CATCHING UP!

Hello Everyone! I am missing the "routine" of blogging and communicating with everyone so much.

Things remain the same here, we are still fighting for unemployment. Terrible how the working people have to pay into unemployment and then have to fight tooth and nail to get it. But that is the way things work.

A few positive things are happening....Kevin got the ok from his doctor to go to this spinal clinic and see if they can help in any way with his back. It is a few weeks away, but will sure make a difference; we hope.

I am working on this scrap bargello pattern from Bonnie Hunters "Scraps and Shirtails" book. It is fairly easy and fun. Her directions asked for 240 2.5 inch by 18 inch strips. Wow, did that take some time to get them all cut. I just reached into my scraps, began pulling and cutting. Not thinking things through properly (one of my best traits in quilting....LOL) I had many strips that went throughout the process. Others I only had one or two strips. It took me ages to count out the correct number of strips and then to arrange them in sequence. Bit by bit, I am assembling each section and it is coming together nicely.



I ran across a pile of green triangles (my father had pre-cut them ages ago for use in one of his quilts....I received all the extras). Realizing that for a couple years, I have held onto these pieces knowing sometime I would come up with a great use for them. It was time to come up with something.

Since, I really enjoy looking at the various varieties of star quilts that come in every shape, size and color. Plus, the fact that I have been brave enough to learn the half square triangle methods and use of the easy angle ruler. I figured out the correct cutting measurements and followed along with one of Bonnie Hunters examples.

I decided to use up some of my brown fabrics to go with the green....there are four different browns and one fabric used for the centers. This ended up being a fun quilt to make and with the scrappy effect it adds character to the design.





I finished this quilt as a backing for the star quilt above.

I saw some directions for making your own fabric using scraps, crazy quilting and strips. No worries about fabric selections or matching seams.

It was simple and easy and makes for a great quilt backing. The directions said after you sew all your fabric together to pick a pattern and use this as you would any other piece of fabric. But, I felt it looked great this way and chose to use it as a backing. But I think it would be interesting to cut it up and have fun putting a pattern together using this also.

After I finish the Bargello quilt, I plan on trying a scrap method called Stack and Slash. I have several 6 inch blocks and many other selections available to make a 6 inch block. From my understanding you stack your blocks on top of each other chose a spot to begin and end cutting and slash away. Then you add a strip of 1 1/2 inch fabric to each section. Pile the blocks back on top and slash again. Then add the strip. Well it looks like fun and a great way to use up larger pieces of stash fabric.

I am now off to check in on blogs and then head back to the garage sale preperations. Have a great day. Will post again when I can.