Sewing again

After an extended weekend in Arkansas to attend GS-3's high school graduation, I finally had some time to sew today, continuing with Strip Twist that I first wrote about here.

Strip Twist

At Devo and Sew today I was able to complete 32 of the 48 blocks I will need.  The beauty of this pattern is the diagonal seams match because the seams nest but nothing else has to match block-to-block.

Our Floor Show (show and tell) included one of my donation quilts that Jane had quilted.

Summer Heat - Nancy Mahoney design

Another gorgeous sunrise this morning.

Sunrise 5/21/19

It's Been a While

Sorry, Family comes first!

The Fam without the Graduate (I didn't quite fit in the photo)

First look at the regalia - I'm obviously impressed

The kid on the Jumbotron

The grad, proud grandparents and aunt

Burr under my saddle

Strip Storage

Some things just annoy me to the point I need to take action. 

Believe me, this doesn't happen often 😏

This week it's this mess.

 

A couple years ago I attempted to organize my scraps a la Bonnie Hunter into some sort of "Scrap Users System."  I sorted 1.5", 2", and 2.5" strips.  I even cut some miscellaneous chunks into these frequently-used sizes.  The problem is I don't make scrappy quilts!  At least, rarely do I go totally scrappy.  So my boxes and bins just sat on the shelf.  And the strips developed more ravelly edges the longer they sat.

The day had come when I couldn't stand it any longer!  I have to admit, though, that coming across a free Bonnie Hunter pattern while purging my pattern files was a big inspiration.  The pattern, Strip Twist, uses 2.5" strips.

Strip Twist by Bonnie Hunter

So I started randomly sewing light/dark strip twosies and then paired them to make foursies and cut them into 8.5" chunks.

I have to admit it was kinda liberating to just grab and sew!  AND, I threw away any bits that were less than 2.5"!!!  Sadly, I've hardly made a dent in the bins so far but I intend to keep going, perhaps with a more controlled palette with some of the fabrics that have multiple strips already cut.

My rough sample showed me I need to watch for repeat fabrics and that the really light fabrics seem to just disappear in the mix.

Test Block

Each quadrant is 8 inches so a finished block will be 16 inches.  That should make a nice size quilt go together quickly.  I'll start pairing up blocks at the next Devo and Sew day.

Wildlife Wednesday

We mostly have Mallards.  But this week, at the neighbor's duck spa, I spied a pair of Wood Ducks.

Wood duck pair leaving the spa beach

I'm not sure you can see it in this photo, but the male wood duck (upper) is recognizable by his crest.

Stock photo - Getty Images

Earlier in the week we had a mother mallard leading her 6 ducklings to the edge of the neighbor's dock.  She jumped into the water three times and each time her offspring said "Unh-uh, No Way, not doin' that!" She finally gave up and waddled back to land.  I'm not sure how, or if, she got them to get their feet wet.

I'll leave you with a foggy sunrise over Dartmoor.

Sunrise 5/15/19

Humble Quilts Doll Swap

Today's the big day

Participants in Lori's doll quilt swap will be linking up at Humble Quilts to share the quilt they received from their swap partner.  Size couldn't be larger that 24" and fabrics no later than 1910.

This was my second swap -- the first was modern and quite different!  In both cases, though, there was a bit of fear and trepidation that my offering might not measure up and would I be pleased with what I received.  I'm happy to report I was not disappointed in either case.

Well before the assigned deadline of April 30, this delightful little quilt showed up in my mailbox.

All the way from Grand Island, Nebraska ... Thank you, Vicki!

Vicki used some lovely reproductions prints that I had never seen before.

Beautifully executed, quilted and bound.  I'm thrilled.

Check out the sweet beauties other swappers received at Humble Quilts.

Why?

Why did I ever think I could put a 3" churn dash in the center of a 6" block?

Won't fit!

In case you haven't already figured it out, the churn dashes I am making are in a 3x3 grid, 

making each unit finish at 2" in a 6" block.

This is more like it!

3" CD in a 9" block

While I had churn dash on the brain, I made another plain 9" block ...

... and added another 6" block to the collection ...

6" blocks

I'm not completely sure where I'm going with this, but I'm having fun!

Have a happy Monday, my friends!

New RSC Project

Buckeye Stars

My plan is to make 4 per month for 10 months, more or less.  That would give me a nice 6 x 8 and would be 48" x 64" before sashing and borders.

Buckeye Stars

My dilemma is whether I go back to January and start with red, or if I just go forward for another 9 months into 2020 (more likely).   I actually have enough parts in progress that I could make a whole quilt in orange alone!  As it is, I put the remaining orange pieces back in the orange bin and the lime pieces in the green bin. 

My goal for May is to finish the Long Time Gone top.

Those  dang cute churn dashes, though ...

I have had less success with some than others, but I do have a plan ... of sorts.  Stay tuned.