Friday, May 19, 2023

Trudging Along

 This is not a beautiful post, just a little update on progress for the past week or so. The pear blocks are appliqued and ready for further work now. Just contemplating how I want to frame the smaller blocks so end up being the same size as the larger.

Probably going to keep this arrangement
All the blocks for 'Old Fashioned' have been trimmed and now I'm sewing the rows together. It's all tedious work when the blocks don't have a lot of variation. Love these two color quilts when they are totally finished up and quilted, but it's a real effort putting them together. Soooooo boring sometimes! 

Starting to come together
All the blocks were laid out and the rows numbered before I remembered that the plan was for pieced blocks to be chopped in half at the top and bottom. Uggh... I almost backed out of the idea completely, but then reconsidered. The quilt will look ever so much more interesting to me if I stick to the original idea! Had to take five blocks, mark the centers, sew a seam on either side of the mark and then cut through the middle. That should hold the cut piecing stable at the edges of the quilt.

Always best to stabilize the outside edges of a cut block
Doesn't look like much, but I also managed to figure out the colors for the sashing on the Primrose Path quilt. Got all the pieces cut out and ready for a big sewing session. Should have cut long strips to sew together and then cut into pieced rows, but the math failed me. It's so much harder to determine when you're dealing with bits and pieces of cut fat quarters instead of larger yardage! I just threw up my hands and resigned myself to lots more sewing time.

Prep work
Yesterday was the day that I set aside for sandwiching and pinning the next quilts in the hoop. Not done with the current one yet, but it's getting closer and I know it's much, much easier to jump right into the next quilt if it's all ready to go once the hoop is empty. Apparently my mind is on the fritz lately as both of the backings were the size of the quilt tops. Uh huh. Didn't add any of the extra needed at all. And of course I didn't find out till the backings were already taped to the floor. It was terribly annoying. Thankfully my daughter offered to help pin the quilts later in the day so at least that part went really fast!

Next quilts up
While I've been hand quilting most evenings of the week, I haven't been putting in oodles of time with it. So many things taking our time and attention lately, I'm really starting to crave some down time.

Working on the outside of the quilt now
Won't be happening any time soon though as were already gearing up to head out on our annual camping trip with our church friends. I'm trying not to feel grouchy about it, but it's hard. Prices of fuel and groceries are gonna make it an expensive little vacay and me? I'd almost rather head to the ocean. It's always fun once we get there though and at least I'll get to see my grandkids there. That pretty much makes it all worthwhile.


10 comments:

  1. Audrey the pears are lovely! And I can’t wait to see what you do in the hoop with that monochrome rail fence style quilt! Best wishes from Australia! Cod enough now to get back into nightly hand quilting.

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    1. Cold enough that should be!!

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  2. Fabulous pears. I love how this is all looking. I hope you have fun at your camping trip and that you manage to pack and do a little bit of hand stitching for quiet moments.

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  3. I understand about the quilts that are repetitive. Sometimes you don't want to look at it again or do the parts that are tedious and seem to go on and on. Yet, I am inspired by your photos! All the quilts you show are so charming and precious. The fact that you feel a bit grumpy and reluctant to go on the trip makes me think that you should really go. You will look at different sights and smell new scents, your grandchildren will surprise you with all the new things they are doing and thinking and everyone will be on vacation and, I hope, be feeling cheerful. And it wouldn't be the same without you and your special quilts. My fingers are crossed that you will love it.

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  4. have fun on your camping trip with the family - once you get there you will enjoy - and yes prices are going up on everything - you can't go buy groceries without thinking of how much something has gone up since the previous year.

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  5. Your pears look delightful on that selection of light pinks! Fingers crossed, once you are all set up, camping with be a treat!

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  6. I don't know how you do it but you have such a knack for making every block you sew sooo interesting. These pears with those colours...and the quilt you are laying quilt lines on...Anyway, have a great getaway!

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  7. I hope you enjoy your camping once you get there. You are doing a good job of pushing on even with limited time. The colours of your pears are just perfect and I like seeing the softer shades in the same post as the green ones. All I need you to do now is make a quilt with both pears and tulips in it.

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  8. Well, I'm all caught up on your blog posts. Revised Tulips is simply outstanding. And I love your melon quilt with the writing. Your whimsical and intuitive designs really sing to me and I thank you for sharing your work. Keep hand quilting, it's the best!

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  9. I think the pears are so charming. I hope you have a good time on your camping trip. Sometimes "vacations" feel exhausting before we even begin them. Seeing your grand kids will be worth it. Gas and food, it's just crazy now, the prices.

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