Bits and pieces

I had to go and find breakers yesterday for the breaker box at the Duck. and took hubby with me to make sure i got the correct ones. but first we did the important thing and stopped for lunch...Taco Bell....not a bad start. and stopped at an antique store on the way home to look....i hadn't been in there before. didn't buy anything but lusted after a Hunter Cupboad. a huge cupboard with carved doors at the top...carved hunting scenes. and a plate rail with doors and shelves underneath. just beautiful ..... and huge....and $1400.  well!!

So, i never made it to the studio yesterday. but i had finished all the 'have tos' for the month so i was ok with that. i spent the majority of the day making crumb blocks. at 11:30 last night i was trimming up the last of 46 blocks. whew....what a day. piecing them all and then starching and ironing and trimming takes a bit of time but so worth it. i only need to make 21 more to have 500....enough for the quilt i want to make. it took me about a year and a half to get this far with these. i just threw tiny pieces into a tupperware container that came from other projects.....other people's throwaways. LOL   when the container was full i would piece some blocks. there are hundreds of different fabrics in these blocks....and some pieces are TINY....maybe a quarter inch shows. hahahaha   but i am saving more tiny pieces and will continue to make crumb blocks for more quilts.

I have been appliquing my home and hearth blocks....only have 1 more block to do. and then applique the borders and that top is finished.

I almost finished my February (blue) crazy quilt journal project block. still want to put a spider web and spider on it. i pieced the March (red) block and put a couple of things on seams but haven't worked on it in a few days.

Still walking on the treadmill...although this week i have more days of 1 mile than 2. but still making my goal of 7 miles a week. and still walking back and forth to the studio each day. good thing there is not snow and ice.

And tomorrow i am headed to the Duck. the weather should be halfway decent for the weekend....in the 50s....so my electrician is going to start my wiring. he says there will be hundreds of holes drilled and lots of wires run. i hope to find something there to keep me occupied while he works. gotta remember to pack that thermal underwear.

I have a 'free' day today so will wander over to the studio and see what i can get into. i have several smaller quilts in the cabinet that might be quilted. i want to use up my batting scraps ....long pieces maybe 5 to 8 inches wide.

So, stay warm, be safe, and i'll see you

Later

Dog Accessories

I am heading to Texas to visit with my son and dear daughter-in-law in a couple weeks. DIL, Andi, was recently gifted with a sewing machine....which she hardly knows how to turn on...much less use. so i am on a mission to impart some sewing knowledge to her. they raise little dachshunds so she thought she could make them some accessories to sell .... along with the puppies.

So yesterday i played and made a dog leash. really, really, simple...took about 15 minutes. the little clip on the end is actually a key chain clip that i found at JoAnn's. i probably need to get a better clip that is a bit sturdier and not plastic....but little hotdogs are pretty small so i think it would work, too.

And i tried a little bandana. just a simple triangle of fabric that is hemmed on the edges. i think it needs Velcro as a closure instead of tying a knot. that way, it the dog gets caught on something...he can pull himself free.

I also got a pattern at JoAnn's and tried a simple little coat. these could be embellished with laces and trims. this one is quilted...with a batting inside. it has a binding around it...which is a pain on the curves. i am going to try another and just stitch it right sides together and turn it....no binding. i just have to add the velcro to this one.

The inside fabric and binding is the same as the leash. and there is a little D-ring on the top to hook the leash on. now we are ready for a walk.

And for something quilty......last week at quilt class we had a project that cut off little triangles. these triangles were made of 4 different fabrics....and were about 1.5" wide. they were so cute....too cute to throw away. although no one had a problem with tossing them but me. LOL  so i brought them all home and made some crumb blocks with the little triangles in the middles.

You have to look close to see the little triangles....here's a closer shot of this one

I even put 2 of them together and made a little square of them. 

I decided not to make the pattern that we learned...it was a fan shape...sort of like a dresden plate when you put 4 of them together. so i used my practice pieces for crumb blocks, too. look back at the first picture....the block on the top left...with the red, white and blue fan shape is part of what i did. there's another in the second picture...the bottom right block. i like them as crumb blocks better.

Now...duty calls....back to the quilt on the frame.

Sometimes it's best not to count

I have spent all day today....8 hours.....off and on....here and there....making 67 5" crumb blocks...just chain stitiching up a storm.

Tomorrow i will iron and trim them. 

I already have 157 of them done....so after tomorrow's ironing and trimming session i will have 224 of them ready to go.

If i want to make a queen size quilt and set them 20x25....i will need 500 of them. so i am not even half way there.




Sometimes it's best not to count