ANOTHER BASKET FOR ME

I needed something simple to do today.  I realized I really needed a basket to contain my scraps from my Improv That Block project.  I found some cotton clothesline and made a big basket for them.

 

STRINGS WORKSHOP

 This morning was the next Improv That Block workshop with Sherri Lynn Wood.  This month we are exploring String blocks.

I made two sets of strings, one dark and one light in value.  Then after the workshop I made this.  It's another Friendship Star block using those string sets.

I think it's moderately successful.  But, the good news is I have leftovers from the string sets to play with another time.

PIANO HINGE BOOK

I've been working on making a Handmade Book based on an Australian Piano Hinge with instructions from Sarah Matthews on Sketchbook Revival 2026. 

Held together with accordian hinges.

Covers made with some Batik fabric

Book block with accordian hinges.

ONCE UPON A TIME TOP

This morning I finished trimming the HST blocks to 4-1/2" and put them up onto the design wall.  These were made from a charm pack called Once Upon a Time with some Kona solids added to make the Half Square Triangle (HST) blocks.

After lunch I started sewing the rows together.  Then I sewed the rows to each other.  It is now a finished top, ready to be quilted, after I make a backing for it.

 

MUD CLOTH TABLE MAT

 I started with a piece of black fabric 24" by 36".  I cut randomly sized pieces from my collection of African Mud Cloth and fit them onto the black backing.  Then I zigzagged them down onto the backing, connecting them to each other also.

I cut some wide binding from the black Kona and bound it by machine.

It will now reside on our dining room table for a while.

ANOTHER HANDMADE BOOK

 Here's the second handmade book I made from a cookie box covered with some painted papers.  The signatures inside this one are made from mixed media papers.  The seven signatures are stitched in with a mixture of an 'X' stitch and Saddle stitches and beads. 

COOKIE BOX BOOK

 I stitched together the signatures made from leftover papers into a cover made from a cookie box.  The box was covered with paper I had painted and printed.  The closure uses some silk sari ribbon and an old button from my Grandma's Button Jar.

HAPPY PI DAY

It's Pi Day.  I've made several Pi quilts.

Here's my Pi quilt, Nine-Patch Pi. 

Okay, start at the upper left and count the colored squares...

MONTH 3 BOM

 They uploaded the instructions for this month's SeaMQGbom2026 and I was on it right away assembling some blocks.

CHANGES

 My design wall is oriented horizontally.  I like quilts that are vertical, so I end up putting them up on the design wall sideways when designing.  Sometimes it's bothersome.  

I've been having this problem with my current project, Improv That Block 2026.

Today I wasn't satisfied with way the Fan blocks were and wanted to change them, so I put them up, took a photo, then reoriented the photo to vertical then decided if it was looking how I wanted or not.

I went through several iterations.  Here they are:

Lots of work to do now.

FINISH NUMBER SEVEN

 I found a fabric that would work for the binding, made it and sewed it onto the quilt I just finished quilting.  It is done.

Finish number seven for the year!

"Clouds" 50" by 50".

Last night was the change to Daylight Saving Time.  We moved the clocks ahead an hour.  We basically lost an hour. I really don't like this.  I didn't sleep well and didn't feel like doing anything today.  But, I am very happy I at least got this project done.

QUILTED WITH RAIN DROPS

 The little (50" x 50") quilt called Clouds is finished being quilted with a pantograph of rain drops.

It is off the longarm awaiting binding.

CLOUDS ON THE LONGARM

 I loaded the small quilt top, Clouds, onto the longarm today.

This top was made from six wide selvedge to selvedge strips with the same print of clouds but in different colorways sewn together side by side and bordered with some black fabric.  I believe I picked up this collection from a fabric distributor back in the day.  I never knew what to do with them.  The top has been languishing around for a long while now.

It is on my list of UFOs to finish this year.

MADE A BAD CHOICE

I got out a charm pack, Roses and Arrows, and picked a  fabric for the other half of the half square triangles.  I cut the squares and marked the sewing lines on the backs of them. 

 I thought it best to cut a few and see how they'd look before sewing them all together.  

Good thing I did.  I did not think they were a good match after all.  So I took them apart and looked for a better match.  I settled on a light grey, Kona Lighthouse, and started over.