Sane, Crazy, Crumby Quilting

A Little Nine Patch Comfort Quilt Top

40 x 48

In my last blog post I was working with blue scraps I found in the 4.5 inch width box. I noticed I had some blue strips long enough for four or five squares. I also had some sets of four blue 4.5 squares cut from previously processing scraps.  I decided to make some Nine Patches for a small top. I didn't really have many long scraps of any one color in my 4.5 inch width scrap box so decided to look in my orange scrap chunks since orange is the complement of blue.   Then in order to make it a little wider for a Wrap-A-Smile quilt I found two border type print long pieces in my 2.5 inch width scrap bin. 

And I still have some blue 4.5 inch width scraps. So now I guess I will make some Four Patches or maybe cut some bricks. The goal is to have that box and a few others empty by year end. 

And sew on...

***

I have started winter sowing. I start this time of year with seeds that need 10-90 days of cold stratification. Most of these plants will be added to my native wildflower areas. If there are a lot of seeds in the packet I sow them in larger round pots and cover them with clear shower caps with holes punched in. If there are only a few seeds I sow them in 4 inch square pots and cover the whole flat with a large clear bag I cut up and hold in place with clips.    I have sown Tall Thimbleweed, Prairie Coreopsis, Thalictrum, Rattlesnake Master, Perennial Lupine, Pearly Everlasting, Fireweed, Crazy Daisy, Cupid's Dart, Pale Corydalis, Amethyst Shooting Star, Pale Purple Coneflower, Stout Blue Eyed Grass, Prairie Blue Eyed Grass, Jacob's Ladder, Prairie Smoke, Gaura and several varieties of Columbine. 

More later!

And sow on...

Crossroads

7 x 9

Last week I was working with scraps from the 3.5 inch width box. I pulled out just a couple of blues to make some Crossroads blocks.  Then I closed up my 3.5 inch width box of scraps and opened up the box of 4.5 inch width scraps. I found a few blues in there too that I could use to make a few blocks. I made these blocks last year and last September I assembled a child sized top with them. Now I only need a few more blocks for an adult sized comfort quilt and I will be able to cross this block off my RSC project list. 

Cheerios

10 inch

Made with 4.5 and 2.5 inch scraps.

I have been making Cheerio blocks for awhile now too. So far I have assembled a couple of small comfort quilts tops and now I need a few more blocks in blues, purples and pinks for a larger comfort quilt. I pulled out all of the blues, purples and pinks from the 4.5 inch width scraps and squares that I need to finish blocks for the larger top and will make the pink and purple blocks when the RSC colors are called. Then I will be able to cross another RSC block off the list.

1. Red and Yellow Cheerio top.

2. Green Cheerio top.

Buckeye Beauty

8 inch

Also made with 4.5 and 2.5 inch width scraps.

I was also making these last year. I need to take count.

Uneven Shoofly

10 inch blocks

Also made with 4.5 and 2.5 inch with scraps.

I am using scrap chunks to make these. I have a lot of small floral chunks as well as small chunks of thrift store shirts, homespuns, plaids, stripes I'm going to use. This combination of florals and shirts reminds me of my grandmother's quilts made of old clothes. 

While I was in the 4.5 inch width scrap box I pulled out all the smaller pieces in all colors. I cut a big pile of 4.5 inch width squares and anything left of the piece that would yield a 1.5 x 4.5 inch rectangle I cut for another round for my Pie Birds quilt.   I needed 120 rectangles and when I didn't meet that goal using the 4.5 inch with small scraps I dug into my 1.5 inch width scraps to cut the rest of the rectangles to meet my goal.

Then since I was in my 1.5 inch width scraps I went ahead and cut 120 1.5 x 5.5 inch rectangles for my final round for Pie Birds.

Slivers

Then I had some really small scraps (slivers) left over from processing pieces in the 3.5 and 4.5 inch width boxes. I sewed them all together to be used at some future time in a column or row quilt. 

And sew on...

***

Finished a book! All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. A WWII historical fiction, I loved the lyrical prose style of writing as well as the story.

Legos

It is made of 1.5 inch squares and 1.5 x 2.5 inch rectangles.

I quilted it on my sewing machine with swirls in light green thread.

I pieced the back with two different fabrics of similar color. 

And sew on...

***

Today will be a "crappy" day for hubby John as he does his colonoscopy prep. I get my turn next week. 

***

In memory of an angel, my granddaughter (right), who passed away unexpectedly of "probable cardiac arrythmia" on this day four years ago at 17 years of age. I miss her so much and think of her every day. 

I wasn't going to write a blog post today but noticed it is time to show our center blocks for the 2026 SAHRR. 

I am going to make two child's comfort quilts with a Raggedy Ann and Andy center. 

And I'm not sure what size comfort quilt this will be. This is a 14 inch orphan block that was given to me that I will use for the center of this third quilt. 

And sew on...

Little Baskets

4 inch finished

Goal of 110 blocks met!

Started February 2023

I should have counted blocks before I made these last two batches because I have actually exceeded my goal and have 125 blocks. But that's okay because I think some might be a little wonky. 

I started making Little Baskets to go with some fabric I had with Little Baskets. And I had the book Scrappy Fireworks Quilts by Edyta Sitar with a pattern for Lil' Baskets Quilts that I liked.  I did not make my Baskets the same way she did.  There's more than one way to skin a cat, you know. Weird idiom. Who would even want to know one way to actually skin a cat? 

Now...some assembly required. 

"Itty bits, fiddly bits" has been the theme in my sewing space this month to move UFOs forward. I still have lots of bits!

And sew on...

****

Sheesh, I can't believe I slept 11 hours. That rarely happens!

***

Today is oldest son's birthday. I can't believe he is 52 years old today. Gosh, mentally I still feel like that 21 year old I was back then. Physically, everything is just a little saggier. And some things creak. 

***

I finally have replaced my laptop that died this summer. I have been using my husband's Kindle Fire tablet to get around. I just hate touchpads and like to sit and type like the wind at a proper keyboard. I'm getting used to Windows 11 and all it's weirdness with wanting to put everything on Onedrive which I don't want. And I don't need synching up to anything because I rarely even use my phone. My camera cable no longer works to upload photos so I had to buy a card reader since laptop came without one and that is how I have uploaded the photos. But then again the darned photos are on Onedrive and I want them on my local PC.  Then I have extensive family history files, photos and docs...most research done before there was an Ancestry.com and DNA to do all the work for me...and my FamilyTreeMaker program (that I bought as a DOS version way back when and have upgraded along the way to FTM 2005) no longer works with Windows 11. It barely worked with Windows 10. So, I think I had all my family history files backed up to an external drive and I have purchased a new genealogy program called RootsMagic 11. So I'm getting used to that and want to better organize my family history files, photos and docs and then write stories about some of the folks I remember and stories about some of the things that have been passed on to me ("stories about stuff"). I wanted to get all this done before gardening season kicks in but now it is time for winter sowing. I am hoping to do some of that today. 

***

Oh joy! I received a surprise package of scraps from Dawn! It was so fun to sort through all the pieces and think about what they will be when they grow up and become a quilt.

String Star

I finally have a quilt in the hoop so I can do some big stitch quilting in the evening before bed. 

Quartet of Birds

Crewel embroidery decorative pillow. I am working on the third of four birds. 

Binding

Both of those slow stitching projects have been on hold while I hand stitch the binding on my Lego quilt. 

And sew on...