grandma's hankies

I had forgotten about this project......  Grandma's hankies.....  soon after she passed, I started making her hankies into quilt blocks.......

I have kept them in one of her vintage suitcases (why I forgot about them, it was stashed away under the bed).

I pulled them out today, and looks like I have 9 blocks done.......

Hankies aren't easy to work with - I used a muslin backing (I think 12''?) and cut corners from the hankies and used spray adhesive to arrange them - then used monofilament to zigzag them onto the muslin.  The hard part is that they are SO sheer and delicate, so you can see through most of them.  The blocks are lovely in person though, and they will make a great quilt.  I think I will use sashing/cornerstones between them.  I still have quite a few hankies - so maybe I can make at least 16-20 total blocks.

Not sure when I'll get back to working on it, but I think that I will do a lace edging on this quilt - something different from the classic binding.......

UPS delivery

I got a wonderful package delivered by the UPS man yesterday.  Isn't it lovely?!!!

equilateral triangles

Well, the flimsy is done for the equilateral triangles quilt.  It's approx 80x80 and when it's quilted, I'll definitely have to either hang it for a pic or have two helpers to hold it!

I am going to quilt it in straight lines on the 60 degree angle.  Maybe I'll get it basted tomorrow if I can get the backing pieced tonight......

hexie progress

I have been patiently waiting for my FMF to start working again on my hexagon quilt, but I did finally break down and make a few more since FMF hasn't arrived to my mailbox yet :(

Swoon center block

I really like this block, so it's going to be the center block of my Swoon quilt :)

I think I'm going to try to get this quilt top done ASAP.  I have all the blocks cut and it's simple assembly......

dilemma continued.....

OK, this is what I'm *thinking* of doing for this dilemma - excuse the kindergarten-ish sketch! LOL

Do you think it needs borders on the sides?  Or would same-color binding be enough?  I would make the strips between the same width as the rows of triangles so that the quilting could be continuous (and with a contrasting thread, that would be kinda neat).

dilemma.......

I have a dilemma.  I miscalculated on how much yardage I'd need to make an 80x80 quilt (for a wedding present) with 4'' equilateral triangles.  I have been sewing them into horizontal strips about 80'' wide, and now I realized that it's only going to be 80x60 with the material I have cut/sewn.

Hubby says, ''Perfect.  Throw it together.  Be done with it''.  That just won't work for me!  An 80'' wide and 60'' long quilt just will NOT do.  I could probably get more of SOME of the fabrics, and I do have a little more of most of the solids.  Only 6 rows are actually sewn together.......  hmm, I guess I could go see what I CAN get more of and work rows of those materials with the solids between the rows of the one's with all the fabrics......  Or I could do a sashing/border treatment of some sort?  Ideas anybody?

edited to add:  so, I have 15 horizontal rows, each 80'' long (wide).  One idea is to sew them into groups of 5 rows, with a 5'' solid strip between them.  solid/triangles/solid/triangles/solid/triangles/solid - possibly?

TAG!

I'm playing along with a little game of "Tag Your It"!  Jenny @ SewKindOfWonderful tagged me.  I thought it sounded like fun and is a good way to get to know a little bit more about someone and share a little something about yourself!

Rules:
Answer some questions. Post some questions. Tag some people. It's Cain's 11-11-11 plan.

Jenny's questions to me are:

1.) What is your favorite snack?
      This may sound weird, but it's yummy - cheddar cheese slices with lightly salted carrots (peeled, cut into finger-size pieces).  MMMM.

2.) Besides quilting what your next favorite hobby?
     woodworking (I'll show some of my work in a separate posting)

3.) If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?
     Charlotte Lake (my mom has a cabin, and it's SUPER secluded, and I of course have a treadle sewing machine there since there is no electricity, hehe)

4.) Where does your inspiration come from?
     other blogs

5.) How much fabric are you hoarding right now?
     Not as much as some.  Maybe 40-50 yards?  At least half in pre-cuts though.

6.) Do you where makeup, and if you do, how often do you put it on?
     Unfortunately, I'm allergic to makeup :(

7.) What is your favorite part of the quilting process?
     planning! especially fabric selection :)

8.) Are you a part of any local Quilt Guilds?
     No

9.) How many quilting projects are you currently working on?  
      currently working on 3 (a wedding quilt w/ equilateral triangles, the Urban 9-patch, and a scrappy Swoon), but I have more than a dozen UFO's partially pieced and about a dozen tops waiting to be quilts.

10.) If we went to a movie, what type of movie would you pick out?
       comedy

11.) If we went out for dinner, what restaurant would you pick?
      Four Seasons buffet in Burlington, yum :)  So much variety, there is always something that sounds good.....




I have tagged:


Marci @ Marci Girl Designs
Peggi and Cindi @ Seams to be you and me
Natalia @ Piece N Quilt
Shannon @ pieceful kwilter 
Sinta @ Pink Pincushion

Swooning scrappily part Deux

My second scrappy Swoon block is done!

I pressed all the seams open as I assembled this one - and although it was a MUCH bigger pain in the arse, it *does* lay a lot flatter, so I think I'll press the seams open on the rest of the blocks too........  only 7 more to go......

HOW many HST's?

I am making my Swoon blocks with all HST's instead of some flying geese blocks.  That means a LOT of HST's.  A. LOT.

I am one that likes to prepare all the pieces before starting assembly.  I have ONE block assembled of 9.  And, so, by my calculations I need 336 more HST's.  I really HOPE I did my figuring right and this is 336 blocks pressed and ready to trim.  Yes, I have to TRIM all of these blocks, EEEK!  Although, I did go ahead and press the seams open on these, so the next 8 should be neater and lay flatter than my first block (I didn't realize how bulky some of the seams would be by pressing to the side like I normally do!)  I have to take trimming little by little as it seems my left thigh goes numb when standing at the cutting table too long :P  It's been doing that for some time now, one of the consequences of getting old, egads :P

(almost) wordless Wednesday

I got out my project box yesterday for my scrappy Swoon....  lots of HST's to press (and a few more to make).

another possible layout?

I was thinking trying to make it kinda star-like, but this emerged.......  not sure about it, but it would have to be offset since the layout will be 11x11 blocks......

my 9 March 'block lotto' blocks

made from a charm pack of ''Botany'':

more HST layout

a few more options, but I'm still not 'feelin' it' on any of these either :P  The first one is my least favorite :(

HST layout.....

I'm having a hard time deciding on the layout for my HST's.......  this is from a charm pack of WeePlay, and of course AFTER I sewed and cut apart all the little HST's, I thought I should have made this a values pillow top..... but some HST's have two lights, and some have two darks :(  It's *kinda* working anyhow, but I'm just not sure......

this isn't quite all the squares - it will be 11x11 HST's.  Maybe I should just throw them in a bag and randomly sew them together in all directions?  Kinda like Katie's ''HST Love'' quilt?  I will continue pressing and trimming the remaining squares and maybe sew it together tomorrow (hopefully after some input!)

2'' HST's

Here is a short tutorial on making tiny 2'' HST's from charm squares:

Take 2 charm squares - on the lighter of the two, draw two diagonal lines from the corners forming an X.  Sew a 1/4'' seam from both lines on both sides..........

then first cut  vertically and horizontally in the center, then on your pencil marks creating 8 triangles:

Now, if you have done a scant 1/4'', you could possibly get 2 1/8'' HST's from these, but I just went ahead and squared them up to 2'':

These 88 little HST's will go into making a coordinating pillow cover to go with my Pezzy pillow :)  I'm still deliberating on the layout.  I wish I would have thought of it before, but I should have done a values pairing with my charms!  The top row of 5 pairings could be used in a values layout, but not the other 6 piles I don't think :(

coming up.......

coming up: a mini tutorial on how to make eight 2'' HST's from 2 charm squares.......