Reward for cutting

12" turnstile blocks from 1930s fabrics 

It's been a while since I've made anything from my 1930s repro fabrics, and it's not because of a meager stash.  My 30s projects are scrappy and use a lot of different fabrics, and that's a bother to prepare.  Pick a fabric, cut a little, put it away;  pick another, cut a little, put it away.  Over and over.  It's time for a process change.

This week I picked several patterns I'd like to make from 1930s fabrics.  I pared them down to ones that call for similar cuts of fabric.  Then I started a cutting marathon.

I pulled out my stash of 1930s fabrics:  two bags of scraps and assorted strips, a full bin of 1930s yardage, a smaller bin of FQs and half-yard cuts, and two shipping boxes of purchases that don't fit into the other bins.   I stacked several fabrics together at a time and cut a gazillion strips in widths I'll need, mainly 2-1/2".  

Christmas fabric, test block

After hours of cutting and one blade replacement, I took a break and rewarded myself by making my first blocks.  These are for a project in Best of Fons and Porter: Scrap Quilts.  The author called it a turnstile block, and it's a variation of other versions I see.  A random combination of 3 different 30s fabrics often looks wrong until the entire top goes together, and then the non-matchy fabric combinations look fine.

This Christmas block was my first one, testing the pattern. I'm following what others so wisely have done, using Christmas fabrics for practice.    One day I'll have enough for a sampler quilt.

Done and ready for quilting

Finished size 66" x 80"

Twenty FQs plus 7/8 yard brown for the inner border and binding = a top that's ready to be quilted.   The inner border is 1-1/2" and every single leftover 9-patch and 5" square went into the scrappy outer border.   There was no border on the original quilt in the book Laps from Fats, but I wanted mine a bit larger, and I didn't want those leftovers sitting around.  The scrappy border worked well to do that.  I had to cut a few more squares and rectangles to make it fit. 
No leftovers.  That's a very refreshing accomplishment for me.

I finished the top ahead of the schedule I'd set for myself.  As a personal reward, I used a coupon from today's paper for a free 12-ounce Cherry Berry Chiller from McDonald's.  I thought that would be a refreshing treat on a warm day.  But the day has cooled down a bit, and after I got it, then I read the disappointing nutritional info on the Chiller.  It's made with fruit juice and cherry puree, along with 49 g of sugar (that's +10 teaspoons).   YIKES!!  It was very tasty, but it gave me a brain freeze, and with all that sugar, I don't need another one.  

Fun with squares

closeup of 13-1/2" blocks stuck on design wall

This project is going together quickly.  Twenty FQs quickly turned into 2" strips and 5" squares.  The strips became 9-patches, and all go together into two different blocks -- either 5 squares + four 9-patches,  or 4 squares + five 9-patches. 

Some blocks are nicely coordinated with only two fabrics.  Others are a combination of 3 different fabrics.  I prefer a jumble of different blocks rather than matchy-matchy.

blocks aren't as dull as this photo suggests

Don't you love the way a photo shows what the eyes don't see? the chunks of extreme darkness and patterns of color and blocks that shouldn't be side by side.  The camera is giving me an opinion, just like a friend would if she was looking at my wall.

I don't have very strong contrast in most of the little 9-patches, so I won't be arranging the blocks with a big creative design in mind.   This is the first placement on the design wall.  I see a few I'll move, and I'll be sewing them together soon.

The 20 FQs were totally cut (Hurrah! with no leftover scraps).    But I do have leftover squares and 9-patches and parts of 9-patches.  I'll use those to create some sort of border.   I have some time to myself for a few days and hope to make the most of it. One main goal --> Quilt -- Quilt -- Quilt.

No leftovers, please

"aged" FQs from Connecting Threads

I adore FQ-friendly patterns that don't give me leftovers.  I don't want or need any more scraps or strips after doing my cutting for a new quilt.  My scrap and strip bins runneth over. No more, please.

I own 3 books by Ellen Replogle and have tagged  several patterns in each book as ones to remember.  Some designers seem to give us yet another version of quilts we've seen before, but I've found countless original and varied designs in her three books.  All are designed to be made from FQs.

The pattern I chose to work on is in her first book, Laps from Fats (2004) and it makes total use of the FQs.  How nice to have my squares and strips cut and ready to use, and all that's left are little chunks that I subcut into 2x2" squares.

This pattern is simple--nothing but squares and strips to turn into 9-patch blocks, but the colors should make a pleasant quilt when it's done (another one to give away at work).  I bought the FQs on clearance years ago from Connecting Threads.   Time to use them -- totally.

The FQ-friendly patterns are quick to cut, when I can stack 4 or 5 FQs and cut them at the same time, as I did here.   Another reason to love those designs.

I haven't been at my machine for way too long. Life just gets in the way some weeks, with busy work days and things to do with family.  That comes first.  I'm hoping to focus on a couple new giveaway quilts in the next few weeks.   A dept meeting is on the horizon.  

Two finishes, quickly gone

"Totally Square"

"Big Blossoms"

 It didn't take very many hours to quilt these two tops with my HQ Sweet Sixteen. Bindings were sewn down and labels attached this morning, and now these two quilts are in new homes.  I gave them away to coworkers.
 
Several years ago, my boss let me have drawings at the end of department meetings, and in 2-1/2 years everyone in the department had won a quilt or a set of small wallhangings.  Since then, coworkers have left, a few have retired, and we have 11 new members in the dept.   I decided to do it again.  It's a positive way to end a sometimes "downer" meeting, and making this commitment pushes me to use my time more wisely. (I've been a slackard lately.  I know how much time I waste.)  I prefer that others enjoy my quilts, rather than seeing them gather dust on a shelf in my home.  Or worse yet, I forget I have them. 

Before the drawings today, I read the ground rules.  They include --
--if I bring 2 quilts, each lady gets two chances.  She can put both chances on one quilt or the other, split the chances between the quilts, or wait for another month.
--I'll bring a variety of colors, themes, styles, patterns--whatever I decide to make.  No one is to make a special request for something specific.  (No one objected when I said I might bring some older quilts. )
--No "buyer's remorse."  I warned them they probably will eventually see something else they'd like.  So only try to win something they'd like to own.  Once a name is drawn, they're done.  No more chances.
--eligible to enter the drawings after 6 months in the dept (two ladies have to wait till this summer)
--each winner must agree to have her photo taken
--each winner will receive care instructions and a ColorCatcher..
--each winner must Pay it Forward.  Within a month, she's to perform one Random Act of Kindness or anonymous good deed for someone who wouldn't expect it. 

This whole process energizes me, and the atmosphere in the dept meeting perked up and lightened up as we had the drawing.  Some meetings need that. 
Today's winners --

winner #1 -- Kelly

winner #2 -- Sue

Progress on the road

A road trip to Iowa City yesterday gave me the time to work on my castle wall blocks, which have been ignored for a while.
Only these 9 castle wall blocks are done so far, plus two connecting blocks.  The top right block is the finished size and shape, as I used EPP to make it, and templates are still inside.  The others were hand stitched, so edges are still rough. 

DD2 lives in Iowa City, but DD1 was visiting, so we saw both girls and their dogs.   We delivered some hostas for DD2 to plant in some bare spots, and we saw her new backyard fence.  As the proud owner of a retired greyhound, DD2 enjoys letting Taima make a few fast laps around the back yard now and then (in addition to long walks).

DD1 and Scully (L);  DD2 and Taima (R)

                                                                                             Our daughters are identical twins, but their dogs are anything but identical.  DD1 lives in Des Moines with her dog Scully, a puggle (beagle+pug mix).  Scully has a type A personality, but she's met a friendly competitor with Taima, who's much more easy going. 
They usually get along, but there's a tiff now and then.  In the back yard, Taima runs easy, speedy, racing laps as Scully makes brave efforts to keep up.

snooze time on the sofa

Taima's sleeping pad

DD2 made a sleeping pad for Taima, and not wanting to spend much money, she used old, worn out jeans.   She applied snaps to close the open end, and I brought her some dog pillows to fill it out.   My running count on the dog pillows is 66 to the Humane Society and 4 to family.



PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT:
If you haven't backed up data and photos on your computer, DO IT!  DO IT!!  Back them up two or three ways.   (unless you don't care if they'd all disappear tomorrow)

I thought I'd been competently backing up all our documents and photos, but the stand-along hard drive and program I used made a viable backup only once in April 2008.  All documents and photos put into our PC since then disappeared when the hard drive crashed.

Luckily we made DVDs now and then, sharing photos with family members of an event or trip, and we can get photos back from that.   The one category I didn't share on DVD very often was my quilts.  So those are my biggest loss, in numbers.  But thanks to blogging, photos I downloaded into Picasa to post on my blog are still available.  So I can put those back into our computer. 

If your hard drive stopped in the next 24 hours, do you have "backup copies" of what you couldn't live without?  I hope you do.

Do you know this line?

what line of fabric is this?

A friend brought a bundle of FQs a while ago, with no specific pattern or project in mind.   She's using them now, and as happens with many of us--she needs more fabric to finish her project.  She didn't keep any selvages, and she doesn't know this line of fabric.  Help, please.  Are the fabrics familiar?   Can anyone identify them?  

The wine paisley and gray-blue paisley triangles are the same print.  (Ignore the tan crackle fabric.  That's not part of the line, as far as I know.)

This weekend I started making some 6" blocks for a project.  As a fellow quilter walked past, she stopped and told me she knew a shortcut.  I didn't have to cut all the little triangles.

For each block I cut 2 large squares, drew some lines, sewed beside lines, cut on some lines, and I ended up with all the pieces I needed for each block, except the small square.  The parts needed to be trimmed to size, but I saved a lot of steps.
She told me the shortcut is in Carrie Nelson's book Another Bite of Schnibbles. 
Don't you just love smart quilters who share tricks in their books and help save us time?

UPDATE:  The line of fabric is Adelaide by Faye Burgos for Marcus Fabrics.  I've passed on the information to my friend. 

Ready for quilting

finished size of top 61" x 76"

It didn't take too long to add the sashing and borders to my finished blocks.  All fabrics but one are Thimbleberries.  It's ready for quilting.

This is the first time I've taken a precut project to a weekend of quilting with friends and returned with the entire top done.   That must mean I was focused and driven.   Or it might mean that I sew with enthusiasm and a forceful foot when I'm in the midst of friends who are encouraging and just plain fun to be around.  

I'm proud that I finished the top while being distracted by so many things -- checking out progress others were making on their work, grazing through the table of snacks, catching up on news of families and occasional gossip, swatting invading flies, perusing stacks of discarded quilting magazines, and the occasional trip to a restaurant for energy and the will to carry on.  


Quilting weekends away from home, energized by the change in environment and a group of  friends -- that's just heaven to me. 

I hope your week ahead is filled with heavenly quilting as well. 

A new project

blocks on design wall--no sashing yet

With all the patterns I have in my books and magazines, I seldom use the same pattern more than once.  I used this pattern a couple years ago, and the quilt quickly left the house as a gift to someone.  It's easy to make, and I like that it uses 12 FQs almost totally--only a couple little chunks left from each.

The pattern is "Chatterbox Lap Quilt" in the book Laps From Fats by Ellen Replogle.  I chose a floral Thimbleberries fabric for the border, and then 3 blues, 3 greens, 3 golds, and 3 reds to coordinate.  One of each color is in each block.  I'll add sashing, 2 or 3 borders, and the top will be done.

I guess I've been away for a while.  I didn't realize we had a new format for posting.  The first time for anything new with computers is a bit unsettling, isn't it?

Regarding computers, DH and I are sharing our laptop.  A Staples tech is due at our house Wednesday with a new PC, hopefully filled with the 1000s of photos and innumerable documents, programs and downloads that were in the hard-drive that crashed.  We'll see if my total hard-drive backups were usable and worth the effort.

Stars and Stripes for Drew

There's nothing like stress and frustration to make us forget things.  I took our hard drive to Staples today, and the tech told me yes, it may have crashed (as mentioned in earlier post today).  He'd work with the data from my last hard drive backup, but what  important things have been added since then?

I only thought of a couple things -- until now.  I took a lot of photos of grandson Drew's quilt before I sent it to him in Germany.  Fingers crossed that those photos aren't lost. 

I just got these photos of Drew getting acquainted with his new quilt.  Gotta love those R/W/B plaid pants he wearing!   I wonder what the appeal is for little ones to grab the hem of their pants legs, as he is in the first photo. Our son did the same thing.

Drew was focusing so much on his new crawling surface that he didn't get a chance to grin for the camera -- so here's one of his toothy grins, while biking with his Mommy and Daddy and Big Sister.   He's a little charmer!