Fanciful Quilts

This greeted me a bit after midnight on the 26th of February  from my beloved husband.....who had to deal with a cranky 66 year old. Two days into turning 66.  Every fiber of my being says "enjoy - enjoy - God is not ready to take you home yet - DO something". I took self to heart and spent quality time in the QS.   And so I did.... Two blocks for an online Yahoo group.....which is quite an interesting story, Yahoo groups.  For another time.  "Block Challenge" is the title of this particular endeavor.  I rather like the one on the left more so than the right one.  I do love the practice of a more precision cut and sew block.   And I leave you with these.... Life is all about.....Jesus, my dear husband, quilting and coffee.  However, there are days when it's Jesus, my dear husband, coffee and quilting.   Sharon

Eighteen 12 1/2" blocks completed!!!  I do believe I am slowly becoming quite addicted to sewing string blocks.   What a riot of color ... right up my alley.   Goal?  Queen size .... which I want to fit our queen size platform bed.  Guess I better measure the platform bed first, huh.   To sash or not to sash is the question.  Oh snap - I already have a sashed strip quilt flimsy waiting to be backed.  Somewhere there's a photo of it....somewhere.   Next on the list:  ORGANIZE those photos. Sharon

And the backing for the Fussy Crumb Bird Block Flimsy is done! And it's all squared up and ready to go.  Yes, it's a mishmash of 6 1/2" squares and strips.  Wish I could claim the polka dot stash is gone - but alas, not even close.  Yet, when I started I could have sworn this would have done the trick....                                                                   Certainly is large enough (83" x 83")....  Waiting for the packaged batting to arrive....lovely online purchase that didn't break the bank.  One of these days I will venture into using fleece as a backing.  Certainly more economical. And while waiting.....  6 1/2" blocks become joined into one nice big block. And one block becomes two...and then two becomes three..... Even a few minutes a day can result in a wonderful word I like to call "Progress". String blocks.  Something about them just stirs my soul and brings out a great smile no matter

It's almost 9pm and I can honestly say "15 minute challenge met today - and then some".  Fifteen minutes doesn't seem like a lot of time - but it can accomplish much, day by day.  Sounds like I've really committed to this 15 minutes a day challenge.  Alas, not.  Tomorrow always means a fresh new start. The backing for the Fussy Crumb Bird Block flimsy continues to grow. What a mishmash of strips....but I think I am going to like it.   Interesting find....as the smaller block strips were added, several were a square short.  Improvising - that's the name of the game with this quilt.   No deadline - but I sure would like to see this on the frame by mid March. Do-able? Not a clue. Sharon

And we have warmer temps.  Lots of rain - but warmer temps. It's a trade-off, I suppose.  Right now, I'm feeling chilled to the bone.   Quilty update!  Working on backing for that illusive Fussy Bird Crumb Block top.  Or did I name it Fussy Crumb Bird Block top?  Nonetheless..... Polka dots.  A perfect plan to rid the stash of polka dotted fabric.   Just 10 more lengths of 6 /12" wide pieces to go.   These 4 strips are the more sedate of the strips.  Boggles the imagination, doesn't it?!!?! In the meantime I have been researching how to use fleece as a backing.  What a bonus that will be....backing and batting in one.  And cozy!  That's next on the list...... This sums up my 15 minute challenge....so to speak.  More like 40 minutes this evening.  I need to assess my table and chair height.  Sewing should be a pleasure - not an "oh my aching back" event.  Or is this just a sign of age .....???? Sharon

The subject line was to simply remind me that’s IS Saturday and the 10th day of the month and it’s February.  Oh wait - 2018.  I will blame this on the quick memory exam mom had at the neurologist’s office.  Yes, she passed.   Okay.  Quilty things.   Photo time!   My favorite take along project....plus the set up I managed in mom’s small condo.   Doesn’t really need much of an explanation, does it?  Oh wait - it does.   6 1/2” squares and then the squares are put together into one square to create a 12 1/2” block.  How many many of these 12 1/2” squares make a queen size bed .... uh, platform bed queen size bed. Googled  the number of squares and I believe it to be 35 squares.  Maybe.   Quilt on my friends....quilt on.   Sharon

Packing day!  We will leave this evening (hopefully no later than 9:30pm) for a hotel just outside Indianapolis.  Two hours worth of driving.  Sleep in tomorrow morning and then 6 hours plus to Oshkosh to spend a few days with mom.  We will accompany her to her neurologist appointment on Thursday (just a followup), celebrate her 87th birthday on Sunday and then Monday morning, make our way back home. As to Quilty talk.... This was delivered to the recipient yesterday..... I am rather pleased how it turned out.  Most of the surrounding heart blocks were a result of a call out for this particular quilt for a Yahoo group member.  There are some very talented quilters in this particular group so it was a pleasure putting the quilt together.   After the quilt was acknowledged as having been received, I quietly removed myself from the group.  Sometimes life has a way of telling us to start paring down.  Time is precious....am I spending the time wisely?   And what am I working on

One UFQ down, 11 more to go.  Quilt flimsies that is.   Okay - to be honest and above board, the binding was stitched down but there are a few missing "quilting" lines....which were removed from their buddies because the thread did not play nicely in several spots.  Does this make me an Expert Quilter??   Hardly. UFQ #2..... So how did I settle on this particular group of blocks....???   Oh snap - these blocks: Which turned into this..... Okay - so the "turned into this" is a bit blurry but you get the idea.  Maybe. Where was I?? Oh - why this particular one?  Because that's the one I grabbed from the pile of quilt flimsies.  And there are a lot of quilt flimsies.  I even went so far as to measuring each quilt flimsy. If nothing, I am pretty thorough.  Most of the time.  This one measured 73 1/2 x 73 1/2.  Maybe.  Measuring skills - eh, sometimes spot on.  Sometimes not.  I'll go with it. Backing?  Not a clue.  Howe