{Post 1,575} Not Progress After All

Well, I was just bragging on my speedy piecing skills. It's kinda like a long trip when you realize you're making great time, but you're completely lost. My quilt is composed of A and B blocks. A's have dark squares on the corner. B's have light squares. Instead of making 7 more B squares, I made 7 more A's. So now I have:

1.  A quilt that will be twice as large, that needs 14 more B blocks.

2.  A baby quilt that still needs 7 more B blocks.

3.  Another long-term scrap project, because I need another project like I need another hole in my head (to quote my grandmother).

4. A headache-free head, since this easy piecing has helped my headache of 3 days go away!!

Stay tuned to see which is correct. This was not a test. Just a fun piecing morning. This gives me the opportunity to add in some more brightly-colored squares as well. Win/win.

{Post 1,574} So Manly!

Last night I started a baby quilt for an acquaintance where I bank. She is expecting a boy at the end of February. I have been seeing this quilt on my Pinterest board, and finally pulled out the rotary cutter and got busy. Center squares are denim (goodbye, favorite jumper--we've had a long and glorious history, but it is time for you to move on...) that finish at 6" square. Outer squares are 2" finished. There are two blocks, the dark and light are opposite on each. Hence, the first 8 are finished and one extra just to see how it works. Just 7 blocks to go before I can set them together for the quilt center. Won't this be a charming baby boy quilt? All rugged and denim-y? The 2" squares are men's shirt fabrics. The blocks finish at 10" square.

{Post 1,573} Hand Quilting Under Way

A long time ago in a far-away place, I had happy Tuesday nights at QT...quilting time. I met with 3-4 other ladies every Tuesday night to work on a hand sewing project. Those days were welcome and happy. This was starting back in '92, as in 1992. Seems like a million years ago. 

As I thought back to them, I decided to start QT at my house. But I am calling mine Sit 'N Sew. Tuesday nights from 7-9 at my house. No food is served. Everyone brings their own beverage if they want. Last night was the first meeting. I worked on hand quilting my Valentine quilt. I have worked on it a lot today, and I am nearly finished with the top panel.

I machine quilted meanders in the floral strips with dark red thread. The area is so busy that it won't show much anyway. I machine basted with the same thread (to save time) as I did the rest of the quilting. 

I am outlining all the applique with hand quilting in cream, and also doing a cross-hatch pattern with straight lines 1-1/2" apart. Today has been comfort activities...making comfort food (home made chicken and dumplings in my Instant Pot) and hand quilting. It started snowing last night about 1 AM and did not stop until about an hour ago at 4 PM. Actually, it is still coming down, but much more slowly. So it has been a stay in kinda day.

Here is a picture of the front and back. I picked a fabric I just want to use up for the back. This is a wall hanging, so no one will be the wiser.