Found more blocks

 In my chaos I found 55-10.5 inch blocks. They are a modified court house step blocks using all pieces as they came out of the tub. 4-patches are 2.5 inch squares sewn together. Bright and colorful for a toddler.

The strips around the blocks are made with 1.5 inch strings. They are colorful. 

Chris

Not real productive

I did get  a quilt top sandwiched and started quilting it. It is a crumb/crazy quilt. 

I use my deco stitches on my machine to do the machine quilting. I paid for the stitches I might as well use them.

I took this picture, but the lighting wasn't real great, but you can see how I have been stitching the small pieces. It is a slow process, but the outcome is attractive. 

I have done a lot of picking up and dusting. i will run the vac, but don't get around to dust. I have done ceiling fans and dresser tops and TV screens. How do they get so dirty? I think  they are like magnets for dirt in the air. 

Going to do laundry and stay busy today. Maybe a little bit of sewing on this quilt. .I really need to get more machine quilting done and not so much piecing. Chris

Visiting the old ones

I visit every night. It has been on my bed for 15 years. I really need to get something else made for my bed. 

This has really held up well. It is washed and place right back on the bed. 

I use d a 100% cotton batting in it and it keeps nice. 

I read an article from a quilter that said the quilts that wear have polyester batting on them. It doesn't work well with the cotton fabric and cuts the back of the cotton fiber down with the pulling in the quult while in use. I had never heard that before. Can't prove it by me.

I use 80-20 cotton/polyester a lot and 100% cotton. I would like to work with a wool batt one day, but will have to have the right quilt to spend the money difference. 

Been strange day. Foggy this morning and very humid. Sun is out now. Made a cke and waiting for it to cool. Washed three loads of clothes and took my husband for a belt for the lawnmower. Now to fold all the clothes and then to get a backing stitched and pressed to sandwich a crumb/crazy top that is finished.

Have a nice and safe holiday. Chris

30 minutes to sew on frames

I have all of these 9-patches made up and I thought they needed a finished look. To be honest I saw a picture on Pinterest and really liked it. I can't giver any credit because none was listed. 

They took either 2 inch squares or 2.5 inch squares and made the none patch blocks as I did. Then I took a 1.5 inch strip and made the frame around each of the blocks. Sewing opposite sides one after another and then sew the other opposite sides. 

Alternate light and dark frames and just keep sewing. Baby quilt, lap quilt couch quilt, or any size bed quilt will eat up scraps and strips really fast with this. 

It is all about the scraps and how to use them to cover the ones we love. Chris

I'm here

That isn't saying much. My allergies/cold yes I think I have both going on is draining me. I do a few things and have to sit down.

I slept a little better last night, but was drugged to sleep. I have gone through abut 6 big boxes of tissues.

It might be taking a turn towards getting oveer this. I think it is about 7 days now, enough is enough....

Chris

To do or not to do

I recently bought some neutral fabrics and I should wash them because of my allergies. I know this is an age old argument. But do you prewash? Or do you sew and wash afterwards? Also do you use chemicals or Dawn or Color Guard Sheets?

I have tried two of the methods. Prewash with Dawn and also the sheets. I have this bottle of chemical, but afraid of it. My grandkids are allergic to a lot of things also. I think the Dawn or the sheets are my options. 

I use the sheets anyway if I wash a quilt because if you knew how much dye released even after multiple washings you would be surprised.   

Growing so fast and the teeth are really getting to her. She chews on everything and yet she isn't fussy. She is a good baby. 

Trying to get my act together because my allergies are on overdrive right now. With all the wind and trees blooming it is pure HECK!

Hope you have a good day. Chris

Making star points for Wonky Stars. I have all the 9-patches made and thought I would break it up with Wonky Stars.

Here are a few of them. I used small pieces leftover from muslin cuts. I have use neutral cuts before, but this one is using up scrap pieces laying around.

It is rainy here. Mt allergies I think have turned into a sinus infection. I woke up at 2:30am and stayed up until 6am. I slept for about two hours and I will try starting this day over again. Taking heavy duty sinus meds so maybe another nap/.

Have a good day. Chris

Getting back to the finishing

This is almost 3/4 finished with the quilting. I need to get this one finished. 

This is the wonky star blocks. I alternated them with regular 9-patches. 

Here are some blocks left over from the quilt. I just need to start making more of these blocks because I have a ton of just 9-patches made. 

I used small pieces of off white muslin for the center and the bits for the corners of the other 4 centers. Using up lots of pieces that way. 

We had storms last night, but we didn't have any damage. Much cooler today in the 70's instead of 87 like yesterday. Chris 

Question

Clear back in March I washed all the Batiks. I wanted the worst of the stray dye to be washed out. I know that they will continue to bleed so I am prepared for that. 

I now have the chore of pressing all of them. I know the feel of the fabric is stiffer than regular cotton fabric. Should I press with spray starch or sizing or just spray with a water mist and iron until dry? 

This is one fabric I don't have much experience with. I have used smaller pieces in scrap quilts, but I have found an idea that will use up a lot of the fat quarters. 

I guess they just aren't something I am wild about. I will use them because it is nice fabric and sure they cost more than my thrift store finds, but I stumbled over them the other day and thought I need to get this taken care of. They were in my Mother's stash. She bought them not knowing what she was going to do with them. 

Suppose to storm today and boy can I feel it. Woke up at 3:20 am and on my second cup of coffee. 

I have laundry going and needed to pay a couple bills so that is done. 

i think a nap is on order today. Chris

More scrap ideas

Happy Mother's Day to everyone. This is a Tree Peony my sister bought me a couple years ago. The flowers are the size of a pie plate. It got broke off during window replacement so wasn't sure it would come back. 

Here are two of the Scrap Vortex from Crazy Mom Quilts blog. I will work on more when I start sewing again next week. It is a quick way of using up small pieces. 

This is another block, but it has y seams. So not as fast as the other blocks previously shown. If y seams don't intimidate you then it is a neat block. I made two to see if I liked it. 

Today I am cooking. Fried chicken and BBQ chicken on the grill. Loaded hashbrowns and lettuce layer salad. I also have pink frosted soft sugar cookies. They are made with sour cream. Not fancy, but filling. 

Hope everyone will have a Nice Mother's Day. Chris

Little of this and not much of that

Today was a different day. The girls were here for a couple hours and so nothing got done, but helping them. Trying to teach them how to cut with scissors. Little paper scraps everywhere, but they both are doing it quite well. The baby was good so she played on the floor with toys for quite awhile. 

This evening I had a need to sew and my husband and I don't like the same TV show so I went into the sewing room.

I made several 9-patches and this tub of scraps from cutting strips was sitting there so I thought what can I do with them. On the Blog Crazy mom quilts she makes scrap Vortex blocks/slabs from left overs. So I turned on the iron and started sewing these small pieces. I squared them up to make rows. Each is different widths and then made sure the block was squared up. Over time I can make enough of these for baby quilts.

The other thing they would make is tote bags, potholders, mug rugs etc, The good part about it they will hold your interest because they will all be different. Just another way to use up scraps.

Chris

No sewing just Cuteness

The girls came to visit. Well for us to watch. Dad was working and Mom had lots to do today. 

Charleigh is 4 months old now. She would not nap unless she was held or had a bottle in her mouth. Spoiled.

We have a modified Jeep that grandpa put a lawnmower battery in to run it. It goes forever. But we also go a red wagon that is pulled behind now. They had a ball playing outside. 

Autumn drives and Katie rides. No sewing happened while they were here. Oh yes they are coming tomorrow while Mom goes for a post baby/surgery appt. So it won't be as long. 

The weather was beautiful today and it was typical Spring weather. I can really like these type of days. Chris

mindless sewing

In between sewing strings for the Disney Character blocks I decided to sew some 9-patches. The iron is on and the squares are cut. Not sure how far this will go. I started out with 40 of them done. I now have 108 finished. 

I do this with 4-patches also. I have been cutting a lot of fabric and as I get to the end of the strips I have a piece that is to short for the size I was cutting. So 2 inch and 2 1/2 inch squares are cut and thrown into a tub. When it gets full I get them out and keep on sewing. 

I think I have 200 4-patches sewn together waiting for an inspiration to use the up. I think I have got the plan for those, but wanted to get the strings made first. 

I made all those strings and pieced block and now that I have it 95 % sewn I am not sure I like it. I have it sitting there and maybe I will get back to it. The elements in the quilt can be used in other places. 

Up before the chickens were awake this moring. So it will be a different day. I am sure a nap will be needed. Have a Good Day. Chris 

More digging

This quilt has been done for about 5 years. My mother had given me about 2-3 dozen HST's one time and I took off from there. They are 3 inch HST's unfinished and 2 1/2 inches when sewn into the block. I made 16 patch blocks and then used a sashing and corner stones. I then added 3 borders. It is Full sized. It need to be laundered and freshen it up. I have been looking for it and found it in the extra bedroom closet being stored. 

This is the other thing I found in that room. It is rectangles sewn into a square block. They are 2 inch strips cut into 3 1/2 inch logs. It take 18 logs to make this block. Then when setting them together I turned it so no seams have to be matched. My kind of quick sewing. 

I think i have enough for a queen sized quilt. This will just be pieced with no borders. True scrappy quilt. Chris 

Still digging out

No not snow or mud from a mud slide, but fabric is still everywhere. When we replace all the carpeting and the flooring things got shoved everywhere. I am still finding things that are out of place. Like three tubs of fabric and quilt parts all in the extra bedroom. I decided today was the day.

One good thing happened I found my OTT lite I was looking for. So I feel better about that. Now to find new homes for all the stuff I found.

I cut fabric for abiut 4 hours yesterday. I sewed some yesterday afternoon, but I need to go back in and keep at it. I have a plan for this afternoon.

I can have the use of the dininr room table again and I want to sandwich a small quilt. If it is sandwiched and ready then I can maybe do it off and on between other things. 

I really need to take my machine out of the cabinet and take it apart and get it all cleaned up. I dust it out and oil it, but I know more gets down in it than what I can reach with my little brush. 

Beautiful day here. Chris

Fussy cutting and stitching

Lots of fiddling going on. Trying to get as many of the characters out of the fabric I have. I am not sure how many I will get.

I think each larger block will be sashed with black of some kind. It looks to busy to me with the strings right ontop of each other. Maybe it will showcase each block better. 

Going to keep on cutting the characters out and see how far I go. Chris

Digging for fabric and found some tops

This is a top my Mother pieced. I look at this picture and I am still cutting fabric that she used in this top.

It is a good sized twin. Could be a full size if I added some borders. Lots of stitching in this one. They are 5 inch blocks in this top. 

This is the kaleidoscope quilt I made about 6 years ago. No I haven't quilted it. It is about 110 X 110 inches. I need to buy enough for the back for this one. Maybe I can find a wide backing fabric and use one piece. My husband is using the table I use to sandwich the quilts. He has a 1000 piece puzzle in the works. 

This is how I finished off the borders for this quilt. I had help with the fabric in this one. Wanda from "Exuberant Color" sent me a box of scraps she didn't want to use. I think it mostly got used in this quilt.  I enjoyed using different fabric to make this. 

Made BBQ Chicken on the grill for supper and came inside to relax a little. I have not been on my A Game today. Some good days and some bad ones. Chris

Been quiet but busy

Lots of stitching. I have a lot of 1.5 inch strips cut and adding to them every day. I ran across an idea and could see a lot of potential for the block.  They are 5 inch square string blocks that will form a good size block. I just stopped to do the math 13.5 inches. This is bright and colorful. I could make a 4-patch for the center or a focal point fabric. 

I have a Disney Character fabric that will work fine. Mickey and Pluto are in this fabric. It has a bright background for the motifs so it will fit in fine. This was in a huge rummage sale purchase I bought a couple years ago.

Just playing with the fabric and trying to see what will come out of it has kept me quiet.

We had the girls yesterday and they were full of it. Charleigh will be 4 months old tomorrow. A nurse at her appointment the other day asked if she was 6 months old. She is a big baby.

Suppose to be sunny out today and warm up over the next few days. Take care Chris

Cutting and sorting

Cutting more strips. I am cutting 1.5, 2, 1n3 2.5 inch strips. I have several ongoing projects that need the 1.5 inch strips.

I uncovered these 4-patch modified Log Cabin blocks. They are bright and cheery.

There are 60 blocks. I also have a modified Courthouse steps. Also a regular Log Cabin top both of those are made just not quilted. 

I am cutting up a lot of small pieces. I am tired of all these piles and they need to be used up. Chris

No piano keys

I made all the piano keys and my husband said no. He said it was to busy and taking away from the center. So I looked through everything I had and nothing worked. 

Off to the fabric store. Mind you this was fabric I bought at a rummage sale so probably from the 70-80's and that dusty blue isn't as popular. I found one piece in the whole store. So today I have to cut it and make my borders. I would like to have another finish soon.

I have to run errands today and not sure how much time I will have to get to this. 

Still suppose to rain some today. We have had a lot of wind and the leaves from the trees are all over the yard. They are in a tender stage and with the wind they just break off. Chris