It's A Top! Tussie-Mussies

 

It's a top! 

Tussie-Mussies

60 x 80

The pattern is called Sunburst and is found in the book Making Quilts with Kathy Doughty.

"God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December". --J.M. Barrie

***

Merry Christmas!

Our day is quiet with just the two of us. We are celebrating this day like we celebrate all others. Well, I guess I am also celebrating with the ghosts of Christmas past today. 

New String Projects

 

My boxes of strings are overflowing so time to do something with them. When I fig into strings I make blocks for a couple of different quilts - at least one that uses long strings and at least one that uses shorter strings. 

With long strings I am making 12 inch Wonky Log Cabin blocks with red centers and half of the block light. I think I might make a bigger quilt with 30 or 35 nlocks. 

I am making String X blocks with shorter strings. Someone gave me those 5 inch squares I will use for the block corners. There were just the right amount of squares so it was meant to be.

Someone gave me twelve 10.5 inch half triangles of a gray floral. I used them as half of a string block and the gray will be a String Star background. I went to assemble the little String Star top and am missing two blocks, darn it. I have been processing a lot of scraps, organizing orphan blocks, parts and partially finished projects from others as well as piecing backings so who knows where my missing blocks are. 

And sew on...

The Cross Stitch Ornies

A few weeks ago I showed a little box of cross stitch ornament kits I picked up from the thrift store many years ago that I was going to work on this month. I haven't finished all of the little kits yet but I am tired of working on the ornaments and have now moved on to work on the embroidery on a pillow - another kit picked up from the thrift store many years ago. More on that later.

I have been displaying the finished ornies in my great grandmother's goofus glass red and green bowl. And that is the extent of my Christmas decorating. 

And sew on...

 

Another Round

I started making Pie Bird blocks back in November. My goal is 35 ten inch blocks. I finished 5 blocks in November and then decided to work on the remaining 30 blocks all at one time. That is so I can process my scraps and cut all pieces for each round of every block. 

Two more rounds to go!

And sew on...

Oh Scrap! At Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework

***

Finished a book! The Bookseller of Kathmandu by Ann Bennett. I was expecting  historical fiction but I think it was more of a mystery and love story. I still liked the book. 

***

I was a lucky girl this week. I received a box of scrappy goodness (and yummy sesame seed cookies) from Donna and a box with some yardage, quilt "seeds" with lots of potential and a beautiful handmade card from Linda.

***

My husband John is the oldest of eight siblings. Two of his brothers passed away a few years ago. His sister, the youngest, is now in hospice. She has been battling lung cancer metastatic to brain. Although John has a lot of health issues I am thankful he fought his battle with oropharyngeal cancer many years ago and I still enjoy his company. 

 

Roses In December

 

I have completed my goal of twelve Sunburst blocks that finish at 20 inches.

And I remade the one that I was not happy with because there was not enough contrast. Now they are ready for assembly. 

"God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December"--J.M. Barrie

And sew on...

Finished Or Not Finished Friday at Alicia Quilts

****

Oh gosh. We had a power outage yesterday for about two and a half hours. And then when the power came back on our router had no power so we had no internet. The tech from the broadband company replaced the router power supply today and now we are back in business. 

Sixteen Patch Finish

It's a finish!

Sixteen Patch

63 x 84

Started December 2024. 

10.5 inch blocks made with 4 inch width strips. I used plaids and florals. That combination reminds me of my grandmother's quilts made of old dresses, aprons, and shirts. 

I quilted on the diagonals through the plaids.

The binding was floral and so was the backing.

And sew on...

Roses in December

 

I have finished a couple more Sunburst blocks. 

And sew on...

***

Oh joy! What a beautiful package of fabric arrived from Barbara!

Quilting

 

I made Sixteen Patch blocks last year with plaids and florals. They have been in my SAR ( some assembly required) bin until last week when I pulled them out and assembled a top. I have pieced a backing and pin basted it so now it is ready for quilting on my DSM. 

Stay tuned...

And sew on...

Boho Dandies

 

Boho Dandies

Blocks 53-69

Goal 225

Traditional block: The Dandy Quilt

Six inch blocks

Started Jan. 2024

Color scheme: scraps of grays, browns, electric oranges, sky blues and saturated purples.

And sew on...

Roses In December

Sunburst 

Blocks 2-5 of 12

In black, red, white and lots of rose prints

20 inch

Pattern from Making Quilts With Kathy Doughty 

I am not crazy about the block in the second pic because there is not enough contrast. I am not sure if I will leave it, take apart and remake with red points, or make one to replace it. 

" God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December" --J. M. Barrie

And sew on...

***

We had snow and bitterly cold temps yesterday. Right now it is -7 with real feel of -24. The house is creaking and moaning and working hard to keep us warm. Yesterday inside temp stayed around 64. Good thing I have some quilts!

Shirtings, Homespuns, Plaids and Then Some

 

I have some yardage of a few different homespuns. I thought I would combine those with some Civil War reproduction scraps and make 12 inch The Dandy Quilt blocks. I really like this block and have made several quilts with it over the years. 

30s repro swapped blocks

30s repro #2

The Dandy Garden

56 Shades of Envy

For a Dandy Veteran

Funny thing...while searching my blog for Dandy Quilts I saw that I had made quite a few blocks with scraps in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) colors of the month in 2022 and never did anything with them. Not sure where I put them. Hmmmm...

Uneven Shoofly

10 inch blocks

Shirts, homespun and plaid scraps combined with florals.

I have a big box of thrift store shirt scraps, homespun and plaids. I decided to make a couple of different quilts with the biggest scraps then after that I will decide on quilts to make with the smallest scraps. Moving forwarded I will probably make these as an RSC project with the floral in the color of the month. I have set aside some floral scrap chunks for these. Then I will combine with any shirtings,etc that are big enough to yield pieces for four HSTs and four 2.5 x 4.5 rectangles.

What looks like Disappearing Four Patch but made without making a Four Patch and cutting it apart. 

9 inch blocks

Shirts,etc combined with solid scraps.

I will probably make these as RSC project with either solid or shirt,etc scrap being the color of the month. Using 3.5 inch scraps to make these blocks.

This is the time of year when I assess all my scraps and decide how to use some of them in the new year. 

And sew on...

RSC ScrapHappy Saturday

It's A Top! Fairlawn Roses

 

It's a top!

Fairlawn Roses

84 x 110

I used all rose prints to make the blocks. The pattern, called Fairlawn, is from the book Making Quilts with Kathy Doughty. 

" God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December" --J.M. Barrie

. “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” – Abraham Lincoln ( although some attribute quote to Alphonse Karr)

“It will never rain roses: when we want to have more roses, we must plant more roses.”― George Eliot

I do love roses!

And sew on...

Finished or Not Finished Friday at Alicia Quilts

***

When I went outside to take photos of my quilt top I noticed a lot of animal footprints going through all my gardens. I think most are raccoon and deer and maybe fox. Oh my!

But some may belong to gnomes. Oh my!

Round One

 

Round One 

Thirty Pie Bird Blocks

I started making 10 inch Pie Bird blocks the other day. They are basically a Courthouse Steps variation. I made 5 blocks and then decided I wanted 35 total blocks. I also decided to work the rounds on all of my blocks at one time. That way I can cut all my required pieces for each round at one time. I cut a lot of the pieces for this round and part of round two when I was processing 2.5 inch width scraps. 

And sew on...

***

I had my wellness exam Tuesday. I am a healthy 73 year old lady. I am very thankful for good health.

***

Since Oct. 1 we have had 19 inches of snow. A lot of it finally melted yesterday but more is predicted for later today. 

***

Moira sent me some vintage blocks from her mothers collection. I will use them in comfort quilts.

Indian Hatchets

 

Indian Hatches

Blocks 215-234

Goal 234. Goal met!

Traditional block made of all colors of scraps

Inspired by a vintage quilt

Started Feb 2021

Sometimes I just have to wait for scraps to happen!

 If interested there are cutting instructions for five different sizes of blocks at Generations Quilt patterns. I made my blocks in a little different way. Hey, whatever works!

And sew on...

Boho Dandies

 

Boho Dandies

Blocks 33-52

Goal 225

Traditional block: The Dandy Quilt

Six inch blocks

Started Jan. 2024

Color scheme: scraps of grays, browns, electric oranges, sky blues and saturated purples.

And sew on...

Gum Wrapper Chain

 

I decided this month to work on my Gum Wrapper Chain quilt I started way back in 2022. It is a good thing to work on as a leader/ender if I have a supply of 1.5 inch squares. It was originally inspired by a postage stamp quilt I saw at the Q Is For Quilter blog. 

My project box was a little dusty. It contains postage stamps, black 1.5 inch squares and strips and small chunks. 

It also contains strips of nine 1.5 inch squares previously sewn together when I was making this as a leader/ender. 

I have now been adding black 1.5 inch squares to each end of the strips of nine squares. 

Then after the black squares are added to the strips I add white triangles cut with my Easy Angle ruler from a 1.5 inch width strip to each end of the strips. Then the strips get added to the panel. 

I guess I have a long way to go since I originally planned to make and join together 10 panels 90 inches long for a large bed quilt. I guess that is still the plan. 

Small steps...

And sew on...

Oh Scrap! At Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework

Scrap Processing

 

I finally finished up processing a box of 2.5 inch width scraps. Most have been given to me. Whenever I receive a box of scraps I sort through them with my little six inch ruler In hand to measure width. Then I put them in bins sorted by width. I usually have several projects going for each width of scrap. I have found that the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) is a good way to work on all of those projects- just pull scraps in the color of the month out of each bin and make the designated blocks. I am able to make a lot of comfort quilts using this method.

I have now cut up all pieces in the bin that were less than 4 squares or 10 inches or so in length. 

1. I cut 5 inch lengths for a free pattern called Charm Tuesday. I switched darks and lights for my quilt so have 104 dark 2.5 x 5 inch rectangles and 208 light. This is not a block quilt so I will probably assemble as a leader/ender. 

2. I cut a bunch of 2.5 x 4.5 rectangles. I have not counted them. That was just the size the scrap could be cut without waste. I can use these in future blocks like Two Rails or Potato Chip blocks. 

3. Bricks and Stones. The stones are 2.5 inch squares of black. The bricks are rectangles 2.5 x 4 inches. I have made 113 units out of a goal of 350 - 10 across x 35 down. I was able to cut 137  more bricks so will probably sew together bricks in the scraps in the color of the month each month.

4. 440 2.5 x 3.5 inch rectangles toward a goal of 800 for a "value quilt" similar to one I previously made. 

5. 2.5 inch squares. 

6. 1.5 x 2.5 rectangles. I put the light ones in with my potato chip blocks. I am using the rest in Pie Bird blocks. 

With any width of fabric (wof) pieces I will be making Rick Rack blocks as a RSC block. There are several free patterns and videos for this block. 

I will also be making Tennessee Blocks from 2.5 inch width scraps and squares. I will also use some contrasting solid scraps. I may use a mix of fabrics of similar value in making some of the blocks each month. 

I will also continue to make Buckeye Beauty blocks. The four patches in these blocks are made of 2.5 inch squares. 

I am going to process the box of 3.5 inch width scraps next.

And sew on...

RSC ScrapHappy Saturday