No sewing day

Yes there are a few days like that at my house. Yesterday was clean and purge day. I cleaned my bedroom from top to bottom.

I have had things piling up and it ends up in my bedroom because we live in a small house. I went in stripped the bed and washed everything then started sorting and pitching.

Why do we save things? Why do we put off  taking care of something while it is in our hands?

That is two rooms that are cleaned completely now.

I plan on in the next week to tackle another one that has 3 sizes of clothing in it that need to be taken to the thrift store. Some one might as well be using them it won't be me.

My goal is to get it all done before we have to start mowing for the Summer.

Today will be sewing time after I run to the lumber yard to pick up some things.

Hope you have a productive day. Chris

2 hours here and there

Yes, Two hours her and two hours there will get you there eventually. I have been making strings in between machine quilting blocks. Changing up the pace is fun. 

These are pieced like piano keys for the blocks I am making.

As you can see the character block is in the center. The diagonal strings are in the corners and the piano keys are on the sides of this 9-patch. These are 1.5 inch strips that I am using for this project. The more colors the better. 

This is totally made from 2 inch strips. This is a quick baby quilt, but it is colorful and using up many  strips to give you this quick quilts. 

Again this is from 2.5 inch strips. These are 1.25 on a side hexies. It takes a 2.5 inch square to make these. This is hand work, but something small enough it is portable if sitting in an office waiting. The more color the better. This will be about 45X60 inches when complete. This is using up small pieces leftover when cutting strips for other quilts. 

I can't just throw them away. Might be a long term project, but on the go it is easy to grab and keep sewing. 

We have had really gray days so I have been going into the sewing room in the afternoon and turning on the light and pulling out all these color projects and getting lost in the color parade that comes out from under the needle.

Yesterday I didn't get as much sewing done. I took my machine apart to clean it. I have a small dust brush and I was trying to get the dust down around the bobbin race. I dropped the brush and it was small enough to fall in and with fiddling to get it out with tweezers I got it lodged. 

My husband was laying down so I was determined to get it out. I propped up the machine so it was accessible and got needle nose pliers out and finally retrieved it. So I quickly replace the throat plate so I wouldn't loose any more pieces. 

So this dusting brush will not be used when you have an enclosed bottom on the machine. I have non portable vintage machines I can use it on and not get it wedged again. 

Hope your day was not as challenging as mine was. Pray for sunshine. Chris 

leftover blocks

This is some of the blocks leftover from the king sized quilt. I made 20 more and will make another quilt with them. Not king sized though. I decided on the triple line quilting to QAYG the blocks for this one. 

This is the backing fabric I bought a while back from www.quiltedtwins.com. This is 44 inch wide fabric. I am not sure they have it anymore. I bought several yards of it for backs for the QAYG quilts I have been making. 

I plan on this being about a twins sized quilt. It is all scrappy and will be colorful to use in a kids room or on a couch. 

We are to get more snow tonight into Friday. So I thought I can get a few of these done off and on during the day. I have the batting cut and the backing I am pressing as I need each piece. They sew up pretty quickly.

Hope you are staying safe and warm. We live about 50 miles from the Mississippi River and they are talking about low level flooding with this snow amounts we are to get. 

Keep stitching Chris

cleaning.

Trying to clean up areas of my house. I have an extra bedroom and the granddaughters have taken it over. We have toys in there and also air mattresses for them to sleep on.

I found markers everywhere, doll clothes, and dirty clothes. Quilts need washing and the sheets need changing.

I am going to vacuum the room and get it ready for the next visit.

The closet in that room is the catch all closet. I need to get it gone through, but not today. I have a few Christmas decorations that need to be put away that didn't make it earlier.

It is really cold here, but a storm is headed my way in the overnight. We are to get 3-5 inches of snow and mixed precip.

So no sewing getting done today. I hope you have time to sew. Chris

Fussy cutting

I received about 3 yards of fabric in an estate sale purchase I made several years ago. I am trying to cut this and use as much as I can for three quilts for the girls. I think they will be couch quilt size. 

I was on Pinterest and saw a string quilt block with a spot in  the center for a focus square. So the idea came to cut into the character fabric. They are really busy with all the strings and the focus square.

I think they will be cute. I have enough to make 9 blocks per quilt. They are not a simple cut to make these because you cut into the next image. I plan on some kind of border. Maybe piano keys in bright colors. 

This is a think out of the box kind of quilt. Each will be about the same. but different. I had found these blocks started in a pile and thought why not. It was really gray and gloomy so I dove in.

Sometimes going back to a started project helps you become inspired again. I go through spells of why do I want to sew. I guess it is second nature to have a needle and thread in hand or at the machine.

Hope you all have a great sewing day. Chris

Happy New Year

Hope you have a healthy and safe New Year.

We have a Winter snow and ice storm heading my way tonight. I went to make my final grocery pick up because it might be a few days before the roads are clear. We could get blizzard like winds so there would be drifting. I am prepare I think.

My husband is on Oxygen 24/7 now so we have about 12 hours of tanks on hand. Hopefully we don't electricty.

So no pictures today. I got an order this week from www.quiltedtwins.com  They had some red half yard bundles and some tan solids that I wanted. I need to get around to washing it. I have allergies so the washing helps with the odors and chemicals.

I have several things in the works, but have spent time trying to get this all here for the potential for a heavy wet snow storm. We live rural so we are on a well. I buy bottled water because the well pump can't run if the electricity goes out. We have a manual light gas fireplace so we can stay somewhat warm and pile on the quilts.

I plan on sewing with m y machine as long as I can. Then have a hand sewing project that I can do if the electricity goes out.

Hope you are not in the path of this storm. Happy New Year. Chris