Design Wall Monday....

 My Design Wall is kinda full....(that just shows that I haven't been sewing much this week) .... and I wanted to show the third block in Grandmothers Choice series that I finished yesterday. 
So I decided to pull off one of the rows of Walk About and then I slapped up the three blocks of Grandmothers Choice.



This one is named: Union Square

These are so fun to make.  It takes me longer to choose the fabric than sew the block it seems.   I'm loving these so far.  Here's a link to Barbara's blog telling about the history of the women's fight for the right to vote.  I really don't know which I'm enjoying more.... making the block or reading the history. 

Now I think I'll grab my cuppa and head over to Judy's Design Wall and see what other quilters have been up to.

    Thanks for stopping by....Linda

Slow Stitching Sunday...

Today Kathy is talking about Hoops (Kathy's Quilts: Slow Stitching Sunday) So I figured I would link to her post and show the hoop I use for my embroidery.
I love this hoop!  It's a spring hoop and so easy to move around.  I just grip the two 'handles' and quickly move the solid hoop (on the back) just where I want it.  It's also easy to rotate those handles around to get them out of my threads way.
 When I first started doing much embroidery I used the hoop that tightens with a screw thingy simply because that's all I knew about.  And if that's what grandma used then it was good enough for me.
Well.... not so much!!
I really really disliked having to unscrew that hoop to move it and then trying to decide where to center my fabric to get the most stitching in before I would have to move it again.
And then I found this one!!  I don't know what the name is or where I even bought it.  But I do know that I would never want to be without it.  It's just so easy to adjust the fabric just a little or a whole lot.
So with that I do think I'll spend a bit of my lazy afternoon with my hoop and fabric.
Have a great Sunday.

Just a quick edit.  After posting that I didn't know the name of this hoop I did a google search and found this.  http://www.joann.com/darice-spring-tension-hoop-5/prd12000/   

Thanks for stopping by....Linda

One more block finished thanks to Bonnie's challenge to sew One hour a day.  I didn't work on it at all this weekend but just last night was able to put in the last few stitches to get this one done.

Here's the next block I'll be working on now.  This is the last block to embroidery and then I can start setting them together.  Now I'm going to have to get serious about the color I will use for the rest of it. 
Of course black would be the most obvious color but a solid is not what I'm after.  I'll be looking for something with a bit of texture and marbling.  Perhaps a lightly patterned gold on black might be pretty. 
But that's what I'm using for my Carol Doak BOM so that idea is out. 
Looks like a shopping trip is in order.  lol 
Thanks for stopping by....Linda

 Always  ...Linda

Oops!!  I almost forgot it is Monday and that means I can link to Judy's Design Wall post.   

I've worked a bit on the Walk About blocks and have about half of them sewn into rows.   This is the last picture that I've taken but I do have a couple more rows finished.... just not added to the wall.  This is the final layout I chose.  I'll be adding borders too but I haven't really decided on the final design yet.  I'll wait till I have the top finished and then measure it to be sure how many inches I'll need to work with. 
Come with me and let's go check out the other quilters over at Judy's. 
Thanks for stopping by....Linda

 Last week Bonnie Hunter tossed out a challenge to use just a needle and thread (no machine) and sew for an hour a day.   She thought we could post about where we sew and keep track of our time and show how much we get accomplished each week. 
Well that's exactly what I needed.  So this week I got back to my chair and pulled out my Black-work Baskets. 
I started these baskets way back in 2008 and worked on them off and on for a couple of years.  Then for some reason I just set them aside.  With this challenge I figured these would be a great project to work on. 
 This is my recliner with my snuggle quilt and my favorite little pillow and the floor lamp that I couldn't do without.  I have a large basket that sits on the floor right behind the light and I keep some of my yarns and needles in there.   I sure don't have any shortage of things to keep my hands busy.  I love to crochet' and I've made several scarves and dishclothes.  Nothing fancy by any means.

Here I am all set up to embroidery.  Must have my ice water and Chap Stick! 
And my little mug rug.  I just love that little thing.  I'm thinking I may have to make a few more.  

See that green thing?  This is what it looks like inside.   I really don't like threading the needles one at a time..... so I do several to be ready.  It's just a simple piece of fabric and batting.  The batting grabs the thread and keeps them from unraveling all over the place. 

I know Bonnie and others are using a calendar to keep track of their time ..... but I really don't want to have something that big so I did find this little tablet from one of my favorite quilt shops and decided this would be perfect. 

So this is where I started this week and after 6½ hours this is how far along I got. 

I'm going to try to put in a little more time this week.  I know I can get this block finished and get another one started. 

Now I'm heading over to Bonnie's Quiltville (One Hour of Needle & Thread) to link up.  Grab your cup and follow me.  Let's go see what others have done this week. 
 Have a great week and.....

Thanks for stopping by....Linda

Well it's Saturday so that means that the next block in Grandmother's Choice has been posted. 

 Here's #2 with my fabric choices.  The block is called Amethyst.   EQ7 has it listed as Priscilla so I printed the templates from there.
And it has the dreaded Y-seams.  I've sewn them before but I kinda forgot how for sure.  But I didn't want to come all the way back out here to get on the computer to find out how to do them right so I just muddled around and finally got the block all together. Believe it or not .... it doesn't look too bad.  lol
But I do think I'll study up on them a bit the next time just to make it easier on myself.  ;o) 

There's a Flicker Group set up for everyone to post their pictures of their blocks each week if you'd like to take a look.  Quite a selection of fabric choices.
   
Thanks for stopping by....Linda

I'm making my first mug rug.  Can you believe it?  My first!  I know, I know.... but I usually don't do little things.
Table toppers or place-mats have been the smallest things I've made.
But when Carol Doak gave us a bonus project to paper-piece I decided it would be perfect for Oct and my coffee.  The center is only a 3" x 3".  By adding the border I now have the perfect size for my coffee mug.
Isn't this cat in a pumpkin just the cutest thing?    

Thanks for stopping by....Linda

  Grandmother's Choice Block of the Week. 
This first block is called Grandmother's Choice and the following is quoted from Barbara's blog.  

"The quilt pattern in the logo design was given the name Grandmother's Choice by the Ladies' Art Company about 1890". 

# 1.... finished.
There will be 49 total blocks measuring 8" finished with 2" sashing and cornerstones.
She also shows a 6" border so I'll wait until I have most of the blocks finished before I decide on the fabric for that.
I'm linking my block to the Grandmother's Choice Flicker Group if you'd like to check out the great blocks already being posted .

And then you can head on over to Judy's Design Wall Monday post to see what other quilters have been up too. 
 
Thanks for stopping by....Linda

Sometimes something comes along that just nags at me until I give in.  When I first read about this project I was definitely tempted....but quickly talked myself out of it and moved along.

And then I read Denise's blog and Cathy's blog.  And between the two of them I just had to go back and check out the details.
   
Sooooo I've pulled my fabrics.  I really like the looks of the Purple/Green/White.   But then I thought about how each country has it's own colors and I decided to use the colors that represents the United States.  This is what Barbara has on her sidebar.

   America's primary suffrage color was gold, often contrasted with black or dark violet. The shade is close to the yellow-orange we see in 19th-century quilts, the color the dyers called chrome orange and we call cheddar.




 

 
These are the fabrics I've chosen so far.   I'll throw in some black occasionally if I need to and when I have more time I'll rummage through my scraps to pull more golds.  

Happy Labor Day weekend.  Hope you're having fun and staying safe and happy.  
I'm going to go sew   
Thanks for stopping by....Linda