I have to start with a bit of happy news in the midst of the crisis we're all enduring-- we have a new granddaughter! She was born last Wednesday and is absolutely perfect. She and her mom and dad are doing great, though they were kind of kicked out of the hospital pretty fast. For those of you who are counting, she is grandchild number five. Just as happy as with number one!
Anyway, I'm feeling a bit better these days, and I've been stitching. I might be getting a little mojo back. Time will tell. It helps that I'm just doing mindless things right now. Here are the latest mindless bits:
This was an RSC project, but I needed it not to be an RSC project any more. So I grabbed the handy dandy box of 2-1/2 inch squares and went crazy. I did sort out the colors so I get enough variety, and I started with the blue blocks as a nod to the RSC:
The I made yellows, and then the very few reds, and I started on the pinks. Oh, and some purples, too. It felt great! These go so fast and you get a lot of blocks made really quickly, which we all know is really gratifying. I may be starting to understand the appeal of modern blocks.
I started thinking about layouts, too, and started putting them up on the wall:
I don't know if I like the X's that are formed this way, though it does make the colors really stand out and look like they're floating. I'm going to finish up the blocks and then we'll give it a lot of the design wall and see how it turns out. I'm open to other ideas.
Making these has been really easy, and it has calmed my mind, too. The other thing I've done is make some masks for family. I had wanted to make some to donate to the (religious) Sisters at school, but I haven't had time. And I have no elastic! Here was my "hack" for some ties for the corners for the ones I did make:
I've always saved the ribbons and twill tape and such that come wrapped around stacks of fat quarters or other stacks of fabrics. Who knows why? I must have been deprived of ribbon as a child. Anyway, I've been using these! If you stitch the wider ones (like this one above) in half, it will be the right size and no one will ever have to see the printing on them. What can I say? It worked!
Hope all of you are hanging in there and are not going too crazy in quarantine. It's an odd time, but at least we'll have stories of bravery and goodness for the grandchildren. And handwashing, don't forget that!
Sharing at soscrappy for RSC 20.
22 comments:
I really like how these look and may just have to make some myself. Are you using a 5” white square to start?
Hi Mari! That is a great idea about using the ribbons as ties. I save them as well . . . for no good reason other than I like them. They're just hanging out in a drawer waiting for a good use. I stumbled upon a little bit of elastic yesterday so I whipped up two more masks for a friend and her husband. I just LOVE your little RSC blocks - I look forward to seeing what layout you ultimately decide to use for them. {{Hugs}} ~smile~ Roseanne
Congratulations on grandchild number 5! That is so awesome!
Love your RSC blocks! They look like such fun to play with! :)
I always safe those ribbons too and use them for a variety of things - congrats on the grandchild!
Congratulations on the new grandchild. Sad that you need to wait to be introduced, but probably a good thing they were sent home immediately.
It's snowing again here in western NY which is not doing anything to help my mood. We've had snow almost everyday for the last 10 days and the forecast for the next week is cold and wet. Ugh.
Pat
Congratulations on the new granddaughter! I think you can call them the Fab 5 for now, at least until the next arrives :-) Love those scrappy blocks you are making, and I like the layout too. I do understand what you are saying about the x, but maybe you'll like it as you get more made. The four walls here are getting a bit tiresome, but I'm doing okay. The weather is promising to be nice today, so we'll get out a bit and that should help.
The layout is great!! It makes me think of a garden lattice with flowers behind it. I didn't really see X's if you look at it as a whole.
What did you use for the bright squares - 5" whites? How big were the triangles over the corners? I like these little guys.
Five grand children!!! You lucky Grammy.
Congratulations on your new grandbaby, Mari! That's some fun news! I really like those blocks you're making - they'll make a neat design. I'm wondering if you'll notice the x's once you've sewn the blocks together, or if they'll look more like pathways through the pretty color!
Congrats on that new grandbaby and finding a bit of SEWjo, too!! :o))
I love it when my brain tells me it’s time to pull out the corners and 2.5” squares basket! I enjoyed your post today. I made masks for one local agency that reached out, and for family and friends. I made ties in lieu of elastic; a little more fiddly, but great end results. Now I’m concentrating on blocks for a quilt, relieved to be out of my sewing slump (since Feb. 1). Stay safe!
The ribbons and twill tape work great for mask ties. We are really having to get creative, as no elastic, ribbons, rubber bands nor shoe strings are available. Or are in short supply. I have sewn masks for neighbors and myself. Cannot mail any masks to my daughter, though, as local post office is not open to public.
So happy to hear that grandbaby #5 is perfect! And I'm looking forward to seeing what direction you go with these flippy corner blocks :)
congratulations on the new grandbaby. Like yourself, my sewing mojo had disappeared for a while, in my case, quite a while. It's back again though, and clearing up some wip. These little squares are coming together for you very nicely.
Awww CONGRATS!!!!! That is so awesome!!
Internet has been problematic but your snowballed blocks are so cheerful that I am smiling :-) Thank you for the Moda ribbon tip. We can sure use a hack when a million masks need to be made in a hurry.
Here is a tip I heard from Trevor Noah - Wash your hands BEFORE you pick your nose :-D
I save ribbon bits too. And when a shopping bag starts to tear, I pull the cording out of the handle, or the ribbons off. I'm now using the cord and bead approach so it's adjustable by pulling the bead closer.
I'd be so happy if everyone around here wore masks. They refuse to and laugh at us for doing it. I just nod and keep going.
I did that kind of project and I love how it looks... keep going with it! Mindless sewing is best, I've messed up patterns lately from lack of thinking focus.
I save my ribbons and twill tape also. Must be a quilter's thing. I've made a few masks for husband and I. Was going to make for daughter and her family but she wanted to make her own.
congrats and what fun to have a happy memory of the pandemic.
Hope it's not too long till you can meet up with the new arrival. But of course you will be able to keep up with her progress over the internet, and coo away at her that way.
Simple block that leaves a lot of options when it comes to quilting. This will be such a fun quilt.
Congratulations on the safe arrival of another grand baby. Your blocks are very cute.
Love that fabric with the elephants in your blocks at the top of the post. Lots of other good things happening in your other photos too. That little owl is especially sweet.
Post a Comment