And the winner was....

Strips That Sizzle

Last week I was trying to decide what project to work on next and it had to be from the UFO bin.  Strips that Sizzle seemed like a good choice since there was a nice stack of 60 blue blocks already made.  I just had to check the strip bins and see what other color I had the most of in order to make the opposing blocks. No big surprise there. - green.  

I made up a few blocks and then cut them diagonally and paired them w a blue that was also cut.   About halfway into the stack of blues I realized something was wrong.  I had cut them wrong so I did not have the strong visual effect that gives the quilt it's name.  Arrrrrgh 

No sizzle going on here.

Thankfully I had not sewn the pairs since I was setting up a Leader & Ender project pile.  So I correctly cut more blues to match up w the already cut greens   Then I made more greens to match up w the already cut blues.

That's more like it!

 Then I made even more greens to match w the remaing blues but I didn't cut either   That last batch I will save and cut after I have a layout and know which direction I need to make the layout complete

Now I can't wait to get them sewn and start playing w a layout.   This was a great way to use up strips and it was so nice to have strips already cut and ready to go!  

What did I use for L&E while I was sewing the green blocks?  The alternating blocks for the previous L&E project.  I had already turned lots of 2" squares into 2 patches, then 4 patches, then 16 patches.

There are lots more blocks than this but I can't reach over the table to put them up 

  and now I am working on a layout.

I am liking the look and working on getting a good variety before sewing more big blocks together.

Head on over to Patchwork Times  to see what others are working on.

College Quilt Finish

I promised a t-shirt quilt to my niece for her high school graduation / birthday present.  She is a very detailed person so it had to be balanced just right and prefectly symmetrical which was a bit tricky with the varying sizes and colors.  I gave her a few sample layouts and she chose her favorite and then worked on the details.   I would have sewn the small sections together as one square but she wanted them separate - and it works just fine.

She picked the sashing and border/backing fabric and they work perfectly to separate yet join the various colors.  

All in all a successful finish, but also a reminder of why I don't really like this kind of quilt.   The quilting is always tough - quilt through the shirts or not, match each color or not.  And then the actually quilting because sewing through the t-shirts is not the same as sewing through regular fabric.  Then finishing.  With all the thread changes I spent more time sewing in the thread tails than all the rest of the project.   

But it is done!!!  And there was just enough fabric remaining to make a matching pillowcase   

Linking up with  Crazy Mom Quilts   and Confessions of a fabric addict  to show off finishes.

What Should I Work on Next?

I've had so many finishes this summer I am exhausted thrilled.  I've been working so hard on finishing UFOs and NOT starting anything new.  Mostly I've been having quilting & binding finishes which I have figured out is not my favorite part and probably why they stack up at that point.  I want to sew.  My Leader & Ender project is at the point where I just want to do it!  So I also need a new Leader & Ender project.  So I dumped out the UFOs that are still in the piecing stage.  Hmmm.  What to choose?

I've got a small center that needs borders or something. It was a commissioned quilt about 16 yrs ago that the people changed their mind on.  There is no more of any of the fabrics involved, but the maroon is close.  Then there is a bag of blue Strips that Sizzle also about 16 years old   And a bag of 3.5" blocks that I was working on for an idea at least 19 years ago. 

And the winner is ...   

Hopefully by this time next week I will have chosen one and made some progress on it.  I need to stop agonizing over the small details and just move forward.  Done is good!!

Head on over to Patchwork Times  to see what others are working on.

Stash Report 071215

Lots of finishes. Lots of fabric out

Trip Around the World DONE!!!  backing and binding.  4.33 yards 

Lined Curtains for VPK classroom at work   9 yards 

Spinning Octagons (needs a better name now that I like it!)  borders 1.1 yds   Even though I bought the orange border fabric I don't feel bad at all because that is what inspired me to finish it!!

Fabric Used This Week:  14.43 yards 

Fabric In This Week:  0.9 yards  orange for Spinning Octagons

Total In 2015: 7.02 yards
Net Used 2015:  47.08 yards

Linking up to Patchwork Times  to show how others are doing on busting their stash!

A Finish Frenzy

Little S spent 3 weeks with family in Guatemala.  After an initial burst of energy and lots of finishes I had slowed, but I was determined to get in a few more finishes before she got back and I did! Yippee!

Finish #1. Trip Around the World is quilted and bound.  I even got most of  the thread tails sewn in on the trip to the airport to pick up Little S. 

It is not quite square.

Not a thrilling back, but got fabric used up.

Finish #2. Curtains for the VPK classroom at work. I really should have had a before picture - sad, droopy, dusty mismatched curtains in a very non-childlike fabric hanging from rods that were falling off the wall.  I've had the measurements for months.  I remade the remaining panels from a set of curtains I got at goodwill when I made my classroom curtains 2 years ago.  Huge improvement and glad to have that bundle of old curtains out of my closet.  Someone else will paint at least one of the walls a yellow color. 

Finish #3. Spinning Octagons. I spread the blocks out one last time on Little S's floor and was still not convinced I liked it.  Then while at Joanns getting the rods for the curtains I found a remnant I knew would be perfect as a border and my interest was instantly revived.  On a break from quilting Finish #1 I squared up the blocks. I didn't agonize over it or worry about it.  I just found the smallest block and squared them all based on that.  I have known all along this was not going to be even close to perfect.  For now I was just aiming for a finish.  I quickly sewed them together and picked an inner border that worked with the orange sherbet fabric.  How did I ever think I did not like this quilt?  All the imperfections are now a reminder of all that went into this quilt. Considering it was a 20-year-old UFO made with pieces cut from cardboard templates I am pretty pleased.  It might be a keeper after all.  I certainly have to come up with a better name.

The colors are more distinct in real life.  The sun washed them out quite a bit.

Next up is to make a t-shirt quilt for my niece before she heads off to college and quilt the Spinning Octagons.

Linking up with  Crazy Mom Quilts   and Confessions of a fabric addict  to show off finishes.

Stash Report 062115

At last a stash report and a good one at that.  Lots of finishes this week.  More finished quilts than finished photos but that is fine.

1) Quilt top, backing and binding for nephew to be : 5.12 yards   

2) Scrap box quilt border & backing to donate to a young cancer patient: 2.06 

3) around the world borders, backing and binding: 4.44 yards 

I had to buy fabric for the baby quilt since I was working within a theme but the damage wasn't too bad.  And found the end of a bolt of solid pink on clearance for just $1/yard that I could not leave behind.  Solids are always good. 

Fabric Used This Week:  11.62 yards 

Fabric In This Week:  4.62 yards

Total In 2015: 6.12 yards
Net Used 2015:  33.55 yards

Linking up to Patchwork Times  to show how others are doing on busting their stash!

Lots of Finishes

The girls were gone (and we ate leftovers all week) and I was super productive even though I either went in to work or worked at home most days!!  I had a short mental list of 3 major things I wanted to finish in that time and I got that done!!  I also got a bonus project done!!

#1 was a non-sewing project   A few years ago I finished hand quilting a family heirloom quilt for my team teacher.  As a thank you she offered to make me a photo album but I had to pick the photos. I thought if I just got out the box of photos from the time we first moved to Russia until College R was born that would be a nice finite amount to work with.  Took me more than 3 years to actually get out the box and then I realized she would never be able to sort and cull and crop the photos.  That took me over 6 months in bits of time usually when Señor G was out of town and I could make a big mess.  I was so close to the end and I did it!!  That project is out of my hands and I am very thankful. 

The initial sort.  When I realized I might be in over my head!

#2 finish quilting an unexpected quilt  that was halfway quilted.  Done.  Once the photos were off the floor I could get to the sewing machine.  Binding is cut, pressed and ready to go

#3 get a baby quilt for the new nephew to be at least to the flimsy stage. Once the inspiration hit it didn't take any time at all.  I also got a backing pieced and ready - all from stash. 

Bear Paws Flimsy

I had to do a lot of piecing to get enough claws.

Can you spot the pieced claws?

BONUS   -  get the borders on the project I pulled out of my MILs scrap bag last summer.  The fabric had already been set aside and there was enough for the backing as well.  This quilt is very pretty but really has no special meaning.  It was a few odd pieces found in a bag that was given to my MIL and I was curious to see how far I could take it.  Señor G is a free lance interpreter and recently has been working with the family of a little girl undergoing cancer treatment.  Her name is the same and her birthday very very close to our Little S.  I really felt like I needed to give her this quilt.  As soon as I get the thread tails worked in it will go to the other Little S. 

I tried to quilt some little flowers in among the stipple.

Linking up with  Crazy Mom Quilts   and Confessions of a fabric addict  to show off finishes.