{Post #915} Hexagons

I worked on my hexagon quilt a little this AM.  I was staying at the flea market with Rachel while she sold her homemade goodies.  Here is my Grandmother's Flower Garden hexagon project so far...it measures 20" x 30" at its widest parts.

I just have one more row of blossoms to go down the right side.  There's light at the end of the tunnel!

Must be the influence of Pinterest, but I have all kinds of decluttering/repurposing/redecorating ideas floating around in my head.  I think this quilt will go either in my bathroom or above the head of my bed.  I want to hand quilt it like Natasha did hers (but hers is much larger, and if I'm not mistaken, nearly finished).

Bonnie is having another yard sale Saturday on March 3.  I will be selling my two hand-quilting hoops--one oval and one for borders, as well as numerous books and patterns.  I hope to have better pictures this go-round.  I also have a queen-sized quilt that I no longer use that I made a long time ago.  Everything went marvelously last time.  Be ready to participate on March 3.

Off to cheer for Rachel's basketball team in about 15 minutes.  At her game last night, I met a new quilting friend (hi, Penny!) whose daughter is on the same team.  We never met until last night.  As we were standing there talking, I told her there were some strings on the side of her vest and did she want me to pull them off?  She said she had been sewing before she came, and that certainly got my attention.  Then she corrected herself and said she had not been sewing, she had been PIECING A QUILT TOP!!  Needless to say, we had a LOT to talk about for the next hour.  She is a fairly new quilter.  I gave her my blog address.  I'm sure we'll chat a bit more at the game today :)

I laid out 36 my Florabunda blocks last night.  I am at that crucial point where I need to determine how large the finished product should be.  Since the blocks finish at 9 inches, this is 54" square at this point.  That does not seem large enough.

I will have to let those marinate for a while.

~Joan

{Post #914} Florabunda x 36 & Lamp

Here are 36 Florabunda blocks, a la Bonnie.

Yesterday my husband and I attended a funeral for the brother of one of his co-workers.  On the long way there we passed an IKEA store in Charlotte.  My mind immediately went back to Bonnie's lamp.  I didn't even know where there was an IKEA store around my home!  


The bulb for my sewing machine costs about $5, and one only lasts for about 3 months.  So we stopped on the way back and I got one.  Mind is RED.  Live-a-little red (long story there).  


Light on:

Light off:

What a difference.  My sewing machine bulb was on in both pictures.  This light was great.  $9.99 plus tax!


Good night!


~Joan

{Post #913} Hopskotch Quilt Top

I've had the center of this pieced for some time.  Speaking of time, I had precious little of it yesterday.  Oh, still the same number of HOURS, but way too many unexpected "waiting room" of time added in.  Anyway...


There were only two things I really wanted to get accomplished yesterday.  I did 1-1/2.  One was add the Velcro and leaders to my HQ frame so that I could give it a test run.  That was done.


I put the borders on this quilt.  Very unexciting but time-wise borders.  One solid piece of fabric!  This will be my first test-run of the new frame.


This measures 52" square.  I practiced drawing several designs on my white board last night while I waited (yet again) for my girls to come to the van after youth group last night.

An odd color, eh?  I like the old timey look of it.


I hope to get some of this quilted in the next few days.  


~Joan

{Post #912} Bow Tie Unit Measurements

I have had several ask what size my bow tie block units are cut.  There are lots of versions out there.  Here is mine.


Creams (or neutrals) are cut 2" square.  Prints are cut 2" square (2 of them) and 2 pieces 1-1/4" square.  Sew the 1-1/4" squares onto the corners of the creams, trim and press.  


Here is Bonnie's tutorial.  I used her sizes.


~Joan

{Post #911} More Bow Tie Blocks and SCRAPS

OK--so these really ARE scraps.  Susie saw these on my cutting table and asked "Are you keeping THOSE??"  She knows my affinity for using it all.  These, however, did go into the trash.  I figure by the time I took off a seam allowance there wouldn't be enough fabric showing to determine color!!  These are the trimmings from the little squares for my bow tie blocks.

Here is my progress on the bow tie blocks.  I don't have any more cut right now.  

I need to take Benjamin to the doctor's for an ear infection.  Poor kid.  Can't even remember the last time he saw a doctor, but it hasn't been in the last 6 years.  Fortunately, my family doctor accepted him as a new patient and we go in about 10 minutes.


~Joan

{Post #910} Valentines & Pepper

Well, truth be told, my husband and I are not much on gift-giving, especially to each other.  I finished up at the Y this AM before him, and so I went to our car to read until he came out.  When he got in the car, he said, "I mustache you to be my Valentine" and gave me this lollipop...

I only left the lollipop in my mouth long enough for Susie to get the picture.  It just wasn't worth the calories.


Here are Isaac and Pepper after returning from their walk this AM...Isaac has been Pepper's main caregiver.  She gets so excited when she has her harness put on!  She can barely wait to get going.  I took at least 10 pictures of the two of them, and this is the only one in which Pepper was NOT a blur.  A tail in motion tends to stay in motion!

Happy Valentine's Day to all!


~Joan

{Post #909} New Project and Heart Garland

My favorite 17-year-old asked me if I wanted to watch a movie and hang out in the sewing room tonight.  Music to my ears.  She made this beautiful garland out of poster board...

I started making these.  I tried to resist, but I made some for my BFF, Julie.  Now I'm hooked.  They take next to no time to cut and sew (really!).  I'll have a queen-sized quilt out of these babies in no time!  {right}

Each bow tie block is 3-1/2" unfinished.  I decided to go ahead and put 4 scrappy blocks together like this as I make them.  This block measures 6-1/2" square.  I am going all rogue and mixing Thimbleberries and non-T'b again.


Happy Valentine's Day tomorrow.


~Joan