The Days Are Sometimes Rainbows

It’s been a while, but I've gotten a few things done. With Covid-19 and staying home I’ve been digging through projects giving a few away for others to finish up, or turn into other projects. Mostly, I have been finishing up some that were halted mid-stream. Some of these projects like a pack that fell out of the canoe in the rapids, others accidently dropped along the trail, some thrown overboard because an emergency popped up. During the Safe in Place orders around the world. I have had time to look back down the trail, and pick up the debris of fiber projects. Sorting to give, sorting to repurpose, sorting to complete, sorting to realize some stuff no body will do anything with it and just be the one to throw the supplies away. Throwing it away, if you are not an artist or crafter then you probably have a hard time understanding and label the aforementioned as hoarders. Where some people just see too much junk an artist see the potential and all that those items can become. ...

This I trimmed pressed the blue squares for my rainbow quilt. Tonight I will press open the Indigo HSTs as I listen to Pat Sloan's Fireside Chat .  I had planned on doing some sorting and organizing, but my husband was painting the front entry way. There was no way I was going to interrupt him as he was working on a project I had asked him to do. I was happy he was getting that done today So instead I went right into one of the other projects on my list, an apron for a friend. I used and old apron I had from years ago as a pattern. I The big pocket across the loser section is fabric that was remaining from when she had asked me to teach her how to make masks. She is an amazing baker and cook, so I thought she would enjoy this. I am almost finish. I need two D rings to make the neck strap adjustable.  During the Fireside chat, the challenge was to “Set It Free”getting rid of things we don’t really need any more. Old patterns, broken rulers, a dried up pen. Thi...

Last night I did check off a two for one on my UFO list. I finished the peacock bag. No not full of peacocks, how beautiful would hat be? I did count this bag as the gift bag for the garment I had made. Here is the pocket I sewed on to the lining, had to see one the bag is sewn together.  I chipped away a bit more on my Rainbow quilt. As I work I thought I might tie this with iridescent ribbon, making it a comforter.. I just spent a few minutes cutting the squares in half, so the next time, I’ll spend the 10 minutes pressing them open into HSTs This morning as I listed and watched Pat Sloan's challenge video , I pressed the blue squares for the Rainbow quilt . Ill trim them up tomorrow. THe pattern plan is ten blocks over two days, I am speding ten minutes each day to chip away at the project. I The challenge today, if you clicked on the link and watched the video you know it is to pick out a panel. Here are two of mine, that I picked up last ...

I really enjoy Pat Sloan's daily videos; she is always so cheerful it is a nice way to start the day. Her challenges are for the most part quick and simple motivators. In the daily challenge today  She asked if we had every cut up clothes to put into a quilt. This got me to thinking, I remember the stories of how my grandmother would cut down one of my grandfather's wool coat  that was worn on the cuffs, and elbows to make a new winter coat for my uncle; men’s suits cutdown to be made int a suit for a little boy. A little boy in a suit, we don’t see that much anymore. reusing and repurposing in not new. Back in the day I think people would have marveled at all the new fabric being cut up and put into making a blanket*. After all pieced quilts got their start from people sewing parts of the clothing that was not worn out and still had good life in the areas of less wear. A blanket, whether a quilt, or comforter was a gift of love, time, and history. Each piece within the b...

I am prioritizing what I see in front of me. I have a my first practice piece of LAQ and will put a binding on that today, I decided to just do a roll over binding as there was plenty of fabric within the backing, and this has a wool batting just going to use it across the foot of the bed to warm up are toes in the minnesota winters. I had taken a class at McTavish Quilting Studio , great experience. I learned how to use the Long Arm Quilting machines, was able to quilt a few quilts. I did learn doing the quilting is not for me, based on my personal physical situation. So if you are interested in buying a LAQ machine, this is a great way to find out if this is the investment for you.  It really was such an enjoyable experience, and working with Karen Mc Tavish and the other quilters was a joy. My next project on my list is to make a  gift bag to put a garment into, Also, I   bag with peacock fabric I cut out ages ago, but its right here by my side...

Started my sewing time today by  sewing the two lines on the squares to make HST on all the blocks as that is pretty quick part to get done. I went on to cut the green sections in half for the  Rainbow Quilt  Having sewn a quarter inch away from the center, then I lay my ruler on that 1/4" line and use a rotary cutter to slice the stacked sewn squares in half creating two half square triangles(HST) The other day as I was hating on trimming blocks, I thought about how long had it been since I had changed my blade. They seem expensive, almost ten dollars each; but when I think about how long I use it and how important it is that I have clean cuts, they are actually pretty cheap.  Less than a yard of fabric. Just like sewing machine needles, I just need to change them more often.  Here is something else that I fund helpful is to cut the directions for changing my blades and use clear packing tape to secure those direction onto the case. I also keep...

I was working in my Rainbow quilt, excites to start sewing some rows in the first small section   together. They just were not going together correctly, pulled up the pattern again from  Pat Sloan’s webpage . As I reread the easy instructions I realized I had missed a step. I had forgotten to trim my blocks down to 4-1/2”. As I told my kids, learn from my mistakes, you don’t have to make the same ones.    Today, I took time to take the two rows apart, and then rip the stitches out to separate the blocks of each row. Went in to trim. As I sat there trimming blocks today, I thought to myself, ‘I know why I forgot to trim those, I don’t like this part.’  Oh well we each have a step we don’t enjoy, but the process as a whole or maybe it’s only the end result that makes it enjoyable. As for me I enjoy the time I work I’m on these projects, it is a quiet time. I usually have music, today I was listening to Los Lobos, and Mariachi music. As I sewed I thought a...

Got my housework done. I need to do it first, or I won’t get to it again once the day gets rolling. Cleared my cutting table the other day, I filled it with the items I’m sorting through; but I know it was cleared. I finished my Coffee & Flowers quilt top. I had made two other quilts the purple centers in the middle of the flowers, the brown four patch in the middle of the brown coffee cup fabric. With my extra fabric, I guess I bought a lot extra, I mixed them into a third quilt. I am grateful with the way it came out. Those twelve blocks have been very patient waiting for me to find just the right sashing, cornerstones, and border fabric. I have really taken to heart Pat Sloan’s daily challenges. This project is a result of digging through and sorting my sewing items. I worked a bit more on my Rainbow quilt today too. I found my green, changed my blue, shifted what had been my blue to my indigo, my indigo to my violet. So much self-doubt. I had sewn my red, orange, and ye...

This was my starting point yesterday   I made and put the sashing and cornerstones on my Coffee & Flowers quilt. It’s folded just for space. I think I will dig around and find a border to add. I  I also made the sashing and cornerstones for the Stay At Home quilt one of Pat Sloan’s April sew-alongside. Today: went through larger scraps looking for fabric for Pat Sloan’s May Rainbows . I found the colors pretty easily, but what to use for background? Then I came across a soft grey that I had used for a quilt with a star. I had made it before I knew anything at all about seeing angles in quilts. You know one of those quilts where you learn a TON. Cut out the background, and all the squares except the green. I started drawing the lines to sew colored blocks to grey blocks for half square triangles(HST).  Cut the rest of those scraps into 2-1/2” squares, and set aside strips that are large enough for the string quilts the Minnesota Qu...