FINALLY! A Log Cabin quilt...well almost!

Finally! I am pretty sure I am mostly caught up with the "have to get done" quilts and I could return to my bagillion Log Cabin blocks I made last month.
I decided to make it in square sections as opposed to row construction. I sketched it out on graph paper so I have a "road map" of sorts.

 I am VERY pleased with the colors. The lights are all tans and darker creams...no whites or tone on tones at all. It seems nice and rich to me. This one will be for our bed. I am going to go 4 sections across (only three pictured) and five sections down. It will be approximately 115" X 144". I know that sounds too big for my queen size bed. But DH and I both like extra width and especially extra length!!!!

 The blocks seems like an endless supply to me. Yet I am still having issues
(OCD ME)
with not having like fabrics close to each other.

 As a result, I made many more Cheddar Bow Tie blocks between section piecing. That container still has many pre-cut units waiting for sewing. I really made lots of units for these little blocks. Remember Bonnie's Cheddar Challenge.
The blocks are made with 2" larger squares and 1 1/4" smaller squares.
Love this size block 3 1/2" !!!

 Here is my Bess. She is enjoying the fact that I am not pressing today. It is too warm to even try and fight the air conditioner. (95 outside)

 And here is MaggieMae. Her fur is growing out so fast. I did take the scissors to her head area. She no longer looks like an owl! HA!

 I bought $12 worth of Hens and Chicks. I planted them in a few places like under the bird feeder and in this flower pot. Something keeps chewing on them and also pulling them out of the ground. I am thinking it is my precious squirrels. The two breeding females have brought their young ones to our yard for easy food gathering. I know. It is my own fault.
So, for the meantime, I am keeping the Hens and Chicks in the house. I am praying the kitties don't try to play in the soil!!! GRRR!!!!!!

 Yesterday this white pigeon was in our front yard.
It was eating bread I had thrown out. It was huge!!! And very tame acting!!
I wonder where it came from.
I have not seen it today.
Let loose from a funeral maybe???
The Catholic Cemetery is right across the road from us.

 I made this quick little quilt yesterday. It was from a kit. But I ended up NOT following the pattern. That had as much to do with my own "eye" as the fact that the incorrect fabric cuts too. Anyway...it is done and waiting for quilting. It needs to be done in September 2012.

 And more Leaders and Enders of course!!!

I was visited by an old friend today. Abby is not old. (18) But she and I have been friends since she was a little girl and our next door neighbor. They moved away a LONG time ago. She comes back occasionally to visit me. What a rush!!! She was driving!!! I took her under my sewing wing back then. She was a natural seamstress. I miss her and her family so very much!
XOXOXOXO Subee

Antique sewing machine

I am an avid old movie buff. I have two different versions of Little Women. As I was watching the 1949 version today, I noticed that Meg (Janet Leigh) was sewing on sheer pink fabric on a treadle sewing machine. I did manage to pause the DVD and get a couple pictures of her sewing machine. She was actually sewing too!!! Feet moving and her hands moving the sheer pink fabric through the machine. The scene is right at the very beginning of the movie if you are curious to see one of these in action!!!

It is very warm here today. 90!!!! Too hot for me...I have the air on.
When we first had the central air put in, the workman said that my cutting/sewing room would be an icebox since it is first in the connection!
Perfect for me as I am always too warm!
Since my thumb is too sore to quilt on the King of Green (pricks and slices from opening and closing those safety pins), I shut myself in my "icebox" and set up a mini sewing station.
I was in heaven.
A new sewing project for Great grandson #4, whose arrival is due in September. I added my traveling TV tray ironing station and I was all set for a nice sewing day. After a few hours DH was getting very lonely so I am back out of that room. Sigh! Maybe I will go back later tonight.

 And I am a firm believer in double sewing those corner squares when doing the sew across the square corner to corner. The result is a stack of bonus units to be used somewhere in the baby quilt.

 Too cool!!!!! I am not very happy with this quilt kit I bought at my LQS. First off when I got home after buying it, the panel was not in the package. After some "phone tag" I was able to reach the owner and had to go back to get the panel. It turns out that all the kits were missing panels!!! Someone goofed!!
Anyway, I am pressing and cutting and one of the fabrics that should have had a half yard cut had only 10". Not enough for where it needed to go. And the same thing on another print. I will have to add some of my own fabric here and there. No big whoop! But I think I should offer my OCD services to that store to make their kits up for them. I would be VERY good at it!!!!

 Here is a closeup of some very clever packaging from a swapper named Sam who lives in Australia. They look like candy treats!!!!

And this was my "take" from the swap. 100 different 2 1/2" X 20" strips of yellows ranging from pale lemon to cheddar gold!!! WHOOHOOO!
XOOXOXOX Subee

Progress on King of Green quilt

I have had a busy sewing week. I have gotten so many things DONE!!! that I have impressed myself!!!!
But first things first...
I now have 1/3 of my DD#1's birthday quilt all quilted. It only took me all day today! HA! But that also included the pinning up process.

 Here I am at the very beginning of the quilting. It seemed endless. But very easy quilting...a no brainer. Just needed muscle to get her through the machine.

 And here is 1/3 of the quilt done. All those pins were in just this section of the quilt. The rest is already rolled into the quilt frame. I just need to get another section pinned up and I can quilt more tomorrow.

 I have an obsession with buying quilt label panels. But I do not just buy them. I also use them up soooo fast!
So this week I went through a bunch of panels and whacked off some labels from each. I then lay them face down on muslin and sew around the outside edge. You can see the label pretty clearly from the backside. I then turn it over and make a slice in the muslin then turn the label right side out. The slice does not show from the front and the label is now ready for sewing into a quilt after a nice pressing that is.

 This should last me for a few months.

 I have this point turner that works great. It came as a free gift in some publication eons ago. It has Oxmoor House stamped on it. I use it all the time!!!!
It is perfect for poking out the corners on the labels.

 This quilt is now all quilted and bound. But I forgot to take a photo of it before I put it away. It is destined for GD#4. AnnaMarie's birthday is in August.

 As I was sewing the rows together I made a few more Cheddar Bow Tie's as my Leaders & Enders. I no longer DREAD assembling blocks anymore!!!
Using a L&E between the rows is awesomely efficient!!!!!

 And I had enough fabric leftover to make two bonus quilts. I backed them with flannel that I pre-washed (for shrinkage). Too cute and comfy looking.

 In fact, Pearl could not resist trying out the flannel. I think she knew that she would contrast nicely with the blue!!!! Pearl has a way of laying on something that looks as if she is hugging it. Look at those beautiful paws! She is my only kitty who got to keep her toenails. She only uses the scratching post. She is an angel.

 Those who know me well know that I retired from a factory. I drove forklifts most of my working life. What are the odds of having a forklift in my addition? I sure enjoyed watching this guy. I was so tempted to ask if I could take it for a spin around the block just for old time's sake. I sure do miss driving one. I was very good at it.
Some people should never drive on the street much less drive a forklift.

 The forklift was headed to our neighbor's yard to move their shed to a different side of the back yard. They also brought in a raised bed garden unit. Really trick!

 Here is my next swap just waiting for the last package to arrive...

Well...the package came today but I could not allow her to swap. Her cutting was way off...she is a new swapper. So I peeled 10 strips off and will send her my package of ten strips so she can see how a swap should be done.

XOXOXOOXOX Subee

King of Green is now in three pieces

I now have three row units that measure 36" X 108". I laid them out on my Queen size bed and there is plenty of leftover. But Lisa's bed is a King size so I think I will still need to add borders.

 My grand plan is to quilt the three sections while they are narrow and then sew them together and finish the little bit of quilting that will be needed after joining them. I used this technique for my Batik Virginia Star quilt. It worked pretty good. The only heavy maneuvering was just at the very end of the quilting.

I am so very proud of this quilt!!!!
And today is my Dear Hubby's birthday. We went to lunch together. And he was very surprised by his Birthday quilt. He never noticed me working on it!!! HA!!!

XOXOXOO Subee

King of Green-a work in progress

DD #1's birthday is in July. Just a few months away. This year it is her turn to get a bed size quilt. She has a King size bed. I started assembling blocks into rows from a Mystery I participated in 2007!!!! A NYE mystery done by Ann Smith. I have done several of her mysteries. She is as talented as Our Bonnie Hunter of quiltville fame.
Well, to make a long story short, DD#1 repainted her bedroom. It is no longer taupe but a nice sage green. She has added Navy and Cream accents. So now the NYE blocks that are not a quilt yet do not go with her new color scheme.
Quiltvilleswap to the rescue!!!! I was not sure what I was going to do with all my green strips I received in the swap. I am still planning on trying some applique' and the greens will make great leaves. But that has not happened yet.
Then I had a "light bulb" moment. I will do a scrappy 9-patch all in greens with cream backgrounds. The alternate blocks will be hourglass blocks in cream and navy. WHOOHOOO!!!! I have a plan and only 162 9-patches to make. And an equal amount of hourglass blocks.

 But first the cutting has to take place.
( I LOVE rotary cutting.)
And I love scrappy blocks.
And I have to have control even in scrappiness!
There will be no repeats of a fabric in this quilt. I cut five 2 1/2" blocks from each strip and then carefully folded them back into their respective baggies. I know...why you say...this is the OCD in me.
I have a list of all the swappers and as I cut into their strips I highlighted the list to show I used their strips.
I am not doing any strip sewing. I am using the the Hourglass units as my Leaders and Enders and making a 9-patch block in between each Hourglass.
It is working so well.
The container above is all that is left to sew together...maybe 50 more blocks.

 And here is a small sample of what the layout will look like.
I am thinking 18 blocks X 18 blocks will make an 108" square quilt.
But I am thinking DD#1 may want a rectangle quilt instead of a square quilt.
Plenty of time to make that decision.

I cannot avoid posting about this quilt. DD#1 says she reads my blog. That is one reason I have been so absent about posting. But I cannot keep this to myself any longer. I want/need to share this with all of you.
So DD#1 will have to see her quilt being birthed.
I am sorry Lisa. You know I love you so very much!!!!!

 Here are some of the 2007 Mystery blocks. I have enough to make a King size quilt. And it would go great in my bedroom...but I do not have time to play with these blocks so back into their box they go. And this was after I spent 2 whole days pressing them. Somehow they "slid" in the box they were in and they all looked like waves of water. I did a good pressing from the back and then from the front. And now they are back in the box. But I added a piece of batting to stop the sliding around. (I hope)

 I really like the fabric I used for these blocks. And I know I have more fabric. But can I locate it? NO!!! I mean 2007 was a LONG time ago.
The fabric has to be buried very deep...very, very deep. I am glad I had the mystery clues in the box with the blocks for the possible layouts and fabric requirements.
Someday I will feel like crawling under the quilting machine frame and look for the fabric. I know it is there somewhere!!! I do have the brown batik and the RJR tan in good sized amounts in their color drawers. But I cannot locate the large scale floral I used. As I said before...I know there is more somewhere!!!!!

 I swapped and mailed out a small neutral 1 1/2" swap. Easy Peasy...

The entire mailing fit into a small basket. When I do the larger swaps it takes two trips to get all the packages into the Post Office.
XOXOXOXO Subee