DWM: dots and scraps

Saturday morning was the 7th annual LibraryPalooza, our celebrate-the-library event.  There were 27 "discovery stations" where people learned about e-resources, programs, and other library services. Kids made treasure boxes out of old CD and VHS cases.  The "creme de la creme" used booksale was outside.  It was a grand day! 



I took two beach walks this weekend -- Saturday and Sunday afternoon.   On Sunday I went to a less-used stretch of our lakefront. Few people realize that the park district has a patch of beach between the north and south units of Illinois Beach State Park.  I had it all to myself!  (And the water is still summertime warm.)




Cake Stands

Bear Paws: a new quilt sprouts!

And, yes, I sewed!  I made more polka-dot Cake Stand blocks to go with those I received in the Bag Lady Swap.  The idea for the string-pieced setting triangles came to me in church on Sunday morning.  Divine inspiration?  **If anyone has suggestions for the border, let me know!**

I have a box of 2.5" half-square triangles made as leaders-and-enders.  I received a package of 4.5" half-square triangles from the Block Swappers.  These units are the basis of the Cake Stand blocks and I decided to see what would happen if I sewed them together.  And so another scrap quilt is born! 

See what other quiltmakers are working on at Judy's Patchwork Times!

DWM: dots

Pfrieda, the Pfaff 1472 that I use for quilting (and for most piecing and general sewing), has a problem with its tension discs. There's a burr or  obstruction of some kind so that the thread does not feed smoothly.  That means I can't quilt the flimsy I have basted (and for which I have figured out the quilting pattern).   I won't be able to take the machine to the shop until Wednesday.    In the meantime I've set up Sweetness, the Singer 301, which is superb for piecing.

I pulled out a stack of polka-dot fabric and have added two more (thus far) Cake Stands to the Bag Lady blocks.  In my head I'm planning a design for the guild challenge, "tradition with a twist," which is due next month. Nothing like an imminent deadline to provide inspiration. 

See what other quiltmakers are working on at Judy's Patchwork Times.

DWM: Bag Lady Update and Decision Made

The  Bag Lady swap is nearly finished! I received a box from Carla with her blocks for Katie, Debs, and me.  Debs is making a beautiful floral applique block in batiks. She wrote that she wanted batik blocks to coordinate.  I made six 6" Rosebud blocks.  Katie plans a Churn Dash quilt in batiks.  She included an assortment of fabric and asked that we use our own fabrics but to include some of hers so there would be some continuity to the blocks. She added that Churn Dashes can be mildly addicting.  She was right! Once I decided which fabric to use, making these 9" blocks was a snap. (And I made three more 6" blocks that I didn't photograph.)  The dotty Cake Stands I specified are the seeds of a new project.

Batik Four Patch s rapidly becoming a Finished Object.  (I need a better name for it.)  I thank everyone for their opinions about the borders.  I cut the red-circle inner border 1.5", so 1" finished which is the same size as the frames for the 4-patches.  I cut the piano keys to 5.5"/5" fin. which is the same size as the framed blocks.  I have nearly finished quilting the center and should have the entire quilt finished at the end of the week.  As I posted a couple of years ago the quilts without deadlines or destinations come together easily.


See what other quiltmakers are doing at Judy's Patchwork Times.

DWM: Bag Lady Swap for May, and progress

My big accomplishment this week was to clean the bookshelves in the living room. It had been years since I had taken the books off and moved the bookcases to vacuum and dust. In the process I culled two boxes of books that I haven't gotten around to reading or won't read again.  I'll take some books to the library sale and others to the silent auction at the AAUW luncheon next month. 

Here is the May installment of the Bag Lady swap.  Lynne's starter block is the dahlia, top row center.  Her focus fabrics are a pale print that has old-fashioned postcards and a peacock-feather print.  Carla's and Janet's blocks are on either side.  I made the Corner Star in the lower row and four 6" Ohio Stars. 

I mentioned two projects that I had to work on. Once I finished Diamond Stamps (see previous post) I tackled them. 

Several weeks ago a co-worker's mother asked if I could finish a comforter. I said I'd be glad to take a look at it. Her 85-year-old father made the Broken Dishes blocks and assembled them. He started to make them into a comforter -- with batting and a bedsheet for backing -- but wasn't able to finish the project.   The bedsheet wasn't large enough; it wasn't basted; the edges were pinned with straight pins.  I took the sheet and batting off and pressed the top well.  I had 6 yards of an aqua leaf print, just right for the backing.  I used new batting, layered, basted, and quilted with diagonal lines.  The variety of fabrics in the blocks is so cheerful! They're not all quilting cottons -- some shirtings, a couple of piques, and probably some polyester.  It's 72 x 86.

The second "deadline" project is well underway....I hope to be able to post a finished photo next week. 

See what other quiltmakers are working on at Judy's Patchwork Times.

Bag Lady Swap, April

Here is the next installment of the Bag Lady Swap .   Janet specified 12" black-and-white blocks. She said that teal, red, and forest green could be added.  She made the Four T block in the bottom row.  Carla made the two cross blocks that flank the T's.  I added color for three blocks. From left to right they are Pinwheel Star, Weathervane, and Corner Star.  (I discovered Corner Star for the 2012 Birthday Block exchange .) 

Tomorrow I will mail the box to Katie.  (The sequence is Janet-Carla-Nann-Katie-Debs-Lynne, so next month Carla will send me the blocks that Lynne began.)  

DWM: Bag Lady Swap

I've joined five online friends in a Bag Lady Swap. The guidelines are simple:  choose some fabric and make a couple of blocks from it. Then send the blocks, some additional fabric, and notes with design suggestions to the next person on the list.  Those suggestions may be strictly or loosely interpreted as the Bag Lady sees fit.  The packages are sent from person to person so that eventually the other five participants will contribute to the mix. (It's like a Round Robin quilt but unassembled.)   I was supposed to get my blocks and fabric sent out at the beginning of March. The person sending to me was on the ball and her box arrived a week ago. 

I auditioned fabrics.  I looked at books of quilt blocks. I made a sample block and decided that I wouldn't like a whole quilt based around it.  In short, I was stressing a lot over something that is supposed to be fun.  When that happens I turn around twice (figuratively speaking) and take a deep breath. 


Eureka! I chose the Cake Stand block and polka dot fabric. It was hard to stop at three sample blocks! These are 8".

I figured out that one block can be made from two 10" squares (with scraps left over). So I'm sending an assortment of polka dot squares that the Bag Ladies can use, or mix with their own, or not use.



I'm sending strips in case the Bag Ladies want to make alternate blocks or sashing or something.







I'm adding gifts as an inspirational incentive. :)





Meanwhile, here are the fabrics and the two starter blocks that Carla sent me. Her theme is Girl Scouts. I am nearly finished with the blocks I'm making for her, but I'm not showing them. It's a surprise!


 Check out what other quiltmakers are working on at Judy's Patchwork Times.