Easy Street

Step 7 was introduced this morning on Bonnie's blog and I discovered I have not read the directions as well as I should have.  I didn't have 2 x 3.5 bricks cut from Step 2.  I'm kind of scrambling to try and find enough fabric to use for these bricks and for my stacked bricks from Step 6.

I have a confession.  When I was working on Step 4 when we were making the stacked geese, I cut enough wings out of my beige/tan fabrics and it was the wrong color.  At the time I'm thinking  "Oh well, I'll just make some other flying geese with my darker brown fabrics and use them on the back of the quilt."  So it has made me short of fabric in the colors I had chosen. (How many out there have done that one?)

Luckily, as I've been cutting out my strips needed, I cut the rest of the fabric into strips for my Scrap Savers System.  I have cut 5 inch strips that I make charm squares from, but haven't cut the squares yet.  So I have taken those strips, cut off one charm square, and then cut my 2 inch strip needed and two 1.5 inch strips. ( I follow Bonnie's system in that she doesn't cut 3 inch strips.  But she doesn't cut 5 inch strips either and I do. The joy of making something work for you!)

Step 5 - "House" blocks

Step 4 - 3.5 inch squares, 110 shown, the rest have been cut, just not pictured.

Introduction:  Gather fabrics.  (done).

Step One: 194 four-patch blocks. (done)

Step Two: Cut 128 "goose" triangles (done)

                 Cut 256 triangles for the "wings" (done)

                 Make 128 Flying geese units (done)
                 Cut 64  2 x 3.5 inch rectangles ( 30)

Step Three: Cut 64 two inch squares (done)

                  Cut 128 triangles for the wings (done)

                  Cut 64 larger half-square triangles (done)

                  Make 64 shaded 4 patches (done)
Step Four: Cut 64 "goose" triangles. (done)
                 Cut 128 triangles for the "wings". (done)
                Make 64 Flying geese units. (done)
                Take 64 geese units from Step 2 and sew them to the 64 units you just made. (done)
                 Cut 145 squares 3.5 inches (done)
Step Five:  Cut 64 squares 3.5 inches, but not the ones cut above. (done)
                 Cut 128 squares 2 inches (done)

                 Sew the 128 squares to the larger 3.5 inch squares at the corners. (done)

                 Cut 16 -  5.5 squares. (0)  

                 Cut the 16 squares with an "X" for 64 quarter square triangles (0)

Step Six:   Sew and cut 128 Stacked brick blocks. (108)

Christmas

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas. 

We went to visit our grandchildren and their parents.  What fun!  My grandson was so excited for all the presents.  He really enjoyed helping us open our gifts too.

It's always so much fun to be around little ones at Christmas.

 

We received coffee mugs.  Our coffee never tasted better.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas is almost here,  Unlike other years, I'm not madly trying to finish making Christmas gifts.  It feels kind of weird.  The other thing I miss, no special project to work on from Prairie Star Quilts.  Since the shop closed, it has left a little hole.

But.. a new year is soon to be upon us.  And I'm busy thinking of goals for 2013.  Will post more once I decide on the goals.

I am still in the middle of Step 4 of the Easy Street Mystery Quilt.  I have all of my stacked flying geese done.   I'm ready to start cutting out my green squares.  Steps and progress are listed below.

Introduction:  Gather fabrics.  (done).

Step One: 194 four-patch blocks. (done)

Step Two: Cut 128 "goose" triangles (done)

                 Cut 256 triangles for the "wings" (done)

                 Make 128 Flying geese units (done)

Step Three: Cut 64 two inch squares (done)

                  Cut 128 triangles for the wings (done)

                  Cut 64 larger half-square triangles (done)

                  Make 64 shaded 4 patches (done)
Step Four: Cut 64 "goose" triangles. (done)
                 Cut 128 triangles for the "wings". (done)
                Make 64 Flying geese units. (done)
                Take 64 geese units from Step 2 and sew them to the 64 units you just made. (done)
                 Cut 145 squares 3.5 inches (0)
Step Five:  Cut 64 squares 3.5 inches, but not the ones cut above. (0)
                 Cut 128 squares 2 inches (0)

Step Three Is Done!

Step Three Is Done!

I love the colors so much!  Fall is my favorite time of year and these colors just make me feel so good.

Last night we had a Blizzard Warning and it was tricky coming home from work.  We had rain, then freezing rain mixed with snow changing to snow.  The roads were slick and the wind was picking up.  I was glad to be home, safe and sound.  Today we had a "Snow Day"  which converts to "Sew Day" for me. (Thanks Nicki for that verbiage!)  That's why I was able to finish Step 3.  The rest of today I'll be cutting out Step 4 while I finish wrapping presents and maybe even do a little baking.  Tomorrow I'm sure I'll be back to work and Step 5 will be posted.  I'm hoping during Christmas break I'll be able to catch up on some things.

Easy Street Step Two Is Done!

I finished Step 2 of Easy Street Mystery Quilt this morning!  Yeah!! 

  My colors are kind of a dark red and beige/tan for the wings of the geese units.

Now to cutting out Step Three.  I'm even thinking of cutting out step 4 just to have that much done.

Introduction:  Gather fabrics.  (done).

Step One: 194 four-patch blocks. (done)

Step Two: Cut 128 "goose" triangles (done)

                 Cut 256 triangles for the "wings" (done)

                 Make 128 Flying geese units (done)

Step Three: Cut 64 two inch squares (0)

                  Cut 128 triangles for the wings (0)

                  Cut 64 larger half-square triangles (0)

                  Make 64 shaded 4 patches (0)
Step Four: Cut 64 "goose" triangles. (0)
                 Cut 128 triangles for the "wings". (0)
                Make 64 Flying geese units. (0)
                Take 64 geese units from Step 2 and sew them to the 64 units you just made. (0)

Quick Note

Just a quick note, I have 78 of my flying geese units from Step 2 done.

 I haven't even started Step 3.

And come Friday, Step 4 will be out!

Slow and steady wins the race, just like when I did Orca Bay.

Quilt Day!

Yesterday, Saturday, was Quilt Day for Quilts From The Bluffs.  And it was our Christmas Potluck.

 We all had a wonderful time! 

The only downer was after lunch.  Everyone went back to work on whatever they were in the middle of before lunch, and one of the quilters cut her finger with the rotary cutter.  Thank goodness one of our other quilters is a nurse.  They ran her to the ER.  She is doing well, but they told her it would be about 3 months before it was fully healed.    After that, everyone was very careful when they were cutting.


So here is a public service announcement:  Watch what you are doing and be very careful when cutting fabric.  You may even want to invest in some cutting gloves.  It would make a great gift for Christmas, so add it to your wish list!

Step 3 Is Here!

Step 3 is here and I'm still on step 2!

But, I do feel good about what I have gotten done.  

All my flying geese are cut out and grouped together so I can sew them up.

The interesting thing I noted while cutting up my fabrics was that a number of them have this little corner piece cut out.  I know that is from the days of crafting and craft fairs.  Not sure what I made that I needed such a little piece.

Another golden oldie from the stash.  I get such a good feeling from using those now.  It reminds me of when I was a little girl about 5 or 6.  In the days before air conditioning in the summer time. (yes, I'm that old) I would take my crayons and coloring books out on the front porch and color.  One summer my goal was to color all the pages in my coloring books.  I did color all the pages in 2 books that summer.  And I would get such a feeling of accomplishment as I colored each page, getting closer and closer to my goal.  Amazing to get that same feeling now and have it bring back that memory.

And a finish to the week!  I gave my co-worker the Advent Calendar I made for her.  She will start using it next year.  This year she is giving her daughter a Christmas book each night before Christmas.  Next year she can add a note to the mittens as to which book they will read on that day.  What a great idea!

Introduction:  Gather fabrics.  (done).

Step One: 194 four-patch blocks. (done)

Step Two: Cut 128 quarter square triangles (done)

                 Cut 256 triangles for the wings (done)

                 Make 128 Flying geese units (0)

Step Three: Cut 64 two inch squares (0)

                  Cut 128 triangles for the wings (0)

                  Cut 64 larger half-square triangles (0)

                  Make 64 shaded 4 patches (0)

Step One Is Done!

Step one of the Easy Street mystery quilt is done.

All 194 of them!

I even took them all for a spin, a la Bonnie Hunt.

You might remember Bonnie's grey/gray crackle fabric.  I have the same fabric only in beige. 

I am so happy to be using some of this fabric that has been in my stash for years.  As I'm cutting up the strips I need, I'm also cutting up the last of each piece and adding it to my Scrap Saver's System.  Soon it will be used in other projects....

What A Week

What a week!  I've been fighting a cold all week long, so didn't do more than my 15 minutes every night.  You can get a little done, but I didn't make my goal of having all of my 4-patch blocks done.

I worked on those most of Saturday and on the Advent Calendar I'm making for a co-worker.  I know, December 1 was Saturday.  I hope to finish it today.  Right now I don't have any pictures, but I'm hoping to by tonight!  See you later!