Shooting for the stars

 Finish one quilt, start another.  Quilters, they are always thinking ahead to their next quilt or three.  

The stars stitch together quickly.  With lots of blue fabric in my stash, blue starts on a white background seemed like a good choice. 

This is a hooked rug from Minnick and Simpson.  Yes, I am easily influenced by things I see in books, magazines, Instagram, Flosstube.  

 After weeks and weeks, 24 blockheads have been completed.  This project started back in late September.  Have I really been working on it for two months?  Block one was a self challenge, just to see if I could make the block.  That challenge expanded into color combinations from my stash which expanded into stash reduction which finally ended with “can I make the blocks into a quilt?”  

Much has been learned.  A class in color would have been very helpful.  Yes, tones play nicely with each other and yes chocolate brown and pink is a great combination.

Organizing fabric by color family would also have been helpful.  No more organizing fabric by designer or manufacturer.  (Almost all my fabric is Civil War reproduction).

What’s next?  Cleaning the sewing area, adding the sashing and setting the quilt.  Borders?  How many?  What color?  Width of border?  And. . .I saw another blockhead challenge for a star, there is lots of blue fabric in my stash.  

Veteran’s Day 2023

 in remembrance of all those who have served and sacrificed so I can enjoy freedom.  Thank you for your service!

Twelve Down

 Twelve blocks completed, twelve blocks remain to be made.  Am making slow progress on the Moda Blockhead #5 challenge.  Digging deep into fabric stash hoping to make all 24 blocks different and realizing taking a color class would have been a good investment. 

Gentle Stitches

                              Gentle Stitches by Shakespeare’s Peddler

This piece was designed by Theresa Vanette/Shakespeare’s Peddler and released as a kit in 2012.  It was stitched with Crescent Color Works fibers (now called Classic Color Works) on 36 count Linen by Weeks Dye Works.  I made one change:  I added beads between the row of button flowers and the words.  Adding the beads reminded me why I seldom add beading:  they are very tedious.  The piece will be finished into a needle roll and will play nicely with my Shepherd’s bush needle rolls.

                                                           

Are you a Blockhead?

A few years ago, maybe five, Moda started a program called Blockheads.  Each week a Moda fabric designer would design a block and feature his/her fabric.  (Sure hope I’m being factual here)

Last week a blockhead showcasing Betsy Chutchian popped up on my Instagram feed.  I thought her fabric and design were very pretty.

I started studying the block design closer and realized the block was made from HST’s and squares.   Ahh, my skill level.

Off I dashed to fabric stash and quilting supplies.  Concentration is required to make the block, think I counted 64 pieces.  Requires brain cells to make sure all those pieces and parts are moving in the right direction.

It’s been great fun digging into the fabric stash and seeing which fabrics play nicely with each other.  I’m thinking 24 blocks with sashings and borders will make a nice sized quilt.  

2024 Plans

 I like making plans, I like to do lists, marking off things accomplished, it is my own system of accountability.  At the sake of being redundant one of the positive things about the pandemic was rediscovering my stash.  On those days of isolation, I would shop my stash.  Rediscovering designs, fibers, finishing fabrics, accoutrements started me thinking about stitching things I always wanted to stitch.  So. . .for 2024 I have decided to focus on those pieces.  I’m calling it things you always wanted to stitch, but allowed yourself to be distracted by new releases. Don’t start thinking I won’t get pulled away, because there are some retreat pieces I have already put on shopping wish list.  In no particular order here are older designs I want to stitch in 2024.  

Harriet Elizabeth Coe

With Thy Needle and Thread/Brenda Gervais 

Released/Reproduced in 2013

Plans are to stitch on a piece of Weeks Dye Works linen called Linen.  Will be modifying her name to Great Grandmother Harriet Ward.  Lots of eyelets in this sampler and I enjoy eyelets, but will stitch other pieces to give myself a break from them.

                                                                                             

This was released as a kit in 2014 (The Scarlett House/Norden Crafts).  2014, yes this has been in my stash for a few years.  Love the stone house, reminds me of the stone houses in Pennsylvania.

                       Thomas the Turkey and The Reverend Gordon Squashbottom                                                

Notforgotten Farm/Lori Brechlin released Thomas the Turkey in 2007.  When I start decorating for Thanksgiving, I ask myself “why haven’t you stitched Thomas the Turkey?”   The Rev as he is affectionately called is just one of those fun seasonal fall stitches.  

                                                                    

Couldn’t resist including a Blackbird Design.  I do love drums and Hobby Lobby has some great candle stands for displaying.  Am thinking about using Mayflower linen from Fox and Rabbit.

This was a club piece released through County Samplers Threads of History Club.  Am trying to stitch some of my many kits.  My dear stitching friend Jane has stitched and finished this piece and seeing hers motivated me to stitch mine.  

In the words of AppleJack “this should keep you out of trouble for awhile.”  There are many other designs calling my name and I haven’t forgotten them.  Plans may change, new releases may excite me and quilting and punch needle might also need some attention.