Caught!

THE Cold

You know the one ... you've had it or know someone who has.

It starts with a little soreness in the back of the throat that morphs into a chest-rattling cough.  Then the sneezes so big they give you a headache.  Followed by a head full of ..... well, you get the picture.

So far no fever or aches, so I've been able to get a little accomplished, but certainly not what I had anticipated for the week.  You know how it is when you're not up to "snuff" ... it's hard to concentrate, difficult to even think about finishing a task, much less starting a new one.

In a way this turned out to be a benefit.  Not feeling like facing any of the projects currently underway, but wanting to sew, I decided to make some neutral string blocks.  So I raided the scrap bag I keep next to the cutting table to see if I had any strips suitable for strings.  This involved dumping the bag and reviewing the contents, pressing some of it, sorting all of it into either strings, stuff I might use sometime, and pieces to give to a friend, then trashing pieces too small to use.

That exercise didn't yield much in the way of neutrals, but I could see potential strings lurking in the piles on my work table.  And while I'm going through the piles, I might as well put large pieces back on the shelf ... smaller chunks in their designated-by-color shoeboxes ... and strips into their proper drawer ....

Guess what?  Before I knew it, I had a clear work surface!

Looking for someplace to go

If I could only find a place for the project boxes on the floor in front of it, I might be able to do some of the things I complain about not being able to do at home -- like measure for borders.  What a concept!

Yes, I did get some string blocks made.

6-1/2" String Blocks

I don't have a plan other than keeping papers handy so I can make more blocks as I generate strings, maybe as leaders and enders (L/E).

I took some of my "down" time to sort through my Butterscotch box to see what units I had already made and what I might be able to do with the rest of the box.  My purpose being to generate a stack for L/E.  Turns out I had quite a few 4-patches made and plenty of 2-1/2" strips cut in both neutral and butterscotch to make a bunch more. 

So I quickly stitched up strip sets, cut the chunks, and stitched 4 patch units which I added to 4-1/2" neutral squares and then stitched into large 4-patch units.

So much for leaders and enders .... 

Actually, I needed to know how many I could get from what was already cut so I could calculate how many pinwheels I need for the alternate blocks.

I have cut more of the strips into HSTs and THESE will be my new L/E project and ultimately they will go into this. 

Butterscotch

Currently calculated to be about 60" x 75", I might add borders or just stop; the quilt will tell me what to do.  I have identified several possible border fabrics in my stash so it will not require a purchase.

That's what on my design wall today.  Though I definitely accomplished more than I might have under the conditions last week, still nothing I can count as complete so no changes to the stash status.  Hoping to have a few days in Paducah at the AQS show this week, then I need to address an old project that needs to be completed for a lecture in May.  More about that next week.

To see what other quilters are up to, hop over to Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday.

PS: Speaking of Paducah, no doubt there will be some additions to the stash report next week!  If you're going to be in Paducah, let me know and I'll try to hook up with you.