Out of Focus

    If you are like me, you are tired of being home,  confined, masked,  feeling bored and abandoned, and so on.  Everything is just "off", mixed up and out of focus.    And that is just what this quilted wall hanging is!
  It's not lovely, it is just sort of out of focus.   It will serve as a reminder to the future about this year.

  I made stacks of small string pieced blocks....about 4'' in size. Half dark to half light, or close to it maybe.  Lol.
 I sewed until I got tired of making them.  That took about 2 months.  Surely this will be over by summer.

  I started piecing them together.  I mean I wanted it finished and done, by the time all was right in the world.   Row by row...... June came and things were getting worse.  Rows joined and stitched into a top.  Then it was hot and July.  The world was hotter and the virus spread even faster.  Surely next month would be better.
  Well, August arrived, I finally gave in and quilted this thing.  Quilted with swirling loops in an all over pattern.   Things are not much better.  Little improvement to note.  Just out of focus.
  Out of Focus wall hanging.....about 30'' by 40'', string blocks in offset barn raising pattern.

     This year has been slow fast time for me.   Long slow days, but the weeks/months have flown by.  It's Monday, and then mid-week, and the weekend comes again.  Repeat....over and again. 
   I have a hard time believing it is August already.  Even more distressed that this ugly monster is still playing havoc in our lives, to say nothing about the other stuff going on. 
   
    I have several piecing things going on, like the latest leader and ender, a few spool blocks, and some 4 patch units.  They are more random rather than productive.  They suit my pensive mood for now.   The faux madras design is on the design wall waiting to be pinned.  The backing arrived this week.  It can wait a little while longer.....no one is going anywhere. 

  2020 was to be a year of perfect vision.....and here I am Out of Focus.
Happy stitching.

Finding some sanity

  I try to avoid the fear and panic from the pandemic.  I limit the articles I read and such.  Yet, still that swirling vortex of calamity creeps in the cracks of my mind.  I realized that the normal routine of life has changed, been altered by circumstances I can not control in the least. 


  So beyond the usual household chores and meals....Sir Old Man is home more, so I cook more....I need to create something routine and daily.   I have been sewing about an hour a day usually, and this week I came upon an idea that has some meaning to me.  Before I got sick in 2016, we were making a circle block a day, which I turned into my therapy quilt.  Actually I made two because I could not handle the large size of just one.
  My idea was to make a small block each day as a means of self expression and work out any frustrations I was feeling.  I had a bin with a few string blocks already made.  Perfect beginning.




  Small string blocks using up floral strings and bits!  Simple and easy on the hands for me to do.  By making 4 or 5 day, which doesn't take long, I have a nice stack of these now.  My block size is 4'' and most of the fabrics are florals and tonals with a few other prints thrown in. 









    I looked thru saved images on Pinterest for layout ideas and decided this one depicts the state of our new normal.
    Everything seems out of focus, and not quite centered.  Life is smooth and then takes a quick turn.  New demands, adjustments.  Altered priorities.  I am sewing any insanity and frustration of the day into small blocks.  When they get put together and tamed, sanity will return!
  Or at least that is what I am telling myself.

  I have the Blended 4 patch under the needle for the weekend......sew on!

This week and another hurricane

   Not a lot of sewing done as I have been waiting to get my eye exam done.  My old glasses were just not helping and quilting is made difficult when you can't focus :)   So the exam went okay....new doctor because my very reliable doctor has retired....sure am missing him.  And new glasses are ordered for reading.  At the optometry section, Scott suggested low mag generic readers for watching TV or driving......tada!  They work great and saved me money.  Just waiting on the close work reading glasses to come in. 
 

 
 In compensation, I pulled out a small set of string blocks.  These are a mixed batch of 8'' blocks.....so I made up a few more to add to the stack.  Once I get them squared up, I hope I can figure out a layout and get a top sewn.   My string bin is getting low....and that's a good thing. 

We made a stop into Big Lots a couple of days ago.  And look what I found.......clothesline rope for $4!  That is half what it costs at the hardware store.   This brand is just slightly stiffer and maybe slightly thicker, but will work great for more bowls and trivets. 


     And then the appearance of the super hurricane Micheal happened.  This boy grew up quickly and made a beeline for us.  We woke up at 2 am this morning to pounding rain and very strong gusts of wind.  And the good news is......Micheal is a fast mover and will fly on out of here by early afternoon.....leaving us with 5 inches of rain.  We still have power  and life will return to normal rather quickly here.  But those poor folks on the Carolina coastline are in for more rain which they do not need. 
    Thanks to all for checking on us......happy stitching. 

One thing leads to another

   It's been slow around here....or I have been moving slow.  We are still having summer temps, as the predicted front never made it this far south and moved north of us.  So no fall inspiration has appeared on my porch yet :)     
                 
  I am still getting thru and sorting strips and strings.  I found another bin tucked under something else.   I decided to just piece up some colorway units.  I cut up some  4'' by 8 1/2'' foundations to cover.  Only one orange unit out of the whole bunch.....guess you can guess I don't use that color a lot. 
   I am not sure how I will use them.  I have a couple of ideas but no true direction.   I still have more to put together.  That will fill up spare moments.








   On the design wall is this year's Leader and Ender project....Jewel Box Star.
    I pressed up the units that I had stacked up over the last week or so.  The pattern is now beginning to emerge.
I matched up some more sets and realized I needed a lot more of the 4 patch units.  I have twice as many of the large HSTs. 




   So that meant digging thru the florals for short strips to sew together.  That was easy, I am just exaggerating the ordeal.  Sewing them together was easy too......zip, zip.   Once they were pressed they need to be cut into segments for the 4 patch unit.  Only.....the corner broke off my slotted ruler. 

  I use this ruler a lot....June Tailor Shape Cut slotted Ruler.    I mean all the time.  For me it is a 2 reason thing.....it is less wear and tear on my wrist that I use to hold the ruler in place, and it gives me consistent cuts.   Once I line up the fabrics....here they are slightly overlapped...I can make the cuts quickly and easily. 
   But luckily the J Store sent me coupons in the mail that morning, so I did a bit of shopping online.  And waited for delivery.  And waited for delivery......the batting came in 3 days.  And I waited for the ruler delivery. 

  Now you can see why I sewed up a bunch of strips and strings.  Before I get comments and questions.....I had checked around town and was unable to find a store with this particular ruler in stock.  Everyone could order it for me, but no one stocked it at this time.  No I did not want the fringe slot ruler, or the one with 1/4'' slots.  I waited for delivery. 
   I know I could have probably finished the quilt by this time, but the ruler came and I got to make my cuts.  It was stubborn, bull-headedness  on my part, but the cuts are made.  I now have a stack of 4 patch units to sew together.

   I finished up at the dentist.....three visits in 3 weeks is enough for a long while.  Only have an eye exam this week and I will be done with the doctor visits for a couple of months I think.   I am looking forward to some inspiration and motivation when cooler weather decides to drop in for a while. 
Until then.....happy stitching.                                   

Spider web on my wall

   I began to assemble the blocks for the string spider web project.     This is where it began with large triangle sections with a center kite shape piece--the black and white print, and strings on the sides.    It is hard to get the full picture of how it will come together from this, so hang on. 

   I elected to go easy on myself and ordered pre-cut foundation papers from Missouri Star.  A big life saver for me.  The sections are large....13'' on the long side.   Four of the triangle units are joined to create the center "star" and the web appears as the blocks are joined. 







  What a difference on the design wall to see things come together!  So far I have 5 blocks on the wall.  And the webs are beginning to appear.  One thing I am seeing are the ends....tiny points are going to disappear when I sew the blocks together.  So that's a tip....don't go too small on the ends of the string section. 


   I am going for 12 at this point,  but I think 15 will be the end.  With borders it would be a twin size and probably very heavy with all those seams. 







  For some variety, I am quilting a little each day on the log cabin floral quilt.  The center sections are done in swirls and I am adding feathers and loops in the border.  I thought I would use a green thread for the border.....but it matched so well I couldn't see where I was stitching.  A switch to a medium gray was a sight saver on this one.  All was going well until.....I ran out of bobbin.  That means a good cleaning is due as well. 

  So I will be tearing papers and cleaning Hot Legs for my weekend workings. 
Happy stitching. 

Returning to regular programming....

  Sorry for the absence of a few weeks, although I have been reading and following most blogs.
    I have been dealing with blood pressure drops that leave me completely wiped out and exhausted.   My system is very sensitive to any change, and nerve pathways to the brain and organs do not always function as they should.  This is just part of the Pernicious Anemia condition.   The medication adjustment made by the doctor last month we thought would take care of it, but  the condition quickly returned.  Cutting pills in half just doesn't work because nothing is consistent.  So finally the wonderful pharmacist joined in and we hope her suggestion will work. 



  With that said, the sewing room has been visited very sporadically.   I would go in there and stare at the garlic knot top and knew it needed more.  A border or edge to finish it off.  Why work on blocks and then just stop with nothing to frame it.  Finally over the weekend, I decided on adding a flange band and then a simple border. 

  I really like how this ended up.....and it will move on to the "needs to be pinned" stack for now.

  About a month ago I talked about doing a spider web string quilt after a guild program presented one.  I had the big idea of making my own foundation papers from newsprint....etc.  Well, I am working on it, but got some help from  Missouri Star  and the Wacky Web set.   Thanks, Vicki, for commenting about this last time.  It has made life easier.   Plus I caught it on special :)



We have finally figured out what has been making a mess on our deck.....leaving deposits too.  Coyotes have moved into the wooded area nearby making nightly raids  in our yard.  They are way too close to the house and we have started leaving the lights on out back.  Also we have sprayed bleach mixture around the steps and by the workshop.   I believe they caught the nesting birds, Flickers, by the side walk.  The bunnies have disappeared, and so have the chipmunks. 
  We got lax for a few days and thought they were gone.  This morning Sir Old Man found the remains of a squirrel by the side door, and other remains near the shop.   So back to protecting our space.   They can have the woods, just avoid my house. 
   It will probably only get worse as more development is moving out our way.  The golf course has closed and big developers are sniffing around.  I may need to move to a mountain top......no, then I would have to face bears too.  LOL.
Happy stitching. 

A finished star

   The star made from leftover string blocks is done!

   The blocks were 5 1/2'' string blocks pieced on light weight shirting fabric.  Some were  all light fabrics, some were half light and half dark, and a few were all medium dark to dark fabrics.  I really played around with the layout to effectively use all the combinations.

  A note on the odd size block and a hint:
  My light weight shirting foundation blocks were actually 5'' square.  I had a big stack leftover from a project with a string border.  So I wanted to use them up.
   Hint:   When I sew strings to the foundation, I intentionally allow them to extend an extra bit, about 1/2'' on either end.   When I square the blocks up, I am not trimming to the foundation size, but rather an 1/2'' larger overall.  The 5'' foundation will stabilize the block but not be sewn into the seam as I join the blocks......to eliminate bulk in the seam.  There is enough weight and such with the string piecing, so I try to reduce any I can. 
   It ended up 42'' square.....only because I ran out of blocks. 





  I used leftover strips for binding.

  Quilting was simple.....large curling loops meandered across it edge to edge.

   It is much too hot to sit outside very long, but the colors of the quilt look great thrown across the bench.

   Humidity is excessive and everything looks wilted outside.  To think we were just having so much rain and cool weather a few weeks ago.  Such is summer in the South:)

   I will be inside and staying cool....and stitching away on things to come.
Happy stitching.

Of knots and strings

Spider web by Duane Walker

  Once again I got inspired to do something with my over abundant strings.    This quilt was made by Daune Walker  who was our featured speaker at guild this month.  It has a very vintage feel, in part due to the black and white prints, I think.   It has been ages since I did a spiderweb quilt, so I wanted to test her technique.

  I did a quick search on Pinterest for spider web blocks and quilts.  At  Quilterscache  I found the style block she used....in a different size.    And at Quiltville,  I found Bonnie's technique for the block, again in a different size.    The difference in the two versions, other than the size, is how the blocks are joined. 

  My test block parts.....I used a 12'' foundation paper for the web units.   First, I am not a fan of piecing on paper, but it really is necessary for this to keep things from warping and stretching.   Secondly, the paper triangle becomes your pattern for trimming up. 
 What I really hated was joining the two halves to form the block.  Note:  The paper was removed before joining, which made it worse.  So much movement on those bias edges. 
    So this size on tissue weight paper is not for me.  I would be lucky to finish up enough to make a table runner. 

  The next test will be a smaller size and use newsprint paper from a doodle pad.  And I am going to join them together a la Bonnie's method to form the "star" shape in the block. 
 

  In the meantime------

 Things are growing on the design wall.  I began putting blocks together into 4 patch units.  My garlic knot blocks are 6 1/2'',   And I love the variety.  I still have a small basket of them to sew together and another 30 or so ready to be joined in 4 patch units. 

  Summer heat is here all at once.  The featherweight is set up and I have plenty to sew on.  By the way....has anyone seen this table for the featherweight?     It is so tempting, if I could figure out a spot to set it up.  It would be nice to have a flat surface.    Happy stitching. 

From roses to coasters

   A week of rain brought the blooms out.  This is one...just one...cluster of blooms on the small heirloom rose shrub by the back porch.  There are probably 200 buds/blooms on it right now.  Very lightly scented and just perfect to enjoy inside. 

   With all the rain, I have not gotten a lot done....rain equals pain.  So I have worked in spurts and short bits to get anything accomplished. 

  Sir Old Man took me to quilt guild this week.  We had a great program by Joyce Walton and her quilting journey.  She does some traditional work, and is exploring painting art quilts too.  I was inspired by her "made fabric" borders.  Leftovers sewn into blocks similar to crumb piecing. 



  It brings to mind the cobblestone blocks that Wanda at Exuberant Color shared.     
 
    I used the cobblestone blocks for the background  in a favorite wall hanging, Heads Up.  I think I still have a box of leftovers from this project.   I need to look for them :)







 


    Update for the string star......decision made.  I cut the backing this morning.  It will not get larger after all.








   I had a few leftover blocks that did not make it into the star top.  And I sure did not want more leftover parts.  I elected to turn them into small coasters!  Much more usable that leftover blocks. These finished up at 4''.   

   Now to get the floral log cabin pinned....happy stitching.

Variety and options

  Time just gets away from me and blogging takes a hit it seems.  I did not realize it had been a week since I posted.  I was able to get thru most of the items I put on my list to accomplish last week. 

 
    I had the floral log cabin up on the design wall, and in need of squaring up the edges.  Got that taken care of and decided I needed a small border at least.  So I added that.  Now, she needs pinning and quilting.  I ordered batting and it arrived yesterday, so I am putting that onto the list for the next week or so. 

   My container of leader and ender 2 patches is filling up!  I keep a stack of them next to the machine to use when I am joining blocks, and rows, etc.  I finally got the mess of them pressed open.   

 Here's my  Leader/Ender method....a la Bonnie Hunter at Quiltville. 
   Any leftover strip of binding or other piece 2 1/2'' wide gets cut into squares.  I keep a tray of them on the cutting table.  Every so often or as needed I sit down and match them into pairs.  These are then stacked up and clipped together by my machine.  At the end of the row....use a 2 patch L/E.   That leaves something under the machine needle as I prep for the next row/block. 

  Part of the 2 patches were stitched as I put together this small lap quilt of string blocks.  The blocks were 5 1/2'' unfinished ones I had left over from something.  So this is only 40 by 40 inches. 

  I have options noted on my list.....

•  Add a strip around this as border or frame.  
• Add more blocks to make it larger. 
•  Add a frame strip and then add string row at top and bottom to turn it into a rectangle design.

 My last bit of variety for the week was sewing up this watercolor for a table runner.  Lots of rows mean lots of leader and ender parts:)    It needs a good squaring up and pressing before I get it finished.





   







   I stole this off facebook this week.  May I add.....each day is a miracle too!
Happy stitching.

Month's end and Piper's Place quilt

From simple string blocks.....sewn but not quilted.  The 12 leftover blocks were a perfect size quilt at 30'' by 40'' for Piper's  Place quilt.  She's a Therapy/service dog.....a place quilt lets her know where she should be.






 
   I used all the turquoise strips I had for the binding to finish this one off. 
   Miss Piper, wearing the pink collar, has staked her claim to the string one.   Nick on the upper left is trying to nudge his way onto it too, I see.   Word is, she thinks the size is perfect....can I make another?  Lol, maybe.


  No Physical therapy this week for me ...no evaluation either.  I spent one  day at the doctor, and getting x-rays.  A swollen and very painful knee event brought everything to a limping along halt.   I tried an anti-inflammatory medicine for 3 days....but the stomach reaction has put a stop to that.  I just don't stomach--lol---any meds well.   I am taking ibuprofen instead.  A knee brace is ordered.....ugh.  Some arthritic changes were noted but most likely the pain is from an inflamed bursa  and accumulated fluid.  With ice on the knee and staying down for a couple of days, going out when required in the wheelchair to reduce walking for now......a gentle slide back.  Hard to take, but it is what it is.



    September only had the string quilt finish.....and the floral mountain blocks top, along with a few soup bowl cozies.  Not my best month for completions. 
 

    October.....I want to get this top quilted.  At this point plans are to keep it simple with no border.  Size is 48'' by 56'' as it is. 

  I want to consider a floral strip pieced project.  I have an older tutorial in three parts that you can find here.   This tutorial uses 16 fabrics and makes blocks that end up at 6'' finished.   I want to "grow" the palette to 25 fabrics and  make 7''  finished blocks......and  introduce some variety into the value layout....lots of things to think about. 

  I ran across a quilt that was described as a Blooming Nine patch pattern, but used 4 patch units instead of 9 patch.  Since I am preferring smaller size projects  now just because of the easier handling, this sounded like one I might like to try.  So I am putting this into the Future Ideas list. 

  Cooler temps today.....I think I felt a little crispness in the air!  Looking forward to a cooler weekend as Fall does make an appearance.
Happy stitching.

Small things

  I know it has been 2 weeks since I posted.......a long 2 weeks.

   First the PT.   I had an evaluation done because the doctor was fearful of muscle atrophy.  So off I go......the eval was good.  No atrophy just a bit of slip in the balance systems.  We can attribute that to the increase in pain which has increased from the feet to above the knees.  So obviously I tend to compensate by altering gait which messes up my balance.   And back to twice weekly therapy sessions.....tough, very tough.  Right now I am very, very sore, but doing my homework exercises anyway.

   The attitude:
  Insight: I choose to be a freaking warrior, not a victim.  For today I will fight to maintain myself, to accomplish one thing.  There are days I cry, complain, and get angry.  Days I can't hold the rotary cutter, or  seem to accomplish anything.  But the days I can sew a seam, fold/pet/enjoy my fabric.....those are the days I remember.  It takes a lot of focus.

 
    I was asked by a friend if I knew how to make bowl cozies.  Nope, but I could find out.   So Sir Old Man hauled me to the quilt shop for some Wrap and Zap batting, Pinterest provided a tutorial, and the stash provided the fabric.    So I have a stack of large squares cut and the batting.....I am only using one layer of it instead of two.   (Note:  If I used regular cotton batt with no scrim, I would use 2 layers for extra body. )   I figure they will make good Christmas gifts, and if I start now, I can get some made.

 

     I found 12 string blocks in the closet.  These are 10'' blocks, so just a small quilt, about 30'' by 40''....exactly what Piper needs as a "in place" quilt that Mom can carry easily in a tote.  So anyway, the blocks are joined and pressed, and backing found.  My task this week is to get it pinned and hopefully quilted.




  The storm:  Three or four days ago, Irma was  projected to affect us.....200 miles inland from the coast!    My biggest fear was the power outage that would be sure to come along with wind damage.  Since we are out on the edge of the county, at the end of the maintenance line,  practically forgotten, when we lose power it might be days for it to be restored.  So check the food stash/refill the water bottle stash/get the camp stove out/get propane/get gas for the generator/ check the gutters for debris/move furniture inside/ and so on.  All done, and today we will pick up some fresh fruit and produce just in case.
  The new forecast is mainly rain, about 6'' for us, with gusty winds, not damaging winds.  That is great!

  The last 48 hours has been very stressful due to family in Florida.  My brother is in Naples......earlier in the week they were on the safer/softer side of the storm.  Now, it looks like a direct hit there.  He has gone from taking Remy and staying in Tampa to ride it out, to staying in Naples in a secured house of friends, to leaving out alone at 2 am this morning.   So you can be sure I did not sleep one night, and was awake until 2 am  when he sent a message.  I have cried, been upset, and cried some more.    He believes a direct hit will takeout his apartment building, put 6' of water in his office a few blocks away, and be weeks to month before power will be back on.  
  I also checked in with friends, and my dearly loved cousins......they are prepared as can be.  Luckily they are inland but still on the western side of the state.  
   This is a time of strength and staying focused.  So I will concentrate on small things that I can do.    Many thanks, and hugs to so many of you who have been checking in on me.  I am a warrior and  no little pain or big old mean storm will keep me down for long.
Keep stitching for me.

Small projects and an addition

  This week  I worked on putting together 2 small projects that were unearthed recently.
   I found a huge pile of 3 1/2'' squares and it made sense to make wonky stars to go along with them.   Star points are long, or fat, match or not.....that is the fun part of this technique.  I thought I had 12 stars but only 9 were found.  That is fine....just add more squares to get a nice lap size.   If I add a border it will make a good donation size single quilt.

   String blocks in two sizes were used to up-size the raw edge flower blocks.  The inner blocks were 6 1/2'' to match the flower block size.    Then I added an insert border strip of 1 1/2'' in purple :)  The outer border is 4'' string blocks that were left over from some long ago project.  I did not have enough to go all the way around----and even if I did the sizing would have been off.     So rather than have to cut something off and make it awkward,  I centered the strings and added enough neutral fabric to finish each side.    I love the soft effect the string blocks add to it.




  We made a day trip to see our daughter who was in Charlotte for the weekend.  We met at an antique mall in Belmont, NC.    I had not intended to look for anything special but this small china cabinet jumped up, hooted and hollered, and hitched a ride in our van!  Of course it is re-purposed and not used for china, but for place mats, table runners, and my stack of mug rugs!  A candle and a few cookbooks found a spot too.
   Oh, yeah....the visit with Deana was great!  Actually, she wanted the cabinet, but she must wait her turn for ownership.  We enjoyed the browsing and time together.  Lunch at a BBQ place across the street was a good thing too.




She gifted me with more fabrics....from her estate sale ventures.   Fat quarter packs--one of batiks,  a charm pack, along with some yardage pieces for backings.  Always fun to see what she discovers.



  The high heat and humidity seem to have moved in for the month.....it  feels like August and makes me so draggy.    Therefore, I have not been too productive.  Plus, my brother and nephew arrived for a week.  It is always good to enjoy Remy's antics and energy!   Today, we are off to do some errands before the heat causes me to melt.
Happy stitching.

Easy sewing and guild night

  More discoveries in the stuff/stash/bins from the sewing room lead me to some easy sewing over the weekend.   I found 10 sample blocks from workshops that I taught several years ago on raw edge applique.  Not enough for much of anything by themselves.......so I  pulled out the string bin and found some neutral blocks to add.   Right now it is 22'' by 28''.....borders to come.

   Stacks of 3 1/2'' squares from past projects got turned into wonky stars.  I had seen Elizabeth's tutorial on these, and my scraps fit the bill.  I found some light fabrics and set to work.  I ended up with 12 star blocks and some extra dark squares that I will throw in somewhere.







  Last night was guild night......special guest speaker was Diane Knott of Butterfly Threads blog.      
  Our VP, Susan, introduced Diane with a long version---maybe even exaggerated on me---about how she came to invite Diane to speak.  The upside was I got the treat of 2 small project bags from Diane that feature graphics from her quilts!  It pays to blog and promote others!









  I also picked up her book....a new one is in the works.  She shared all the quilts from the book, and her secrets to a successful scrap quilt.  It is always a treat and glorious to see the actual quilts.  Real life is always the best :)  We got to see the backs of each one....all the extra touches and cute labels.

  She has a colorful viewpoint and offers different hints throughout her talk.  Hints also through out the book, and coloring pages in the back for each design.  A great touch.

   I asked about her fabric buying.....she is not into the precuts, other than fat quarters---lots of those--buys yards of a favorite fabric, saves the selvages (the cutest basket quilt in the book uses them),  and mixes fabric lines.  In other words, a quilter of my kind!  I completely enjoyed her show  and have the inspiration to sew on.  Thanks, Diane, for a great evening.

    Health note:  I am feeling better, and have given up on the nerve pain pills after 3 weeks.    I hate the weight gain and sluggish feeling they give me.  So  I made the decision to increase the B-12 shots to twice weekly for the next few weeks......I am hoping to get past this plateau and that the nerve pain will lessen.  I am sleeping better and trying not to over do.  When you hit the wall, and there is no more energy, stop for goodness sake, stop!  But I know me....that is a battle I may never win.   Accept my limits but keep getting back up.
Happy stitching.

Of Squares and Strings

   String blocks continue.  I ran out of cut telephone pages and thought to go look for my basket of very thin, very light weight shirting fabrics.  Found it.....pushed to the back of the bottom cabinet behind the scrap bin of batting parts.  I am no longer good at standing on my head to search for things.....not that I ever was, but even worse now...lol.  I was given yards and yards of off cuts from men's shirting fabric several years ago.  It is perfect for string foundations.  

   I had questions about all the paper on the first sets of string blocks.  The telephone book pages come away easily....with a tiny stitch  it almost slips off.   The down side to using paper, besides having to tear it off, is the possibility of stretching on the edges.  A row of stay stitching around the  4 edges will prevent that.









   Here are two blocks with different width strips in the center diagonal.  The narrow one looks the nicest to me.  The narrow strip is probably 1'' to 1 1/4'' wide.  The wider strip is probably 1 1/2'' to almost 2''.   I don't really like them mixed together, so I will be careful how I place the narrow strip blocks /wider strip blocks together.   They should go into different projects probably.



   The last thing on my to-do list for the month involved squares...batik squares of
 2 1/2''.  I purchased a set of batik squares earlier last year from Wanda at  Exuberant Color, and I have been wanting  to create something with them.
  I started on the design wall and began placing them by color family.....very much as I did before in Wonder of Color. 


    Needless to say, I was not happy with the repeat.  So thought maybe shaded block units would be a better thing to experiment with.  Then I thought why not change the size of the units to a rectangular size.  So I decided to play with that option.    I cut interfacing to size for 5 rows and 3 columns.  Here's the first colorwash group of greens from my stash pieces.   Now to fuse and stitch.








   Then again  after sewing and pressing.   I'm not sure yet how I will set this together, but for right now I will enjoy just playing with a few color families to see how I like them.  These units could always turn into a table runner or narrow banner.
   I think I will play with purple next....that is this month's color :)   And it is about building up parts to complete a whole top/quilt.  Not every quilt begins as a full plan for me, and so I choose to enjoy the adventure that is created by experimenting and playing.  

  Happy stitching.