Progress but Nothing Finished

I've made progress on several different quilting projects this week but have no finishes.  Here's what I've been up to.

Never underestimate the amount of time it takes to cut 143 3½" blocks!

I cut a few on Thursday so I wouldn't be starting something on a Friday.  Today I imagined spending half an hour or so to have them done.  Well, maybe if I'd had a die cutter, but with a rotary cutter it took longer.  Maybe four times longer--or at least it seemed that way.  At first I thought, "What was I thinking choosing a setting with alternate blocks?!"  By the time I finished I was thinking, "Gosh, I'm glad I have a rotary cutter instead of having to cut these with scissors and a cardboard template."  Above is just a small section.

I thought maybe I could sew them as 9-patch blocks, alternating 9-patch and plain squares on the corners, without a layout, just as I picked them up from the pile.

Then I realized that if three greens or browns or oranges were clustered together, I might not be happy.  So I'll choose where I want them to go, then either sew 9-patches or sew them together in rows.

Scrappy Ohio Stars have also seen some progress. 

I don't think I will need them but since the pieces were already cut I decided to finish them.  I really don't like making blocks and then cutting them to size but it seemed prudent for these small blocks this time.

I cut and stitched three more blocks for the Blue and Lights (plus browns) sampler.

And here they are with all the other blocks.  The new ones are the bottom three on the left column. These may make sense only if you know I chose blocks that had either a square or an on-point square in the center surrounded by a square in the opposite orientation.

And about my One Monthly Goal of finishing the hand quilting on Everyday Patchwork.  My rotary cutter needed a new blade.  Not a problem, I have a pack or two on hand.  Have you ever noticed that the new blades seem to have oil or grease on them?  I didn't want that on the fabric I was cutting so I scrunched up a tissue and pulled it across the blade.  I've done it before, no problem, but this time I somehow let my hand move back into the blade.  It's not a big or a deep cut but it's enough of a cut that my index finger is now sporting two band-aids, one on top of the other, because it was bleeding so much.  I'm not sure I'll be able to hand quilt with those band-aids on.  I may need to edit my OMG for April.

My older daughter and her husband and their five children were here last week for a few days.  Gosh, it was busy but oh so fun to have them here.  And I forgot to take photos!

I've been terrible lately about making notes of quilts I've started and progress on the ones I started earlier.  I just realized how much I rely on this blog (and digital photos with dates) to keep track of when I started a quilt and the progress  I made.  Of course, I love posting and reading your comments, too!  In fact, I think that's the best part of blogging.

I"m linking this post to
  > Finished (or not) Friday at Alycia Quilts
  > Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework (on Sunday)
.
Thanks for visiting and reading and, if you do, for leaving a comment.
--Nancy.

More Scrappy Stars and Bramble Blooms

I'm making more scrappy stars because...

I have a container and a stack of small scraps.  What a mess!  The yellow box on the left is filled with triangles of all colors and sizes.

I'm sorting the triangles by warm colors (reds, yellows, oranges, and the purples that lean toward red), cool colors (blues, greens, and the purples that lean toward blue), and pale/pastel/natural colors.   

This is leader/ender sewing but I have to keep cutting to have enough triangles to sew.  I'm working on the warm colors first.  Red stars on white, as in the first photo, or white stars on red?  I have a lot of triangles to sew together before I have to make a decision.

I'm also cutting 1½" squares for the Tiny Nine-Patch blocks from the pile of scraps on the right in the second photo.  I hope to keep up with those to finish with the sew-along.  The triangles will be a longer-term project.

And then there's Bramble Blooms.  I finally finished stitching the brown borders on Monday.  I got up Tuesday morning with the intention of cutting the arcs from tan/light brown fabric so I could begin stitching them but my indecision got the better of me.  (Or maybe the quilt's not talking to me?)  What fabric/color should those arcs be? 

I tried red arcs and they disappeared against the brown.  I tried green and the same thing happened.  I pulled out some blues-leaning-to-teal but they looked awful.  I finally decided the tan arcs would work after all, so I cut and prepared two.  And they're also awful!  Maybe it's the wrong tan, or maybe that color range is wrong (but which would be right)?  Or maybe they're too big?  Too high?  Too wide?  Or maybe the "legs" of the arcs are too wide?  Or...?  (For perspective, the top and side borders are 8" wide and the bottom border is 9".)

My daughter suggested gold but that wasn't quite right.  And then I thought, since I've used white paper to get an idea for placement, maybe I should try the background fabrics behind the flowers.

Nope, that's not right, either.  Maybe I need to change the applique but I don't have any good ideas....

So this is where I am with Bramble Blooms.  And after I finally decide the color/fabric for the arcs, I'll probably need to reconsider the fabric/colors for the "pickets."  Or maybe small arcs all the way around.  Or...?

I was grateful to read in Audrey's recent post that it will be at least a few more weeks before she announces the next prompt.  Maybe—I hope—I will be ready!

We've had a week of sunny days and warmer temperatures.  It's been wonderful!  It almost makes me think Punxsutawney Phil could have been right this year and we'll have an early spring. 

I'm linking this post to Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework.  Thank you for hosting, Cynthia.

Thanks for reading and thank you for any comments.

--Nancy.

Scrappy Stars #4-6, Nona the Fabriholic

This set of stars (#4-6) for Taryn's Scrappy Star Stitchalong went much better than the first three.  When I finally adjusted my thinking and gave in to using fabrics I have that are similar in any way to those in the original stars, I began enjoying making these stars more.  My goal is to recreate the blocks as closely as possible in fabric/fabric style, colors, and placement.  Many thanks to Taryn for hosting this stitchalong.

Block #4, original and mine
Clearly, my blues are not as dark or intense and my corner blocks have light lines instead of dark lines.  Even though this block had nine different fabrics, it was the simplest so far, and the most symmetrical as far as color placement.

As I look at the original blocks I can't help but think about the person who created them....

Block #5, original and mine

This block repeated several fabrics from previous blocks.  I'm trying to do the same, though purple fabrics are a real challenge for me.  The lower right square in the original is such fun fabric.  I had nothing remotely similar.

After looking closely at the construction of the blocks, I can't help but wonder if this was a young girl's or young woman's first quilt.

Block #6, original and mine

That blue stripe is a stand-out fabric in the original quilt and I was sure I had a similar stripe somewhere.  But no, I must not have.  This was the closest I could come.  I was puzzled by the two greenish triangles in the bottom and left blocks.  They look like two different fabrics and they look green/grey with prints.  I had nothing similar.  If I happen to find a similar fabric I think I would replace the one I've used.  Really.

Always, when I'm trying to reproduce antique quilts, I wonder about the makers and who they were.  Unless the quilts are signed, we'll never know.  Perhaps they are like me and could never imagine one of their quilts lasting so long, or even being of interest if it did, hence no signature.  Who knows, but it's fun to imagine.

I'm sad this stitchalong is happening only on Instagram.  My experience with sew-alongs is that they build community and are just fun to see everyone else's blocks.  This one feels isolating, though I'm enjoying making the blocks.

These are the current quilt bloggers I know who are participating: 
   > Barb at Fun with Barb
   > Jeanne at Spiral
   > Linda at Koka Quilts
   > Tazzie at Tazzie Quilts
   > Wendy at The Constant Quilter
   > Katy at KatyQuilts
   > Kathleen at A Sentimental Quilter
   > Cynthia at wabi-sabi quilts
See non-bloggers' blocks on Instagram using #scrappystarstitchalong.

Aside from quilting....
There's sweet Nona.  She is enthusiastic about fabric and quilting.  She's eaten a number of scrap triangles I had in a box on the floor, and she decided she didn't like one of the little star blocks so chewed holes into part of it.  (It took a few hours to unstitch, recut fabric, and sew together again.)  I forgot what it was like to have an Airedale assistant quilter.  My previous assistant limited her interest to laying on the blocks and sniffing and rearranging.  I'm keeping small pieces of fabric and finished blocks away from Nona.  I think she needs a different title but I can't decide what it should be.  Definitely a demotion.  ;-)

She had a bath and a clip in preparation for her spay yesterday.  All clean and clipped, she enjoyed a roll in the grass.  What a happy smile!

Our weather has been cool but I think warmer weather is headed our way next week. 

I hope all is well in your world.
--Nancy.