Small projects

The Friends of the Library's annual Light Up the Library display/raffle gets underway today with donors delivering items all week.  I enjoy meeting the donors and helping them set up, but of course it means hanging around the library all day.  I look forward to Thursday and Friday this week when the library is closed so I can get a few things done at home.

Last week I finished off the last of 21 mug rugs and started making some ornaments to give as gifts.

The ornaments are very similar to the coasters I made a few years ago - folded pieces crisscross in the middle.  This time, I used squares folded into triangles and then turned the edges Cathedral Windows-style.  The pattern came from Beth Ann Williams and can be enlarged to serve as mug rugs or potholders.  I have quite a bit of blue wintry fabric so decided to use that for these which will go to various friends and relatives.  I have four more waiting for quilting.

The last mug rug is for Paul's sister Pat.  A few years ago, she gave me a huge bag of her late husband's ties.  I made her an apron out of some of the best, and, while I was cutting them up, I removed all the tags.  I set some aside and then came across the tags the other day.  I know she'll enjoy that I've appliqued them to a Christmas mug rug.  Sewing them down, I was reminded of Jay and how dapper and fun he always was.

Yesterday I wrapped presents and put together some packages of Christmas gifts.  I'll mail the one to the Netherlands when I get a chance this week.  I noticed the USPS wants more specificity about contents on its customs forms but still gives a tiny amount of room for writing.    Once that's on the way, I'll get the others in the mail, too.  I realized that I have slowly but surely finished Christmas shopping.  Thank goodness!  Now I'll be able to spend most of my time between holidays sewing.

Table runner ready for sale

Last night we could hear sleet on the windows but the roads sound passable this morning, thank goodness.  We always wake up iin winter wondering what the driving will be like, but now that we are retired, we don't have to be anywhere most days, thank goodness.  When I lived in Syracuse, many years ago, I woke up with a stomachache thinking about my morning commute through traffic, but, somehow, after I moved to Vermont, that gradually diminished.  We don't get as much snow here and, if we have a big snow, it's usually much drier and fluffier.   The state keeps the roads in pretty good shape to attract tourists to ski areas.

This morning I have a few housekeeping things to take care of, but later I'll head down to the florist to switch out my Halloween table runners for Christmas ones.  I finished the French braid runner (sorry, forgot to take a photo) so I have two to deliver.  They packed away the patchwork Christmas stockings from last year so I'll check to see if they will put them out again.

Yesterday was raw and gloomy, so I put together the raffle blocks I won at the state guild meeting on Saturday.  I received 14 blocks and two "spares" in baggies.  The spares were from Liz who didn't have time to make the rail fence blocks but put the pieces in baggies.  I put those blocks together quite quickly, and the top went together fast, too, although two were too small (12" rather than 12.5") so I had to trim and fudge a bit.  

Snowflakes is now in the closet waiting its turn for quilting and, maybe, a border.  I don't think I'll give it to Bags of Love as it's a bit more glitzy than my usual donations.  It would make a nice winter tablecloth at 48" x 48".  Colors don't look good in this photo as it was too gloomy.  The lights are white, and most of the fabrics feature snowflakes.

Then I got out a little red and cream scrappy sampler quilt to sandwich and quilt with my walking foot.  I will continue that today and hope to finish the quilting.

Working on holiday items

It is so satisfying to work on smaller projects!  I tend to "work large," as my friend Susie says.  Bed- or throw-sized quilts seem to dominate my productivity.  After I finished the recent sampler, I resolved to work on a few things that got finished sooner.   Hence, I made Blue Ocean and then got out my Christmas fabrics.

I started with a draw string bag for a guild challenge.  Each person brought a fat quarter and then drew a different one from a bag.  We have a month to make something using most, if not all, of that piece of fabric with only one additional fabric as an accent.  (Sorry this photo makes it look a bit droopy - I'll stuff it with some tissue paper before I take it to guild)  I received this gray leaf fabric which I like but not as the sole fabric in anything.  I decided to make a reversible gift bag with a Christmas lining that could be used as the outside.  I needed it big enough to hold a book and sweater that I'm giving my Colorado sister for Christmas.  She loves using cloth bags instead of wrapping paper.

Next, I made a very cute pillowcase for my Dutch great nephew Daley who is now two.   I used the "burrito" method to make this with French fold seams.  It was easy, so I might make a few more to give as gifts.  I'm not sure if Daley is using a "big boy" bed yet, but, if not, this can be for next Christmas.   He is growing like a weed, and I enjoy the little video clips my sister sends me from the Netherlands.  I hope to get a package ready to send her in the next couple of weeks.  I am sending smaller gifts this year as the price of international mail has gone through the roof.

I finished off some mug rugs, leaving me 13 to give members of the Friends of the Library for all their help over the years.  I hope that's enough but may make a few more before our November meeting just in case.

And finally, I'm working on a French braid table runner using a pattern I got from Beth Ann Williams.  Hers used fall batiks, but mine uses 2.5" strips of various Christmas fabrics.  I have lots that were given to me by someone who isn't sewing anymore.  Beth Ann divides her into piles of dark, medium, and light, but I went with red, green, and light.  That method helps mix them up so that no color dominates.  Making one of the three strips takes about half an hour of easy sewing.  

Blue Ocean

 The sun finally appeared, just for a little while, allowing me a chance to take a picture of Blue Ocean.

I think it looks pretty good, if I do say so myself.  As you can see, I quilted a simple horizontal/vertical grid, and it measures about 40" square.  I'll give it to Bags of Love after I take it to Show and Tell at guild later this month.   I've been cleaning my sewing room diligently but still have not found the Blue Onion pattern this is based on.  Still, I really enjoyed making it improvisationally.  That was quite freeing and went quickly.  My box of blue fabrics is still overflowing so I will be making at least one more blue quilt as soon as I finish working on some holiday projects.

Up too early

Do you like Daylight Savings Time?  I really do because it's lighter longer in winter.  Now it will be dark by 5 pm - ugh!  I tried to head off the change by setting the kitchen clocks - stove and microwave - before going to bed last night.   I expected my watch, cell phone, computer, and Alexa all to change on their own.  But no!  My watch wasn't synched to change with the cell phone by itself.  I woke up at what is now 3:30 am, made a cup of coffee, and noticed the actual time.

I guess this is good as I have plenty of things to keep me busy.  Besides coordinating the Light Up the Library event, I am putting together a genealogy series for January-February at the library, shopping and sewing for Christmas, sifting through and organizing the state quilt guild's history files, knitting myself a sweater, changing dentists, and who knows what else?  Still, I will probably fritter away the hour I've gained by looking at quilts online!

It looks like it will be another gloomy day today, so I will probably spend some time sewing, knitting, and reading a book I started yesterday,  I finished the lengthy mystery for this week's book group meeting - it was a doozy,  The group seems to enjoy big books, and The Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariane Franklin was agony until half-way through when it got very exciting.  It's set in the year 1171 and Franklin seemed to want the reader to know that she knows all about what went on in the Middle Ages.   I was glad to read it on Kindle so that I could easily get definitions of some of the words.  Today I'm glad to read the seventh book in a cozy mystery series I enjoy - The Secret, Book, and Scone Society by Ellery Adams.  It will be a "palate cleanser" before I start the new Louise Penny mystery.

In the sewing room, I'm putting together a sampler with 15" blocks.  I have three rows of four blocks sashed and now need to put those rows together and work on a border.  I initially wanted to make all 20 blocks in the "Optimism" pattern designed by Aby Dolinger, but "life" got in the way.  The result will be a nice throw for a child going into foster care via Bags of Love.

Feeling productive

 It's amazing that finishing small projects can lift my spirits on a gloomy day.  After weeks of wonderful, sunny days, it has turned gloomy most days lately. but inside, bright things are happening.  I finished a few potholders yesterday.  Two will be raffled off during Light Up the Library in December, and one will be given away to the friends for whom I made the Christmas tree skirt.

I still have some of that Snowflake Bentley panel left to make a few table runners, but I'm not sure I'll have time to do so before Christmas.  That's OK - I like to sew with holiday fabrics during the holiday season.

Next, I made a raffle block for the upcoming state quilt guild meeting.  It's a rail fence using wintry snow flake fabric.  Hope I win the raffle!  I like the positioning of the rails which, when put together will zig zag a bit.  

I'm looking forward to the meeting as it will be my first since I stepped down as president or secretary, jobs I've held for close to 20 years.  I am dragging my feet as historian but hope to make that my winter project.  I want to get everything organized so that it can be archived at the state historical society library.  Anyway, it will be fun not to have any real responsibilities for the meeting!

Yesterday, I started quilting the little Blue Ocean quilt in a vertical/horizontal grid.  In this picture, I'm using green painters' tape to help me create the straight lines for the quilt.  It's a pretty small quilt - 40" x 40" - so by the afternoon, it was pretty much quilted, and today I hope to get the binding on.  I'll eventually give it to "Bags of Love" for kids going into foster care.  

First, however, I want to sandwich and quilt another little red and cream quilt that's hanging in the closet.  I'll probably do the same grid-like quilting pattern on it.  I heard that there's a need for things for babies and toddlers right now, so I hope these little quilts will help.  I'll post a picture of the finished quilt when it's done and (hopefully) the sun comes out.

Blue Onion... errr... Blue Ocean

 

A few weeks ago, I took an online class with Beth Ann Williams on sewing curves.  I'm pretty good at sewing Drunkard's Path blocks, but I wanted to learn more about complex curves.  Her class really helped me feel more confident about machine piecing curves.  In the past I would opt for hand sewing sometimes, but with my 1/4" foot, I feel I can do these more accurately.

I especially wanted to figure out how to cut the Blue Onion pattern which I bought some time ago.  Beth Ann explained it clearly, and she also referred us to some helpful You Tube videos.  Due to some infusions from friends, my blue fabric tub is overflowing, and this seems like just the pattern for me.

The original pattern calls for purchasing a rather expensive template for cutting the oval pieces.  You stack 5 squares and cut the pieces, flipping the stack as you make the cuts, then shuffling the pieces after cutting.  Beth Ann explained and showed how this works, and I finally got it.  Unfortunately, I couldn't find the pattern in my stack of Patterns I'd Like to Make Someday.  Grrrr!  Did I maybe give it away last year out of frustration?

I also didn't want to buy the very expensive template (nearly $50 for something I won't use that much, if at all).  So I decided to go improv and cut the pieces freehand.  My blocks ended up at 9" after trimming, and I ended up making 16 in all for a finished size of approx. 40" x 40".  After cutting, the sewing goes fairly quickly and is actually fun.  I'm going to call the quilt Blue Ocean, because that's what it looks like to me.  I'll try to post a photo later today after I get it sandwiched.  My dilemma now is the usual:  how shall I quilt it?