IMPROVing an Old UFO

In 2011 I went to a class by Judy Laquidara.  She is a very traditional quilt designer who loves borders. She creates complicated blocks and then adds 12 borders, literally.

It was the only thing at the time, if I wanted to take a class, traditional was all there was.  If I wanted to buy fabric, traditional was all there was.  So I had a side gig, so to speak, of the modern stuff.  And they chuckled at me and pointed when I walked by.......maybe not that bad, but they all knew I didn’t fit that “traditional “ mould.

The box got put aside in 2011, somehow made it through the flood intact, and just taken out yesterday.  There was about 25 bags of precut pieces for future blocks.  No way, was I going to piece more of those blocks. So I took out some pieces and tried to figure out new things to do with the parts.

I put a border of the triangles around the 4 existing blocks, and decided it looked too traditional for me.

I ended up with 10 improv stars with some scattered triangles.  Not sure the triangles will actually stay, or be in that format. But that is how it evolved over the last two days.

More later.

Stay safe everyone!!!!

All I Will Say, the Monster Dog Is Still Alive.......

By the skin of his teeth.......his father came home and fed him and talked to him and protected him from the horrible thunderstorms that passed through.  I was doing none of that for him.

MY good dog slept in the corner of my quilt room while I sorted out what needed to be done to  save the Rosette.  I actually cried about mid afternoon.

I need to at least figure out how to get the outside ring of paper templates back into the last round.   He ripped out a group of stitching but I  am going to try to see about hand sewing without the template papers. It seems insurmountable, but I will at least try.

Last resort, I order another rosette #1 and start over.

After my cry, I put it away and pulled out two quilts on which I needed to finish sewing the binding. They are both now in the finish column.

Cascading stars is pretty traditional.  My  excuse for that is it was started in like 2007.  I remember picking out the fabrics and being fascinated with the fact that you had to keep up with the  diagonals.

The Neighborhood came from an old book but is way more modern.  Lots of solids, and some traditionals in the mix.  the  houses are all solid.  the windows are just cut out and stitched around after all the quilting was done.  The edges I left to fray look like eyelashes!

I worked on this at a retreat and one lady kept saying I was making swatstikas.  I really wasn't and worked really hard to make the changes necessary to the garden blocks so she wouldn't freak out.

You know me, Swastika Girl........

Stash Report 5-17-15

Seems like at least once a week my computer decides to gum up some keys.  I think it does it on purpose.  Just to get me.  Last week it was the a.  This weekend is has been the -.  Who knows what it will be next week!

I am down with it.  It can't get at me too bad, I have a great week to report and it can be done without any more -'s  !!

After several nothing weeks, I had a stellar week!

I put together three quilt backs to get them ready for quilting (Stars, Lily and Spools).  they will all get new names before it is all over with.  And I finished up the Lily quilt's green and brown borders an sashing and the Spools' black sashing and borders.

And I claimed the Plaster of Paris FQ set that downed me by 7.5 yards!  Who knew it was that much?  I  bought another set of FQs from Massdrop this week, bicycles.  I will use them to make a quilt for my hairdresser.  She keeps me red and I love her!  She is an avid semi-semi-pro biker.  (I did have to use the - again......)

I am sooooo loving my numbers!

Used this week	-20.75	Used this month	-20.75	Used this year	-75.75
Bought this week	7.5	Bought this month	7.5	Bought this year	41.25
Plus or minus	-13.25	Plus or minus	-13.25	Plus or minus	-34.5

STARS!

This is what I did today at the new sewing guild group.  We were short a few people, like Paula and Charlene. Next week they will be with us though, I am sure!

I completed my blocks for the Block Lotto.  I had 4 done and needed 5 more, so I cut out 5 sets.  Well, it turned out that I now had TEN blocks. Silly me.

But I am going to take a page from Patty the Quilt Lady's blog and make a really cute baby quilt with my 5.  I am thinking to make either one more or two more, well, I would have to make two more because I need a positive and a negative which is two pieces of material and thusly two blocks.

I would then have 7 blocks for a 2-3-2 arrangement.  Cute.

glen