NSM - Project # 7 and 8

Project #7 is flannel ice bag covers for my mom.
Project #8 is three card tricks blocks. I had thought about doing the baby quilt in this pattern, but I did enough to know it's not happening. This project is as done as it's going to get at this point.

Both projects were made with materials on hand. The flannel was left over from making sleep pants for kids and blocks were made from remnants and a huge piece of fabric from a thrift store in Cordell.

Dear Jane - 6 more blocks

The top three are appliquéd. I haven't ever done appliqué and so these were a challenge. I've figured out what works for me and now I'm raring to go.

The one on the bottom left is 40 pieces. That little bugger was fun.

Quilt along week 10 and 11

I'm caught up.

Week 10.
Week 11.I cut the sashing strips, but couldn't lay my hands on the block material. I'm not sure what I've done with it.

If I can't find it I'll either have to see if I can get more or punt. I really don't want to punt. I'm a very bad punter.

Long weekend

Our long weekend is almost over. We'll be back to the grind bright and early tomorrow.

Saturday DH and I went to garage sales and puttered around. He found a bunch of work pants and I found a punch bowl with 19 cups and 6 saucers. Don't ask why. It's a sickness.

I picked up this little case to use for travel sewing. It's the perfect size and in really good shape.

Here are the latest five Dear Jane blocks.




Once again, I'm behind on the Stars quilt-along. We're so close to the end that I may start doing blocks every two weeks instead of once a week.

I hope everyone had a great weekend and is raring to go this next week. :)

Quilt along week 9 and Dear Jane blocks

I spent a little quality time with my sewing machine yesterday afternoon. I miss being able to sew on a whim. Once this summer class is over I'm sewing like a mad woman.

Quilt along week 9 block. The cherry fabric doesn't show the points well.
The next three are Dear Jane blocks.

I had such a hard time picking the next block to do that I put all of the block numbers in a jar and I'm doing it lottery style. It's kind of fun not knowing what the next block will be.

A frustrating 30 minutes

Sixth Dear Jane block, 25 pieces. I can normally look at a block once it's laid out and figure out how to sew it together. Not this one. The bottom row was sewn together and picked apart four times before I got it right.

The middle was the easy part even with that 1/2 inch square smack dab in the center.

Signature quilt

I bought a tatty old quilt at a garage sale on Friday. The seller was the grandson of the quiltmaker and said that she was from Shamrock, Texas and the quilt was probably 100 years old or older.

Since then I've done a little snooping and if the Doris Ann Hoodenpyle is the same one (what are the chances there are two with a mother by the name of Ruth?) then this quilt would date from 1931 to 1940. I've found four of the signers in Cotton Co., OK.So now, what do I do with it?

Here are the signature blocks.
Ressie Austin
J.A.L.
J.C.L.
Gladys Crow
Stella M.
Margaret Hawkins
Ethel Hoodenpile
Helen L.
Jessie Daniels
Sandlin
Doris Ann Hoodenpyle
Louise Hawkins
Clara Crow
Ella Susan or Suson
Ruth Hoodenpyle
Mrs. W.D. Spurlock
Mrs. L.?
Betty D.
Mrs. Hawkins
Doris L.
I know I would be thrilled to find a block that one of my grandmothers had signed, even if I could only have a picture. Should I offer the blocks to descendants in the unlikely event they contact me? Donate the quilt? What? Help me out here.

Two more Dear Jane blocks

I've done 5 of 255 blocks. The one on the left is five pieces. The one on the right is 46 pieces.

I'm behind on the Star quilt-along, but plan on catching up today. I'll be back later with pictures.

For Danetta

Hey Danetta,

Is this the block you're talking about?

This is similar to Grandmother's Flower Garden. These blocks are foundation pieced with freezer paper.
Back side.
Individual flowers.

Starting a new quilt

As if I don't have enough to do or plenty of things to drive me nuts, I'm starting a new quilt. This is a Dear Jane quilt and I'm in no hurry to complete it.

So far I have three little blocks done.


To give an idea of how little these guys are, here's one next to a Seeing Stars block.
Wish me luck. I have a feeling I may need it.

Sew-a-thon results

I wish I had more to show you. I feel like I spent most of my time fussing with the serger or picking out stitches. I emptied two spools of thread and that made me feel like I accomplished a little bit.

This is the little quilt I made to practice free motion quilting. The good news is, it's not my machine that's the problem. It's me and I just need to practice.
Quilt along week 5 block. This is my least favorite block. It gave me ten kinds of fits. I also sewed up 5 more joining blocks for the Seeing Stars quilt. Now I've got one joining block for each star block and feel caught up.

I can't show you the apron I finished, because it's going to a friend and she might visit.

I drafted pattern from an apron I picked up and started sewing it together. It's nearly finished.

I didn't get to the baby blanket or the many other things I wanted to work on. Somehow 12 hours of sewing just isn't enough.

Working on current projects

I finally got this quilt in the frame and have started hand-quilting it. Until I get my machine figured out, machine quilting is out of the question.

I've printed off the new block in the quilt along, but I haven't started it yet.

It seems like the days are going so fast. Before I know it I'll be back in class (June 3) and won't have much time to work on stuff.

The good news is that my house is still clean from the great cleaning binge.

Tuesday ramblings

Tuesday, already! If I'm not careful this week will slip away like the last one.

I think I'm going to do red and white for the Stars quilt-along. I haven't started yet because I haven't made it to the quilt shop for fabric. How dare she be closed on Monday! Just kidding. I don't blame her a bit. I'd be closed on Monday if I could.

I don't have a lot planned for this week. I have my first final on Friday and need to concentrate on that. Then it's going to be excavation time around here so I can get this pit cleaned for company. I wonder where I can rent a dumpster.

DH got started painting the patio furniture. It sure needed it. We inherited this from his folks. I have no idea how long they had it, but we've had it forever. Originally it was a buttery yellow color and I really liked how it looked against my white house with grey trim. Sadly we can't find buttery yellow paint and so we're going with almond.

Before
After
He's got six pieces painted and three more to go. The cashiers are beginning to look at us funny with all of our paint purchases.