Diamond in the Rough

I've got several nice comments about the Diamond in the Rough blocks I'm doing, seen on an earlier post, and I want to thank everyone for those comments.

This quilt pattern was learned at a class given in one of our local quilt shops called Forget Me Knot Quilt Shoppe, here in Louisville, Kentucky. I would give an address for the shop, but, they do not have a website. I don't know why some people/shops in the quilt world are reluctant to embrace technology. They will spend scads of money on the latest computerized sewing machine, but, are afraid of the computer itself. What's up with that??

Anyway, back to the pattern, the best tip I can give, if you choose to try this very easy block, is to iron in the direction the pattern gives. When you have so many seams coming together in different directions, in order to get it to lay flat, you must iron correctly. This will allow the fabric to ease down and lay flat. The beauty of this block is that there are no points to match.

The block "floats". Once you get all the blocks done, you simply square them up and you will have your perfect whatever inch square block.

My corner of the quilt world...

When I really get focused on a quilt my mess begins. I think "I'll clean it up when I finish the top" and I usually do. There's nothing like posting pictures on the Internet and reviewing posts like this to help motivate me to do just that!

For me quilting is best when it's fast and fun. This is my method for creating those results. In my sewing room I like to sew with an L shape work space. My chair and sewing machine are parked together and I've lowered my ironing board to the level of my chair. Yes, yes, I know, this means no exercise-which may be the only quilters get-getting up and down to iron something. I make an effort to exercise every other day on the treadmill and so far I've stuck to it. Maybe my appetite has increased since exercising, cause I haven't lost any weight, but, oh well...will try harder...smile...

At least it's Spring! The robins are back and the sun is shining and the daffodils are blooming...smile...

It's the first day of spring...smile...

Quilting is all consuming, but it is only accomplished...well mostly...inside the house.
Here's what I worked on yesterday. I'm sewing my strips to make my 9 patch blocks. I usually try to do things in a fast way and strip piecing is one of the fastest ways to make a quilt block-especially a 9 patch. These strips are all 1.5 inches and so I sew on until I make enough to get a variety for my scrap quilt.

Quilting Tip: you want to hold off sewing your scrap quilt blocks together, so that you don't have large sections of a quilt looking exactly alike and others totally different. In other words, wait and lay out the blocks to spread the scrappy variety look all around.

Anyway, here are my hour glass blocks in progress-again fast method for making these use a 4.5 inch square and sew diagonally. Cut these in half and flip and sew together to make the hour glass.

For more information check out the Scrap Quilt book in an earlier post. This quilt is a great one to use up stash fabric. I went to my closet and pulled a 7 yard piece of fabric and began designing around that.


IT'S THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING!!!! smile....

Even the faeries are impatient. I'm so ready. These gray days in the Ohio Valley get a little old-not to mention the cold. Today, I think I'll begin my spring cleaning and I will begin in the garage-getting ready to work in the yard, it's still a little soggy out there and we need at least a couple of dry days before I can work in the yard.

Last autumn,I thinned out my iris' and it appears they are doing well and I can't wait to see what I've moved. I don't have a garden journal, so it'll be a surprise...whooppeee!!

I've been doing really well on my treadmill and am up to 2.6 miles every other day, but, when I work in the yard I think I can substitute that for my treadmill workout. You can see by my pics that our yard is rather steep and lends itself to some pretty pictures, but, it's also pretty hard to mow and maintain. We have about 1.25 acres and really only work in the 1 acre and that's enough. It'll kill a whole day on the weekend. My DH won't pay anyone to do anything if he can do it himself, so we are both out there mowing and raking. I'm not complaining, in the end that's probably good, because we've saved a lot of money that way. Although, things don't get done right away. Which makes me a little crazy sometimes, but, life is short and there are other things to worry about, such as what fabric goes into what quilt...smile...The crocus' are up and the daffodils are trying.

I am so blessed!

Thanks to our delightful members, QDO was a huge success!

Yes! Yes! A good time was had by all at our Quilter's Day Out event. Thanks to so many people involved, guild members, church youth groups, and people who, in general, enjoy quilting. We had good weather, which always helps any activity and we had door prizes-galore-4 sewing machines, generously donated by participating shops. Evelyn, our 80 something member, won a machine, just in time, she's worn out her old one and is looking forward to many more years of sewing.

The most important thing about the day was the fabulous women that helped put things on. I don't think I enjoy doing anything, quite as much, unless I'm involved with helping put it together-I hope not to my guild's chagrin....to much...smile. But in the end they supported my workaholic indulgences and helped with all I volunteered to do. Of course, no one in our guild has to do anything they don't want to do, so no arm twisting going on in our guild, but, we have many like minded and the jobs, that seemed huge, were easily done. We had several logistic issues-like how are we going to get over 500 people into a 20 by 40 room, then go down a narrow hallway. We solved this problem with arrows on the floor directing them all around the mini quilt show-and our quilters that came all followed the arrows, as long as they stayed glued to the floor-with that many feet walking over them, they were scooted around and it caused a little confusion, but, quilters are a pretty sharp bunch and they figured it out.

Once the over 500 ballots were counted for the Think Green Quilt challenge, we awarded ribbons and a tote bag filled with fabric.

Dot and Carol did so much to make this quilt challenge happen and I can't thank them enough for their hard work and planning abilities that made this part of the day go so smoothly. This quilt challenge was something new for QDO and I think it was a nice addition because it allowed the general public an opportunity to participate in judging a show and they seriously took their time studying the 23 quilts in the competition. It also made them feel part of the day-doing something to contribute-maybe I'm not so odd after all and people, in the end, do like to help out, if only in a small way...what fun..great day...smile.

Quilter's Day Out was a HUGE SUCCESS!

I spent so much time putting together our blog for our guild, I'm going to post some tomorrow, I've got to do some laundry!! yuk!!

Another UFO...smile...

Oh they stack up and we do our best to knock them down. I'm so happy to be working on this pink and brown nine patch/hour glass block quilt. It's hard to see the hourglass block, without a close up, so here it is.

I was once again inspired to work on this quilt after seeing a quilt from the turn of the century at the Wylie House Museum in Bloomington.

This is a quilt my DD and I started and it looks like I am to complete. This is fine with me, but, I just can't understand their lack of interest in quilting. Oh yes, granted they have their lives to begin, college, boys and most especially, college-don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, they are on track with their lives and their dad and I are most proud. But, isn't there any down time-you know, for therapy and creativity? I worry they are working so hard-or maybe they just want us to think that-and all the time they are sailing along and having lots of fun-Oh I hope so!!! Pink and brown, the color of romance you know-so maybe I really don't want my DD to work on this after all-she may get the wrong idea and begin to day dream about boys--hold off until you graduate honey!!

Of course all my exclamation point screaming does little good and I guess that's what growing up means-making your own choices-not moms or dads. I shall continue to appreciate the art and craftsmanship of quilt making and carry on....yes....yes...carry on...my lovely DDs.

There is only quilting...

Quilter's Day Out and New York aside, there is only quilting. I'm moving on from a scrap quilt project, using the Diamond in the Rough pattern, that I'm kicking myself for not buying enough scraps!!! I hate when it happens with a "planned" quilt. Pattern in hand and exact amounts of fabric bought only to be cut wrong and back to the store I go. I guess, in reality, my scrap quilt is a planned scrap quilt...somehow that seems wrong...hmmm..


This is something I tell everyone that is learning to sew/quilt. Mistakes will be made, but there is almost nothing you cannot fix in a quilt. Cutting short is where you get into trouble, which is what I did on my "scrap" quilt. The problem is my scraps are from one collection of Moda fabric called Folkloric that is soon to be in more stores, but, most are waiting for it... so, I'm on hold until a shop gets the fabric-I've already paid for my order and will hopefully get it soon.




I am working on-again, off-again, on an hourglass nine patch quilt. I'm getting use the yummy pinks and browns I've been dying to make a quilt from. This one also started out as a mom and daughter project, with my daughter Chelsea, but, alas, the gratification did not last...so sad. But, lessons learned and I love love this pattern and material, so off I go...smile.


It's from a book,

Quick and Easy Scrap Quilts and it's the pattern on the back cover. I'm more of a piecing person, but, I do like the combination applique border. The quilt has that light Japanese airy style, in my opinion, and I'm excited to work on it for a while. That's what is best about UFO's, there's always another one to suit your fancy.