Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty. -John F. Kennedy 

They fell, but o'er their glorious grave

Floats free the banner of the cause they died to save.

~Francis Marion Crawford

Once I decided I wanted to take part in Carol Doaks paper piecing I knew right away that I wanted to use the rest of these golds and black fabrics that I had leftover from the table runner I made a few weeks ago.  Her directions are for a two color quilt but I'm going to scrappy it up with these.
I'm definitely going to use all the blacks but since I plan to use the golds as all backgrounds those lightest ones may be too white.  I'll see as I go along.

I did the first block today and love the way it come out.  I just can't find anything wrong with paper-piecing.  Everything is just always so perfect.


 
Thanks for stopping by....Linda

I just ran across a new BOM this morning as I was blog hopping and checking emails.  


Carol Doak has a new 2012 BOM Mystery starting this month and will run for 11 months. 
 It's a two color mystery and geared to beginners.   ((this is a pic of her fabric choices and her block)) 


I think I'm going to work on this one since I do like to paper piece and I kinda like a good mystery.  So this combines both.   


And I've even got the just perfect fabrics in mind.   Should be fun!   


Thanks for stopping by....Linda

I had a nice surprise yesterday.  When I was checking my emails I found an invitation from Brenda over at String Thing Along asking me to join them and post about my wonky string blocks.  
As you can imagine I am thrilled.


The site is dedicated to String blocks and the many ways we quilters find to turn all those strings and strips into one more quilt.  
I certainly enjoyed spending time reading post after post showing so many beautiful quilts and I'm honored to have published my first post there. 
If you have a little time head on over and check it out.   I've added their button to my side bar.


 Have a great day everyone and .... 
Thanks for stopping by....Linda

Wonky Strip Block

Annabellouise asked me whether I had a pattern for my wonky strip blocks.   
So that had me thinking that I could put together a tutorial.  
I'm sure there are a gazillion ways to make wonky things out there in cyber-world but.....

I use special strips to make mine.  lol   

And I'd like to show you what I do.  


First let me show you my Go Tumbler die.   When I'm cutting tumblers I'll cut my fabric into 7½" strips (length of fabric) and then fold that strip over three times to fit that outside measurement shown by the arrows.

Once I've cut Tumblers I'm left with a lot of those wonky outside strips.    Like these >>>

 (click on the pics to enlarge.  Many of the pictures have additional info added)

                     

So that's where my strings come from for these blocks I'm making.   Since the length of these strips are limited I figured a 5½" paper foundation would be the largest size block I could make.  

Now I start building the block by first laying the center strip diagonally across the square (face up) making sure the fabric covers the tips of the paper.  Some find it helpful to put a spot of washable glue stick to hold the 1st strip in place .... but I've found I really don't need to if I let the needle hold the start and I hold the end corner.  But do what you're comfortable with.  And it really isn't vital that this strip is exactly centered anyway (this is a wonky block after all).  It's more important that all the foundation is covered no matter how you lay on the strips.

 Then add another strip face down and align the two raw edges.  Sew from one edge to the other using a ¼" seam.  

Open and press the seam.  The I'll add the next strip and I like to scramble up the colors to make the block more interesting.  

 Continue to add strips by using some of the smaller pieces for the corners of the blocks as shown.

One half of this block is covered.

 Sometimes I won't like the way a strip fits along the last one sewn so I'll adjust the sewing line by just moving the new strip to where I think it might look better and then sew along the edge of the new strip.  I usually don't even trim the bottom strip but I guess you can if you want to.  It really won't make a difference one way or another.

 Here's one block completely covered and pressed.  

 Now to trim it.   If you enlarge these next few pics you can see the small little adjustments that I make. 

Oh and by the way.... I am a Right Handed Quilter!  And if you are a Left Handed friend you'll have to adjust these instructions because I have no idea how to help you.  hahaha 

Trim up the right side and along the top.  

 Once those first trims are made then flip the block around and line up the ruler along the trimmed fabric NOT the paper edge.  See how small the sliver of fabric is?   Doesn't seem like that would make much of a difference but when you're sewing many many blocks together it does add up.  (well at least that's what 'they' say anyway.  So I guess it must be true) lol

One block finished. 

 Now to remove the paper back.  

And since I can't take a picture AND hold the block at the same time you'll just have to pretend my right hand is holding down the corner of the block while my left starts to tear off the paper.

 This leaves a pretty clean back without having to pick out a lot of loose paper.   Nice huh?  ;0)

There you go!!  That's how I make my Wonky strip blocks.  I hope you've found some small part of this tutorial helpful.  

I've also used tumbler strips to make a border for one of the snuggle Tumbler quilts here.  The only difference is the border blocks were sewn without a foundation paper.

 


Thanks for stopping by....Linda

I'm undecided!  

     Too many patterns out there to choose from.  

          Too many Want-to-Do's on my list.  

And I'm having a hard time narrowing all those choices down to just one to start right now. 

I know!  I know!!  I could start quilting some of the small tops I have until I made a decision.  

But I don't waaannaaa!!  

I'd rather piece something new.

Sooooo I'm going to just do a little mindless string piecing for a bit. 

  

These are some of the scraps that are left after I've made all the "A Terra's" and I'm going to sew as many of these 5½" blocks as I can.  

Maybe I'll come up with something to do with them when I get them finished.  

Or better yet.....Maybe I'll be able to make a decision on the next bed quilt I want to make.  

So for today I'm going to head over to Judy's Design Wall Monday and check out what others are making.  

See you there....

Thanks for stopping by....Linda

A few weeks ago I showed you a pic of some of the leftover Drunkard Path blocks.  I finally got around to sewing up the table runner and I used 4" piano keys for the border.   But goodness I guess I should have paid more attention to getting it on the design wall straighter.  It really is better than it shows.  haha  Oh Well!  This top is done and now to be quilted.  When that will get done could be anyone's guess!!

This must be one of those exceptionally good year for roses.  Hubby & I went for a drive last evening and all the rose bushes we saw are just loaded with blossoms.   I have a couple bushes in my back yard and they both look amazing this year.  Here are a few pics.  

This rose is called Fourth Of July and it's a great bloomer.  After this first flush of blooms it will continue to set flowers all summer long.  Just not quite as many.

  Here is a close up.  

 A view through one of the pergolas in the back showing off my Jackmanii Clematis.  It's always such a beauty!!

And oops!  I thought I was getting a bit more rose in this picture than I did.  See down there in the bottom right corner?

That is a Joseph's Coat rose.

I've had this rose for many years and it is finally looking good this year.

It sets on the most amazing blossoms that will be a dark pink before it opens. 

 Then as it starts to open it turns this color.

    and then turns this color.

  

 and finally ends up looking like this.

Yes it is truely a Joseph's Coat (of many colors).  

Hope you have a beautiful Spring weekend.
Stop and smell the Roses!
Thanks for stopping by....Linda

I can now cross off one more quilt from my UFO pile. 

I started this quilt in Oct, 2009 and I posted about it here.
My Cinnamon Rolls is the largest quilt I've made so far (90"x100") and I'm happy with the way it finished.  


The girls at the Quilt Bugs did the quilting for me.  I love working with Judy & Rhonda.  They are always so pleasant and helpful.  


 I had picked this up from the girls a few weeks ago but just yesterday I finally got around to getting the binding ready and sewn on by machine (my favorite method now). 


Here's a pic of the quilt before quilting and it's so big I couldn't get a full picture of it.


Thanks for stopping by....Linda