Friday, March 8, 2019

Twelve hundred and more

Hi everyone!  Here we are at the end of another week, and that means we're another week closer to spring.  Can you tell I am counting down? 

Today I have a finish to share, but this has been a very dramatic week for our family and there is some public service information at the bottom of this post, so if you are just looking at the fun pictures, please at least read the last paragraph.  We'll get to the drama in a minute, but first, here is this week's finish:


This is another finished UFO from the closet.  Whoo-hoo! And it's all scrap pieces, too, which is a double whoo-hoo! More scraps actually used, not just sitting in the bins.  The white sashing is plain old Kona white, though there are some pieces of Kona Snow in there as well.  Not by design, really, just that they got stuck in with the white pieces.  It all worked!


The blocks in this quilt are 100-patches made from scrap 1-1/2 inch squares.  I started this way back in 2016 when we had just moved to the east coast and were living in a tiny condo.  (I still think of this as "the dark times.")  We bought our house and moved and this got moved into a closet  and was left unfinished.  It happens all the time, doesn't it? 


I made the 100-patches using a very light fusible interfacing to get all the squares aligned and make the rows easier to stitch.  You can see how I did that HERE.  It worked pretty well, and I would make blocks that way again.  I have lots and lots of 1-1/2 inch squares, so I'm thinking of making some up into 25 patches.  Not soon, but I'm thinking about it!


If I had to pick a favorite block, it would be the black one.  Surprise! I was really surprised at how much color there actually is in this block.  I didn't know I had that many black pieces in the bin, but they look great together.  The white block is similar and was another surprise.  Of course, all of the blocks have a lot of color variation, but most of them don't have quite as many prints.


This quilt is destined to become a charity quilt for Sarah's Hands to Help challenge, which is why I only used 12 blocks.  The quilt is a nice lap size, about 48 by 65.  I have four more finished 100-patch blocks that will become a baby quilt a little later this spring, though I can already say that I won't be using the same sashing and cornerstones for that quilt.  All of these little squares made for a *lot* of seams and the top is already a bit heavy, plus they were a bit maddening to keep track of.  There are currently little squares all over the floor in the sewing room, which you know is making me crazy. I will definitely be cleaning up this weekend.

So, there is my finish for the week!  One more out of the closet and soon to become a comfort quilt, which makes me feel super happy that I finally finished it.  I am making serious progress on my piecing UFOs, which also makes me really happy.


And now for something completely non-quilt related:

On Tuesday morning, my brother (who works nights, so it was about 9:30 am) heard a weird noise, so he got up to investigate.  Turned out that the house was on fire and it was moving rapidly.  He and his partner managed to get out with the dogs and were unharmed, and my nephew was already at school, so he was unharmed as well.  The house, however, was a total loss.  They lost literally everything except what they were wearing.  The roof ended up in the dining room. Not to worry--they will be okay. There is insurance and they will be able to rebuild their possessions, so it will turn out.  And no one was hurt, which is the best possible news! So here's the public service announcement-- grab your phone and make a video right now, walking around every room of your house, opening every drawer and closet, and showing everything you own.  Narrate this as you go, as in "here's the antique dresser we got from Aunt Phyllis" and "those shelves hold about 300 yards of fabric" and "this is the Viking sewing machine that I bought in 2018."  Email the video to yourself or otherwise store it somewhere online. Your house doesn't have to be clean! It just has to show what you own.  If the worst ever happens, you won't remember or be able to make a list of everything you've lost, from the number of forks you own to how many towels you have, and sometimes insurance companies want proof that you actually had a new refrigerator instead of a 20-year-old Kenmore.  So do yourself a favor and make the video.  If you're worried about how the house looks, you can always make another video after you clean up!


Okay, end of lecture. Hope everyone has a great weekend.  Next week is spring break and I plan to spend it doing some outdoor work if the weather cooperates, and sewing if it doesn't.  I'm really looking forward to both!

Sharing at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Finished or Not Friday, and Oh Scrap!

25 comments:

Sherry said...

So sorry for your brother. Glad everyone is all right. Praying for all.

MissPat said...

So glad your brother and his family are safe. Possessions can be replaced. Video documentation of your possessions is a great idea.
Pat

Laura said...

Mari, I love this scrappy quilt! I know you said you wouldn't make the cornerstone and sashing setting again, but I really like how it sets off your blocks!

I am sorry that your brother and his fam had to experience a fire and a loss of all that they owned. Thank goodness they are okay! It is a good idea to produce a video of possessions...I hadn't thought of that.

Ramona said...

Your quilt is beautiful. I love all of the color and bits of fabrics. Thank you for the public service announcement on videoing our belongings. Thankfully your brother and his family are all safe and unharmed.

Louise said...

Mari, that is REALLY good advice about the video. My heart goes out to your brother and his family. Fire is so, so frightening. I'm glad they are all safe!

Your bazillion little squares quilt top looks fabulous! I've squirreled your sashing design away for future reference :)

Home Sewn By Us said...

Hi Mari! Thank you for the PSA, and I am so sorry for your brother. Thank the Lord no one was hurt. Everything can be replaced, but it certainly is stressful. I will gladly add him and his family to my prayers. I am amazed at 100 squares in a block. WOWEE. What a beautiful job you did, and how great is it to have used up stuff from the bins?! A double woohoo is definitely deserved. Happy Friday to you! ~smile~ Roseanne

Alycia~Quiltygirl said...

WOW - that is a great PSA - I am SO glad your family is ok!!

Now to the quilt - another wow - that is an incredible quilt!! LOVE all the color in it!!

Chopin - A Passionate Quilter said...

Very blessed to have no one hurt - Glad they have insurance!

I love your quilt!!!!!!

Take care!

Farm Quilter said...

So very glad your brother and his loved ones are safe. Your quilt is beautiful...I really like your framing of the blocks. That certainly took forever to piece!!

The Joyful Quilter said...

The sashing and cornerstones really adds interest to your newly completed quilt top. Congrats on getting it together! Thanks for the public service announcement. What a blessing that your brother investigated that strange noise and that everyone was able to get out safely!

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

I'm so sorry your brother and his family have had to go through that, Mari, but thanks for the great advice that would help in a situation like that. I love your 100 patch quilt! I remember when you were making those blocks, and I was fascinated with that method. It makes a wonderful quilt top!

Quiltdivajulie said...

We do the photo tour of the house once a year -- we know too many folks who have had experiences like your brother's and have learned to be overly cautious about documenting our household. It is time for us to do an updated photo sweep - using the camera video with narration is an excellent idea!!

Cathy said...

I love your postage stamp finish! It’s so refreshing and unusual. Sorry to hear about your brother’s fire (shudder). I once made a house video (back in the VHS days), so you can tell how badly I need to do it again! Thanks for the timely reminder!!

scraphappy said...

So thankful that they were able to get out safely! If the fire had started while they were all asleep it could have ended much differently. We make a video like that before every hurricane, just a way of making sure. Somewhere in my mind I think that if we plan for the worst, it will never happen.
Your quilt is just beautiful. The setting is a nice touch, though I can see how it might be fussy to put together. Congrats on clearing out an oldy.

Wendy F said...

I love your 100 patch blocks, and how you put them together. Perfect! Thanks for sharing. Sorry to hear of your brother's fire, so glad all are safe. A good reminder to record what we have.

Jo said...

Wishing all goes speedy rebuilding for your brother. Great idea about the video too. Very glad they are ok. Love your quilt.

Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting said...

Great quilt. Long ago, I took photos of everything in all the rooms in the house. Of course, lots has changed since those photos were taken, and I don't even remember where the photos are.

JanineMarie said...

I had forgotten about these 100-patch blocks, but I remember that I was fascinated by them at the time—especially when you showed the close-ups with all the little details in the prints. The black block is amazing. I love how you did the sashing—that looks like a challenge, but so worth it because it really works well with the blocks. This will be a beloved quilt. I’m so sorry to hear of your brother’s family’s loss—but thankful that they are okay. Thanks for the reminder to make an inventory. We made a photo album in our old house ( would have had to have had the ability to grab it for it to be useful) but a video kept digitally is so much better.

Jayne said...

First I love this quilt! All those squares...WOW! That's dedication! What a frightening situation for your brother and his family to go through. They are so lucky it turned out the way it did...safe and sound. Considering how insurance companies work, a video is about the only way you can half way prove what you own. Thank you for sharing this and reminding us to document!!

Chantal said...

Awesome quilt. It's so scrappy and yet so organised. Gorgeous! ;^)

Sheila said...

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this wonderful quilt! Love everything about it. The sashing, tiny squares. Congratulations on a beautiful, fun, colorful quilt!
Sorry about your brother's home.
I never though of doing a video on my things for insurance purposes. Thank you.

Nancy @ Grace and Peace Quilting said...

Love your super scrap quilt!!! Good to hear your brother followed his hunch and everyone got out safely.

Kate said...

Love your scrappy quilt. That's a lot of little squares! So glad your brother and family got out safely, but so sad they lost everything. Thank you for the reminder to keep records of what you have. It's easy to not think of such records till you need them and don't have them.

Preeti said...

So much beauty and heartbreak in one post, Mari!!! Love the crumb blocks . I had heard of that method but have not used it. You should name it Chaos Controlled or Tamed Beast. I am sure it will bring joy and comfort to the recipient. I am thinking of your brother and his family. Is there anything we can do while they try to rebuild their life again?

laughing gas quilts said...

My goodness, that quilt is stunning! Congratulations on a beautiful finish. It makes me want to save 1 1/2" bits; I had been stopping at 2 1/2". I'm so sorry for your poor brother and his family! They're in for a rough year. Too bad your excellent video advice had to come as a result of the fire.