Sister's Choice Quilts

Hourglass Log Cabin Blocks

I've made a good start on the log cabin alternate blocks for the Hourglass quilt. 12 are finished, 13 to go. They come together quickly and easily. This quilt top is going to be finished before I know it!

My homemade cranberry reilsh is done. It has oranges and Grand Marnier in it and is so good! Last year it was kind of soupy and I figured I hadn't cooked it quite long enough to set up. I made sure that didn't happen again this year.

Today Eva gets out of school early and we plan to make pies. A pumpkin and a pecan. For four people. Oh well, it's just once a year right? We can have two pieces.

I probably won't post again until next Monday. This weekend our plan is to get our Christmas decorations put out, so that will keep us busy. I hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving if you are in the US.

I wanted to give you all an update on my nephew, since being grateful is very much on my mind. He is home from the hospital after his cardiac arrest. The CPR he got while waiting for the paramedics to turn up caused him to have several broken ribs, so he is getting over that as well as the procedure to install a new pacemaker with a built in defribilator. I tell you, if that bystander had not been right there to see him go down and immediately started CPR, we would be telling a very different story today. So I am grateful for the kindness of strangers who step up and try to help in those first crucial seconds when it really counts. And also grateful for all your kind thoughts and prayers and for the grace of God to give my nephew another chance to live his life. We are counting our blessings this year.

 

 

 

Thanksgiving Week

I went to my father's house on Sunday to have dinner with the family. We hope to finish emptying out the house soon and letting the realtors spruce things up a bit to prepare it for selling this spring. The sun was shining when I woke up there Monday morning and I went outside to the backyard and discovered this large mushroom in the grass. Doesn't it make a beautiful autumn picture?

On Saturday I worked a bit more on the Hourglass blocks. I have completed months 1 through 8.

I am starching the fabric for the alternate log cabin blocks now and want to get a few made to get a better feel for the final look of the quilt. I think the "night and day" effect will be stunning.

The main body of Apple Sauce is together, and I am still working on the square in a square blocks that will form the border.

So nothing is actually finished, but I am getting there. It will be a full week though, so I am not sure just how much sewing will get done! I read somewhere that this is a great week because it is a short one that ends in pie and shopping. I have started my Christmas planning, but so far have only bought one thing for Eva. 

We will be a small group for Thanksgiving dinner, but that's ok. I like the quiet coziness of it, with the house full of good smells and a lazy evening after dinner is complete. Friday I suspect we will start the holiday decorating and get the tree up. No glass ornaments this year. I don't think Archie would mess with the ornaments, but he is still very rambunctious and we don't want to risk him breaking anything he brushes past.

I hope you all are having a great start to your week!

Going Into the Weekend

Going into the weekend I thought I would share with you a few things I worked on this week and a couple of great books I am enjoying.

This quilt block is the 9th in the Moda Blockheads5 sew-along. It is called Candy Stripe Holly Star or some such thing, but I call it Day and Night Star. It is paper pieced and was super fun to make and turned out spot-on perfect. I saw someone on Facebook had pieced four of the blocks and placed them in the center of a table topper so the stars formed a circle. It was stunning. I will sure be making more of these.

I nearly have all the rows pieced together for my Apple Sauce quilt and am still plugging away at the 80 square in a square blocks for the border. 

Not too long ago I got this Courthouse Steps table runner back from the quilter and need to put the binding on it. It will look great on my hall table, my coffee table, or my dining table this Christmas. I can't decide where I will use it! But it sure came out great. I used some reds and greens from a Bonnie and Camille collection as I recall.

Two more Hourglass BOM blocks. These are month 2. I am hoping to speed through making the blocks for this project and get to work on the alternate blocks.

Now for two really good books I am recommending:

Do you love a good mystery? Are you a fan of true crime? This book is fiction, but has such a different approach I think you might love it as I did. Murder in the Family by Cara Hunter is so original and it will keep you guessing right up to the end. I thought I had figured out "who done it" umpteen times and was wrong every time. You will feel as if you are watching a Netflix true crime drama unfold before your eyes as the story is told through the screenplay format of a cold-case crime documentary. It's a puzzle you, the reader, will solve along with the detectives and show producers.

Have the tissues close by if you read The Last Love Note by Emma Grey. This is so much more than your standard rom com. The author takes the reader through love, loss, heartbreak, and back again. Ultimately hopeful, with unexpected moments of humor. Love, hope, and a good future will prevail. This is really good.

Hope you all have a splendid weekend!

Back in the Saddle

I actually had a fairly productive day yesterday. Still blowing my nose a lot, but I feel like I have some energy again. I did some easy sewing. I made 14 more square in a square units for the border of my Apple Sauce quilt. I've got a good-sized pile completed so far. I must recover my ironing table with some fabric that makes a better background for photos!

I also made another Moda Blockheads block 3 block, which is the paper pieced one. I am making a table topper for my son from the first nine blocks in that project. 

I have a ridiculous photo to share with you that is sure to start your day off with a smile.

My husband heard that we are getting a lot of rain this winter, so he bought Archie a raincoat. Honestly, that dog is so good-natured he let us put it on him without much fuss. Can you imagine taking him out in that get up? He's going to get a lot of attention that is for sure. 

Seriously, Dad?

Under the Weather, But Still Kicking

I've had a cold/virus this week, and have not had much pep. In my life, for certain I have had colds worse than this one, but it's been enough to curtail my activities. 

I did cut out most of the alternate blocks for the Apple Sauce quilt top, and I have started making the 80 paper-pieced square in a square blocks for the border. It is such a great feeling to use up all this beautiful BasicGrey fabric. 

Square in a square blocks have certainly been a feature in my quilting life lately, haven't they? 14 down, 64 to go. It is pretty mindless sewing and trimming, so I can listen to audiobooks or podcasts while I sew. 

Mostly I have been reading books and lying on my chaise lounge, coughing, clearing my throat, and blowing my nose. 

This week, I started a highly buzzed book by author Jesmyn Ward, Let Us Descend. Unfortunately, even though I paid for the hardback copy I had to stop reading it. I stuck with it for about 2/3s of the way but had to stop reading it. I just couldn't take the nonstop misery, even though the topic is important. Set in the years before the Civil War, our main character, who is an enslaved woman, experiences every form of torment you can imagine, and some you cannot. It was too much for this reader. Similarly to Lauren Groff (The Vaster Wilds), the author has a knack for describing every awful thing that can happen in the world very eloquently. Not for me. 

There are two tv adaptations of recent books that are excellent, that you can watch now if you are interested. Lessons in Chemistry is on Apple TV, starring Brie Larson (from Mad Men fame) and is so good. The other show we started watching is the Netflix adaptation of All the Light We Cannot See, starring the unlikely pair Hugh Laurie and Mark Ruffalo. Both are doing an amazing job in roles I never would have thought right for them. It is a riveting story and they are doing it justice.

I hope to rejoin the living today and carry out my normal schedule. I have been consuming bowls of chicken soup, so perhaps that has cured me.

Economy Block

Was Sunday not the longest day ever? I swear it felt like that day was 34 hours long instead of 24. When we turn the clocks back, it is always so hard for me to adjust to the time change. In addition, I have come down with a slight cold. Scratchy throat, irritating cough, lots of throat clearing. Hopeful that it will pass quickly.

I did make the next nine foundation pieced blocks for the Petit Four sew-along. This block is called Economy, and to make it I used the 4" sized foundation papers by Fat Quarter Shop. Economy is a variation of the simple square in a square block, which you may recall gave me fits last week because I didn't have papers or a tool to make it in a one-and-a-half-inch finished size. 

In 2020 I made an entire quilt using the Economy block. For these blocks I did not use foundation paper, but rather the Creative Grids Square on a Square ruler, which worked great. It comes in a four, six, or eight-inch size. You use oversized pieces of fabric and trim down to the perfect size. I used brown and red fabrics from my stash for this one. This simple block really does make a spectacular quilt.

Apparently, I really love the Economy block. This next colorful quilt is called Penny Pincher and is made with Primitive Gatherings fabric. This one I think is particularly beautiful. I love how the gold blocks make your eyes travel over the quilt top. I need to get it quilted. I must have used the Creative Grids trim tool for these blocks as well.

What are you working on this week? Hope it's a good one!

Blueberry Delight and Apple Sauce

It seems as if there are an awful lot of food references in quilting, don't you agree? The whole layer cake, honey bun, jelly roll thing, and so many patterns and fabric collections have food names. I wonder why we are so food-obsessed? At any rate, I finished my 8 Courthouse Steps paper pieced blocks for the Petit Four (there we go again) project. The fabric collection I am using is called Blueberry Delight by Bunny Hill.

The paper piecing was super simple and went extremely fast. The whole confusing backwards issue that you find in some paper piecing is not a factor in these blocks at all. The paper pads Fatquartershop makes for foundation piecing make the whole process very simple. They are even shaded so you don't get mixed up where the background or print fabric is supposed to go.

I am also making good progress with my Apple Sauce blocks. This is a pattern by BasicGrey, and I am using three of their collections: Persimmon, Nutmeg, and Cider. Good grief, with the food names. I am stalled with these at the moment because I need more of the teal solid fabric, which is on its way to me in the mail.

I got so many comments from you yesterday! Gosh, who knew I just need to whine about not hearing from people, and look what happens. Seriously though, getting some sort of reaction to a blog post that takes time and effort to produce is very gratifying. I enjoy writing this blog as a journal of my quilting and life, but interacting with readers is what makes it fun and worthwhile. I love hearing from you and do my best to answer your comments. Anyway, it was very nice to hear from so many readers.

Look for a book review post Friday. I must be sewing more than I am reading because I didn't read all that much in September, but I will tell you about what I did enjoy. 

Can't believe it is nearly the weekend again. Where is this month going?

Project Discovery

I was rummaging in my sewing room closet the other day and discovered an old project I had started, who knows how long ago. The project box was labeled "One Block Quilt". Upon further investigation, I learned that I had made over 150 of these little 4-inch blocks. There was no pattern in the box, but I did find my handwritten instructions on how to cut and assemble the blocks. I have no idea where the idea came from, but a niggling memory keeps coming up with the idea that it may have been a Carrie Nelson project.

ADDED LATER:  I searched my blog and found the description of where the idea for this project came from. It is a project that Temecula Quilts came up with. They were doing something called "One Block Wednesday" and this was apparently one of their offerings.

Luckily I also rediscovered that the pressing directions are important, so I will have to go back and press again!

Whew, that box is pretty dusty! The instructions say to use 2-inch strips of fabric, making it a great jelly roll project. I evidently used starched strips from fat quarter pieces because I have two matching strips for each two blocks, rather than one strip cut WOF. I must have dug into my Civil War Repro stash, as that is the theme of the fabric I chose. That is always a favorite for me. 

150 blocks already made seems like quite a lot, but the instructions say I need 357 to make whatever size quilt top I am supposed to end up with. It's a mystery. I will try to keep making these fun little blocks when I have a minute or two and see where I get.

Honestly, you just never know what may turn up when you start rummaging around in your sewing room.

Happy weekend everyone!

Moda Blockheads 5, Week 3

Wednesdays are Moda Blockheads days, and they have not disappointed. This is my Week 3 block, "Stellar Elegance" by Brigitte Heitland of ZenChic. And, guess what? This is a first for Blockheads: a paper-pieced block! It was super fun to make, especially after watching the instructional video that was provided by Anna Dineen. Do you avoid paper-piecing? No worries, a couple of designers provided alternate block options that do not use that method. 


The blocks have been first-rate so far, and I've enjoyed making them. It isn't too late to join in, and the weekly patterns are free. All are designed by Moda designers and there will be a number of setting ideas provided. You can make the blocks in 6-inch or 12-inch sizes, or even both if you like. Fig Tree will be providing a setting using both sizes of blocks. There is also an option to make a smaller-sized quilt or table topper with a holiday theme (Xmas, Halloween), and a second larger quilt with the remaining blocks in another fabric collection. The sky is the limit with this sew-along, and there is plenty of opportunity to exercise personal choices. 

There are so many options to making this quilt, and I get lots of inspiration from seeing what other people are doing. I wanted my block to be slightly more simple looking than the one pictured on the pattern sheet, which I accomplished by focusing on the star shape and using more background fabric to make it stand out. 

I think this is a great sew-along. If you have been thinking of sitting it out, it isn't too late to change your mind or do a smaller project out of it.

 

Sampler Spree Blocks are Done!

My 100 Sampler Spree blocks are all done. I actually have probably made 120 blocks, but not all of them made the cut. I put the ones I like best on the design wall, but they will need to be arranged somewhat more. Those two lightning bolt/zig zag blocks on the bottom two rows are way too close together, for instance.

It is amazing how effective taking a photo of your quilt blocks is to show you what needs to be positioned elsewhere!

I showed my husband the photo and his reaction was "Well, that's rather busy". I guess it is, but I think the setting will calm things down a bit. There will be a separation strip of the cream background fabric in between each block, and then the blocks will be latticed in groups of four, which will provide more separation.

It's been a very fun project to work on and I think I will enjoy the finished quilt. I need to order more fabric for the lattices, so I am stalled until that arrives. 

How was your weekend?