Here is what I was naughty with

Strings and solid colored triangles. Well what do you think? Colorful for sure.

I used 6.5 inch squares from the telephone book. Then I used 1.5 inch strips to cover the squares. Then squared them up and cut them diagonally across the strips. I then cut 6.5 inch solid squares and cut diagonally. Stitch the two triangles together and press towards the solid colored triangle.

There are several layouts that can happen. I just wanted to show the colors together. Hint: Make sure you decrease your stitch length when stitching the strings on the paper so it rips off easier. The finer stitches help perforate the paper. I use telephone book pages because the ink doesn't smear on them unlike it does on newspaper.

Lots of thread, but I am using up odds and ends of sewing thread for this piecing. Bobbins are different colored than the top thread. If the Quilt Police come after me they can take me. I don't plan on ripping it out and redoing it. I am at a point in my life that the small things like the color and type of thread really don't matter.

Quilters who machine quilt use 100% polyester thread. So a cotton/polyester thread should be half way right. I have been given tons of thread and as long as it is good to better quality I use it. If I am sewing on white background fabric I do use light gray or white for sure.

Use you imagination. Color is important so use the colors that make your heart sing. Chris

I am naughty

Yes you read the title right. I did something I shouldn't have. I did some sewing, but not on anything I should be sewing on.

I am using strips that have been cut for quite awhile. I started a 6.5 inch string block. I know why, well I was very frustrated. I need fast and furious sewing to calm me.

The day didn't go as I planned, nothing serious. Just some days are more difficult than others. My days are not meant for me to plan. My husband has dementia and some days you have to do as he wants. Today was one of those days.

Well today was one of those days. I managed to sew while he was laying down. I got several blocks made. I need to trim them all then cut crosswise. I plan on cutting them into half squares triangles. The other side of the half square will be a solid color. This will use scraps and make a decent sized block fairly fast.

Tomorrow I will have some pictures. I need to pull out the solid colors and cut the size triangles to work with the strip pieced triangle. So back to being naughty. Chris

Hopefully today

This morning hopefully will start another leg in home improvement. We have ordered windows for our house and all but one is here. 

The contractor is a friend of my son and he brought his tailor the other night so when the weather allows he has his equipment here to start. It rained all day yesterday so hopefully he can get started today. 

It is early yet and I haven't heard from him yet. He has to go pick up the picture window on his way also. We have a picture window currently, but we are getting side by side sashed windows instead. I would like to be able to open them up more. 

I did a bunch of block making yesterday trying to see how many more I need. I think I need about 12 more individual blocks and I will have an extra long twin quilt top. I have plenty of the 4-patches made. Just need the denim square in a square to finish. More denim cutting will happen after I do some running today. 

Meals are going to be a difficult adventure. I think because of cold wind today I will make a pot of baked potato soup. I can have the oven on while baking the potatoes. I know windows will be out for about 20 minutes per window. The high for today is 35 degrees. It is 31 degrees now so it will not go up much. 

Going to get my errand run as soon as the stores open and then be home for the rest of the day. I am anxious to get the top done and onto the next one. Hope you have a good day. Chris

UPDATE: He is sick with the crud so not coming.....

Working towards a finish

This is what I am trying to get enough stitching done to finish this top.

These are pieces I have been working on as I need something to keep myself busy. Some days no focus is there so I stitch squares.

Here is my sewing desk. Multiple squares to pick and choose to pair together. This is part of my efforts to get things cut up. The more the variety the longer I can stitch. This is what I call power sewing. Pickup pair and stitch.  

These are all parts to finish the top I have started with the recycled denim.

Today we are starting a project that will last about a week. The trailer came for the contractor and he is coming to get started on window replacement. He is taking the siding off the house and wrapping the house with house wrap also. It will make it warmer and less likely to be drafty. We have gone a long way with securing the draft spots over time. 

So in between sewing and helping to get areas from the inside cleared away from windows I have no plans for today. They will start in the extra bedroom or the kitchen and work until they get done with the room from the outside. 

Starting to feel more like a human being. It has been a long haul trying to get over this never ending crud. Everyone locally you talk to says it is bad and I agree.  

We have some very jealous neighbors and when they get up this morning they will see a contractors trailer in my drive and I am sure we will be the talk of the neighborhood. Keep them guessing. Have a good day. Chris

Sorry about that

After I posted the posting this morning I got sick to my stomach. Nothing serious. The antibiotic I was taking said to take it on an empty stomach and wait an hour to ear. Well before the hour was up it hit me.

I didn't feel like doing much the rest of the day.

The contractor to put in my windows is on his way to leave his work trailer in my drive. He is coming tomorrow to start on replacing windows. I have ten to replace.

I hope things get calmed down soon. I am feeling better, but I need some down time.

I read an article today that said when a woman looses her Mother she never totally gets over it. I really think this is true. Some days I am fine and then a few days later every time I turn around I am brought to tears over nothing.

Hopefully it gets easier as time goes by. Sorry no pics maybe tomorrow. Chris  

Pictures later today

My mind is on overtime this morning. I have a lot going on in there.

1. Hobby or job?
2. Focus or mindless?
3. Obsessed or enjoyable?

These are the things haunting my mind this morning. I want to enjoy the process. Maybe I am overthinking this whole process.

You know how mind boggling overthinking things are? Well I wonder if there is going to be a burn out again and yet the mood is there stay with it.

I have determined my passion is still there and I think until I loose that passion I need to stay focused. I am not like others that this is an income so I can walk away for periods of time if I need to..

This last year and all the events have proven that I still want to be involved. My life was turned on edge for 9 months and yet I went back to it. And I know in the future I will have another spell of events in life interfering.

Today is another day and another set of events that we have to deal with as they come. Hopefully each and everyone of you have the day you want. Chris

Sewing here and there

Here is a pile of 3.5 inch denim squares that I am adding 2 inch squares to the corners. Making a square in a square. This is just part of a bigger block. I used old jean legs from my family and friends that I collected with no idea what I was going to use them for.  

This is finger pressed, but you can see they are not very large. I have been sewing 20-60 minutes at a time to get some more of this done. 

Yesterday I was up, ate, showered, and cleaned two rooms and two loads of laundry and ran the dishwasher all before 9 am. Well I had to have a nap and I cheated and went out to grab sandwiches for supper. I sewed before I finally gave up to go to bed. Little here and there. 

Here is a stack of them all sewn and pressed. Today the iron needs to be turned on and do lots more pressing. Then I need to assemble as many of the two blocks as I have enough segments for. Then if I need more will cut more. Note to self. I need a new blade in my rotary cutter also.  

These are 2.5 inch squares. I was doing some mindless sewing the other day and they are sewn into 3-patches and they need to be pressed and made into 9-patches. If I want to continue sewing and I don't have enough cut I grab another tub and sew them together. The beauty of doing this you work on more than one thing at a time and get more machine time as long as you have bobbins wound.

Well errand day again. We are to get rain and snow mix this evening and more over the next few days. Going to go to the grocery and get milk and a couple things to have so I don't have to go out. 

My husband has been sick and I have had residual hanging on. We got an antibiotic and hopefully we are turning the page on this crap. We haven't had enough below freezing days to kill off this strain. Plus kids were home and now they are all back in school so another round will happen. 

I read a post that said we still about 70 days before Spring. Can't hardly wait. Chris