It's past getting old ....

 My brother posted this picture on my facebook wall that I thought pretty much described my present Covid life. lol

I haven't been up to much. Still plugging away at those hexe. 

I am running out of documentaries to watch/listen. lol I guess I'l just have to re-watch my favourites. I'm sure I've missed lots of important information! lol

Hope all is well with you. Thanks for stopping by! Catch you all later! Cheers!

Insane or creative ... It's a fine line!

 Well, I managed to clean up the cutting table of the 1/2 inch hexagon project mess ... only to find myself distracted by the left over scrap strips from that nine (9) patch project on my cutting table... Squirrel!

Hum .... what did I want to make with the left over 1.25 inch muslin strips? A thought popped in my head ... that 1.25" bag of scraps that I was thinking of throwing out .... you know the one that found me on the edge of insanity?! lol

I grabbed that bag and messed up the clean cutting table ... so excited to think about starting a new project using 3/8" hexagons. 

I quickly went to work and pieced this little block for a grandmother flower garden pattern ... wall hanging size!

Not stopping there ... SQUIRREL! Hum .... I'd really like a grandmother flower garden in feedsack fabrics! 

Off I went into my sewing studio and pulled out the bins of feedback scraps and grabbed some bags of 5/8" hexagons templates.

Now, hold on a minute ... the idea was to use the 1.25 inch muslin strips ... they would look nice with the feedsack! 

Off I went to create this little block using 3/8 inch hexagons.

It's just so adorable and so happy .... the only problem is that I do not have a lot of small feedsack scraps to use. I have to cute them from the bigger scrap fabrics. In good conscience I should use up the 19th century reproduction scraps. I could make the 5/8" hexagons grandmother's flower garden quilt and use the scraps to make the smaller version. That's the future plan! I think!

Then, no sooner had I calmed my project enthusiasm did I come across a bag of one (1) inch strips of fabrics from the nine (9) patch quilt project .... Much too small for the 3/8" hexagon ... Oh wait a minute ...

There's that edge again .... or have I actually fallen into the abyss of insanity?! LOL

Thanks for stopping by! Catch you all later! 

Plugging away ...!

 I've been in a funky mood. Covid is getting old ... It feels like Ground Hog day ... I'm so eager for some change ... but, looks like it may take quite some time to happen ... sigh!

In the mean time, I've been stitching away on that 1/2 inch hexagon quilt. There's something about emptying a spool of thread ... Ah, what an accomplishment! lol

 

I've been hand basting the hexagons. This allows me to use spools of thread that I have no idea why I bought ... A hot pink hand quilting thread ... what was I thinking! Oh well, all gone!

I've been thinking of ways to remove the hexagon papers without causing too much damage to the template, allowing me to re-use them multiple times. The smaller the template, the harder it is to remove. To facilitate the removal of the small template, I use a 1/8" hole puncher and punch a hole in the middle.

In the past, I used appliqué pins to secure the template as I basted, but I found that to be cumbersome, damaging and prickly! Now I use a glue stick, which minimized the damage to the template. The trick to using glue is not to apply too much. You only need a little bit for the fabric to stick. 

At first, I used a pair of hemostat to remove the template.

I could not master the art of removing the template without creasing it to death. I lived with it for a while until an uncommon tool popped into my mind ... a seafood pick.

It fits beautifully into the hole.

And the template pops right out.

With minimal damage to the template, making it reusable ... Voila!

So far, I have a nice little stack of blocks completed.

What have you been up to? 

Thanks for stopping by. Catch you all later! Cheers!

Time to declutter .... Squirrel!

 I decided that I needed to uncluttered my quilting life. I have so much quilting stuff, some left over from the Fibre Junction days ... fabric and more fabric. I'm not sure what to do with it all except make more quilts. Not that it's a bad idea, but I already have so many projects going at the moment. For instance ...

This half inch hexagon English Paper Piecing (EPP) quilt ... started quite a while back ... perhaps 5 years ago. It's an ongoing project. The goal is to have a queen size quilt!

As I started to tackle the quilting studio, I came across a bag of 19th century reproduction (less than two (2) inches) fabric scraps. Squirrel! Great! I can get rid of the scrap bag by cutting the fabrics into 1.5" inch squares for this EPP UFO project I'm working on. Perfect way to purge! Off I went to start cutting ....

First I organized the scraps into colours, then started cutting ...

Realizing that the bag of scraps was not enough ... I reached for my bins of reproduction scraps.

As I was cutting the fabric, it dawned on me ... Why don't I also cut for that scrappy 3/8 inch hexe quilt that I have in mind to piece? 

Suddenly .... I realized that I was standing on the edge of insanity! At what point/size will I consider a piece of fabric trash? I quickly crabbed on to the ledge of my sanity and went about continuing to cut for that half inch hexe quilt. 

Shush! Don't tell anyone but I started a bag of 3/4" fabric scraps! Just in case I change my mind! LOL

Three days later ... I'm still at it ... 

Oh but I have a pile of fabric trash to show my progress ...

My cutting table is still a mess and the carpet needs a good vacuuming ... My quilting studio still needs purging .... but, I've got a bag prepped of hexagon blocks for when Chookyblue does her next Zoom quilting meet! lol

My hand piecing progress ... Queen size??? I may have to rethink that!

At what point/size do you consider fabric trash? 

Ever since I started to English Paper Piece, I have a difficult time throwing fabric away. You just never know! The smallest EPP hexagon is 1/4 inch! Turn that into a queen size quilt! ROFLOL

Thanks for stopping by! Catch you later! Cheers!

Chookyblue Zoom time ....

 On Monday, I had a wonderful opportunity to zoom sew with quilters from across this beautiful planet. It was great to meet new quilters. We chatted as we worked on our projects.

Wow! Looking at the picture and noticing how long my hair is .... Covid hair I guess! lol

Gosh, I came on at 2:00 pm and left around 10:00 pm EST. I worked on an EPP project, Star Quilt. As you can imagine I managed to get quite a bit sewn ... Progress is a good thing! 

Voila!

I've been plugging away. I'm really enjoying working on this project.

Hoping you are finding time to relax and work on your favourite projects. Catch you all later! Cheers!

Quilting Mojo ...

 Well, I think I may have found a bit of my quilting mojo. Last Sunday I decided that I "should" work on a quilting UFO. Let's face it, I'm quite a scatter brain at the moment ... no sense starting a new project only to get distracted ... Squirrel!

I went searching in my UFO bin and pulled out an English Paper Piecing (EPP) project I had started way back in 2016. The Project is called Star Quilt and it's from the book Modern Vintage Gifts by Helen Philipps.

I used the fabric line Sew Cherry 2 by Lori Holts. Love Retro/Vintage fabrics!

Since the stars were all sewn, it was just a question of laying it out on the design wall and get stitching.

For me, the most annoying part about hand stitched a quilt is, how do I keep my project portable while maintaining the order of the blocks? I found that numbering flower pins works. I use a permanent marker to label the pins.

 I first started to use this method for machine piecing rows of blocks. The number with the arrow are the row indicators, as well as the direction I'll press the seams. The other numbers are for the blocks sequence. This method keeps me from having to walk to my design wall and grab one block at a time. I've been using this method for years and it has never failed me!

With each row in a separate bag ... I'm ready to be portable! lol 

The quilt top ... so far!

Thanks for stopping by my little corner in cyberspace. I do hope you find my quilting tips helpful!

Catch you all later ... Cheers!

UFO kick goes on ....!

 After I finished the little Hexe quilt, I remembered another quilt that needed my attention. This English Paper Piecing quilt was started back in the Spring of 2013. The pattern is from the Primitive Quilt magazine, Spring 2013 issue. I did blogged about it here. I used 1/2 inch hexes and 1900 century reproduction fabrics.

The issue I had with this quilt was regarding the border. How was I going to put the borders on? Was I going to cut the hexagons, creating a straight edge, and machine sew the border on or would I hand appliqué the hexagons to the border? I chose to hand appliqué to the border ... I could not bare to cut my hexes.

This project was actually a challenge with two other people. I actually completed the top in October 2013, and won the flimsy award. However Diane won the fully completed top and I think that was back in February 2014. 

I do love how it turned out. It's such a great feeling to have completed a long over due project.

I'm not sure what I shall work on next .... so many UFO to choose from! lol

Thanks for stopping by my little corner in cyberspace! Cheers!~

UFO kick ....

Saturday evening, I was watching a video on IG from Corey Yoder (Moda fabric designer) and she was showing us around her quilting studio, talking about the various tools she likes to use ... All of a sudden my quilting mojo got a spark ...

Sunday morning, while enjoying my morning latte ... wondering .... 

Nancy does have a valid point! lol 

So ... I did neither and decided to work on a UFO. I wanted to finish an English Paper Piecing (EPP) quilt I had blogged about on July 29, 2015.

So, I got busy looking for that quilt so I can work on it.

Voila ...

The pattern is by Sue Daley called Little Things: Hexagon. All it needed was to be machine quilted and the binding sew on!

What a great feeling to strike one off the UFO list.

What have you been up to? 

Catch you all later! Cheers!

Plugging away ....!

How's the weather in your neck of the woods?  Here we have been getting lots of rain.  I actually had to empty out my pool again.  No complaints!  Water is good!

I've been spending some quiet evenings getting some much needed down time.  In between enjoying a good book, something I haven't taken time for in a while, and some English Paper Piecing, I managed to get this little gem finished.

I used 1/2 inch hexagons and the quilt measures 14" x 17".  Amazing how much time goes into a tiny quilt like this.  But oh .... so enjoyable to piece!  I'm in love with EPP.

The pattern is called Little Things - Hexagons - by Sue Daley.  Love, love love her paper!  As a matter of fact, that's the only English paper templates Fibre Junction sells!

So what have you been up to these days?  Thanks for stopping by my little corner in cyber space!

What the heck ...!

We go from freezing arctic Brrrrrr - "baby it's cold outside" weather to, hey "it's a heat wave".  One extreme to another within hours!  Okay, a relief from the bitter cold is nice, but does it have to be to that extreme????

I want to share an event that took place at Fibre Junction, back in early December.  It was our last meeting of Jo's Little women' club 12. Both the day and night group met in the evening.  It was a "potluck" dinner, gosh was it delicious!  And those willing, brought a hand made pin cushion gift wrapped for our "Yankee Pincushion Swap".

What a blast it was!

There are many ways of doing a Yankee Swap, but these were our rule:

There will be 3 rounds.  Each participant picks a number out of a hat.  We proceed in numerical order.  Everyone gets to open a package on the first round.  When your number comes up, you chose a wrapped package from the pile, opened it, and if you want to swap, you can do so with other members who have opened a gift.  Round 2, everyone has a change to swap - numerical order.  On round 3, only number 1 gets to swap.

Wanna see the pincushions?

Here is the last one.  I just couldn't get a picture of the whole thing.

I truly enjoyed everyone's creativity.  Each one is so unique.  I just love them all!  What a great group of women!

This is the pincushion that came home with me!

Cute as a button and it fits nicely in my English Paper Piecing basket.

What a great group of women!  Thank you!

Thanks for stopping by my little corner of cyber space.  Cheers!

Life, the universe and English Paper Piecing ....!

How is the weather in your neck of the woods?  Here in way up North - I can see Canada from my house - New York state, it has been a gorgeous fall.  The past couple of weeks have been lovely enough to be sitting outside enjoying some sun rays!  A little nippy today for that, but a good day to be in my sewing studio!  I love fall!

I continue to be a busy quilter.  I have finally put the last stitch in my half inch hexagon quilt!  Voila!

Love how it turned out.  So much so that I am starting another half inch hexe quilt, queen size! I am changing the pattern to this.

I still haven't figured out how to design a hexagon block on EQ 7.  I guess I have another challenge ahead of me.  I cannot imagine that I'll have to colour each hexagons!  lol

In an attempt to clean/tidy my new sewing studio, I've been doing a bit of organizing/preparing for that queen size half inch hexe quilt!  Have you noticed how scraps tend to multiply?

I've been at this for the past three (3) nights and I can barely see the light at the end of the tunnel. lol  I best get going and finish the task so that I can use my cutting table again!

Thank you for stopping by!  Cheers!

Some might say I'm insane .....!

How is your week coming along?  Fall is certainly in the air in our neck of the woods.  I've been busy working on an English paper piecing quilt.

One more row to go and it will be done.  I'm using half inch hexagons.

The pattern was from the Spring 2013 issue of Primitive Quilts and Project.  I'm hooked on English Paper Piecing, like I needed yet another hand project.

Here is my latest attempt of working with hexagons.

Size 3/8" hexagons!   "No, I'm not insane, my mother had me tested" Love the Big Bang Theory!  When I e-mailed a picture to a friend, DH said "you should put a dine next to it so people have a reference".  Hum, my friend did not need a reference point! lol

In case you might, and to please DH, here is a reference point!

Hum.... maybe I should have also included a Euro! ;o)

Thank you so much for stopping by!  Cheers!

Give it one more try ...!

The other day, I was reading a post from Carrie Nelson of La Vie en Rosie, entitled True Confessions, in which she states that she will sew while enjoying a glass of wine.  Hum.... it made me think because the last time I did that .......

Notice the stain on the white hexagon? Ya, not only did I spill and waste a glass of wine, I stained my quilt AND broke my favourite glass!  Not good! By the way, there are other stains, they just blend well with the fabric!

In all fairness, I was attempting to set up a photo shoot and not so much enjoy a glass of vino while sewing.  Okay, so I had a couple of sips..... Nonetheless, tonight, guess what?

I'm giving it another try!  I do love my wine, in a special glass of course.  What can I say, it's the French in me!

Remember that pile of quilts needing to have the binding hand sewn?  Well I finished one of the quilts that I would like to share with you.  Tah dah.....

This little embroidery pattern was sent to me in 2008 by Donna of Chookyblue, all in an attempt to get me hooked on hand embroidery.  She wasn't the only conspirator!

At first, I was going to convert the designs into one quilt, but decided that I wanted individual small quilts, each as a reminder of the wonderful friendships I have made on Blog Land.  There are a couple more tops from conspirators 2008 that are on the list.  Needless to say, they won and I'm hooked on hand embroidery! lol

Ok, so far the glass is still standing, no quilts or sewing machines have been stained ..... but it is now almost empty.  Hum.... time for a refill  lol  Hum.... how much sewing will get done tonight? lol

Cheers!