Sewing for a few hours every morning

This is a pile of pressed, but not squared up string blocks that are 8 inches square. I have a tub with 1.5 inch strips cut and they need to be sewn up.

I have been making a dent in them. The strings have had some age on them because the cut sides are getting stringy. They are turning out really pretty.

I am trying to get some things done a little oat a time to make more space in the sewing room.

I have 4 pieces of Minky in my sewing room. Two need to be cut and made into smaller baby sized small quilts for my neighbor. I just don't have the heart to cut into them. The lint and trying to stitch them is a bug hang up for me. Then  there is enough for my granddaughters to each have one also.

I guess not time like the present to get them done.

We are going to have Easter Dinner here on Sunday. so we have been cleaning and rearranging rooms. There will be 8 here for dinner. The weather isn't suppose to be to nice so Easter baskets will be inside.

I have Tulip leaves popping through the ground and Daylillies are showing up also. I think they got fooled with the warmer weather we had a week ago. The Maple trees are starting to open up their buds. I just can't wait to not have the furnace on all the time, but then the A/C has to be on before you know it.

I got that Vintage Singer Treadle machine converted to an electric machine several months ago. It has been sitting in the garage and I finally made room for it. So maybe it will brought into the house in the next couple days.

It is cleaned up and oiled. Needs a new needle and wind the bobbin and get started on it. It is in a cabinet that is from the 60's so It has a knee controller which I think I will like.

I hope you are all able to get your sewing done. Chris 

We dodged a bullet

Well not really. We were suppose to get 5-12 inches of snow overnight into today. Well we got 1.5 inches and most of that has melted. So bullet dodged. About 50 miles south and east of us got a bunch dumped on them.

The trees are starting to open. No more bad weather.....

We spent the day inside and we swapped sides of our living room and dining room furniture. It took  most of the day because we cleaned behind the furniture and dusted everything . We have a few things to move yet, but it is better than what it was. A path is made so we can get through the rooms.

The cleaning needs to continue. Surprising how I leave so much undone and just sew. no it doesn't go away.

Hope you had a great Saturday. Chris

Been busy??????

To start with I have had granddaughters overnight and also trying to get more done with cleaning.

My sewing room is overwhelming and I just hate to look for things. I started out yesterday with a cutting board and a pile of fabric that was laying out.

I got that all cut up and the to larger pieces put back into the totes I have fabric in. I need to do this for several days and them maybe just maybe I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. 

I am making string blocks as you saw in my previous post. so the goal was to add some different strings to my tub. 

While cutting up odd sized pieces I cut 1.5 inch, 2 inch, and 2.5 inch strips from the pieces. Those are the sizes I use most in my scrap quilts. 

I had these 9-patches like 250 of them already sewn. I added 2 inch strips to the outside of the 9-patches. I think I will continue  work on these as leaders and enders while sewing the string blocks. 

These are quite colorful and just using up things that have been laying out to use. Killing to birds with one stone. Sewing strings and finishing up blocks. 

I have to keep focused so I get more done today Maybe an hour of cutting and a couple hours of sorting and sewing. Some day it will make sense. 

I bought that old Singer machine and it is in the garage yet. I am trying to make space for it and it has become a challenge to make it work. 

SHHHHHH! I have more fabric coming today. I know what is a person to do? Most of it is to finish up a project that is started. 

I know many would say get rid of it, but I lived with a Mother that did that. If you don't use it get rid of it and she spent lots of money on replacing things she got rid of. 

Spring is around the corner. The Maple leaves are opening their buds hopefully they won't get froze off this year. 

Have a great Monday. Chris

Getting back into my grove

The bucket of strings is full. The string blocks are coming together only with a twist. These are 8 inch paper foundation made string blocks. The brown star  is from 3X6 inch rectangles cut diagonally and added to the corners. I had to lay them out to match this block so they were right. I need to keep up with this as a leader and ender type sewing. 

Two weekends ago we had the family in for a Birthday for Autumn. This is a picture of 14 month old Charleigh and her Daddy. 

She was dressed so cut with her blinged out jeans and fuzzy vest and pink and silver shows. He white air and rosie cheeks make her look like a real angel, but she has a temper and attitude. She has been cutting molars and not happy about that. 

They grow up so fast. 

I have house cleaning to do today. Spent most of the morning yesterday getting brakes on my car. So today I stay home and make some order out of the kitchen mess. 

Have a Great Sewing Day. Chris

Saw my first Robin

I got so excited. I saw the first Robin today in my Crab apple tree. Is Spring on the way?
Not sure we might get snow tonight.

Took my husband to the Dr. yesterday and he is getting weaker. He contracted a cold and it has lingered. They took xrays of his lungs but no results yet.

He is having more trouble breathing and the next step is oxygen. Almost to that point. He had COPD Parkinson's Disease and several other things. He is 107 lbs with all his clothing and shoes on.

I went to store to find things he would eat that will put weight on. He has no taste buds left after years of medicine. Loosing battle.

I have worked on my QAYG blocks and only have one more to finish. Then all the trimming and start to assemble the rows. Tomorrow morning I plan on trying to get farther with it.

Hope your sewing projects are coming along and you are never without thread in your bobbin. Chris

Small piecing of bigger?This quilt is about 6 inch

This is about 6 inch quilt blocks. This is a mid size block to me. I do go to 11 1/2 inch piecing, but most of the time it is this sized blocks.

This is a top my Mother made and it is 4.5 inch blocks. It is really a lot of piecing.

Which do you prefer? Larger or smaller?

Hopefully you have a great day sewing ahead of you. Chris

More QAYG done

I have 18 of the GAYG blocks all quilted. If everything works out I will be able to get the other 6 completed by the latest tomorrow. Then the assembling of the rows and the completion of the top will happen.

Not sure how wide my sashing pieces will be. I can make them finished about 2 inches wide I think. Some measuring will have to happen. I want to get them all quilted and placed in rows so I can figure out the color I think I am going to use. I have shades of muslin, tans and browns. So I need to do some auditioning for the final selection.

I found another set of blocks that need finishing. They can be quilted in the same method. I think they will be next. I seem to be able to get more done with the blocks or sections of a quilt that trying to quilt a whole top.

I think the size is daunting and it intimidates me so I just figure the domestic machine  will not handle it.

I need to get through some of these top and get them quilted. Maybe making my mind up to just figure on doing the QAYG method will make me more motivated to get them done.

I will thing forward and keep the goals going after a success is finished it will make it easier.  Hope you have a great sewing day. Chris 

Birthday dinner for a 5 year old.

First off Thank You over comments on the QAYG blocks. They are about half done. Haven't been back to them for a couple days.

Autumn Grace is now 5 years old. Her Birthday was March 2nd. We are having a birthday dinner for her and Mommy whose birthday was the 1st. 

She is in Preschool and doing well. She has attitude of a 30 year old at times, but is very polite. Yes Ma'am and please and thank you and your welcome all are used everyday. 

She is going to be trouble for Daddy with all the boys after her in a couple years, but Daddy has two more younger that will cause him grief also. 

We are having Italian beef sandwiches, potato salad, raw veggies and dill dip, deviled eggs and a to die for Strawberry pretzel Jello salad plus chocolate cupcakes. 

Oh yes and Autumn wanted ham and Swiss cheese sliders. So they will be made also. And mac and cheese for the two younger ones that are picky eaters.

The sun is out and the temps are warming up so the kids can be outside dressed warm,  but get some fresh air. We have bikes here for them and a long drive and huge patio that all connect. 

Hope all of you can sew and enjoy your day. Chris 

Few more done

I got a few more stitched in my quest to get some of this done. I have been limited in time lately so for now on even if it is an hour a day I have to get this room cleaned out. I have ordered more fabric and it should be here today. It is to get some more of the project finished.  

The center squares were really small squares I got in a zippered bag from the thrift store. I couldn't let them go to waste. I think with the colors coordinated around them to make the star shape and the outer frame it really sets off the centers. 

This is one I did today. I look at them now and the points are sewn over and the seams don't meet well, but it is a hand made item so not perfect. 

I think I am going to gift this, but will see what the outcome is before I promise it to anyone. I used fabric that my Mother had bought for the backing. I need to get some of that worked up also. 

I plan on stitching the blocks together and connecting with a mottled tan fabric to not takeaway from the blocks. I have other choices I can use, but I will see what looks right as I get some more of them quilted. 

Things are changing in my house. My husband is not able to do as much lately so I have had to pick up the pace. I have left him to do as much as he can do. I knew this was coming, but I have backed off pushing him. He just doesn't have the strength to keep up the things he wants to do. 

I have some things that will have to be done this Spring and I need to muster up the spunk to get them done. So my blogging will be a lot slower and has been so far. Maybe I will check in once a week and keep up with the blog. I read everyday and try and see what others are doing so I stay inspired. 

Hope you have a Great Day. Chris