I've been seriously busy with the cruise quilt! I can't show it until the 2nd cruise sails.....so I have a bit of time to finish it up......and I'm loving it! Everything about it is out of my usual box......so crazy for me!
And I've been searching, thinking, muddling over, and making myself a little nuts, trying to figure out what kind of quilting to do on Jeanne's wedding quilt. I didn't want to try and do the same thing in every large square, cuz if it's a little off here or there, you'd totally see that jumping out at you. So a random pattern was also a thought, but I really would like to follow the design of the quilt, too! It's a dilemma! I have a smidge over a month to figure it out and do it, so I'm not in panic mode yet. But I would really like to get working on it soon, so I need to decide!
In the meantime, I've been doing Bonnie Hunter's Maverick Stars as leader/enders with the cruise quilt, and a few days ago, I just needed some mindless sewing, so I just sewed up a bunch.....now I have 62 of these little gems, and I'm LOVING THEM!
I put them up on a dark grey background.....love the contrast! I haven't trimmed them to be wonky yet.....I'll wait until I have a plan for them. But I am liking the sashing around them......maybe something like a windowpane of 9, and then a larger sashing holding all of those together. We'll see.
A few weeks ago, hubby and I went to my favorite spot to get fabric, and I came prepared! I had been there a couple weeks before, and had bought over 40 assorted yards of mostly civil war repros.....this is the place that has them for $1.99 a yard! So 40 yards was only $80.....I just can't pass that up! Well, I didn't want to mistakenly purchase the same print again (THAT would be horrible, right!?! HA!)......so I made swatch pages of the larger chunk pieces I had......all organized by 1 yard, 2 yard or more than 3 yards on hand. They are on half sheet scratch pages, and fold in the middle, so they fit easily in my purse.
I took my little swatch pages with me, and was able to easily tell if I had that particular print already, and how much of it. Of course, anything I already have a 1/2 yard or less of......well......why not buy more, right!?! No need for swatches of that!
Do you do swatches, and how do you organize them? And do you remember to take them with you?
I remember way back when, when I was collecting all those 30's repros, and I had a hoard of them, but I could never remember if I had a particular one.....so I made similar pages of those swatches......I loved having all that info right there with me at the shops. So I'm really glad I did this again. Of course, the civil war repros are the only fabrics I'm really buying anymore, except for neutrals. Can't have enough of those! So I only need to swatch the repros.
Last night was our little quilt group meeting, and one of the gals, Pat, arrived with armloads of stuff! She has just sold her house, and they are downsizing by about 1/2.....so she was purging the non-essentials from her stash! And we had a ball! There was quit a pile on an 8 foot table, including some books, and quilting hoops, and cans of sandwiching glue spray...... and all the fabric left that nobody HAD TO HAVE, is going into a big tub to be used for our charity quilts. I came away with a bunch of beautiful yellows, and several pieces of Jinny Beyer border prints.....Pat has been hand piecing a Jinny Beyer quilt at our group for the last year, and I've been eyeing it every time, thinking I would love to make one of those. So now I have the fabric.....yippee! Thanks Pat! :o)
And for non-quilty news......
Our middle son, Chris, is visiting for the next 10 days or so, then he heads for Bahrain. He'll be stationed there for about 18 months, and he's really looking forward to it. He's been there before, briefly, so it's not totally new to him. And we're so glad he was able to spend a few days last week down in SC, to see his son, Corey, graduate from Marine Boot Camp. We are so proud of our grandson, and he sure looks good in that spiffy uniform! He's the first Marine in our all-Navy family.....what a rebel! lol
Hope you are having a fun filled day.....now get off the computer and go quilt something! :o)
regan
Does this $1.99 a yard place do mail order? How can they sell it so cheap? I'm very jealous! Love your stars and can't wait to see the cruise quilt. Do you think you'll always refer to it that way or does it have another name?
ReplyDeleteI don't do the swatch thing, but I should. I can't tell you how often I've come home with something I already have.
Good luck to your service men!
Lots going on in my sewing room, but I needed a break. Going swimming now. Wish it was outside because the sun is finally shining!
l'm with Maureen on that one. Who can resist at that price. We pay around $20 metre here for fabrics. l think l would go a little crazy in that shop. l have done swatches with my wool fabrics before and it works a treat. Love your maverick stars!!
ReplyDeleteI'm busting to see your cruise quilt! But then looking at your stars will keep me busy, I love them, I wish they were on my design wall!!! It's a great idea to use swatches on pages. I just carry a little clump of fabrics if I need to match something up at a shop. If I buy too much I figure I'll use it for something. It's great that you've been spending time with your son and grandson.
ReplyDeleteLove those bonnie hunter stars - like em on the grey too - just gorgeous! All the best to your son and grandson.
ReplyDeleteI am so envious of the price you paid for material.. We pay over twenty dollars in our quilt shops for material.. I think there may be a place in the capital city which is cheaper, but I don't know about the quality.. I have a snippet list of materials if I make a special quilt..
ReplyDeleteHave fun with your son and grandson...
Love those maverick stars and am really curious to see the cruise quilt. Your swatches are so organized. I do swatches when I am trying to gather small pieces of fabrics for a scrappy quilt, but I need specific colors. If I could get bargains like that on fabric around here I'd probably run more of a risk of repeating fabrics than I do now.
ReplyDeleteLOVE the stars and the gray realllly makes them pop! You just take your break with family, THATS the best time of all!
ReplyDeleteWow, you made lots of those Maverick Stars we started on the cruise. I think I have about six made, but plan to make more when I get the time.
ReplyDeleteI just pulled out some fabric for the border of the 'cruise quilt' and hope to get it done in the next week or two.
Sherry D
Your STARS are fabulous!
ReplyDelete;-)