So, it's been hot and dry, which is okay and makes having the sewing room in the basement pretty comfortable. I'm making progress on getting things put away and cleaned up, but I still need to get a cutting table and a wastebasket. Somehow my wastebasket got lost in the move. How crazy is that? I've been basting some small quilts and just generally still getting organized, so I've been working on a couple of small things in between over the last few days.
Here's my first little project:
Yes, this is a new thing, because why not? A while ago I made a little bitty free-pieced word quilt called Joy, and now I'm making a small free-pieced word quilt to go with it to hang in my office. Can you guess what this word is? I'm not that happy with the Ns, but I'll probably leave them since I know I'll be cursing over the dreaded S letters. Kindness indeed!
I also dipped into those pesky purple scraps and made a couple of Tiny Tuesday blocks, but I'm really looking for a way to use up this scrap:
This is a years-old piece of leftover strip set, and I just can't bring myself to toss it. I have this weird thing about it, but I really would like to use it up, maybe in a tiny block. Any suggestions out there?
Finally, I've been finishing up the gray 4 patches for my nephew's quilt:
I have about 30 more of these to make (because the pattern calls for something like a billion of them) and I've used up a LOT of the gray scraps I had. The only ones I left out were the flowers, and I don't think I'll need to sneak those in at all. Just have to add here that 4-patches are boring to make, and gray 4-patches are doubly so. The quilt is going to look great, but getting there is not half the fun on this one!
So that's the dispatch from my sewing room for now. I do have some things basted and I'm looking forward to getting a couple of them finished up really soon. And the search for a cutting table goes on! Hope you're all having a good week!
11 comments:
Don’t give up on those gray 4-patches! Sneak little things inbetween!
even in the chaos of a relocation you keep on quilting. Good luck finding the missing waste bin and cutting table.
A billion plus!! But it will be so awesome!!
Yes - that pattern of Kevin' had a whole lot of four-patch blocks!! But just think of how your nephew will love his quilt. It is worth it. Maybe you could listen to an audio book while making these???
As for your purple strip block, stash it away with other orphan blocks until you have enough for another misfit quilt. I loved the one you made a while back.
Your N's are just fine as will the S blocks be. :-)
Love the kindness and I'm glad you are settling in.
Fun to see you sewing again. At least you lost your waste basket, and not something else. I hope it turns up. The little purple block, could you make a little purple pincushion? It's so cute!
Another quilting blogger, I think it is The Patchery Menangerie, recommends using a drafting table for a cutting table. She said it saves her back and shoulders; because of the adjustable tilt she can reach to cut all the way to the end of a long ruler without pain.
I use a banquet table made taller with PVC pipe lengths on the legs; economical and fits my small space--because of the extra height it fits nicely over my full-size guest-room bed! (Email me is you'd like the PVC measurements I used; susanprincess at att dot net)
Another pricier but storage-adding option would be legal-size lateral file cabinets, back to back, covered with a formica counter top. I used that setup at work for document production, and it was the perfect height. That one had 6 of the file cabinets, so it was about 9' long--lots of room to spread out! If I had the space (and money) I'd do that one at home for a cutting area with fabrics stored below.
For a cutting table try looking at Habitat for Humanity's warehouse... used kitchen cabinets work great and are the right height, plus have storage underneath.
It's weird that stuff that goes missing during a move. I lost a cutting matt and my largest square ruler. I finally found them about 10 years after we moved. They got put in one of the boxes of baby clothes that were stored in attic. I have a couple of thoughts for you pretty 5 strip scrappy block. Stitch the ends together and make it into a trip around the world block by cutting it into 1" strips. Or just cut 1" strips and use the strips as a frame around a fussy cut block.
The grey 4-patches will be really pretty mixed in with something bold.
My cutting table is actually a section of kitchen cabinet with a butcher block top, all right out of a big box store. It has drawers and a door section and works great in terms of height and storage.
SuzanPrincess is right! I do use a drafting table as a cutting table. I am five feet tall, and having the table at an angle saves my back. I can reach the whole thing and my cuts are nice and accurate. I can also adjust the table for my height and it's better on my wrist, so it is all good.
You do know I wrote a tutorial for free pieced letters? You can get it from Etsy. Click the bird block in my sidebar to go to my Etsy shop. All my tutorials are instant downloads, so you can get started right away. And the S can be easy to make with my instructions. Good luck, and you are doing great!
Lynne
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