I am here I guess....

No it isn't that bad. To qualify the statement we have been wallpapering our living room. So things are torn up and out of place.

I want to sew. but my husband needs help with doing the papering. He is doing the ladder work and I do the pasting and clean up. Which we move things and then paper and go behind to replace the furniture. Move to another section.

Off and on a few minutes here and there a few seams or cut some sashing pieces, but not a lot of sewing happening.

We have had some days finally of warming. The rains have started and flooding around our communities. We are not in a low lying area so we are ok unless a huge huge amount happens in a very short period of time.

I am still working on these blocks. It is a QAYG method. I have 100 of them quilted and trimmed and need to make 10 more for length. They are in the works.

I am starting to assemble the blocks into rows. So the few minutes here and there are connecting the blocks together with sashing pieces.

I have five rows of 10 blocks sewn together. It is grounding me with all the mess going on. As we get older the mess effects us more than before. Hopefully in a few more days we will be close to finished. 

There has been a debate on other blogs and Facebook about Joann's and their changes. Many like the Warm Companies products and Joann's has chosen to replace with other battings. I got an email on sales with Joann's yesterday and they are now carrying Pellon Battings and have them on sale online only for 3 days. 

I recently have used Pellon battings. They are close to The Warm Co.'s Warm and Natural products. I finished 4 quilts for Christmas gifts. It seemed to sew up great on my domestic machine. I have heard others with long arms do not like it. Have you heard any comments on the use of this product?

I think we all have a favorite product that works for our needs. Warm and Natural is still available through Walmart and online. 

I have use Hobbs 80/20 battings and like them, but they can be distorted with packaging. I am not every making any judge able quilts so I use what I can afford.

Let me know if you prefer a batting and why you do. Thanks. Chris

cleaning up sewing desk

I had a pile of strips that had been cut off of the width they were cut from. I started cleaning up the sewing desk and thought don't throw back in the basket use them up. 

I then made strip sets out of the 1.5 inch strips and pressed everything well. I then diced them up.

I started pairing them up and made 4-patches. They are small, but they will come handy in making a scrap quilt.

No I don't have a plan yet, but I am sure they will come in handy shortly. Scraps create scraps so I used the whole width of the strips by using as a frame for a block and then strip sets from the leftovers. 

Hopefully you can find a use for your scraps or pass them onto someone who can use them.Chris

Things are happening

I have been quiet, but not just sitting. 

We are wallpapering our living room/dining room. Lots of furniture to move and also cleaning to put back everything. 

We living in a manufactured home and the wall board is put on with strips or batten strips. So to eliminate those we chose a textured wallpaper that can be painted. It looks like the new technique used in texturing drywall. 

When you have doors windows and electrical out lets to cut around besides a fireplace that is rough stone it all takes time. Plus we are older and we hang one piece and rest. LOL

I have been working on trying to get these blocks done. I have 84 quilted out of 100. The rest of the blocks are in the process of being made. I have the centers made and waiting on pressing and then the cranberry strip needs to be sewn on. Hopefully this next week a couple good hours of work and I will have them done.

Then the fun begins. I have to lay them out to get the layout how I want it and then start connecting the blocks. I don't have a design wall and with them quilted I fon't think the weight would hold them to the wall without pinning them. 

We have had such a cold and hard Winter and I want this one done so when it does warm up I can be outside enjoying some of the nicer weather. 

My husband has a Dr's appointment this week so it will take some time out of my sewing, but it is anual checkup so we have to get it in. 

As I was sewing and cutting strips to go around the 9-patches I hade smaller strips piling up on the sewing desk. I decided yesterday to start making strip sets with the strips so they could be cut into a usable size. I think I have a 100 little 4-patches made with the small 1.5 inch strips. I have to snip the threads and press them. Not sure for certain where they will take me, but my mind is wandering. 

I can't throw away anything, but eventually they get use for another quilt. 

I hope this finds you well and warm. We are -7 degrees below zero this morning. Yesterday was horribly windy and yet Spring is coming they say. Chris

Some quiet sewing going on.

I have been slowly stitching on these blocks. Got the cranberry borders on them and then QAYG done. I now have 40 of them quilted and trimmed. 60 more to go. The quilt will be about 100X100 inches.

They are a simple 9-patch sashed with a strip and then sashed with the cranberry strip.

This is the backing on the blocks. You can see the stitching lines I am using in the quilting of the blocks. 

This has been fun because I am using the 9-patches I had stitched together. I do those as leaders and enders when sewing on other things. The other leaders and enders I make a lot are the string blocks. They use up pieces that are to small to make anything else with. 

We have had such awful Winter weather so staying in is our only option. I just heard a rumor and I hope that is just a rumor that over the next week we will receive about 30 inches of snow. Yikeeesss!. The quilt will get done in that case.  

Hope you are warm and safe. Going back to quilt some  more Chris

Life has been happening along with the weather

This is where I am going with simple 9-patches. I bordered them with a color strip and then a small cranberry strip

I am QAYG these blocks. They are easy to handle for me with this method.

This shows the quilting design I am using on these blocks. It is continuous stitching and is easy to do.

The blocks are piling up. They are 9.5 inches and it will take several to make a queen sized quilt.

Found a new/old tool to use to press at the machine. It is my wallpaper seam tool. It was in with my wallpaper tools. You can buy a new one for lots of money, but this works for my budget. 

The weather was awful this last week. Days went buy when we didn't get out of the house because of 56 below zero wind chills. Finally Saturday I was able to get to the store and stock up. 

Today the snow is melting fast, but the temp is falling. Freezing rain predicted with snow coming back on Tuesday. Live in Illinois and 20 minutes later the weather will change. 

Hope everyone is surviving this seems like the longest Winter. Getting closer to spring. Chris

Still playing

I got out the 1.5 inch tub with the strips that are cut already. I had two things in  mind to use them for. So alternating which goes under the needle next.

I am making string blocks and so this was an obvious choice. I cut my foundation pieces and started with them.

Then I needed to sash these 9-patches so it had it's turn under the needle. I think I have 89 of this 9-patch sashed now. Did a lot of pressing, but went in and sewed for an hour or two each session. 

My son had an appointment last week to go back for a post treatment checkup. The Doctor's say he is cancer free. They are amazed at how well he did through the whole process. I am relieved and felt more like sewing. 

The snow has been another factor. We received about 5.5 inches over the weekend. We finally got some Winter weather. I think it is here to stay now. More snow coming over weekend. 

Hope you are warm and enjoying your day. Chris

Scraps flying everywhere.

I hadn't done any piecing for months. I love to piece so I got out the fabric scraps and the strips and started cutting.

This is a pattern by Becky Tillman Petersen from Quiltedtwins.com. It is called Orbit. On her blog she has free patterns. These are 12.5 inch blocks and are set with sashing and corner stones. These are going together pretty fast being the size they are. 

I have half of the blocks stitched. I had to put things away because the girls were here over night.

Here are the three Characters. They are a lot of fun. They got matching outfits from me for Christmas. I won't be able to do that many more times. 

The baby is almost two. In a couple days and she is a little character. She always acts up when pictures are taken.

See what I mean. She is a hoot.....They got Wonder Woman pj's for Christmas and she is a stinker and wouldn't show her face. LOL

I had the girls New Years Day overnight. Daddy had to go back to have a PET Scan. Preliminary reports say no cancer, but side effects of some swelling and maybe thyroid issues. So he has another appointment next week sometime.

We are thankful that his health is as good as it is and the side effects can be dealt with. Hope you have a Happy New Year. Chris