Must Make Kits

Note  to Self:  Make More Kits.  I love them!

I pulled another kit off the shelf. I put this one together perhaps 2 years ago. I cut the strips at the time I made the kit, so I could sit down and start to sew within minutes of pulling it off the shelf.  The first step of the sewing went really fast, in spite of the two strips I sewed in the wrong order.  Can you guess what pattern I am making?

I am using the book Tradition with a Twist. The pattern is Sunshine and Shadow.  I always thought that pattern had all the squares radiating out from the center in color order. This one makes a bunch of little ones.  Boy! These squares are sure fast and easy. What a great way to use up stash fast.  Might be something I could plan on. I wanted the strips set sewn together before quilting tonight when the girls come. It's nice to have something ready to work on when the come over so I don't waste time while they are here. Tonight I will start making the rows.


And don't you love the way this fabric is manufactured in a variety of widths.  I wonder what's going on.  I have been sewing long enough to recall that it used to be either 36"/38" wide (quit making in mid 70's) or 44"/45".  I think it is rare to find it that wide anymore. The two long ones here are probably 12-15 years old. I needed a minimum of 40" for this pattern and the shortest comes in at 40 1/2". No problems yet, but one slip of the ruler could screw that up. Good thing I have enough extra if that happens.

I recall one time a fabric I preshrunk lost almost 4" in width.  That's very unusual cause it usually shrinks in length and minimally in width. And FYI, patterns are typically written  for 40" usable width of fabric. Knowing that, you might want to be sure not to trim too much off the ends when you remove the selvage.  

Has anyone else noticed how hungry the wildlife is this year? The snow is kinda deep for them to find food. In the last two days we have had eating birdseed ON  the back deck not just the birds and squirrels but also a rabbit and a deer. The deer were all over the back yard last night.  I dug the icy snow off the English Ivy yesterday.  I like the way the deer prune that in the winter and help keep it from spreading out of control. They found it. Glad we don't have bear here, though they should  be hibernating now.
I'm linking to a new linky party. Sarah Craig hosts "Can I get a Whoop Whoop" linky party on Fridays. Be sure to visit. The linky parties are like on-line magazines to me.  Thank you Sarah.

Shrinking fabric

Working on the crumb quilt inspired me to go through  my scraps. As a result I made this handful of blocks that will go into samplers for church and one rolling stone block for my Cheddar quilt.

I have 2 more blocks to make and I can put the Cheddar quilt together. First I need to preshrink the cheddar. I am a firm believer in preshrinking.  Not sure why I bother with the antiquey fabrics cause to me, the puckers are part of the old look.

The best way to preshrink is often debated. Some quilters don't shrink at all cause they like the puckered look or the sizing in the fabric when they cut and sew. Some just prewash a regular laundry cycle and hope to get any excess dye out at the same time. Some believe that you simply have to get it wet and it will shrink.  And some think that it needs the heat when it drys. Maybe it's time for an experiment.

I give it a short cycle in the washer and dryer and hope to get it out of the dryer before too many wrinkles set. I DO like to iron but I am not nuts. And WHY do I believe in preshrinking. It's simple, I don't like surprises. It probably goes back to my youth when I made a beautiful red crepe blouse. Mom washed it and it shrunk. Not happy with mom. Maybe if I hung it on the hangar long enough, it would stretch out and relax like the bridesmaid dress of my daughters. It shrunk, but the lining didn't. Shrunk by at least 5". Months later the dress and the lining were the same length again.  I wouldn't expect that to happen with cotton fabric, but still, I just prewashed the back for the raffle quilt. Starting with a big 108" square hunk of fabric it shrunk only 1" in width AND 7" in length! making it a mite too small. I've also seen 44" cotton fabric shrink 4" in width. So today I shrink the cheddar.