Another 12 Blocks

I managed to catch one heck of a cold during the week.  I have been down hard.  Don't want to use the rotary cutter when I am a little off balance due to the fluid in my ears.  Fortunately, I had time on Wednesday and Thursday morning to complete these 12 blocks.  Also manage to sew all the hst blocks, but I need to trim them to 2 1/2 square inches. 

Hopefully tomorrow I will feel more up for sewing.  I really do not know why Spring colds are so horrible, but I can tell I am on the mend, sort of..................

Wow, Where Did the Week Go?

I have been putting Heart String blocks together, quilting QOV and HS tops, and now I am focused on the large quilt that I have been working on for several months (okay, off and on for several months).  I shared the blocks in person with Lin and now feel confident that I have the right plan for them.  I have quite a few blocks left to make, but I am going to aim at getting the quilt on the frame by the last part of this month.  I want to be binding it by Mother's Day or sooner.

The Heart Strings/Quilts of Valor quilts are part of a bigger project that also needs attention, but I managed to send a few off to another guild member for binding, so I am going to spend the rest of the week doing Lin's blocks.  Hope to post at least 30 new blocks by Saturday evening.  I decided it need to get crack-a-lacking.  More on this later.

Donation Quilts - Thank you for your efforts



Sherry made this quilt from a magazine pattern.



These quilts and quilt tops were put together by members of my guild.  They will all be given as donations.  I also received four other sets of blocks at guild last night.  They will be sewn together and quilted and the binding will be attached along with all the others I have received the past few weeks.  Then I will ask guild members to hand sew the binding.  The Quilts of Valor will go to a Returning Warrior Workshop in July.  The others will go to several groups we have selected.



QOV top pieced by Sherry




The blocks were made during our guild show
workshop and then pieced, quilted and
bound by other members.



Cindy took her blocks home and brought it
 back to  the guild meetings  as a top =0)




Blocks made at our guild quilt show workshop
quilted and pieced by several members



Lyn's Blocks

 

I would love to tell you that I have finished making blocks but since these photos were taken, I have only made 5 more.  Whether I like it or not, lifegot in the way and I still wanted to have 8 hours of sleep so something had to give.  The stashing and cornerstones are going to be scrappy.  I plan to add two sides and one corner to each block.  The only rule is to make it random but not to make any of the sashing strips the same color as the block.  This is going to be colorful quilt!

Learning and Spending

For Christmas, my husband gave me a Bernina 440Qe.  I have been taking classes to learn all I can about it before we move to Vermont.  I will only be taking one machine so it is important that I get the most out of the one I am taking.  All others will be in storage for 14 months.

Yesterday, I took a class on using the BSR (Bernina Stitch Regulator.)  It is going to be something that I will become an expert on in the next year.  Even with only a short lesson I felt like I had already improved my free-motion quilting skills.  I did not buy anything for the machine during the class, but I did buy the embroidery module before class.

Today, I took another mastery class and learned all about blind stitching hems, making button holes, and machine sewing buttons.  I bought two feet.  I will probably not use them all the time, but they are slick and useful.

At this rate, my husband will soon discover that he has purchased a Christmas gift that will keep giving, but will also keep costing.  I am sure he will adjust because he is always a prince of a guy!

My Friend needs to have her tension adjusted and her parts cleaned and lubed, so she is off to the machine doctor

My HQ 16 has been a good and faithful friend, but the time has come (although inconveniently) for her to see the sewing machine doctor to have some work done.  I was in the middle of a project when she started to object. - finished the quilt but that is all she is willing to do.  Guess the silver lining is that I will not be tempted to quilt instead of piece for awhile. 

Motivation, or something else needed. My husband is so wise!

I have been working on a quilt that I like, but somehow, I was allowing myself to be distracted from it.  The expression, "Just Do It"was not working for me, either.  My sweet husband overheard a conversation I was having with my sister where I told her I was having trouble staying focused on the task.  I guess he heard the problem and had the solution because I have accomplished more in the past 24 hours than I have in the last week.  I was telling my sister that I thought I was wandering out of the studio and getting involved in other "moving" tasks because I was cold.  For me cold hands and feet are not new, but the old solution does not work any more.  (I used to make myself a hot drink and heat a rice bag for my feet and relax with them for 5-10 minutes, but I am trying to cut back on my consumption of calories and just using the rice bag made me notice my cocoa desire more.) Riding my recumbent bike for 20 minutes helps  for a while, but I would have to do it at least 5-6 times a day and that in and of itself is a time stealer. My husband apparently had a great solution, immediately.  I now have a little heater in the room and I only have to leave to use the Internet, potty, eat or answer the phone.

Goals for today, quilt-wise, are to quilt a lap size quilt and make at least 12 more blocks for the "English garden" quilt.  Life is good.

Pillowcase works. Is it obvious?

Apparently he likes it.  His mom says he sleeps hot, so that explains his cheeks and ears.

Playing with Layout

 I am playing with the layout because I am do certain whether I like the sashing to be all the same fabrics as the blocks or a fabric of its own.  I am also strongly considering removing the mustardy colored blocks.  Thought at one time it would be the burgundy and pink that would go, but it seems to be playing better with all the blocks.  I have lots more to make, but do not want to cut into strips to make sashing unless that is really the right choice.  Below are three samples using off white on off white, tan on off white, and darker tan on tan.  Not necessarily the final choices but I can seem to find the very pale blue/green, so I am just auditioning what I have in my stash.  Any suggestions?