Monday, July 26, 2010

Design Wall Monday (week 30)


Here is my design wall.

On the left side are my Tisket Tasket blocks. 
The right side of the wall are 5 block-a-days.

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We had a whirlwind of a weekend. Saturday was a lovely wedding & reception.  It was 93 degrees with 99% humidity.

And today we (my husband and his brother and 3 sisters and all our kids- that's 13 grandkids) had a surprise 60th Anniversery party for their parents.  They were completely surprised and for a split second I feared we had given his mom a heart attack. (a little scary). But she was fine and they were thrilled to spend the evening with all of us together.

 This was the most fun...trying to get 26 people in one photo using timers on 3 camera's at one time so everyone could be in the shot.  I'm hoping one of them got us all. I obviously didn't!




Stop on over at  Judy's to see some other design walls!

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Block a Days


First, here is a shot of my 2nd design wall with one block from the 4 color-ways/sizes of block-a-days I'm working on.

The big one on the right is a 16" block, I've used leftover strips and some Aster Manor fabric.  I have 4 of these blocks.  I'm going to make nine 8" coordinating blocks and use those for a lap size layout.
The Bright fabric block (top left) is a 9" block. I have a little piece of paper pinned to each block that has a tally count on how many I have made.  I finally got tired of every couple weeks digging out the box of blocks and re-counting them. :)
Bottom left block is the next set of 12" blocks and I'm using my leftover Morris Workshop fabric. I don't think I'm going to have enough of a variety so I have a jelly roll of "blessings" fabric that goes well and I'm throwing some of that in too. 
And the bottom center block is a 10" and that's my Aster Manor fabric (although in this block that rust fabric is not AManor, but one that plays well.) 
I have 16 of these blocks so far.



Here is the 1st design wall with some of the lastest completed blocks.



And yesterday I made my 11th Jelly Roll block.


I've also been working a bit on the Tisket-Tasket machine applique.  I've got the first 3 done.  And since I LOVE to do machine blanket-stitch I've changed my goal from stitching 2 a week to 1 a day.  It's like a little treat and with the 2nd machine set up now. I just roll my chair over and start stitching.
 
I do need to pick a day soon and spend it sewing string blocks. The basket is filled to over flowing. And a day for crumb blocks as well.   I totally forgot about that little project and I think it's over 1/2 done.

Monday, July 19, 2010

Design Wall Monday (week 29)




On my wall now are my Tisket Tasket Blocks.  They need so be blanket-stitched and then I have to hand embroider them.  I thought if I put them on the wall it would give me the incentive I need to get going on them.  I'm thinking if I do 2 every week. (I'll probably do more), but if not that's ok.  I have been meaning to set up my newer Pfaff 4.0 and do my regular sewing on it and set up my older Pfaff 2046 for the blanket stitch.  I hate to say it but even though the 4.0 is a fancy slick machine. I'm much more comfortable on the 2046.  The 4.0 doesn't have a presser foot lever-it's automatic and I can't blanket stitch as well on it because of it (I think, anyway).   So both machines are set up and I'm getting used to the 4.0 again. 
I have been keeping up on my block-a-days, but no pictures.  I've been having computer issues which I think (crossing fingers, legs and eyes) are fixed thanks to the Geek Squad at Best Buy! whew!
And in my previous posts I showed my Cone Flower Tall & Skinny wall quilt. A few wanted to know where the pattern is from.  It's a Pat Sloan design from her book  Vintage Blooms.  Mine looks a little different because I saw a picture of it in a magazine article and just made it by looking at the picture.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Coneflower Tall & Skinny


As I said yesterday, I would take a picture of this wall hanging for today.
So first is the before "re-quilting" you may be able to see the sad lines of the quilting I took out:
(you'll have to click on 'em to see, I should really fired my camera-person)


And here is the 'after re-quilting":




And here is a close up.  (this picture has the true-est colors..I am so camera bad it's not even funny).



It's back hanging in the kitchen, making me smile. 
The "Tall Skinny's" are Pat Sloan patterns.

*****


Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Crazy Curves



Today I spent the entire day sewing.  First I put together July's BOM block from Shannon.

Then I finished sewing the rows together on my crazy curves quilt.  I originally thought I would just add 1 border (3" finished) as I did before on a the Black/white and Red one. 


But when I got out the yardage I had for the borders there was enough of the light for a 1.5" finished inner border and a 6" finished outer border.  It now measures 99" x 99"!  Holy-moley!


Ta-da!

Tomorrow she has the day off work.  We're going to go see Eclipse;  been waiting for the teeny-bopper crowds to thin out. There's enough teenage angst on the screen I don't need to be surrounded by it in the theater!! heh-heh.
Thursday, Libby needs to go to a quilt shop or two for backing fabric for her One Block Wonder. I'm going along for the ride (am I a good friend or what??)  I think she wants me to quilt it so I'll share a picture then. It's very beautiful....totally different from mine.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

So happy




I made enough for a 11 by 12 block layout.  I had to pin a piece of batting to the left there. My wall wasn't big enough and the bottom 2 rows are on the floor. (which Annie made a little bed in twice..so I gotta get them together fast.)
ANYWAY, I decided to make it 12 by12..... Of course, I did, why would I do anything as easy and make blocks and stick with the plan.....sheesh.
So....


I cut some more and sewed them together and now it's so big I can't get it in one photo....
the colors in the 1st pictures are  true.
I'm going to put one small border, probably 3" just to frame it and it should finish about 90x90.




Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Block a Day Batik Sampler


I finished sewing the rows together this morning.
 I like it.
It's pressed and neatly folded on a hanger where it will wait for inspiration (and time) to strike for the borders. 

This bunch of blocks are waiting to get up on the design wall.