Of Cats & Pigs

I shared Moe helping to hold down my tote of green scraps, well he really was hard at work all week with other duties.  Here he is helping with the scrap whites that I was digging thru for the corners (skies) for the geese blocks.

Keeping all those precious piles and pieces  for the Jacob's Ladder blocks that are lined up to use as leader/enders at the ready.

Inspecting that large gift bag that was dropped off for my son.  Yeah, we haven't totally wrapped up Christmas yet - trying to catch any one as we can.  And lets just say that large pretty bag no longer exists as Moe hunkered further and further down - a final stretch and the side seams gave.

With that dangerous job done, he decided it was safer to crash on the comfy plushy throw instead.

I had debated whether to join in RSC this year.  A problem I have with BOM's falls right in with this - very hard for me to do just a block and then wait to make another.  BUT, I fell in love with SALLY'S piggy block that I had seen several people playing with last year.  So RSC17 will be about some cute oinkers.

** linking up with RSC17 and Feline Friday **

And yes, I got away yesterday to finally visit my daughter and grands.  Christmas gifts were exchanged, quilts delivered, and lots of fun.  AND I got to enjoy a Pampered Chef party - yeah, the person who doesn't cook or bake.  But I need to escape for a bit and it was good change of pace, lovely people, and a demo with food to eat - OK.

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Meadow's Mountains

I had a lot of requests and questions on this quilt so I thought I would do a little update and info about it.  

This was a pattern from a magazine that I have yet to find - original name is Mountain Meadows by (?) Julie Weaver, but I couldn't find any info on the copy as to what magazine this is from and nothing found in a web search.  I had a very poor quality photo copy given to me by a guild member some years ago.  Yes, this is the quality of the copy - a challenge.  

I like a challenge and I liked this pattern and it was stored away thinking I would use it some time as part of the now defunct Let's Book It. 

Since I made this all scrappy, I can't give you yardage - plus, you can make this as many blocks as you like for size quilt you would like.  I made the large geese 4.5" x 8.5" using 4.5" corners (flip method - gave me the bonus HSTs).  The small geese are 2.5" x 4.5" with 2.5" corners (flip method - keep the tiny corners or toss).  I used a variety of whites and w/w/w scraps for my corners - I wanted to tame those scraps and give some more fun to this quilt - you could play with what you like.

Sew two small geese onto each other (4.5" square now) and attach to half of the right side of a large geese and half to the left side of a large geese.  To make a 12.5" block sew three 'geese strip units' alternating directions.  

How ever many blocks you plan to use for you size quilt - half of your 12.5" blocks will be made with the large geese on the left and the other half with a large geese on the right.  This is so when you put your blocks into rows, you get a double large goose and double/double little geese.

Per this photo I determined the borders are 1.5" dark skinny, 1.5" light skinny, piano key border made with 2.5" x 4.5" rectangles, cornerstone little geese (two 2.5" x 4.5"),  then  your two skinny borders.  BUT you could do any border you like.

I hope this answers any questions - if someone can find the original source I will update that here.  I will add this to my tutorial page should you like to make this quilt.  ** Quilter's World - Autumn 2015 issue **

Scrap Management

I LOVE my scraps!!  Well, I love everyone's scraps and so grateful when they share them with me.  Mixing mine with others makes for some wonderful projects, but they can get to the point of needing taming.

I look forward to SARAH sharing some STAR patterns with us heading into Hands2Help and not only will it help in taming scraps, but will make up a few lovely quilts to gift on to charity.

Remember I pulled my green drawer and had some assistance with selecting fabrics and projects.  Here comes my love for making blocks!

I now have all my full and partial paw blocks for the new Black Bear quilt.

The beginnings of Meadow's Mountains - large and small geese and I am getting some bonus HSTs from those large geese cut-offs.

 I took my Mom into town for some errand running in the Morning - we got back as the ice storm was just starting.  So I used the icy day to continue playing with my geese - paired the little ones.

And still played by putting the blocks together.  These will get sewn tomorrow with the forcast of snow - stitching weather for sure.  There are borders yet to go - yes, you heard right - BORDERS which I just love to do - NOT.

Some mix of green with my ever abundant browns for Jacob's Ladder blocks.  I have half of what I need for the top and the other pieces are cut and laid out by the machine to use as leader/enders - or maybe I will go full guns with them - who knows.

So a good start to taming the scraps.  I'm hoping the storm clears because I am escaping this weekend.

**  linking up with ScrapTastic Tuesday **

Sewingly Yours,

Sharon

Looking Forward

Originally I was going to base my year on names.  I have a lot of fabrics with names:  Abigail, Rhoda, Katherine, Alexandria, Marcus ....  As well as a lot of saved patterns with names:  Adorela, Williams Garden, Phoebe, Jubilee .... And blocks that catch my eye:  Aunt Dinah, Carry Nation, Sarah's choice, Clay's Choice, Jack in the Box, Jabob's Ladder, etc.... 

Then I read Barbara Brackman's posts HERE and HERE.  I have seen so many quilters leave the craft, the sadness of loss of some fabulous people over the years,  quilters who only follow the 'trend' and miss out on so much, those that just don't 'ENJOY' anymore.  I enjoy quilting in all it's phases:  history, fabrics, techniques, gifted people.  I am going to enjoy what ever strikes my fancy.  Being a scrap quilter, I have to add to my stash with some yardage to marry those bits - so I am going to shop; and shop my local brick and mortars to support and enjoy them.   

I enjoy participating in BOMs and QAL's thru out the year offered up by so many lovely bloggers, fabric sites, and shops.  Even if I only do a few blocks to make something smaller - I will enjoy.

I enjoy making blocks - I can dump a tote or baggie of scraps and just play the day away.  Whether it is just units or a block that tickles my fancy - it could be just 20 or it could turn into a mound of a hundred.

I have learned to enjoy slow stitching.  It could be cross stitch, embroideries (love these bag ladies), hexies, and even hand quilting.  It's good to take the time to slow down and enjoy the process.

I have a lot of panels that I have collected over the years.  The box is stuffed beyond with 'fruit' fabrics - these all need to be enjoyed and not just sitting on the shelf aging.

I have some kits and partial projects that deserve their time to be enjoyed.  And there is a pile of quilts that need quilting.  I realize that I will never get to them all and will do what I did last year, quilt half myself and the other half I will send out for professional long arm quilting.

I will have some traveling as I finish up my executive office term with Hall of Fame.  Of course all of this flows around the health and wellfare of my mother whom we want to keep enjoying her quilting as long as possible. 

So no agenda or goal or plan - just to enjoy quilting each day with what makes me happy at the moment.

Sewingly Yours,

Sharon