More Bow Ties and Shopping

Sixteen more bow tie blocks done.  That's 52 out of 140.  Not too shabby of a beginning for a perpetual holder upper of the slowest. 

I kitted up the blocks into 8 batches each, enough for 140 for me and 140 for Ruth, my quilting buddy.  She pitched in some scraps too, but she doesn't have nearly as many as she is fairly new to quilting.  She has 3 quilts under her belt now.  These were all from scraps, and I 'think' that all the bow tie fabrics are different.  The lighter background fabrics are scrappy, but there are a lot of repeats.   I was more than happy to share, as I need to get the scraps down.  I can hardly notice a difference, except that the trash cans have lots of tiny scraps, and I have these bags to show for it. 

Some fabrics from the shop hop that Ruth and I went to Friday, instead of sewing, which we had intended.   The top 4 are for pillowcases for my nieces little ones, each will have the top fabric, and the next 3 will be for the cuffs which will be different, and have names if I get myself busy.   The bottom 2 are for a pillowcase for her oldest girl, and she has another girl who I will pick fabrics for soon.   Their mama, my niece is expecting number eight next month and I need to do a baby quilt for their new baby boy, and I thought I'd send each of the others a pillowcase.

More shop hop fabrics.  The 3 on the left are just because I don't have many oranges or reds, and the light lavender for backgrounds.  The middle two, more pillowcase material for my nieces youngest son, until next month, lol.  The right top just because I liked it, and the bottom right is a panel that I thought would be good for a quick baby quilt some time.

These I got last week when we made a dry run for the heart cath that DH didn't end up having.  The blue is for a pillowcase for my nieces oldest boy, and the green for when I need more scrappy greens.  The purple, just because I really loved it.   It seems like a lot of fabric, but it was all half price and will be largely gone in pillowcases soon.   We went to several doctor appointments this past week, and DH is having another blood test Tuesday.  If his levels are down to his normal levels (his are always elevated) then he has his heart cath the following Monday.   Then, it looks like for sure one heart surgery and maybe two, but the doctor was very reassuring, and it seems like the right thing to do.   Hope you are having a good weekend.

Second Batch of Bow Ties and DH Update

I'm trying to get a little ahead, as my usual modus operandi is to be perpetually behind.  I tried to do a little fussy cutting on these, on the seals and polar bears, the army and the purple goldfish.  Now, to do some housework and then I hope to start working on RRCB number 2.   Just an update on my husband.  Yesterday we got up at 3:45 to be across town for his heart cath. at 7:00 am.  We got there at 6:45 and the nurse said she needed to check with the Dr. as his creatine levels were very high on his last bloodwork, indicating that his kidneys weren't doing well.  He has had kidney stones for probably 40 years, and we knew that his kidneys had damage, but they had gotten quite a bit worse since his last blood test in June.  The Dr. said that his heart cath. wasn't an emergency and he needs to go to a nephrologist  to see about getting his levels better and then reschedule.  Anyway, we were on our way home by 7:00.  He did say that we could go ahead if we wanted to, but that they use iodine which isn't very kidney friendly so he could end up on dialysis, not a very hard decision to make.

                               

Summer Bow Tie Quilt

DH had a sleepless night last night so has slept most of the day and I've been on my own.  I decided to try to catch up on the Summer Bow Tie Quilt Along.  As you can see mine is going to be scrappy and so far I have only raided my orange, yellow and purple scraps, the orange was rather lacking, lol.  I liked this setting when I saw it on Pleasant Home.   It looks like it has been going on since June 19th, and I made 20 blocks today, so I think that I'm almost caught up.  I just figured, and it looks like I am 1 block behind.   This isn't how the blocks will be in the quilt, I was just sticking them up there as I pressed them and I still need to square them up a bit.   I plan to use all scraps so I feel almost like it'll be a free quilt (I like to kid myself). 

July Finish On My Son's Birthday

I finished my RRCB last night and I'm on the whole pleased with it.  My MM (mediocre meandering) is in full force as usual, but the looks of it will improve when it's washed and crinkly.  There are a myriad of sins, but I am happy just the same.  My MIL always said that curls hid a myriad of sins, and I feel the same about washing, lol. 

Just another view.  It would have been better to wait for better light, but we may go shopping with my DGS and his fiance later today.

The back is just a very nice sheet on sale at Lands End, but I did a few more of the "dreaded" string blocks in the fabrics from the quilt and fancied it up a little.  Actually, this last batch wasn't so bad, so I'm starting not to dread them, lol.  I didn't want to make the back too fancy, as one of my pet peeves is when people like the back better than the front.  I do think that this one will live here with me though.

The label, of course.   I now have a paintbox to do, another RRCB to do, and the second half of Amy's BOM from 2010, not to mention quilting my over humongous Iowa (Carolina) Christmas.   It would be logical to get right on one of them, but I have two new projects luring me out of my chosen virtuous path.   Crazy Mom Quilt's 36 block quiltalong, and one that's already started, Summer Bow Tie Quilts quiltalong from Facebook.  I don't have a link to the blog right now, but if anyone's interested I'll do my best to find it.  

P.S.   The blog for the Summer Bow Tie quilt is:

http://annalenaland.com/2011/06/19/summer-bow-tie-quilt-blocks/

 

 

Happy Dance of Joy!

DH is sleeping in this morning, so I got up and started working on RRCB.   Now I have a flimsy approximately 56 by 86 inches, which is just about the size I like for couch quilts.  I've been thinking about my leftovers and I have a pack of batiks, mostly blues which I have had for about 5 years, and I was thinking maybe I'll use them with the leftover pinks, greens and browns for another version of the RRCB.   

I know a couple other bloggers had remarked on the possibility of making the smaller size.  The hardest part for me was figuring out the number of strips for the borders.  I ended up with 23 of the inside brown triangles on the ends and 37 on the sides.  Since the inside corner triangles take up 4 each of the brown triangles that would be 19 strips for the tops and 33 for the sides + the triangles.   I had to take a little deeper seam about 7 times on the tops and 2 times on the sides.  Hope that helps someone.   I must say that now that I'm this far (still have to baste and quilt) I love how the quilt has turned out.  Another wonderful Bonnie pattern.  I'm so grateful for her mysteries, otherwise I'd never have the nerve to get started. 

Happy Dance of Joy?

Bonnie says when we finish we can do our "happy dance of joy".

I'm not quite there yet, but I'm getting close.  I have 3 sides done, now only 1 more side then the corners and happy dance will be done.

I'm Back

DH was in the hospital for a week, first they tried to get his heart back to normal beat with medication (IV's mostly) and then when that wasn't working they did a TEE and shocked his heart.  The Dr. said that that could work for a day or for a week or 6 months etc., and so far so good.  He goes in for a heart cath. on July 11th, and then will take his documentation to a surgeon to see about fixing a leaky valve.   His original Dr's. we think were milking his insurance's (had the advice of another Dr.) and so in midstream we changed from one group to another.  Hopefully, this group is good.  After he got out of the hospital it was running around from one appointment to another, and it was only the last couple of days when I have done any sewing.  These are the parts to the border for my Roll Roll Cotton Boll.   There are a good many hours represented here, lol.  I'm making a half sized quilt, but since I had enough of the 3 patches for the entire quilt I went ahead and made them all.  I was going to do a strip down the middle of the back, but I got to thinking, I have enough of these for another lap quilt sized border with just a little more sewing to make more corners, and I have enough 1/2 square triangles to do 15 more blocks.   I think that since the colors are pink, brown and green with no reds that I may just do another version, with blue as the fourth color perhaps.  It won't be the same, as I may or may not do the tiny half square triangles around the blocks, I may do just strips instead, and the string blocks will be replaced with a modification.  On the Quiltvillechat site, there are a few different varieties.   Is this why I haven't run out of UFO's yet?  Everytime I think I'm getting somewhere I create another, lol.   Thank you for all the good wishes for my husband, we are hoping for the best.

A Set Back

No Bonnie, no quilting.  Wednesday DH went for an endoscopy and they said his heart was beating incorrectly and way too fast.  Instead we went to see our regular doctor and then to the hospital. His heart was fluttering and so they are using IV's to bring it back how it is supposed to be beating.  He has 2 IV's in his arm, and his blown out 2 IV's.  He has felt fine, although with all the needles it seems like he came in feeling ok and now is a semi invalid.   Hopefully, according to the cardiologist he may be able to go home tomorrow.  Anyway, Bonnie was a nice idea, but it just wasn't to be to go see her.  Maybe, next time.

RRCB Rolling Along

I have rows sewn, now just to sew the rows together, and then I'll be ready for borders.  As you can see the small size is going to make a nice lap quilt or courch throw, it is almost covering the top of the queen sized bed.  Wish I could get the top complete by Thursday, I'd be tempted to take it with me to Lakeland for Bonnie's lecture, although I'm sure she's seen dozens of quilts and tops by now.  I really have admiration for those who have finished the full sized quilts, and some have even done a couple of them.  

RRCB Whining

Those who love to make string blocks are probably thinking what a whiner, and those who find them to be a challenge probably have a little more sympathy.  I was going along so well, finished the first blocks, and then finished the string blocks.  I was all proud of myself, as I'm not the best at squaring blocks, and I had a feeling that these would probably need squaring more than most, and I had sent DH to a glass place and had an !!" square piece of plexiglass cut.  The cost was only $8.00, I think a pretty good price for such a stress saver.  My blocks are looking pretty good, however, I need to make at least six more string blocks, thus the whining.  I had enough for the blocks, but not enough for the side triangles.  Just kidding, it's not a big deal, although I would have liked to start putting blocks together to get an idea of what it will 'look' like.   Have a nice weekend.

 

Nine Down Six to Go

....sounds so much easier than nine down and 21 to go.  I know that it would be wonderful to have a new bed quilt, but number one, lots of string blocks, number two, I'm scared of quilting the large quilts, I still haven't finished my Iowa (Carolina) Christmas.  For now, lap sized will be for me.  After these next six blocks are done, it's on to slicing and dicing string blocks.  I received the fabrics from Connecting Threads yesterday, and I'm anxious to get started on my other Paintbox quilt, but I don't know if I'll be able to stop my RRCB blocks now.   By the way, my extra scrappy oops blocks are mixed in with the other six blocks, and I think that they'll work just fine, as was suggested in the previous comments.   I'm raring to go and do more blocks, but alas, housecleaning and errands are demanding attention.  Hope you have a nice day.

Whew, Little Is Much Easier Than Big

Yes, that is Christmas fabric.  It isn't a Christmas quilt, but I couldn't resist using my little half square triangels left over from my Iowa (Carolina) Christmas.  There is also some Christmas fabric in the string blocks, but hopefully the over all effect will not be Christmas.  I have all the steps done now as far as making the components, except for adding the triangles to make the trapezoids (I think) for the borders.  It's definitely scrappy, and only 14 of these to go.  That's sure easier than 29 more to go.  This block was rather wavy, but I was able to press it pretty flat.  Hopefully, I'll do better on the others.  

Ooops!  I just realized that the browns are supposed to match, too (in addition to the greens).  I'm too far on this block to redo it, so I guess I'll have 10 that are correct, 1 that's really wrong, and 4 that are sort of wrong.  Oh well.  If I were a perfectionist I'd make 16, but I think that it'll just be unique (or so I tell myself). 

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. 

June Goal Quilt Finished

My first paintbox quilt is finished.  I could have finished it a couple of days earlier but I had already put June on the label, and I liked the idea of finishing it on what would have been my parents wedding anniversary.  Sixty-six years if they were still here.

The back was a little fancier than my normal ones.  I've gotten to where I have backed several of my last quilts with 100 percent cotton sheets.  This one is a Moda solid, and somehow it seems heavier to me.  Maybe it's partly due to the piecing on the back.  It seems to weigh a lot for its size.   It hasn't been washed yet, so maybe that will lighten it up a bit.

Another embroidery machine label.  No recipient's name on this one.  I haven't decided what to do with it yet.  There are a few possibilities.  For a while it will live at my house, probably at least until I finish the other one, which will probably be this month.  I've ordered some lavender solids for it, so it will be lavenders and purples instead of browns and tans.

PS   I gave this quilt Last night (June 10th) to my visiting teacher, Becky Thomas, who has been visiting me for over 4 years.

Paintbox Flimsy

Oh, Fransson finished her Paintbox Quiltalong back April 2010, and I've finally gotten one of my smaller lap sized quilttops to the flimsy stage, without the borders.   Hers had 80 blocks, and mine has 54.  Hers has no borders and mine will have a small and a large border.   Hers is gorgeous and mine I hope will not only be half sized, but at least half as pretty.   I will end up with 2 quilts, but I don't know yet whether the other will have this color sashing, or maybe white or some other color.  I delivered my Gator quilts to my brothers this week, and they seemed to be happy with them.  It was very good to see them.

Finish 7 and 8 for the Year - and it's only the 9th of May

I have 2/3 of May left and I have finished two quilts.  Very easy quilts, but they are finished.  The pattern is "Just Can't Cut It"  by All Washed Up quilt patterns.   They are for my brothers and now we'll need to get together to deliver them, which is a good thing.  It's surprising how little you get together when you live 3 or 4 hours apart. 

University of Florida Gator Quilts

Upside down seems to be my thing lately.  This is one of my two Gator tops, just upside down, the other one still needs borders and then I'll put them aside for a few days as I need to work on my house and we have relatives coming for dinner on Monday.   Tuesday we will probably be going to Tampa with our grandson and granddaughter-in-law.   With any luck at all, keeping my goal of a finish for May should be a piece of cake (knock on wood), in fact I should have at least two.  I have to keep things even for my brothers or they'll say that the other one is my favorite.  Finishing only one would be unacceptable, lol.

I Made it for April!

I made it, Saturday was basting day, Sunday quilting day, and this AM binding and now just washing and drying and delivering left.   I think that it doesn't look quite as busy now, and hopefully it will be liked.   Quilting day is always too much thinking day for me.   I can't hear the TV or the Ipod, so I'm on my own and then I start to think my arms are tired, my back is tired and I think that half the people who I make quilts for would just as soon have a blanket from Walmart or a $10.00 gift certificate.   If I weren't quilting I'd have a cleaner house, more nourishing food, and more money, such are my thoughts.   Then when the quilt is finished I feel better again.  Does anyone else have these heretical thoughts, lol.

The label.  I did well keeping all the directional fish fabrics swimming in the right direction, and then this guy is upside down on the back.  Oh well, nobody is perfect.

I need to find a new way of photographing my quilts.  Until then this is my number two pose.   For me keeping up my goal is new and different, and here it is a finish for April.

A Little (Maybe a lot) Busy

I hoped this quilt would be like this one, this one, or this one, only different.  After all, I did use my leader and ender 16 patches.  However, it turned out looking much more busy.  It was supposed to look a little beachy (although I couldn't find any beach fabric that would seem to work in my mind, so I chose fish since they are in the ocean and she has an aquarium) and her favorite colors were blue, purple, and white.  Check, check, check, only when put together with my 16 patches, chaos.  I am going to use a narrow green border and then a wide border from the fish fabric.  Hopefully, it will be toned down a bit.  It's for a young girl about 14 who is moving and decorating her room with a beach theme, so if she doesn't like it I guess I'll make her another one.  

PS  I'm supposed to get the rest of my Gator Fabric today, and then I'll try to get them finished and then back to my Paintbox quilts.  The Gator quilts are for my brothers and my Paintbox quilts don't have any destination yet (maybe, one for me) so they keep taking a back seat.   I'm hoping to finish Alex's quilt (the one in the picture) before the end of April to keep up my goal of at least one quilt finish a month. 

PPS  We went to visit our new great grandbaby but it was a short visit.  We had a flat on the way, and a 100 mile trip on the toll roads turned into a 5 and 1/2 hour journey with tow truck and trip to Walmart to get a new tire.  We took them to dinner and got to see the and hold the baby, Cecilia, and she is tiny and adorable.