Stash Report

I've been sewing like crazy on my crossroads and Irish chain quilts but only cut a quarter yard of new fabric for it. I did use ten yards making receiving blankets, and that accounted for most of my usage this week. I didn't buy any fabric, so that's a good thing.

Linking to Stash Report at Patchwork Times.

Design Wall Monday

Still working on the crossroads blocks. I also decided to start using up my boxes of little scraps making string blocks as leaders and enders. I think I may be in danger of not finishing my UFO of the month either. Eek! I'd better hop to!

If you remember from last week, I originally made the crossroads blocks 7-1/2 inches and then decided that was too big, so cut then down to 6-1/2 inches. Being the frugal sort, I thought I'd use the cut off strips to make some string blocks. What a nightmare that was! Not only were all those strips cut on the bias, but they were so narrow that they stretched and curved as I stitched. And it took a lot to make a block. So after one block, I decided those scraps were better off in the trash.

I used that one block to make a pot holder. I thought it would be an easy way to practice free-motion quilting, and boy was I wrong about that. The center wasn't too bad, but there is nothing to hold onto at the edges. I also wanted to try out a method of binding a potholder where the end of the binding was also used to make the hanging loop. I'm not sure I did that right, but it worked. I first used binding that was too narrow and tried to trim the bulk of the potholder to make it turn, but then gave up and made 2 inch binding and just double folded the end that made up the hanging loop. By the time I finished, my potholder wasn't quite square anymore, but since it is just for me, who cares?

On the wall:

Linking to:
Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times 29
Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt
Main Crush Monday at Cooking up Quilts
Design Board Monday at Bits 'n Bobs

Stash Buster Report December 13, 2015

No quilt fabric coming in this week, so that's a good thing. I had to say no quilt fabric because I did buy a quarter yard of some fabric to cover speaker doors. But that doesn't count, right? I didn't think so.


Not much fabric out either as I have mostly been using fabric I cut last week.

I've been trying to work on this quilt every day and set a goal of eight blocks per day, but there were several days that didn't see a single block completed. Life does get in the way some weeks and this was a hum-dinger. Better luck next week.

Linking to Stash Report at Patchwork Times.

Design Wall Monday

Hubby went hunting this weekend so I got a lot of work done on my new quilt. But when Hubby is gone, I don't sleep well and I made up for it this morning, so I'm getting a late start today.

This is based off a quilt I saw in a quilt store. I also found some similar online with the name Summer Porch. Eleanor Burns has a pattern that is similar but different, also called Summer Porch. I thought these would be just the right colors and pattern for my grandmother's four poster bed.

The living room/sewing room is in sewing room mode again and the design wall is up. So much easier than the floor for bigger pieces.

I started by measuring the bed and decided that seven inch blocks would line up best across it. But after I made quite a few blocks, I thought they were too big, or maybe it was too much color and the sashing looked too small. So I cut the blocks down to six inches and like it much better. Now I have a lot of one inch strips, so I can see some strip quilts in my future.

Linking to
Patchwork Times
Love, Laugh, Quilt
Bits 'n Bobs
Cooking up Quilts

Scrappy coasters

I have to say I. LOVE. THESE. COASTERS! They are quick and easy to make and so doggone cute. I had enough of the same fabrics to make two, and then had to start digging through the scrap bins to find enough similar fabrics to finish out four. I can just see these made with holiday fabrics too - Christmas, Valentines. And what a great gift idea too. Can you see how excited I am? It's because they are so easy. Literally took me 5 minutes to make once I had the fabrics. Digging through the scrap bins took about twenty minutes. lol



I searched all the local shops and couldn't find a hexagon ruler, so made mine out of cardboard. Not the greatest but it will work until I can buy one. In the picture, you'll notice the upper one isn't finished. I wanted to show my neighbor and fellow quilter how to make these.  I know she will be smitten also.

I mentioned this in my last post, but I'll say it again, that I saw these coasters on Lisa J's blog: sunlight in winter quilts. She has a link to a tutorial for them.

Thanks Lisa!



Linking to
Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework.
Love, Laugh, Quilt