%255B3%255D"><img align="right" alt="2018-12-31 15.18.32" border="0" height="244" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NDrWwX8KU1k/XCp_R-bzndI/AAAAAAAAGIQ/qtnkrXR0Y4QHcmN91_QywoOCgrTsQ67gwCHMYCw/2018-12-31%2B15.18.32_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: right;" title="2018-12-31 15.18.32" width="184" /></a><br />
Almost finished sewing these together, then I’ll go back to strings. <br />
This has really rekindled my mojo. And given that my sewing group is on hiatus for the holidays I needed it. Who knows, maybe by the time the group starts up again in the new year we will be putting blocks together. And this time I will have all the pieces.<br />
Now off to post this and link up with Bonnie. Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07788050553764300232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6617090192984040803.post-89226786410461843132018-12-24T14:21:00.001-05:002018-12-24T14:21:10.681-05:00Monday LinkupAnother Mystery Monday Link up with <a href="http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2018/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-5.html" target="_blank">Bonnie</a> ? Yeah, I stirred my stumps and got writing in an attempt to get this posted on time. Even though Bonnie keeps the link open until Thursday, I always feel like I’m running behind if I don’t write and link on the Monday.<br />
This week I am sort of more behind, in that I haven’t even cut the clue we were given on Friday. Instead I went down to the cutting table and finished cutting all the missing parts for the previous weeks clues. That has been my focus for the past three days, pushing fabric under the rotary blade and under the needle. The result has been positive. Clue number three is almost finished and clue two is sitting waiting it’s turn under the needle. <br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3GAhV5Ve7VA/XCExJ_DhvHI/AAAAAAAAGHM/G4es1wTQO4w3w5A1vy6eJVsxO7NHpar4ACHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-12-24%2B11.36.08%255B3%255D"><img align="left" alt="2018-12-24 11.36.08" border="0" height="244" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4y6BHULjWf4/XCExKK0ftHI/AAAAAAAAGHQ/C6h8jPnq8sAjld29jKR28kqcXx9IprX-gCHMYCw/2018-12-24%2B11.36.08_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: left;" title="2018-12-24 11.36.08" width="184" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Rt1SRYbBQZQ/XCExK1RPCBI/AAAAAAAAGHU/dgdLhSWY2805wT_P1y7Z4W0jwH5zrrqwwCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-12-24%2B11.36.18%255B3%255D"><img align="right" alt="2018-12-24 11.36.18" border="0" height="244" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YdyyQmRX0rw/XCExLQWLvYI/AAAAAAAAGHY/y3oqLcF0JngjTFTeS7Cds3QMoQfHW-xRQCHMYCw/2018-12-24%2B11.36.18_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: right;" title="2018-12-24 11.36.18" width="184" /></a><br />
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Once I get these caught up to date, then I will turn to cutting the last clue. I’ve seen too many times before that if I am missing parts of a clue the whole process grinds to a halt once it comes time to piece the blocks together. Then the project sits in bins, waiting for me to regain my momentum. Trying a different approach this year, we’ll see how well that works out. <br />
Hope you all are having a safe and happy holiday season.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07788050553764300232noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6617090192984040803.post-74101022202678162492018-12-19T14:59:00.000-05:002018-12-19T14:59:02.498-05:00Mystery Monday Link-up<br />
Well, finally I have something to post. Actually, I’ve been doing lots of sewing. It’s just a combination of bad habits that have kept me from writing posts. Things like procrastination, distractibility and quilters attention disorder. But I’m going to get back to it.<br />
If I had posted the first week, I would have been very confident. I had completed all my cutting and piecing was right on track. <br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TX9hO5vRu-I/XBqiB06KiSI/AAAAAAAAGFs/AiFj7g5iFccGWKVzOEGsrwxYpdMdnz9nwCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-11-26%2B15.14.38%255B3%255D"><img alt="2018-11-26 15.14.38" border="0" height="184" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_rET76Ao1d8/XBqiCcyiBWI/AAAAAAAAGFw/fWOX2Q9nlhA2Mimup5RKU-r53o9DPqfsACHMYCw/2018-11-26%2B15.14.38_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline;" title="2018-11-26 15.14.38" width="244" /></a><br />
The second week started not as confident. I didn’t have enough blues for my liking, due to the amount I’ve been using. ( seriously, did every quilt I did last year need blue?). So all the pieces didn’t get cut, therfore all didn’t get sewn. New blue was purchased at my Monday sewing group. ( so handy that it is in a quilt shop). But already falling behind since that was the week I decided to finish a top for my nephew’s present.<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gAZzIHe5pvE/XBqiC7FsrdI/AAAAAAAAGF0/QvuWCVx1h7ky9m7iy2EtCnprpxinkNDqQCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-12-19%2B12.38.57%255B5%255D"><img alt="2018-12-19 12.38.57" border="0" height="184" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OazaKoiBDho/XBqiDZP9HwI/AAAAAAAAGF4/Y9s9FBrgsWAZND82zawGNyTmaIIAqm6mgCHMYCw/2018-12-19%2B12.38.57_thumb%255B2%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline;" title="2018-12-19 12.38.57" width="244" /></a><br />
The third week, I fell even more behind. While I did get all the green pieces cut, I only have a quarter of the neutrals cut and marked. And none of them sewn.<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-259GoHLpnJs/XBqiD67mHhI/AAAAAAAAGF8/9djYRHDCnMgn6YnS3kkTAxYobjOKm7fNACHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-12-19%2B12.37.22%255B5%255D" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="2018-12-19 12.37.22" border="0" height="184" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ok11HfWjm7o/XBqiEcZEslI/AAAAAAAAGGA/I10uTz7FNNkw1wCCjW_kDa2m8cg3K5vZQCHMYCw/2018-12-19%2B12.37.22_thumb%255B2%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline;" title="2018-12-19 12.37.22" width="244" /></a><br />
And that brings me to this week. I pulled all the orange scraps and strings that I could find in various bins. Plus I sliced some of the fabrics I had pulled for this mystery. And I cut all the pieces of paper I would need. That was all ready to take to my Monday group and sew. Which did happen for a grand total of 10 completed. Given that it was also the Xmas luncheon for the group, I felt it was pretty productive. Also, I was alternating with the red strings for a Talking Turkey that has been ongoing since spring. <br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4muJWpmwFqs/XBqiEhg0R1I/AAAAAAAAGGE/V9C-2iYhgJEKDCsXej4XeVgH7cgsbgbHQCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-12-19%2B12.36.32%255B3%255D" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="2018-12-19 12.36.32" border="0" height="244" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7xInnFwGq60/XBqiFSbiLDI/AAAAAAAAGGI/fTnhrvK_U7slCoYbf8BZY1ycFECAxE5rQCHMYCw/2018-12-19%2B12.36.32_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline;" title="2018-12-19 12.36.32" width="184" /></a><br />
And the quilt for my nephew? Completed and mailed. It was Nifty Thrifty from one of Bonnie’s books ( will have to look up which one later because that is the sort of thing that totally distracts me from finishing these posts. If i get up and go look in the sewing room for the book, I will start finding things to work on and never get back to this and end up discarding it)<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eblv5psTOSQ/XBqiFxdITEI/AAAAAAAAGGM/Rq3bKrndNLsz92slUiv5qKkFnl8TchHWwCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-12-15%2B14.22.30%255B3%255D"><img alt="2018-12-15 14.22.30" border="0" height="184" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8N6NG0OZH3E/XBqiGBa9cTI/AAAAAAAAGGQ/VSnqHV_Qsx03T9XpdkT2wHgaqFNDnNvGwCHMYCw/2018-12-15%2B14.22.30_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline;" title="2018-12-15 14.22.30" width="244" /></a><br />
So, there it is. A finished blog post to link up with <a href="https://quiltville.blogspot.com/2018/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-4.html" target="_blank">Bonnie</a>. Going to go put a gold star on my calendar ! Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07788050553764300232noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6617090192984040803.post-44985268408392004022018-07-30T09:59:00.001-04:002018-07-30T09:59:31.425-04:00Strings ! ( and cousins)I did get some work done on my Spiderweb strings this week. But there was a lot more cousins than strings going on around here.<br />
My husband has a lot of cousins. Of course most of them are not first cousins or even in the same generation. So when I am talking about visiting cousins, or cousin’s weddings it is almost always his side of the family. And they are almost always first cousins once removed or second (even third) cousins.<br />
And as much as I gripe about it, I really do like the fact that we are so connected with what would be in my family distant relatives. Heck, I haven’t even talked to one of my cousins in years, let alone fly across the country to their social events. With all of the traveling and visiting that we do, it was time this week for our turn to be visited. Twice. Yikes. Within the space of eight days, we had two sets of guests. <br />
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Almost no pictures were taken during the visits. Just spending time together and talking, with some touring around our area. I did try to take one when we stopped at a scenic lookout over the Niagara River but our Boston cousin doesn't want any pictures taken of her so that didn't work out as planned.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdSCleJ0RStMihe2fW-oZSjrG6xmgUwQ9d7Cz1nHSBW78qX2ccp0UOFuCbC0sVj503EfgsOJ8JrezBORkE9ncrhAa_wtywU7FirqHmHtP3J_VX1IttZ_-aXf0sh4x42wID_gH-SmmMl_14/s1600/2018-07-20+13.08.01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdSCleJ0RStMihe2fW-oZSjrG6xmgUwQ9d7Cz1nHSBW78qX2ccp0UOFuCbC0sVj503EfgsOJ8JrezBORkE9ncrhAa_wtywU7FirqHmHtP3J_VX1IttZ_-aXf0sh4x42wID_gH-SmmMl_14/s320/2018-07-20+13.08.01.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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It was fun to see them but it didn’t leave much sewing time.<br />
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So what little time I had, I squeezed in some string piecing at my bedroom machine. With everything already to go, I was able to zip through a few strips in the early morning before breakfast.<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1VBRTaurgcM/W18W4r485bI/AAAAAAAAF9w/Ss3HFkLD5nkCHoS8c1eysA3KrsJKmHnywCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-07-30%2B08.46.15%255B4%255D"><img align="left" alt="2018-07-30 08.46.15" border="0" height="180" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-68t-i7MUoAE/W18W5NfWo0I/AAAAAAAAF90/NxSAA1AOre0GIztCW773G7iRiTiaHj72ACHMYCw/2018-07-30%2B08.46.15_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentcolor; display: inline; float: left;" title="2018-07-30 08.46.15" width="240" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uo6LKk2yUvo/W18W5h-z5mI/AAAAAAAAF94/OXD5qPvtLfgcdJZSg1Egsq2IuuZWwOGSgCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-07-22%2B16.33.09%255B4%255D"><img align="right" alt="2018-07-22 16.33.09" border="0" height="180" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qgglMjCMLlI/W18W54PmuJI/AAAAAAAAF98/7TJ8jeXr3R0NI8pVW5OKtwrwjzOBeggsgCHMYCw/2018-07-22%2B16.33.09_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentcolor; display: inline; float: right;" title="2018-07-22 16.33.09" width="240" /></a><br />
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<br />The picture of the completed blocks is from back when I had 11 of them done. There are now 14 and I have enough of the centre kites cut to make 20 blocks. The last kite is a little skinny on one side but it will do. I could have stopped at 16 but I don’t like square quilts for some reason. The next decision is what to use as a border. <br />
While I think about that, time to link up with Jo.<br />
<a href="http://www.joscountryjunction.com/string-challenge-and-more-14/" target="_blank">Jo's String Challenge update</a>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07788050553764300232noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6617090192984040803.post-14163665726977202552018-07-12T16:13:00.002-04:002018-07-12T16:13:41.410-04:00Double Wedding Ring Quilt AlongAll right ! I’m excited to start this. I enjoy taking part in Jo's quilt alongs. <a href="http://www.joscountryjunction.com/the-double-wedding-ring-quilt-along/">Jo's link up</a><br />
I’ve been distracted and busy with other things these past months. ( Gardens, family, garden, etc. ) But I did get some quilting done.<br />
I believe the last time I blogged I mentioned a wedding quilt I was about to start. Done and presented. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7rvGd0UqfA4/W0ezv0zSWXI/AAAAAAAAF5g/RBRLddu-eRYrGOhpGToJlizZDPwfY-lYQCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-06-12%2B10.07.03%255B4%255D" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img align="left" alt="2018-06-12 10.07.03" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-b8DxH_ben2k/W0ezwb1TjEI/AAAAAAAAF5k/GJQE44ZbfDgMVJZRvs1XhwDqHV27_KyVACHMYCw/2018-06-12%2B10.07.03_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: left;" title="2018-06-12 10.07.03" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Asymmetrical Diamond</td></tr>
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A simple pattern in two colours, it went together fast. I did this pattern before for a wedding quilt only that time I used 9.5 inch triangles. This time I stayed with the 8.5 inch that the pattern originally called for, making it more lap quilt size. <br />
Another finish was the rainbow bargello I attempted.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BmJszWqL2kw/W0ezw7bF3-I/AAAAAAAAF5o/zUrTa5KB8AkvZI3x8TNweq5Dud-PZUH_wCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-06-14%2B11.48.44%255B3%255D" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img align="right" alt="2018-06-14 11.48.44" border="0" height="184" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-q0o00tA_uqo/W0ezxUWZHYI/AAAAAAAAF5s/Gs_YKFLdRy8FrHYKfPLAeNQXUZsQBkEdACHMYCw/2018-06-14%2B11.48.44_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: right;" title="2018-06-14 11.48.44" width="244" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rainbow Bargello</td></tr>
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I was very pleased with the finished quilt. Not so pleased when the friend I had made it for declined to accept it. Oh well, her reasoning was valid and flattering. She said it was too good to give to the persons she had intended it for, they wouldn’t appreciate it. So it goes. <br />
I also buckled down and quilted some of my backlog of UFOs. The Star Struck by Bonnie that I started back in Feb. 2015. It is now waiting for binding. Plus I finished quilting on the quarter section of the Big Star quilt in Black and Grey that I started back in Nov. 2015. <br />
While those two still need more work, one other UFO is actually a finish. Bonnie’s mystery quilt from 2012, Easy Street. This one is also hanging as an unfinished top in my header photo. It was claimed as “my quilt” by my younger daughter and languished in the UFO pile. Mostly because I was intimidated by it’s size and there was no hard deadline for it. Then there <i>was</i> a deadline – she was moving away, far away. <b>1800 </b>km away. ( I know the number well as I just finished driving there and back to deliver her stuff). Time to get quilting.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OoKGhH3ZX6I/W0ezyKH70UI/AAAAAAAAF5w/qhFamBH_22UZ82o4MwgPg6375OziQiY4ACHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-06-29%2B12.35.40%255B4%255D" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img align="left" alt="2018-06-29 12.35.40" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NH8ne_kyJAA/W0ezyjL6WLI/AAAAAAAAF50/hWbp6k5RofsaiEGBNQnbLtaGdwP4lPQpwCHMYCw/2018-06-29%2B12.35.40_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: left;" title="2018-06-29 12.35.40" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Easy Street</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NNcZ7wZ27zc/W0ezzDDW5-I/AAAAAAAAF54/HDl8exEu46cAwYk5NXR_AWij3imOaK8jACHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-06-29%2B12.35.58%255B4%255D" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img align="right" alt="2018-06-29 12.35.58" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bcEuUP5awHw/W0ezztBFd0I/AAAAAAAAF58/xrKjEHlK-GkPGROvB6RPSlIU8oofYKSvQCHMYCw/2018-06-29%2B12.35.58_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right;" title="2018-06-29 12.35.58" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back of Easy Street</td></tr>
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So that’s what I’ve been doing while I haven’t been on the computer. <br />
Now to get my fabrics together for the Double Wedding Ring, I know I saw them around here some where…Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07788050553764300232noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6617090192984040803.post-44965786240951967392018-04-30T15:53:00.001-04:002018-04-30T15:53:03.655-04:00Another Monday String updateWhew, this has been a busy week. A lot of it not blog worthy. Nobody wants to hear about my adventures in ditch digging, gravel in-filling and garden clean up. But that’s where I was every non-rainy day. Some tangible rewards for my effort: puddle area in front of clothes line is no longer a puddle, ruts from wheels in driveway gone, seeds in the ground. <br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-daUe0A5ICgk/WudJDZ2NR_I/AAAAAAAAFxk/0xmZ7k-PAXIatUTJLRFd0OEE2GahuKFFwCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-04-22%2B13.58.03%255B3%255D"><img align="left" alt="2018-04-22 13.58.03" border="0" height="244" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PtGu9bENIDU/WudJD5zwskI/AAAAAAAAFxo/aPwErQot9aYP-7CJiMgGvANgIOWIaDpAwCHMYCw/2018-04-22%2B13.58.03_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: left;" title="2018-04-22 13.58.03" width="184" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yL9YEHOstPc/WudJEDYH5KI/AAAAAAAAFxs/3f_78LwLNH0H3T4AWcSouOcirbxCSNIVwCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-04-22%2B13.58.20%255B3%255D"><img align="right" alt="2018-04-22 13.58.20" border="0" height="244" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_63R4N2Fotk/WudJErFtBZI/AAAAAAAAFxw/Y8YCpfuvG5sx0AkeHUYUmJxhREDXI9pagCHMYCw/2018-04-22%2B13.58.20_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: right;" title="2018-04-22 13.58.20" width="184" /></a>To the left, a row of snow peas and spinach, hidden by my shadow, a row of kale. Picture to the right is my garlic that was planted in October. I’m tilling up the area in front where I planted a fall crop of carrots and beets. <br />
For the plants that can’t handle April, we have set up a grow light and started our tomatoes and peppers.<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ChCDtJKNZ2w/WudJFNtAhJI/AAAAAAAAFx0/saP2h0pcSZ4BQ1VzEb4xGYeSmYn-MVrbQCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-04-30%2B12.35.19%255B3%255D"><img alt="2018-04-30 12.35.19" border="0" height="244" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FBAq2-S4dBk/WudJFo7nj7I/AAAAAAAAFx4/LWSm2IOAI6kC0c4IOcO93W5InaqfXFWDQCHMYCw/2018-04-30%2B12.35.19_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="2018-04-30 12.35.19" width="184" /></a><br />
On the days that it was raining and those seemed to be too frequent, I worked on the rainbow Bargello. With some string units as leader and enders. <br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-S-F5liC7EyQ/WudJGJqFuzI/AAAAAAAAFx8/fU07ADqyGf48lZMM34zrLRGodRczKE4OgCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-04-30%2B12.09.36%255B3%255D"><img align="left" alt="2018-04-30 12.09.36" border="0" height="184" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Kw9ciEOhFNQ/WudJGX8aOSI/AAAAAAAAFyA/LDNoBblo9x8DugBmA-tHtEphhG0tbFhUACHMYCw/2018-04-30%2B12.09.36_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: left;" title="2018-04-30 12.09.36" width="244" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-RF9Eaj_kI40/WudJHD18iII/AAAAAAAAFyE/dPMzfcdOtM8UlYcQ6JhJxV8Sjm4OI_zkwCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-04-30%2B12.10.05%255B3%255D"><img align="right" alt="2018-04-30 12.10.05" border="0" height="184" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pSjKekz8Ky8/WudJHVIsp2I/AAAAAAAAFyI/bwOEp32np9IGKCtL_ijIJBiNPll8p35_QCHMYCw/2018-04-30%2B12.10.05_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: right;" title="2018-04-30 12.10.05" width="244" /></a><br />
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My current dither is whether to go on with the bargello, adding another column or stop now and add borders. It came out long and skinny, 33 X 53.5. Which is sort of like a crib blanket size. It probably needs another stair step unit, and I am just being too eager to get on to something new. That happens, short little attention span in action. And I do have two new projects to get on with. <br />
While we were at a family function yesterday an invitation was issued for a cousin’s wedding. Why a verbal invitation? We weren’t on the original list but are being included as the transportation of my husband’s parents. As in; if you want them to attend,we will have to drive them. So now a wedding quilt needs to be done…. in six weeks. I have a plan. More about it later, the sun has decided to come out and I need to get outside to do stuff before the rain comes back.<br />
Now to link up with Jo: <a href="http://www.joscountryjunction.com/40282-2/">String Challenge</a>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07788050553764300232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6617090192984040803.post-24230822009440620502018-04-16T15:37:00.000-04:002018-04-16T15:37:04.348-04:00Update to String ChallengeLooking back on last week’s post I see I was about to sew together all the string blocks I had made. Did so and found I had 11 3/4 blocks. Looking at them laid out, it did not seem to be enough to call it finished, leaving aside for a moment the last 1/4 that needed to be done. So back to the cutting table for more grey kites. <br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-id7Eld7sxIk/WtT5-6tUB9I/AAAAAAAAFv0/Wf6pLmpf2J0euSVnSTHLQ95GMattIZShACHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-04-16%2B14.36.53%255B4%255D"><img align="left" alt="2018-04-16 14.36.53" border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ApD4kMxvSFs/WtT5_bKY_3I/AAAAAAAAFv4/wgn6VAS0HwMCJmXdqzRM7DgpT1EkyhLDACHMYCw/2018-04-16%2B14.36.53_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: left;" title="2018-04-16 14.36.53" width="180" /></a> These are being made with the Missouri Star Wacky Web papers. I picked up a pack of them during a close out sale at one of my local fabric stores. I thought I could cut the kite shape using Bonnie’s directions but it didn’t quite work, so broke down and bought the kite template from Missouri Star. Depending on the time this package was made, there are either 250 or 100 papers in the pack, either amount is more than I need or will be able to get out of this length of grey fabric. My goal at the moment is a 4 X 5 setting for which I need 20 blocks of 4 subunits. That should keep me busy for a while. <br />
And if that wasn’t enough, there is the Checkered Past quilt to work on. I sandwiched it and machine quilted along the sashing. Now I am hand quilting inside the blocks. The effect I wanted just wasn’t possible with machine quilting. Well, I didn’t <i>think</i> it was possible without a lot of wrestling with the quilt top and a whole lot of starts and stops. Not what I call fun. Inspired by the hand quilting I was doing last month I decided to do what I wanted by hand quilting.<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MSjbcJ_Oo4c/WtT5_xkkUMI/AAAAAAAAFv8/DALWQSklWxEmNmc6kQi0N_0h0saDdTt-gCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-04-16%2B14.37.13%255B7%255D"><img align="left" alt="2018-04-16 14.37.13" border="0" height="180" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UDVdq0Lud-w/WtT6AC19vYI/AAAAAAAAFwA/xkQFrL68xiY6IQ-HX7ffzJ1SB6MSAxtcQCHMYCw/2018-04-16%2B14.37.13_thumb%255B4%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: left;" title="2018-04-16 14.37.13" width="240" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fTOkPpO6k8I/WtT6A315WPI/AAAAAAAAFwE/sUA1wGAoLOQ3l8xEzzm40gG4DeVEcM8dgCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-04-16%2B14.37.56%255B4%255D"><img align="right" alt="2018-04-16 14.37.56" border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EoDvt55LpEw/WtT6BdboRDI/AAAAAAAAFwI/UQKBQC1a-3Q5PxqaCOjDcVxqvc8ch_mqwCHMYCw/2018-04-16%2B14.37.56_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: right;" title="2018-04-16 14.37.56" width="180" /></a><br />
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Basically just a cross hatching of the checkerboard and outline quilting around the pocket and the edge of the pocket square. One and a half done out of the 20, lots of quality book listening time ahead. <br />
And that’s it for here this week, other than the ice storm over the weekend that has now turned to rain. Puddles every where. Ah spring. <br />
Linking up with Jo’s <a href="http://www.joscountryjunction.com/string-challenge-and-more-6/" target="_blank">String challenge</a> to see what everyone over there is up to.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07788050553764300232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6617090192984040803.post-53986944272078988622018-04-09T13:35:00.000-04:002018-04-09T13:35:08.061-04:00Progress on StringsFinally a <a href="http://www.joscountryjunction.com/string-challenge-and-what-im-working-on-2/">Monday Link UP</a> where I have some strings to show.<br />
Unlike Saturday’s Block of the Month, which got totally sidetracked. So much so, I didn’t even try and post. We had an unexpected visit from my in-laws that absorbed most of our time and effort in the afternoon. Then my son dropped in for his usual Saturday visit albeit several hours earlier than usual. He has developed a habit of showing up just before midnight, loading up the washing machine, snacking on whatever is to be found and watching TV all night. Ah, feels almost like he still lived here. Not complaining, mind you, we both like that he is comfortable coming back to hang out here. The point was, he came early enough in the day that we took him out to dinner. And there went any evening sewing.<br />
Sunday more than made up for it. I got the back for the Checkered Past all together. This was a twin coverlet I had found with a ruffle around three sides. Once I took it all apart, there was a lot of fabric, but most in narrow strips. So I combined them with a black and white and came up with something big enough.<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EOwPo1LyTfo/WsugXR8FPlI/AAAAAAAAFtU/ba2biJj2fDsAWAC9wu3G5lJWl8oeKX3VwCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-04-09%2B11.24.19%255B4%255D" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img align="left" alt="2018-04-09 11.24.19" border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tb517KZdqfI/WsugX8kAvMI/AAAAAAAAFtY/W2eWhWZPicwScoQ0S0DNfrLVM8XgqO0owCHMYCw/2018-04-09%2B11.24.19_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: left;" title="2018-04-09 11.24.19" width="180" /></a><br />
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At the same time, I finished up the last strip of the giant bargello that I had originally considered for a back. Now intending to showcase it as a front in it’s own quilt.<br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mJzw6HmC86M/WsugYRQSotI/AAAAAAAAFtc/azrlNPiYuUUcFbzkgtEDXEr8ubJPcsmkACHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-04-09%2B11.22.43%255B4%255D" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img align="right" alt="2018-04-09 11.22.43" border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pn_lSP3KKog/WsugYxj_-II/AAAAAAAAFtg/pByZ--UF7HQCG8Ia78RWGReRAGiedYVswCHMYCw/2018-04-09%2B11.22.43_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: right;" title="2018-04-09 11.22.43" width="180" /></a>Just have to find a back for it. Oh wait, that sounds so familiar, isn’t that how I wound up working on this? <br />
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And, having gotten hooked on the bargello pattern again, I worked on another strip in the baby rainbow bargello. These are taking time as I carefully select each fabric to eliminate duplicating one in the next row. So a fabric may repeat but not in the very next stairstep. Just a touch nit-picky but I think it makes the finished product look scrappy and not matchy.<br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UYdyzjTKPHA/WsugZQq9FSI/AAAAAAAAFtk/zL0HmhZKx2gAzFvBCuLiw-cU2ZGSvxCdgCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-04-09%2B11.31.04%255B4%255D" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img align="left" alt="2018-04-09 11.31.04" border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BGKRkZNXcSo/WsugZzFO1YI/AAAAAAAAFto/SOWWvARUDo0iLseUP76naiiWUNIVQIHfQCHMYCw/2018-04-09%2B11.31.04_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: left;" title="2018-04-09 11.31.04" width="180" /></a>And some of you might have picked up on the detail that this bargello only has four steps before the change.<br />
A mistake in math and cutting on the first strip. Some how I got it in my head that 10 inches would give me five sub-cuts. And it would it they were 2 inch and not 2.5 inch. So in the time honoured tradition of " just go with it", I carried on doing 4 sub-cuts.<br />
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I know, by now you are saying “ where are the strings? None of these are strings “<br />
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I pulled out the bright SpiderWeb project Sunday afternoon and cut some more kite shapes for it. And by bedtime, I had enough for 12 blocks. So today I am going to sew the 12 blocks together and see now it all looks.<br />
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Ta da ! Strings<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-O2SE2_CrcL0/WsugaVhA70I/AAAAAAAAFts/owHlNVHOGN0f3oQmGYfv-UQXIsv7jtPKQCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-04-09%2B11.15.39%255B6%255D"><img alt="2018-04-09 11.15.39" border="0" height="300" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QQdSWG5-6zs/Wsuga-InqlI/AAAAAAAAFtw/Sid9S1_ICxsuaKR-sDUf-H7Xhuiq21SwwCHMYCw/2018-04-09%2B11.15.39_thumb%255B3%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline;" title="2018-04-09 11.15.39" width="400" /></a>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07788050553764300232noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6617090192984040803.post-59377047186784659462018-04-04T14:31:00.002-04:002018-04-04T14:31:48.837-04:00Wednesday Link-UPI have been linking up with Jo for a long time, mostly for UFO challenges. It has been helpful to have a focus. And I’m sure it has resulted in more progress than I could have made on my own. However, I’m more than willing to switch over to a general link-up as I’m working more than just UFOs lately. <a href="http://www.joscountryjunction.com/ufo-challenge-changes/">Jo's Link Up</a><br />
After I finished the Irish Chain quilt for my Sister-In-law, I went back to making a back for my hubby’s retirement quilt. The first thought I had was to do a Scrappy Bargello. Why? Well, I found another panel already assembled and a big stack of strips already cut. So for a few days I worked on that.<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OeKsVchwd3c/WsUZiBQ3fXI/AAAAAAAAFsA/3h6vtNI50Zs_scMqwaTTIlpyau7gPoJ7ACHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-04-04%2B13.56.33%255B4%255D"><img align="left" alt="2018-04-04 13.56.33" border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1qDU_xSLHdI/WsUZikh5hhI/AAAAAAAAFsE/FH6IyOcvnEU_3A0hBNi4fCBrTA0FwCaTgCHMYCw/2018-04-04%2B13.56.33_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: left;" title="2018-04-04 13.56.33" width="180" /></a> Then I had second thoughts about it. And I had a look at the stack of fabrics I have accumulating for backs. One of them was a twin coverlet in a faux crazy quilt pattern. After taking it apart, it looked like it would work, with some help.<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-INbsnXzegkg/WsUZjCaO1qI/AAAAAAAAFsI/kXXxVN4r2ioeCul-b9xEO617lO5ooqSggCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-04-04%2B13.56.43%255B4%255D"><img align="right" alt="2018-04-04 13.56.43" border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OK7ym2QhWXU/WsUZjuyU8SI/AAAAAAAAFsM/yifnM8QCM9Io13wWdjzfboDAOrsKC6nnQCHMYCw/2018-04-04%2B13.56.43_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: right;" title="2018-04-04 13.56.43" width="180" /></a>While I was working on these two items, my hubby put in a request for another baby quilt for a co-worker. The first thing I thought of was all the lovely fabric in the order from Quilted Twins I had just picked up.<br />
And I went flipping through past projects looking for something fast and easy. Coming up with a Chinese Coins using the Crayola fabric supplemented with the Toy Chest 2 from Penny Rose fabrics.<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Jf23K0AQvDA/WsUZkGPUplI/AAAAAAAAFsQ/GuimyI5fp3ATY7Y2N1phlWkCOrxupFhFACHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-04-02%2B13.31.17%255B4%255D"><img align="left" alt="2018-04-02 13.31.17" border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rD4efAoRJsc/WsUZkuuldUI/AAAAAAAAFsU/XS5GK6VXRTEuunaobKHR-uK7IQNRQosfQCHMYCw/2018-04-02%2B13.31.17_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: left;" title="2018-04-02 13.31.17" width="180" /></a> It came together as fast as I had hoped. <br />
The border looks red in this picture but it is really a bright raspberry. It was so much fun to do. Now I’m using the Toy Chest fabrics to make a Baby Bargello.<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hmILeNMy1a8/WsUZlIpBaJI/AAAAAAAAFsY/udqOwI2MxeYnh2NoImD9cnGwiTuXp_0hgCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-04-04%2B13.57.15%255B3%255D"><img align="right" alt="2018-04-04 13.57.15" border="0" height="244" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_Oac8hMIXJg/WsUZliC4IWI/AAAAAAAAFsc/ikgzHY_i72IeEmtnWQiAzJi9YpVjweIuQCHMYCw/2018-04-04%2B13.57.15_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: right;" title="2018-04-04 13.57.15" width="184" /></a>So that’s what I’ve been up.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07788050553764300232noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6617090192984040803.post-15471055611634742002018-03-21T10:17:00.000-04:002018-03-21T10:24:50.359-04:00UFO updateHappy to link up with Jo’s <a href="http://www.joscountryjunction.com/ufo-challenge-34/" target="_blank">UFO challenge</a> to report progress <em>is</em> being made on some UFOs. Specifically the 4 Patch Revisited has it’s first brown border attached. Bonnie had done this as scrappy strips of all sorts of browns, I chose to go with a constant. <br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vxBHXSi1x4k/WrJosEtZD4I/AAAAAAAAFos/7UQHkqSQCTMFSx2qTE39tgkNS9xf6XYPACHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-03-21%2B09.50.15%255B4%255D"><img align="left" alt="2018-03-21 09.50.15" border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CUk0OdfriSY/WrJosgDFEHI/AAAAAAAAFow/m_HdyNq2bRccWAYDS-mDKppwTjIDggkrwCHMYCw/2018-03-21%2B09.50.15_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: left;" title="2018-03-21 09.50.15" width="180" /></a> Mostly because I didn’t want to take the time to piece all those strips. This is called Sugar Dot and is old stash I’ve had around for several years. If I go back through the thrift store postings I probably would find that’s where it came from. ( yes from back in Jan 2014) There is still enough of it left ,I think ,for the next brown border. In the mean time, still sewing together the pieced checkerboard border. <br />
And the second success story, the Irish Chain hand piecing project I was finishing for my Sister In Law, finished and ready to bind.<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZJtxSMcvQAE/WrJoty_W4II/AAAAAAAAFo0/sH5Rt0kGQxsA6WTypAdTanVXJdyyL5TAwCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-03-21%2B09.48.21%255B5%255D"><img align="right" alt="2018-03-21 09.48.21" border="0" height="184" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sD4EKs4hZjU/WrJouZCiETI/AAAAAAAAFo4/sFAer6j-WwE_IjSuAHv4WHm38X7GXNFXACHMYCw/2018-03-21%2B09.48.21_thumb%255B2%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: right;" title="2018-03-21 09.48.21" width="244" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-67LfLIljM98/WrJov5SWaHI/AAAAAAAAFo8/X5x0hhB6G_I3TietfBNQmuyJyu9ZZ36OACHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-03-21%2B09.49.36%255B3%255D"><img align="left" alt="2018-03-21 09.49.36" border="0" height="184" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-r8nlBG1MJRc/WrJowQcOY2I/AAAAAAAAFpA/gRB5pSwPCbc-SWsE0aCq_Dg5Qow5SoqVwCHMYCw/2018-03-21%2B09.49.36_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: left;" title="2018-03-21 09.49.36" width="244" /></a><br />
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On this one I was only doing the outer red border. She was in full agreement with leaving the outer green border blank. I think I should stitch in the ditch between the red and green to hold the batting in place, then on to the binding. Her mother had two strips of it already cut in the storage container but they are 3 inch strips. Not a size I’ve used for binding before, and measuring the remaining fabric, I’m not sure I would get enough 3 inch strips from it. So going to go with 2.5 inch, folded in half, sewn down and folded over, it will give a durable edge.<br />
Now, do I dare machine sew between the borders ? Or should I go back to hand quilting it. That would be so tedious to have to keep moving the hoop but it would keep the authenticity of the quilt. Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07788050553764300232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6617090192984040803.post-20897290693907152002018-03-19T10:38:00.000-04:002018-03-19T10:38:35.981-04:00Monday UpdateHere we are, it’s Monday and time for another string challenge update. And another week of no progress on the strings. Hardly any sewing this week at all, most of my time has been taken up with socializing either with family or others. A big apology for my whiny post the other day, I meant to go back and erase it once I realized how petty it was but maybe I should leave it as a reminder to myself. I wasn’t as upset about the fabric as I was about the people who had promised my son that they would come visit and then didn’t, even after repeatedly assuring him they were coming. Ranting about the fabric was a deflection, I was mad because some one was hurting my son’s feelings and I couldn’t do anything about it.<br />
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Back to the fabric, I did get a chance to nip downstairs yesterday and get it all ironed and folded in my preferred method. And I figured out what I’m going to make with it. The idea to redo Pfefferneuse got tossed, then I considered Zuckerwatte . But flipping through <em>String Fling</em> looking for Zuckerwatte I passed by Talking Turkey. BIN<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Bv3G6COizVk/Wq_JENSEv2I/AAAAAAAAFmA/I8HAAnkRnqkgibQ_5PBxB1z31KO_kLXUACHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-03-19%2B09.50.25%255B5%255D"><img align="left" alt="2018-03-19 09.50.25" border="0" height="184" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-c2n-eZsMSPA/Wq_JE0DaL8I/AAAAAAAAFmE/rJaGbDylU-wa9ZmmBQq-AeLGOm9tqBl-QCHMYCw/2018-03-19%2B09.50.25_thumb%255B2%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: left;" title="2018-03-19 09.50.25" width="244" /></a>GO ! <br />
The only colours are red and neutral, this will use up a whole bunch of the reds.<br />
Here they are all ironed, folded and labeled with size.<br />
<img align="right" alt="2018-03-18 11.24.12" border="0" height="184" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-e4Csmv-V_8w/Wq_JGOP2qzI/AAAAAAAAFmM/6sZjp4AvkxsrCDMiR07keueKP3ZBKSwLACHMYCw/2018-03-18%2B11.24.12_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: right;" title="2018-03-18 11.24.12" width="244" /><br />
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And then what to do with the blues, they are a great bunch and deserve their own project also. <br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hu_OFr6eKto/Wq_JHtc_1kI/AAAAAAAAFmQ/E3Pw_uxbmC8773cb7dpguYMQZGfrmYo-ACHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-03-18%2B12.04.34%255B5%255D"><img align="left" alt="2018-03-18 12.04.34" border="0" height="184" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CZ4jYR57C1k/Wq_JINZaHEI/AAAAAAAAFmU/r3-68TduX1MTqnPDTtT_1RAnU06LsbFywCHMYCw/2018-03-18%2B12.04.34_thumb%255B2%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: left;" title="2018-03-18 12.04.34" width="244" /></a>The floral’s will go in Becky’s pattern, Elsa’s Garden although the blue and white floral is over 3 metres and could do something all by itself. The stack to the left are fat quarters, the indigo is a metre and the lighter blue is 2 metres. <br />
So…Blue Skies<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OacgkA7YiQM/Wq_JJY9xwLI/AAAAAAAAFmY/XoI6nDqn1RwNVwkQkKgSeL0uGu16loi_wCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-03-19%2B09.50.45%255B5%255D"><img align="right" alt="2018-03-19 09.50.45" border="0" height="184" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0ll-RKq43xI/Wq_JJ0tWyKI/AAAAAAAAFmc/R9ajzTMgYFISYb6SGk4zyuHOXDX64RjJgCHMYCw/2018-03-19%2B09.50.45_thumb%255B2%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: right;" title="2018-03-19 09.50.45" width="244" /></a><br />
But first I have to finish something. Anything, just to have a finish, there are too many works in progress to dash off and start a new one . While I was in the sewing room yesterday, I got the first border cut for 4 Patch Revisited so that's a good place to start today.<br />
First to link up with Jo:<a href="http://www.joscountryjunction.com/string-challenge-and-lucys-baby-quilt/">String Challenge</a> Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07788050553764300232noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6617090192984040803.post-82764107693905597832018-03-16T20:16:00.000-04:002018-03-16T20:25:55.790-04:00Drowning in fabricand unable to sew a stitch.<br />
My sister-in-law arrived Wednesday. This visit was the reason I was working so hard on the hand quilting project. I didn’t finish but got really close, only one side left in red border to mark and quilt. But it’s ok, she’s really not in a rush, as she has told me numerous times. It did give me a chance to confer with her on the outer green border; quilting or no quilting. Her vote was don’t quilt just bind it off when I’m done with the red border. And we came to an agreement on the binding to use. So very good outcome.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHJqIVd79QaX03cNTxhjnL-ndckT6ZRW0lV9e44WqilbMc_mce2_NubI_IMjHwPpGgWEZHT0dSfwdTj_6Ys7h5xCHnlxgfte3NaGburD-1BEq5bT02hfKFeLOOUfFmN-b8TPaEWUrLGI6J/s1600/2018-03-16+20.19.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHJqIVd79QaX03cNTxhjnL-ndckT6ZRW0lV9e44WqilbMc_mce2_NubI_IMjHwPpGgWEZHT0dSfwdTj_6Ys7h5xCHnlxgfte3NaGburD-1BEq5bT02hfKFeLOOUfFmN-b8TPaEWUrLGI6J/s320/2018-03-16+20.19.26.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
As a big bonus, she brought another load of fabric from her mother’s stash. Which I would dearly love to be sorting through, ironing, and finding quilts to use them in. However, along with their visit, comes a string of dinners and social times. Which means, I can’t spread the new fabrics all over or sequester myself in the sewing room for hours. <br />
It’s a real challenge. But here’s some pictures of the fabrics I snapped as I was unpacking them.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkGfuhwwdY6eRyfRwiLlWIX03Dxw8q9dybV1CQqgZUvhaGAThXfASbUfzCPLVSuXfzF8KbSNbvBP4QoH00lAHGqYNO3FkeevLI0LtsAsqF10Ehu6NlIXqzD9XEnkrfXH7CsaVucragE9dT/s1600/2018-03-16+20.20.23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkGfuhwwdY6eRyfRwiLlWIX03Dxw8q9dybV1CQqgZUvhaGAThXfASbUfzCPLVSuXfzF8KbSNbvBP4QoH00lAHGqYNO3FkeevLI0LtsAsqF10Ehu6NlIXqzD9XEnkrfXH7CsaVucragE9dT/s320/2018-03-16+20.20.23.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cat refused to let me get more pictures</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ot5Hda2sQoY/Wqxd4v-Ih7I/AAAAAAAAFko/jBb3251JQkYp9uRHhwvnoJ2bl4Myf2omwCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-03-16%2B19.55.47%255B3%255D" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="2018-03-16 19.55.47" border="0" height="184" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-npcAqD1exLk/Wqxd4ybrWaI/AAAAAAAAFks/iGaGuYlCKWM5yQq6yBY0UI3NmTqX0RGEwCHMYCw/2018-03-16%2B19.55.47_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; margin: 0px;" title="2018-03-16 19.55.47" width="244" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Blues<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-p-5DMaq0aKw/Wqxd6CnQwFI/AAAAAAAAFkw/jTiaGlmfsh8cTYpLdGKcaNdelVfyGTcbgCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-03-16%2B19.56.02%255B3%255D" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="2018-03-16 19.56.02" border="0" height="184" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-91ayG3hbxBk/Wqxd6lZ_JrI/AAAAAAAAFk0/SJlbmdOyiWEe1vTtJBj1U12r1LlC4BOpACHMYCw/2018-03-16%2B19.56.02_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; margin: 0px;" title="2018-03-16 19.56.02" width="244" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue/White floral<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nujTNwcLWVw/Wqxd71mGn2I/AAAAAAAAFk4/qwFISyxyYd8LY7oTIl89Fw5H51Mkz2tnwCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-03-16%2B19.56.49%255B3%255D" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="2018-03-16 19.56.49" border="0" height="184" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nQ0xkQkN3vk/Wqxd8VRWqrI/AAAAAAAAFk8/vQVarpgkQasq47zKNFmLRGAgdbvNYRhzACHMYCw/2018-03-16%2B19.56.49_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline;" title="2018-03-16 19.56.49" width="244" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Various reds, much more vibrant ( bad light)<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A lot of reds. In large size pieces, most at least a half yard, some even a yard. Off the top of my head I’m thinking another Pfefferneuse. And a good many dark blues, as well as some florals. That blue and white piece might even be 3 yard. Oh, I so want to go iron these and look through patterns. <br />
But we are waiting for company to show up, the house is cleaned, all fabrics tucked away from the main floor. <br />
Maybe I could just flip through a book or two…..Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07788050553764300232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6617090192984040803.post-13618025830882265732018-03-12T13:05:00.002-04:002018-03-12T13:05:49.013-04:00Strings ??Well, they are still sitting in a heap, waiting for me to get back to them. In the mean time, other projects continue to take precedence. First and foremost, the curtains. I am halfway through,having completed 7 of the 15 required. The last 8 are kicking my butt. They <em>all</em> need to be the same length. Not just pairs, these will be hung in sets of four to cover wide windows. And rather than hang to the floor where a half inch plus or minus isn’t obvious, these are hanging at window sill height. Pressure much? Oh yeah.<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tgHaS411qtk/Wqatq9kaf_I/AAAAAAAAFjY/VRRmVt-ok_0PoxVp3EnLxyQSH3l0yxS3wCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-03-12%2B11.24.17%255B4%255D"><img align="left" alt="2018-03-12 11.24.17" border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vS2oKDeKqw8/Wqatr-lrEpI/AAAAAAAAFjc/UfriWbBFijsS-n_WOIb0ENBQG7NOr9IYgCHMYCw/2018-03-12%2B11.24.17_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: left;" title="2018-03-12 11.24.17" width="180" /></a> I pulled out my cardboard layout helper finally to assist with lining up. Things might go a little easier now. <br />
After getting this set up, hubby occupied the rest of my day with a visit to friends. <br />
Once I get this posted I will get back to it. This is laid out on the dining room table and the light is best there in the daytime.<br />
In between cutting curtains, I did some sewing on the 4patch revisited top. Enough that the centre section is assembled.<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eb_nJwJmtLc/WqattcD60RI/AAAAAAAAFjg/w1FkwCFAy-4BwvDkLt9e-v-x-uRRZPX4QCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-03-12%2B11.17.27%255B4%255D"><img align="right" alt="2018-03-12 11.17.27" border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1zCZXThVjnY/WqatuCSmBVI/AAAAAAAAFjk/vJDpixx8xQgHsPmQyqJ0XWvQSQitp1_PgCHMYCw/2018-03-12%2B11.17.27_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: right;" title="2018-03-12 11.17.27" width="180" /></a>Next up, a brown border. Bonnie did hers scrappy but I think I will take some of the browns I have pulled for Ringo Lake and find one of them with enough yardage.<br />
As Leaders and Enders for webbing this, I was assembling bargello strips for the back of Checkered Past. It was an idea I had once I saw how long the top was. Using my UFO bargello in my Frankenquilt didn’t finish all of it. There was still a finished strip, several partial strips, and a whole lot of fabric cut for it. It is certainly a lot more work than just finding a couple big chunks of fabric but hopefully will clear out a whole container of 2.5 inch strips.<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XJ4m9-s31SQ/WqatvB9oR_I/AAAAAAAAFjo/xz5ZTuWsaZoKyh6T1qKA38-xfIwyXUxHwCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-03-12%2B12.34.24%255B4%255D"><img align="left" alt="2018-03-12 12.34.24" border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XdaonfyPrao/WqatvtlYE9I/AAAAAAAAFjs/9NrKB89l4CUaLSjXxDkUKgfYBlXcCQoCgCHMYCw/2018-03-12%2B12.34.24_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: left;" title="2018-03-12 12.34.24" width="180" /></a> Enough computer time, back to the sewing while I still have light. But first to link up with Jo;<a href="http://www.joscountryjunction.com/string-challenge-and-more-5/">String Challenge</a> Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07788050553764300232noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6617090192984040803.post-33196117454531101462018-03-10T13:11:00.001-05:002018-03-10T13:11:49.776-05:00Bucket List?A random comment on a Facebook group yesterday set off a day long intense introspection. Do I have a bucket list of quilts I want to do? Am I doing the quilts I want to make or just reacting to Mysteries and Quilt-A-Longs? What am I quilting for, my pleasure or fulfilling gift request/needs? <br />
No clear answers yet but perhaps a clearer path of action.<br />
I have a list of UFO, quilts I have started and not finished. That should be a priority. There is a lot invested in them by way of fabric, time and effort. A quick flip through my photo files pulled up 26 projects that need a finish. Some just need quilting, some borders, others more piecing. So time to put some focus on these, before jumping into another.<br />
There are certain quilts I have always wanted to do. Time to make a list of them and instead of participating in quilt a-longs do one of them. I’m not sure I am ready to give up the mystery quilts but realistically I have hardly used any of the tops I’ve done in those. Most of them are still folded up in a plastic tote.<br />
The biggest reason for this soul searching is my retirement. I had to make a decision this week to either declare myself retired or go back to work. I haven’t been taking shifts all winter. My husband retired December first and I fell into staying home with him. Despite being classified as a casual employee, I was required to take a shift every three months and my time was up. <br />
What this means in terms of quilting? Being more selective I guess. I have lots of fabric, tons of thread and even a good supply of batting. I should be able to keep myself amused for quite a while using it up. I will be able to purchase more but until we see how things go as pensioners, time to be frugal and not jump at every sale.<br />
This has been a very wordy post, time to think of a picture to illustrate this. So here’s a collage with a few of the UFOs I found and want to get done.<br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-edqTXwKNqms/WqQUEj7uAlI/AAAAAAAAFio/zuNiYlGq7fYAHAEh0CqY2oPIymg5TwJywCHMYCw/s1600-h/collage2%255B3%255D"><img alt="collage2" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-w9xyVJzNb5M/WqQUFVyZd-I/AAAAAAAAFis/1nh4ibbJNKctQNeqYsMjgdeGkBzl9ug8gCHMYCw/collage2_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="display: inline;" title="collage2" width="240" /></a></div>
Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07788050553764300232noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6617090192984040803.post-46312084210451973292018-03-07T11:54:00.001-05:002018-03-07T11:54:53.095-05:00UFO updateNow that the retirement top is finished, I am working on a UFO. This one isn’t my UFO but another of the quilt tops that my Sister-In-Law asked me to finish for her. These were started by her late mother and the plan was for me to finish them so they could go to the grandkids. AKA my SIL’s daughters. <br />
I finished one and gave it to her when they were here in October. The other one was hanging over my head all winter. The voice in the back of head kept reminding me that I needed to get it done but other projects keep pushing it down the priority list. Then my Brother-In-Law announced an impending visit and it jumped the queue. <br />
The biggest reason I was putting this off ? Hand Quilting. This was 90% finished with an intense hand quilting, and I had promised to complete that.<br />
And as per standard, once I stopped procrastinating and settled down to do it, not as bad as I thought. Two sides are now done, I turned the corner last night and am well on my way down the third. My big question now is what to do with the outside green border, and would it look too incomplete if I don’t do any quilting in it. <br />
Well, lots of stitches to go before I have to reach my decision. <br />
Now to link up with Jo's <a href="http://www.joscountryjunction.com/ufo-challenge-31/">Country Junction</a> <br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lBRDBCxKbGM/WqATNkTK8bI/AAAAAAAAFhY/KHqg4yWnGuMbK3omsqxmORx4mlaDKCGDACHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-03-07%2B10.52.43%255B3%255D" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img align="left" alt="2018-03-07 10.52.43" border="0" height="244" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XRnYE9Z1q9s/WqATOApu3TI/AAAAAAAAFhc/b--EIsHpsdcmAFouYC9GND3Qin5JH6MNwCHMYCw/2018-03-07%2B10.52.43_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: left;" title="2018-03-07 10.52.43" width="184" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-enqhWw49kfw/WqATQxauIeI/AAAAAAAAFho/XahWa019Ge8INQ9LH_7XCK6z-a-hMTH-wCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-03-07%2B10.56.19%255B3%255D" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img align="right" alt="2018-03-07 10.56.19" border="0" height="244" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-d_7BVK-OGho/WqATRlSQfXI/AAAAAAAAFhs/sOXUSze5tpwC3btWz2ulcMA7aPKJgQkvQCHMYCw/2018-03-07%2B10.56.19_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: right;" title="2018-03-07 10.56.19" width="184" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-RYk_1suvfaM/WqATPHmYqsI/AAAAAAAAFhg/90EVaicG90ocf2DC4fas7OAk7kqswREBACHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-03-07%2B10.54.38%255B3%255D"><img alt="2018-03-07 10.54.38" border="0" height="244" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Mb2ZydjTtZg/WqATPlM05oI/AAAAAAAAFhk/Os5iQa2cYp8uKNupiSnOKpXpi0hOIjQYQCHMYCw/2018-03-07%2B10.54.38_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="2018-03-07 10.54.38" width="184" /></a><br />
I almost forgot another UFO I've been picking away at, the Four Patch Revisited. It got webbed together just before we left on vacation and I've gotten 6 rows sew since coming back.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9lGRN1mHTUq_D9TN8QzEJQrnsfziGTdwXvZbhllze7iutAUF9PAa_aI-TWdbfnNlJ5NFRsxkjcAIbDc5fTD1w4H-XCJHzbiBNDDzOXRKiNkX4C-KPZYTkKpQIGlPKeOxM5epKcBj0ttuz/s1600/2018-03-07+11.01.09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9lGRN1mHTUq_D9TN8QzEJQrnsfziGTdwXvZbhllze7iutAUF9PAa_aI-TWdbfnNlJ5NFRsxkjcAIbDc5fTD1w4H-XCJHzbiBNDDzOXRKiNkX4C-KPZYTkKpQIGlPKeOxM5epKcBj0ttuz/s320/2018-03-07+11.01.09.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
While working on this, I got to thinking about Jo's mission to finish every quilt in one of Bonnie's books . I can't remember just now which one she's working on but it inspired me to check out how many I had done in the book I had in front of me. And it turns out I have a third of the quilts in <i>Adventures with Leaders and Enders</i> either in progress or finished. So... maybe I should make that a goal, finish all the quilts in one of Bonnie's books before I buy another one? Still thinking about it. One thing about hand quilting, lots of time to think.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07788050553764300232noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6617090192984040803.post-66228829621921018842018-03-03T22:08:00.000-05:002018-03-03T22:08:07.235-05:00BOM challenge updateI did get another block done of my Block of the Month challenge. I worked on it before we went on vacation so had a head start.<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-iWEFuKorXE0/WptiUccYjNI/AAAAAAAAFgk/TGO3mXjj4OEAjyIMbA3VsOJxcEFgJUUtQCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-03-03%2B19.51.55%255B4%255D"><img align="left" alt="2018-03-03 19.51.55" border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dBkasOkPSm4/WptiVDABb6I/AAAAAAAAFgo/TY47AMp0_i4rwl8VwyXSYguA-qRX8vGlgCHMYCw/2018-03-03%2B19.51.55_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: left;" title="2018-03-03 19.51.55" width="180" /></a> It was pretty straight forward construction especially once I pulled out my Easy Angle and Companion Angle rulers. <br />
I have another pattern pulled and will start working on it soon. <br />
My focus for the recent week has been finishing the quilt I was doing for my hubby. I had intended it as his retirement present, but it wasn’t finished when he officially retired back in December. So then I thought I would give it to him on his birthday,which was this Tuesday. I missed it by a day, and it was only the top but he was very pleased with it.<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MlWtQsjlzKE/WptiWHjdoyI/AAAAAAAAFgs/xqr4fpXHEwILfiuR7MsKIAxLAmU1Z6G1gCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-02-28%2B16.34.57%255B4%255D"><img align="right" alt="2018-02-28 16.34.57" border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vxGMya1xb80/WptiWmNVgGI/AAAAAAAAFgw/AT_wN6E3onoEMqXVpMhvEe4kl2rRi9JGACHMYCw/2018-02-28%2B16.34.57_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: right;" title="2018-02-28 16.34.57" width="180" /></a>This is the pattern “Checkered Past” by Becky at Quilted Twins except, without the outer borders. I made a mistake and made too many of the shirt blocks, so I just stopped at the inner border. And see the pocket with the stain, that was actually one of his favorite shirts until I washed it with a pen in the pocket. Normally when making a quilt I would discard that piece, but seeing as it is for him I deliberately included it. ( I know it won’t run because I washed that shirt over and over trying to get the stain out) . There are several others, not as visible in the picture, that he was very pleased to see again. <br />
Now I am working on the back for it. But first I have to hem some curtains for my brother-in-law. I can’t believe I let him talked me into it.<br />
Linking up with Jo for the <a href="http://www.joscountryjunction.com/bom-challenge/">BOM Challenge</a>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07788050553764300232noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6617090192984040803.post-17069222157229714182018-02-23T14:23:00.000-05:002018-02-23T14:23:37.613-05:00Back from VacationWe are back from our vacation. But I haven’t been able to get back in the sewing groove. So much on my mind that I am unable to settle down and focus on any projects. <br />
So, I’m just going to look a vacation photos. <br />
Here’s some for you to look at too.<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-s39BYalRx8g/WpBgkm3Jk1I/AAAAAAAAFfM/6-sez-mPa9MEsb7N9HX69jhTFRF2pCUQgCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-02-14%2B15.14.18%255B4%255D"><img align="left" alt="2018-02-14 15.14.18" border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yHw7ztwTpVk/WpBglGltnoI/AAAAAAAAFfQ/3rA_ZRa4DsYtW-d2l-xGvbOyzAzwYNUMACHMYCw/2018-02-14%2B15.14.18_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: left;" title="2018-02-14 15.14.18" width="180" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-L6onuWDPaLU/WpBgl_pDm2I/AAAAAAAAFfU/CHdkB5EWpqsEOGM3Wwsay_A3-knFnWMyACHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-02-15%2B18.10.55%255B6%255D"><img align="right" alt="2018-02-15 18.10.55" border="0" height="180" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7vHo0YB7l3o/WpBgmR42TEI/AAAAAAAAFfY/wrv6tgZSGcEecTBJMp0zp6kiYG1t9RzxgCHMYCw/2018-02-15%2B18.10.55_thumb%255B3%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: right;" title="2018-02-15 18.10.55" width="240" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gZcRxmc1VV8/WpBgn3y8DgI/AAAAAAAAFfc/GCY4YMEprCU1g9NVJSBiEiG7B8QXUyRGACHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-02-17%2B12.29.03%255B4%255D"><img align="left" alt="2018-02-17 12.29.03" border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ixmWj7Kty_o/WpBgofTV3xI/AAAAAAAAFfg/VA8P_HgqAicDXdmlztlTivNgzY8z_0_7gCHMYCw/2018-02-17%2B12.29.03_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: left;" title="2018-02-17 12.29.03" width="180" /></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4MjmZ8159zI/WpBgo_0sLrI/AAAAAAAAFfk/bDGWQrD-7MkdxCIyAh_BZPr9qQJRtYA3QCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-02-18%2B15.35.37%255B4%255D"><img align="right" alt="2018-02-18 15.35.37" border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gwYCdHReyng/WpBgpXL5coI/AAAAAAAAFfo/H_flxkpGQjMmeSvcNNWE70OD6TL32RTLACHMYCw/2018-02-18%2B15.35.37_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: right;" title="2018-02-18 15.35.37" width="180" /></a>In full disclosure: I never did lie in this hammock, it was at the back of the house and not on our regular pathway.<br />
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And this day at the beach was so windy it felt like my legs were being sandblasted. Most of the days we were on the island there were extremely high winds.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyfQCV-_4QP7WfpnsKaJZRQRG7r2gRmhYgRGV4fUfY9FdEaJjLqA3-W8RTFTThW9nb3Y_6oMTKPjuyEM7k8gg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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But overall it was a relaxing, restful time, where we were able to replenish our solar batteries and walk about in sandals. Now to replenish my fridge and find my way to the sewing room.Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07788050553764300232noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6617090192984040803.post-40821795430940737672018-02-09T12:00:00.001-05:002018-02-09T12:00:28.175-05:00Bon VoyageThis is it. The day is finally here. We are leaving tonight to go to the airport for an early morning flight. <br />
Did I get all of the Four Patch top together? No, but I did get this cut out and sewn.<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-izPXA03mkFQ/Wn3SHtHZNkI/AAAAAAAAFZw/W69SqyKyaewKIe9JyuNGcvX9BQeBKfQ5wCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-02-08%2B17.14.08%255B4%255D"><img align="left" alt="2018-02-08 17.14.08" border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UVHRQoQwrUE/Wn3SIAdNs0I/AAAAAAAAFZ0/0RPmumqmyagAjJ3RrkJd-Qv4tXbty5NwgCHMYCw/2018-02-08%2B17.14.08_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: left;" title="2018-02-08 17.14.08" width="180" /></a> Aren’t they cute? I have had this fabric for a while and could not decide on a way to use it. Finally I just cut it up and sewed it. Better done than dithering.<br />
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Totally off the cuff, improve, making it up as I went. I can see I cut the blocks off a little to close but too late. There is one more border to go on but that will have to wait until we return.<br />
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And checking off to-do lists, I also got the Jacob’s Ladder quilt delivered. My friend was over the moon delighted with it. She sent me a picture this morning of it on her bed.<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_xH_2-lpP2M/Wn3SI-4E6vI/AAAAAAAAFZ4/WIqihmhCHAwRm5rx-3Txjx2cM4obmfmLQCHMYCw/s1600-h/Resized_20180209_102236%255B3%255D"><img align="right" alt="Resized_20180209_102236" border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-X2kAmUoC0oM/Wn3SJezCtBI/AAAAAAAAFZ8/7atEBcBIb8QPmpeRG8So-InNNukgo14GwCHMYCw/Resized_20180209_102236_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: right;" title="Resized_20180209_102236" width="135" /></a>It was a total surprise to her that she was going to receive it. The joy of her seeing what was in the gift bag is as big a reward as one could ever wish for.<br />
And now off for some of this:<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-oFUm3uCE5iw/Wn3SJ6oVnEI/AAAAAAAAFaA/pNPBr7cQpnY42nm53KV_MOmP_4Rdht7lwCHMYCw/s1600-h/2015-04-03%2B11.28.19%255B4%255D"><img align="left" alt="2015-04-03 11.28.19" border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-akNBiHDInlA/Wn3SKb7-sjI/AAAAAAAAFaE/pQaMqxBJsvQ-fFVmJuwQwTCxgs1vk59-wCHMYCw/2015-04-03%2B11.28.19_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: left;" title="2015-04-03 11.28.19" width="135" /></a><br />
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And this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEFyA_eaxbKOzdsPu57d_5lFn2wwSvkhK8fMZEnKuHQRC5Dag4wukV1D-kkourYbqr3TpeHzKyCRufX4e_HP8xlDk0nFR2Hn0U7yGu4aOI7qhWGd3xxnA3P0IXCNc7Xq5M-XQQ19s89vD7/s1600/2015-04-05+15.18.41.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEFyA_eaxbKOzdsPu57d_5lFn2wwSvkhK8fMZEnKuHQRC5Dag4wukV1D-kkourYbqr3TpeHzKyCRufX4e_HP8xlDk0nFR2Hn0U7yGu4aOI7qhWGd3xxnA3P0IXCNc7Xq5M-XQQ19s89vD7/s320/2015-04-05+15.18.41.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07788050553764300232noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6617090192984040803.post-49791484914865823112018-02-07T13:04:00.000-05:002018-02-07T13:04:08.306-05:00New UFO projectWell, since it is a UFO it really isn’t a “New” project. But having finished my previous UFO it was time to pick another one.<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-awFZInDkNxU/Wns6Uz2keoI/AAAAAAAAFY8/liBDlQNPRkgKfnr09VsOf676zDnPq3E5wCHMYCw/s1600-h/2016-01-04%2B14.55.15%255B3%255D"><img alt="2016-01-04 14.55.15" border="0" height="184" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-RMqkqa8o9kw/Wns6VedoR2I/AAAAAAAAFZA/p0uh807LGicBK_lpoBztz-fIHUxaLyPBACHMYCw/2016-01-04%2B14.55.15_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline;" title="2016-01-04 14.55.15" width="244" /></a>This is the first picture I can find of them in my files. Four Patch Revisited from <em>Adventures with Leaders and Enders . <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mHI4IlWKnac/Wns6WeUOj8I/AAAAAAAAFZE/Lk_0PeTsEHcZJe7ClE9x7kZV6m9hAs6QQCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-02-07%2B12.02.11%255B4%255D"><img align="right" alt="2018-02-07 12.02.11" border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OazbjS2dFNY/Wns6Xq_Fs0I/AAAAAAAAFZI/4cGwW1Ytk5ElgKbjBeADesJGZbiJvqqNACHMYCw/2018-02-07%2B12.02.11_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: right;" title="2018-02-07 12.02.11" width="180" /></a> </em>January 4th 2016. It was a Four Patch challenge that Bonnie posted about, and I jumped right in. I put a twist to it in that I decided to make the four patches with plaid shirt for one side and a solid of a colour of the shirt on the other half. Well, not really a solid, but dense enough to pass for one at a distance. That didn't last very long, and I kept the idea of the shirts but got less picky with the companion block.<br />
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I did get all the four patches for the centre of the top together and the layout done by November of that year. And rows clipped together it has sat in a plastic bin since. Mostly because I’ve been doing more deadline, gift giving quilts since then. And also because I thought I needed 300 more four patches for the border.<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TI4RxN3cvvA/Wns6YPD6ZmI/AAAAAAAAFZM/lT-4M0pV000fWCBP-FidiKCuyMpEOlAZgCHMYCw/s1600-h/2016-11-08%2B08.54.39%255B4%255D"><img align="left" alt="2016-11-08 08.54.39" border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uPSsHyvS2CU/Wns6YlP8XXI/AAAAAAAAFZQ/M25oPGGdaTk2ZOy4Q29sUZV_5QFXtvcIACHMYCw/2016-11-08%2B08.54.39_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: left;" title="2016-11-08 08.54.39" width="180" /></a><br />
So, while <strike>puttering</strike> working hard in the sewing room finishing the bindings, I pulled out the box of four patches, did a count, rechecked the pattern and jumped in.<br />
I didn’t need 300 and I had over half of what I did need. Plus a whole stack of 1.5 inch strips I’d cut up while taming the shirt pile a few months ago. This looked do-able. And sure enough, in a few hours of sewing time I had them all finished.<br />
Hubby swapped out my bedroom machine so I’m back in action upstairs, webbing the rows together. And downstairs, I’m putting the neutral border squares together with four patches. <br />
All of this will come to a full stop in a few days as we pick up our suitcases and head off on our vacation. But I bet I can get a good portion of it done before we go. So now to link up with Jo and see what is happening over at the <a href="http://www.joscountryjunction.com/ufo-challenge-28/" target="_blank">Country Junction</a>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07788050553764300232noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6617090192984040803.post-42833039597158111842018-02-04T19:15:00.003-05:002018-02-04T20:39:50.555-05:00BOM updateLinking up with Jo for the <a href="http://www.joscountryjunction.com/block-of-the-month-challenge-2/">Block of the Month Challenge</a>:<br />
I did get one of my BOM done last month. Well almost all done. It was supposed to have embroidery in the centre block. However any time I spent working on this was spent looking for my embroidery hoop. <br />
Only to discover when I did find it and put the block together, that I had traced the design on the wrong side of the fabric. <br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rMP7K4NDPJ8/WnedcrKG08I/AAAAAAAAFXE/xc3843XFO58XLrIZA9tlKnUthGK6o-FJACHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-02-04%2B14.19.27%255B4%255D"><img align="left" alt="2018-02-04 14.19.27" border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-X6LpyvtMjfs/WneddOwaAcI/AAAAAAAAFXI/JqNrMuhn-LwLEwX5HyYmJn_c9t3Bu93vwCHMYCw/2018-02-04%2B14.19.27_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: left;" title="2018-02-04 14.19.27" width="180" /></a> Not sure if I am going to re-trace the numbers. Too much else going on right now to think about it. <br />
I did pull another pattern for this month and selected fabrics for it. So on track with that. <br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PfKbTnIAUA4/Wnedd6xjP8I/AAAAAAAAFXM/OWs1x328aogrhl5rAH3DHXSnjxATNXTJwCHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-02-04%2B14.20.17-1%255B3%255D"><img align="right" alt="2018-02-04 14.20.17-1" border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-V6jpLGmNlGM/WnedeRE6fcI/AAAAAAAAFXQ/Wgqxns-dC7gEp5lFxPBpV82lRU5XmygCACHMYCw/2018-02-04%2B14.20.17-1_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: right;" title="2018-02-04 14.20.17-1" width="210" /></a>I haven’t started cutting yet. <br />
Instead I’ve been trying to print more shapes for my hand-pieced Double Wedding Ring project. Looking back through the documents, it seems I first downloaded this from Inklingo in September 2014. It has dragged on so long due to being a hand project that only comes out when we are traveling.<br />
And since it is an Inklingo project, the only way to get new pieces cut is to print them on the fabric with my ink-jet printer. And that is not going well. It is refusing to load the waxpaper-fabric combination. I don't think this is because of the combination as it does this to me with paper also. But it is frustrating as heck. I need these printed so I can take them when we leave next Saturday for the Caribbean. <br />
So back to pushing buttons and trying over and over to get this to load. Or I just make a template and cut them individually. It is doubly frustrating since this is the only reason to have this printer and I kicked up a fuss to buy it because it was supposed to work so well printing Inklingo. Definitely time for a vacation, everything is going haywire on me.<br />
Addendum: I called in my IT guy. Hubby came and spent some time problem solving the issue. He finally got two pages printed for me before going back to vitally important things, something about a foot long ball or a show in half time. I don't know what he's talking about.<br />
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<br />Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07788050553764300232noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6617090192984040803.post-66065782616849364682018-01-31T17:53:00.001-05:002018-01-31T17:53:46.022-05:00A UFO Finish at lastAt long last my neutral Jacob’s Ladder project is a finished quilt. Still a few threads to weave in or cut off. And the top of the label to hand sew. But those are the fiddly bits and hardly count.<br />
Looking back to see now long this has been a work in progress, it really started when I purchased some beautiful Japanese yarn-dyed fabrics at a guild meeting. That would have been in February, 2015. That was the winter that I tried to take part in a quilt guild only to discover that I spent more time buying fabric at meetings than sewing. <br />
They didn’t seem to have get-togethers where they just sewed on their own projects, instead had classes in Art quilts and stuff I wasn’t interested in plus days of charity sewing which ended up being on days I was working . <br />
But back to this bundle of fabric. I tracked down where it had come from, <a href="https://www.kallistiquilts.com/" title="https://www.kallistiquilts.com/">https://www.kallistiquilts.com/</a>. And was very pleased to see she is still selling this fabric bundle, although the price has gone up. Maybe I’ll splurge someday a buy some more.<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5QZBBUtLvSw/WnJFUuxaNNI/AAAAAAAAFVY/qCKoD-fBGsE-dYU7PI7pGKhhFdwbtJa9QCHMYCw/s1600-h/Japanesefateights%255B3%255D"><img align="left" alt="Japanesefateights" border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rPXxqiXUhII/WnJFVLh_iBI/AAAAAAAAFVc/yCfanOSO0KQRv1970mwT2l7EmoQa4Aq6gCHMYCw/Japanesefateights_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: left;" title="Japanesefateights" width="238" /></a><br />
I picked them up thinking of doing <strong>Swing Your Partner</strong> from <em>Scraps and Shirttails. </em>However, after starting to cut the first few blocks, I realized I had made a significant error. The pattern called for fat quarters of 16 fabrics, I had something called a fat eighth. Not enough fabric to get all the pieces for the block. And now had a whole bunch of it cut into 2 inch and 3.5 inch strips and triangles. I needed another pattern that would use those sizes and shapes. <br />
They sat for almost a year before I found a use for them. The 8 inch Jacob’s Ladder block uses the same pieces only not as many. So I was able to repurpose what I already had cut and sewn. Did that. Not enough blocks for a decent size top. Project sat some more while I did other things. Then along came the Quilted Twins with their taupe bundle. And in no time at all, (well a couple of months since I see that I started posting about it in October), a finish.<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QJ2RTA3K8Vs/WnJFWLwi3AI/AAAAAAAAFVg/dfnM9TbISR4T8EIDm244pAriFTdJunrNQCHMYCw/s1600-h/2017-10-26%2B14.39.49%255B3%255D"><img align="right" alt="2017-10-26 14.39.49" border="0" height="184" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-aV4t2X77cwM/WnJFWalbnGI/AAAAAAAAFVk/gOSKsS0kDpAxYWXyjTlXOBjOzFPpBr4qQCHMYCw/2017-10-26%2B14.39.49_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: right;" title="2017-10-26 14.39.49" width="244" /></a>Trying to use every bit of these Japanese fabrics, I even pieced together leftovers.<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1WytaHJuM-Q/WnJFX0lnogI/AAAAAAAAFVo/Z-JWieDLPzAe7Oh30N35Dm54cBtLrreUACHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-01-28%2B15.30.57%255B3%255D"><img align="left" alt="2018-01-28 15.30.57" border="0" height="244" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BTHlSOujBew/WnJFYYHxMyI/AAAAAAAAFVs/vS-Fwpv3E-0nA5V2Jy-rMZz-gxub7WynACHMYCw/2018-01-28%2B15.30.57_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: left;" title="2018-01-28 15.30.57" width="184" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lkDGR9HFdOM/WnJFZ4pkEWI/AAAAAAAAFVw/Cf2TGBPDTMoSyW6Rgd-8pu1wySjRGJcngCHMYCw/s1600-h/20180131_154715%255B5%255D"><img alt="20180131_154715" border="0" height="184" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-AJnutFWDFzY/WnJFaWcMADI/AAAAAAAAFV0/s82noY4cgAITMtjrgYO1Ni3d2I_FM8BywCHMYCw/20180131_154715_thumb%255B2%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline;" title="20180131_154715" width="244" /></a><br />
It’s going to be hard to part with this. But I can’t keep them all and I have a good home in mind for it. A close friend lost her father last year and I had promised to make a shirt quilt with her father’s shirts. However all he had left were the knit, golf- T’s that wouldn’t make anything remotely interesting.<br />
So I’m going t<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-viidfb2mJ_k/WnJFcKPeQdI/AAAAAAAAFV4/ODzhmeIx9dYxBNCiJiEJ8opx4I_3KYtNgCHMYCw/s1600-h/20180131_154729%255B5%255D"><img align="left" alt="20180131_154729" border="0" height="184" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BhYeX3y9sxk/WnJFcW81NUI/AAAAAAAAFV8/YjlttlTVZUIo5DHt4tdpbfZdaDwFSRipQCHMYCw/20180131_154729_thumb%255B2%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: left;" title="20180131_154729" width="244" /></a>o present this to her instead. She has commented several times, on Facebook pictures of the progress, how much she likes this so I know it will be appreciated. <br />
I get to feel good twice, once for the finish and second for making a friend happy. Totally warm and fuzzy. <br />
Now to link up: <a href="http://www.joscountryjunction.com/ufo-challenge-27/" target="_blank">Jo's UFO challenge</a><br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-viidfb2mJ_k/WnJFcKPeQdI/AAAAAAAAFV4/ODzhmeIx9dYxBNCiJiEJ8opx4I_3KYtNgCHMYCw/s1600-h/20180131_154729%255B5%255D"><br /></a>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07788050553764300232noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6617090192984040803.post-63810789843724000962018-01-29T11:45:00.001-05:002018-01-29T11:45:32.199-05:00Monday Update Jan 29thAnother week gone and very little progress on the string project. <br />
Most of my sewing time was spent on the two quilts I was quilting and binding. A great deal of time in the binding, or more precisely the choosing of fabric for the binding. Coupled with the calculations and rigmarole of making continuous bias binding. I know everyone has pretty well switched to the doubled over non-bias strip method. And I was doing that for years, including hand-sewing down the back. But I have a binding attachment that I feel I should be using and I have discovered that it works better with the bias binding rather than WOF strips. Thus I am working at improving my skill with both the cutting and the sewing of the bias strips.<br />
So here’s one of the finished quilts, the Bricks and Stepping Stones from Bonnie’s free patterns. Which I've shown several times but this is it, done, finished, out of here. Label on, binding on, just needs a good wash and it's ready to go.<br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--eMj5LFDx9E/Wm9N8SGhx4I/AAAAAAAAFUY/QAyteCLoV54qdjpWCgO62FGKZ4PIE3iUACHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-01-28%2B15.29.31%255B3%255D"><img align="left" alt="2018-01-28 15.29.31" border="0" height="244" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-l93UfCbVL8k/Wm9N8yVSmoI/AAAAAAAAFUc/cFmOY75Eqc467OxADcT2qomXw0n-ClVUgCHMYCw/2018-01-28%2B15.29.31_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: left;" title="2018-01-28 15.29.31" width="184" /></a> While I was doing all this, no string piecing got done.<br />
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GpeYCLEA008/Wm9N-9hhOHI/AAAAAAAAFUo/Q7oW-IFPXpAlMtuPrbW5a2dAUncKZq5IgCHMYCw/s1600-h/20180123_171621%255B3%255D" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="20180123_171621" border="0" height="244" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PRKIsJ_SXUs/Wm9N_YHTiVI/AAAAAAAAFUs/LNh4V0SQPLwMk0DebZZIJ4ov6-4-o58AQCHMYCw/20180123_171621_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; margin: 0px;" title="20180123_171621" width="184" /></a>And when I did try and squeezing in a few quick trips under the needle, I kept getting thread jams. Which probably means it is time to pull this machine out of the cabinet and get it cleaned. <br />
Looking over at it now, I noticed a block that I did finish this week. However it wasn’t a string unit. It’s a totally new project, the Farmer’s Wife Quilt. And I have three of them done.<br />
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YuzlrhkytLE/Wm9N9xtHpbI/AAAAAAAAFUg/4L0BlIxgCYswyYe2wG36zBQisrIYvnIpACHMYCw/s1600-h/2018-01-25%2B20.47.24%255B3%255D" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img align="left" alt="2018-01-25 20.47.24" border="0" height="244" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YkuJXrJ341Y/Wm9N-DujPKI/AAAAAAAAFUk/ZxtWpBJozdsd0Xms6craUCnbsn85hjEAQCHMYCw/2018-01-25%2B20.47.24_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: left;" title="2018-01-25 20.47.24" width="184" /></a><br />
So that’s it. Now to <a href="http://www.joscountryjunction.com/what-im-working-on-and-string-challenge-2/">link </a> up with Jo and see what’s going on over there. <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ExUwfydp8G4/Wm9OAI65ifI/AAAAAAAAFUw/D-AjR8C1Xa0aXeFnoaCQVxrcwUy5JsA_gCHMYCw/s1600-h/20180123_171757%255B2%255D"><img align="right" alt="20180123_171757" border="0" height="244" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Fo63KQxCe_Y/Wm9OAaHHp5I/AAAAAAAAFU0/na1SjhZlCZAWofbGwa98YK2FXHSyM8ycgCHMYCw/20180123_171757_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: right;" title="20180123_171757" width="170" /></a>Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07788050553764300232noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6617090192984040803.post-83587063846254195842018-01-22T13:45:00.002-05:002018-01-22T13:45:58.930-05:00Monday String Update<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-l3B5HuLtBnM/WmYvEQ5DWcI/AAAAAAAAFS0/LVQZ4AFhe8sFnbma5OQPny7NC70wl5HawCHMYCw/s1600-h/20180122_130640%255B4%255D" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img align="right" alt="20180122_130640" border="0" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6GZgTZms4bk/WmYvExLWUqI/AAAAAAAAFS4/7sup-f43qkAyr2m6swmVpTG3phPwl68vQCHMYCw/20180122_130640_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: right;" title="20180122_130640" width="180" /></a>Well here it is Monday and time to <a href="http://www.joscountryjunction.com/what-im-working-on-and-string-challenge/">link up</a> with Jo and see what progress has been made on our string projects. <br />
Very Little. <br />
Like only two units done this week, plus some of the pieces I’m going to use as a border. <br />
This is about the worst effort so far. And last week seemed to be just zipping along, full of enthusiasm. Until a head cold smacked right into me and knocked me into hibernation for a few days. Luckily it wasn’t anything worse and I did regain my energy level. <br />
Which I channeled into finishing the quilting on the Bricks and Stepping Stones quilt <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ihb0xBVOpHA/WmYvF6o-2xI/AAAAAAAAFS8/nTj8iVEJA2YdWZ__SKJZLPECIJuySbfAwCHMYCw/s1600-h/20180122_130517%255B3%255D" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="20180122_130517" border="0" height="244" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-T9BDfdm4xoY/WmYvGeG0EsI/AAAAAAAAFTA/711odvXW_QAJ0MRBLtViPxhDDYiX_PjaQCHMYCw/20180122_130517_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; margin: 0px;" title="20180122_130517" width="184" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bricks and Stepping Stones</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HAUf5lIa17Q/WmYvHm13v0I/AAAAAAAAFTE/TTjCGpPgL2I-LVGaYrHSN0UUyRYGgdNCgCHMYCw/s1600-h/20180122_130522%255B3%255D"><img align="right" alt="20180122_130522" border="0" height="244" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-m2XUwMrfRPY/WmYvIIGcuBI/AAAAAAAAFTI/biC-mvcsxSEWAubUb8vfRZZ301y7CiWNQCHMYCw/20180122_130522_thumb?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: right;" title="20180122_130522" width="184" /></a>and making binding for the Jacob’s Ladder. (which is the fabric rolled around the thread spool above the Spider units in the first picture)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0vx4FiY_BDs/WmYvI7GhYrI/AAAAAAAAFTM/egA1-lHs5dgDPdPqh6FxstCpiwyiYKd1QCHMYCw/s1600-h/20180122_130602%255B5%255D" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img align="left" alt="20180122_130602" border="0" height="273" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lYkQ8X_txuQ/WmYvJEsgpEI/AAAAAAAAFTQ/L9D4wbFmH-0H6XWdX0PysIBNvzGZZyK1ACHMYCw/20180122_130602_thumb%255B2%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline; float: left;" title="20180122_130602" width="205" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Show Off<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Oh and I had a brain storm idea about the border for Show Off, so I worked on that for a while. Becky’s pattern called for a piano key border which I had been putting off working on. (I’m quite good at procrastination).<br />
Then while searching for the baby quilts the other week, I came across a strip of shirtings assembled for a bargello. The light bulb went off when it occured to me that I might get three strips of piano key border by subcutting it. ( Bonnie’s Scrappy Bargello pattern calls for 16 inch strips). That left some more pieces to add on to make the side length but it gave me a quick head start. <br />
Of course this was only possible because I had forgotten the correct measurement for the border was supposed to be 5.5 inches. For some reason the five stuck in my brain and that’s what I cut. And that’s what I’m going with. <br />
Now off to make binding for the Bricks. Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07788050553764300232noreply@blogger.com2