Hedgehogs

I finished the 2 Hedgehog blocks , which proved to be a lot of trouble for me. I thought  I was being so careful when I cut all the pieces but clearly, my mind must have been running around after other things. I had a number of pieces cut the wrong size. However I have 2 Hedgehog blocks that measure the correct size even though they are not exactly the same due to a "fixed up" cutting error. I don't think anyone will spot the difference easily. Besides that,it is only normal for different people/animals to have slightly different sized foreheads.






After I clear away some of the distraction in my sewing room I will move right along to the rest of the blocks. Baby Caelen, who was due in January but was born the first week in November, at less than 2 pounds, is now 3 lb 11 oz and meeting preemie milestones. He will be coming home before long. I want to get this finished and also to make a smaller "hang on to/mess up" quilt, something more practical for a little guy.

Bunny Blocks

Yesterday I cut another pile of 1.5 inch log cabin strips and then decided that I needed to straighten up my space  in order to work more efficiently. I had the Fancy Forest pieces cut for the blocks and they were taking up a whole table because I had 2 blocks laid out for piecing.  I finished the 2 blocks but it took the entire rest of the day and an hour this morning.

I wanted to completely outline the ears due to the value of the background not having enough contrast with the white inside ear fabric. I started with the yellow bunny and the ear section didn't line up at the connector corner points. I fiddled with it and never got it right. I decided I would scrap it and start over but first I put the turquoise bunny together . I had cut some of the connector corners the wrong size and didn't find my mistake until I was ready to add the ear section to the eye section. I fixed it and the rest was  easy  easier. Making the turquoise bunny showed me how to fix the yellow one and I didn't have to scrap what I had already done. 
For the rest of the blocks, I will check the size of the cut pieces as I lay them out. I knew I should do this already from my experience with the first Fancy Forest quilt.

My plan for today is to cut more strips for the log cabin blocks. Doing this is also helping me to tame my scrap basket and that is a real plus. Working through that with a purpose is better than to dump it out and try to sort it, which gets discouraging very fast.

Christmas Log Cabin Quilts

Once again, I am thinking about making Log Cabin Christmas quilts for family. This time for all the great grandchildren. I made 9 Log Cabin quilts with red white and green fabrics for Christmas 2000. I  made one quilt for each married couple and one for each grandchild. You can read about those quilts here.

Now I have 7 great grandchildren, maybe I should make a couple extra quilts.  That would be 9 quilts and if I start now I should be able to get them done in time for Christmas next year. I think that I should make 9 identical blocks and let them find the blocks in their quilts, as I did the first time.  Maybe I should just make some extra identical blocks and if more GGkids come along I can use those blocks in quilts I make later.

I got these boxes down from the closet shelf.  The top box is 2 inch strips of all colors; I will pull out what I want and cut them down to 1.5 inches.
The center 2 boxes are Christmas fabrics, some are strips and some are pieces.
The bottom box is 1.5 inch strips. I will pull out the colors I want  and then I will put these boxes back on the shelf and make a new box(or boxes) for the strips I want to use. I like having a lot of the fabrics I used before. When  I made a family quilt in the past, I included something somewhere in the quilt from everyone else's quilt.




I found these seven blocks in my "odd block box" and I will use these as a start.  




















The first time I made the Log cabin Christmas quilts, I finished ALL of my UFO's, yes, every last one! Log cabin blocks are labor intensive and become boring after a while. Sometimes I needed a break from them but I would not allow myself to start any new projects. So, when ever I needed a rest from the log cabins, I worked on a UFO project. I think I will do the same again and first up will be the Fancy Forest 2 quilt.

This is a good time to get started because the weather is such that we will not be going out for a few days. I do regret that I might not be able to get to the quilt shops to take advantage of the Christmas fabric sales. I will keep an eye on the weather and we'll see if there is a chance to get out. Of course, there is always the Internet.

Merry Cristmas

Merry Christmas

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Fancy Forest 2

Yesterday I started sewing the Fancy Forest Fox blocks. I had some of the pieces cut before we moved on October 1. I had everything put away in a box waiting for the background fabric; I finally bought it this week. I cut all the strips for the background and I am moving forward even if I have second thoughts about my fabric choice.

I revisited my rules for myself about making these blocks (after I made some mistakes in cutting).
One rule was to lay out the pieces for each block on a flannel board before I started sewing it together.

This helps me to understand why the instructions say to sew things in the order given. I can also see before I sew if something is not the right size, like cutting that 2 1/2 x 6 1/2 inch blue background strip 5 1/2 inches (yes, I did that and I saw it before I sewed onto it the connector corner ear squares).

















These 4 Fox blocks went together quickly and with no problems; however there is a problem with my background choice. It is too close in value to the white in these blocks.
I photographed them in a blue flannel board and maybe the blue shows through on the white ,in the photo, making it seem closer in value that it is. This is the only block that the white and blue are next to each other. I am going to continue using  the background as I have already cut all the strips for the blocks and sashings.  I will think about what I can do To make a definition between the white and blue when I get ready to quilt it. I don't think this is going to hang on the wall and baby will probably not care.

Friendship Blocks

For a number of years I belonged to the "Friendship" group at the local quilt shop. We met once a month and one or sometimes two of the members presented a block pattern with color preferences that they wanted the other members to make for them. Depending on the size we could request either 2 or 3 blocks. I asked for "Triple 4 Patch" blocks at least 3 times and made 3 quilts that I loved. I made quilts from almost all of my "Friendship" blocks.

So..... Saturday I was rattling around wondering what to do with myself and decided to have a look in my box of odd blocks.  I found a number of blocks that I made to try out a pattern or a colorway, some that lead to quilts and some that didn't. I did find a large size zip lock bag with 12 inch "Quails Nest" Friendship blocks. 

There are enough blocks for 2 quilts, one with lighter nearly pastel fabrics and these that are darker, richer colors. I am going to work with these first. 
I picked out 9 blocks and then made 3 more to make a more useful size quilt. I dragged out 3 flannel covered insulation panels that I didn't use on my wall and started arranging; I think I am finished moving them around.

I am considering sashing strips and border fabric from my stash or maybe I will shop for something.  I have time to think about it, there will probably be no more sewing till next week.

Autumn and Me

My grandson took this picture on Saturday when they came to visit so we could meet her. I am not biased when I say she is beautiful.

Our new little great grandson is holding his own. He was 1lb. 14 oz. at birth.

Babies and Drag Around Quilt

Yesterday my grandson and his wife came to see us so we could meet the new great granddaughter. She is beautiful and both parents are basking in the joys of new parenthood. I got to hold her for a little while but then Mom had to feed her and then our son (new grandpa) came and he held her the rest of the time.  She is his first grandchild and he is quite taken with her.


This is the only photo I got yesterday because my camera has been having some problems. It doesn't snap the picture every time I press the button. Maybe it is time for a new camera.






I finished the Drag around quilt and gave it to them yesterday. This collage shows the front and backing. I didn't use the backing for the binding after all but remembered that I saw some already made, leftover, yellow binding when I went through the scrap basket.  This little quilt is about 24 inches square.and there are a lot of scraps in it from the quilt I made for the parents wedding gift.











We also have another new great grandchild,  He was due in January but he was born early Friday at 27 weeks.  I have some photos but he is hard to see with all the paraphernalia attached and around him. We haven't had any updates since Friday afternoon; at that time, the outlook was cautiously optimistic. We are praying for him and all the family and trusting God.

Drag Around Quilt

This morning I got up and looked at the blocks that I found in my scrap basket.  I had stuck them up on my design wall with the thought that I would sew them together for a small quilt.  What better time to do that than right away?  So I did.

I used Kona cream  to calm it down and I am off to the quilt shop to find a backing which will also be the binding. It has been a while since I was moved to get something started and finished so quickly.

I think my new space is inspiring,  maybe!

Sewing Room

While my sewing room was functional it wasn't conducive to creativity.  I had been waiting for Jack to put up my design wall but, always, something else that came first.  To be honest, both of us have only so much energy and this has been a very big energy sapping move for us.  We had some help with some big projects but finding where things go is something that we've had to do ourselves. You can't tell people what you want to do with something if you don't know what you want.

Anyway, last Tuesday I got up early and felt energized and motivated and I hung my flannel covered insulation panels on the sewing room walls myself.  To be sure, Jack would have done a better job but it is done and I don't think I hurt his feelings.

I bought foam insulation boards and covered them with white flannel and I used them with 2 older flannel covered boards that I thought were white. Oh well, this is a working wall and when I am not using it it will be covered with a finished wall hanging.
The design boards cover the wall from the doorway to the corner (7 feet) and round the corner (31 inches). they are 48 inches long and start 13 inches down from the ceiling.





A day or so earlier I had hung some of my large square rulers on the wall. This is right next to where the design boards around the corner end.
I don't like to put the big square rulers in the ruler rack.
 You can see odds and ends just sitting around waiting to be put somewhere.









 I had made white muslin curtains for the window and hung them on a tension rod. White, to allow as much light as possible even with the curtains closed; just in case I start working before I get dressed.

Some color was definitely needed and I knew just what I wanted. As soon as I put up my design wall, I dug into my big laundry basket of unorganized scraps and cut at least 20 inches of various widths of colorful fabric. I put them up on the wall and started working.

It wasn't fast but I finished up on Sunday after church and Jack and I put up the curtain rod for the piano key valence. Hanging that curtain rod is a whole story in itself but we did it! And hung the valence.

Then we moved my desk so I could get at the walls above and beside my desk where I hung a permanent wall hanging and a bulletin board, that I will change out from time to time.



So here is my room, from the doorway around 3 walls to the window.

This quilt will be on the wall when I don't need the design wall for something large.













This is my wall around the corner.
Atthe top of the design board is a little quilt my friend made using a pack of my 5 inch squares that I donated as a prize for the annual Basement Diva  first Jelly Roll Race. the pack was called "Notso Squares", for not so charming. Below that are some "made fabric" blocks that I found in my disaster of a scrap basket.
I rearranged the rulers so I could hang my scherenschnitte art that I purchased from an Ohio paper cutter artist long ago.
The "Flock of Geese " wall hanging is one I made when my friend Kathy taught me to paper piece.

This is above my desk and there will be some other things below it to fill in that space.

My bulletin board, around the corner right next to my desk.These things change from time to time.
The license plate above, which does not photograph well, will stay. There may be some additions there to balance the space.











Last is the window with the piano key valence.
Next to the window is a  narrow lingerie chest which we bought for Jack 20 some years ago to exactly fit that same space in our other apartment. It now holds seldom used rulers and other tools and templates, freezer and parchment paper, rolls of art paper and canvas. The fourth wall is around the corner and is just the closet doors and the book case.

In our other apartment I had shelves that went from wall to wall above my desk, one high and one lower to clear my monitor by a few inches. Though this apartment is the same, we just couldn't hang the shelf brackets. We hit concrete and though we tried many things we finally just gave up.

In the end I think I have the most workable space I've ever had. I can reach everything easily. Only one shelf in the closet is too high to reach without a ladder. It holds things I seldom use and I can get them down by standing on the lowest step of the ladder.

Today, I am content with my sewing room and I am inspired to do something with those colorful "made fabric" blocks. I think I will make a small drag around quilt for my brand new great granddaughter, Autumn Leah, who arrived yesterday morning.

Getting There

Every box and Rubbermaid tub is unpacked and most things have found their permanent place. The sewing room is getting there.

This morning I emptied the Rubbermaid tub of all my fabric scraps for improve piecing. Once upon a time I had all my scraps in 2 large popcorn tins. I could never find anything when I wanted something so I set about to organize everything by cutting the scraps into strips and squares of the sizes I used  most often. Then I started following Victoria Finlay Wolfe's Bumblebeans blog and I started saving uncut scraps again for "making fabric" and improv piecing. I sorted my scraps by color and put them in ziplock bags and stored them in that brown plastic laundry basket. When I wanted to work with the scraps I put them in shoe boxes on my work table, with a box for each color. That way I didn't have a big tangled pile of all colored scraps. When I was finished with the project I put the fabric back in the ziplocks and stacked the empty shoe boxes. That system worked very well.......until I put a bag of scraps in the basket without sorting them by color. I was cleaning up after a project and " I would sort them later". Multiply than scenario by at least ten times and it isn't organized anymore.  I now have my plastic basket filled with the sorted scraps and next to it are seven bags of unsorted scraps from many projects.  I plan to tackle this soon.

But Not Today!

Not Quite Ready to Sew

We got moved on September 29 and the move went OK; nothing of ours got broken but the moving truck backed up over our son in law's 40 foot extension ladder and damaged both ends. The time estimate for the move was 6 hours and it took 8. However I was at the receiving end telling them where everything went and this time we got the furniture in the sewing room against the walls where it was staying and the boxes in the middle of the room. That was a big plus instead of the boxes lining the walls and the furniture in the middle of the room; especially since all of the miscellaneous boxes (the ones to be unpacked after all the "important" stuff) always go in the sewing room.

We got all the important stuff taken care of and in place right away (the bed first, of course, TV's set up, internet, cable and phones connected and Jack's desk set up). From there it all slowed down but I can finally see the end in sight.

I received my prize from the Blogger's Quilt Festival and it is a very nice  " A Shout, A whisper A Text" quilt kit from Designs by Sarah J Max.

 Here is the stack of 26 fabrics and the pattern.















 Here are all the pieces spread out. There are various size pieces because it is a quilt kit.

I am eager to get started on this fabric; this may be the incentive I need to get my sewing room shaped up.