Auditioning Placements

I finally finished my 3D Bow-tie blocks!  We had a sewing day today at our art guild and my friend Jo Ann brought her portable design wall.  I put my blocks on it but never had time to sew my rows together, so I asked her if I could just borrow the whole design wall for two days.  My husband walked into the living room after work and asked "you borrowed someone's entire design wall?"  LOL

I think this will be my last placement, any opinions?  I was thinking a small inner border of medium blue, a big outer border of yellow with polka dots, and a blue and yellow flowers binding.  What do you think?

 Below are some other fabrics that we auditioned, do you like these better?

I hate making decisions!  I am glad I finally have a blue and yellow quilt!  I want to finish it for a quilt show in August.  I also need suggestions on how to quilt it.
Thank you for your opinions!
Missy

Sewing Mojo

Last year I got really sick and lost my sewing mojo and had not done any sewing since then.  We had our Treadle-On and Gathering Academy a couple of weeks ago and I got my sewing mojo back! 

My friend Cheryl Parker from http://cherylsteapots2quilting.blogspot.com/ stayed with me.  I love the friends I have made through blogging!

Cheryl taught a mini class each morning, one for the pin cushion with a thread catcher and the other (at my request) on a sewing machine mat.  She was so sweet and made me one of each with penguin material!  I am so happy because I did not have time to do any sewing since I was the host of the TOGA.  Right now this is my set up in the living room.

I am trying to get my 3-D bowtie blocks done.  They are 4 inch blocks and I started them years ago at a TOGA, Sue had given a demo on how to make them.  I have to give a demo at my quilt guild next month and want my quilt done!

 I am sewing on my Redeye Singer 66 hand crank sewing machine, it goes through the bulk great!

Of course I have a helper!

All of the blocks are blue and bowties with a yellow background.  I think I will do a yellow inner border and a light or medium blue outer border and maybe a dark blue binding.  I haven't fully decided yet, it depends on how much material of each I have in my stash.

What are you working on right now?

Treadling away in Missouri,
Missy

Progress and Pies!

I am teaching baking in Home Economics this year.  I have one sixth grade grade girl.  Today we made homemade apple pies.  I made one and she made one.  We used the recipe from The World Needs More Pie, here.  I love this recipe, although we still have apples left over.

 Yesterday our homeschool group hiked up to a cave.  It was pretty cool.

 I started making these 3-D bowties about four years ago.  I'll make a few once or twice a year.  I think I need to get busy.  LOL  They are four inch blocks.

 My husband got me a new cutting mat for my cutting table.  The grey matches better then that green did.  He knows what makes me happy!

 I got all of my sashing cut for cake blocks.  I'm just waiting on my last cake before sewing it together.  After I get it sewed together, I'll take it to my LQS to pick the fabric for the border.

 Of course Tiger wanted to help me!  I cut a 2 inch sashing to make it 1 1/2 inches.

If you missed my post with all of the patterns used for these blocks, you can find it here.

I do not have anything planned for tomorrow and do not plan on doing any housework.  That necessary but boring job of housework when I would much rather be sewing!  Therefore I have decided to take the day off from housework too and sew!

This morning my husband woke me up at 7:30.  I turned off my alarm when it went off at 7:00.  He asked me why I was not up yet and I told him it was Saturday and I did not have to get up.   He laughed and said it was Wednesday and I had to teach today.  I jumped out of bed!  My brain did not want to get up this morning after that storm last night!

I hope you are able to get some sewing or cooking done.  What ever it is that you love to do!
Missy

Design Wall Monday

 I have been working on my Scrappy Trip around the world blocks!  I'm finishing them up on my treadle!  I've had my treadle for a year and could not get the rhythm down(I have two left feet), so at the TOGA I asked a lady to please help, after about 15 minutes of instruction from her I can do it no problems!  Wow is it fun, and it can go fast too!  I'm learning how to control my speed between fast and slow and stop!  It just takes practice.  Can you see all of my chain stitching behind the pedal?  I have to keep my pin cushion in the drawer or my kitties will pull the pins out and I am terrified of them swallowing one, so it's easier just to pull out the drawer while I'm sewing.

Here I am at the TOGA learning how to sew.

Muffin loves My Scrappy Trip Around the World blocks!  Here they are all sewn into tubes.

 I actually cleaned off my sewing table, so maybe ya'll won't think it is always a mess on there!

The strips were waiting to be sewn into tubes, and Muffin followed the tray as I moved it through the day.  

He thinks it is a new cat bed for him.

I got this basket when I went to the Treadle on gathering academy  (TOGA) and it is the perfect size for keeping my completed blocks in.

I've made 16 more bowtie blocks.  I've decide this quilt will be twin size, perfect for taking along on quilt retreats and  camp meetings when I need my own quilt.

 I'm also hoping I'll have enough room in my new sewing room for a daybed to use for guests.

I forgot to take a picture of my finished Scrappy Trip Around the world blocks, I'll have to post that later.

What are you working on?
Missy

Bow-tie blocks

I went to my T.O.G.A. (Treadle On Gathering Academy) this past weekend, I had a blast!  I have several blog posts to write, and lots of pictures to go through!  I am going to start off with a new block I learned to make!  I had taken a whole bunch of 2 1/2 inch squares with me, I had blue, yellow and neutrals (leftovers from my scrappy trip around the world quilt), so I took some after a demo and asked Kay to teach me how to make them.  I am the type of person who has to learn by doing the actual block.  Here is what I made!

I made five there, I decided to make all of my bow-ties blue, and the background yellow, although I have realized that I definitely need more yellow fabric, so if anyone has any 2 1/2 inch yellow squares, I'd be happy to trade you some other colors!  Don't you love the awesome name tag they made for us?
I made five more last night, they are actually pretty quick to make once you get the hang of it, although I'm not sure why mine look so wonky?  (And, yes, they are all made on my hand crank!)

Thank you Allison for these blues!

Sue was the lady who did the demo on how to make them, she made several examples of variations you can make with this block.  She calls it the "what if" bow-tie.  I love the way the center is made!

Cathedral window variation

four patch variation

this one looks like thread spools

Sue made a quilt with tiny bow-ties, it has 2,000 bow-ties!  She said it took her three years to make it, I think she said they finished at two inches.  Remember, she made this quilt either on her hand crank or treadle, I'm not sure which one.

I wanted to give you a closeup next to my hand to give you an idea how small they are!  I'm sorry the pictures are not great, it was a small room.
Mine make a 5 1/2 block.
Thank you Sue for teaching me such a great block!
I'll be sharing more this week, I'll have some pictures of some great machines, quilts and demos, etc.
Missy

Proverbs 18:24  "A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother."