Strip Quilting

M first 6 blocks



I love how putting 4 squares together gives the visual of a larger square.



New fat quarters I bought with my list of what additional
 ones I need to get this week

I have been busy machine stitching up a storm.   In addition to my Block of the Month, I started a strip quilt.   Easy-Peasy and fast-fast-fast.   Here's the deal - you start with a 12 inch square of a base fabric.   I choose bleached muslim.  Next mark diagonally from corner to corner and marking off again a quarter inch off that center line.   Then you start stitching your strips.   Add a strip, press, add the next and so on.  These can be pre-cuts, any size, scraps and you just go.   For me, I am using 1930's retro fabrics, 2 inch pre-cut strips.    Well, like anything, I needed more strips.....oh no! an excuse to shop.    For my purposes, I am using 6 of each color collection and didn't think about that when I shopped this week on one lunch hour, so woo is me, I must shop again!   A friend at work has made the same quilt top using scraps from previous projects and her's has a total different look.  

Here's the nifty tool I picked up.   You place it at opposite corners and draw a line down each side and viola! your 1/4 inch seam lines are marked.

Such a cool way to use up scraps. I have starting making strips with any left-over bits of fabric I have.

Here is what I have accummulated already.   It will be fun to put these together and to remember the original project they were selected for. 

OK, another fundraiser I have to help run today!  Geez! Need to spread the wealth of work to some other committee members.   Don't you find it is always the same people that are the worker bees?    I need to sit on my hands and not feel quilty for not volunteering for EVERYTHING.   How's a girl supposed to get in stitching time otherwise???

Thanks for visitings.  I love your comments even if I don't always reply.  Have a great week all.

Stitching Slump

Not much stitching completed lately.   Kind of been in a stitching slump but hope I am coming out of it.    I have been doing a lot of financial reports for the Board I sit on  as well as updates to their website.   I am still working my way through the 2011 Challenge.  

A box of chocolates  with no calories!!!  I am enjoying this one in my rotation and confess to it being the one that had me change my project a day approach to the 2011 Challenge.   I am liking spending a week or so on each one now.  

Liberty by Little House

Lizze Kate's ABC's of Aging - I am also enjoying this one.   Stitching letters/alphabets seems to go fast.  I am already thinking I will finish as a big fluffy throw pillow.

Notice a theme here?    I am getting ready to stitch - "Eat Chocolate"!

Ta-da

A big job finished -

I was able to put to bed my company's annual report in mid-March and we were rewarded this week with cases of the report delivered to my office.   8,000 copies!!  You know that glossy book you get with all the financial info about the company that is delivered to anyone owning shares of stock in the company; yes that real snoozer of a document.  Last year, we went from the glossy style book to a cd.   It was well received and under budget.   And'green' to boot.  I am happy to report, we came in under budget AGAIN this year!    Not to steer anyone down the path of wrong assumptions, I am the one who creates the schedules, gets appointments on calendars, makes sure deadlines are met, grabs the facts from here, there and everywhere and makes edits between the Officers and the PR group that does the report.   I don't actually WRITE it, just coordinate it's creation and completion.   Still not a small task.

I came home from work on Monday....after a quick debate with myself, , I decided to work in the yard.   This proved better to me than any other workout.   It is  truly nuturing to me to work in the yard.    It was beyond wonderful to get my hands back into the soil. 

 A quick 45 minutes later and garden bed No. 1 was neat and tidy.  

I continued around the yard thoroughly enjoying the warm weather.  After a long winter it was nice to be outside.     I picked up branches and twigs blown from nearby trees during recent wind storms and surveyed the yard for spring time garden projects.  For the most part, I am happy with my yard.

....but then I see the left side of the front year.......

This is where I want to dig up and recreate a flower bed to make it match the rest of the year.   I want to continue the lines across the front to a more visual pleasing.  Still the creative side at work, just in nature and not in stitches! 

 The first daffodils are coming up.  






Doesn't it just renew all hope when spring bursts forth with new life?   I love when the earth warms and the flowers return. It is life springing back after the cold and wind and snow. This little pansy managed to winter well.  He somehow managed to transplant himself to the wrong side of the sidewalk.