Thursday, January 14, 2010
My Frugality Knows No Grief...
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Stained Glass Quilt Windows?
You might not be aware of this, but in our family of ten (nine at home right now) we have had a lot of illness these past few weeks. Stomach flu has been the number one yucko.
So, every morning, after I wake up (before even getting out of bed), I mentally try to recall who is ill, who is recovering, and who is not sleeping in their bedroom. My main reason for this is that I cook breakfast nearly every day. Benjamin (my 6th child) was sleeping in the living room last night because his little brother got the stomach flu again yesterday. They are ordinarily room mates.
Evidently someone thought it was too bright in the living room and used my month-by-month quilt to darken it. When I went in there this morning, it looked like a stained glass quilt. Above is what it looked like as the morning sunshine tried to pour in through the sheers that normally adorn this large picture window.
Here is a picture later in the day when the sun was more overhead and not shining directly through that particular window. They also have unzipped two of the three pillows from the back of our leather couch to allow the sleeper a little more room.
I am still working on K's binding, but this was a fun subject for another post.
I got one of my favorite scrap quilt books spiral bound today. Office Max does the sprial binding for a small fee. This makes the book so much better for using during the cutting and piecing process. That way, the book lies flat or can be folded back and does not try to flop back closed. The book is "Simple Strategies for Scrap Quilts". It's one of my favorite scrap quilt books. I was looking through it just last night and saw a spool quilt in there set on point. That's how I am going to set mine. I love inspiration through pictures.
~Joan
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Binding Ahead...
My students are dropping like flies, which gives me more sewing time (is it wrong to be happy about that?). Luke started upchucking at midnight, and Isaac started around 3 PM today.
~Joan
Progress on K's Quilt
~Joan
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Steps and Stars...20 Blocks Strong

Finished a few more blocks last night so I could see a larger portion of this quilt. I really like it, especially when I squint a little!! I like the way the stars look like squares on point because the tans blend in with them. Then the other stars are surrounded by a jaggedy dark box on point. Quilters understand this, right??
There are 17 star blocks total for the size I am making. I am cutting these from one strip of 6" wide fabric, which leaves me with a couple logs for the steps blocks to boot...makes it all match a little more. The cream star backgrounds are all the same.
Saw two more projects I want to make soon in a fabric catalog this AM. I need to stop looking. I want to make a table runner for my secret sister from church. I have some units ready, so that shouldn't be a problem. Stay tuned!
~Joan
Friday, January 8, 2010
Another Must-Have Quilt
Saw one of these on someone else's blog a few days ago and remembered that this is another pattern I would like to have a quilt made from...a spool quilt!! Hers was the perfect size, so I am making mine the same. The blocks finish at 4-1/2" square. I have a stack of 2" strips already cut, so I am cutting a few blocks at a time. Here is what I have so far.
We finished school in record time today, so while I was cooling down from an exercise DVD, I pieced a few more blocks for this quilt. It's coming along nicely.
Two of my girls and one son were sick today. One of those girls was resting in my bedroom. That is where my quilt frame is, so I did not get a chance to machine quilt today. It would have interrupted her rest.
~Joan
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Just Got Started on Quilting for K

We had such a good school day. Things went so smoothly (thank you, Lord) that I was able to start the machine quilting on my sister's daughter's quilt (that would be K). Also, thank God, my machine has not acted up once. It is sewing along smoothly.
I'd love to work on it some more, but I have determined to work out (aka do some exercise) every day after lunch time. I've put it off long enough today.
So, down I go to do a Leslie Sansone DVD and improve my health a little.
***Newsflash--my son is going to teach me how to use a PhotoShop program for my pictures. I figured out how to crop and save them, but there's lots more available.***
~Joan




