Update 54/40

I have not been able to do a lot of quilting. My Uncle passed away on the 12th after a two week illness, and things have been hectic. Doug was diabetic and on dialysis for several years, he and Vickie (my Aunt) made the decision to stop all treatments. It was a very hard decision, but one I agree with and support. His death has also dredged up memories of my mom's passing (a few months ago), leaving me sad, blue, and in no mood to quilt or do much of anything. I also worry about a friend who is also diabetic and is not even willing to talk about dialysis. His doctor has said that without dialysis he has at most 3 months. Stan is worn out and tired all the time, and has been having bouts of confusion, I doubt that he will last the 3 months, more like 3 weeks.



54/40 Update - Well what started out crib size, made up from a few orphan blocks, has morphed into a King size top, yes that's right, I had to make more blocks. Tarranda asked me to make it big enough for a bedspread, so its now 96x108. Still on the design wall - at least half of it is - won't all fit so I'm having to sew it in sections. I have all the row components finished and just need to assemble the last few rows (6 rows left), then sew them together. The borders and binding are ready to go, and the longarm quilter is expecting the top the first of next month. With luck I can get it finished up tomorrow, I am eager to get started on a different quilt - am getting tired of this one.



Have done some sewing on the Jan 24th "Mystery Quilt - Scrappy Stars". I like how the sample blocks look, might have to make it my "Leaders and Enders" project. My next quilt has to be the "Hearts", I need to get it made and quilted before the first week of April. I hate deadlines, but it is an anniversary gift for Arlene and Stan. And if the worst happens, and Stan passes away, it will become a "Quilt of Comfort" for Arlene.



Here is hoping that the next few weeks will be easier.

54/40 Change of Plan

Started sewing the extra blocks needed for the 54/40, got the 12 extra done. When I placed them on the design wall I really liked how it is all coming together. So now I need 28 more blocks to making this one Queen size, unfortunately I have already sewed 3 rows together, and to add more rows I will have to work to make all the stars work together. I'll put one row on top, one in the middle and one on the bottom, this should spread out the new colors.

My sister, Tarranda, has hinted several times that she needs a queen size quilt to fit her new bed, I think that this one will be for her. Once it's done I will decide then.

I have all the new blocks cut, and set up ready to sew. Will have just enough of the background fabric, I think that I have about a third of a yard left. So I can't make anymore changes to this quilt, as it is I will not have enough to put a border of the background fabric on. Either I purchase more fabric, or run the stars to the edge of the quilt, which means using a small binding so as not to cut off the star points. Think I will be going to the fabric store. . . .LOL . . . I like a wider binding usually 5/8 inch

54/40 blocks

Yesterday I put the 54/40 star blocks on the design wall. Mixed the 9 and 12 inch blocks together, using the middle of the 12 inch as the lattice pieces. After I got them all placed I decided to enlarge the size, so I cut and started sewing more 9 inch blocks. I just selected 6 new fabrics that with luck will go with the others, this also allows me to use more red and bright pink. I had a couple of blocks that really drew the eye, by adding more I hope that it will all balance out the entire quilt. I have all the individual units of the new blocks sewn and the center squares selected. Need to cut the 1 1/2 inch strips to use in the construction of the lattice pieces, and figure the size of strips on the outer rows between the star points. Will leave the top on the design wall for a couple of day, making little changes as needed (rearrange), and think about the border. By next weekend I should have the top completed.

I have also cut more pieces this time in batik for the 54/40 pattern. I have made a commitment to use these blocks as my leaders and enders project. I used this technique to complete most of the 54/40 currently on my design wall now. Sending thru in sets of 4 takes only a couple of minutes, and allows me to really use the blocks. I have a zip-locks full of 4 patches in different sizes (2, 2 1/2, 3, and 3 1/2 inches), I have no idea what to do with them, they don't really go with any project I have going. The fabric is not a good match for my 54/40's although I have thought about doing a totally scrappy 54/40. Using 8 different fabrics for the star points, what ever piece comes to hand. I have extra pieces cut of several fabrics, but not enough of one to make a complete block, making scrappy will allow me to use up these pieces.

Fabric Scraps Under Control

Spent most of the day cutting my scraps into assorted size squares and bricks. The smallest square is 2 1/2 inches the largest 6 inches. The bricks for the upcoming scrap mystery and are 2 1/2 by 4 1/2 inches, I needed 100 light and 100 dark, now have about 500 of each, and about 750 that I would call medium. Needless the say I think that there will be more than one quilt from these bricks. I also finished cutting the 3 1/2 by 6 1/2 inch bricks needed for the broken heart quilt.

I have finished sorting and cutting one of the boxes of scraps, anything that is to small to get a 2 1/2 square from, is being passed on to a quilter who makes "Crumb" quilts. I have made a total of 4 crumb blocks, what was I thinking. . . lol . . . gave me flashbacks to the "Postage Stamp" quilt that I make years ago.

Had a great dinner, added Gorgonzola cheese, and Cajun seasons to some venison. Made two small meatloaves, so I had dinner tonight and a meal tomorrow. Giving me more time for quilting or reading, love it when a plan comes together.

More UFO's found

Started going thru all my UFO's this morning. Wanted to kit them up, to make it easier when I want to work on them. Found a few more that I had forgotten about

• "Point-Less Wonder" blocks from several years ago. If I put sashing strips between each block I will have enough made for a crib quilt. The blocks as all blue prints, and I did not follow the pattern so they are rectangles not squares. If I do a 4 x 5 layout it will be almost the size needed for a crib quilt. Must go thru all my yellows and see what I have for cornerstones and outer border/binding. Hope that I have enough of one fabric to also use it for the backing. I love the combination of blue/yellow together.
• Also found the blocks of 30"s print and black that I had made into 4-patches for a "Double 4-Patch". Really did not like how it was working up, so it went to the back burner. Might need to find another pattern that will allow me to use up the existing 4-patch blocks
• And as I dig I'm sure that I will find more.

Well I back to the mess that I laughing call my quilt room.

UFO listing

Well this is my first post, on my first blog. Not sure that I have that much to share, just my current quilt projects, and the books I'm reading. First I guess that I need to list my current quilts in progress. I consider a quilt done when the top is finished, I send them to the longarm when I need a finished quilt for a gift. Have burned my family out on receiving quilts from me. And I've found that a top take less room to store than a completed quilt. I give most of the quilts that I make away, usually to charity.

Quilts in progress: AKA - UFO's

• Three string quilts from Bonnie Hunters site Quiltville, one with a red center strip, one dark-blue center strip, and the third is completely random (scrappy). The red only needs the border put on, the blue blocks are completed, and I just need to decide on a layout. I have thought about taking the blue blocks and using them as a framing border around the red blocks, this would make the quilt a queen size.
• Crazy quilt, using the templates from Shar. Using a mixture of scraps.
• 54/40 star quilt. Using the template/ruler from Eleanor Burns. I'm making the 8 points from the same fabric for each block, and using different center squares. Might do a 4-patch in the middle of each block. Have most of the star points made, just need to audition the center squares. Have made several of these quilts, and love them.
• 6-pt Diamond, still making practice blocks. Not sure if each of the diamonds will be the same fabric, or if I will use two or three fabrics in each star. I have decided to use one fabric for all the background diamonds, selected a tone-on-tone white. The colors really pop, now I just need to decide on the numbers of fabric in each star. First time to do this type quilt on machine, normally I would just use English paper piecing. Not sure that I like the set in seam (Y-seams).
• 9-Patch out of blue and white. One day this will be a baby quilt. I dislike the fabric, it is so thin you can almost see thru it. It was given to me in a Precut kit, was a rail fence and I took two of the fabric to make 9-patch blocks. Still have the other strips to do something with, two shades of dark blue, pink, and green.
• Dresden plate, using fabrics with gold and silver highlights. Have been calling this one "Metallic Dreams" I have all the wedges sewn together and need to applique the center circle down and sew them to the backing square. This has been a long term project, truth be told I just found it again.
• Also have a lavender "Double Wedding Ring" that I've started doing machine embroidery in the open areas. For some reason I selected little boy and girl ducks. Yes I said ducks, what was I thinking, its a full size top not a crib or twin.
• Broken Hearts, made from scraps. Have started cutting the 3x6 inch strips and have most of the squares cut out. Not one block is sew together.

Well my list is not as bad as I expected. I have less than a dozen quilts in progress. Have thought about doing the NYE mystery quilt, although I have never done a mystery quilt and I'm not sure how it will work out. I'm kind of a control freak, I like to know what a quilt will look like. What have I got to loose, I'm going to use only from my stash. Might just be another charity quilt.