Post-Turkey Report

I hope all my USA friends had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  We sure had a good day here.  Had the whole family over and I think everyone enjoyed themselves.  There's enough turkey left for one sandwich!  We had a great visit with my sister, who came the farthest and stayed until Saturday.  It feels like there's never enough time with her. 

We're getting real close to the end of Autumn around here - down below freezing at night with fog.  So I thought I'd better post my "autumn" photo pretty quick!  This is the gargoyle that lives in our back yard.  I thought he looked pretty cute with his jaunty leaf hat.  Grumpy, but cute.

can you spot the gargoyle?

While I was looking at the gargoyle, I noticed the Japanese Maple leaves on the fern.  Wow, what a great color combo! 

Lime green with a touch of orange-red - wouldn't that make a striking quilt?  Love it!  All the leaves are gone now.  Either raked up or gone brown.  Fleeting beauty - that's autumn, isn't it?

I've had a couple of good sessions with my Low Volume blocks since Thanksgiving.  I've now got 20 blocks done.  That is 1/4 of the quilt I'm planning.  (Sorry for the less-than-super photo.  It's hard to take a good photo at night.)

same blocks, different angle

The blocks finish at 8 inches.  I'm planning on setting them 8 across by 10 down, which would be 64 inches by 80 inches.  But don't hold me to that . . . things could change as I get further along.  

I'm really liking how these look!  I keep cutting more rectangles (cut 2 1/2 in. by 4 1/2 in.) to throw into the mix.  I've gone through most of the fat quarters, all of the scraps, and now I'm nibbling at the yardage.  It's getting to be addictive!  

Well, I think I'll go sew some more blocks!  Happy quilting, everyone!

Getting Back in the Saddle

Wow, a long but unintentional bloggy break for me!  I didn't mean to be gone for so long.  I just didn't really have anything to say or show.  I have had a hard time getting back into the quilt studio after that big push to be ready for the Quilt Show.  I couldn't focus on anything and therefore, nothing happened.  But I'm getting back into it, slowly.

My Treasure Bag

I took a class at our local art gallery on weaving these little "Treasure Bags".  The class was a very reasonable price and the teacher has a really good deal on the kits.  $5 pays for the little loom and all the yarn you need for a bag.  I augmented mine with some fibers that some friends gave me a few years ago (Thanks, Jeanne and Roberta!)  This bag fits my Smart Phone and the handle is long enough to allow me to wear it in front or over one shoulder.  I still need to add some beads to those yarns dangling from the handle and then it will be done.  I've already started another bag, smaller this time.  I can't show it to you yet, as it's going to be a Christmas gift.  This was a nice break from quilting, and a lot of fun!

This is the first sewing I've done in weeks.  I made some Disappearing 4-Patch blocks for Vesuviusmama over at My Patchwork Life blog.  She's put out a call for the D9P edited: oops! I meant to say D4P blocks and is making quilts for the Sandy victims in NY and NJ.  Go visit her - she just made a delivery of some quilts and is still making more.  

Yesterday I started a Low Volume quilt.  I missed out on the big sew-along this summer and really wanted to try one.  It's so different from what I usually do, and it intrigued me.  So here are my first 2 blocks.  I thought about doing it improv style, but I want something simple that is easy to cut and not too hard to put together for this one.  I'm not too sure about the darker tan fabrics in there, and may not do too many of them.  I think I want this one to be light and sweet.  I've been collecting inspiration pictures on my Pinterest page (see my side bar for the link) for a while now.  So, based on my calculations, I only need another 78 more blocks!  I've finished cutting my bin of light scraps, now on to the fat quarters!

 Last month The Kid and I took a trip to Ikea, and I found this tray there.  Doesn't it look like an improv quilt?  Hee hee!  It just shows that inspiration is everywhere!

Well, I'd better post this quickly.  The wind is blowing fiercely out there and the lights have flickered a time or two already.  I hope we don't lose power!

Happy quilting!