Batik Life Savers Block Swap

Its been a while since I have blogged, but I have been very busy.  I have been working on the Easy Street Mystery in between making the blocks for the Life Savers Block Swap.  I am very close to finishing Easy Street, but the swap blocks are due this Saturday.

I have made over 30 of these blocks, but am only sending 20 for the swap.

This is not the best of pictures, but I think you can see what I have been sewing. 

These look easy, but for some reason it is very difficult to get them to sew up to the correct size.  I cut very carefully and rechecked the cut; sewed each step and squared up to size; checked the seam allowance; and then measured the final block.  I cannot figure out why, but in spite of all these measures they seldom came up to a square 8.5 x 8.5. 

I can make the squares that I kept work so I will be able to use all of the blocks.

Until next time......

Sandra

January - Bloggers Block of the Month

On the 15th of January another block from Dhia's Peach Patch Quilt's Bloggers Blog of the Month was revealed.  This month's block is from Stephanie of Little Lady Patchwork.  Click on the link to see directions for Stephenie's Stacks and Stacks Quilt Block.



February 15 will be my turn to present a Bloggers Block.  However, the month of February will have two blocks.  On February 1, Jennifer I of Knotted Thread will present her block.

Happy Quilting,

Sandra





















 

Easy Street - Part 8

Well, I have made it to Part 8 of Easy Street.  This part has two types of blocks that alternate to form the final pattern in the quilt.  As I mentioned in the last post, there are 16 Block A's and 9 Block B's in this part.

Block A

Block B

I have worked on this part off and on since Thursday.  In the grand scheme of things, I have not made much progress.  Enough Block A's and Block B's have been made to complete row one and two of the quilt.  Since the quilt is on point this is not much progress.  I was having a difficult time sewing block after block together so I decided to make the blocks required for each row and then sew that row together.  We'll see how far I get this way.



Corner Added to Row One



Row One and Row Two

The scrappyness (is this a word?) of the quilt is giving me fits as I am trying to make sure all the blocks have different fabrics in their respective colors, and no two fabrics of each color end up together.  I know I should just give up, but I can't - thus these blocks are taking a long time to lay out.  Once satisfied with the layout of colors, it takes no time to sew them together.

I will continue to make blocks row by row.  We will see what progress I have made by this time next week.

Happy Quilting,

Sandra

Easy Street - Part 7 Completed

Part 7 of The Easy Street Mystery has been completed.  I sewed late into the night and got up this morning and continued to work on this step until it was finished. 

I placed the four corner blocks and the twelve side blocks on the floor to get a feel for how it is going to look.  I love this quilt. 

 Now I have to get busy and fill in the center with the blocks from Part 8.  There are 16 Block A's and 9 Block B's to piece together, then these blocks will be combined to fill in the center.  This quilt has its blocks set on point.

On another note -- When I went outside to get in the car to go to work this morning I happened to look in the next door backyard (house is vacant) and what did I see but my morning glories blooming.  They had sent out runners in the grass and these vines had three flowers blooming their little hearts out.  What is amazing is that we have had temperatures as low as the high 20s and lots of days/nights in the 40s.  I was surprised that they had survived and even more surprised to see them blooming.

Their color is beautiful.

Hope all of you find time to do a little sewing this weekend.

Sandra

Scrap Vomit Squares International Swap - 2013

 



GnomeAngel is having another Scrap Vomit Squares swap.  The details can be found here.  I participated in the last one and it was a lot of fun to receive squares from all over the world. 

The deadline to sign up for the swap is January 18.  Mailout is due at the end of the month. 

I will be participating in the swap.  Won't you join me?

Sandra

Easy Street - Part 7 - Work in Progress

 

I got started on Easy Street Part 7 late Saturday.  I continued to work on it through the rest of the weekend and tonight.  I have completed attaching the remaining flying geese to the bricks and have pieced four of the Triangle 1s. 

I am ready to move on the Pieced Triangle 2 - I will be making 12 of them.

Hope all of the Easy Street participants are enjoying the process.

Sandra

Easy Street Mystery - Part 6

Today I was able to get back on Easy Street and do some sewing.  I completed Part 6 and hope to get started on Part 7 Friday.

The double bricks were completed.

And the green 5.5 inch green blocks were cut out and cross cut as directed.

This is what I was able to complete today:

I am ready to start Part 7.

Happy Quilting,

Sandra

Christmas in the Carolinas

I had a great Christmas with the kids in the Carolinas.  The week long visit was just not enough time with the grandkids.  I left two of them crying but I waited until I was on the road to let my tears flow.  All in all the 10 hr trip home was uneventful.  It rained all the way to Georgia, but once inside the state line it stopped.  The remainder of the trip alternated between sunny and cloudy, even though it was 43 and below the entire trip. 

Here are some favorite photos that I took during my time with the kids. 

 Hope your Christmas was as fun-filled as mine.

Sandra

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2013

Happy New Year to my family, friends and follower friends.  Looking forward to a great new year in 2013. 

Best Wishes to all of you.......

Sandra