Hexagon Star

Today's sewing included finishing the 12 big blocks for the telephone book quilt.  It won't take too long to sew the blocks together, then I will need to come up with a plan for the border.

Next, I worked on another step of the SUPER SECRET SHOP HOP QUILT.

Then, needing to REST after all that industrious sewing, I sat down with a pile of quilting magazines that my friend, Lilly, dropped off the other day.  You just never know where the next inspiration will come from!  The pattern for these table toppers (centerpieces, candle mats) was designed by Kaye Wood and found in a Fons and Porter Magazine from 2006.  I couldn't stand it!  I had to drag scraps out and make a couple right away!  These will receive minimal quilting and then I will bring the back over the front for binding.  I think that I need to try a couple in Christmas colors, too.

Sally recently gave "the girls" a kitty tent.  They were mighty suspicious of that contraption for a while, but then one day I found:

A day or two later, I found:

If they weren't such big girls, they might fit in there together.

Phone Book Quilt

After a brief (?) intermission, I'm back at work at the phone book quilt, so named because it was pieced using phone book pages as foundation.  Now that all the blocks are finished, I am trimming and sewing them together into bigger blocks.  Here are the first two.

Another beginning quilting class will be wrapping up next week.  This time around, I had everyone making 12" nine-patch blocks, enough for a lap quilt.  As always, I end up with another unfinished project myself, after I have demonstrated.  Students have made 12 or more blocks ... here are the 6 that I have made.  I'm thinking of finishing it off at 6 blocks, adding an applique border, since I enjoyed the little star quilt so much.

I don't know why everything today seems to be earth tones/ fall colors.  I only made one Dear Jane  block today and here it is.

I'm very close to beginning to put them together (remember, I'm NOT making the whole thing).

Done and Done

Two recent projects are complete!  This morning I finished binding the Tessellating Leaves Table Topper and added a hanging sleeve to the star quilt.  It has been officially named "Summertime Stars".

The next thing I did was begin to cut out the shop hop quilt.  You'll have to take my word for that, though, because each shop's quilt is a secret, not revealed until the shop hop begins on Feb. 1.  If anyone is interested in learning more, find complete information on our store website www.cottonfieldsnc.com or check out the Facebook Page for "Romancing Eastern North Carolina Shop Hop". 

Tonight I finally finished sewing the 48 string blocks that I have been working on for a while.  Tomorrow I will trim, remove the foundation paper and hopefully begin to sew them together.

Hand or Machine?

As you can see, the machine won.  Straight lines down the center of the leaves and curves on each side which ended up making a very nice unexpected continuous line pattern.  The CD is what I used to mark the curves - don't worry, it's not music, just one of those advertising things we get in the mail from time to time.  I also wrestled with myself about whether to try to do free motion quilting or mark my lines and ended up marking.  I've still got the borders left to quilt.

 

Isn't this just the cutest thing?  My friend, Pat, loaned me two Elizabeth Zimmerman knitting books because I was interested in a baby sweater pattern.  I found this STAR instead and couldn't stand it until I gave it a try!  Stars will look nice embellishing some of the knit hats I've been making. 

Basted and Ready to Go

On Friday night I took the time to get my new tessellating leaves project basted.  As you can see, it has become Cotton Fields' newest pattern, too.  I'm not quite sure how I will quilt it.  Hand or machine?

I've been knitting quite a lot lately.  Some items will be gifts and others will be going to two craft sales in December.  Last night I started this new hat, the yarn is a very nice feeling wool/soy blend.  I have been fortunate recently to have received a variety of great yarn from friends Katherine, Fonda and Carolyn.  Thanks!!!

Last, but not least, I haven't posted a pet picture in a while.  This is our wise old cat, Cassie, who isn't often available for pictures.  As you can see, she has a major shoe fetish!

Dear Jane Wednesday

It's Dear Jane Wednesday.  Need I say more?  Here are the two latest creations ...

The starry quilt is very nearly finished.  I am hand stitching the binding to the back right now!

Tessellations

Do you know what tessellations are?  I didn't, 20+ years ago when I registered for a class at the NC Quilt Symposium with that name.  Anyway, tessellations are shapes that fit together side to side, not overlapping and not leaving gaps.  Squares side by side are tessellations, so are the hexagons in Grandmother's Flower Garden.  They are all around us, whether we know their fancy name or not.

Today I taught a class at the shop called "Tessellating Leaves Table Topper".  A new pattern is in the works!  We made 3" finished paper pieced blocks.  When fit together, they give the illusion of tessellations. 

When I teach, I demonstrate, and then I have another unfinished project!!!  When class was over, I stayed with it and finished piecing all of my blocks.  Now I'm trimming and will start to put it together soon.  Stay tuned - when the new sample is ready for photography, I'll put the finishing touches on the pattern.

More Odds and Ends

Here they are - approximately 35 little Christmas stockings made with selvages.  I always do this to myself!  Making a few is fun, then I go crazy and make so many it turns into a JOB.  I need to buy some more ribbon so I can finish all of the hangers.

I'm also on the home stretch with hand quilting my scrappy starry quilt.  Maybe it will be finished in time to take to the quilters' luncheon next weekend?

After I finish outlining the applique in the border, I may have to add a little more quilting in between to fill in some of the larger spaces.

Odds and Ends

Here is a picture of the older, finished baby blanket.  I did not like this edging at all!  I remember now that I just made a sort of ruffle with groups of double crochet.  I unraveled it all and made nice neat shells all around.  It looks so much nicer.

I started off the day at the store doing some "real work" (sort of).  I cut and folded and put together these fat quarter Christmas trees.  These were new last year and very popular.  Another great idea sent to my by my wonderful sister -in-law.  Thanks, Jeri!

Dear Jane has kind of slowed down lately, but Linda and I were able to get together today.  She has over 70 blocks finished and several of the pieced outside triangles.  I will have 42 blocks when I finish the one I'm working on.  Here is the one I sewed this afternoon.  It is partially paper-pieced and partially appliqued.

Out of the Tote Bag

Check another project off the unfinished list!  The knit baby blanket is DONE!  It had been packed up in a large shopping bag with pattern and supplies, 3/4 finished for who-knows-how-long, maybe five years.

I have another baby blanket made in the same way.  When I got it out today to check out its shell edging, I found that I don't like the way that I made them on the first one.  So, I'll probably unravel that and try again.  Then I will be completely and officially finished with the knit baby blankets (hey, I don't even have any babies to give them to!)

Before I go back to the exciting book that I will spend the rest of my weekend with, let me show you the spot-of-the-week that Baby has chosen.  Behind the bathroom door.  She's been there before when it made more sense, like when it was very, very hot and she was waiting for the AC.  Anyway, for the time being, it seems to be her preferred nap site.