Binding, Bags and Blocks

It all started when I dumped 3 baskets of scraps in search of the perfect piece of binding for this bag.

I knew I had black bias binding with mauve and turquoise diamonds, but where? It wasn't in the box of binding scraps.  By the end of the evening I had sorted and discarded a big bag of scraps  am I ever going to do anything with the scraps from the Hungry Animals prints or all the little triangles from snowball blocks? No! into the garbage! I cut the larger pieces of brown and tan into 1/2 inch strips for another bag or basket  found the black bias! and folded other scraps (large enough to practice machine quilting and make into pot holders) into piles that fit neatly into 2 baskets and refolded all the bias binding. Why is throwing stuff out so invigorating? exhilarating? liberating!?!







 Wrapped bag made from over 100 feet of cotton clothes line and almost 2 yards of well aged fabrics. The main fabric is a Hoffman print with sewing motifs; scissors, spools, thimbles and pin cushions in mauve, lavender, green and turquoise. Daughter thought the fabric was really ugly I told her it was almost as old as she is. She was impressed by the transformation from ugly fabric to stylish bag. And no broken needles!!!

 I also found 10 log cabin blocks and a bunch of strips and pieces to finish. 

An anything goes log cabin. The strips are from 1 1/2 inches wide to 3 3/4 inches wide, most are woven plaids and stripes with a few prints. I just sewed leftover together until the block was larger than 13 1/2 inches then trimmed it to 13 1/2.

Now how should I arrange them? Barn raising? Barn raising in the center and 4 dark diamonds?

Happy Quilting,

Ann

Three Broken Needles

The needle broke 3 times when I was  machine quilt yesterday. It was too nice a day to quilt. Son called and said his dog wanted to spend the afternoon in the sun in my backyard. Remmi had a black nose before hunting season started.  Nose to the ground and off she goes! Coffee on the patio on January 10, 2012, no bugs, no birds, no gophers, little wind, just the distant sound of a hammer pounding on a new roof. A perfect day. If  son had brought her collar and leash we would have gone for a long walk. We just walked through the trees north of the house.  A few underdeveloped acorns left on the trees, a wee beastie bore a hole in each acorn. A perfectly round hole and all the same size.

Later I watched the moon rise through the clouds. The broken needle count was 5 by the time I went to bed.

Today there is snow and wind. A perfect day for quilting.

Seize the day,

Ann

Winter???

Is it really winter here in central South Dakota?!? It is 62 F here. I sat outside this morning and enjoyed the sun on my face. Last year we were up to our hips in snow. The landscape is so brown and boring I picked up my knife and chipped away at another snowman. Woodcarving or whittling what a marvelous excuse to sit outside and do almost nothing.

The trees are candles from my childhood, some still have the tag on the bottom 10c. There is no cent sign on the keyboard anymore. My wood chips are trying to imitate snow.

Staying warm even outside

Ann