Happy Valentine's Day

Hello my dear readers and welcome back.  I hope you have a splendid Valentine's Day.

There isn't much to show you, but there has been a great deal of progress.

When last I left you, I had pieced another set of circles.  This week, I pieced that set of circles into the row, added the big circle.  I am now left with two parts, which makes me happy.  I haven't made many more circles so I will show you those later.

The 1857 quilt has been tempting me and I have decided to make it.  Since I promised June,  I decided I needed to get the rail fence quilt into a top first.  Here it is.  I need to do a quality inspection step and press it.  I really like this layout because every time you look at it, you see a different configuration.

I could have balanced the darks better.  I had laid it out in a balanced way, but when I sewed it together, I made some impromptu changes.  I wasn't thinking of the pink and black block as a dark, but it certainly looks like it from this picture. I am going to think of some simple changes I can make to balance this more. I think the top row just looks darker because of the lighting, but I don't like that diagonal row of darks.

I also made another block for the Adrinka 2016 BOM and a corresponding Circle 78.

Linked to:
Moving It Forward Monday

Quilt Reveal: Dog Gone Cute

Dog Gone Cute is ready for a quilt reveal.

This is Lorna Mahon's pattern from Sew Fresh quilts.  She offered it on her blog for free.  She has many other dog patterns as well.  She is also getting ready to host an Ugly Sweaters quilt-along.

I adapted this one - okay, it was partly an error that I decided to keep because I thought it would get a longer nose this way.  Then I looked at Zeus and realized that I only see his nose when he is looking down but when he is looking up, I see his mouth and chin.  So I  gave the quilt dog a chin.


I quilted straight organic lines, like Lorna would do, but it looked like the Bad Dog picture in the Small Quilts photo album. He looked like he was in jail. I then quilted wavy lines between all the straight lines. I started on the right side, and didn't like the really wavy lines so I made them less wavy as I went to the left.

I bound it with a solid brown. To make sure it got finished this month, since I don't have hand work time, I sewed down the binding on both sides by machine.  It isn't perfect, since I am not used to doing to sewing down the binding by machine (and I was sewing from the front where I couldn't see if the binding was catching on the back), but I managed to get it done, and pretty quickly too.

I showed you the back of the quilt yesterday. With so many finishes so quickly and limited space, the improv elephant quilt didn't get to stay on the bulletin board very long.

It is 17"  x 17 3/4". To see other posts about this quilt, click on the Dog Gone Cute label under this post or in the sidebar. To see other posts about finished quilts, click on Quilt Reveal label under this post or in the sidebar. I think I finished more quilts this month than I did all of last year combined.

Wanda said that for each finished quilt, I can start three new ones. Who am I to argue with that?  So I have picked out three quilts to start!

Shirts Quilt

I received a stack of solid blue shirts from my brother-in-law and I have decided to make a quilt with these to give back to him.  I was considering all kinds of quilt patterns to make but I recently saw the Gee's Bend documentary, and saw a quick glimpse of a Courthouse Steps quilt. The steps are on two sides instead of all four sides.  It only uses two colors and there is very little of the other color.  I figure I could use a pair of jeans for my second color, and make this simple quilt that showcases the shirts.  I won't make it improv method though; I think he would prefer straight lines.  This will be a pretty big quilt though, even if it means I have to buy more shirts, so it won't be a quick finish.

Adinkra Quilt 2016

Debby Kratovil is offering an Adinkra Quilt 2016 block of the month.  I have decided to join her, because this quilt uses African fabrics in a beautiful way and I want to use my African fabrics. It is a simple quilt. Alternating blocks are pieced, and one design is appliqued every month. When I printed the pattern, it printed smaller than the size needed to make the block. This is probably my fault, since I didn't check to see if the printer was going to print actual size.  I was going to consider reducing the size anyway, and now I didn't need to. I decided to use the smaller size. I am going to have to remember to make my alternating blocks smaller.

Scrap Quilt

I am going to start cutting fabric for my next scrap quilt.  When I pull out scraps for the Quilty 365, I wind up having to put the remaining scrap away.  I think it would be better for me to trim these scraps down and get them ready for a scrap quilt.  I am thinking Quilt Vortex, which lets the scraps be the size they are for the most part.  I also want to start cutting fabric for the triangle quilt for my own bed.  I haven't made a quilt for my bed, and although it hasn't bothered me before, it is bothering me now. Mostly because my Walmart quilt is shredding to pieces day by day.

Linked to:
Fabric Tuesday 
Linky Tuesday 
Let's Bee Social #110

Lost For a Whole Month

Oh my goodness! My last post was in January, and here's March.  What happened to February?  Sorry, I didn't mean to be missing.

I was on HubPages, writing hubs, and reading hubs, learning how to write hubs, making comments on hubs.

I ventured out to read blogs instead yesterday, and oh swoon!  So many beautiful quilts.  I remember what happens to me when I read blogs.  I want to make every quilt I see.  Of course, the fact that it takes me forever to finish a single one is a very small detail!

You'll be happy to know that I found my lost block.  Sorry to make you worry about my missing all month long.  What? You don't remember?  Oh yeah, it was a BOM and now I found it.  It was under another WIP.  Yes I can still call it a WIP instead of a UFO as long as it is in plain sight.

Technically it is two blocks, and I even put them blocks together.  All the blocks are sewn now, and some of the setting stars.

Denim Rug Almost Finished!

Denim Rug Almost Finished

I have finished weaving the denim rug!  I actually had enough extra thread that I also made a smaller rug.  I just have to wash it and hem the binding, and I will be finished!  Somehow everything worked just right last night.  I had cut a bunch of strips, and didn't want to cut too many, so I took the remaining pant leg, uncut just in case. It turned out that I did need to cut the pant leg, but it means that I used up all of the jeans.  I also ran out of the thread I was adding with the denim strips, and the binding thread, so I didn't have anything extra of anything.  Then, when I paid the teacher for the thread I used ($10), it turned out that between my sister and I, we both had just enough dollars to pay in cash. 

Rabies Shot

It was time to renew the dog license, and the renewal of the dog license requires that the rabies vaccination is up to date.  I called my vet to make an appointment.  I asked the receptionist what other vaccines he needed, and she said it was just that one.  I knew that the city offers a clinic for cheap ($5) vaccines, so I cancelled the vet appointment, and went to the clinic instead.    The city offers the cheap vaccines a few times a year (4?) at different places around town.  The one in January was farther away than other clinics, but I couldn't wait for that one since that is in the fall.

I wasn't sure of the best time to go - whether it was better to come earlier than the appointed time to wait in line, etc. - but the instructions were simple and clear.  I drove there after our walk, and went around the building.  There was a line of people with their dogs, so I just waited behind them. The line went down one end of the building, but it was moving pretty quickly.  Someone came out to see the size of the line, and told us that there was only one vet in the morning, but there would be two vets in the afternoon, which seems strange, considering that the clinic was only for a total of four hours.  Some of the dogs were nervous, so Zeus was also nervous.  He was shaking, but otherwise was well mannered.  It was cold waiting outside, but I had dressed for the weather so I was fine.

We finally got into the building, and it seems that the line inside was as long as it was outside, but it was still moving pretty fast.  They checked the current tags, and gave him new ones.  Another table took the $5.  As we were walking by what looked like a window to the kitchen area, there was a worker who was holding her hand.  I wondered if she had been bit.

 I walked up to the table where the they gave the vaccine, and they told us to come behind the table, where they were.  I told Zeus to sit down, but then there were no further directions, so I got up to see what happened to the vet.  Zeus walked under the table.  He wasn't pulling on the leash. The vet said "get control of your dog!"  I thought that was strange because the dog wasn't doing anything bad, and neither of us had any direction on what he really needed to be doing.  I asked Zeus to come and sit again.  At that time, the vet got angry again that we were now in his way, because he wanted to take something to the kitchen.  He said "Fine, I'll go around,"  and went the other way. The other worker stayed and she told me what side effects to look for, and she was nice.   So we waited a few minutes for him to come back, and when he came back he said "Your dog is nervous."  I stayed calm and said "Yes he is."  Of course the dog is nervous.  The other worker told me to talk to the dog, but not touch him.  I knelt and talked to him.  The vet was kneeling down but then he stood up.  I said, "Are you done?"  He said yes.

I am hoping that the vet's attitude and irritation had to do with the fact that one of the workers had gotten bit, and not a regular part of his demeanor.  I am just glad that my vet doesn't treat me and my dog like that.

The booth for the city auditor was also there, so it was convenient to renew the dog license while we were there.

It only took an hour from start to finish at the clinic, to get the shot and the license.  I think it was worth it regardless of the treatment from the vet.

Block of the Month

I have finished sewing most of the blocks for my Thangles blocks of the month.  I had difficulty with the last blocks, which use quarter square triangles, because I didn't open the piece of paper.  It is so funny, they copy the instructions on a sheet of paper.  They fold it in half, and then again to fit into the packet with the fabric.  I apparently hadn't been unfolding the paper all the way, so didn't even notice the instructions on the right side. I probably did open it the first month, and the right side just said how to use Thangles, so I generally just used the instructions on the left side.  Anyway, by the last month, I had forgotten there was more on the right side.

I just need to redo the quarter square triangles - the centers.  I have also lost one of my blocks.  I am making stars around the blocks, and hopefully by the time I have made the stars,  I will have found the missing block.  If not, I will make them with fabric I have at home.

Quilt Related Post

Are you sitting down?  I don't want you to go into  shock that I have written a second post so close in time to my first one.  Or that I might actually have content that relates to my header and blog name.

All right, I have to admit that I didn't actually do any quilting.  I really wanted to save you from the trauma.  See how nice I am.  I simply went to the store to pick up the last of my block of the months.  And their BOM marketing ploy worked, since I did wind up buying some fabric as well while I was there.  I am going to use a star setting, and use the fabric shown to make some of the stars around the BOMs. Who knows, maybe next time, I will have some completed blocks to show you.

New Block of the Month

Our local quilt shop (LQS) is having a block of the month program again this year.  I collected blocks another year as well, but then either they stopped doing it, or I did, or both.  But they are doing it again this year.  The label says it is Series #7 of the Thangles Block of the Month.  They give you fabric to make two 6" blocks each month for $1.  You have to take the finished blocks the following month to get the next set of blocks for $1. Otherwise you pay $2.  I like this plan, because it will keep me current. The blocks are then put together in a straight setting.  But if you want to enclose the blocks in star points, then you can buy the kit for the optional setting.

They had four different colorways to choose from, and I chose the Civil War ones.  I have decided to make the blocks, and use my own fabric for the star points.

Have you heard of Thangles?  I had a roll of triangle paper that I had purchased for a previous LQS project.  I think it was part of a class.  That paper comes in a roll, and has lines that you sew down and lines where you cut.  It makes it very easy to make a whole bunch of half square triangles at a time.  Thangles is a little bit different because (I think) it is designed to work with jelly rolls.  You know how you would need 2 7/8 fabric to make a 2 inch hst?  With Thangles, you can make 2 inch hsts out of 2 1/2 inch jelly roll, because the paper aligns the pieces so that the some of the little points are already cut off.

I don't normally make practice blocks, but since I had limited quantity of the Civil War fabric, so I did this time.  I am thinking one of the practice blocks will be for Ally's Christmas challenge.  The deadline is tonight for this month, which I won't be able to make, but maybe I will be early for next month.