Double Irish Chain

Began 2016, Finished 2018

It's Sunday - Time for the Weekly Reports

We had a week of rainy weather, cold, rainy weather. There were several days that I stayed in my rocker next to the heater doing English Paper Piecing instead of venturing out to my sewing space in the unheated attic. This is my Slow Sunday Stitching for the week. I started with a Ferris Wheel block but I'm not really sure where I'm going with it. It's a great way to use scraps, so I may just let it grow for awhile.

Someone commented that they knew this block as Jack's Chain. I had heard that before and looked it up again. Some Ferris Wheel patterns also list the name as Jack's Chain. But a search for Jack's Chain pattern mostly comes up with a block that uses nine patch blocks instead of the solid square block around the hexagon. I think it could go either way, so I had to decide which one to call mine. I'm not sure what a chain belonging to Jack looks like.  Maybe it belongs on a tow truck. Maybe Jack is on a chain gang. Maybe Jack is a giant swinging a chain around his head.  What is Jack doing with that chain? I don't know. On the other hand, I like ferris wheels. They are at the center of the fair next to the cotton candy. Bright, colorful, and fun and a great view from the top. So Ferris Wheel it is. See what other scrappy quilting are in the works at Quilting is More Fun than Housework.

I used a bit of fabric this week, two-and-a-quarter yards, and I didn't buy any fabric this week. I would have shown more going out than coming in if it weren't for the box of fabric I unpacked. I brought home a box from the storage unit today that probably has fabric in it, so next week's report won't look any better. So sad. I just need to be using more every week. Click over to QuiltPaintCreate to see how other people are using their stash.

On the other hand, I had a good week sewing every day. I have one finish to show for it, and hope to finish another in the next day or two. I'm read to get these UFOs done so I can start working on some new quilts. Check out Life in Pieces for more 15 Minutes of Sewing.

Design Wall Monday, It's a Race to the Deadline Now

Besides the RSC blocks, I have been quilting the Double Irish Chain. It is my February UFO and the quilting is killing my shoulder. I tried to divide the remaining quilting by the number of days left in the month, less a day for binding, and I have to quilt the equivalent of four blocks a day. I have scaled back the amount of quilting I was doing on each block and my shoulder still aches for hours after doing four blocks. I'm not sure it's worth it, but I'd like to make my goal. After this quilt, it's QAYG or send out for quilting. I don't know if it's possible to tear a rotator cuff by quilting, but it feels like it. I prescribe rest in the month of March.

I am using the Double Irish Chain to practice with the ruler foot. I am still having tension problems but it's beginning to look a little better on the back. Now if I can get the stitch length on the front to be uniform, I'll be happy. Painfully happy.

(Ran out of bobbin thread on this block)

Now something I'd like to ask all of you, especially those of you who use Google Blogger for your blog host. Something has happened in the last month or two (maybe longer). Now, people who use Google+ show 'no reply' in their emails. And if they also don't have their blog linked to their profile, it's impossible to respond to their comments, either by email reply or by return comment on their blog. There was someone who commented on my blog for awhile whose ID was only "T" with 'no reply' in the email and no blog on their profile. There are others like that too, but the "T" stuck in my memory. I feel really bad that people go to the trouble to leave a comment and there is no way to return it. Some blogger themes don't have a reply button under each comment, but I just saw on another blog that there are themes that do have a reply button. I'm about to try out one of these themes. How do you deal with 'no reply' emails?

Well. You know how you are supposed to back up your template before making changes? I didn't do that. I don't remember what my width was so if my blog doesn't look right on your computer, like pictures or words overlapping something they shouldn't, please let me know. I also changed the background for a cleaner look. And after all that, the reply button isn't part of a theme at all. It's in the settings!

Also, there are some blogs that only allow comments by Google+ members. I signed up for Google+ when it first became available, but it seriously messed up my email login unless I used gmail, and my blogger sign in isn't gmail. In fact, I didn't really like gmail. I couldn't log out of it easily to check my other email. So I ditched Google+ and gmail. But that means I can't comment on those blogs. For those of you who have Google+, is it an option to only allow Google+ members to comment on your blog, or has Google taken that choice from you?

Now back to Design Wall Monday. I'm linking to:
Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts
Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt
Main Crush Monday at Cooking Up Quilts
Moving it Forward Monday at Em's Scrapbag

Sewing Report Sunday

I've been having fun with my scrappy flower blocks for the RSC Challenge. I've determined that I need two and a half blocks for each of the ten months. And since that isn't going to work, I think I'm going to make three one month and two the next. That will work well with similar colors like medium blue and dark blue, but I'm not sure about some of the other colors. I'll have to play it by ear.

Friday night, I dug out my travel kit and worked on a Ferris Wheel block (English Paper Piecing). In an effort to spend more time in the evenings with Hubby, I'm going to start working on these in the evenings instead of spending time by myself at the sewing machine.

This week I was gifted with fabric. A friend was thinning her stash and asked if I wanted some fabric. Well, yeah! Thinking it was odds and ends of less than desirable colors, I told her that my quilt group could always use fabric for our donation quilts. This was way better than odds and ends.

A kit with all the fabric needed plus the pattern. A really cute pattern, I might add.

A magazine with a pattern bookmarked and all the fabric to make it.

Another pattern with all the fabric to make it.

Some fabrics she had marked for various things, like "border" and "backing" but no pattern with it.

And 36 fat quaters.

After looking at the three patterns, I could tell they are not the kind my group likes to make, so I'll keep those and make them sometime.  The other fabrics will make some great wheel chair lap quilts.

Score!!!!

Unfortunately, now I have to record this in my stash report.  My supposed stash reduction report. Thursday, I thought I was doing great because I had used more than I had bought.  Then, this gift.  And to compound my loss of control, I ran across a sale Friday that I couldn't pass up.  A local quilt store had a shelf of 75% off fabrics and a few bolts of fabric for 50 cents a yard.  I didn't buy any of those 50 cent fabrics though.  I didn't think I could cut them into small enough pieces to hide the ugly.  But I got several of the 75% off.  So they too will add to the report.  Now my report is a runaway train headed in the wrong direction.

I also unpacked a box of fabric.  A big box, and it was nearly all fabric. QuiltPaintCreate said she gets a laugh out of these boxes of fabric I keep finding.  When we were packing up to sell our house, everything was going into a unit at a storage facility with pretty poor security.  Anything of value, I marked with code words like "Large canning jars" (or something else not worth stealing) meaning something of value and another code word to describe the item, or "Small canning jars" meaning something with little value.  Sounded like a good idea at the time, but I also had real canning jars or gladware, or whatever the code word was, and over time, I forgot what the other code words meant.  So nearly all our boxes are labeled "Canning Jars", "Gladware", "Books", "Paint clothes," etc.  Most fabric was used as packing for lamps and other odd-shaped breakables, but there are some boxes marked "Sewing fabric".   It's an adventure to open boxes; we never know what to expect.

I'm happy to say that I am still headed in the right direction in my 15 Minutes of Sewing Report. That will change in a month or so, so I'm going to claim this victory while I can.

If you saw yesterday's post, you know I finished the Glory Box Wallhanging. I spent some time one day quilting the Double Irish Chain but it was a battle. I think I can get it done but it's really bigger than I would like to quilt on my machine. After a few hours, my shoulder was killing me. I decided to give my shoulder a rest and then work on it in much smaller time slots until I get it done. I think it will also be a wall hanging because I still haven't mastered the ruler foot. Even when the top looks good, there are places on the back that look like the tension is off. But then the next section looks fine. I'm not sure what the problem is, but I'm pretty sure it is the user, not the machine.

I also spent time this week with the ripper, and finding that some blocks I made several years ago didn't have quarter inch seams. More about that another time unless I decide it's not worth the effort.

I have sewed every day this week and for the month so far. I'm at 100% for those, but at 88% for the year. That shows what one bad week can do. I can just imagine how low it will be in July and August.

Linking to:
Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun than Housework
15 Minutes of Sewing at Life in Pieces
Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate

Glory Box Wallhanging

Began 2013, Finished 2018

Shivering Through the Weekend and Quilting

Mother-in-Law is still miserable with shingles and a UTI. My brother-in-law came down for a few hours Friday to fetch and carry for her and reported that she didn't feel like eating the whole time he was there. She called after he left to say she was throwing up and wanted Hubby to take her to the emergency room. He asked her if she ate anything when she took her medicine. No. Well, eat something and call back. She called back about twenty minutes later to say that she ate and now she felt better. The last time I talked to her she said she wished she had been admitted to the hospital Thursday. Hubby and I both think the last place she needs to be in the middle of flu season is at the hospital. She just wants someone to take care of her and keep her company.

At 4:30 a.m. Saturday morning, the phone rang. She was dizzy and bleeding and wanted to go to the hospital. Poor Hubby got dressed and went to check on her. Her shingles blisters had burst and there was a little blood, but nothing serious. He ended up staying most of the day. She hadn't been drinking water either, so Hubby made her eat an egg and drink some water with her morning pills. She felt better after that, but said she really had to make herself eat the egg and wouldn't eat anything after that. Hubby said she was a little confused, probably from the medication. She kept thinking it was time to take more medicine and he kept telling her it wasn't time yet. She slept a lot and Hubby went to the store and bought some heat and eat foods and other things she needed. Then, after her mid-afternoon pills, he came home and let her sleep.

Before the cold front moved in last night, Hubby called her to tell her to take her last pill and she said she felt ok. He told her there was a cold front moving in with sleet and freezing rain and she assured him she would be ok. Well, she called this morning, and she had fallen. She tripped over her oxygen hose and hit her head on the corner of the dresser. Off Hubby went again. He called when he got there to tell me he made it okay. She just had a tiny bump on her head, not the gigantic purple lump she had the last time she fell. So no trip to the hospital needed this time. He said other than that, she felt pretty good today, just wanted company.

Before he left, we discussed getting someone to come in several times a week to clean, cook a decent meal, and just be with her. She is adament about not going to a nursing home, but I think she doesn't need to be living alone any longer. He was going to discuss that with her today. The last time he mentioned it, she said she didn't want help. I hope she agrees this time. Tomorrow is my day to check on her, so I'll see what she says after she's had time to think about it.

In the meantime, I've been staying inside. I did brave the cold of the attic to open a few boxes and sew a few blocks. I'm much happier with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks now that I've made each section from a different fabric. I was going to make a queen size quilt and so needed nine of each color. But I just realized that I don't have any baby quilts set back so now this will be a baby quilt. I need to refigure my design to see how many I need to make now. I need to decide on a backing fabric soon too so I can start quilting the blocks. I'm doing this as a QAYG.

Hubby complains that his right hand gets cold when he is on the computer when it's cold. I've noticed my hands get really cold when I'm sewing very long. Now I'm huddled next to the heater listening to sheets of ice slide off the roof and hope they don't dent the porch covers. There's a pot of steaming tea on the stove and I'm about to warm my fingers around a cup of tea and watch a little tv before starting my next block.

Linking to:
RSC Challenge at soscrappy

Weekly Sewing Reports for Week Six

I'll say it again, I love the Westalee Ruler Foot. It's not without its challenges on a bigger quilt on a small machine, but it was a breeze on the small wallhanging. I also prefer free motion quilting with this foot over the regular free motion foot. If the hopping FMQ foot bothered me before, I can just imagine how bad it would be with my current double vision in each eye. I've spent a lot of time every day sewing this week and have both the wallhanging and the Irish chain close to a finish. I'm using both of these for practice and it shows, but so far, neither look really bad, at least not bad enough to use as a cat bed. So far, I've sewed every day of February.

As said in my last post, I wasn't happy with the block I chose to do for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge and thought it would look better with several different fabrics. I also haven't found my blue or purple scraps yet, which has made it even more of a challenge, and didn't have enough suitable medium blues and only two purples in my stash. So, I bought a few fat quarters to get through. Then, I opened another box last night, and it was a box of fat quarters with several blues. Oh well. I don't have many aqua and turquoise either and don't remember having any scraps in those colors, so I see more purchases coming next month. So much for whittling down the stash. I did use several of the fat quarters I bought, and will use more next week.

Years ago, I bought some batting at Walmart. It was supposed to be 100% cotton, and I think the name said something about Natural. It looked almost identical to Warm and Natural - until I pulled it out of the bag. It was horrible stuff, thin in some places, hard wads in others, and still other spots had outright holes. But at the time, Lil needed cheap batting for a school project, and of course, the project was due the next day. I should have thrown the scraps away, but being the frugal miser that I am, I held on to them. I finally used them in the wallhanging, even though I had to patch them together with fusible interfacing. And as God is my witness (said like Scarlett O'Hara wearing her repurposed curtain dress), I will never buy batting from Walmart again.

So far, I haven't kept track of batting or interfacing in my stash.  I really don't know how I would do that since batting doesn't really come by the yard.  If you keep track of those things, tell me how you do it.  I'd like to know how much I have so I would know if I have enough for upcoming quilts; actually, I'd like to not have a lot of batting because the scraps are so hard to store.  Very useful for QAYG though.

Linking to:
15 Minutes to Sew at Life in Pieces
Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate

One Step Forward and Two Steps Back, and for What?

The upside is that today was gorgeous! It started out cold but warmed to about 60 and no wind for a change. Tomorrow is supposed to get up to 70, but it will be breezy. We've decided that breezy is a meterologist code word for a stiff wind, and windy is code for anything between a stiff wind and tornado.

The downside is that my mother-in-law has shingles and a UTI and is feeling pretty miserable. Hubby took her to the doctor yesterday and spent the rest of the afternoon getting her prescriptions and other things she needs. Evidently, she is a grumpy, needy patient. Hubby told me it was my turn to listen to her today. I had shingles a few years ago, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone, so I think I'm a little more understanding than Hubby. Shingles are (or is that shingles is) miserable. If you are over 60 and haven't gotten your shingles vaccine, go get it as soon as the flu epidemic is over.

Speaking of flu, our little town is in the middle of the outbreak. Schools have been closed, and now there is a sign on the library asking people who have a cold, cough, or any flu symptoms to please just drop off their books in the overnight box. At the grocery store, when I handed my cloth bags to the cashier, she picked up the corner of one bag with her fingertips like it was crawling with germs. I told her I wash them but it didn't seem to make any difference to her. Of course, the first thing I did when I got to the car was to slather my hands with sanitizer. I don't remember the flu ever being this bad.

I've been spinning my wheels in the sewing room. I did get the backing made for the Double Irish Chain quilt, but most of my time has been on scrappy blocks. I should be finishing a UFO, but instead, I have been piddling with blocks for the RSC Challenge. Originally, I was going to continue working on Twinkle Star blocks since I didn't get very far on them before. But I can't find the blocks I made before, or the pattern I used on them. Since I need to make them the same size, I decided not to do those after all and make some blocks that are quick and easy. I decided to make Puakenikeni Flower Blocks except make the flowers in the color of the month. I made the blocks like Lisa suggested, but the more I looked at the blocks, the more I thought they didn't look right.

Yeah, I didn't put all the white pieces on the corners, I was in a hurry to see what it would look like. I think the yellow in the center needs to be larger, and I wanted it to have more of a scrappy look. Plus, I don't have enough scraps to make any more blocks this size. So I changed the white squares on the corners from 1-1/2 inch to 2 inches, and made each of the four blocks in a different fabric and I think I like it better. I just turned down the outside corners to see what it will look like, and I like it. Now I have to rip apart all the blocks I have made so far. I also had to buy some fabric because I don't have any purple or lavender, which is the February color, and I didn't have much medium blue either. I don't think I have any aqua or turquoise either, but I'll worry about that next month.

That's it for me. Tomorrow I'm leveling dirt if the wind is under 20mph.

Linking to:
My Quilt Infatuation
Can I get a Whoop Whoop

Overwhelming

Yesterday, while looking for those elusive Machingers quilting gloves, I unpacked a box of notions and a few bags of blocks. I am out of space to put any more notions and I don't even know what some of these things are. Most of the stuff in this box came from my mother when she decided to quit sewing, and she has long since forgotten what they are.  They may not even be for sewing; she also did needlepoint and crochet.  Any idea what these are for?

A couple of people said in the comments that they thought they might really be hair clips, but they are too thick and the teeth are only at the tip of the clip. So I'm sure that's not what they are. I had called mom before making this post and asked if she remembered them, and she was blank. She couldn't even remember having them. I'm like that these days myself. I pulled a cast iron griddle out of a box one day. I had completely forgotten I had it and had bought another one recently. So now I have two.

They might be some kind of quilt clips, but a google search didn't find any quilt clips like them. They are black plastic, with markings of 1", 2", and 3" and squeeze open like a hair clip. Inside the clip are rows of teeth, about an inch or so long at the tip.  In the same bag was the little screwdriver.  It may not have anything to do with the clips though.

Also in the box were embroidery hoops, four pairs of scissors, bobbins, thread, pins, needles, and earrings.  Earrings?  Yes, really tacky clip on earrings.  Wonder where they came from and why I felt the need to keep them - questions that will probably never have an answer.

Weekly Reports for the Fifth Week of 2018

As I mentioned yesterday, I have been making string blocks with leaders and enders. I thought I'd make them half square and make pinwheels. I love pinwheels. Only doing half the block in strings makes the block go fast, which is good for making a lot of blocks, but it is also a little more work too. Once I get them put in pinwheels, I'm going to do the quilt as you go method on them. I haven't picked a sash color yet, but I'm thinking red or blue.

I looked at the picture and thought "Oh no, I cut some too small!" Then it dawned on me that I joined the four on the left yesterday. Maybe I need a nap already.

I had a great week in the sewing room this week. For the first time in a long time, I feel like I really got some things accomplished. Maybe it was the sinus infection and not feeling like I should leave the house for days, or maybe I'm finally getting a little organized. In any case, I sewed every day, worked on my cabinet one day, and found a box of scraps so I could start making leader and ender string blocks again. I think I like making string blocks as leaders and enders because they don't require any thought and I can keep my attention on the piecing of the main project.

I know this chart looks odd, but I wanted to keep January and February separate. I ended January with 25 out of 31 days spent sewing. That's an 81% average, so not too bad. So far in February, mind you it's only 3 days, I'm at 100%.

I also finally have some usage to report on the stash, although since I found a box of fabric, my overall number has gone up. But the main thing is that I didn't buy any new fabric. I managed to finish the wallhanging with fabric already bought.

Although the chart below doesn't show this specifically, I have bought 3-1/2 yards in 2018, and used 2-1/2 yards.  One more yard used and I will have my stash showing no real gain, although I am adding stash numbers as I unpack fabric.  After I am unpacked, I may go back and change my reports from the beginning to show actual gain just from purchases.

I mentioned that I also worked on my cabinet. I finished putting in shelves last night and couldn't wait to put fabric in it. I was pleased that all my quilting cotton (except for planned projects) fit in it. Now my other bookshelf can be used for flannels, batting, and projects. It really is beginning to come together.

I hope you have had a good sewing week too, and if not, best wishes for the week ahead. Check the links below to see how other quilters are doing, and join in if you can.

Linking to:
15 Minutes to Stitch at Life in Pieces
Sunday Stash at QuiltPaintCreate
Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than housework

Still Busting UFOs

I've been working on the wallhanging. Finished the flimsy Friday afternoon, and spent Friday evening unpacking boxes looking for my pins. I finally found a small, travel box with some pins and had almost enough. I'll have to work on a section and then finish pinning the rest. Hubby likes it and says it looks like a stained glass window. Of course, I was standing in front of a window while I was holding the flimsy up for him to see, so I guess it did.

I'm itching to quilt it using my new Westalee ruler foot. I just got it last week and haven't tried it out yet. I was going to practice on the wallhanging, but since Hubby likes that, I'll practice on some half-square string blocks I've been making as leaders and enders.

I like it!  At least the top.

The back isn't that great.  For one thing, I forgot to lower my feeddogs.  But that really wasn't the problem.  I had to adjust my needle tension by a couple of numbers.  Then it looked better.  I do want to find my magic gloves before quilting the wallhanging.  Free motion with oversized dishwashing gloves is cumbersome.

Eventually, I plan on making a pinwheel quilt-as-you-go with these blocks.

Linking over to Tish's Adventures in Wonderland who is keeping me focused on finishing UFOs. Thanks Tish!

P.S.  Hubby wasn't able to rent a hydraulic lift this weekend and that turned out to be a very good thing.  This morning it was very windy and this afternoon, it rained with a few thunderclaps thrown in for good measure.  Not a good time to be putting up an antenna.  But we still had someone fall off a ladder today.  It was Buddy.  I don't know why he likes to climb ladders; he is not good at coming down them.  Hubby had propped the big extension ladder against the shelves in the garage, and Buddy climbed up to one of the shelves.  When I called him, I heard something fall up there, and then he started down.  He made it about three steps rather quickly, and then the momentum must have been too much as he kind of slid down the rest of the steps and landed with a thud at the bottom.

February One Monthly Goal - or Make That Two Goals

My February Goals are to finish, down to the labels, these two quilts:

I started working on this orphan block as soon as I finished my January UFO. It isn't one of my twelve UFOs to finish for the year, but I named it in my quarterly goals since I was almost finished with Cars at the time. It is on my table now and I hope to have it to the flimsy stage by tomorrow. I still need a name, but since I plan to practice FMQ on it, it may be named Wednesday's Trash by the time I'm done.



It's a lucky coincidence that I had decided to finish this Double Irish Chain quilt in my first quarter goals, because it is listed as number nine in my year's list of UFOs and that is the number chosen by American Patchwork and Quilting's UFO Challenge on facebook. I chose it because I knew where it was. LOL It is small and I think I can quilt it myself which will make it possible to finish before the end of the month. I guess I need to start working on June's UFO so I have time to send it out for quilting, right?

So that's what I'll be doing this month. What about you?

Linking to:
February Goal Setting at Elm Street Quilts