Hi, This is a short post

 This is a very long term project. 

While my husband was sick I started this hexie project. I am using the idea from a picture designed by Willyne Hammerstein. She is a quilt designer who designs Milliefiori Quilts. In the book I am using the pattern is not available, but a picture of her working on the design was included in the book. 

I chose to make it using scraps and my own size of hexie templates. Mine are ones I printed from a free website with graph images you can size and print for free. 

So this has been my therapy. I sit and listen to Audible books and stitch away. I have a mess near my chair with all the thread colors and small pieces to make these shapes. 

The hexies when basted are about the size of a US quarter, So not huge. I have to lay it out to see what colors I need to add next. 

It has been to hot to work out in the yard. So sitting and stitching is the plan until it cools off. 

I have been sorting and purging things that we have kept for whatever reason. I still have many more drawers and storage boxes to go through. Plus a garage with every tool in it you could think of. I will sell some of the stuff and keep some for small repairs that I can do. 

Hope everyone is safe. All the storms and the illnesses are not fun to deal with. Thoughts are with everyone out there going through all this stress. Chris 

Been almost a year.

 Hello, I am sure you thought I fell off the globe. Well it has been a rough year. Two years ago my husband was placed on Oxygen. The first year went fairly well. This last March he starte4d going down hill. 

August 4th he passed away from complications from Shingles and pneumonia. He spent the better part of two weeks in and out of the hospital/ Finally we brought him home and made him comfortable. 

My sewing has taken a back seat other than some handwork. I trying to get myself  back on track and get back in the sewing room. 

He spent a lot of time with his grandchildren and here he is with the two littlest ones. It has been rough on all of us, but the little ones really miss him.

We were together for 35 years. I am coping, but I have my moments

So I hope to be more visible in the near future. Thank you those who followed me over these last few years. Chris

Have you ever gotten bored and moved on?

 

I have worked on this idea for awhile now. I have several of them done to this point. I have several more to complete.

I am bored. I need to get them finished and ready to quilt. I made a pledge to myself to sew two hours everyday. Well as you know sometimes life gets in the way.

Today I got an hour and fifteen minutes which is a far shot better than not sewing at all. 

I have determined that at my age which is getting closet to 70 each day that I have enough fabric and more than enough started project to sew the rest of my life and not get all of it done. So hence the decision to do the 2 hours a day to get this mess sewn up and finished. 

Do you have goals? I would like to get more done each day, but between the Virus and my husband's health I do what I can. 

This has been a tough time for all and while I am sewing I try to forget the World outside and try and focus on what I have in front of me. In doing so I relax. Which is a good thing for me. 

I hope you are all well and your families are safe. Life will go on, but dealing with everyday things in the World we have in front of us is a challenge. Find a UFO or WIP and make it a finished quilt. Breath and enjoy the process. 

Chris  

Oh my Oh My

Yes you heard me. Oh my! The scraps have been under attack. They are getting sewn up into big blocks with a lot of pieces. 

I prefer to cut squares and have them ready to just sit down and sew. I have tons cut so I can have variety. I usually have color saturated squares cut on hand all the time. Well this block needs neutrals. I do not have a huge amount of neutral fabrics. I think that is something most of us over look. I know the difference between white based neutrals and cream based neutrals, but in this quilt it is everything goes. 

I was auditioning fabric for sashing or to sew them together. My husband likes the darker sashing idea. I think I lean towards that also and it will allow me to do the QAYG method of quilting since I have a domestic machine and shoulders that do not like to be put the strain of wrestling a huge quilt.

This is a Bonnie Hunter Free Pattern called Jewel Box Star. I am sure it has other names as well. It was a Leader and Ender block she then turned into a quilt. It is available on her blog. Quiltville.blogspot.com in the free pattern section. The patterns are in alphabetic order. 

I used the 2.5 inch squares for the 4-patches, but the instructions say the HST are from 4.5 inch squares. Well if you make the 4.75 inches you can get two HST out of one colored square and one white square. Instead of have orphan HST's that you have to save for another project. Or less waste. 

The blocks are about 16.5 inches so after a lot of stitching they do turn into a large block to make the quilt move faster. 

I like to do the Leader and Ender ideas because you are not getting bored plowing through with one type a block and I think it keeps your mind going to not get complacent with a quilt and end up getting 3/4 way through and bored never to finish. 

Hope all of you are well and you can dig into that stash and find some new quilts out of forgotten fabrics. 

Stay Well and Safe Chris  

Another 30 days

We are on another 30 days to get through this quarantine. We are well. but others aren't. I had a huge gallon sized bag stuffed with 4-patches. These are made with random cuts of 2.5 inch squares. There had to be over 300 in the bag. I keep using them and I thought this would make a quick quilt. Well it has, but the piles has dwindles to no variety

So I got out my 2.5 inch strips and started slicing and dicing. I had a dishpan full of color and variety to work with. I sat for 3 hours yesterday just stitching away and working out my worst fears. 

Today I plan on working on this project and see if I can get it closer to being a top. It is a simple utility quilt, but more fabric sewn up. 

Stay safe
Chris

Where do I begin?

 Well first off how is everyone? We are fine staying in and getting things done. Some closet cleaning, some cooking and some sewing. I hope all is bright in your lives and everyone is well. Stay in touch with loved ones and find a TV show or movie, music, to stay positive. The sun is coming out right now.

I have helped my husband plant seeds for garden vegetables. We use to have a huge garden, but due to age it was getting to hard to keep up with. We will be planting in pots this year. 

Not sure I showed you the texture this QAYG blocks have after quilting. them. This the backing for the colorful 16 patches that are framed in bright colors. This backing fabric I purchased from quiltedtwins.com. It was fast service and I got the yardage I needed to accomplish this quilt.

This is a view of the top with the connecting strips to hold this quilt together after it is quilted. I used a utility stitch that is on my machine, but it adds another texture to the quilt. 

This is the back strips that are used. This is Grunge fabric and it is perfect to add another finish that is attractive. 

I have five rows connected together in this picture. I have only two more out of the 8 rows to connect. I sat down long enough to type this and then back at it. I want this one done. It is a twin sized quilt. I used a 60/40 Pellon  batting to quilt this one. It is not as heavy feeling as the 80/20 I have used in the past, but will have the warmth that is needed.

In the gray days we have been having here in Northern Illinois this is a pleasant task finishing this one up.

I hope you have some bright spots in your stay at home lives.
We have as normal for the Winter stayed pretty much in the house. I know this has been a trying time for many. I order groceries online and pick them up. We had just been to the Dr's office before all this happened so we are all doing well.

We planted tomato, cucumber, green pepper seeds to have starts for the pots when it gets warm enough to get out and do the yard work. Today it is warmer, but Spring rains will be starting soon and we will have to start mowing before long.

Haven't seen my Granddaiughters for about a month, but I know they are at home and out of harms way. They go to the farm with their parents and back home. They are taking classes online through their school and having fun with the different method of learning.

Please be careful and stay healthy. This may take awhile to correct it's self but it will pass in due time.

Keep on sewing. Chris

Staying home

In light of the crazy things going on in the World today I choose to stay home and not travel. I have prepared myself and my home with yes Toilet paper and food. 

I do this most every Winter because my husband is disabled and has lung issues. I can't even afford to bring germs home to him. I now ordering groceries from Walmart and not entering the store to help prevent this exposure. 

The news has hyped some of this, but it is good common sense to protect yourself and your family. I buy extras because I feel I am prepared for up to 2 weeks because we are cautious. 

The info given isn't a farse. I worked in the a medical facility and precautions are what keep people safe. Our State has closed all private and public schools for two weeks. There is a reason all this is being done. To keep you and your loved ones Safe. Hospitals and Nursing homes are restricting visitors and even Courthouses are rescheduling court cases. This is just common sense. 

Back in the 1890's my Great Grandmother lost 5 children in 10 days during a flu epidemic. Yes sanitation and medicines are greatly advanced now, but a lesson was learned fom history in my family. 

So to keep me busy you see in the picture I have completed  enough QAYG blocks to make a twin sized quilt. So the strips will be cut for the connections today and a roast put in the crockpot and stay-in and keep the fires burning.

Netflix and Prime will be busy today in my house plus sewing. 

Hope you are all well and can stay that way. Chris