Orca Bay - Blue Extra - WINNER

So - what to do with the EXTRA blue string blocks - from Orca Bay RED - ??

I listed some of my options - here -

A.  Orca Bay - Blue Extra A -
String blocks - 7 done -

Option 1 - Make 7 coasters - 3”x3”
Option 2 - Make 3 coasters and one 2x2 mug rug - 6” x 6”
Option 3 - Make two more for a 3x3 tablemat - 9” x 9”
Option 4 - Do nothing.

B.  Orca Bay - Blue Extra B -
String blocks - 14 half done -

Option 1 - Finish them up and add them to the 7 blocks already done = 21 -
Make one coaster and one 4x5 tablemat - 12” x 15”
Option 2 - Make more and make an actual quilt - ;))
Option 3 - Do nothing.

===

And the WINNER is/was -
At least for now -
I reserve the right to change my mind - ;))

A - Option 4. - Do nothing.
B - Option 1. - Make one coaster and one 4x5 tablemat - 12” x 15”

But - before I could do that -

I changed my mind - again -

Big surprise, huh? ;))

I decided to make a couple more blocks - total 24 -
To make the tablemat slightly larger - 4 x 6 - 12” x 18”

Finished up one of the little blue string blocks -

Squared it up with my Easy Square Jr. -
Love this ruler - really gotta do a REVIEW -

UP the LEFT side - ACROSS the TOP -

Flip the block around -
Line up the 3-1/2” marks -
And again -
UP the LEFT side - ACROSS the TOP -

Saving the trimmed bits -
For “crumb” blocks -

Got my 24 blocks all trimmed -
Left the paper on -
To stabilize all of those bias edges -

Spread them out on one of my placemats -
To check the size -
Looks like it’s gonna be just right -

Sew them together into 4-patches -
OR - 6 “chunks” - ;))

All together now -

Check it against the placemat -
Shrunk a little - but not much -

Take the scraps -
Sort them by width -
Then by length -

Take another handful -

Press them all out -
Sort them by length -

Bag them up -
For my scrap bins -

And move Orca Bay - Blue Extra -

From Stage 7 -
Stage 7.  Need Block Construction - Partially Done - etc.

To Stage 5 -
Stage 5.  Need Back - Sleeve - Binding - Label - etc.

Movin' On UP!! ;))



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -

Design Wall Monday - 8/15/11

DESIGN WALL MONDAY – 8/15/11

OK – so I finished this one –

Well – I got the top sewn together –
And that's as “finished” as it’s going to get for now -
Out of Stage 7 – on up to Stage 5 -
YAY – One down!

Next I tried to make one of those little mini-boards –
(WARNING - Turn your speakers down/off if you don't like blog music) - 
Didn’t turn out so well –
Tried to trim it with blue “extra-wide” bias tape –
I didn’t like it – too messy – wrong glue -
And the color is distracting -
So I tore it off –
Another UFO/redo for some other time –
Maybe I'll trim it in muslin – or white-on-white -
(But I need to find my glue gun first - ;))

Then I pressed some fat quarters –
Question for you –
What do YOU do with the threads on the edges?
Cut them off and throw them away?
(And I don't need a lecture on how to keep the edges from raveling! ;))
I cut them off and SAVE mine – yeah, I do! - 
I even have a project in mind – 
(I’ll show you when I get to it - ;))

Then I decided to pull out another UFO project –
This is a BIG one and dates back to 1997 –
(BIG = Probably why it's not DONE yet - ;)) 

And I found some stitching samples I made back then -

Here’s one part – partially done -

Don’t like the dark orange thread on the light orange center –
So I need to find a lighter orange -
Good thing I have some thread, huh?
(And there's another layer of thread trays under the ones you can see - ;)) 

Found what I wanted –
Some frogging and some restitching - 
(Should be my middle name - ;))

Much better –

That's all for now -
I'll show you more when I have more to show - ;))



Talk to you later – gotta go – gotta sew –

Design Wall Monday - 8/08/11

Design Wall Monday - 8/08/11


I'm still playing with Bonnie Hunter's pattern - Scrappy Trip Around the World -  

So - 

“SCRAPPY TRIPPING” is still on my wall today - 

Saturday it looked like too many “lights” were bunched up in the top right corner –

So - I pretty much put it back the way it was before –

And then the mail lady brought me some “stuff” -

After I wash and press it –
I can add it to some of the other “stuff” I have to do –

YAY for “stuff”!!

I have always said that quilting keeps me out of bars at night.  ;))

And that there is ALWAYS more than one way to do something!

And YES - I can ALWAYS learn something new!

My motto should be - "Show me - show me how YOU do it!!"
 
And don’t forget to come back on Saturday – August 13 – 

I need your help with our  –

First Annual International LEFT-HANDED Quilters Anonymous Online Quilt Show.

I told you all about it – here.  Go check it out - and let me know what you think.

You guys can write up your post for the quilt show while I try to figure out how we can all link up.

Should be fun.



Talk to you later – gotta go – gotta sew -

Scrappy Saturday - 8/6/11

Scrappy Saturday - 8/6/11


Earlier this week on Design Wall Monday - 8/1/11 - 

I had 9 blocks -

And then I decided I wanted 16 -

So I made some more "tubes" and cut them up -

Do you see anything wrong with this one?  No?

Now do you see anything wrong with this one?

Oops!
Need to cut the big one down - 
And cut another one to replace the little one - 
But - there isn't enough of the red polka dot on the end - 
So a little frogging and some resewing -  

And then there were12 -

And - now I have 16 -

I may re-arrange it some more - 

I may even put it back the way it was - ;))

It's from Bonnie Hunter's pattern - Scrappy Trip Around the World -  

I'm going to call it - "Scrappy Tripping"

And it fit right in with Judy's August UFO Challenge this month - lucky me!!

Judy picked #7 this month -  

• Stage 7.  Need Block Construction - Partially Done - etc.

"Scrappy Tripping" was only one of 14 projects that I have in this category -


But now that the blocks are all laid out - I moved it up to Stage 6 - 

•  Stage 6.  Need Top Construction - Layout - Borders - etc.

If I can get the blocks sewn into a top - then I can move it to Stage 5 - 

• Stage 5.  Need Back - Sleeve - Binding - Label - etc.

Chances are it's not getting much higher on the list than that -

• Stage 4.  Need Basting and all of the above
• Stage 3.  Need Quilting and all of the above
• Stage 2.  Need Label - Heart - Scrap Card - Story and Photos
• Stage 1.  Need Story and Photos

But that's OK - I got one of the fourteen done - 

next up -

Scrappy Star Block

or maybe something else -

don't really know yet -

OH!! - AND HEY - DON'T FORGET THAT NEXT SATURDAY - AUGUST 13 - IS - 

International Left-Handers Day

I'm thinking that we should have an online meeting and Quilt Show - our very own - 

First Annual International LEFT-HANDED Quilters Anonymous Online Quilt Show -

Say that three times fast - ;))

On Saturday we could all post a picture and the story of our "Best" Quilt -

What do you think?

My mission between now and then is to get other Lefty Quilter/Bloggers out there in blogland to put the "A Left-Handed Quilter" button on their blog and to maybe show up for the meeting and Quilt Show -

Spread the word - 

Maybe we can link up or something - I still need to work on that -

And an agenda - probably need an agenda - 

and...



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew - gotta do some stuff - 

Design Wall Monday - 8/01/11

Design Wall Monday - 8/01/11

LEFT-HANDED QUILTING - Working with Fabric "Tubes" - Part 2

============
Note - these instructions are written in LEFTISH.
If you are right-handed - just reverse the directions.
============

Last week –

I was playing with Bonnie Hunter's pattern - Scrappy Trip Around the World -  

I had two scrappy blocks done - 

Saturday - I was going to show you my progress –
But I had too many photos – and didn’t have them all edited in time –
So I showed you the Jelly Roll Race Quilt I made instead.  What a cutie!
I like that pattern – and will DEFINITELY make another one – or two – or three!

So anyway – I gathered up the strips for another six blocks -

And sewed up the sets -

After the sets were sewn - I pressed them - and made the tubes -

Then - to cut the segments - this time -
I dug out my June Tailor – Short-Cut ™ – 12 x 12 -

In no time at all –
I had all six strip sets cut up into segments -

I laid out the segments for Block #3 - 
and staggered them before I "unstitched" them -

-

Block #3 – all sewn up -

Four blocks made -

And then five –

And – before I knew it –
I had nine blocks –
(And yes - I did have to scrounge up another six strips for the ninth block.)

Now I think I want/need 16 -
So I want/need to make 7 more blocks –
No problem -
I do them assembly-line –
And – it’s FUN!

Here are the strips laid out for Block #14

First – because I’m a Flippin’ Lefty! -
I FLIP #2 over on top of #1 -
FLIP #4 over on top of #3 -
FLIP #6 over on top of #5 -

Then - stack #5/6 on top of #3/4 -

And then #5/6-3/4 on top of #1/2 -

I lay all the strips across my knee –
And run #5/6 through first -

Then #3/4 -

Then #1/2 -

Clip them apart -
#1/2 and #3/4 go on my left knee -

#5/6 goes on my right knee -

Sew #1/2 and #3/4 together -

Add #5/6 -

All done -

Add it to four of its friends -

And two more to go -

Should have those done by next week –

Unless – of course –

Something else strikes my fancy in the meantime …;))



Talk to you later – gotta go – gotta sew –