It's been all sewing all the time so far this weekend. It's also been raining, and we badly need the moisture. Rain is the best excuse I know for staying inside and locking myself in the sewing room. There are no doors on my sewing room, and so the "locking" is only figurative, but you know what I mean.
Yesterday I spent practically the entire day...literally hours and hours...making just two 9-1/2 inch blocks. Oy boy. What a pain in the neck. I'm glad there are only two of these because they were among the most complicated blocks I've ever sewn together. They are made up of 20 triangles.
They're called "Devil's Claws". Indeed.
The name had me a little curious, and so I checked Quilter's Cache and found a completely different block with that same name. So then I went to the quilt block bible, 5500 Quilt Block Designs by Maggie Malone.
Sure enough, there it was:
It has several different names. I like this little quilt block trivia, don't you?
After that, I got into a bit of a kerfuffle over ownership of the chair. There was still piecing to do, but when I turned to my sewing chair...
What do you mean this is *your* chair. I have it on good authority that purrsession is nine-tenths of the law. Now, excuse me while I attend to my purrsonal hygiene.
Would you mind not taking pictures of me while I'm bathing? Sheesh. Purrivacy, please.
Go ahead with what you're doing...I'm going to take a nap.
Sigh. I showed him the figurative door after that.
Then I got to work sewing seven half square triangles. These finish at 3-1/2 inches. That went pretty quick.
Then I cut gobs of these 1-1/2 inch squares to make 11 friendship stars. There are 143 of these.
After I had those cut, my brain was pretty much mush. We took the night off and went to see Minions, which was very cute and mindless fun.
This morning I got to work sewing those friendship stars together in groups of fours and three.
They don't want to lie flat for their picture very well.
And then I sat down here to write this post. Before I finish up today, I want to do the cutting for my 78 flying geese. Yes, 78. I think the cutting will probably take longer than the sewing. When those are finished, all the pieced blocks will be finished. I can start sewing them into rows, but I won't be able to finish the whole quilt until my sashing fabric comes on Friday.
This piecing has been a little tedious, but I'm feeling good about having so much done. I should be able to have this finished up by the end of next weekend, I believe.
11 comments:
Wow! You really did get a LOT of piecing done - even with that minor stand-off about the chair. Congrats!
I'm cat-and-house sitting, so no sewing for me this week. Plenty of kitty time with Ries & Possum though. :D
Looks like you got lots done, in spite of your 'help'.
Love your fabrics......hey Smitty!
You are getting a lot done! I find it really confusing when there are so many names for blocks, especially if I'm trying to find one in EQ, I end up using those pretty words you like :)
That Smitty has the most outrageous expressions, makes me laugh every time you post these "I'm annoyed with that camera" photos. Piecing does get tedious but the results are so worth the time. That quilt will be outstanding with the fabrics you've chosen.
Great job Barbara!!! I remember doing all that cutting and sewing for Through the River and even the Snowman quilt. Just love Crabapple Hill!!! Am SO not .... well trying not to... buy any more of her patterns:) Well until I see another snowman one for sure!
That Smitty! He does have purrsonality!!!
I find the easiest way to make that block is to make it in Geese sections - but you have them done and so much more - well done.
I like to use the "no waste" method of making flying geese, especially when I have to make a lot of them. If you don't know about this technique, check it out here:
http://www.connectingthreads.com/tutorials/Flying_Geese-Make_em_fast-two_methods__D15.html.
And here's a size chart as well:
http://quilting.about.com/od/piecingtechniques/fl/Cutting-Chart-for-No-Waste-Flying-Geese.htm
I agree with Billie - these fabrics are so pretty together. I love scrappy quilts so much. The only problem with them is that you have to cut and sew the components individually instead of using multiples strategies. Pretty work happening here!
You made lots of progress, even with your little helper hijacking your chair for a bit.
Great work Barbara. I'm exhausted at the thought of cutting and stitching that many flying geese, good luck with it. Smitties your little pink paws are sooo cute.
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