Cutting and Sewing...
Well, here I go again not being able to sleep at night. So I usually go upstairs and piddle in my sewing room. I can't run my quilting machine because it is directly over our master bedroom and it wakes Richard up. :( So I dug around in some tubs and did a little bit of cutting. I ran on to this UFO. I started it back in November of 2009 and got all of the string diamonds finished. I put it away because I needed to do all of the tiny strips between the blocks. If you click on the post from November 2009 you will see what I am talking about. Considering that was the reason that it remains a UFO, I think I will take it in a different direction. Not necessiarly right now, but maybe this winter when I'm snowed in. :) I think I will just sew my diamonds together and call it finished. To me, finished would be better than it staying in a tote unfinished....right? I just threw a few of the blocks up on my design wall to see how it would look. Actually, there is a pattern in the same book that looks like this. You can see a photo of it in this post. So as of right now, that is the plan that I have.
Then I started playing around with my cheddar bow ties. I think I only have something like 60 or so of them done. Not a lot of them and to be honest, I've never been happy with them. I think it is just the fabrics that I used. So I have a plan for those. I need a baby quilt soon as a gift, so I think I will sew those together for the baby quilt and move on to something else.
I've made several bow tie quilts over the years but one quilt that I have wanted to make for years still stands out in my mind. It is a bow tie and they are the same size as my cheddar bow ties, just different fabrics....not cheddar. It is on the cover of McCall's Vintage Quilts, the Spring 2001 issue. It is an old one, but I decided that it will be my NEW leader and ender project.
So this is the point where I have to laugh at myself. Since I was up and could not sleep, I started cutting mostly from my civil war repro scraps. Not all of them are repros but what isn't blends in. So I cut, cut, and cut, for a long time. I cut out 102 bow ties before I stopped. I figured that 102 of them would last me a while using them as leader and enders. This is where it got out of hand, I sewed a sample block. Then I sewed another because I liked it and it was cute. Then another, and another, and another....you get the idea, right? Here are some of them up on the wall. I don't have them all up on the wall, but over the past couple of days, I have sewn ALL 102 of them! Now I am back to square one and have to start cutting again. This time, I will save them for my leader and ender project. For the quilt shown on the cover of the magazine it will take 810 bow ties. :)
Now on to some good mail! Yesterday I got my first shipment of pillowcases!!! Phyllis sent 10 pillowcases!!!! As far as I know Phyllis doesn't have a blog, but if you do please let me know. I have corresponded with her through email for a long time and she is such a sweet and caring lady. Thank you so much, Phyllis!!!! They are beautiful!
If anyone else would like to donate pillowcases to "For Jamie's Sake" please let me know. You can click on the "pillowcase donation" button at the top of my blog to read all of the details. I'm shooting for a goal of 100 pillowcases! I'm sure these foster kids will truly appreciated them and I pray they can comfort them in some way.
This weekend is our county fair, they call it Septemberfest! Lots of stuff going on it town. Tomorrow morning at 11am is our parade. It's just a small town but most everyone comes out for it. If the rain holds off we will be riding in the parade with our Church group. Hunter is super excited about it too. I just hope that it doesn't rain. :( The weatherman is giving severe storms. UGH!
Now I will leave you with this photo of my silly cat, Donkey! As I went out this evening to Cocoa the goat back up, this is what I saw....Donkey was on a stakeout! He was just waiting for a bird to go in or out of the birdhouse. Silly cat!!!
Have a wonderful and Blessed weekend!
Kristie
7 comments:
I'd say your "alternative" design for your string blocks is a winner--and much less fuss than having to put in all those sashings.
Love the bowties--I have that Vintage Quilts magazine and have admired that quilt over the years when I browse my magazines for inspiration. Too funny that you have already sewn up your stockpile of leader/ender blocks.
Bless Phyllis for her 10 pillowcases. I sent two this week. She puts me to shame.
I think maybe Donkey needs some lessons in subtlety. : )
Has it been that long since you made those strings? It seems like just a few months ago. Time is just flying by!
I love those bow ties. I started using my leader/ender project again and it is amazing how fast you use them up. I am almost ready to iron again.
Have a great weekend! I hope the weather is nice for you.
You just crack me up Kristie! I'll bet you've sewn through another 100 in the next day or two.
Love your solution to the diamonds. I love that look.
My cat at least used to sit on the grass beneath the birdfeeder, not next to it!
Think I'm going to sew for the next hour before going to get the kiddo's. The steam cleaning of the carpets and vaccuming the car can wait for another day =).
I think, when there are so many blocks to make, we get tired more quickly. I've just finished a quilt which was started several years ago; it's a good feeling. Now on to some others :) I really like your string blocks, either way they're put together. String piecing is one of my favorites!
Wish you could sleep better :(
Ok Girl, why are you not sleeping? Perhaps if I slept less, I would get more accomplished like you do. Is that your secret? LOL on whipping through those bowties that were designated as leader enders. I tend to do that too. I like your string blocks...those are on my list.
You always make such pretty string blocks! Bummer that you dont love your cheddar bow ties! What fabric did you use with them? I love a bow tie block...I always want one in 30's fabrics. and I always LOVE seeing that Donkey!
Love your string pieced diamonds! I'm just finishing up a string pieced stars and still have plenty of strings left. Maybe after a short break to do other fun projects, I will tackle this one.
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