Nine Patch

Today I got a package in the mail. Nine hundred - 3 inch squares of fabric! One hundred and fifty different patterns! I laid out all the little stacks, and got all giddy.

Then I pulled out my quilting books. I knew I wanted to do something very simple, since I know I don't have the patience to do any thing complicated. Also, I was limited by the fact that there were six squares of each pattern.

So I decided to do a nine patch which will be interspersed with a plain white blocks, or maybe sashing. I guess that's something I have to play around with. It's really hard for me to plan something out in total. I like to have some sort or spontaneity. Then I just cross my fingers!

Oh my gosh, it was so much fun picking the pairs that went together, and with so many choices!

I'm very pleased that they're well cut, nice and square. I have to say, cutting is my least favorite activity when it comes to sewing or quilting. Choosing colour combinations is my favorite.

I've done about nine blocks so far. Only, oh... about one hundred and ten to go!

Spring Quilt

I was reading statistics about blogs in the paper today and one of the thing mentioned, was that once you create one you must keep feeding the beast on a regular basis, otherwise your readership plummets. Oh what the hell, I'm not looking for fame. So on to my projects OK?

Hmm, what shall I do with this fabric?

A quilt you say?

It worked out pretty well I think, and fast too! Mind you it's just the top. I want to hand quilt it but I want it to be portable, you know, take it on a picnic. So if anyone has pointers on using a quilting hoop, I would greatly appreciate any advice.

I'm not worried about being too precious about it, since it will be my first hand quilting and sort of a practice piece. Hell, I didn't even cut the fabric, I tore the strips. I'm going to use cotton batting rather than polyester for the fill. I like the look of the old flat quilts rather than the puffy guys.

Yo-Yo Tutorial

First off, trace and cut a whole lot of circles. I used a CD as my template. Blue Trail of Sorrow, (16 top bluegrass gems) was just dandy. How could anyone resist a song with a title like Cotton Eyed Joe or Cruel Willie or Owl Feather or Everybody Wants to Go To Heaven? I'm figurin old timey music suites this project, after all, making yo-yo's was all the rage in the 20's and 30's. It was (and is) a great way to make use of those scraps. Anyway, your CD will make a finished yo-yo just a little over two inches. Obviously any reasonably sized template will do. I think I may try some teeny tiny ones sometime.

OK, on to the next step. Just go right ahead and start stitchin! The hem in this photo is a little wide, but hey, as long as you're consistent, they'll be the same size in the end. Because you're folding the edge of a circle you'll need to ease in a few ripples here and there, but you certainly don't have to snip the edges or iron. Well, at least I don't.

Ok, now we've gone round the circle, so before you pull it tight, turn it right side out.


Don't pull the gathers too tightly or they won't have room to lay flat in the end.

And there we have it! Simply stitch your yo-yo's together in your desired pattern. You're going to start finding them very addictive, because they're fast and I should mention, very portable! Before you know it, you've got a great pile of cute little buttons to play with. It's a wonderful way of trying out different colour combinations. Oh, I should mention, there is no backing involved when you create a bed cover. I'm just working on small projects at the moment, pillows and such, so of course they will lay atop other fabric. Have fun and let me know if you give it a try.

Love those yo yo's

I'm planning on making these into a tea cozy, maybe leave the green out. I had a disappointing hunt for red and yellow fabric the other day. (at my local thrift shop) Out of all of the clothing, bedding, fabric... No cheerful red or yellow cotton. And you know, it's not even thrifty shopping for fabric this way anymore, when they're charging $5, $6, $7 dollars for a shirt or skirt. Time to hunt down the rummage and garage sales I suppose. Anyway, making these yo yo's are a fun way to try out colour/fabric combinations and if my tea cozy doesn't work I guess these will become a pillow.

Little Quilt

I pieced most of this little quilt, a long time ago, when my daughter was small. It may have been intended for her. The fabric was scrounged here and there, mostly from clothing. I was finally encouraged to finish this quilt because of my new found blogging hobby, so a big thank you goes out to all of you knitty, crafty bloggers.


The border fabric was purchased recently ( for apron fabric stash enhancement) and made it into the finished piece, and looks at home, I think. I really like this simple pattern, and I think I'll do a full sized version, in different colours, for my self. Despite it's obvious flaws, I'm happy with it, and it has taught me to be more patient when cutting and piecing.

I Say Bring on The Yo-yo's

I'm moving away from this style, (whatever you might call it) in fabrics and decorating. I still like the colours but it's not really me anymore.

I have always been attracted to vintage (fabrics, kitchen ware etc.) and seem to be more so than ever before. Vintage to me means 50's and earlier, where as vintage means 70's to my fifteen year old daughter. Of course the 70's were thirty five years ago! Anyway, I'm really liking quilts from the 30's right now. The yo-yo quilts were all the rage then, and I predict they're making a comeback!

I have a few started, they're easy as pie and a nice little interlude from other projects and oh yes, very portable!

Quilting time

Here are a couple of my unfinished quilt tops. After pulling them out of storage to photograph them, I realized how much I still like them and how it's a shame that I've neglected them for so long. The creative act of choosing colours is over. The excitement of watching the quilt grow is also over. The rest of the work needed to finish them is well, work. Having this blog is giving me motivation to finish these projects. It feels good to have others see and appreciate our work. By the way most of the fabric in these two quilt tops came from thrift store clothing. The pink in the above piece is not quite that pink