Almost there.

Finally after several attempt to getting this project done it is almost complete. Need to make tie backs out of the fabric. Just haven't decided how I want to make them. This is fabric I posted about earlier that I washed to preshrink it and the color guard sheet was so purple.  

I liked it with the color of the new woodwork and the textured wallpaper we put up. It has taken almost two years to get this far, but I could find anything I liked. 

Saturday I was going to get this done and we had another emergency. My grandson and 2 year old granddaughter were in a rollover accident. So we had the other two were at the other two girls and Mom and Dad were at the hospital. They are all ok. Abrasions from the seat belts, but the truck went airborne and flipped twice.  Scary until we knew what was up. I am grayer. 

Today Mom has to deal with insurance and the towing company so I get girls back again. Have a good day. Chris

frustrated and embarrassed

I bought this fabric wanting it for my kitchen panels. I was so sure I had enough and measured 3 times before cutting. Well I didn't cut right. 

 4.5 inches to short for the correct length. I was at a stand still. I finally last night decided the fabric I had saved when cutting it short will be used to face the hem and the casing on the tops for the 4 panels that were cut wrong. I have another choice, but didn't care for that and it was to use a colored band for the hem.

I liked the colors because it went with the trim work my husband had replaced. 

So frustrated because I thought I was so smart saving a little bit of the fabric. Well I cut for the finished length not the unsewn length. 

Today the seam ripper and I will be friends. Not my idea of a fun time. You know where I will be. Chris 

"Clean Up" in progress

Here is the largest block I have ever made. 100-2 inch patches per block. I need 16 of these for this quilt. 

I sew them into 4-patches then into strip. This is enough to make 6 blocks. I have 10 made. So extras leftover for sashing. 

This is the pattern. It is a free pattern from www.quiltedtwins.com. They have a free tab in the shop tab at the top of their blog. Becky Tillman Petersen is very generous and designs these quilts and makes them up and offers them free on her blog and also on her Facebook page. 

I have enough for the blocks I need so onto the sashing pieces. This is about queen sized. 

You can use strip sets of just 2 inch squares. I had a ton of squares so my method this time. I also had over 200 4-patches made up and stuck in a drawer so that helped get it done faster. If you have older fabric that has been hanging around this is a great way to use it up. 

We are getting storms so the sewing machine is off. Computer is in laptop mode and cellphone is not charging. Have a great day. Chris

Old Story new fabric

I ordered some new fabric for my kitchen windows. I will make panels for the long windows. I wanted the shrinkage out of the length so I washed and dried it. I threw in a Shout Color Guard sheet and look at the purple piece laying on the fabric.

I knew it would bleed. I had no doubt. So I took a picture to tell everyone that fabric bleeds. It is a Henry Glass & Co. piece called Summer's End by Buggy Barn. I am sure it was $14.00 a yard, but I purchased it much cheaper. 

I have heard the story over and over again my fabric doesn't bleed because I buy quilting shop fabric. This was quilting shop fabric and wasn't cheap. So rethink your thoughts or live on the wild side and hope it doesn't bleed. Chris

Slowly stitching

These are rows of 4-patches sewn into strips to be pressed now and starched to make a 100 patch block. I have have 9 made so far and need 16 total. I think I have enough strips to finish the block count. Then I need to make sashing and borders with more of the 2 inch squares. So more cutting and sewing will go on. I think I have used 7 bobbins so far. I have 9 more wound so we will see how far this goes to get this one done. 

In straightening up my sewing desk I moved some string blocks that I have been working and found this pile of blocks. There are 33 in this pile and I have a few done in the drawer. I think these were 25 squares of 2inch squares cut diagonally twice. I will surround them with triangles to make square in a square looking blocks. This is what happens whern you have to sew and nothing planned.
But it also is good because you can work on something different when the mood strikes you.

The heat and humidity are coming back. It was 55 degrees this morning. So if it cools off overnight it will help with the A/C bill. Chris

Piecing

The sewing is happening 15 minutes here and there. But it is getting done. 2 inch squares made into 4-patches. Never enough 4-patches.

These are strips ready to make into 100 piece blocks. I need 12 of them and have enough for about 9 of them complete. I then need more for the sashing and borders. Getting closer to the end of this madness.

The heat is less for a couple days so not as much sewing going on. I decided to push myself outside to get some fresh air. My allergies have been horrible this years so I think, I think I have them under control. I hope! Wasn't getting enough sleep and felt horrible. But it is improving.

Sun is out and plan on a grocery run this morning. I need to make some cookies for my husband. He likes a soft sugar cookie I make. As I make the recipe today I will take pictures. They taste like the Big Box sugar cookies in the clam shells for $3.99 a dozen. They are round and frosted. In fact they taste better. It has sour cream in the recipe.

Hope you have a nice Sunday. Chris

Girls have been here.

Kate, Charleigh and Autumn were here the better part of the day on Friday. This picture was taken on the 4th of July by Mommy.

Charleigh is 6 months old now. She was on the 5th. She now has two bottom teeth also. Rolling around and getting into everything. She likes to empty waste baskets all over the floor.

You can't shovel the food in fast enough, but she gets distracted when she eats as to what the other two are doing.

I haven't said much about them lately. When they come it is so hectic I don't get pictures taken.

Autumn will start preschool in the fall and Katie has to wait another year. She will be 3 in Oct.

Time flies by quickly when little ones are around. The neighbors here are so surprised that all three have such blond hair. Charleigh's is almost white. Katie's is a red cast to it, but getting more blond. Autumn had red hair when she was little and now she is really blond.

All my grandkids have blond hair and blue eyes.

So I am sitting back and chillin' tonight. I sewed for 2 hours this morning while it was quiet. Plan on some more sewing tomorrow. I need to cut more variety.

I did go to the thrift store and got some clothing for the kids. Waiting for Fall and Winter clothing to come out. Get some good buys from this thrift shop. It is all donated clothing.

Cooler tonight, but suppose to start warming up next week. Stay cool. Chris

I am here

The fact that the heat indexes has been up to 107 degress has been a factor with me. I have allergies and the heat and himidity play into that big time.

I haven't stitched a stitch in three days and I guess today will not either. I am going to meet my Daughter-in-law today and have three girls for most of the day. They have some work to do that they can't take the girls out in the heat to accomplish and my son is working his regular job.

I did get word that the baby cut two teeth yesterday. She is 6 1/2 months old. The older kids had them when they were 4 1/2 months. She was good natured through the whole thing. She has been drooling for months.

I have to go on a huge cutting spree and get some more colors cut for strings and squares. My variety is lacking in certain colors.

I have been reading Becky Tillman Petersen's

 blog called www.Quiltedtwins.com. She has a lovely modern looking quilt on her blog post today and you will not believe what it is made of. This picture is another one of her patterns called Clean Up.

She lives in Poland and she must have thrift stores and resale shops close by. She has purchase duvet covers and sheets and solid colored clothing and made the neatest looking quilt. A girl after my own heart. It is all recycled except for the batting and thread of course. I guess I need to think in a different way when I hit the resale stores for solids.

I do have a large stack of solid cottons on hand that need to be worked into something so that maybe would work along with the solid recyled I will collect in the future.

Kids like bright colors and this particular pattern makes a great use of these bright colors.

I Need to start writing a grocery list. We are about of of everything. Last month I had taxes and one major purchase that placed us in the caution area of our finaces. I have plenty to eat and my bills are paid so no worries there. After next month all the extra stuff will have been paid. Funny how we know certain bills like insurances and taxes are coming, but our efforts to save for them get put off.

I think the humidity today is suppose to be less so hopefully the girls will stay inside and not want to be outside. If they do it will be short spirts of time. To hot for sure. Chris  

100 squares to a block

I have sewn together 900-2 inch squares into 9 blocks. 

Made them into 4-patches and then sewed them into row. I spray starched them and pined every intersetion. I also put my walking foot on so they wouldn't slide. 

I did have a windfall because I had 200 4-patches made up and was storing them for something later. So that went a lot faster having them already

made up. I have 175 4-patches in 2.5 squares made up so something hwen I need them.

This is a quilt pattern that is free called Clean Up from www.www.quiltedtwins.com Becky and Rachael have free patterns and sell fabric on this site. Check out the shopat the top of thepage and hit the free patterns. It will ask for you to sign in as if you are purchasing something,no cards are needed. Follow the instructions and then download when you make your purchase which is free for the patterns.

Going to make some more 4-patches and then I think I need to cut some more variety for the rest of this massive 2 inch project. Chris

Next in line.

These have been pieced for awhile. They are rectangles to make a square. Not sure if this has a name and no designers were listed for this block. I found it on Pinterest. I have since seen it on Martha Stewart's Pinterest page, but no credit for it there either. 

They are 2.5 X 3.5 inch logs. There are 18 per block. You could make them smaller of larger depending on your scraps. 

Here they are layed out on the floor and will get sewn into a top tomorrow. I think I will make some more of them to make a twin quilt. 

I want to get some of these done and out of the sewing room. Plan on making a bunch before Christmas. Really finishing a lot of them. I have a lot in quilt blocks not finished. That is my goal. I think I will try the Baptist Fan quilting. I have a circle template so I will draw lines and quilt it that way. The texture is fun. This has so many nooks and cranny's it would be hard to outline stitch it. I am not good at meandering either. 

Hope to have more blocks made tomorrow. Chris

Another finish.

This is finally quilted bound and in the washer. I had some ripping to do on the quilting. I used a polyester batt and it shifted on me on one corner. so I tore out 6 inches around each side pf the corner and laid it really flatand straight pinned it down.

I got it restitched and it it layed much better. So binding got cut pressed andf stitched in place. This is one off the pile. Still way to many on the pile. 

Hope you are having a Happy 4th. Chris

Making hay, but it isn't stacking up. no quilting....

Center is quilted. Off and on over a couple days. Granddaughters were here yesterday so not much sewn while they were here. The baby is cutting teeth and she was fussy. Not her norm. 

Now gotta figure out something for the border quilting. I auditioned a cross hatch and it didn't come out right because of the size. I think i will do each side of the off white border and 1/4 inch outline the squares. Not very inventive, but I just want to get this finished. 

Then the challenge of the binding. I think fire engine red mini polka dot and my husband says a cranberry. Will get the quilting done and see how it looks. So many decisions. 

The day before the 4th of July. Where has this year gone? It is half over with. It will be Christmas before we know it. Scary!!!!!! Chris

Scraps make it

Full disclosure: No yardage hurt in the making of this top. All scraps.....

I got this out to try and get any borders if any applied and get ti sandwiched. This is all scraps and Log Cabin logs applied to the outside of the star blocks. Crayon colors and very visual. 

Hope everyone has a Happy 4th of July here in the USA. Stay safe if out with fireworks. Chris