{Post 1,182} Swapping Blocks? Shirts Abound!

My e-friend, Ruth, mentioned she was going to make a Virginia Bound (and take the class with Bonnie Hunter).  It got me to thinking...would anyone want to swap a set of 4 blocks for this quilt with me?  By blocks, I mean 4 units sewn together like this.  In other words, 4 of these:

If you do, let me know!  We can set up a deadline in the future, maybe September 1 ??  I love doing swaps with people I "know", even if we've never met in person.

~Joan

{Post #1,182} Some Sewing Time

I still don't have my new camera.  Bear with me while I post on my tablet.

Finished the wedding quilt top this AM.  I will post a picture after it is quilted.  INCREDIBLY boring...checkerboard of 2 fabrics.  

The shirt strings abound.  Now that the wedding quilt is out of the way, I am going to focus on finishing up my Squares Surrounded.  Here is a long piece of paper-pieced border.  I need to measure to see just how much I need.  

I am also starting string blocks for a quilt made with 20 of these blocks.  I printed the templates on phone book pages.  Then lines are really easy to see.  I was pleased and surprised that I could use my old phone book for these.  The original pattern is called "Virginia Bound", but I am going to call it "Shirts Abound".  Very clever, huh?

{Post 1,181} Catching Up

I haven't been posting a lot for several reasons.  The primary reason is that my camera broke.  I thought it was just needing a new battery (the old one was purchased in 2009!).  So I ordered a new one, and it came in after a few days.  Still not working!  I ordered a new camera Saturday.  Of course, that means learning a new camera.    I don't like learning new things that previously were second-nature.  But I shall learn again!

Last week I started putting out patriotic decor.  In January I bought a very faded wooden flag hanger that had potential.  Problem was, I couldn't find it.  Hmmm...

Found it this AM in the storage cabinets in my laundry room.  Oh, yeah, why didn't I look there in the first place?  Well, truth is, I did.  I just didn't see it.  There were a few things in the way.  So I purged and reorganized those four 6-feet tall cabinets this AM.  Here it is on the wall outside my front door.  Picture taken with my Acer tablet (another new skill!):

The search for the missing flag sparked a clean-o-rama here at the Parker Ranchero.  I started with our "under-steps closet".  You know, the one under your steps that has an awkward diagonal receding back wall and little storage space?  The one that you stuff with so much stuff that you can't get to the shelves at the back?  The one where the pile of new return vent filters are sliding all over a shelf?  The one where the box of your paints and brushes has spilled all over the floor, but you can't reach them because you'd have to risk life and limb to collect them again?  What--you don't have one of these?  Well, I do, and now ours has...wait for it...EMPTY shelves and floor space!!!  

The transformation was so inspiring that Saturday I did the next biggest trash heap--my walk-in closet.  My husband and I both have walk-in closets.  They are not huge, but they are there.  Mine would more accurately be called a lean-in closet, because I literally could not step one foot in there.  I grudgingly pulled EVERYTHING out of it (except my hanging clothes) and went through each and every item.  I went through each item on my hanging rod as well.  Ended up with 2 garbage bags of clothes to donate to Goodwill.  

My other reason for starting with these two closets was so I could move some of my seasonal wreaths and non-quilt wall hangings to the understeps closet.  That would keep them all together, and I can turn around in my closet without fear of losing an eye to a grapevine end or a wayward pine branch.

This AM I sewed a little while.  I have my Shooting Star blocks laid out on my design walls.  I put both walls together so I could spread out the whole quilt top.  I have two rows completely pieced and have the third laid out and partially sewn.

On the left side is a signature quilt I am making for a wedding that is in a couple weeks.  The cream has a little print in it.  I'll show a close-up later (after my new camera arrives and is used into submission).  It will be 14 x 16 blocks (4" finished) with a 4" border all around.

The missing block in my Shooting Star quilt is under the foot of my sewing machine.  I'm using the parts for leader/enders while I sew the wedding quilt.

{Post 1,180} Chalkboard Ideas

Yesterday I did a little redecorating at the Parker ranchero. We were going out for salads with a couple.  It was the husband's birthday.  Can you guess his name?

The above sign was made at the last minute.  I had things to do inside!  I "shopped my house" for all these items and come up with a patriotic mantle.  A little early, but our friends were coming over (and the Valentine mantle had to go) as well as my daughter is coming today.  

Here's a little patriotic decor to inspire you:

I got the chalkboard idea from a picture I saw from a woman who designs "chalkboard" printouts on Photoshop.  Mine is hand drawn (evident by the variation in the letter size!).  

Those shutters might never come down from the mantle.  I am making a couple patriotic wreaths some time soon.

Now it's outside to plant a few annuals and a lovely white digitalis/foxglove plant I procured yesterday.

{Post 1,179} Bonus Triangle Quilt Idea

Finally, I have hit upon an idea for a quilt to use up the HST bonus units from my Shooting Star quilt.  Here is the picture I found on the internet.  There was no name mentioned to which I should give credit.  This means a lot more rummaging through my shirts and much more cutting, but I think it will be worth it.  This is not a race, and there is no deadline.

Here's the 4 blocks I've pieced so far.  I wanted to see if it made a difference which way the pinwheels turned.  I inadvertently made 25 of them with one orientation and 25 of the other.  My guess is that if I didn't point it out, no one would notice!  The two blocks in the left half of the block have pinwheels turning in opposite directions, while the two blocks on the right have identically oriented blocks.

{Post 1,178} New Hexie Project

This is my new hexagon project (handwork for traveling and waiting places).  I wasn't going to start one of these, but I like the handwork for keeping busy on the road.  We've been traveling a lot lately, but it does come in spurts.

I saw a hexagon project lately where some of the blossoms were fussy cut.  I don't have a lot of fabrics with which I can do that, but there are a few.  So I am embarking on a queen-sized hand made (cut, sewn, quilted) quilt so I can sleep under it a few times before my kids put me in a nursing home.  Thinking l-o-n-g term here!

Yesterday the mailman brought me the little diamond pieces.  Whew--they are tiny.  When I first saw them, I assumed they were the wrong size, but no--perfect fit!  They are one-inch long on one side.  The hexagons are also one-inch long per side.  

My plan for now is to sew a blossom all the way out to the cream ring then join it to the mother ship.  We'll see how that goes.

In the picture, the green diamonds are not sewn onto the blossom.  I just wanted to show how it would look (sorta) when they would be.  I am making the greens scrappy.  

{Post 1,177} Family Picture

Here are some pictures from this past Sunday, Mother's Day.  Rachel (15) gave me the idea of having a lady in our church who is a photographer take some family pictures.  This is the first time we have all been together in nearly a year.  

My oldest son is driving to Arizona as I type.  Next is a daughter who lives in Wisconsin.  Her next younger sister (the mother of my grandson) lives in Florida.  Next just moved over an hour away.  Next lives in northwest Georgia.  Only 3 kids at home.  A very good idea to take some pictures.  Yes, yes it was. 

Four generations: