Little quilts and other fun stuff

I have been busy for the last several days. Lots has been happening. I started to work part-time at a bookstore within walking distance of my home. I always joked that I was going to retire, become a beach bum, and work in a bookstore....my prophecy came true! Actually, I told my husband that I am working to support my addictions...books and fabric!

But that's not all. I have begun to make some little quilts for several reasons. First, I want to try out some new techniques. Second, I want to use up some of my scraps, and third, my guild sells little quilts at the quilt show that is held every two years. I figured I'd better get busy and make some even though the show is still about a year away. Here is my first one. I wanted to try open seams on a small log cabin block. The open seams worked wonderfully!!! I am now making a little quilt using freezer paper for applique - something I've never tried before either. I wasn't really into applique even though I have tried it off and on over the years. So far so good ...will have to upload a picture of that later.

Last night, I had a great time. Several of our guild members really love the work of Pat Sloan and since she was going to be doing a workshop and lecture in Dover which is about 45 minutes from here, one of my good quilting buddies asked me to go along to the lecture with her. Pat Sloan is so personable and creative. She showed many of her own quilts and talked about being free to experiment and not necessarily following the quilt rules! Girl after my own heart. (I have a plaque in my den that says IF YOU OBEY ALL THE RULES YOULL MISS ALL THE FUN). This is my friend and the quilt she made using Pat Sloan ideas.

Has it been this long?

It has been a while since I posted. I spent the last few days at my son's babysitting while he was in CA fighting fires. He was in the northern part of the state. His staging spot was Redding. He got home today...safe and sound but very tired. He said it was a great experience and the people in CA were very supportive...but it was very hot and smoky so he really couldn't appreciate the CA views.

I am finally putting the binding on the Wizard of Oz quilt. Should be done by tonight. I need to hang my Log Cabin quilt then I am ready to start a new project!

stashbuster hint

Here is a hint about the pattern I am making for my next stashbuster. Any ideas what it is going to be? You'll have to wait to find out!

Also, Ann Marie mentioned in her comment about my log cabin stashbuster that she hadn't seen log cabin blocks arranged in the zigzag before. The idea came from a great book, Log Cabin Quilts Unlimited by Patricia Cox and Maggi McCormick Gordon published by Creative Publishing International in 2004. The book has many creative ways to work with log cabin arrangements and block designs (rectangles, octagons, triangles, etc.) I have had this book for a while and love looking at it but this is the first time I actually made something from it.

Challenge Block

I am attaching some pictures of my summer challenge project.

First, I cut colored strips from scraps. I made these primarily dark or medium strips. The red center blocks were cut from a fat quarter I picked up somewhere along the way. Then I cut the beige strips from some fabric I had left over from another quilt (I bought much more than I needed.)










Then I put the colored strips in a bag according to their size and pulled out strips randomly as I needed them. I kept it random unless there would be two of the same design in the same block.




I laid out the blocks in many arrangements on the living room floor and then decided on the zigzag arrangement because it reminded me of waves.







There are six 8 inch blocks in a row and 10 rows. I am putting a narrow black border around the arrangement because I think I will use this as a wall hanging.

summer challenge

I just found the greatest "for fun" summer challenge. I was just doing such a self-imposed challenge so it fit into my summer plans! I am using up scraps from my stash and making log cabin blocks. I am arranging them in the zigzag pattern as suggested in the book Log Cabin Quilts Unlimited by Patricia Cox and Maggi McCormick Gordon. I am doing the zigzag because the pattern reminds me of waves..