It's a top! -

 

This morning I finished webbing the columns - 

For my Upstairs/Downstairs - Gleaned - top -
Gleaned - © Carolyn Friedlander - Robert Kaufman - 

And then sewed all of the vertical seams -

So now it's a top!! -

Ta Dah!! - ;))

I like how the coloring of the blocks make them look "pixelated" -

I decided to run the dominant ORANGE down the longest diagonal -

And the second ORANGE a couple of rows below that -

One set had WHITE squares going diagonally from the left to the right - 

Another set had WHITE squares "stair-step" in the other direction -

 The BROWN and GREEN ones filled in the rest nicely - 

It even looks good upside down - LOL - ;))

 

 

This block pattern is my "go-to" with odd-ball jelly rolls - 

And with this layout it's fairly easy to spread the colors to balance them out - 

Each set of six blocks makes one diagonal row -

And automatically fills in the corner in the same sequence - 

First I decided which one I wanted to be SET #2 - the longest diagonal - ORANGE - 

Then I chose the prettiest BLACK/WHITE for SET #1 - the row above the ORANGE -

 

And then the order I wanted the rest of the blocks in the FIRST column -

I had 4 dominant/center colors - and two SETS of each - so I labeled them A and B - 

And came up with this sequence -

1. Black/white - A
2. Orange - A
3. Brown - A
4. Green - A
   
5. Black/white - B
6. Orange - B
7. Brown B - 
8. Green B -
   

Then I set up a simple stair-step layout - 6 columns - 8 rows - 

1. Set 1-8-7-6-5-4
2. Set 2-1-8-7-6-5
3. Set 3-2-1-8-7-6
4. Set 4-3-2-1-8-7
5. Set 5-4-3-2-1-8
   
6. Set 6-5-4-3-2-1
7. Set 7-6-5-4-3-2
8. Set 8-7-6-5-4-3

Trust me - it's easier to DO than it is to EXPLAIN - LOL - ;))

Tomorrow I plan to play with Gene's HST Medallion Quilt - 

And try to decide what color(s) I'm going to use - 

In addition to the pretty jelly roll and turquoise batik - LOL - ;))

Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew - 

Webbing -

 

Today I got some of the rows "webbed" -

For my Upstairs/Downstairs - Gleaned - top -
Gleaned - © Carolyn Friedlander - Robert Kaufman - 

I do mine "with a twist" - LOL - HERE - 

But the end result is the same -

I'm half done with sewing the columns -

Just have the top 4 rows to go - 

Then I can sew the vertical seams -

When I'm completely done -

I'll press it all nice and neat - 

Lay it out on the kitchen floor for the "glamour" shots - 

And then play with my strips for Gene's HST top - 

In the meantime - 

I need to find a name for my new project - 

Unless I keep calling it "Gene's HST top" - LOL - ;))

Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew - 

Design Wall Monday - 9/28/20 -

 

I finished "un-sewing" and re-sewing - 

The second set of ORANGE blocks - 

For my Upstairs/Downstairs - Gleaned - top -
Gleaned - © Carolyn Friedlander - Robert Kaufman - 

I think the ORANGE ones are my favorites -

So - 

With all of the blocks fixed - 

It was time to play with the layout on the design wall - 

This is the FUN part - 

I wasn't so sure about these guys - 

But I think they play VERY nicely together - 

What do you think? -

 

Again - there will be one more row on the right -

 

And two more rows at the bottom - 

 

My wall only holds 5 x 6 - 10" blocks - 

 

But the whole thing will be 6 x 8 -  for a 60" x 80" top - 

 

When I get it "webbed" -

 

Which is next on the agenda -

 

 

Then - my next project will be "borrowed" from a friend - 

My friend, Gene Black, posted a new layout for his HST - HERE -

 

I liked it - A LOT - 

 

So I printed out a copy - 

 

And checked my stash - 

 

I don't think I have strips in his colors - 

 

And the larger HST and setting triangles can't be cut from 2-1/2" strips -

 

So I needed some yardage, too - 

 

 

 

 

I found a flat pack of batik strips - 

And a coordinating pack of 6" strips - 

Timeless Treasures - Tonga Treats - Citrus - 

Which I think is no longer available - sorry - 

The turquoise is yardage from my stash - 

 

I think the colors are pretty - 

 

And it will be a little bit scrappy - 

 

Which is not exactly what he had in mind - 

 

But it might be interesting - 

And he used "thangles" to make his HST - 

 

But I want to use my LEFT-EZE™ Rule - 

 

Cutting HST and QST from pre-cut strips -

 

With NO WASTE!! - 

 

Is the only way to go - LOL - 

Should be fun - ;))

Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew - 

Some un-sewing -

 

Is sometimes necessary - ;))

Re-sewing the columns at the correct setting - 

Fixed the first set of ORANGE blocks - 

For my Upstairs/Downstairs - Gleaned - top -
Gleaned - © Carolyn Friedlander - Robert Kaufman - 

 

Then I did the first stage of un-sewing - 

On the second set of ORANGE blocks - 

 

I should be able to finish the rest of the un-sewing - 

And the re-sewing of these tomorrow - 

Then I can play with the layout on the design wall - ;))

Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew - 

 

Three things -

 

For the past week or so - 

I've been stalling - ;))

Playing with watercolors is a good diversion -

 

Since I was really just trying to avoid "un-sewing" all of those blocks - 

But I put it off long enough -

And I finally got around to doing some today - ;))

===

#1 - Quilt Blocks -

Just in case you think I forgot how to sew - 

I did "un-sew" the second set of Black/White blocks - 

For my Upstairs/Downstairs - Gleaned - top -
Gleaned - © Carolyn Friedlander - Robert Kaufman -

From when I was on a roll - and tripped up - HERE - LOL - ;))

Then I re-sewed them back together using the proper setting - 4.0 -

===

#2 - Chinese Brush -

This photo shows how I hold my brush - LEFT-Handed - 

My thumb holds it against my index and middle finger - 

My ring finger and pinky are on the same side of the brush as my thumb - 

The fingernail of my ring finger is against the brush - to "push" it - 

My pinky finger is just there - keeping my ring finger company - LOL - ;))

Depending on how high you hold the brush - 

You can use your fingers - your hand - or your arm - to make your strokes - 

It's fascinating stuff -

Especially since the Chinese have been doing it for thousands of years - 

Me? -

I've been doing it for a couple of days - LOL - ;))

===

#3 - Chopsticks - 

Here's how I hold my chopsticks -

I was taught years ago - by a friend - one day at lunch - 

The trick is to hold one chopstick STATIONARY in the crook of your thumb - 

Resting on your middle finger -  

Then hold the other chopstick with your index finger and the tip of your thumb -

The TOP ONE is the only one that MOVES -

MOVE THE TOP ONE down - 

To pick something up -

Then MOVE THE TOP ONE up - 

To let it go -

Try it - 

And watch the magic!! - LOL - ;))

===

See - 

Most of the time I'm just full of useless information - 

But sometimes - I know something USEFUL - LOL - ;))

Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew - 

Playing with water -

  

And my "Magic Cloth" -

That I got to practice some basic calligraphy strokes -

"Magic Cloth With Red Outlined Stroke Guides" - HERE - 

I decided to use my giant-sized Chinese brush this time  - 

I read/heard/watched somewhere -

In one of those umpteen gillion videos or book reviews that I saw lately - 

That it's easier to learn with a large brush and then go to a smaller one - 

Than it is to start with a small brush and try to go up to a larger one -

It makes sense to me - LOL - ;))

And for those of you who want to know if it comes with instructions - 

The answer is YES - 

But they are in Chinese - LOL -

And each of the strokes has a diagram inside - 

To show you where the brush tip should be - 

And the direction of the stroke - 

But then again - 

The characters at the bottom of the diagrams are Chinese, too - LOL -

It doesn't really matter, though - 

It's pretty straight-forward - 

Follow the line with the brush tip - 

And try to fill in the shape as you go along -

Some dried faster than others -

So while I was waiting for the rest of them to dry - 

I tried some free-form swipes - 

To see if I could make something resembling leaves -

And then I tried to draw some straight lines - 

Actually - holding the brush the "correct" way - 

Greatly increases my "accuracy" - 

It frees up your whole hand - wrist - arm - and shoulder - 

To make very nice - loose - strokes - 

And - to me - it isn't any different learning how to hold a Chinese brush - 

Than it is learning how to use chopsticks - 

When you are used to using a fork -

It's just a different "technique" -

And takes a lot of practice - ;))

I think it's fun to learn new stuff  - 

Unless it's computer stuff - haha -  

And they say it's good for your brain - ;))

 

Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew - 

 

New toys -

 

Came in the mail today - ;))

I opened the box to find these little goodies - 

And wondered why they didn't have any packing material around them - 

And why they hadn't rolled around in the box without it -

 

Then I realized that each of the items had been TAPED - 

 

To the inside of the box - 

 

With clear packing tape -

 

How clever!! -

I was TOTALLY impressed!! - ;))

So I unwrapped everything to check them out - 

And decided to play with the "Magic Cloth" -

That I got to practice some basic calligraphy strokes -

"Magic Cloth With Red Outlined Stroke Guides" - HERE -  

But it was rolled up - 

 

So I re-watched the video on "How to Iron the Magic Cloth" - HERE -  

 

 

But it really wasn't necessary - 

 

Because when I unrolled it - it was pretty flat -

 

But I already had the iron turned on - 

 

So I gave it a "once over lightly" - just because -

 

 

Then I got a little container of water - 

 

One of my Chinese brushes - 

 

And tried my hand at a couple of the strokes -

 

I didn't cover them completely - 

 

But it's OK - 

 

When they dry - 

 

I can try it again - 

And again -

And again - 

Until I can do it correctly - 

And who knows how long that will take - LOL - ;))

But it doesn't matter - 

It will be FUN - 

And I won't be wasting paper or ink - 

So that's a bonus - ;))

Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

 

 

Done -

  

Is better than perfect - LOL - ;))

 

 

 

All twelve potholders are DONE!! - YAY!! -

I sure hope she likes them - 

I don't have any idea how she plans to clean them - 

The upholstery fabric samples probably aren't "washable" -  

So I don't think she can just toss them in the washing machine -

But the table topper idea didn't work -

So we decided to make potholders instead - 

She is a VERY special friend -

Otherwise I wouldn't even bother - ;))

After dinner I wanted to play with my watercolors - 

So I pulled out one of my new toys - 

"The Joy of Watercolor" - © 2018 - Emma Block - 

She has a lesson called "Blue Hydrangeas" - 

Her version - 

 My version - LOL - ;)) 

 

I didn't have the same colors she used - 

And I got a little carried away with the flowers - 

So I had to add another leaf to balance it out - 

And my "vase" is crooked - 

But - not that bad - for a beginner -

NOTE TO SELF - if you're going to paint leaves - do them all at the same time - because if you try to add one later - you'll never be able to match the color you mixed in the first place - or call it a "design choice" and pretend that you really meant to do it that way all along - LOL - ;))

Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -  

 

And then -

There were two - ;))

These seem like they take me f.o.r.e.v.e.r. - 

But that's because I spent most of the day doing "chores" - 

And only got one more sewn before it was time for dinner - 

And I goofed off for the rest of the night - 

Playing games on my tablet - 

Tomorrow I have more "chores" to do - 

But I should be able to sew some more potholders - 

And/or play with my watercolors - LOL - ;))

 

Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -