Last night I was innocently reading through some blogs and somehow I ended up at this post.  I just LOVED the quilt pictured there (a modern scrappy baby quilt) and remembered that I had a mini charm pack of High Street that I bought during the summer. 

I quickly pieced these 21 blocks, fun-fun.  But then what to do? I have yardage of a couple of the High Street line but not enough. (of course)

So this morning I pulled out some leftover batik jelly roll strips that coordinated and cut a bunch (168) squares and the grey background squares  and had a fun time chain piecing.  

See all those little triangles below the blocks?  Yep, they're the cut offs that I couldn't throw away--I'm going to sew them together for what... I don't know yet.

 With the batik ones, I sewed a 2nd line 1/2 inch from the 1st one so when I trimmed the triangle off it was already sewn together.
 It took only a little more time

  and now these are all done and pressed too.
I'm going to trim off all the little dog ears while watching the Pens game tonight.

In between chain piecing, I pressed the Metro Ring units I had 90+ to press and it seemed to take forever.
They are finally all done and now to trim them all to size.

I took a little break and gave Mr Otis a bath.  He was not too pleased with that but I'm happy to have a clean pupper doodle again.  He was exhausted and took a nice long nap by the fire.

I'm going to need my design wall to lay out the new baby quilt blocks, so I was forced (heh-heh) to start the sashing on the bl-a-days. I'm pretty sure these will be 2 lap size quilts instead of one twin.  I don't have enough of the green fabric I'm using for all the blocks anyway.  I spent about 20 minutes messing around with a scrappy sashing but just couldn't get into it and didn't want to spend more time than necessary to get these done.  

I've done another row of SID on Jonquils & Stars but it's languishing.  

I'm hoping for at least another pass or two tomorrow.

******

Helix #2

finished!

this one measures 17 x 19

Now I really need to get back to the regularly scheduled quilting and finish piecing the Metro Rings units...only about 20 left.

******

Distractions

On Monday my quilt guild hosted Lorrie Faith Cranor.  She gave a presentation of her quilts and designs and then on Tuesday led a workshop on her Interleave design.

The weather was awful and I almost didn't go but boy am I glad I did!

Lorrie is a lovely person and excellent teacher.

We were to pick 4 FQ of fabrics that went well together but had good contrast.

Geeze louise, picking fabrics makes me crazy. I must have pulled 20 fabrics out of the stash.  Then after the guild meeting and seeing her quilts in person, I came home and picked different ones!  

 Here are my fabrics prepped and ready to be cut into 1 inch sections!

Of course I forgot my camera, so one of the other ladies taking the class took these and was kind enough to send them to me.

starting to see the design 

after I got home I finished the last few rows

squared it up to 16 inches, made binding and finished it.

Here it is hanging in the dining room. 

This pattern is Helix (Sine Wave)... I have NO IDEA what that is-but I like it in a quilt!

Today I started another one. Same pattern totally different fabrics. I have better contrast with these and like the effect even better.

This is a quilt as you go technique, and after adding each strip I would piece a  hst unit for my Up, Up and Away quilt (from Amanda's book)

 and finally reached 589!

That's just enough to make the quilt (if I've added correctly) woo-hoo!

There's the last one and the jar I've been keeping them in.  

I started making them back in August. It will be fun to lay them out one of these days. one of these days soon I hope.

whoa!

two posts in one week...

just a little follow up on my quilting progress (not much)

I got a little more of the SiD and the inside border done

 see told you not much.

However, I did get all the rest of the 2.5 inch strip sets sewn together and the curved piece cut out-96 total.  It took a good long while to do.

and then I cut the background curved pieces.  So now I'm all ready to piece the blocks.  

I work this weekend so not much more will get done until next week.

The plan was to get all these prepped yesterday but we had a surprise visit from this little one.  A very happy break for both Meg and I.

(yep-that's a made by Mimi burper!!-vintage Amy Butler perhaps...)

Today I loaded Jonquils & Stars.  I spent the last couple days piecing the backing for it from "chunks" of batik fabric from my stash.  

I started the SID along the inner border and then I got real hungry.  I stopped for lunch and then remembered I needed a few things at the grocery store and had to go to the bank.  I got home and thought I really should get the house cleaned so all but the dusting-bleck-is done and now it's coffee break time which will lead into having to make dinner (meatloaf) so I hope I'll get back to quilting this in the evening.

Earlier, while I was waiting for a quilt-drop off, I pulled out the CW Block-a-days 12 inch blocks.  I had them pinned in rows (from last year) but re-arranged them and added the blocks from the guilds Christmas BOM that I started but stalled out on. 

 There are two blocks left over and I will probably put them into the back. I will probably sash this with 2.5 inch strips.  I'm going to let them sit there for a bit and think about it.
Not for too long though as I also got out the Metro Rings pieces.
They are getting worked on next.

In the same project box with the Metro Rings I found the pattern for
Urban Birthday and a layer cake and yardage for it--- oops!
forgot all about that one.

Jenny is starting a new QAL which I'm probably going to do :)

Metro Hoops

is my first flimsy of 2014!

For about 3 minutes I pondered adding a border or two.  Instead I sewed a basting stitch all around the outside edge to secure any loose seams and it is officially done.  whoop-whoop.

now to decide on backing do I piece some fabric I have or buy new?  

******

Yesterday, I completely forgot to go to my guild's Mod Squad group!!  I thought about it around 3 o'clock in the afternoon.  It runs from 1 to 4.  I was doing some sewing cabinet re arranging and forgot about the time.  I was bummed to miss the meeting but real happy with the sewing room changes.

I moved my one sewing cabinet over to the corner of the room and pushed the white one (that I use) closer to my ironing board and I also spun it around so while I'm sewing I can see my design wall.  I never liked having it behind me, but I thought the lighting was better that way.  

After sewing with the new setup, I can't tell any difference-go figure.

The room feels so much bigger.

Facing the design wall and HQ I can now think about what I'm going to quilt on the next flimsy.

My lovely Jonquils & Stars top from my first ever QAL.  I do need to get backing for this it's 80 x80.  If I remember correctly, I did have a backing for it and then used it on another quilt!! oh well.

******

Today after church and breakfast at a local diner my mom and I stopped in to visit this little cutie-patootie 

She's five weeks old and she smiled for us! Real smiles, not those reflex ones.  

I can't wait for the cooing to start.  

Life is Good!

the 12 days of Christmas

Cross stitch tree skirt

Karen over at Log Cabin Quilter commented on my post from Christmas Eve that she couldn't see the tree skirt  under my tree very well.  In an email I said I'd take some pictures so while undecorating I did just  that.
This is one of my favorite things to get out each year and with each year it just gets more special to me.

The pattern is from Cross Stitch and Country Crafts Magazine issue (are you ready) Mar/Apr 1989! 

I didn't mark a date anywhere on the skirt but I remember working on each 'day' diligently.  If I had to guess, I would say it was under the tree for Christmas '91. With three little kids, I can't imagine that I could have stitched all twelve designs and completed the skirt in time for Christmas 1990.
 The original pattern had red ribbon bows made from 1/4 inch red satin ribbon.

this picture is from the original magazine!

 I did put the bows on but removed them maybe 10 years ago...just got tired of them and they were always flipping the wrong way.  I actually forgot I had them on until I found the picture above online!

This was a 'colonial' version. So instead of partridge, there is a Ruffed grouse, which is Pennsylvania's state bird, by the way. 

 My dad used to hunt them, they were plentiful here in the 60's.  My husband hunted them as well and our first dog, Clancey, an english setter was an amazing grouse dog.  She always pointed them out, but the guys didn't always make the shot and she'd slowly turn her head around and look at them as if to say "I did all that work to find it and you missed?"

a country hen in place of a french hen and the pipers, lords, ladies and drummers are dressed in colonial clothes and colors too.

I was a very seasoned cross-stitcher at this time but didn't take my first quilting class until the late summer/fall of '89 (I only know that because Meghan was two and we had just moved into our house and the class was close to were we had just moved from and quite a trip for me to make).  funny the things we remember....

 I sweated bullets putting this together.  I was so afraid I would ruin one of the cross stitch pieces. 

 Each one of them was really their own little project.

The gathering on the ruffles is not very good-I was literally learning as I went

 and I used to think that one day I would take them apart and redo them

but now I've come to love them

the only bad thing is that since the design is circular

days 1-2 and 11-12 

are always at the back of the tree

and the only one who sees them close up 

is Mr Otis.  He likes to sleep under the tree in the back after the presents are gone.