Basket Blocks

If the quilt blocks really grew on trees….. I have to work late tonight, so I opted for sleeping in and traipsing through the snow for some photos.

These are the last of the Basket blocks for the Baskets of Life BOM. I got behind (life happens).

So after Christmas I drew out all six blocks and got busy. I counted myself complete when I finished the stitching, but there’s still lots of work sewing on the borders.

This one is my favorite.

I’ve been sewing almost 30 minutes a day.

I have this mindset that sooner or later Don’s going to get a job and I need to have this stuff completed.

But there’s always one more quilt to make.
Here are photos of my assistants in to snow. Nothing slows them down….

Working late, there probably won’t be time for fun tonight.

Kids are doing well. Life is good.

Blue Birds in a Row....

I’ve about had my fill of winter. The novelty has worn off. We’re at the part of the season where your vehicle stays in a state of permanent filth. You’re pretty tired of your winter clothes. And realistically, we’re still talking about six more weeks of winter. Suck it up..right!?!?

Have you ever seen a quilt that the pattern cover just didn’t do it justice? Colleen showed me in her posting Bluebirds in a Row—I thought ‘cute’. But I didn’t give it much thought. But I went to Primitive Gatherings last Wednesday and saw the display….

I knew it meant an end to winter. Maybe it was the colors of their hand-dyed wool (lots better than the pattern photo). I kind of have the Cabin- Northwoods thing going on in my house so I thought it was perfect. I traced it and cut it out tonight. I needed a handwork project since I finished my Baskets of life stitching.

I guess quilts are like books…they shouldn’t be judged by their covers---(even pattern covers..:)

Gratitudes:
The dishwasher
New Needles
Cheese Toast

F A I T H . . . . . .

I needed a reminder a few months ago--- so I got this for myself.  I'm not a big jewelry wearer. I think I have four pairs of earrings total.  Every piece of jewelry I own means something.  It's
F-A-I-T-H... as in...'Never lose it...'... I guess at the time I was thinking, " As long as it was around my neck-- I wouldn't..."  Don still is not working, but I have optimism and hope...enough for both of us......

This has hung in my sewing room just like this for a while.  It was a friendship gift from Amy.  She even included scraps so I could make it bigger.  Chelsey has decided that hopefully she will have her own place next semester and wants a brown couch for a pink and brown living room.  This was the first thing I thought of.  I guess there is always a reason for a quilt.  So I took my scraps and added a couple of fat quarters and created

16 more blocks.

It's a nice size now.  I found some fabric on clearance for backing--- maybe tomorrow I'll post it.  I'm thinking a brown patchwork border and it will be ready for quilting.  It looks like Chelsey.

I had a great weekend--- It just wasn't long enough. 

Gratitudes:

Pink thread

Mackinac Bridge - Makes it easier to get to Eric

Never losing...Faith.

Baby Blankets

I have to work late tonight…. The bright side is I don’t have to go in so early. The pups wake up at the usual time so I leave Don sleeping and get up with them. I’m a morning person anyway so no complaints. A friend over at V & Co. is requesting baby receiving blankets

so I printed out the instructions and made a couple this morning to send. I just love working with flannel. I’m in no hurry--- but I’m going to be an awesome gramma one day….

We’ve missed out on the last two snowstorms that have hit the Midwest. I guess there is a perk to living in the “Way Up North” of the U. S. .

I’m finishing up a 2009 BOM project with only 1 ½ blocks left. Hopefully it will be completed by this weekend. We’re having dinner with friends Saturday night and a quilter will be there. We usually slip off unnoticed and share the projects we’re working on right now….

Chelsey’s learning life lessons--- the Radio station she’s working at was sold. The new owners came in and fired everyone and rehired some (including her). Tough lessons….hard lessons, but life lessons she’s learning first hand. I told her she needs to write down ' Life lessons they don’t teach in college textbooks.' But she presses on…..

Eric's is learning cool stuff -- has a class on herbal remedies. I just love talking with him. We're going to see him in March. The weather is too unpredictable for him to come home right now. Plus the heavy load of classes. I stress over him, but he and Chels talk daily so she's the thermometer for Eric--- "Mom, he's fine..."

I better load up the jeep and get to work…..

Gratitudes:
Baby flannel
Ruffles—my new thing
Phone call from a friend

Her Birthday----

Chelsey turned twenty on Thursday. The two radio stations in the college town she lives in announced every hour throughout the day. The entire city had to of known it was her birthday---- she ate it up…..


Wow… she’s twenty….no tears. It’s not what you lost it’s what you had. I loved the little girl….Managed the teenager…And completely adore her as an adult.

We celebrated last weekend, with a girl’s day out to Green Bay and Appleton. No quilt stores or department stores—except Kohls. We laughed about fun “on a budget”. Our first stop was a meat market. Only Chelsey would Reggae the “happy dance” over a Smoked Chicken and her own pound of beef brisket to take back to school. The market is huge and there were 30 people—literally ---in front of us--- but we picked out son-in-laws while we waited…..

Like her Mother—ruled by her stomach—we had lunch and started shopping. She had Christmas money left over and a ton of birthday money from relatives. Being the only grand-daughter on both sides of the family, she’s completely spoiled.

With dreams of having her own apartment this summer, we had our shopping focus. We purchased things for her bathroom, a shower curtain, rug, toothbrush holder. While she’s completely the “UP TOWN” girl, DNA proves without a doubt we have a link. The obsession with dishes(she’s picked out solid yellow ones), dishtowels, and cloth napkins is an undeniable link. She purchased some and I threw in a couple.

A great day—we sang in the car all the way home….

I sent her this for her birthday --- Telling her when she one day writes for the New York Times, or A Great American Novel she’ll remember me.

I did some sewing for her—that she’s coming home for today. I don’t know that I can picture her carrying the purse, but I definitely see it hanging on a hook in her apartment. The journal is a pattern from V and Co. I just made it an inch bigger than the directions and added batting for some quilting.

The fabric….I know Chelsey, while she appreciate my colors, has a style of her own. Looking in the quilt cabinet I seemed a little lean on her “colors”.   I had some Moda Faded Memories in a Miss Rosies Quilt Co. kit that I had saved for 3 years for a dream of making that “Southern” quilt my grandmother would have exactly made—colors and all. I looked at it. And Looked at it again. Time, a place shop and $$$ were all factors. I dove in and used the fabrics. The Pastel quilt would have to wait….it wasn’t even on the list anyway…

I think my Grandmother would have approved…….

Happy Birthday Chels----

Gratitudes….

Pups sleeping in until 7 am
Covered buttons
Chinese Takeout

Thank You-----

--- for the pattern below…

I had a fun coffee break, studying the photo and going over the instructions more than once. A friend from Lower Michigan sent it to me. I’ve tried emailing her again and again since Friday and Yahoo keeps sending her email back to me. I’ve even replied to emails she’s sent me and they come back. I finally decided this was the best way to get the message across. I never want it said that quilters are ungrateful. Many times, I've stated that I read more about quilting than actually using the needle and thread. But it’s all worth it…
The history lessons you learn,
the warm covers you make,
and the friends you meet along the way---
Denise keep in touch….I’d love to see photos of your progress….

Pinwheels

Thanks for checking on me….I’ve been busy. Life has been in the front seat lately.
But I have been quilting. It all started with a friend losing her father suddenly. How many times have I wanted to quilt something for someone to sit back and say, I don’t have time. I can’t get it done fast enough. Well, the familiar responses crept up again on this occasion.

But I took a different attitude this time. I told myself she’d have tons of people offering support at first. She’d probably need the quilted piece later--- after everyone else’s lives had gone back to normal and she was still there, without her Dad.

So I opened up the quilt cabinet and took out this and a couple of fat quarters, along with some muslin. I stitched away. I backed out on giving it to her two or three times. It wasn’t perfect…. Mistakes in it stood out like sore thumbs. But I continued on working on it daily for 15- 20 minutes a day.

The minute the binding was complete.

I stamped a card and left it along with hot chocolate mix on her doorstep. I knew if I kept it a minute longer, I feel like it wasn’t good enough to pass on. “ Just do it…. Melanie… just do it…” And it was done… no regrets.

I’d been to her house a few times, but for the life of me I could not tell you what colors her house was done in. I settled on red, thinking she could use the piece, Valentine’s Day, Independence Day, Summer, Christmas.

Karen found it when she got home and …loved it….
Stressing over nothing, I was.
It was worth it….

Gratitudes:
A gift that cost nothing but time – I even used scrap batting.
Working late, but learning new stuff
Don, that loves me.

Baskets of Blessings

Monday Morning --- early…I enjoyed another three day weekend…..the last one for a while.

I have a friend that just had double knee replacement surgery. She owns a florist, so something inside me just won’t let me send flowers to her. A neat lady, she’ll go to a nursing home for two weeks for extensive rehab. It’s close to work, so I plan on visiting her this evening. I spent the weekend quilting a couple of things for her.

The table runner is called Baskets of Blessings from This N That. And I used Kansas Trouble quilters, A Quilter’s Garden charm pack for the design. It’s a little darker than I would have hoped, but I think it will go well in her kitchen at home. The journal cover is made from Thimbleberrries fabric left over from another project. She’ll have something to make her lists on -- lists of projects to do when she gets home.

The label on the back is my favorite part. The fabric on the backing puckered just a bit, but no one will ever know because it is hidden under the label.

Gratitudes:

Good health over the holiday.

Warm covers at night

A Refrigerator stocked full of leftovers (No cooking after a hard day’s work…..

Happy New Year

My first completion for the New Year. I’m going to make a frame, but couldn’t wait to share. It was a free pattern I had printed off on a whim. I don’t remember the site, but it was drawn by Dolly Cook. A scrap of muslin and leftover batting backing made of a project that didn’t cost a dime. After it’s framed it’s going to stand on the corner of my hutch as a good reminder…..


Resolutions – I’ve got the usual, more exercise (mine has fallen out of the picture completely), less television, less food – especially the processed stuff that is not good for me.

Quilting – I’ve got great hopes. I want to do 4 donation projects. I’ve never done that before and the dawn of a new decade is a great time to start. I have 3 BOM projects that I want to complete from past years. They are all well on their way so this is an obtainable.

I’m taking my first quilting class this year, sort of….I’m learning how to punch needle with a friend at Primitive Gatherings. Lisa Bongean is teaching it. I’m really looking forward to it.

Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself……putting past sins behind you is one thing, but letting go of hurts from others is even better. Anger and hurt are heavy loads to carry, and frankly my shoulders grow weary. So make the New Year a time for fresh starts. Whether it’s that person that cuts in line at the store, or that family issue you are really working through… you owe it to yourself to find peace.

Merry Christmas from my family to yours... We're taking time out to count our many blessings.  Winter storms are on their way and we're all tucked in at home.

Christmas Gifts

I’d always said my job provided for my Sunday School class, my quilting and my kids going through college. Well, now it provides for everything else too. I’m not complaining--- quite the contrary, I’m incredibly grateful. While, Christmas may seem “leaner” I have complete faith it will be just as special.

Inside our church, we all have mail boxes with our names on them. Letters and memos from the church office and congregation are swapped back and forth and it says a ton in postage. A few Sundays ago a wad of bills with a note signed “the Rat Pack” appeared in our box. After the initial shock, I just sat back and thought about the gesture. Gratitude didn’t come close to how I felt. Also, thoughts of so many folks more deserving of this present crept into my head. I knew I couldn’t waste the money. So every year previously, I’ve purchased a hardcover book for each kid in my Sunday school class for a gift the season. I want them to love all the traditions of Christmas and still focus on Christ and the true meaning of the holiday. I used the funds to purchase this book for my kids and put the rest of the money back in the offering plate.

It can be a gift re-gifted to someone else….
Yesterday after “family” housecleaning…(Eric’s home), I went and worked in my Sunday school classroom an hour. When I got home the guys had grilled burgers. After the Mandatory afternoon Saturday naptime, the guys left for the movies and I danced down to my sewing machine. After 3 hours that include a snow shoe break with the pups—I came up with this gift for my Mom.

It was a free pattern from the Moda bake shop and fabric from my stash. If it weren’t for football games today—I might be down there making myself one. Great instructions --- easy. Now I have to pop it into the mail Monday with a prayer hoping it gets there my Christmas…..

Monday Evening....

I worked on Christmas gifts this weekend. The second stitchery was a freebie designed by Judith Tetley.  It's one thing to have talent--- but when you share it with others freely, it's a blessing to many. We’ve just about finished our Christmas shopping. Life feels sort of normal again. We made our first snow shoeing treks this weekend. Now that we have Chelsey’s little pup with us, we’ve got to overcome a few obstacles—namely deep snow…. He’s pretty much a trooper. He’s figured out that he doesn’t go if he doesn’t put on the sweater…He’s realized that if you’re tired, stay in Mom’s footprints….and Hang with Pop if you want to have the most fun…... I’ll get a snap shot or two and post real soon.




We’re having dinner with friends tonight, so no cooking for me…..feels like the holiday is just about upon us. I just love the music.



Chelsey came home for lunch Sunday to have lunch and visit for a couple of hours and left like the tornado she came in on….. I worked off and on all weekend on a new company project, but no complaints. It’s a job.



Eric’s stressing over finals…keep him in your prayers….. I can’t wait for him to come home…



Gratitudes –

My new snow tires for the Jeep--- Picked out and purchased by your truly.

Christmas cooking…. Homemade fudge never tastes the same as it does at Christmas.

My Sunday School Kids --- I love Christmas through the eyes of kids….

Catch up...

Thanks for the emails... It really lifted by spirits .  But anger, hate, and hurt are wasted feelings and just make you old fast.  It's just a lesson I learned and I posted to save someone else from the same mistake.....

Thanksgiving coffee Don brought me home from an Airport in his travels. Coffee is pretty sacred in our house. I knew he was thinking of me when he pulled it out of his bag.




We have frigid temperatures here as I woke up to 8 below zero. One thing about it, the pups don’t spend too much time nosing around. They take care of business and get back inside.

Our anniversary was back in June. Life circumstances kept us from really celebrating. So at the risk of everyone thinking I’m more of a dork than previously noted--- Tuesday night--- amidst a blizzard--- Don & I went to see Kenny G in his Christmas concert in Green Bay. Quilt shops closed for the weather…but his concert went on. The talent some people have… and to see the performances in person was outstanding. He’s an incredibly personable guy. He plays with his band that has members that have been with him since high school. I completely recommend it to everyone. We were fifth row at the Weidner Center.

We’ve got a couple of Christmas dinners throughout the season and I’m been sewing away on something to bring. We’ll show the finished product later. I’ve pulled the fabric for a gift for my Mom too.

This weekend, I’m hoping to paint my sewing area. Eric will be home in a week. He’ll probably want a place to sleep. So the sewing machine will go back to the basement. The Pellet stove is on down there and so it’s a cozy place to work throughout the winter.

I finally decided  on borders for the confetti cake Harvest Home quilt.  I'll post a complete photo when it's all together.

Gratitudes:

Charter Commission—really helped with Christmas shopping
My kids studying hard for finals
Mittens to keep my hands warm on cold mornings

Well, Now I know....

I learned the hard way…..Information you put on the internet is read by everyone not just your friends. Don is doing some consulting work but we are not moving. We’ve got high hopes of it turning into something permanent and one company wanted him permanently but, truthfully, while I believe there is good everywhere, it was a place we were for the long term not comfortable with.

All I can think of is I innocently showed someone at work a quilt, or a photo of my kids . They’ve been stalking my journal ever since. I never mind people reading. Lots of people quilt, have kids that make them scream occasionally , or just enjoy reading. That’s why we post (We're on the internet for God's sake!!!)… Never once did these people at work acknowledge to my face that they were reading my journal.

I thought it was odd the day the day my boss walked in my office, shut the door and out of the blue had said, “your circle of friends…. My circle of friends…. One common denominator--- and I would appreciate a 2 week notice before you left….” No more, no less. My boss asked for a two week notice when I left--- my response…”two weeks… I’ll give you two months notice…”

Never once did they say, “Your quilt sucks --- throw away the scissors before you hurt someone.” Or Hey – congrats on your kid,” or “ Hey – Hang in there with those kids.” Or “Cute pup picture”.– Well, they took it as an opportunity to inform my boss before I could -- ….Once moreover, started preying on my job.

When you are the breadwinner of your family (right now) you get a little sensitive about it. Every ounce of ‘Sunday School Teacher’ I had in me went out the window. I really regret how I behaved. But I have never been so hurt as to when my boss turned his laptop around to show me my weblog this person sent….and to listen to another apply for my job with me in the same room. Our family has been through a lot. And small towns don’t make it any easier.

But my neighbor said it best,

“It’s kind of like when I went through my divorce…. Many of the people you thought were good and your friends turn their backs on you. It hurts…But in the big picture, aren’t you glad you know. Would you rather go through life not knowing…”

She’s right – I could type countless stories that this small town has said about them--- But I will not.

I started to give up my journal… But the friends I’ve made outweigh the vindictiveness of these people. Let them read ---

My husband –the mature peacemaker---tries to present a fair opposition to what happened to me. But all I say… is why didn’t they come to me??? And I’d never walk out on my job without notice. My job would definitely take more than two weeks to train someone. My job has been good to my family---I owe that to it in return.

I’ll live… and be smarter for it. No comments for this post... but life happens....

This was made from the cover pattern of Create and Decorate Magazine. A week ago I was stressing over fallen leaves--- Note to Self: There are MANY more important things to feel bad for…. leaves not one of them. After church, a family asked me what I was doing this afternoon. My response was “Pretty much nothing.”




“Well, we’re coming over to rake leaves.”

“No – I can’t have you doing that…”

“Well you just stay inside and we’ll take care of it…”



They were coming over at 2:30 pm. Mortified at the thought of how lazy I was -- and the dog poop that was probably out there--- I went home and raked like a mad woman--- kicking myself as to why I ever felt sorry for myself. For 2 ½ hours I raked and got everything but the very front yard done. They came and laughed at me. "Like we've never seen dog poop"  they giggled with their labrador in tow.  We finished up in twenty minutes. I just needed that kick in the pants I guess.



The candle cozy was funny to make and was made of muslin coffee dyed after the stitchery was made.



The homestretch is on--- Don will be home in three weeks. I’ve mostly just taken care of myself the months. I need to get busy. A Minor meltdown… Ransom has become arthritic. One we got him on the right medicine he’s rebounding real well. With the active puppy around, he tries to keep up.



Chelsey has been coming home regularly “babysitting” me. I’ve really enjoyed her. Oh—and I’m no longer afraid of the dark….



Gratitudes:

Baby Aspirin

A warm autumn for the U.P.

Fabric Scraps

Scrappy Stars

Keeping in touch…..I’ve begun the slow progress of piecing blocks for Eric’s quilt. With the time change I seem to get sleepier with the nightfall so I stitch less. I’m hoping to get the actual blocks together by Sunday. There’s lots of chain piecing which is kind of like therapy for me.

I decided the yard was not going to rake itself. So I made an imaginary map and divided it into six sections. If God wants those leaves out of that yard, he’ll give me six good days to get it done….. Some have said—“Mel, $75.00 and it’s done, hire it out…” But honestly, there’s pride involved and if I was going to spend $75.00, it would be on quilt fabric…….

Eric got the H1N1 vaccine. He and Aimee (the girl he calls “the One”) do tons of volunteering in health clinics and are pretty much involved in ‘Germ Saturation’…. So they decided to get the vaccine.

Chelsey has her own column in the newspaper in Marquette. She calls it “A Northern State of Mind” --- College life in Northern Michigan. So she’s living life…. And Lord help us… writing about it…. I keep telling her I want a quilt story…..


Next Post--- quilt blocks…..

Gratitudes –
A Gorgeous Full Moon…The pups and I are up at 1:00am the past few mornings
The Oldies Radio Station – 60’s, 70’s 80’s music….I’m an oldie….
San---- thanks again….

Weekend Cut Out

I started cutting out pieces for my latest project and got discouraged. So I emailed a quilter who had made the same project and asked her advice. That's all it took and I got busy.
Thanks again for the advice....

She had recommended breaking things down into sets of ten. I liked the idea. So doing housework --- I'd cut out 100 pieces and stop and work on the house a little more. Before you know it I'm labelling zip lock bags and have all 1176 pieces cut out for this quilt. Tonight, hopefully I start half-square triangles. I plan on --again-- breaking things down in sets--- rather than being overwhemed by thehugs undertaking. Yep-- you'll probably be sick of me talking about it before it's over with....

This weekend. Chelsey was home about 10:30 Saturday night. She's still got the cold-bug she's had. She's been tested for H1N1, but she's just got the oldfashioned, vanilla flavored cold. The pups were thrilled to see her. But I was even more glad. I got up early Sunday and cooked a huge lunch and left instructions for oven times and temps for her. I went off to church and an outstanding sunday school class. Came home to Chelsey and football. I snuck in the afternoon nap while she was at a friends. When she got home we cooked spaghetti and then watched 'The secret life of Bees." If you haven't seen it... you must. It's a great story.

I talked with Eric... he's out healing the world giving out flu vaccines or testing people's sugar counts or something. They really make the students focus on volunteer hours. He's got a life and he's living it to the most.

The weather was cold, dreary, and rainy... but you couldn't tell it by my attiude -- it was perfect for quilting. Again-- watch that movie....

Quilting Catch Up

OK – I’ve decided it’s a lot of work taking care of yourself….while I haven’t got it quite mastered, I’m improving at it all the time. It’s catch up time. Three weeks ago.. Let’s start.

I went to a quilt show in a neighboring town that Saturday. Fun--- I love admiring others work. There wasn’t an ugly quilt there. While it was a small show, they even had a section for children making kids quilts. I always say that if we don’t teach the next generation the art of quilting it will die out. The one thing I wished that they had done was to include something from the artist as to why each quilt was created. Quilting is kind of this “soulful” experience for me and as much as I love the piece itself I love knowing what inspired the quilter.

Two weekends ago I went with a friend down to the Green Bay-Appleton area with our own version of a shop hop. We hit 3 quilt shops and had a ball. She’s a relatively new quilter—but very talented. She belongs to guilds and does a ton of charity work. I had been to the three quilt shops before. But it was amazing seeing things through her eyes. It’s the first time I ever went fabric shopping with someone other than my Mom or Chelsey. I figured with Quilt Market going on shelves may be bare, but they weren’t and it was so much fun. We went to Primitive Gatherings and I purchased this book. I have all of Lisa Bongean’s books. It even has recipes in it. My friend kind of shys away from books, but I assured her this was an afternoon date. I cup of coffee and I could get lost of hours studying her book. We Went to Piece by Piece in Appleton. With 20-foot ceilings they have quilts covering the walls. I’m going to attempt Lynda Hall’s Gathering Basket Quilt, so I’m collecting navy and tan fat quarters. This was my purchase there. We had lunch, hit a craft store and in Green Bay toured Quilter’s Connection. I always talk about quilts and fabric talking to me. Living in the Northwoods, I have my collection of pumpkin and snowman quilts. I always feel that as short as spring and summer are, I don’t have much to display. I saw this bundle of fabric with a pattern included. It’s muted pastels just said ‘Spring Time’ to me. If I make it and it seems to bright I can always tea dye it to fit a “cabin” spring . I’m working on Eric a scrappy quilt and scooped up red fat quarters whenever I saw them.

I’d been saving my Coke bottle money, rebate checks, any added chunk of change I could find, for a while. I think I’m set for quilting for the winter. I can’t even pick a favorite store. My friend is not really a traditional quilter. Every store had a variety of styles and she found great ideas and purchases for the winter. We are already penciling in our spring-time trip…

Wreaths and Angels

I’ve been intending to post all week. I’m just now finally getting a chance to hit the keyboard. I’ve been working on my Baskets of Life BOM. Here are two more completed blocks.
The Turbin Squash in the corner came from my garden. I love the colors. They’re kind of small, but for a first attempt and a really cool summer, I think they’re pretty slick.


The buggy is ready for the season. I made the wreath hanging in front. If you look closely you’ll see it’s made from old Barbed wire. Safety note—I used gloves when working with the wire, as I didn’t want rusty pokes. My bicycle has moved to the light post.
It was surrounded by Chrysanthemums until the deer had a feast one night.

Yesterday I received a surprise in the mail – an awesome Quilter’s Angel holding a thimble.
It was a “hug” just when I need it. The fabric is fat quarters from Buggy Barn’s newest line. Thanks again Karen. Your kindness will be truly remembered. I hope to pass it on to others….

Gratitudes:
Angels – both the “Quilted” and the “Quilter” ones
A good night’s rest
The weekend ahead

A Pinwheel Tablecloth

I’ve been busy --- but there’s been tons of sewing going on. It’s a bad picture. But I’ll take a better one when it’s quilted. I finished my pinwheel tablecloth. I’m definitely running a season behind….but maybe we’ll get an Indian summer day.

I’m not a perfectionist, but I’ve been working on quilt blocks being better than just “good enough”. Before I started this piece I read a lot about making pinwheel blocks. I took pictures of the method I used. And while my points aren’t perfect--- I’m really pleased.

I started with a charm square and the same size piece of muslin.


I drew an X point to point.

Then I stitched right on top of that line..

Next, I cut top to bottom and side to side..

When you open the fabric pieces, you have a great half-square triangle. I used my quarter-inch foot on my machine and game up with the pinwheel blocks.

My quilt was made with two 40 piece charm packs plus 1 block out of the border fabric. The quilt finishes nine blocks by nine blocks, with borders, 54 inches square.

I emptied all the junk out of Eric’s room. Just piles of stuff I don’t think he’ll miss. I got tired of my kitchen being trashed with things only a quilter would appreciate. I moved my machine and ironing board in his room. He won’t be home until Thanksgiving. I even have three windows…. I’m still debating on telling him….
There’s a quilt show in a neighboring town. I’m going to knock out the weekly cleaning and go. I’ll bring my camera. I’m looking forward to it.

It’s supposed to rain for the next six days. I’ve got some painting---- and quilting--- to keep me busy.

Have a good weekend –
Gratitudes
Pumpkins
Understanding sons (maybe)
Pups to keep me company