Star Surround Quilt-Along

 

I've started another project!  Just a pillow cover, so that I can join another of Melissa Corry's Quilt-alongs.  This is the fourth one I've done and always loved the end results.  This is another large star and just 9 make a good-size lap quilt. 

 

 

Picture from Melissa's blog - Happy Quilting

 

I talked my best friend, Kim, into making one too.  Tonight I am at her house and before we started sewing on our individual projects, we cut out our blocks for the quilt-along.

 

Here is Kim's selection:  pink stars and purple for the surround, on a white background.  I'm linking for her because she doesn't have her own blog.

 

 

And mine, similar to one of Melissa's colour choices:

 

 

I probably could use a bit more contrast, but I have a plan!

 

We also cheated and figured that instead of cutting 2 7/8" blocks, they will probably be used to make half-square triangles, so we used the Easy Angle to cut triangles from 2 1/2" strips.  If we're wrong, oh well, white triangles will never go to waste!

 

Linking to the Quilt-along Cutting Instructions - have a great night!

 

 



Farmer's Wife Friday (on Saturday!)

I pull out my Farmer's Wife quilt blocks when I want to sew, but can't make up my mind what to do!  I found this site Craft Sew Create that hosts a linky every Friday for people like me that are still plugging along. Maybe I'll actually finish mine this year!

 

 

This week's block, Birds in Air (or Flying T's as my grandson calls them!)

 

I haven't taken an updated picture of my blocks lately, I have about 25 done, but I'm not happy with all the colour combinations, so I have to edit them and re-kit the ones I want to remake.

 

 

I might tackle that later today, but now I'm off to fix the toilet (I am woman, hear me roar!) and fight with my nemesis,

 

 

I hate vacuuming!

 

 

Sunday Stash Report, Week 28, 2013

 

 

Finally, a week where more went out than came in!

 

 

Added this week: 3.75 metres

 

Added Year-to-Date: 145.5 metres
 

Used since last report: 4 metres

 

Used Year-to-Date: 29.5 metres

 

Net used/Added for 2013: 116 metres

 

 

2 metres of Bella White 98, 1 metre Bella 30's Blue 25 and a treat for me - the Honeycomb pre-cut by Moda!

 

 

And a finish!  I used one of my new vintage sheets and made a pair of pyjama pants.  I can't remember where I saw it (a while ago), but someone had made a pair using the hem as the bottom of the pant legs.  I made up a pattern using my favourite pair of pyjama pants and in less than an hour, I have a new comfy pair!  I have two more sheets I'd like to make up.

 

I also gave a friend some fabric for her grandson's I-spy quilt, and realized I've never counted the other fabric I've given her.  I've counted 2 meters this week, but I'll probably have to update it further.  That makes me feel better about all the yardage I've accumulated lately!

 

Linking up to Judy's stash reports at Patchwork Times - check out my fellow bloggers there when you are done.

 

More about my purchases:

 

I bought the blue to make the centres for my gramma's Dresden Plates.

 

 

I used a blue square from her scraps to find a blue to coordinate - I can't believe how close I was able to come to it.

 

 

This is still my favourite piece in all the blocks. As near as I've been able tell, this fabric dates back to about the 40's, and could be as late as the early 50's.   I have 20 Dresden Plates that my grandmother pieced, and my mom whip-stitched them to a nice soft yellow background (she wasn't a quilter or hand-stitcher, so she didn't blind-stitch them, and I'm leaving them just the way they are!). 

 

Have you ever bought something for the bonus inside?  The Honeycomb pack comes with a template inside that is for marking your starting and finishing points for each seam. (The flag piece is my favourite print in the Happy-Go-Lucky line - I'll have to get some yardage in that one!)

 

 

These hexagon are huge compared to the ones I'm working with.   They measure 3" on each side and are 6" across at their widest point.  I couldn't resist pairing them with mine (and the smallest hexie I have ever made!)

 

The comparison got me thinking about how do you measure a hexie?

 

My punches give the size as at its widest point (old Creative Memories punches, no longer available - however, there is a newer style listed but I don't know what size it is - since I'm a consultant, I should probably order one and figure it out! If you want your own and are in Canada, you can check it out on my CM site www.mysite.com/terrifisher).

 

I've seen the pre-cut papers advertised for either at the widest point or the length of each size. I find it easiest to measure one side (p.s. it's half the measurement of the widest point).

 

I take a perverse pleasure in showing off a hexie flower made with 3/8" hexies (sounds so much smaller than 3/4")

 

 

Can you imagine a dolly quilt made with these tiny beauties?

 

 

Have a wonderful Sunday!  I'm off to sew!

Terri in BC

 

PS:  Here's the link to the tutorial I used to learn how to make these hexagons is from Bonnie Hunter of quiltville.com, the queen of scrappy!