Something old, something new for January

  A quiet new year, and now the big chill / freeze has come.  The very frigid air should arrive here tonight, and luckily without the snow or ice so many are enduring.  A perfect time to get some things going.  Actually, I have been up to my elbows with the old Buzz Saw quilt......it is pinned and under the needle.  Since it is so big, I will be at it a while.  So don't hold your breath waiting for a peek.
   Something old----not that old, but the blocks had been on the design wall for a month or so.  I finished off a few more and stitched them together today.

  I enjoyed the play time on the design wall with these floral string blocks.  I nixed the original idea of putting a sashing strip between them after reading comments last month.  So thanks, Nicki and Dana, I listened to your advice. And that is something new for me!
  This one is rather small as the blocks are only 9 inches.....a narrow border at least to finish it off.

  Design time was just trial and error....... turning and twisting the blocks, walking away, and looking back.  If I wasn't happy with it, I took everything off and tried again.  Because I had no "picture" in my mind, I ended up with this very random layout.  Just enough dark areas to produce the contrast needed for that soft blended effect in the other areas.








   Something new----  I decided to do something with the box of batik ends and leftovers, as it was full to overflowing.  I knew what I wanted to do with them.  I wanted a "jumbled library" throw or wall hanging like Wanda at Exuberant Color has on her sidebar.   While you are there, check out her latest colorful project.   It  is a simple but effective design.....I am being tempted by it.
    Just be warned, the improv style piecing is addictive and time consuming!  Right now this little piece is about 40 inches by  24 inches......and I lost track of the hours working on it.  With very little on TV to watch at night, I just kept stitching away.   Not sure what size this one will end up either.

 
  Vicki Welch had a very good post noted in her newsletter today.  I highly recommend it to everyone.  Read it here.  Even though most of her testing and results relate to dye bleeding from hand dye fabrics, I found a gem included.  What detergents we use to wash our quilts is very important and her results were a bit surprising to me.
 
  Something old, something new Linky Party is going on this year at Never too hot to stitch.  I decided I needed a little motivation this year after all  :)   Thanks, Lynne, for providing that touch.
Happy stitching.