The String Block Saga

I'm kind of stuck on my purple sashed paintbox, as I'm waiting for some fabrics that I've ordered from Connecting Threads.  I've used their fabrics, but not their new solids and I've seen good reviews.  The sale price was $2.99 a yard, so I'm going to give it a try.  Anyway, I thought maybe I should get back to the string blocks for Roll Roll Cotton Bowl while I wait.  I've tried to like making string blocks, and now, I've made 24 and I still don't like them.  I know that many people do, and many people find them mindless sewing, but I find them boring and stressful, as I am constantly worried if the strings are long enough.  Even on these two I had to add a bit before I cut them out.  I decided to make a smaller version, and googled and found this one, she didn't really do string blocks, but I liked the size and the looks of her's about 56 x 74, and I like not needing to make any more string blocks, lol.   Maybe, if I get busy, I'll be able to make some good progress on my RRCB while I wait.  I've probably got more than I need of the little half square triangles since I'm making it much smaller, and that seemed to be most people's second stumbling block.  Anyway, I feel much happier about my RRCB and less string blocks.   Not only that, I've found another nice blog.      

PS   I almost got to go to a Bonnie Hunter workshop.   They were having one about 50 miles from me and when I was going to sign up they said that they hadn't had enough sign up (unbelievable) but that there were two 75 miles away.  Unfortunately, the one 75 miles away has a quilt with lots of string blocks.  I decided not to take it, for the reasons above concerning string blocks.  However a friend and I are going to go to the Lecture/Trunk Show which is still on at the 50 mile location.  I am really looking forward to seeing Bonnie's program, it's on June 16th at 7 pm.  We are going to make a night of it, go early and have dinner, do a little shopping at the fabric store, and see Bonnie.  She is a new quilter, but after the lecture, I'll bet she's a Bonnie fan, too. 

Sewing Buddy? Amy's BOM 2010 and RRCB Progress

On Quiltvillechat they talk about the snails of which I am a snail extraordinaire.  I now have 22 of my 60 string blocks prepared for my RRCB.   The other day a lady DH and I knew from work came over to sew with me.   We had run into her different times over the past few years, we don't live in a really big town.  The last time about 2 weeks ago it came out that she's working on her first quilt, a baby quilt for her new great-grandbaby, and I invited her to come over and sew with me.   We had a nice time, I helped her a little, and got these two blocks made, and we went and had BBQ, one of my favorite parts, lol.   There is a Shop Hop coming up, she's never been and she and DH and I might go together, also I think that we may sew together again.   I haven't had anyone to sew with before, except for making the tote bags with my daughter, so it was nice.  She is new at quilting, but not at sewing.  She amazed me by having made her daughter's wedding dress years ago.

I was going to go for a setting of 4x6 blocks on Amy's 2010 BOM, but when I got to figuring, I decided that that would be a little bigger than I would want.  I figured it again and with a 3x5 setting and borders I should end up with about 58" x 86" which is just about the size I like for adult lap quilts.  I'm trying to use my stash as much as possible and I had this batik with mostly the same colors so I decided to use it for sashing and I have a purple and yellow print to use for a small border and a Kaffe Fassett fabric with blues, yellows, greens  and  pinky lavenders to use for the wide border.   The color combos may be a little strange, but most of mine are, lol.   I still want to do more of Amy's blocks, but I think that I'll switch over to red, white, and blue.   That will be after I finish my paintbox quilts and hopefully Iowa (Carolina) Christmas.   Meanwhile, I have about 2 weeks to finish this one and I'll keep up with my goal for at least one finish a month, Yippee.

Calling a Truce

I have 20 string blocks now and was hoping that maybe I could catch up in a few days.  Then Bonnie put out step 5 and I knew that I needed to put RRCB aside for a little while.   I did blocks 2 at a time this morning, and 2 take me about 45 minutes, so I figure I have another 15 hours of string blocks to do, then there is step 4, and step five looks to be very time consuming and fiddly, too.   I haven't even put up a Christmas tree yet, and I have two other quilts that I need to finish and get to people, so this one will be there when I get back to it, probably after the first of the year.   The good thing is by that time more clues will be out and I'll have a pretty good idea of where it's going.   Bonnie's quilts are always beautiful, and I'm sure this one is no different.   I think it is funny that on Quiltvillechat some people love these blocks and others are just girding their loins and gritting their teeth and forging ahead.  So far I am in the forging ahead group, but I'm hoping they grow on me as I haven't seen a string quilt that I didn't like.   I find the process of trying to find strips long enough very time consuming and a little frustrating.  My foundation papers are 8.5 inches by about 8 inches and I think that makes part of the problem.  I think that if the papers were as big as the blocks you could tell at a glance.  Next time, if there is a next time, I'll do 8" blocks.  I still have plenty of papers.

The Wheels Turn Slowly

The wheels turn slowly, but they do turn and things are getting done.   This morning I got another six blocks done and hope to get more done by the end of the day.    I found out that I'll be babysitting my adorable little great granddaughter for a couple hours this afternoon, so I won't get as many done as I hoped, but it's all good.   I'm adding her picture, I haven't put one on my blog for awhile.   I can see that I need to be a little stingier with the end strips, these were too big, but added in with the other fifty-three they ought to pass.

This picture was taken on December 14th, and she will be one year old on December 16th, tomorrow.   She already had two parties, one in Nashville, Tennessee, and one here, but since tomorrow is the 'real' day, we are going to Chuck E Cheese.  I think it's more for her Daddy than her.  I'm sure she'll have a good time though.

I think I had mentioned before that my DD's stepdaughter is going to be getting sewing things for Christmas and so DD came over this past weekend and we made up six little kits for making these Scottie dogs from Denyse Schmidt Quilts.   I remember having two granddtrs over to make tote bags and they about wore me out, so since at least 3 of the 6 and maybe 4 will need considerable aid, I think DD and I are going to get together ahead of time and do ours.   Two things will hopefully be accomplished, we'll know what we're doing and we will be able to help with theirs instead of do ours.   We should be able to embelish them as a big group though.   It will be the two of us, Kaylea 7, Tabitha 19 (DGD), and Marcy (DGD in law) and Sarah (DGS's girlfriend) early twenties.   It should be fun and the Scottie dogs look so cute.   I also got five more little stockings done, and Christmas cards done and out, so I'm only gathering a little moss.

One Down Fifty-Nine To Go

I've finally gotten around to starting Step 3 of Bonnie Hunter's Roll Roll Cotton Boll mystery, and I can see that it is a doozy.  This is my second string block ever and making the first one for the mystery was almost as tedious as I remembered.   Last time I was up and down pressing after each strip, and this time I used my trusty little wallpaper roller, so that was easier, also this block was a trial so I didn't assembly line sew, so I know that doing that will make things easier.  I didn't really have strings, so I was cutting and sewing.  I plan to cut a bunch of varied strips, and that is three things to make life and strings easier.   There is hope!  If worse comes to worse, I will try to get 30 finished and do the other 30 later, as I plan to make 2 lap quilts anyway, unless it is so gorgeous that I have to have it for my bed.  It is one of Bonnie Hunter's, so that could happen.   My brothers visit was very nice, he liked the fleece blankets and pillowcases that I had made for his step grandchildren.  I didn't realize until after he left that I had forgotten to take pictures of them, oh well, if you've seen one the others aren't much different, lol.   I do like to have pictures though, it helps me feel like I'm accomplishing a little bit.  

We have made plans for Christmas, like Thanksgiving it won't be our traditional.  Christmas Eve we will go to my daughter's and see her side of the family, and hopefully sometime during the holidays we will see my son and his side.   Christmas day we are taking one of my grandson's, Micah, to visit with his cousin Robert and my brother Vince in Georgia.  They will meet us in St. Augustine and we have reservations to eat at the Columbia Restaurant, which is one of my favorites.  It will be a nice day and I'll get to see more of my family.

PS  My brother Vince just called me, he is at an estate sale where they have a Singer Featherweight.  He isn't really a sewer, but he does like unusual things and he has taken a liking to my little featherweight and so he's going to get the one he's looking at for himself.  He's bringing it with him on Christmas, and I'll bring mine too, so we can compare.  Both of my brothers are very handy, and I told him that he will be able to take care of his himself, and then he can teach me.  I miss having a sister, but it is great having brothers. 

  

RRCB Step #2

I finished step 2, and from the last page of instructions, I think that step 3 is probably not going to be an easy one like 1 and 2 have been.   Oh well, you know when you do a Bonnie Hunter mystery that it will be challenging but worth it.   Because I am aware of this, I hope to finish some other things this week, or at least make a large dent.   JoAnn's had a sale on their 9.99 fleece for only 2.99, so I got enough to make my grandson a fleece blanket and called my brother to see if he wanted fleece blankets for his step-grandchildren.  He did, so I got enough for 2 for them and flannel for a pillow for each of them.   Then I realized that I don't have anything for the 2 babies in the family, my great-granddaughter and my grandson's girlfriends little boy.   We went back to JoAnn's today and didn't get as good of a deal, but did get 50% off and enough fleece for 2 smaller fleece blankets and 2 more flannel pillowcases.   I also have another thank you quilt to do, and so got some fabric to do it.   I was hoping to finish my Iowa (Carolina) Christmas in time to have it on my bed for the holidays, but it's not looking good, lol.   If I can get myself going, maybe....

RRCB Step #1 and Cross Stitch

Step one done, I have about 215 if I counted right, a few more than needed, but that's ok they'll come in handy for something.

Chookyblue has been posting about cross stitching and invited others to participate, so I finally got some pictures taken.  This was the first large cross stitch that I made.  My daughter was about sixteen and learned at church and taught me so we both made one of these.   This one is in my dining room above my dry sink.

This pattern is one of my favorites, and I think that I made 3 or 4 of them.   Unfortunately, one was a wedding one, and the marriage didn't last so it has probably been discarded years ago.   Mine is on a wall between the living room and dining room.

I love the style of this series and made 3 different ones.  I would have made more if I had found more patterns.  I loved the style and the sentiments.   This one seemed appropriate for the dining room also.

DH had a broken leg back in the early to mid nineties and had about 10 surgeries and lots of problems before it finally healed.  this is just a small cross stitch that I got to work on while I waited for some of his surgeries.  He went to a hospital out of town and so it was just he and I and it passed the time.  I keep it in my kitchen between the bottom and top cupboards.

These last 2 are in my bedroom.   I made 2 or 3 of the Love One Another ones, not sure if the other(s) are still around, but mine is one of my favorites.

This one is over DH's dresser.    I have my two favorites plus a couple more small ones to share maybe tomorrow.   If you like cross stitch visit Chookyblue, there are hers to look at plus links to many others who are sharing theirs.

 

Leader Enders Quilt Top

I finished my top this morning, and also the binding.  Just need to embroider the name on the back, press the backing and it is ready for basting.  Only problem, I'm out of batting so it will have to wait til I get some.  Meanwhile, the first clue for Bonnie's mystery Roll Roll Cotton Bowl came out last night, so I need to get to that, but it may be tomorrow as I have a grandson coming over this evening to entertain a young lady that he has liked for quite awhile.  It's her birthday and we will be one of their visits.

Fabrics for Roll Roll Cotton Boll mystery

Yesterday I purchased some fabrics for Bonnie Hunter's new mystery "Roll Roll Cotton Boll", and today I pulled some fabrics.  The plastic bags on the bottom of each stack are really scrappy scraps, and the rest is fat quarters and yardage.  I had to rob Tobacco Road and Double Delight, previous mysteries from Bonnie, but I'll worry about that later.  I also robbed my little stash of Thimbleberries.  Actually not so much a stash, I had bought some scraps (too beautiful to be called scraps, perfect eighth of a yards) from Keepsake Quilting and am hoping to get more and make a bargello from them.  I feel like it is always fun to participate when everyone is in the thick of it so that decided my priority.  Now, I just have to wait for the first clue on November 19th.
Do you think that raspberry is shouting at the other pinks?  Bonnie said raspberry pinks, but I think that one may have too much raspberry.  It may not make it into the quilt.

ALS - Piece by Piece and Shopping for Mystery

My mother passed away April 10, 2008 from ALS - Lou Gehrig's disease.   I got an email from the ALS Association that the ALS - Piece by Piece exhibit was going to be in a nearby city, about 40 miles away, today. 

    The ALS Association Florida Chapter invites you to experience our Piece by Piece Tribute Display in remembrance of those lives taken by this dreaded disease. This exhibit features hundreds of mannequins, each shrouded with individual epitaphs, symbolizing a fellow Floridian whose life has been stolen from their loved ones. Its purpose is to pay tribute and evoke personal reflection on the devastating numbers of those currently suffering. We hope you can share this powerful experience with us this week as the display visits both Tarpon Springs and Ocala.

Ocala Town SquareNovember 1110 E. Silver Springs Blvd. Ocala, FL 12pm - 6pm

Tarpon Springs Veterans Tribute Weekend Craig Park November 13 - 14 5 Library Ln. Tarpon Springs, FL Sat:10am - 9pm; Sun: 11am - 5pm

Ocala Town SquareNovember 1110 E. Silver Springs Blvd.
Ocala, FL
12pm - 6pm

Tarpon Springs Veterans Tribute Weekend
Craig Park
November 13 - 14
5 Library Ln.
Tarpon Springs, FL
Sat:10am - 9pm; Sun: 11am - 5pm

 DH and I were able to go and it was very moving and so sad.

Ocala is famous for being good for horses and these beautiful pieces of art were all around the town square where the Piece to Piece exhibit was displayed.

I got a bit of DH in this one.  I also got another with more of him, but he was bending over and from the rear, so I figured I might be in the doghouse if I shared it, lol.

Bonnie Hunter's new mystery is starting this month, first clue on the 19th I believe, and I plan to go with her colors.   There are at least two quilt stores in Ocala so I thought I'd visit the one that was a dealer for Berninas.   Next time I'll visit the other one, it carries longarms and even though I'm not in the market I'd like to look.  The new mystery is called Roll Roll Cotton Boll and her colors (and mine) are going to be chocolate browns, double pinks and raspberries, grassy greens, neutrals and red.  These fabrics were my purchase, and they were half price.  I love sale fabrics even if they aren't the latest, they are new to me and I like the price.