WORK FREE THURSDAY

I had to take today off from work to make a decision about tile for our kitchen remodel and get it ordered.

I had a very busy day.

I got a little sewing in first thing in the morning. 

I made the latest Solstice Challenge block.

It's called "Board Games" and was designed as a 24" block.  I have a finite amount of fabric and haven't been able to find any to add to my group.  So, I had made the decision early on to just make 12" blocks instead, and then sash them in a simple setting.

I pared this block down to the basics and made it 12" instead.

After that I took the dogs for a walk in Lincoln Park.  They were so excited!  We haven't been to the park for a while because of my schedule lately.

I took the dogs home and then headed down to the area around the Seattle Design Center and went to several tile dealers.

I thought I had narrowed it down to the one I wanted, but I found another I like even better.  I got a sample and filled out an application to be able to buy from them.

I came home for lunch with the DH, he likes this new tile better also.  After lunch I realized that the quarterly taxes are due on Monday.  So, I sat down and got that taken care of.

I had about an hour and a half until I had to get dinner started so I went back upstairs to start on a new project.

Yes, I said 'new' project.  [What is wrong with me?!]

Hard as it is to believe, I actually bought a kit.  Yes, a prepackaged kit with fabric and pattern.  This is first for me.  It looked so fun I couldn't help myself.

I prewashed the fabrics yesterday.  I ironed some of them and got them organized and then cut out and sewed together the first block today.

It's called Wallflower.

There are two blocks, this is the simple one.  They are 18" blocks.

EARTH DAY 2017

Today is Earth Day.  There are marches planned all over the country.  We will be participating in the one here in Seattle this afternoon.

In the meantime, I got some sewing time in.

I made the recent Solstice Challenge block, number 18, called "On The Go".

And then I made another Splendid Sampler block.  

This is Flights of Friendship by Barb Groves and Mary Jacobson

The blue block in here gave me fits.  I had to pick out the top and bottom rows because I got the triangles in backwards (you wouldn't think that was even possible).  Then after I got those straightened out, as I was sewing the rows together, I see that I had one of the background squares in wrong side out.  Out came the seam ripper again.   But, it's together and it's done and it's right.  I can check that one off my list.  Yeah!  

Now off we go to the Science March.

SPRING FEVER

Yes, I do have a small case of Spring Fever.  I'm starting the remodel project of our kitchen, but that's another story.
This story is about the next block in the Solstice Challenge.

It is called Spring Fever.

STITCH IN THE GARDEN

Splendid Sampler block number 44 is A Stitch in the Garden by Jane Davidson.

I finished it while at work this week.

SECOND CAMDEN BAG

I know!  I said I'd never again make one of these bags.  But, I saw all the leftover pieces from the first bag and thought about how much money I spent on them.  I hate throwing away money.  

So, I made this smaller bag.

I knew where all the pitfalls were and managed to figure out an easier way to do it.  This bag ended up not being anywhere near as miserable to make.

I'm not real happy with the fabrics, but that's what I had to work with if the plan was to use up the leftovers.

I really like this bag.

SOLSTICE BLOCKS OF THE WEEK

Here are the last two Solstice Challenge blocks.  I'm catching up.

Number 15 is called  Precious Fabric

Number 16 is called Friendship block.

BLOCK 46 TWIRL TIME

This one was fun, too!
I'm loving these fabric choices.
It is Twirl Time by Sarah Maxwell
6" block using all paisleys.

 PS.  If you look closely you might notice I had to piece together some fabric to have enough.  I'm using little 7" squares of samples I've had since I had a quilt shop, and I used pretty much the whole thing for this background.

BLOCK 39

Block 39 of the Splendid Sampler is paper pieced, hella paper pieced.  I spent the better part of my afternoon working on this block, "Balls in the Air" designed by Aylin Ozturk.
It has the tiniest little pieces.  I had a hard time figuring out which line to sew on.  But, I did it and I didn't make any mistakes and I didn't have to pick any of it out! 

I spent part of the day organize and rearranging in my studio.  

Out with the old, in with the new!

EDITING STASH

I am amazed.  I actually went through my stash and removed some fabrics I figure I'll never use!  Three bags worth!  They will be donated to the Goodwill tomorrow.  

I almost tossed out a pile of scraps, but I noticed they were an interesting group of fabrics.  So, I pulled them out and sorted them.  There were a lot of 3" squares and strips.  The sad thing is, there were some completed three-sided blocks in  with the scraps and I have a vague memory of making these triangle blocks.  But, I don't remember the quilt or if I even finished it.  And if I did, where is it?  Is it still a top?  Where?  No pictures, either.

I spent the next hour cutting all of the scraps up into 3" squares.  I'll be using these as leaders and enders while I sew other projects.  I'll have a free all squares quilt someday.

I sent away for some Comic book cardboard and cut it down to size to fit into my small drawers and started wrapping my fabrics around them.  Hopefully, it will keep my fabric a little more organized and easier to see.  It's also pretty sad that I bought a package of 100 boards, cut them in half, making 200 and I am going to have to order a whole bunch more if I'm going to do my whole stash.

I noticed on the way into the house the ground cover was blooming.  I think they're called Vinca Minor.  

BLOCK FOUR

After a trip to the fabric store, where I bought way more fabric than I needed, plus some thread and other stuff, I remade the Alice in Wonderland block for the Mystery Children's Library BOM.

I didn't notice that the print was directional until I took this picture.  Now I'm thinking I should take it apart and get them lined up...later.

Here are the four blocks all together.

I'm going to have to add more blue in the upcoming blocks.  
We still don't know the setting for these.

NOT HAPPY WITH FABRIC CHOICES

The next block in the Mystery Children's Library BOM came out on the first of the month.  This is number 4, "Alice in Wonderland", which is fun because I'm using Alice fabric as my main fabric.

I made my fabric choices and started putting it together.  I realized that the fabric I had chosen for the corner blocks wasn't going to work.

I went through my stash and came up with a few different choices, but I don't like any of them.

These dark red were my original choice.

I tried this blue, but thought it was still too dark.

I pulled this out of my stash, a lighter fabric with blue, but its still not right.

Time to go to the fabric store.

HEXAGONS AGAIN

I finished sewing the hexagons onto their backing fabric.  There' s supposed to be a smaller hexagon sewn onto the top of the middle one. 
I'm not sure I like it there.
It looks fine without it.
This fabric is too light.
Maybe I'll try it with a darker fabric... or leave it.

HONEY BEE BLOCK

This is block 14 of the Solstice Challenge.


I finished the applique while at work on this rainy, drizzly day.