FEBRUARY LEADER/ENDER ROUND UP
Monkey Wrench
7.5 inch
For quite some time I've been trying to empty a couple of boxes of HST and triangle pieces and parts that have accumulated over the years. I've mostly been using them as leader/enders. The black paisley parts were in a baggie someone gave me. I cut some low volume backgrounds to go with them. Then found other parts to turn them into Monkey Wrench blocks for my collection.
More Monkey Wrench (7.5 inch) blocks. These HST part were in a separate little baggie and I think most were my doing.
If I don't have four matching HSTs but have 2 matching HSTs then I pair them up with others and make Broken Dishes blocks. The Broken Dishes are made with 4.5 inch unfinished HSTs. I think most of the colored parts were in a baggie that came from someone else.
Toward year end all of the Broken Dishes and Monkey Wrench blocks will get made into comfort quilts for donation to various places.
Still showing this month's leader/enders:
More 8 inch Broken Dishes...
...and some six inch Broken Dishes.
Also this month I used some leftover bits and pieces of scraps from making little Friendship Stars for Hearts and Hands - 3 inch Bow Ties for my large collection and 4 inch Indian Hatchet blocks.
More leader/ender HST strips for my vintage inspired quilt. Only the center strip were my pieces left over from making Clarissa.
Also I made some more 3 inch Nine Patches for my new start - Whirl. These are being strip pieced. I sew the strips together then cut pieces to sew together as leader/enders.
I ended up with a little assortment of HSTs that went into the Parts Department and I will probably use them in orphan quilts.
Then there was a little scrap processing- I cut leftover scraps into 2 inch squares.
Then a couple more heart blocks - Slabs with hearts in the middle. I started making these last year as a Rainbow Scrap Project and only need a few more blocks for a child's quilt. I guess I will try to finish those up in April when I work on crumbs, strings and orphans.
In March the theme in my sewing room will be '30s.
FEBRUARY READING LIST
1. The Saints of Swallow Hill by Donna Everhart. - Depression era historical fiction. I do like to read about how people might have survived during the Depression. Before I read this book I did not know anything about turpentine camps.
2. Perfect Alibi by Sheldon Siegel. - Another Daley/Fernandez legal thriller. It is #7 in the series and I've read 1-6. It always looks like they will lose their case but never do.
3. The House At The End of the World by Dean Koontz. This was classified as mystery, thriller, suspense. I think several years ago it might have been classified as science fiction but times change. This book gave me a few things to think about.
4. Worthy by Catherine Ryan Hyde. From ereads.com: "Catherine Ryan Hyde is well known for her beautiful stories of people who are on the down and out. The inspirational stories of people who never stop fighting to find the relationships that they are missing in their life can leave you wondering which Catherine Ryan Hyde book to read next." I've read a lot of her books. Wish these stories could happen in real life to down and out folks.
5. Ghostwriter by A.R. Torres . - I finished it but thought it a little slow moving and not really a worthwhile read.
6. The Irish Nanny by Sandy Taylor. - WW2 historical fiction. This is another era of history I like to read about but I thought this book was another one that was slow moving and actually the story was kind of weird. As WW2 historical fiction goes, and I've read a lot of fiction and non--fiction books about WW2, this one barely makes a C grade from me.
7. The Existential Worries of Mags Munroe by Jean Grainger. I just finished this one up last night in the middle of the night which is when I do most of my reading. I liked it and queued up book 2 in the Mags Munroe series. She is a Guarda in Ireland. She solved a mystery but along the way she does a bit of funny musing or I guess you'd call it existential worrying.
FEBRUARY GARDENING
I did a bit of winter sowing this month. On February 6 I started some seeds that need 60 days of stratification. The plants will eventually go into my native wildflower area. I planted seeds of Rocky Mt. Columbine, Virginia Bluebells ,Jacob's Ladder, Rattlesnake Master, Cardinal Flower, Hoary Vervain, Indian Physic, Wild Quinine, Meadow and Prairie Blazing Star, Wild Geranium and Royal Catchfly. Seeds that require 30 days of stratification planted the same day were Foxglove Beardtongue, Pearly Everlasting and Yellow Coneflower. And I also sowed some Pandora Poppies to go into the cottage garden.
On February 25 I winter sowed Scarlet Peony, Black Peony, Jimi's Flag, Hen and Chicks, Mother of Pearl and Pandora Poppies (in the milk jugs). Also for the cottage garden I sowed Painted Tongue, Love Lies Bleeding and Nicotiana. I also sowed annual Scabiosa, Magic Fountain Delphinium, Tassel Flower and Black King Dianthus for the cutting garden and for a shady area and fairy garden area I sowed Columbine Leprechan Gold, Historic Pansies Mix and Bunny Ears, Floral Days and Miniola Heart Violas.
If you want to know more about Winter Sowing just Google it and you will find a lot of interesting articles. When I started winter sowing years ago there was very little information.
And today my grandson Jacob celebrates his 14th birthday. Gosh how time flies!
11 comments:
Love seeing your scrappy blocks! Those hearts with the crumb surround are a fun idea. I've enjoyed Catherine Ryan Hyde's books, too, but haven't read that one - I'll have to put it on my list. You've been an energetic gardener - I bet you'll have some beautiful blooms this summer!
lots of variety going on there!
Loved looking at all this variety of blocks, Cathy. So much eye candy to look at. You certainly know how to make use of every little scrap. Really like the hearts appliquéd in the centre of the slabs. How big did you make the slabs?
February is the shortest month and look at all you accomplished! Here's to some more finishes so you can indulge in a few starts. 8" broken dishes? More like broken platters, at that size.
I was getting dizzy from reading about all of your accomplishments this month! Makes me think that I may have been in a coma? That author who writes about down and out people sounds interesting. I will check her out. Do you read real books or audio? I like real ones where I can turn the pages.
Cathy
Wish you lived close I would give you my scraps since they are so overwhelming for me to tackle. Love seeing all you do with eve ry size scrap.
Love seeing all your creations.
Janice
Wow - so much colorful goodness! I am intrigued by the idea of larger broken dishes blocks. Mine have always been made with 2-3" HSTs. Hmmm. I've not read any of the authors you shared. I do like down-and-out survivor stories so I need to check out Catherine Ryan Hyde.
I'm so intrigued with your winter sowing! Such fantastic flower names, too! Like poetry for your gardens.
Can't wait to see what you create with these bits. Love Jean Grainger books.
You always have such a variety of blocks in progress. They all look good.
I just finished composting the old leaves and putting down new mulch. Plus a bit of filling in on some liriope that didn't make it this winter. I need to fill a couple of pots and then try to keep everything watered as it's already hitting the 80s here.
I try not to spend too much time on the computer as it tends to be a black hole if I let it. Your blog is never a waste of time! It's so motivating that I tend to accomplish a lot more than I would have otherwise. Thank you for the time you put into writing and taking photos to share. (I also love the book reviews!)
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