cooking for extras, a road trip or two
Where we dined on an Austrian Sacher Torte...in a French cafe... in Texas. Does that make us worldly? Yeh, let's go with that.
, an electronic mutiny staged by our Internet provider, a non-functioning camera, and a willful phone, has reeked havoc with my blogging ability. But I can't really grumble when everyone is healthy and mornings start like this:
I went 6 weeks without sewing, with the exception of one 10 minute stretch and I thought is was about time I make up for some lost time.
I managed to sneak in under the wire and get some sewing in during January even if it was the last day of the month. A bit of mindless sewing was in order:
These little strip blocks are part of a scrappy UFO. Thus far I have 130 and as I was stitching, an idea popped into my head and I started scribbling down numbers, which led to more cutting, which led to more stitching of new blocks.
I made good use of my easy angle ruler which I found I love for making square in a square type of blocks. It only leaves you with one bias edge that you stitch to your square, leaving you with straight of grain edges in your block. Less wonkiness is always a good thing:
Squaring up blocks is not my favorite part of the process, but it really does make everything come together so much nicer. Still, 360 blocks makes for a lot of trimming!
I laid out a few blocks to see if I was going to end up with the old fashioned feel I was going for:
Is been given the seal of approval:
I also stitched some blocks into rows on my Christmas Tree Farm quilt. Once they were together, I decided I needed to...yes...make it bigger. So I went in search of the templates. I started where I had last seen them, but that was last year and they were no longer there. I know I stashed them somewhere during the great 'clean up the sewing piles before company comes for Christmas' marathon. It probably would have been easier to just make a new set, but I am stubborn that way and I DID eventually run into them. Then more fabric was pulled and cut and 14 more tree blocks were pieced. along with alternate Puss in Boots blocks. Borders were added and I'm digging for something suitable for a backing.
I've got 4 quilts at Jackie's and one at Shelly's in Missouri so finished quilts will be coming soon. Its been far too long since I finished a quilt. My FIL made me a new quilt ladder and it needs quilts!
16 comments:
Well you do make up for having lost time with your sewing machine. OMG, so many blocks. It's all going to look gorgeous. Welcome back to sewing!
Wow, you have been busy! Your quilting projects are amazing.
I laughed out loud at the barstool photo and nearly choked on my tea.
Love the photo of the horse whose head is turned turned toward you.
Please tell us your technique for making this type of square-in-a-square quilt block! I know how to make the version where the diamond tip goes to the edge, but I love how yours "floats" in the background fabric. I enjoy your blog and your adventures on the ranch - beautiful country where you live.
Thanks, Beth in AL
Glad all is well Karin. And glad you got a touch of sewing time in. I, too, don't like the trimming process...blah! Your sunrise pics are gorgeous, as always. Take care.
Missed you!!! Figured you were cooking and sewing, but I guess not so much sewing. Glad you are back to it. I also am not a fan of trimming, but it's gotta be done. Like Beth, I like your square in a square better than the "all the way to the edge" design. Please share technique or source. Thank you!!!!
Don't understand why you can't keep yourself busy!!!!!
Happy Day of Love!!!
ABout time you are back! Glad all is well! Sure had some purdy mornings! I have to admi that I dont have a clue about sewing(kinda wish I did!) but your work is so pretty!Hope all the techy stuff behaves itself so you can blog more!
So glad to see your blog again. Miss you when you're missing so long. Little tip. My Janome started skipping stitches, took it in for clean and repair. $280.00 bill! Mostly due to me not changing my needle every 8 hours of sewing! Needle gets dull leads to it not going into material smoothly, leads to parts inside breaking! LESSON LEARNED! I now make note of sewing time. This doesn't necessarily apply to old machines that don't have any plastic inside, you know the kind where you sew until the needle breaks.
Good to see you. What a fun post!
I was wondering what you do with so many quilts. I too enjoy making them. Those are very nice blocks.
Linda - you came across as a non-reply blogger so I'll answer your question here, in hopes that you will see it. :) Thank you for taking the time to stop in and leave your comment. As for what I do with so many quilts - I seems to give the majority of them away. There are always plenty here to grab when someone gets chilly, but I seem to give at least half of what I make away to friends, family, QOV, and other various causes that arise.
Glad you had a good time though ;-) Sometimes lack of technology turns out ok right?
Now I see what's happening with those string and square-in-square blocks. That will be such a beautiful quilt.
I love your blue, blue skies, especially seeing them in February and March. We won't see a sky like that until at least the end of April.
LOL! Okay, so don't laugh, but as much as I enjoyed the 'quilty' things in this post, my *favorite* things were the photos of the horses (especially the one where the horse is looking over its shoulder back at you), the photo of the cat (which is kinda quilty), and the photo of the bar stool ... who's sitting in it??! I've never seen stools like these anywhere but in Texas!! Hahaha!! :)
Oh my!!!! I am loving your blocks you are squaring up! Is this your own design or a pattern you are following? Love the alternating string blocks too!
The photo you took of your husband on his horse and the horse is turning around to see you is spectacular. This would be a phenominal picture printed onto a stretched canvas for art work in your home as a surprise gift for father's Day or Christmas, etc..... One to be cherished by future generations I'm sure too. It's perfect.
Missed you too. Love the beautiful morning shots of blue sky and cowboys. Your country is so beautiful. That sq. in a sq. quilt is great for using up scraps. What size blocks are you making? Might have to use that idea to use as a leader ender project. I love the look.
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