More String Blocks

I made some more string blocks last night and tonight.  They are rather addictive.  So much fun to look through the scraps and remember what I made with the fabric or when I bought it. (Sometimes it's both and sometimes it's neither.)

I also ironed a backing and a top to load tomorrow onto the quilt machine.  I have had errands or meetings every night this week after work.  Tomorrow I can come home right after work.  Love when that happens!

Dryer Sheet String Block



Dryer Sheet

 I use Snuggle dryer sheets and they measure about 6.25 X 9 inches.

I cut off the long edge so that the sheet measures 6.25 X 6.25.

I throw the little scrap of dryer sheet in my dog pillow that hangs on the door of my sewing table.  See here : http://hazeldellquilts.blogspot.com/search/label/Pet%20Bed

I place the first strip of fabric right side up diagonally on the dryer sheet.

Lay the next strip right side down lining up the edges on the right side of the strip.  I pin these first two pieces to keep them from shifting while I sew.  Sew, using a quarter inch seam.  For the next strips I just match them and sew without pinning.  You could still pin if you would like.

Press the seams open either by finger pressing or by using your iron.  At first I was worried about using the iron but I thought that these are used in a hot dryer so I just turned my iron down and it was fine.  You could use a pressing cloth to be on the safe side.   Add the next strip, right side down, to the the newest strip on the right and sew again. 




front



The strips are all sewn on to the dryer sheet.





Back

Ready to square up the block so that it measures 6 X 6.



Ready for the last cut.

Finished block!   Hope you have fun with this and if you feel there is something that needs to be clarified, let me know, I'll be happy to help.

Playing

I spent time this afternoon cleaning my longarm quilting machine and getting things set up to start quilting.  I'm going to get this going this time.  I have a number of tops that I would love to get quilted. (I counted at least 7 while I was rearranging.)

And I did a little bit of playing.  With all the cutting I've been doing, I have a couple of bins of strings.  So using a used dryer sheets as my base, I made up 6 blocks.  They measure 6 X 6. 

What a great weekend!

Longarm Quilting

I took a class today at A Quilting Place  http://aquiltingplaceomaha.com/     I have a longarm quilting machine but have been a little intimidated by it as I don't spend enough time with it.  So I took a class to refresh myself.  I know the Quilt Minsitry has many Project Linus quilts that need quilting, so I'm going to pick up a few of those and start practicing on them.

Baby Quilt I quilted at "A Quilting Place."

Bought some more Hobbs 80/20 quilt batting to keep at the embroidery that I started with the quilt I showed January 16th, 2011.  I wish I knew how to add the links to take you back this quilt, but I'm just not there yet.  But someday soon........

Friday Night

The snow has come back and we're to get more tomorrow.  A good time to sew.   I went to a purse party last night so I didn't get any sewing/quilting done.(Or blogging.)  Tonight, my project is washing my black fabric so I can start cutting sashing tomorrow.  My husband said to me that it seems like I've been doing a lot of cutting and I think he's right.  After the sashing is cut, I'm going to have to come up with a sewing or quilting project.  I did so well last year with my one a month UFO/WIP.  I think I need to get back to that.  I feel like I'm floundering without any direction.  Time to regroup and set some goals!

Winter

Winter has come back and I'm not happy about that.  I just want to take my bath, get into my PJ's, and snuggle in bed with a good book.  But I haven't.  I have been cutting some of the left over floral fabric into strips and squares.  For 15 minutes.  Then I'm going to go do all of the things I said I wanted to do.

Flower Cutting Is Done

I finished cutting out the floral fabrics for the Turning Twenty that I'm working on.  Now I have the sashing for the "lead" part of the stain glass look to cut out.  Once that is done, I'll be ready for a Craft Day or a Retreat.  I could even "Retreat" at home if I wanted. 

Random Items

What can I say, I'm a proud grandma.  Sophie turned one this past weekend and we had to go visit.  She just finished dinner, so she still has food on her face from that,  but she did really enjoy her cake.

And I have nine more fabrics cut for my Turning Twenty quilt.  Only 2 more fabrics to go.

Happy National Quilting Day!

Happy National Quilting Day!  Hope all of your sewing and quilting dreams come true!

Drawers

Sorting through the drawers in my sewing room, I came across this template.  I've been thinking about hexies as so many people have been making things with them.  I'm going to give it a whirl soon.

The template has sizes for a 2 inch, 1.5, 1.25, and 1 inch hexagons.  There is a line for using on paper and a line for fabric.  How much easier can that be?

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

May your troubles be less,


And your blessing be more.

And nothing but happiness,

Come through your door.

I wish you all a Happy

St Patrick's Day!

Turning Twenty

I have nine of my fabrics cut for my new Turning Twenty.  I'm using the stain glass pattern from Book 5.  All of the floral fabrics are from my stash.

I'm trying something new, I'm pre-cutting a couple of projects so that when I have a day to sew, like our Craft Day with the Quilt Ministry, I'm ready to sew. (And won't have to spend most of my time cutting.)   I wish I could remember which blog I read about this little trick, but my mind is blank.  So I'll take the time right now to thank that person for writing about it, THANK YOU!  I'm lucky the idea has rattled around as long as it did.

Sewing

For some reason it's not going well with the outfit so I'm thinking of abandoning the project.  I don't like the way the little pants turned out at all.  I'm having trouble with the little top so I'm done!  What is up with this?  I'm not that stupid.  Can there be such a thing as sewing vibes?  And that they aren't going well?  I don't know.  But like I said, "I'm done."  It isn't fun if it feels like fighting. :-( 

Instead I started to cut out a Turning Twenty quilt using my floral fabrics.  We'll see if I have any better luck with that.

Sewing

I made a little progress on Sophie's outfit.  Working on the pants and I'm not sure they are turning out the way I want.  Has it really been that long since I have sewn?  The pattern doesn't seem to make sense.  Is it because I'm so use to quilt patterns?  And the 5/8 inch seam looks HUGH!  I'm going to keep at it and we'll see how this all turns out.

Sewing

It's been a long time since I did garment sewing, but I decided to make something for my granddaughter with this fabric.  I got it cut today and I'm planning on sewing tomorrow.  I have the next week off work for a "Spring Break". 

I also started my Spring Cleaning.  We have a storage area off the Family Room and I started going through the boxes.  Found a number of little outfits my mother had made for my son.  I'm going to take pictures of them and then not sure what I'll do after that.  They're kind of old to be giving to Goodwill but it's also hard to just throw them away.  Will have to think about that some more.  Some are of cotton fabric and I could cut them up.....  Not sure.

Finished!

  All four toppers are now done.  To the right is a picture of when I finished piecing the tops.  And to the left is a pictures of the backs after the binding was done.                                                         

                    

Backing # 1 - My Favorite.

                                      

Backing # 2 - I used this on 2 of the toppers.



Backing # 3.



Quiet Night

It was a quiet and restful evening.  I finished the binding on one more table topper. On to the last one!

Still Binding

Yes, I'm still hand stitching the binding down on the third topper.  It's almost done and then there will be only one left!

One More

I went to the Omaha Quilt Guild's meeting last night and saw Colleen Wise.  Her quilts are amazing.  Check them out here:  http://colleenwise.com/ 

It was funny how it worked out.  My friend Patti is working on her class reunion and sent a message to Colleen.  Colleen told her she would be in Omaha on March 8 to speak.  So Patti called me and we decided to go.  Loved her quilts. As she said, "We have our hands all over our quilts."  And that is one of the reasons that she has used the hand motif so much in her quilting.

I also have one more table topper done, only two more to go.

Binding

I have all of the bindings sewn onto the table toppers and have started to hand stitch.  I have been doing some more thinking about the spool of thread that was bad and I have thrown it out.  I decided it won't be good for hand sewing either, so to the curb it's going!  I did add  these to the bin as I won't try and use them in the sewing machine.  I may come across some more that don't have much left and will add those too. 

I am really getting into the Spring Cleaning/Organizing mood. I 'm going to start cleaning out drawers and see what has been stashed.  (A old habit that I'm trying to change.)

Amazing

It is amazing the progress I am making on my quilting now that I have good thread.  I completed the quilting on one more topper and have half of the second one done.  Hope to have pictures later.


Update, I had to go get even more thread, but I now have them all quilted and am making binding for them.  So far this year, I have now used up all of my Valentine fabric (with my kingsize quilt) and St. Patrick's Day fabric!

Oh My Goodness

OH MY GOODNESS!!! I can't believe what a difference the new thread has made.  It sews so nice.  Being the recycler I am, I started a bin labeled:

I should have know that the thread was not good.  I had used it in the bobbin first and had all kinds of trouble.  So why did I think moving it to the top thread would make it better??????  Any way my problem has been solved and maybe I can get these done. 

Thread

I've been having a hard time getting myself to quilt these table toppers.  Tonight I realized why.  I have been having so much trouble with the thread.  I think the spool is old so I'm going to stop and pick up some new thread tomorrow and see if that solves my problem.  I tried doing a practice meander tonight and the thread kept puckering and breaking.  And the tension seemed off.  So maybe it's the thread and maybe not.  Will find out tomorrow if maybe I need to take my machine in again to get it checked. 

Where Does The Time GO???

Some nights seem like they are long and other nights, the time is gone before I know it.  Last night was like that and it seems that tonight is following along.  I did some quilting on my table toppers last night and also did some embroidery.  And before I knew it, the evening was over.  Tonight seems to be following the same pattern.  Did some quilting and some embroidery and I still have some chores to get done before bed.  I think I move in slow motion any more.  But I guess, slow and steady wins the race.