First of the strings question

 The new year is starting off with a bang. 

I'm still working on finishing up things from 

last year and since my goal this year is to sew up 

strips and strings, I'm working on strips and strings.

I'm trying to whittle down my box of leftovers and 

bits of blocks and quilt.

There are an assortment of squares made of strings and strips. 

The next step is planning out what to make with them.

I took some figuring, but I have 2 good size

twin quilts planned and it should use up 

some good bunches of strips.

The first plan is utilizing twelve and a half inch 

cut blocks out of color family strips.

There are some red, purple and blue

in the scrap box. 

So I decided to make full length strip sets 

divided a vertical zinger.

I made fairly good progress on the 

blue the first day of stitching.

Let's see how far I get with this plan.

 The next evening really turned up the 

strips.  I found more blue already 

pieced so I was able to string all

the columns together.

 The design wall is getting layered up, 

and the log cabin top is peaking thru!

 A few colors are hanging out looking

for a spot to participate. 

An old favorite was chosen and 

here is the result!

One more top for the quilt rack. 

All are waiting for a layer and quilting!

Happy new year and happy stitching !

Linking up with:

Design Wall Monday

Sew & Tell

Monday Musings

Design Wall Monday

To Do Tuesday

End of The Stack Log Cabin

Remember all those Log Cabin tops from 2 years ago now?

Well here is the last one.

I had combined all my all my log cabin blocks into one pile.

I thought I could make two quilt tops out of them.

Revaluating, it turns out I really only have enough blocks

to make one small quilt.

However, I never really listen to 

what the blocks tell me so

 I'm going to turn it into a larger quilt

by trying to design a border. So here we go!

Now it's on the design wall,

so I'm getting getting ready to sew up blocks 

to finish this center and increase the size. 

There are four blocks that look like

 they have a corner arrangement. 

Those will be moved out to be corners of the bigger quilt.

Here are all the centers for the additional blocks I'll need.

I'm still using the polka dot centers. 

Every time I see a polka dot fabric,

 I cut out some centers!  Needless to say,

 I have a lot of centers.

There may be more polka dot-centered 

Log Cabin quilts in my future!

For now I'm finishing up this Log Cabin.

The center squares are all done.

This is the lovely bag of scraps 

I'm using to make the edging squares. 

Thank you LT!

I wanted an edge looking border so I followed

the court house step pattern,

but used some careful color placement. 

One good evening of stitching should

got them done! 

The voids are filled and the border looks

like a winning plan. 

All pinned to the design wall and 

needing a bit of movement. There are a few colors 

here that could use better friends!

A  New Year's sew along popped up so I was able to finish 

the edging square and stitch up the top. 

Can anyone see the small revolution 

starting near the bottom?

Here is the finished top with a few repositioned blocks. 

The border was quite successful.

The four corner blocks worked perfectly,

 so that makes it even better!

Only 2  blocks left to decorate the back . 

Now to move on to pinning!

It should be a great way to finish out 2024 leftovers!

Stay safe and sew on!

Linking up with :

Design Wall Monday

Monday Musings

To Do Tuesday

Sew & Tell

Wait Loss Wednesday

Free Motion Mavericks

Needle & Thread Thursday

Finished or Not Friday

Off the Wall Friday

Beauty Pageant

RSC 2025

Patchwork & Quilting

Oh Scrap!

Show & Tell

Finding Things to Finish Up

 We're in the final countdown to 2025

and it is a great time to finish things up.

There was a lovely pile of left over blocks,

waiting in the wings for a solution. 

They are coming together into totally 

new creations. 

The first is a whole sheaf of RSC 

/Stashbuster blocks and squares left

over from the year of Irish Chains.

 There was even one half of an intended

queen size green quilt in the stack. 

I measured and fiddled and sketched and 

erased and came up with a plan.

First, I finished up the center, 

then debated colors for an inner border. 

Settling on black was the easy way out, 

but as the end result shows, a wise choice. 

Then I sorted out the sides and sewed a few.

There was a bit of easing and squeezing going

on as the inner border threw all the figures out 

of wack but it all worth it in the end. 

Ta da!

 

Now there are only a few left over blocks,

and those will find a place on the back.

Next up: left over log cabin blocks!

Good luck with all your year end finishes!

Stay safe and sew on !

Linking up with :

Design Wall Monday 

Monday Musing

Sew & Tell

Wednesday Wait Loss

Put Your Foot Down

To Do Tuesday

RSC 2024

Design Wall Friday

Finished Or Not Friday

TGIFF

Patchwork & Quilts

Oh Scrap!

Year End Tally

 Since the finishes are piling up , 

it is time to review my tallies!

I only keep track of fabric bought, 

fabric out and the recent scrap influx. 

If I rid out, donate or pass on some scraps, 

they are in the mix too!

So here we go!

Fabric Purchased: 8  m

Used since last report  6 twin quilts  30 m !

Fabric In to date: 25.5 m

Use to date 2024 : 96

Scraps in : 20 m

Scraps out : 0 m

Big Batch donation : 60 m (June) 70 ( Oct)

Net Fabric in YTD:  48 m

The Irish chains made a big dent in the total.

The last chain bound was this multicolored 

charmer with a scrappy binding. 

The last remaining chain for a while is this color

block top that is waiting to be layered. 

Lots of festivities are planned for the end of the year,

so there wont be a lot of finishing going on.

There is even a New Year's Eve zoom party planned!!

Here is to wishing all

a Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday

and a warm and wonderful time with family!

Linking up with :

Design Wall Monday

Monday Musings

Sew & Tell

Prepping Complete

 The stockings are all nearly hung, 

the turkey almost cooked.

The cookies are all frosted , 

and a decoration's in each nook. 

Gifts are done and packaged, 

cards and calls are made. 

The quilts are stacked and threaded, 

and some just need a name. 

The year is almost over,

and the days will get more light, 

More things to do and plans to make,

For a glorious new year's night!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Wrapping up the Year!

 Lots of things getting ready and finished. 

Holidays have begun, visits are happening 

and lots of fun is going on. 

Movement in the sewing room is really stacking up.

Things have moved from here,

to blocks sewn, 

to tops made, 

to backs chosen,

to layered and pinned,

to quilted and binding made,

 

to complete!

 Six Irish chain quilts are now complete! 

 The yellow has gone off to a 

Veteran's residence along 

with a blue log cabin.

The remaining complete chains will 

hang out over the holidays and 

may be impromptu gifts should they be needed. 

The last two Irish chains are multicolored. 

One is under the needle today!

 

It is being quilted with diamond pattern. 

I am still a little hesitant about free motion

quilting with my Bernina but I will be 

brave later. I did do some maintenance

yesterday and oiled the bobbin race.  

Every little thing is definitely confidence increasing! 

The diamond pattern will let me vary my 

quilting designs but still keep the 

speed of the straight line. 

 The other is waiting to be layered with 

a beautiful butterfly backing.

If I can get them both completed,

I can close out the year on RSC 2024!!

]

Woot woot!

Stay safe and sew on !

Linking up with :

Design Wall Monday

RSC 2024

Monday Sew & Tell

Quilting & Patchwork

Sr Salon Pit Stop

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To Do Tuesday

Oh Scrap!

Midweek Makers

Wed Wait Loss

Design Wall Friday

Finished or Not Friday

Free Motions Mavericks

Next up to Layer

 My new quilting partner is getting a 

bit of a break while I layer up some 

more tops. 

The workroom quilt rack has 

five more tops paired up with backs 

awaiting pinning. 

This well seasoned Christmas top

will be paired up with a green winter flannel

back to make a nice chair throw. 

Another well seasoned top is getting 

a complimentary garden backing 

and finally be finished. It is a 

row by row from a long ago 

group of quilters. 

The last of the Irish chains will 

be paired up with this stunning 

butterfly fabric. It will be such a fun

quilt to work on!  

These 100 pyramids is a found top 

from an estate I helped with and will 

likely stay in my collection.  I have 

been working on a partial one for 

years and will combine my blocks

to finish the edges and pair it with 

this exciting orange and brown pieced backing.

 Lastly my saucy curved nine patch will get a 

fabulous black background paisley print  back. 

The postage stamp border will pick up the colors in 

the back but should not clash when 

separated by the binding.  I've got some enjoyable

work ahead and can't wait to get started. 

Happy stitching to me!

Stay safe and sew on!