CUTTING AND STITCHING

I've been busy during the past two days, cutting and sewing squares and half square triangles.  I've been using Bonnie Hunter's Essential Triangle Tool.

These are the ones I cut and stitched this morning.  We left early to go to lunch with our good neighbour, Roy.

These are all the coloured squares needed for the pieced border, and some of the half square triangle units that I made yesterday.  I had to stop, as I have to cut more neutral 2 1/2 inch strips so I can continue.

Our weather has turned from cold to hot and humid, with few dry days in between.  We're having showers that just started, so my room will be too noisy to think.  I'll press all the stitched blocks later today, and see how many more I need to make.
I ordered backing fabrics for this quilt and another that is also part-way complete, so I'll serge the cut ends, and get them washed, so I'll be ready to pin-baste soon!
My Wednesday quilting group is cancelled for next week - the clubhouse is in use for a Valentines Day renewing of vows for members of our community, so I'll have an extra full day to sew.

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Used this week 0 yards

Used year to date  173.875 yards

Added this week 0 yards

Added year to date  33.75 yards

Net used 2016   140.125 yards 

It seems like all I did this week was work on new projects!  Our guild meeting on Wednesday evening was lots of fun, with many members attending.  The snack table was left with crumbs following the break!

I'm still working on my redwork quilt.  I'm taking my time so that I have lots of sharp points to show after taking such care to cut and stitch all the half-square triangle units!

Check everyone's progress at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

MAKING PROGRESS

Yesterday, I did some "assembly line piecing" and stitched all the half-square triangle units.  

This morning I pieced some of the units into large triangles.

Now I have to lay out the giant "9-patch" unit, and stitch the centre of the quilt together.  

Then I'm back to pressing and trimming the remaining 200 units needed to assemble the borders!
 I love it when I finally see visible progress!

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

I began my morning hunting through my recipes, deciding what I was going to bake for both our pleasure, and to take along to my guild meeting on Wednesday evening.  I'm in charge of this month's "social committee", and we are responsible for snacks for everyone, and generally helping where needed before, during and after the meeting.  Every member is assigned a month to do this, and it helps to get more involved in the goings on at our monthly meetings.

I spent the rest of the morning cutting squares - 140 white ones and 160 red ones.  Now I have to start up my assembly line to make half square triangles to complete my redwork quilt project.

It is difficult to photograph a quilt on my new design wall, especially when the fabric is white on the white flannel, the lighting in the area is fluorescent, and the design wall is in a narrow hallway!

I pressed all the units yesterday, and trimmed them to size. (The bottom border didn't make it into the picture!) The missing star points will be made of half square triangle units, as well as the inside and outside borders.  I can see lots of stitching and trimming in my future!

I usually make a redwork project each year, but all the others have been made for children.  I hadn't made one for the past couple of years, and this one struck a chord!  DH is always surprised at how much time I spend doing the hand embroidery, but I love to keep busy while watching TV with him in the evenings - a win-win!

Check out all the creativity shared at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

I just needed to work on something "newish" - I've done little sewing, with all the quilt show preparations.
I took out some small blocks that I pieced before heading north.  The were made from the bonus half-square triangle units from my version of Grand Illusion, all in pink, black and white.

I placed them in an on point layout, then rotated them until I found a design that I liked.  I plan to stitch them together, using white sashing with black cornerstones.  I made pieced side-setting triangles, pink on the long sides and black on the short ones.  I'm not sure where I'll go from here, but I do want to make it a bit larger.

Check out all the creativity shared at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

A COMMISSION

My BFF commissioned me to make a set of 6 placemats and napkins, to be used as a wedding gift.  She spent about an hour with me on Sunday, looking at patterns, and choosing fabric.  I had a partial bolt of batik that had some of the colours in the china that the happy couple had selected, and we spent some time finding two other coordinating fabrics.  Of course, the pattern that she chose for the placemats had tons of half-square triangle blocks.

Monday, I spent most of the day sewing, pressing and squaring up these.....

Tuesday, I spent the morning waiting for the cable guy - the digital transition isn't going as smoothly in Canada as it did in the US!  I did managed to get to my sewing room after lunch and pieced the centres of the place mats.  They still have a narrow border to be added.

 When we were choosing fabrics, she spotted the cream fabric - leftover from my Baltimore quilt.  I only had a narrow piece, including the fold, after cutting the blocks.  I measured it, and there was just enough to make the blocks for these mats.

Design Wall Monday

I wasn't planning to participate this week,  but I wasn't ready to pack up my sewing room yet.  While rummaging around, I found a zip bag with a ton of purple and light half-square triangle blocks.  They were leftovers from a quilt I made about 7 or 8 years ago.  They were all squared up and ready to use!

 The blocks are only 5 inches finished, but I managed to use up all the parts, with only 3 blocks leftover to add to my "orphan block" basket.  Now I am working on a friendship star border to make this little gem bigger.  I told DH that I was going to start packing on Wednesday, so he can load up on Thursday, ready for a Friday departure.  I am going to miss my son's company, and I am sure that he will find the house empty-feeling for a while as well.
Head to Judy's blog to see what everyone else is working on.....