Saturday...

Brrrrrr. Our weather has turned cold again.
Well....maybe not cold.... but sure chilly! Cloudy. Forecast for rain.
I had to turn the heat back on. So far this week I've turn OFF the heat.... turned ON the air conditioner.... turned OFF the air.... and now turned ON the heat again.
Yep! I'd say it's spring in Kansas. LOL

So what better to do on a spring day in Kansas than snuggle under my quilt and take a nap after lunch. It was hard to fully wake up though. I was so toasty warm under my quilt.
Here it is..... the four-patch-posie quilt after I had it bound. I don't think I showed this completed.

This morning we went out to the farm where we have the camper stored for the winter. We needed to move it so the boat behind us could get out. It won't be too long before we pull it home so we can load it for the summer. I'm not sure what we'll do or where we'll go yet.... but we'll go somewhere. Probably just up to the lake for starters.

So that means I need to get sereous and start thinking of what sewing projects I want to take with me. I always like to have something I can do by hand. I still have the black-work baskets to work on so that will keep me occupied for awhile. And I take my machine too so I could do any number of things. I always take way more than enough to keep me busy. Thank goodness we have a big camper. hahaha

Have a great weekend

This months Pizza box....

Today I decided I wanted to work on our guilds pizza box project.
I have Lee's blocks this month and she's picked out a paper-pieced stained glass crazy quilt. Isn't that cute?
But she's decided she wants to make a large quilt instead of the wall hanging so she'll need quite a few blocks. She told us we could make as many as we wanted so I did two today. I may (if I get around to it) make her one more since I really enjoy paper-piecing.

Here are the two I have finished. I'm having a real hard time not squaring it up and cutting off the edges.
I want it to look neat! hahaha
But we're all going to leave that to the original person to do when she sets the blocks together. So even tho it's edges are raggy I still want to show them off.

Yesterday I spent the day cleaning up my computer. My Bookmarks had gotten completely out of hand. I didn't even know what all I had saved and I couldn't find some things if I wanted too.
Sooooo I started dumping!! (some sites I'd saved three times. Guess I really liked them) And reorganizing and renaming files to make more sense. And moving things from one file to another. At least now I think I can find things (maybe) I could probably still spend another day making sure all the links are working.... but I got tired of it yesterday so I quit for the day.

Border runner finished...

I've finished the runner this afternoon. I'm not going to add a border to it since it's plenty wide enough for the buffet already.
Here it is laying on the floor in front of the buffet I'm talking about. I made it long enough to hang over each end and I'm going to pick up a couple of gold tassels for the ends whenever I get to Hobby Lobby. Which may be awhile.

I've enjoyed learning how to make this.... but I'm pretty sure I would NOT want to make a big quilt with this pattern. Way to much matching and pining and fussing around.

More blocks...

I was able to get four more blocks done today. I had to cut more fabric and this time I knew what I was doing. heehee
I had to make two adjustments when cutting and the blocks went together much easier. Plus I starched the heck out of the bias and that made all the difference in the world.

Here is a close-up of one of the blocks. (Sorry it's fuzzy)





I think I'm going to make a runner.
When I first started I was going to do a square 44".... but I'm not sure that's what I want now that I see the pattern this is making.
I think a long runner that I can use on my buffet or table will be much better.


This is what it is beginning to look like.
I'm enjoying it now.
I plan to continue on this for a few more days then I'll switch back to Jim's quilt and get it put on the frame.


Oh.... I almost forgot..... here is a pic of the fabric I'm using.
Pretty cool huh?
How this can change into that.

Guild Border Class.....

Yesterday we had eight of us from our guild that took part in the class.
This was the second time this gal has given the class for our guild... so we were all the leftovers that had not taken the first one.
It was sure fun .... but oh my.... certainly had to use our brains and mark-mark-mark every piece... and then pin-pin-pin each seam to match. (Ummmm I usually don't sew like that) but I did as the teacher told me.

I've decided that I'm going to frog and redo a couple of my seams. I'm just not satisfied with them and I don't like the way my seams are laying on the back.
She wouldn't let us press as we worked. And that is just not the way I like to make my blocks. But because the outside is all bias she said it would warp and wave. She's right of course.....but still..... yucky seams!! :)

It took me all morning to wrap my brain around this technique..... but after lunch it finally clicked. I felt like I finally understood it!!
She didn't have a pattern to follow because she said that wouldn't help us because we all had to figure out our own blocks based on our fabric. Criminy!!
It is, however, based on the Hidden Wells pattern.

Every one of us had a different border print to start with. So we started out by analyzing each piece of fabric to find the exact repeat and the size of the blocks we would be making with our individual prints. We all wound up with different sized blocks that ranged from the smallest (7.5") to the largest (21").

We had a very nice lunch. Our guild president made a veg soup (very good) and the rest of us brought various desserts and a couple of cheese & crackers. Just perfect.
The day seemed to fly by and before I knew it..... Don had come to pick me up. It was 3:00pm and class was over. Bummer!!

Here are pics of each of our groupings we finished.
This one is mine.

And these are all the rest. One of the gals (Lee) is a speed demon and she managed to get four of hers put together (bottom right). You can see the pattern starting to emerge.

Cool huh?

Borders on...

Jim's top is now complete and ready to be loaded and quilted. It's about 58" X 76". Just the right size to snuggle under in his recliner while he watches the Chiefs.
I have yet to show you the fabric for the back. heehee.
But that will all have to wait awhile.

Tomorrow I'm going to the border class and I'm sure I won't get that one finished in one day, so I'll be sewing on it when I get back home. One more addition to my UFO pile probably.

I had about 4 or 5 inches on each segment left over after cutting the blocks so... instead of just throwing them into the scrap box... I took them all and cut them into 2" strips.
Some ends I could get two cuts and some I could only get one.
I have no idea why that happened.???
I sewed them end to end and used them for one of the borders.
I think it jazzed it up just a tiny bit.
Here's a close-up of the borders.

You all have a great weekend.

Happy Anniversary Deb & Jim.

Rail blocks finished.....

I've got all of the blocks set together so I thought I'd give you a peek. Today I'm going to start on the borders.
This should work huh Deb?

Saturday our guild is having a get together to sew a border print project. I've signed up and plan to do a table topper. I have a fall fabric that I bought several months ago just because I liked it. Didn't have a plan for it at the time (I do that a lot) and I have just enough to do this class. I'll head over about 8:30 to set up and one of the gals is making soup for lunch and the rest of us are to bring anything we want to go with it. Sounds yummy.
We should be finished around 3:00.
Should be a fun day for sure.

A new week.....

Now that Easter is over and all the food has been devoured and I have nothing on the calendar to interrupt me..... I started on Jim's quilt today. (shhhhh don't tell him)
These fabrics are so luscious.

I strip sewed these together and then cut the 2" strips into 6.5" blocks.
A simple Rail Fence design would seem to be the next order right?
Well .... I've already made one of those so I'm going to lay this one out a bit differently.

I used the symmetry button in EQ to find an alternate layout I liked.

I think I'll use this one. Sorry it's a bit fuzzy.
Of course I'm always open to changing my mind at the last minute. heehee

~~ HAPPY EASTER ~~

4 patch posie...

I finally got around to getting one of my UFO's put on my frame and I've been working on it the last several days.
Slowly getting the quilting done.
I've used a very simple panto called Mini-Ocean. So Fine on top and Bottom Line in the bobbin. My Juki loves this combination! And I'm using my new favorite batting Quilters Dream Green.

I made this last summer and it's been sitting on the growing pile of UFO's for long enough. I decided it was time to replace the throw I use in my chair when I'm watching tv and get this one done.

I call this my faux One-Block-Wonder. The pattern calls for sashing around all of the 4-patch blocks but I didn't want to do that so...... I copied the OBW style and this is the final product of doing it my way.

This is the fabric I used to make the blocks. It always amazes me how they come out all looking soooo different when this technique is used.

I only have about three more passes to do then I'll get the binding sewn on and it'll be one I can mark off.
Finally!!

I'm a slug...

Ok I hate days like yesterday.

I was completely useless.

Completely!!!

I couldn't focus, or settle on any thing all day long.

I just flittered from one thing to another.

I mostly stared at the quilt laying smack dab in the middle of the floor (where I had to walk around it to get to get to any room in my house)

.... I'd go sort thru the gazzilion patterns that, at one time or another I thought I just HAD to buy (all of which are still just sitting in the drawer)

.... then I'd play with some of the t-shirts (no I didn't want to work on that one yet)

.... or I'd start to do a little cleaning. (but let's face it, who, in their right mind really wants to clean)?

Bored I was!!

But .... today is another day! I WILL do something constructive today!!

First .... the quilt is picked up off the floor and I've made my decision.

Number 1 it is.

Because after all.... Dee says so!! And who am I to argue! (at least not with her) HAHAHA

Thank you everyone for dropping in to let me know your choice. It's nice to be able to share ideas and have response.

Hi Karen.... glad you stopped by. Come back any time.
Crispy.... I like what you said about noticing the border and the blocks. That's my goal.
And the icing on the cake would be the perfect quilting. Right Suzanne? LOL I think I might know a longarmer or two also.
Jacquie, Deb and Mary.... thanks for adding you input. I value your opinions you know.

So now..... I'm off to start a new day.

I'm open to suggestions please.....

I finally finished the last block and have my top set together. Last night I played in EQ and have now completely confused myself about what I want to do about the borders. :(

I thought I knew what I wanted to do....
but now.....
Well, I may have to let this quilt stew a bit longer.

I do this all the time!! Sheesh!!

Here's the top so far....
At least one decision that I've made is....I want to have this one quilted by a good longarm quilter..... (which means I have to send it to someone somewhere).
First.... because I don't have the space with my frame to do what I want done.
And second.... I don't have the talent to do what I want done.

That's the biggest reason that I'm changing my mind about the borders. I've just always made simple borders on all the quilts I've done before so I could quilt them myself..... but if I send this one out then I can add borders to show off nice quilting.
At least this morning that's the way I'm leaning.
In fact ..... I'm even thinking I may go ahead and do some border applique'. (did I really say that?)
Since it has taken me at least two years to get these blocks done..... what the heck..... what's another year or two?

What would you do?

Here are a few of the idea's I'm toying with....

Another month gone.......

And here I am without much accomplished for March.
Once we got back home ..... I really have been sewing ..... but most of it has been handwork.
Here is another applique' block done. I'm now working on the last one for my quilt. I should be finished in a couple of days for sure. I'm really anxious to get it set together so I can get to the quilting.



I do have at least ONE finish to post in my sidebar for March. I made these cute little eggs yesterday. Gosh they are just a tad bit addictive. I'm thinking of making more today.

I saw them on retro mama's blog yesterday and just fell in love with them. She posted a fantastic tutorial so I quickly grabbed a few scraps and had them cut out, sewn and stuffed in no time. They'll make a nice addition to the table this Easter. Thanks Kim!!