Now What?

I need some input. I have not studied any vintage string quilts so I'm at a loss with this. I started stringing my neutral scraps, then cut the star points and now I have this.

So what's next? I would love some direction from those who have been stringing for awhile. Do I set it with a solid? Nifty Quilts? Bumble Beans? Tonya at Lazy Gal? Hello?? Anyone??

I don't have many pictures to reference this type of work, which makes me ponder why I've had such a fixation with strings lately.

Anyhow, I'm wide open to ideas and suggestions.
Sharon

A New Book

Have you seen this new book that's out? Biz Storm and Mary Kinch have been very busy since their last book was published. This is the perfect title for the quilts that are showcased.

I do love that they have been so generous in giving credit; to those quilters who created amazing quilts in years gone by and to the quilters of today.

If you have the book, take another look at page 18 - 19. How sad that the makers are unknown on both of these amazing creations. Someone labored over both of these pieces for days, weeks, months, probably the work spanned several years, and here we get to see the marvelous work of those before us and the maker is listed as "Unknown". Tragic. Imagine making a quilt like either of these with no rotary cutter, no design wall, no hot running water!

Here's my 15 minutes of play this evening. I just couldn't resist giving it a whirl with all the 1 3/4" squares I have that were bonus blocks from a recent top. What do you think? Should I attempt to make a one block version? The cover quilt has been added to my bucket list as well.

What inspired you this week?

Sharon

Star Gazing

Well, I can't say I've seen the stars for quite some time, about the same time I last saw the sun. Oh, it peeks out once in a while, enough to tease you out to your patio, but then the thunder roars, the wind starts blowing and the rain comes pouring down.  Another grey day here in the NW. Thank goodness for all the color in our studios.
I've got both tops pieced from my stack of homespuns.

Both of these tops are 60 x 60, perfect size for gifts that are "just because".

Since both of these tops are going to live with other peeps, I am playing with the scraps and the one extra block, (how did that happen?) and make a throw quilt for myself.  The FQ's were a gift to me, so I'd like to have something for myself.

The fun of this is that I can make the blocks any size I want and work them all together, I'm also bringing in a star print for backgrounds as well,  it seems I have a lot of that fabric hanging around. Time to use it up!

I've reached the point where my messy sewing room gets the better of me and I need to tidy up. I have several WIPs on my cutting table and I know if they get put in a box, they may live in that box for months, so I've started finishing. This has been cut and waiting to be put together since March. Yes, these are the batiks from the last shophop. Since it's a Quilt as you Go piece, it's all done!  It just needs a label.

Bonnie Hunters Carolina Christmas mystery quilt from years ago is out on my table and my, does it have a lot of cutting and piecing. It's going to rock when it's finished though, because I have peeked to the end before I started.

That's enough for today, I'm off to load another customer quilt, slowly the pile is going down, I'll be shipping 2 or 3 off to Idaho tomorrow. All part of the master plan of cleaning my studio! Getting things finished!

Have you got something finished lately? Feels great, doesn't it?

Sharon

Life's Necessities

Well, not really "lifes" necessities, but I did need a few things to finish one of my quilts. I've showed it before, Sisters Choice blocks, and I've made the decision to set this on point. I know, the responses were about 50/50 for on point vs straight set. I do agree with those who said that I will loose the look of the block by putting this on point. However, I didn't make this because I loved this block, I made it  because I did a 9 patch swap and needed something that I could work them into. So now I need a variety of shirtings for the setting triangles......and it was the first day of shop hop......and we needed office supplies.......so...........

I picked up a few on our travels today. DebS was the driver, I was the co-pilot.  Some stores didn't have reproductions....so I picked up a few of these.

Have you seen Edyta Sitar's new book? Laundry Basket Quilts.  Wow, is all I can say.  I just had to start adding some of these neutral batiks into my sewing basket.  Immediately all of the above became this.

A big pile of laundry. Once I get them all pressed, I can get my quilt together.

And who could resist this? It's perfect for a medallion quilt.

Thanks to all the shops today, you know how to treat your customers. And a big shout out to all Fabettes, we finished our day on a high note in your shop, you are the best!

Off to bed, it's a work day tomorrow..........they all can't be like today!
Sharon

Mail Call

This is an overdue THANK YOU to Carolyn.  She had a giveaway on her blog and I was the lucky winner.
Look at all the 30's goodness that she sent across the pond.

Not to make excuses for being so late in posting, but I wanted to try piecing some of these die cut apple cores to see how easy they really do go together.  Easy peasy.  Well worth it for the accuracy.

Not only did I get the pre cuts, she was so generous and included 4 FQ's.  Lucky me.  I tried to get the stamp in the photo, but it's so close to the color of the envelope.  I just love foreign stamps, and this one is a beauty, must be in recognition of Queen E's 60th Jubilee.  How amazing is that, I don't know of anyone else who's held the same job for 60 years!

Then this packet of goodness arrived at my mailbox.  Lavender soap, how wonderful it that!!  And a packet of postie's.  Lori, how did you know I used the last of my 'birthday' post its a few weeks ago.  I always have a packet in my sewing room, perfect for jotting down those quick measurements and ideas!
If you haven't been up to date on Lori's blog, Humble Quilts, it's worth popping over to see the posts on magazines, very interesting thread going on over there.

And I couldn't resist, Annie came and helped celebrate my 50th birthday.  She loves camping, begging for bacon at breakfast, some roast pork at dinner..........

I've taken some time this morning to wash my floors, what a silly thing to do with my time! But it had to be done. Not to worry, I loaded another quilt and it's ready to go, I'm going to have a coffee, catch up on some blogging goodness, Oh how I love the blogs, and then get to quilting, I'm making headway in the pile of customer tops.

Enjoy Fathers Day with all the men in your life, I have been blessed with the best Dad I could ever wish for, 77 years young and a going concern. I won't see him today, as he lives 4+ hours away, but I know my brother is taking good care of him today, they are fishing.

Sharon

Blossoms Galore

A present from my co-worker.

This beautiful bouquet of peonies has graced my desk for 2 days now.  The sweet purfume that fills my office is simply amazing. 
We saw the sun this morning, but rain is on tap (no pun intended) for tomorrow, again.
Have a great weekend
Sharon

Too Much Fun??

Blogger must be telling me something. I've tried to upload weekend pictures 3 times now, I give up. I guess Blogger couldn't handle all the fun that was had on my bday weekend. We had a blast!
Here it the top that got put together before I left. 12" blocks, 60 x 60 Liberated Stars. One together, one more to go.

I love how these homespuns sewed up. The background is Moda Piecrust. There are many shades of the same color, I think this one is color 55.

My quilting time is being spent on customer quilts, I delivered two before I left, shipped one off today, and loaded up another one tonight.

(imagine picture of patio furniture here)

Life is good! ....but has anyone seen spring or summer yet? I got patio furniture for my birthday and I want to sit out on my deck and enjoy my yard....rain, rain go away...

Sharon

Giddy Up

I'm going to the mountain, not the city. I shall be hanging with girlfrieds, some I've been friends with for 42+ years. Yup, we met in grade 2. And I'm the last one to turn 50, Technically, I'm not 50 yet, that won't happen until Monday. So let's not push it, ok?

We have trailers to sleep in, but we do know how to camp. There will be hikes, bon fires, cocktails, appetizers galore, cocktails, naps, bbq's, cocktails, conversation, laughter, Oh, did I mention there will be cocktails?

I'll be taking pictures, none in this group is a quilter, but not to worry, I have by borders for my BTCT and the cherry stems need to be stitched. I hope to come home with this accomplished.
Have a great weekend
Sharon

Sewing Sunday

 Here is how I spent my Sunday. I finally finished the quilting on this. It's 62 x 62 and I think it came from a Fons and Porter magazine (??) 

 It's hand appliqued and it was N's first time trying hand applique.  I think she got the hang of it.

This is going into a show, so the plan was "lots of quilting"

My body can't take much more of this, thank goodness my next one is an edge to edge.

N is one of my special quilting friends, so this was more a labor of love. She deserves it and I think this quilt is staying in her home. I can't wait to see it hanging in the Guild show in August. I'm sure I'll post pictures again!

Hope you got to stitch a bit on the weekend, can you believe it's June already? Good golly, I guess spring is over, but were the heck is summer? Are you all keeping the warm weather to yourselves on the east coast?

and did you all see Victoria's BIG NEWS? Check it out!

Sharon

Back to Reality

It has taken a few days for me to get back into any sort of routine, both at work and at home.  As much as I'd love to keep playing with my triangles, I have to get my head down and work on customer quilts and projects with deadlines.  I'm so close to having these liberated stars all sewn up, and when the last few blocks are pieced, I can get one top together as it needs to get to a fund raiser. Just a few more to go.

I am still facilitating the JT2 project, and yet, I haven't been keeping up.  I promised myself I'd have one more block made for our Sat meeting, and fortunately, this block was almost finished.  Now it is. If you were at the show, you will understand the cheddar, I just couldn't resist.

I've also got bags of these and I've been determined to learn how to string piece without paper or foundation. Thanks to Gwen, I'm off and running.  I had to make a few test pieces when I got home so here is the start of String Stars.  I will take my time with this and it will be a project that will probably take several years to complete.  I'm totally ok with that, I'm trying to enjoy the process rather than push through the project.

It's a start.

Here are a few of Gwen's pieces that really sung to me.  I've seen them in her books, but to see them up close, to touch them and run your fingertips over her hand quilting, well, they are truly works of art.

Look at her amazing sense of color, the stitching compliments the piecing,

simply wonderful. 

I only hope mine turns out half as good as hers.

Now to find some time to enjoy the process on this piece.

I hope you all have time to stitch this weekend.
Sharon