Keeping on. . .

These are the four blocks for the corners of the Chocolatier quilt.  I had trouble getting the tip of the flying geese to line up properly with the four patch HSTs.  I ended up pressing the seams open on the four patch and stitching about seven stitches over the intersections of the seams and then checking to see if they lined up properly.  I had to do it over and over to get it right but it was worth it.  I think they look pretty good.

This is the first block from Month #3.  The kit included only strips of fabric so I didn't think I could use my Fit to Be Geese rulers. So I tried to make a flying goose (?) using the instructions in the pattern.  Nope.  Not even close.  So I finagled the fabric to use my FTBG ruler and made my flying geese properly.  I don't like how the intersection of the block is a little off-about an eighth off.  So I ripped the seam out and will redo it tonight or this weekend.  I had hoped to sew it last night (just one seam!) but we had a pack meeting and Red had a math worksheet he was struggling with.

on the other BOM. . .

So now I'm working on BOM #2.  This one isn't nearly as old-this is from 2017!  I blithely made one block and then (as usual) I got stuck on the next one.

I don't remember the name of this one but it was fairly easy to sew.

This block is the arrowhead.  I had a tough time (obviously) with this one.  I still didn't get it right but decided to move on.  My sister recommended I try to make the block with some other fabric just to check it out.  The base for the arrowhead is 2 x 2.5 inches.  I bet I am sewing it together with the wrong orientation.  I hope I can try it out tonight but I have a cub scout committee meeting.  I started on the corner blocks this weekend and finished one.  I'll try to take some pics tonight.

Back at work

I'm back at work today and the boyos are back at school.  It was downright chilly though.  I couldn't believe the size of these icicles.  This is very unusual for us.

I kept slogging away at my blocks yesterday and I am happy to say that I completed all of the blocks for this BOM. This was my penultimate block called Journey's end.  I had to re-stitch one of the corner triangle sets repeatedly though.  I just couldn't get it right.  It's still not perfect but it will do. 

And this cottage block.  I had thought it would be the most difficult block and I was right.  Part of it was that I wasn't very accurate in my cutting back in the day and part of it was that the top of the cottage and the chimneys didn't fit together properly.  It took a lot of trimming, resewing, trimming, resewing to get it looking like this.  I'm really proud and happy that I finished all of the blocks.  Below is a really bad cell phone picture of all the blocks. Next up I need to do the sashing which is such a snoozer!

Unexpectedly

So we have another day off!  It is literally freezing outside with leftover ice from yesterday so the schools called it off for another day.  In actuality it is a beautiful, if cold, day with clear blue skies and bright sun.  My toes are freezing in my slippers!

So I have two blocks left to make. The little house was already cut out.  I'll have to double check and make sure it was cut out correctly before I sew.  And last night before calling it quits I cut out block number twelve!  I would like to finish these two blocks today.  I really want to do a quick quilt kit but I should at least do the sashing before moving on.  Otherwise I risk this being an UFO for even  longer!

an icy day off. . .

So the boyos' schools were closed and mine was too-so we had an unexpected day off.  I kept on sewing blocks. I started with the one from yesterday. I made the mistake of leaving too many pieces on my cutting table and had a few bad moments when my math looked off.  Then I realized that I had the wrong pieces in my hands and shoved them into the bag of extra fabric.  Happily I finished the block.  And took a photo to send my sister.  Hmmmmmm.


Something looked off.  I never noticed it!

So a quick correction was in order. ;-)

Then I moved to the next block.  I had fun trying the pieces in different ways.  Any of these three would make a great block.

And this one is called Crossroads.  I actually reversed the red and blue colors when I first made it-and it spiraled the wrong way. So I cut it out again and made it properly.  

Motivation

I decided to do a little motivation pic.  Imagine my surprise to find out there are TWELVE blocks in this BOM. Not nine.  

Jo's 2018 BOM Challenge

Jo at Jo's Country Junction is hosting a BOM Challenge.  It's not a new one but rather you're supposed to pull out an old BOM you've had hanging around and knock it out.  I know that I have at least two.  The Pennsylvania Dutch one from 2009 and the Chocolatier from last year.  I'm starting with the PA Dutch because it's my oldest one.

So PA Dutch.  I thought I had made three blocks but it turns out I had completed four!  So that was a nice surprise right off the bat. 

Then I pulled out my patterns and realized that I had cut several blocks  (five I think) out already!  I was pretty excited then.  I became less so as I realized that I was not very good at cutting nine years ago-I cut a lot of pieces incorrectly (to small usually or I didn't follow the directions properly) so it took a little doing to figure out how to get started.

First block:

This one I had cut the setting triangles incorrectly and the four patches were too large.  So some trimming and new triangles were required.  I really like this block.

Second block: This block was pretty easy.  I just had to make sure I followed the directions.

Third block: this was a little bit more trouble.  I had cut the small blue squares too small and didn't realize it until I tried to sew the central block together.  I also found the setting triangles a little dodgey to sew.  Still I'm proud of it!

Block Four: This block I totally cut wrong.  So I had to do a ton of math.  Like two and a half hours of math, sampling and unsewing.  Will try to finish this block on Tuesday.

Anniversary Socks

Our anniversary is coming up so I asked DH to pick out some sock yarn.  He's been hinting and rather pointedly asking for a new pair.  I was on Christmas break for two and a half weeks and, although he had picked out the yarn, had not told me what style of socks he wanted.  I used to knit his socks on 72 stitches but he really likes them to be snug.  So I told him to look through his socks and pick a pair where he really liked the fit.  He finally did-the night before I went back to work!  So I cast on and began knitting during a very long meeting on Tuesday.  This yarn is really handsome!!

sampler saturday one

My friend and coworker convinced me to go to a Saturday Sampler at a LQS.  At nine in the morning. On a Saturday.  I'm not much of a morning person especially on a Saturday when I can sleep late or slob around in my pajamas all day.  But I went and it was fun.  You really have to be on time though!  If you aren't there before 9 you have to pay for your block!  To back up, the way this works is you pay $8 for block one.  Then if you complete each block and show up on the first Saturday of each month you get the next block free.  If you are late or can't attend, you pay an additional $8 for the block.  If you show up with a completed block (on time) you get entered into a drawing for a gift certificate to the shop.  Likewise if you bring a Show N Tell you get entered into another drawing for a gift certificate. It is a basket quilt and I've been wanting to make one.  I really like the 30's Block. I'm not thrilled with the colors chosen for the Sampler itself.  It screams 1990 to me but oh well. It will be fun!

A New Year!

They say that whatever you do on New Year's Day, you'll do all year.  So I baked a pie, a pan of yeast rolls and finished knitting a pair of fingerless mitts and my Patriotic Pineapples Quilt! This is a horrible cell phone pic but it was too cold to go outside last night!  Today I blocked my Indigo Summer Shawl but I don't have a good pic of that one yet.

I guess I should be thinking about what I want to work on for the next year. I would really like to finish my Broderie Perse quilt.  And I absolutely need to make my nephew's Eagle quilt.  And as it looks like Magpie is graduation in December of this new year, I better get cracking on her quilt too!  I would also like to fit a pj pattern for Tig.  He needs a seat adjustment to be more comfortable.  The last pair I made him were huge! But he wears them just the same.