Just A Couple of Things

This is the first applique block for month 1 of "A Piece in Time" Such an easy block to applique.


This is block 2......... I worked on this one for what seemed to be forever... At last it is done. Just as I finished the last stitch, the mailman delivered the next month. I am still working on the first month of "Shade Garden".


Here is the Chintz quilt all assembled. I really like the fabrics I chose but as usual the are a bit muddy when all put together.

Now this one has character............ I sure am smiling here............

What Was I Thinking?

Evidently I wasn't. At least all of them were not wrong (just more than half)......

They are all redone now........ I have the black and white one together and the chintz one ready to assemble. Naturally when I laid them on the bed to put them in order Honey had to add a few dog hairs to them.............

The First Forty

I have begun adding the alternating solid blocks. There are over 900 of them so this could take awhile. I was thinking about just moving this project along but I have now decided that it began as a Leader/Ender and I will keep it that way.

Perhaps by the time I get the alternating blocks sewn on I will have a larger design board and I can lay them out. I am skeptical of just reaching into the basket and adding whatever comes to hand. I might end up with all the blue ones on one side and the red ones on another.

Wee Hours

Some nights sleep is elusive. Last night was one of them. I got up and finished this appliqué instead. This is one of the blocks for "A Piece of Time" BOM. There will be two each month. I have one more to do this month. I hope to get it done before the next installment arrives.

1024 Nine Patches

This is what 1024 - 2 inch (1 1/2 finished size) nine patches look like. They will fit into a shoe box now..........

The next step is to cut 961 - 2 inch squares for alternate blocks. The blocks are set on point with 32 rows of 32 nine patches...........

Hourly Progress

I must confess that I did not get all of the black and white blocks sewn together. All of the chintz ones are done though.......... I over slept this morning which cut short my stitching time. The studio is a total disaster. I need to pause and do some clearing out but I am stitching instead. So much to do.......So little time...............

Road Less Traveled

Here are three more blocks for Row Six of "Road Less Traveled" I still have six to make on this row. I hope to get them done this week. At least before the next BOM comes in. Only one more row after this one and I can start to assemble this one.

My Dear Friend Peg

My dear friend Peg was good to share her strips with me. Now that Mary has issued the challenge for Heartstrings I can begin to tackle this project in earnest.....

The basket was also part of the gift and I couldn't be more delighted. I think that both are a real treasure. Peg has such delightful fabrics..................

The next time you see this basket it will be put to another use. That will mean moving the strips to the basket I keep mine in but there is room for more in that basket.

As I have mentioned before, I am near the point of my Nine Patch Nut quilt where I will be adding the 961 two inch square background squares to the nine patch blocks. The plan currently is to toss the completed pieces into the basket, place the lid on the basket, shake thoroughly and begin to assemble the quilt. The anticipation of this event is encouraging me forward.

Baltimore Country Cousins

Here they are............ The last two completed blocks for my Country Cousin Quilt. I have been thinking for some time that I need to find a better name for this quilt. I have the perfect name but that will require a long walk down memory lane and I am not ready for that journey at this time.

Four blocks of twelve completed. Good................

What a Weekend........................

This weekend was most productive. I completed all 36 blocks for my Hour A Day Quilt for both the black and white one and the chintz one. I also completed the Four Patch Posy blocks. The Four Patch Posy will now be put aside until the next trip to Hyannis because I need sashing and backing and border fabric to complete it.

I am pleased to report that I am on row 30 of (out of the needed 32) the nine patch quilt I began in May of 2006. It has been my faithful companion since. I am using it as a leader/ender quilt.


I managed to do quite a bit of clearing in the basement. Lem and I went to the landfill on Saturday and Sunday with the car full both times. Rachel came on Saturday and filled her car with items for the Yard Sale for Habitat. She will be back this coming Saturday at 8:00 AM and I am busily gathering more things for her to take with her.

Meals were cooked, laundry done and even a wee nap or two were enjoyed.

As to progress on the upstairs sewing, I got most of the stitching done on the pincushion I am
for the Pincushion Swap. Another couple of hours and the stitching will be done and I will be ready to assemble it.

I have one more leaf to stitch on the Country Cousin block I am working on now. Then I will have four complete. One third of the blocks will be done. Yes, I am a couple of months behind schedule on that one but I mentally figured that it would take 18 months to make this quilt so I think I can still meet the deadline I set.



Friday, I received another installment on "A Road Less Traveled" from Homestead Hearth. This will be row six of seven rows. There are 10 blocks in this row but as you see it is easier that some of the others were.

Tonight I can stitch for one hour on the pincushion, finish the Country Cousin block and begin one of the two appliqué blocks for "Pieces of Time".

On the whole I am pleased with all I accomplished.

Hour Four

Here are the results of the fourth hour. I managed to get 10 blocks done for the chintz quilt but only 6 done for the black and white one. I am using scraps for the black and white one and that takes longer because I am unable to strip piece it as readily as the chintz quilt. I also spent 30 minutes on the Four Patch Posy and managed to complete another row. If the weekend goes well I should be able to finish the 36 blocks I need to complete for each of these quilts before Monday. I sure am glad that Judy gives us the weekend to catch up.

Hour Three

Sorry that this is a bit blurry. Some days I just cannot get a decent picture. This is the results of hour three. I am amazed at how well this one is going together for me. I am thinking that the three quilts I have going now will be start to finish quilts. I know that will mean a trip to the store for batting but I would like to try my hand at machine quilting and these might be just the right vehicle for that.............

Four Patch Posie

As you can see from the picture of the pattern, this quilt has six blocks on seven rows. Even though my time was short this morning, I did manage to get six blocks made for this quilt. I am testing some sashing fabrics. So far none of these are right.

Moving Right Along

Earlier this year, Vickie was making this quilt. Naturally I had to make one too. That means I purchase the pattern and fabric and it sits around. This was in one of the baskets on my "TO BE DONE NEXT" wall.

I am currently up to date on my obligations and was looking around for the "NEXT" thing to do. I remembered how lovely Judy's quilt from this pattern was and thought I would cut it out.

The time has come to clear out the basement. I have mentally divided it into 4 sections. One being my sewing area and the space behind it used for storage. I had a wall put in years ago to define the area better and give me a bit more wall space.

I know that I can get more done if my sewing area is clean and organized but while I am at work, things get off the shelf and sit on my cutting table thinking that I will finish them next. I had the same problem upstairs but for the past six weeks I have only allowed the current project to be in the sitting room and all the others are neatly on the bed in the guest room. Each evening I select the project I want to work on.

Now that I am clearing out that back room in the basement I plan to use it for storage of the projects that are on hold and only allow in the studio projects that are being completed now. Every morning I take something from the back room and decide its fate. Most things are being donated to a yard sale for a good cause. There will be no before pictures but I will have the after pictures by the first of September.

Hour Two

Here are the results of Hour Two.......... This is just too easy....

Hour One

Here are the rewards from the first hour........... Well, it did take me a little longer but who was watching the clock.

I also managed to get some bias strips cut for the "Shade Garden" quilt. This is yet another BOM from Homestead Hearth. That will be the next one I need to get started on so I don't fall behind.

We had a delightful dinner with Lu last night. She sat and chatted for a bit after we ate. After she left I put in a few stitches on my Country Cousin block. By 9:00 PM however, I needed to go to bed. It had been such a long day but a most rewarding one.

Two Quilts?

It always amazes me how small a space you can fit the fabric for a quilt into.......... Here are the two Hour a Day quilts side by side.

My dear friend Lu is coming for dinner tonight so I will not be able to get any more sewing done till in the morning.

Two Quilts

I was not overjoyed with the fabric I had for my Hour a Day quilt so Saturday Lem and I headed to the big city to see what I could find. I had located the colored fabrics in my stash and I had a piece of white on white but no blacks. I managed locate two black on black fabrics. There was not enough of either one so my borders will come from one and the center of the quilt will come from the other one.


I had seen that print there before and really liked it. It seemed perfect for this quilt. I will be using the gold in place of the white.
If time goes well, I might even cut the other fabric I had selected and try for three at once. Why not?

Pieces of Time

These blocks will go into a Lori Smith design "Pieces of Time". It has appliqué and pieced blocks.

Yes, it is a Homestead Hearth BOM. This is the first of 12 months.

Renewal

Yes, another BOM from Homestead Hearth. This one is "Renewal". Each month I will receive fabric for 2 blocks (there are thirty blocks altogether). Then they will send the borders and binding. I am pleased to report that I am up to date on this one..........

Ready, Set, Cut

I am all ready for cutting the Hour A Day Quilt that Judy is kind enough to share with us this month........... I always find it amazing how each one is so different.

I looked through my fabrics. Remember, I haven't been quilting as long as some of you and my fabric on hand is limited. I wanted to use fabric I had on hand and this is what I came up with.

I took the second picture so that you could see the stars on the cream fabric. While Judy used many different fabrics, I will be using only one for the blocks. That plaid will be the border made from scraps of the blocks. Tomorrow morning I can begin cutting this one..... and then Monday we will be off............

Hot Off the Needles

Another pair done......... These are made with sport weight yarn and did not take as long. I have been watching "The History of Britain" by Simon Sharma. It is 5 sets of 3 one hour DVD's. Knitting is the perfect thing to do while watching telly.

Row Five.............

Here are the blocks for Row Five............ Now I am up to date on this BOM until the next installment comes in.

This morning I began work on the "Renewal" BOM from Homestead Hearth...... This is two blocks a month for 15 months and three months of borders....... I have completed the first month but had not begun the second month. On Monday, the third month arrived so I plan to get it done this week also.

There are two more BOM's I signed up for at Homestead Hearth. I just received the first month of both of them and I hope to get them completed the next ones arrive. There are many other things that have to be done around the edges but there should be time for all.

Tomorrow Lem and I plan to begin the garage......... Such a disaster that space is. There will be NO before pictures. I would be too ashamed to have them viewed by others.......... My goal is to collect enough items to donate to a charity yard sale. The organizer said that they would send a trailer to pick up items and I would like to make the trip worthwhile...........

What is everyone else stateside planning for the Fourth?

Reporting In

I must say that the roses are doing better this year than they have in some time.....

The ones on the side yard are full also............. While I enjoy gardening, I enjoy sewing more and since a choice was required the gardening is on hold till retirement..........




While we are traveling around town doing the errands, I work on my socks. There are usually several pairs going at once. I am not expert enough to be interrupted while turning the heel. I usually save that for when I am at home and I can keep up with my row count..... If I have more than one pair going then there is always one in the 'mindless' knitting stage. Socks are small and I have a delightful bag made by a friend that holds one skein of yarn...........

I did get 6 blocks completed on Row 5 of RLT. There are 7 in that row so I will have a picture of all of them for you tomorrow.

I am behind in my blog reading but I hope to remedy that on Wednesday.