This n that

 

Yesterday was a good day for sewing (isn't every day?).  I finished quilting the Pineapple quilt and started adding the binding.  At that point, my machine began making a horrendous noise, and every time I stopped and lifted the "dual feed" presser foot, the foot would not come down until I started sewing again.  When it did come down, it was with a loud "thunk," and the whole experience was noisy ("clackety clackety").  

I need to take it my machine in for repair again as there is something wrong somewhere.  Perhaps the dual feed foot has worn out?  That will take another few weeks which was not on my "schedule."  (I'm retired and have no real schedule.  I just don't like inconvenience!)

I worried when I finished the binding that the presser foot would not go down with a regular piecing foot, but everything was just fine.  I made the eight blocks for this month's "Rows Parade" quilt along with no problem.  They finish at 6", and I left them detached because I'm not sure how I'll arrange them yet.  Aby D., the quilt along's designer, has suggested a couple of ways to arrange the blocks, include a row by row.  I'll wait til I'm nearly done before deciding.

This morning I got busy making the first of seven sections of a quilt using vintage linens and hankies.  I have a lot of hankies and am always looking for ways to use them.  Rhonda Cox Dort has a Facebook group called "1914 Boehm House Vintage Linens Class" and offers one or two patterns each year.  

Although we can use any fabrics we'd like, she suggested two colorways for this quilt.  

I chose blue and white because I have quite a few hankies with blue in them and quite a few blue fabrics.  I'm using left over quilt blocks, scraps, and various white prints to go with the hankies and other items I'm including.  This is fun - somewhat improvisational.  

I'm going to set this aside for a while and work on some more Hunter's Star blocks for the next couple of days.