CATCHING UP

Now that my log cabin quilt is finished, I need to catch up with a few things.  First, I decided to make a couple test blocks from the pattern, Pineapple Nine Patch.  I have admired this quilt for some time and am thinking about making it.  I cut some fabrics and sewed 2 blocks together to see what I think. I chose greens, browns and some blues for the dark and creams to yellows for the light.  I'll keep these 2 blocks on my design wall for a while to decide what I want to do.  Some of the fabrics are batiks and some are not.  

My guild here in Oregon always does a Round Robin quilt and I have never done one before.  I really hadn't planned to participate, but then I thought, "Why not?", so here is my center block - a butterfly.  I just have to embroider the antennae and I'm ready to turn it in next month.  I hope I'll be able to keep up with it each month.

Here's my design wall for today.  It is a hodge podge of things.  First, you will see a hummingbird.  I don't know what I'm going to do with him,

Second is a red/white/blue block that I will be using to make a Quilt of Valor.  I hope it will turn out OK.  I'm using it as a leader/ender project.

Under the Pineapple Nine Patch is a table runner of HSTs that I haven't sewn together yet.  I have sold 2 of these from my Etsy shop, so I decided to make another one.  I use charm packs for the colored half of the half square triangles.

Under that on the left is a table topper I'm making for my Etsy shop as well.  It is basted now along with a couple other table runners.  The other stars & multi-colored HSTs are up there to try to figure out what to do with them.

This blue and white table runner/dresser scarf was started back in Texas before we moved.  I'm not sure when I did the embroidery on it.  I finally got it basted for quilting.

 
Here's a close up of the embroidery.

Last, but not least, I have been doing some knitting while I watch TV at night and I've made 3 sets of this doll skirt and hat.  Of course, she has to have a blouse to go with them.  I got the yarn at the Good Will store in a large bag full of real nice yarn.  So far I've made 3 sets of skirts/hats and I don't know how many dish cloths with the yarn.

Here's the other color.  It looks pretty red here, but is really more rusty.  These will go to my DGD for her doll and the extra ones can be given to some of her friends.

Have a great weekend!  It's supposed to rain for the next 3 days here in Oregon.  

USING DESIGN WALL!!

Since the design wall was up, I thought I would put up some blocks.  Last Christmas, the president of my guild in Texas gave us some 2 1/2" strips of fabric.  I didn't know what to do with them, so I just sewed them together and cut them into 6 1/2" rail fence blocks.  Well, I didn't have enough for a whole quilt, so I dug out my box of Christmas fabric to see what I could come up with.  I wanted to use fabric from stash.  I used white, plain or white on white, for the middle strip and used up some small pieces of white.  Then I had quite a bit of some different yardages, which I put together with white and pretty soon my design wall was full!

This is what got me going - the blue and white from my guild president.

I almost have the top together and will figure out something for borders, but there are 12 rows of 10 blocks each, which will measure 72" x 60".

As "leader/enders" I have started another quilt by Bonnie Hunter called Bow-Dacious.  I have am making some progress too.  The block below measures 9 1/2" square.  If I follow Bonnie's directions, I would need 49 of these blocks.  Along with the border, the quilt would measure 84" x 84".  I don't know how big I will make it.  I'm using all scraps for this so far.

These little parts of the larger block measure 4 1/2" square.

It doesn't seem like I'm spending any time at all on it using the leader/ender method.

What are you working on?  I still need to do more organizing, though, so I can't do too much sewing. I thought that while the blocks are up, I might as well sew them together, right?

I HAVE A DESIGN WALL!!!

A design wall has been a top priority of mine since we moved in and now it's a reality!  I am so HAPPY!!!  This will make quilting so much easier.  

Yesterday, we started working on it.  DH did the major grunt work.  We bought 2 panels of insulation which were 4' x 8'.  We had to cut one foot off each panel and then the second panel also had one foot cut off the side, so my total design wall is approximately 7' x 7'.  

After cutting them to size, we used spray glue to stick flannel on one side.  Then folded it to the back and secured it with duct tape.  Thanks so my friend Claudia in Texas, who gave me the instructions!  Most blocks will stick on the flannel, but if they are too heavy, I can also hold them on with pins stuck into the panel.

DH then secured them on the top and the bottom with metal Z strips.  I had to see some blocks on it so I put up my DJ blocks.  

The color of the walls show up good in these pictures.  It's a light yellow.  My window is on the north side of the house and I will also need to add some additional lighting.  One step at a time!

Here you can see the whole design wall which is right behind my sewing machine chair, so it will be very handy.   I still can't show you the whole room, but it shouldn't be too long, I hope.

I have all the furniture that I need in the sewing room now, but I still have more organizing to do and some additional things to hang up before I am ready for the full reveal.   Monday we're taking a short trip to the coast so it will probably have to be after we get back.

In addition, we're trying to get some yard work done and have had some grass seed planted.

Hope you are having a wonderful weekend!