NEW PROJECT

 I've started on a new project - a Tula Pink quilt called Opening Night using her new line of fabrics, Line Work.  It's a lot of black and whites and some additions to her True Colors blending fabrics.

I cut out all of the colored fabric being used to make a bunch of little, 4", stars.

Then I cut out the background pieces.

And sewed them all together in the '8 at a time' method of making HST squares.

Now each one needs to be cut apart and the seam pressed open.

I got one set done - that's enough for today.

FLOATING STAIRS TOP

 I worked on my project from the Floating Stairs workshop most of the day and got it all put together.  I made some serious mistakes where the seams don't line up like they should.  But, I think for a first time it's not too bad.   The important thing is that I learned a lot about how to do it and what not to do.  I definitely need more practice at curves and y-seams.

I got all of the background attached to the 'drunkards path' squares, then we went out to lunch at Coastline Burgers.  Well, actually, we ordered online, picked it up and took our lunch to the lookout at Hamilton Viewpoint Park off California Avenue.

I got one seam where everything came together right.  Yea!

Back in the studio after lunch, I attended a Brave Patch meeting where I foundation pieced a lot of the scraps from this project while listening.  Afterwards I sewed everything together on the top.  It's done.  

The background is Kona Prussian Blue, the orange is Kona Nectarine.  The dark purple is Kona Geranium and the lighter one is Kona Petal.

BLACK FRIDAY SEWING DAY

 Not much happening on this Black Friday.  

I was sewing.  I worked on my Floating Stairs project from the workshop I took last weekend.

First I finished paper piecing the 'stairs'.

Then I worked on getting the background pieced into the middle - not as easy as she made it look! It's all one piece. I had to go back to the recording of the workshop and look for the part where she did this.  I took out my first attempt and tried it again with better results.  Not perfect, but better. 

I got the background sewn into all of the 'stair' parts, then started making the 'drunkard's path' squares.  Or should I say rectangles.

THANKSGIVING 2020

 We had a hybrid dinner of purchased turkey and mashed potatoes, while I made stuffing and a sweet potato casserole.  

We ate too much. We watched a movie and had a zoom meeting with Nicole and Victoria and Julia and Hailey.

We also counted the pumpkin pie as a substitute for a vegetable.  Works for me.

SEWING ON A HOLIDAY

 I spent the time between breakfast and an early dinner finishing putting rows on and putting the blocks up on the design wall.

LITTLE FISH

 The fish have been coming out from hiding lately.

I saw one of the little fishies hanging with 'The Behemoth'.  They seem to be getting used to each other.

You can see why I was a little concerned for the little ones.  Yikes.

STRATA FOR BREAKFAST

 I premade a strata with ham, eggs and cheese last night.  We cooked it up for breakfast this morning.

ADDING TRIANGLES

 Spent a good part of the day adding HST squares to each other.

Once the rows were made, I started adding them to the center squares.

TRIMMING HSTS

 Sew, cut apart, press seam open, trim.  Repeat 480 times.

That's how it goes for the expanded blocks made form a Quilt Freedom Workshop.

Oh, my aching neck and arm.

upper right is the picture of the original blocks I'm trying to replicate, but in different colors, of course.

I managed to get a lot of the trimming done while participating in zoom meetings.  Today was a Brave Patch meeting from 1pm to 3pm.

MORE PICTURES

 I didn't like the pictures we took yesterday of the Covid quilt - so we took more today.  And then I submitted them to Quiltcon At Home and Road2CA.

QUILT PHOTO TAKING

 Darrell helped me out by taking photos of quilts for me.  I wanted to get pictures of my Millennium Quilt - which I haven't seen in about 15 years.  It's been in a closet and doesn't smell very good.  But it looks good.  It never got much use.

Then he photographed the Covid quilt.

LONG DISTANCE WORKSHOP

I took a workshop, this morning, with PapperSaxSten, Jenny Haynes.  She was broadcasting from the UK and there were participants from all around the globe.  Some had to rise very very early, some were participating in their evenings.  I was lucky in that it started at 9am for me.

She was teaching us how to make her Floating Stairs quilt.  She discussed drafting the pattern, and different variations.  She showed us how to use freezer paper for paper piecing and talked about sewing curves.

It was a very informative class and I really appreciated her expertise and willingness to share.

I haven't started my project yet, but soon, I hope.

BINDING BY HAND

 It's been a while since I've sewn a binding down by hand.  It's a long slightly painful job.

But, it's gotta be done - and soon.

Binding and a sleeve for my quilt, Covid 19: Shards.

DARRELL'S TREE

 In 2005 on Darrell's birthday - November 18th - we planted a tree out front of our house on Wells Street in Renton.  The idea was for it to provide shade (eventually) because the house faced west and in the summer the sun would beat in to the upstairs bedroom windows and it could get incredibly hot, too hot to sleep.

Planting the tree in 2005

We sold the house in 2007 and moved to Seattle.  We've gone back a few times to take his picture with the tree as it grows up.

November 18, 2015

We went back today, on his birthday, and we were surprised.  The tree might almost be tall enough now to shade the house.  

MORE THREAD ISSUES

 Okay, so I was using the bobbin thread to finish off the top and used a 40wt grey Aurifil on the back for the quilting on my Covid quilt.

I almost made it all the way, but one and half passes from the bottom I ran out of thread again! 

So, here's where I ran out of thread again - just one more row to go!

So, I just used that grey Aurifil for the last of the quilting and called it a day.  It actually matches pretty good.  The thread is a bit small in diameter, but I doubt if anyone will notice. 

So, it's done and off the longarm machine.

SCREECHED TO A STOP

 I thought I could finish the quilting on the Covid quilt today - and I could have - if I hadn't run out of thread!

I had loaded up three more bobbins, because I went through three bobbins on the first half.  So, I was down to the last few rows when :screeeeech: I ran out of thread on the top.  

As I was pulling out some of the stitches so I could knot them off and bury them I was thinking about how to proceed.  I figured I'd call the store where I'd bought this thread a long time ago and see if they had another spool.  That would mean I'd have to drive to Southcenter to buy it.  I don't like driving and I don't like taking time out of the day to go get something like that - it seems like such a waste.  And, I'd have another giant spool of thread I'll not be likely to use again.

Then!  it occurred to me that I could use the thread in the bobbin and use a similar thread that I had on the backing.  So, tomorrow, that's what I'll do!  Today I'm going to zoom and watch a Patricia and Joe chat and then a Brave Patch sew-in.

LOADED COVID ON LONGARM

 I finished the backing for the Covid quilt this morning.

Then, I got it loaded onto my longarm, Eduard and the fun began.  I'm quilting horizontal lines all across and down it.  They are about 1/4" to 1/2" apart.  What was I thinking?  I'm using King Tut 40 wt. thread and I'm going through a lot of it.

I got about half way done today.