15 minutes anyone??


Trying to fit in 15 minutes of sewing when you are "brain-dead" at the end of a day is truly exhausting!!   So, I started working on my redwork blocks during my lunch hour.  Yes, you heard right.  I am taking "MY" lunch hours to do for me!  Mind you, not every day, okay not even every second day, and not the full hour but I am getting my 15 minutes in every now and then.  Two more days and this is supposed to be a habit - that will make 21!!  Here's hoping!!

I took a free motion quilting class two weeks ago and I totally loved it!!  (Mr. V was along with me that day too!!)   Someone asked, "why are "you" here?"  "To take the course" was my answer!!  For me this course was to take the time to try and then practice all what free motion quilting is about - I don't have that time at home.  When I'm at home sewing, I'm creating - NOT practicing!  Now I don't think I will be afraid to venture beyond the stippling of free motion quilting!  Stay tuned - I plan to work on a project soon!!

Hexies being made into "twosies"
And I'm using up 2 1/2" squares from a swap I did in 2000, known as the "Y2K Swap", and traded over 2000 squares!   Each person who swapped blocks was to send 25 - 2 1/2" squares and a "siggy" square, which has your name and where you are from on it.  I treasured these and could never bring myself to use these squares.  This year I said I MUST use them - somehow, some way!   Finally I found something to use them in and I started to work on a hexagon project doing English Paper Piecing. All by hand!



Hexies being made in to "flowers" all by hand!

And then did a hands on demo thinking I could get "help" to move this project along.  Didn't work quite work out like I had planned - ce la vie.



 Oh well, they have only been hiding in a box for 13 years and want them used up - like now!!
 
The hexie project I do at nite when I need to get my 15 minutes in!


 
So, I started using the "rest" (still many hundreds!) in a quilt block called "Traffic Jam" by Pat Sloan.  http://blog.patsloan.com/2013/02/pat-sloan-name-this-block-contest.html   I followed along with her through her newsletter (that's where we all found out what to do) which you can sign up for about half way through her blog on the link I just gave you.  I still have quite a few hundred left which will be for the hexie project. 

Here are my blocks so far for Traffic Jam.....

Traffic Jam with Pat Sloan


I was going like gang-busters on it and had my 12 blocks all done and ready for the next step.   Then someone mention having all 20 blocks ready to go.  WHAT???
I re-checked the pattern again and low and behold I needed 20 blocks!  So back to sewing I went.

 Today I almost finished the last of them and have also started to add the sashing.  This quilt will be my practice quilt for free motion quilting.




 Hoping I can show you progress on what has now become another UFO next post.  A friend and I started this last Sept and well....  you know the rest! LOL

So till next time - keep your stitches even!!!
Choux

Comments

  1. Caryl @ cinnamon holiday workshopMarch 17, 2013 at 11:26 PM

    Good for you on the 15 minutes every day. It happens with a plan and a project ready to do. Traffic jam....that is one I want to do too!

    ReplyDelete
  2. BethMarch 18, 2013 at 9:55 AM

    In between all the packing I got out abunch of scraps and cut my squares for traffic jam. I haven't progressed since then, but I will.
    Keep stitchin.

    ReplyDelete
  3. karylsquiltsMarch 18, 2013 at 10:30 AM

    I madean irish chain form milenium squares. when I went to assemble the blocks .. whoa !! it was more than a king size ! so we did a lap size and a double. After all that I still have a show box FULL of squares.. Maybe by fall Ill reach that point on the DO list... maybe next year ~~~~~~~~~. lol.. have fun with yours !

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnitaMarch 21, 2013 at 7:14 AM

    Cute hexie project, and I would certainly like to see the completed Traffic Jam!

    ReplyDelete
  5. LynetteMarch 21, 2013 at 10:51 AM

    That's a great way to use those squares. :D And good for you, jumping into FMQ!

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousApril 6, 2013 at 11:08 AM

    how are you making your hexies? I love hexies! trying to make some myself, but, I think mine are too large and it's making it hard to make...you know what I mean?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Shirley in CanadaApril 7, 2013 at 7:51 PM

    Doing my hexies with paper, Water Lily. And making large ones with paper I could see them being hard to make. Maybe a template from card stock??

    ReplyDelete

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