Making Progress

Now that I've been on antibiotics for a full week, I can feel my "Bronchitis, Asthma-Like-Flare-Up, Low-Blood-Oxygen, Almost Pneumonia" abating... finally.

While I've been sick these past four weeks, I've done A LOT of reading (over 1,200 pages in the past two weeks alone!), some knitting and a little crochet. Nothing's finished and not much worth mentioning (starting two different styles of sock - with the same yarn (and still not decided on a pattern), making dishcloths and coasters, continuing work on a never-ending-scarf).

Today I played with the scraps from the Happy Hour Quilt I started last July.

I finished the last four blocks of this group of String Pieced Blocks, inspired by Becky, who's inspired by Bonnie.


I was thinking of putting a sashing in between these blocks, to help with the bulk. But, after talking with Becky, I'll probably sew them together just like this (after trimming them up square). Since it's just planned as a 24" square table topper, I may not use batting. I'll have to see how it feels once it's pressed together. The muslin the strings are pieced to was cut 7.5". I'm in love with these blocks, but I'll probably be gifting this quilt away.

I always like to make one extra block, for myself. One day, I'll have this AMAZING sampler quilt full of blocks I've made in the past. Just thinking of the memories it will hold makes me smile.

After listening to my Aunt talk about making scrappy Log Cabins this week AND Amanda Jean blogging about the same thing. I took a page out of Amanda's book and added an inner border in white. I also allowed myself to go a little Wonky, remembering Jacquie's Wacky Tutorial. I'm planning to even this one up to 9.5" for a 9" finished block. I think I'll have to make some more of these fun Log Cabins.


Finally, when I was last in Arizona, Becky and I sat around one evening sewing her "crumbs" together into random little 3.5" blocks. She kindly sent one of her blocks home with me (the non-purple block you see below). So, as I was piecing the Wonky Log Cabin block, I started putting crumbs together and wound up with these two little gems:


I think I'll send one to Becky... kinda a long-distance Feel-the-Love thing. I am so tickled when I look over at the little crumb block she and I made, I think she might enjoy one from me. Actually, it's got me thinking about starting to trade little crumb blocks with my quilting buddies... since we can't always see what the others are doing, we could drop little crumbs in the mail for them. The thought makes me smile, now, to Share the Love!

I like making little scrappy things out of the bits and pieces from a specific quilt... even if you don't have the whole quilt, you get an idea for the feeling of the fabrics and colors in little things like these. As such, I actually PLANNED to do the string blocks when I was cutting the original Happy Hour Quilt, and I trimmed my selvages wide, making sure I had AT LEAST 3/4" at the narrowest point... that way I had plenty of fabric to play with scrappy things later.

It feels good to be putting thread to cloth and creating again!

I'm looking forward to cleaning up my sewing room and getting back on track with Suzy Qute Quilt Patterns again.