Tiny Bits

Years ago I made this baby quilt with some leftover bits from other projects. I always thought I'd make it again only bigger. So then why when I began sorting through my bin of 1930's did I toss a handful of 1 1/2" wide strips in the trash????

 I dug those strips out of the wastebasket when I hit on the idea to make this Single Irish Chain variation.

 
 After the pinwheel quilt that used so much muslin, I was looking for something that would use more and larger pieces of the prints.  I just might like this one well enough to keep. And I will still have
1 1/2" bits left to make the 9-patch.   I am also planning on a Courthouse Steps with the pile of 1 3/4" strips that were there. I also need to decide on what to make with the 2 1/2" pieces. Then I went hunting for a pattern to use that will include the solids. I will put that away for a comfort quilt project at church. If I get these others done soon I will be satisfied with what I have "used up" and also be sick of the 30's prints till next winter.

I've not just been making plans. I have begun cutting and sewing too. I am kinda down to the bottom of the box so want to proceed with cutting carefully so I don't have more crumbs leftover and not enough of what I need.

 I'd like to get downstairs and get some quilting done, but my arms are a bit sore. We've been working a few hours here and there in the woods cutting and stacking brush. I guess the quilting will have to wait till we have snow.

I finally got the Scrappy Crazy 8's quilt on the wall to photograph. Let me know if you want the pattern.

Parading Pinwheels

My first top for the 30's Bin Bust Challenge is done. I went with the double wide sashing cause it is faster and I am not keeping this one. Yes that means I don't really care about it. I'm happy to use up what I did, though I'd rather use more of the 30's prints than the muslin.

This will be one of the next 30's quilts I work on. I want to plan several, so as I cut, I can handle a fabric fewer times.  In other words If I cut a 3 3/4" strip from a piece and have just a bit left over, then I will cut the leftovers into what I need for a second or third quilt like a 2 1/2" strip. I will do the same with the strips. When I cut the 8 triangles I need from the strip, I hope to have something planned for the rest of the strip and cut it right away. My way of staying on top of the scraps.

I've got a bunch of vintage Christmas cards and love this Santa. Happy Holidays everyone!

Let the 1930's Bin Bust Begin

The scrappy Crazy 8's quilt top is done, I just haven't taken it's official picture yet. My excuse is that  I got wrapped up in the Stashbuster's 1930's Bin Bust.  The first of the 1930's scraps I wanted to deal with were the left-over pinwheel blocks that were supposed to alternate throughout in this quilt.

I had a few more triangles to use with them so I've come up with two possible settings for them.
My first thought was with doube wide sashing like this, but use up a bunch of the prints for the sashing. That was awful. I didn't think I had enough of any one print to use till I remembered the comfort quilt fabric. Since this project is going to that cause anyway I felt free to use a hunk of theirs for the wide sashing. There is just enough - I think.

But I also considered setting the blocks on point like this. the setting triangles could be the same print as the sashing print above or anything except more muslin.

 Our comfort quilts are made in  all sizes, but we are usually asked to make them as big as we can. So I will go with the first layout. I was hoping to get to that this afternoon but the family has other plans for me. Imagine that.
If you are not a Stashbusters Yahoo Group member you can still join in the fun of the challenge of emptying a bin of fabric from your stash. The idea is to use up a collection of one type of fabric in your stash that you are not so interested in anymore.  Next on my list will be Thimbleberries. Unless I can find someone to buy them.

Piece at home

I've been working on a little bit of everything except Christmas. Not sure if that means I am lucky or not. My Crazy 8's quilt top is about done. One final seam down the middle and a border. I'd hoped to make it a little bigger but I didn't want to introduce one more tan fabric in the last row. I guess that is where planning would have been helpful. As it is it will finish about 86" x 96". Actually prefer that size, just thought another row would make it even better.








There were 5 of us quilting at Studio 3 yesterday. Sue surprised me with this quilt she started using a block from my new book. She thinks its my best book and has already done 4 other quilts from the blocks in it. Who knew she was such a big fan.

I've been a member of the Yahoo group "Stashbusters" for probably 7 yrs or more. I don't post often, mostly in winter when I have more time for the computer.  Like this blog, I find the group motivates me to do more quilting. I don't know how else to say it and yet it seems strange to say that I need motivation to do what I love. Maybe it's not so much motivation but focus. I believe that my quilting is my therapy and I love it but especially with Mark retired now it is harder to dedicate the time to it that I'd like. 
Anyway some members of stashbusters have proposed a binbusting challenge for their 1930's  prints particularly. So I'm in. I don't have many but I want to use them up. I think I can get 3 or 4 tops out of this pile of scraps. Watch me. My sister used to joke that I could make a formal evening gown from 1/4 yard of fabric.

Progress on Crazy 8's

I just put the other half of the blocks up on the wall when I remembered it was Monday and time for Judy's linky party. I still have to add the sashing then I will stack it down off the wall in the order I need it to sew. Could possibly finish it tonight.

Also finished  a small sampler, including the binding and a sleeve. I put it up at Studio 3 this afternoon. I will have to take a picture of it next time I am there.  I put another quilt on the frame ready to go too, but I am a little short on batting.
I haven't done much yet to prepare for the holidays. Dear daughter is coming on Wed. to help get some decorations up. Hubby about has all the shopping done. No Christmas quilting for me this year. Things should be pretty easy going the rest of the month. I wish you the same.

More aimless sewing

It seems that sewing both at home and at Studio 3 is making it difficult to focus on a project.

When I first started sewing at Studio 3 on my own time I brought over a box of Civil War scraps and thought it might be fun to just plug away at using those scraps. I have them pretty well organized now and use them while I am there. So I have been piecing blocks  without a real plan. Sounds like me. These are the latest blocks I've made while there. I love 'em.

While I sorted the box of scraps I came across lots of 1 3/4" strips suitable for a log cabin. That pattern would be a good choice to work on with friends around cause it would take little concentration. First I need to decide what I want to use for the center square. I already did this one with black in the center, so maybe red next.





My Crazy 8's quilt is still waiting for assembly. I am feeling better now and hope to tackle it this afternoon.  Here's a preview of the plan.

Crazy Eights Revisited

I've got 56 Crazy Eights blocks done and ready to assemble into a quilt top. This time I made them scrappy. If you don't know me by now, this is not how I will use them in the quilt. Hopefully I can show that in a few days.

Typically I don't procrastinate when it comes to piecing, but I have been putting off assembling the top for a few days now. This will be bed size and that always makes it a bit cumbersome and when I don't feel real well I just do easy stuff.  I'm not sick, just suffering side effects to an antacid I'm taking. Started those the other day after an awful night that nearly sent me to the ER.


Years ago I wrote a magazine article for Chitra Publications. They ran a regular design challenge column called "What If". A block was presented with guidlines for construction (usually by Sharyn Craig) and inspiring quilts were shown using the block in different fabrics and settings. I did about 6 of those articles, Crazy 8's being one of them. If I could locate the article I'd show you , but at the moment all I can find is this photo of one of the quilts featured in that article.

I'm trying out another new camera. I didn't like using the one on my phone and the last one quit. This time it was an easier transition than usual.
Tuesday at church we nearly finished 5 quilt as you go comfort quilts. We used Kaye Wood's 6 hour quilt pattern. Next we will adapt the pattern using 6 1/2" squares. It will be a great way to use up our batting scraps. 
I did a one-trunk show of quilts from my new book at the Ben Franklin quilt club. They have 3 separate meetings to accommodate all the gals. It was good to go since I haven't been in over a year. That was Tuesday and Wednesday.
We're not quilting at Studio 3 on Thursdays again till after the holidays. But Friday we got together and I showed them another way to make the Square-in-a-Square quilt like this one I made last year.

Lately every quilt top I pull out of the closet I wish I had quilted. So I put one on the frame downstairs and will go to work on it after I join the link party at Judy's. And tomorrow I will link up to the new linky party at www.shecanquilt.ca. Please join us.