Snails all together........

With 9 blocks made I decided I'd better lay them out on my bed to see how things were looking so far. 

At this point, I'm thinking I'll make one more of the largest blocks (18" by 27" finished), and then I have orphan blocks pulled for 4 blocks with 9" shells (9" by 15" finished) and 2 with 12" shells (12" by 18" finished). 

I've started working on a layout sketch so that I can figure out how these are going to go together and how many filler blocks (and what in sizes) I'll need to make to finish the quilt.

Now to decide - border or no border.......hmmmmm, any opinions?

Gratitudes:
1. Being unable to sleep due to leg cramps means I've had extra time to get things done around here.

2. For all the blessings in my life.

Completed Snails and Another Flower Colored In

Finished three more snail blocks for my quilt over the weekend.

First up was this green and turquoise block.   The shell was made from an orphan strip set that I think I made yrs ago for a long ago project, but can't remember for sure.   Might have bought it in a scrap bag.





Next up was this multicolor snail.  Shell was made from scraps bought in a scrap bag a couple of yrs ago.  The body was made from Kaffe Fawsett scraps bought at my "local" quilt store.






This orange-red snail was made from an orphan block that a gal on a CQ list I'm a part of gave me several years ago.  The body is made from a scrap of a black and white pin-dot.

The white TOT background in all the blocks is from a remnant of the fabric.

And I was happy this weekend to color in one of the bigger flowers that has been hanging out there now for 4 years after sending off the check the first part of .    Love getting to mark off one of the bigger bills as paid off.   Next one up to be paid off is the light pink one in the left "painting", followed by the final flower in that "painting".

Gratitudes:

1. For God's provision of the money needed to make progress in paying off the bills.

2. For the cold rain that isn't snow or ice!

When you can't sleep..........

...........Quilt or sew as the case may be.  And that's what I've been doing since about 1:30 this morning. 

So far this weekend I've completed 5 more Christmas stockings for the big commissioned order.   These are from 4 of the bandannas that I was given.  Three of the stockings had to be strategically repaired,but thankfully there was enough of the bandannas to do it and be able to match the prints so that the repairs are not visible unless you know where to look.









Made this pillow from another bandanna when I couldn't sleep in the wee hours of the morning thanks to leg cramps that just would not go away if I was laying down (and yes, I've tried everything that i know to do.   they are side effects of medication that I have to take at present).

It finished at 16" and is backed in a med-dk grey Kona that was in my stash.

 All of this finished filling this bag of the latest round of commissioned items.   Just waiting now for my customer to be able to come pay and pick them up. 

Next up is deconstruction of the two pairs of denim overalls so that I can cut more stocking fronts along with  the fronts for 4 tote backs.











And this morning I made three more improv blocks - the top row ones pictured here with the first 5 that I made.   I'll be making 4 more blocks to even out a bit on the color distribution, and to get the final piece of the jungle/parrot print into the quilt.


Gratitudes:

1. That I know what to expect with the chemo I'll be starting this coming Wed.

2. That the side effects are minor compared to what other regimens have.

Snail 6 & 7

I went through my orphan blocks and pulled out blocks that I thought would work for the shells on more snails. 

First up was this blue star block that had been bordered out to 15".  It was given to me yrs ago along iwth other orphan blocks by a quilting friend in Wisconsin.  Corners on the shell aren't perfect, but it'll still go into the final quilt.

The next orphan block I plan on making up is this block.   The block was given to me by an online quilting friend who was originally going to use it for a CQ block. 

I'm still debating what color body to put with the oranges & red.  This portion finishes out at 12".



Gratitudes:

1. That I'm at max out of pocket as they the work for pre-cert on chemo to start next week.

2. That I know who is in control when all seems to be out of my control and nothing works the way it did in yrs past with the clotting disorder.

Commission Progress, Part 3 - Finishes and Next Projects.

Been busy working on the commission I have at the present time.   Finished last night were 4 more memory pillows made from t-shirts.

Next up last night was cutting out the lining sections for the next batch of stockings that need to be made. 

I've managed to cut 21 sets of lining pieces (front and back) from a king-sized flat sheet.   The three piles in the pic are all that is left at this point, and that will be reduced shortly.   Front pile is small scraps that are only fit for the trash.

Back left pile will be cut into squares and pieced with a solid white (either muslin or something else) to make a pieced lining for a stocking.  Sheet is poly/cotton so I'm thinking I might need to get a piece of poly-cotton broadcloth for this to work best.

And I'm planning on splitting the top band into two sections, then sew them together.   Then will cut lining for one stocking out of the resulting piece of "fabric".

Next up is stabilizing these bandannas.  Stockings are planned for at least 4 of them.  One of the patriotic ones may become the back of a denim tote.   All of them will need to be stabilized with interfacing.

This bandanna was well 'loved' by the uncle, so it is very soft and will end up in a pillow because the design is too big for a stocking.  It will be stabilized before sewing.

















This Bugs Bunny bandanna will either end up as a pillow or the back of a denim tote bag.  Gotta see how size plays out once I have the denim overalls deconstructed and I know how large the totes will be.






Gratitudes:

1. That I am fortunate enough to have health insurance, that hasn't always been the case.

2. For all who read my blog, and give such sweet feedback.

Improv Challenge Blocks 4 & 5

Two more blocks in the challenge have been completed -

 Block 4 - should have been block 3 but I never got the email on it.   Basis was triangles.

This one started with 4 UFO orphan block parts that had just the first two sides added to them in half-log cabin style.    I free-form added triangles.  Then added the sashing between the units.   White was added to the block on two sides, with green triangles added free-style to the corner.

21 different fabrics in this block.

Block 5 - theme was gentle curves.

I started this block off with the orange & yellow piece.   It was an orphan block made from the leftover ends of several strip sets.  Curves were added by piecing in the green and WOW fabrics.  The WOW was inadvertently cut upside down so the wrong side of it is on the right side of the block....oops....oh well.

And yes that is an inset corner at the top - I fed all pieces cut out as I made the curves back into the block to make it large enough.

Two more blocks to go in the challenge, but I'm planning on making 12 blocks so that I can put them together in a toddler sized quilt.

Gratitudes:

1. Thinking positive that my counts will still be up when I see the doc tomorrow afternoon.

2. For the PT job that I'm working from home, even tho I still don't know how much I'm making per hour....lol.  (I do know I'll get paid...just not how much per hour.)