4 washed and wrapped

This has to get done no later than Saturday. All that has to happen is to attach the last border on the two ends and quilt it.

This is a WIP for over 5 years. I made string blocks from scraps of 1/2 inch to 1.5 inch strips. I had gotten it as far as I have it here 4 years ago and just quit. I wasn't happy with the borders.

I had run the white and gray out to the length of the border and machine quilted it that far. Wasn't sure how I was going to add the end borders to make it work with the diagonal crosshatching I did.

I have that problem figured out,but needed more backing fabric and some of the white border. I am terrible about using up needed pieces in another quilt then not have enough when I need to finish something.

I got something close for the pieces I needed and started to sew it all together yesterday and I am a quarter yard short of the backing fabric. Went back to buy some more and they were out. It is a solid.

I could have gone two other places, but decided the time was the element I didn't want to sacrifice so I will add a dark border strip to the backing and just be done with it. So today is the day.

4 of the quilts are washed and wrapped. That was a major chore doing that. I am running out of time for this year. We have our Christmas on Christmas Eve. I still have to shop for food and make it.

I hope all of you are in better shape than what I am.

Merry Christmas to all of you. Hope you enjoy your time with family and friends. Chris

Another one done. Yippppppeeeee!

Well the fourth one is done. I have to work on one more. It will be easy to finish.

This one is for the 4 year old. She picked them out a long time ago and never told her it was for her. I think she will be please with the quilt.

It is a queen sized and I had to make another row to make it come out even. Started making the blocks last night and finished them today.

I started at 9 am and only took an hour lunch break. My shoulders are screaming now. But this one is done all but the washing and wrapping.

Getting closer to my deadline which is 1 pm on the 24th. So tomorrow I will jump out of bed and get cracking on the next one unless I get the borders cut tonight.

I hope you are all close to your deadlines. Chris

Getting closer

This one is bound and complete as of last night. I had the 23 month old so I wasn't able to sew until she went home.

This the next one to be done. I have 6 more blocks to make and then all the quilting. Only 19 more days to complete it.

This one is done and waiting to be washed. The fabric has been around for a long time so need to freshen them up.

This is complete. It needs washing also. I bought some huge gift bags. The days are slipping away fast.

Then this one got done last night. So today is a day to get the last major job started. I have another one that needs two borders assembled and quilted and that will make five quilts in about 3 months. 

I would have been sooner. But with my son's health we had granddaughters more and my days were not in the sewing room then. 

Hope you are getting your shopping done and sewing all complete. Back to the sewing room. Chris

I pushed and pushed, but I got it this far.

This is my efforts today. I got the quilting all done yesterday for the QAYG method. I assembled the rows today. It has been a long day quilting.

It is Queen sized and it still needs binding, but I think it came out pretty well. Perfect by no means, but serviceable for a 6 year old. She has a room to herself now so it will be a nice bright addition.

This is the quilting design I used for the 9-patches. It has been around for a long time, but it contained all the seams and makes it more durable for kids. It is a continuous stitching design. I like those without all the stop and go methods. 

I had to stop and walk away for  bit. I plan on getting the binding on tonight. Hope you have a great evening. Chris

Been busy and trying to focus

My son went for another CT scan and they couldn't find any tumor. They are not sure why his tongue is still having numbness. So the next trip will be in about 5 weeks and they will do a PET scan. Maybe something will show up there.This quilt finally got finished a couple weeks ago. It is for a 12 year old.

These are the next blocks that got assembled into rows. The quilt will be for the almost 6 year old. She says it that way. LOL

I am doing them in QAYG method by doing the rows and connect them into a queen size quilt.

This is the quilting I am doing on all the blocks within the rows. I have 6 of the 8 rows quilted. So hopefully over the weekend I will have the quilt all connected and bound. 

I have another quilt to finish up that just needs borders on the top and bottom and machine quilted in grid design. 

Then the last one will be a real scrap quilt. I have to get the blocks assembled in rows and pick out a connecting sashing for it. I have a mottled purple fabric for the back, This should be easy to do with outline quilting within the block.

This is several of the blocks laying together. They are made with logs. It is a very bright block and the 4 year old will get this one. I have a lot of these sewn into rows already.

This is the key to all this. Most of this is done as leaders and enders over the course of a year or a little longer. I try and have some of this going on with what ever I am doing. I have squares cut and strips cut and just keep pushing them under the needle. I have maybe 250 or 400 9-patches made up for future use. I try and numerous ideas in the works when I find time to stitch.

Hope you have a great day. Chris

Sorry lots going on

To start with these string blocks have been done for almost 2 years. They were sewn into 16 small blocks into a bigger block. I chose to do QAYG method. I sandwiched the bigger block and then did a stretch utility zig zag on the blocks along the strings to make the quilting and also to make it lots stronger. 

It is going to my grandson who is twelve years old and there is a Boxer dog that shares his room.

I used a fabric that is dark shades of Gray called Bark. I pieced the blocks together with strips so solid black on the top like the sashing and I use the Bark fabric on the back. When you look at the back you think it is a solid piece, but it isn't.

The blocks were made with 1.5 inch strips stitched to a telephone book page. I then pulled off the paper after I squared them up. There are 144 blocks in this top and a ton of thread.  He has a bunk bed so this should work fine.

These are the blocks for the next one. I have two to assemble and quilt and one for borders all before Christmas eve.

I have good news and so-so news. My son went back to a check up and they told him he was 9 weeks ahead in his recovery. Then three weeks later there are not sure he is out of the woods yet. 

He goes back on the 28th of November to have more tests. He is able to eat and not using the feeding tube now so that is a plus, but we still have that doubt the doctors have hanging over our heads. 

The little ones have been here a lot and that has set me back on getting done with their quilts for Christmas. I have bought somethings for the little ones to open and will have money cards for the older ones. 

We are having Thanksgiving here and I have most of it bought. Hope everyone has a very Nice Thanksgiving. Chris

Been busy, but not finishing a whole lot

Last week my son finished his treatments and got a certificate of being done.

This is the QAYG I am working on for a Christmas present.

This will be the next QAYG project. This will be Christmas also.

Here will be the next project. I have backing and batting for all of them. I just need a ball and chain to get in there and get them done. I have been spending more hours in the sewing room since my son is home. Less stress I guess.

The string b;locks will look like this after they are all quilted and assembled. I twill be for a 12 year old boy. I decided the extra stitching will help with the rough tough treatment it will have. 

Christmas is getting closer each day. Reality has hit I need to press on and get this done. Chris