Tumbler Quilt

Since my last post I was assigned to a case for jury duty so my days are partly at my regular, full time job and afternoons are spent in court. I had not ever served before, and I don't mind doing my civic duty. It does make for full days, though, since in addition to working in the mornings I am also taking an advanced patchwork class Tuesday evenings.

Last week in class we discussed traditional scrap quilts and one patch designs: for example, the tumbler, the hexagon and the applecore. It was great to make the time to focus on patchwork and sleep can just wait, right? A bonus is now I have "homework" for class next Tuesday and am enjoying that excuse to be in the sewing loft more than usual..what a lovely mess, huh? All of my early reproduction fabrics are being neatly trimmed into tumbler shapes using a plexiglass template and a rotary cutter, and the stacks are getting taller in short order. It'll probably be a top before St. Valentine's Day and I can't wait to see a sampling of my mid to late 1800's fabrics in one top!

Fabulous Free Finds:
♦ In my last post I failed to link to Be Still My Heart, a lovely block which is so versatile for February. If you don't have a lot of reds just throw in pink and burgundy along side them (the reds matching then becomes less conspicuous for those who like a more homogeneous color scheme) or even go completely scrappy. It will all look good...but then again, I love super scrappy! It's a great pattern for a honeybun, though measurements will need to be adjusted if you go that route. I can see this block with a thin background border and then alternating with a checkerboard block. That would be a great project for a honeybun. If you have honeybuns laying around, be sure to look here for ideas...there are several honeybun recipes!
♦ Ms. Brackman's Checkered Past is a free pattern - simply lovely. With precuts it will make up quickly. Have you seen the new 1862 Battle Hymn line? I just adore the cotton boll print in that line (and the tiny florals, and the wavy stripes, and...). I am on the lookout for these fabrics in my local quilt shop. Maybe I will see you there!

~~Lisa

September is National Sewing Month

How will you celebrate?
Visit the National Sewing Month website
Check out Barbara Brackman's Quilt 1812: War & Piecing blog
Dream about the arrival of Rouenneries Deux
Participate in the Moda Country Fair blog hop
Solve the Mystery - Quilting is Murder

Fabulous Free Finds:
Another idea to celebrate sewing ~ make a scrap quilt based on value. It's remarkably liberating to forego all rules and place fabric only according to whether it's light or dark. C'mon, give it a try! Here are a few patterns centered on that principle:

Cindy Carter's Scrappy Maple Leaf
Log Cabin (and Courthouse Steps, a variation)
Curved Log Cabin
Any of Bonnie K. Hunter's patterns (Scroll down, patterns are listed on the right side of the page)

Aren't they lovely? Most importantly, enjoy the process.
~~Lisa

Hexagons and Flag Day Giveaway

Lately I have been sewing English paper pieced hexagons from equilateral triangles in 19th century reproduction fabrics. I worked on them quite a bit while watching television programs about the Civil War over the Memorial Day weekend. If you have not tried English paper piecing, give it a go. It's really simple to do and a great way to use scraps. For example, one 2.5 inch square (say, leftovers from a strip bundle) is the right size for a one inch hexagon (the measurement of one side of the hexagon). It's also keeps you sewing when you're away from your machine or you'd otherwise be waiting (for your medical appointment, your vehicle to be repaired or any number of things). You will be surprised how fast you whip up a little table topper.

So, who wants to try English paper piecing? Comment on this post by Friday, June 17 (a few days beyond Flag Day which is Tuesday, June 14 in the United States) and I will select one winner (okay, maybe two if there are two comments!) sometime Saturday, June 18. I will mail you a little pack of pieces so you can try this wonderful technique (and other goodies too). If the winner does not reply to my 'congratulations' email by Friday, June 24 I will select another winner. (I will be out of town for a bit, so there may be a short delay in response.)

**Giveaway is closed and winners were selected**

Did you know the Just One Star project really took off? Read the Minick and Simpson blog about the latest on it! Wonderful news.

My favorite find this week is here. Read the post and at the end you will find a link to the pattern. What a generous gift ~ a great quilt pattern! There were a lot of goodies I saw that I really liked, so here are two more: a tote and a vintage bow tie quilt at McCall's Quilting (if you have not been to that site in a while there are quite a few goodies there).

Happy Stitching!

~~Lisa

Restrictions

It's been years since I have been 'on restriction' but that's what I am dealing with now. Limit 'repetitive use of right hand' and no pushing, pulling or lifting over 25 pounds. It's all related to tendonitis and an irritated ulnar nerve. You likely know that the 'funny bone' is not really a bone, but the ulnar nerve. Please don't rest your elbow on a hard surface repetitively when typing or on the telephone for example because that is what is the most likely cause (at least in my case). That said, I am doing well and certainly on the mend.

All the while I have been limiting typing and such, but I cannot help myself from blog hopping or searching for quilty inspiration elsewhere even though I have not been as productive in the sewing loft. My itch to stitch has been satisfied by looking at pictures like these log cabin quilts on Barbara Brackman's blog, this streak of lightning log cabin and I gasped when I saw this barn raising log cabin. Lovely.

~~Lisa