Design Wall Progress

Isn’t it amazing?  I have something new on my design wall!  I cut these tumbler blocks and spaced them out so I can fill in between with either white or cream tumblers. 

Here is a picture of the blocks as I laid them out on the ironing board.  I was looking at how they go together as I have never made a tumbler quilt before.

This will be a comfort quilt and here I am, again, trying to use up the 30s fabric I got for this quilt and used again in this quilt.  And yet this fabric continues to seem to multiply as soon as I turn the light out in the studio.  For this reason I already have planned a doll sized quilt for the cradle using what’s left (I hope) of it.

Prior to the tumbler blocks going up on the wall, this was there: 

These are my Underground Railroad blocks.  Well, except for what you see as the first block in the third row.  There you can see the fabric for the last block which I hope to sew this week.

Here are the blocks with the fabric I have chosen, I think, for the sashing.  I’d like to do something different than just straight sashing so I’m glad I have some time to figure it out.

I am finally getting around to working on My Hearts Desire quilt blocks. 

So I got out the prepped pieces for the first of 4 blocks.  I laid them out and look how many empty places there are.  I was sure I had made all of the pieces for all 4 blocks but now I see that I had only gotten started.  So I will set aside time each day to prep those missing parts.  I am way behind with these: Esther has already started a new BOM quilt. I, however, really want to complete this quilt someday.

And now for some gratuitous cat pictures. 

Ms. Murphy found the cradle.  Doesn’t she look like a little princess?

And here she seems to be saying “are you still looking at me?”

Be sure to drop by Patchwork Times to see what other quilters are working on.

WOW

There has been no sewing here since last Wednesday when I quickly got my Underground Railroad blocks completed for the LQS’s BOM meeting on Saturday.  Since then I have been mostly in bed (see this post), getting up finally yesterday and today trying to get back in my groove.

Without a sewing/quilting entry, I thought I would show my new acquisition: 

You can only see part of the antique cradle but if you want to see the whole thing go to this post.  It is cast iron and VERY heavy.  The mattress is original stuffed with horsehair but I now have it covered with a quilt (of course).  And yesterday added a doll I just love.  I am not a doll collector but when I saw her I just had to have her: she makes me smile.

She has been in my bedroom for several years as I love to see her when I first wake up.  She reminds me to smile first thing in the morning.  However, she is now in the family room, right in front of my chair.  Now I see her while I am doing my morning devotional.  If I were doing Peaceful Pathways as a doll quilt it would be for her to sit on in this cradle.

Have a wonderful rest of the week.

Design Wall (late)

Well, this week this is all there is.  I got these two blocks done on Wednesday for the LQS’s BOM meeting on Saturday.  Then I did a 10 hour WW day Thursday and a 10 hour day for WW on Friday.  After spending the rest of Friday with DH doing some shopping and eating we came home and went almost immediately to bed.  Saturday I woke up feeling tired and decided to not go walking.  Good thing because I developed some pretty severe dizziness and before noon was back in bed: I completely forgot the BOM meeting.  The dizziness was reduced to vertigo and extreme tiredness as I slept almost all day Saturday and Sunday.  Today I am up but not moving too much.  The vertigo seems to have almost gone away and I am not as tired but decided to skip Yoga tonight anyway.  I haven’t been in the studio since Wednesday but am planning on trying to put in a little time there tomorrow.  I really miss visiting my stash and projects.

Catching Up = Design Wall

But before I share what’s on my design wall I will show how my last wall quilt looks.

It all went together like it had been made to even though I did more ripping and fixing on this quilt that ever before.  I have prepped the borders, the mostly red fabric, but will not be sewing them on until I get some other things done.

Design Wall

 

This is what I have been working on for the past week.

 

 

 

 

 

This is Block 7 from Bunny Tails’ Henrietta Whiskers.  It is only prepped for appliquéing but that is part of my plan for this week.

 

 

And this is Block 8, also prepped for applique.  And after that I will be doing the embroidery.

 

 

 

 

Next came the Boot Bash blocks.  This is Block 6.  The body of the boot is made with fabric I have been wanting to use for years but never could find just the right place to use it.  I think it makes this boot look special.

 

Here is Block 7.  I was really excited with this one because of the cactus.  And would you believe that the upper and lower part of the boot are from the same fabric?  Cool, huh?

 

This is Block 8.  Mine is very different from the original.  I don’t know why I chose the red and white but isn’t this a pretty boot?  I love it.

 

And then from the sublime to the ridiculous.  This is Block 6 of Crazy Cats.  I am doing all the cats with plaid and then whatever else that comes to mind.

 

 

And this is Block 7.  Of course there is still embroidery to do but that will come later.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And last but not lease with Block 1 of When Nature Calls.  The block calls for lots of flowers around the outhouse but I am holding off until I have several blocks done so I can see just what I want it to look like.  I am really excited about this BOM as the finished quilt will reside in my bathroom.  Just a little bathroom humor I inherited from my mother.

 

Now, if you are not too pooped from seeing all the work I went through last week, hop on over to Patchwork Times to see the work of other quilters.

Sewing, Piecing, and Antiques

This is my Design Wall today.  Looks a lot like my last two design walls, doesn’t it?  However, now each of the rows are sewn.  The center will be 60x84.  I think I know what I am going to do for an outer border but I think I need an inner border first so that may take some time to figure out.

 

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This was when I was just getting started putting the rows together but I wanted to be able to show the true colors.

 

 I also got the first border on Snowbound.  One more and this one will be ready for quilting.

And over the weekend I drew all the pieces for several applique BOMs (I really went overboard this year).  I plan on this being an applique week to see if I can get caught up on all of them.

 

 

Unfortunately we went antiquing again.  This was my prize, a cast iron cradle.  When I got it I was thinking of using it to store fabric.  But once it was set up in the family room, I could see a quilt an a baby doll in there.  We’ll see what finally it gets used for.

 

 

 

Of course Ms. Murphy had to check it out but interestingly, she hasn’t jumped into it, yet.

 

 

 

 

And then all the investigating had her all tuckered out.

 

 

 

 

It seemed to even tire Abby, who never paid any attention to the cradle.

 

 

 

 

Well, I better get off this computer, put a load of laundry in the washer, and get into the studio and get that applique stuff going.  Be sure you check out all the creativity at Patchwork Times.

Where’s the Design Wall?

Today DH and I began week #14 of our morning 2 mile walk.  I am so very proud of us, each of us has only missed 2 days and both times the other went alone.  Now this may not seem like much to most of you but we are OLD, 68 and 70.  Also, when we started the morning temps were in the low 60s.  Today it was 79 and the humidity was 84%, and this was at 6:30 am. 

 

And did I tell you that Abby goes with us at least 6 days a week?  And this is usually how it is with her the full 16’ of leash ahead of us.  But she loves it and pouts when, on the rare occasion, she has to be left at home.

When we started I couldn’t find the Sketchers I had bought the last time we were walking.  So I wore an old pair of shoes until we had walked consistently for four weeks.  And then I got these, and I love them.  They live in the car (the socks change daily) and until I saw this picture I didn’t realize that they have walking stains on them.  Whoopee, I can see how I abuse them by using them. 

Now I know that most of you came to see my Design Wall.

Well, here it is, looking a looking a lot like it did last week.  I have bordered the diamonds with a continuation of the background fabric and am playing with some ideas for the center blocks which will also need additional background fabric.  Anyway, I am almost ready to put this thing together.  It has been a design as you go project but in the end I think it is going to be very pretty.

Now for a really great thing….. I won these fantastic fabric squares from Ravelly to use in her new When Nature Calls BOM!  The first block is out and I am so excited to begin, yet another, BOM.  My mother has an outhouse theme in her bathroom (and, no, she is not getting this quilt) so I have decided that my tribute to her will be this quilt in my master bath.  Anyway, block 1 is on my agenda for this week.

One of the reasons for little being accomplished this week is that we were out and about all week.  I don’t think we really did much but I did buy some fabric (no picture yet) and this..

 

Now, isn’t this cute?  But wait……..

 

 

 

 

 

It’s a flash drive, a 4G flash drive.  And it works.  It’s not like I needed another flash drive but it was so cute I couldn’t resist.  They had several different animals so I am hoping I don’t find myself at Staples again any time soon. 

 

And now it is time to flash on over to Patchwork Times to see what other quilters are doing with their time and money.