Crumbs, TATW, Bargello, Puzzle Done

Pretty amazing what can be done with scraps and crumbs.  Triangles were sewn in the back corners and I inserted a paintstick for a hanging dowel.  I think the recipient liked it.  I LOVE the crookedyness.  

Having fun with Bargello/Trip Around the World, I didn't  understand how a TATW would actually be organized, but in the meantime, during my learning time, these were was a LOT of fun.  I made 4 of each style, and kept the "order" the same for each block - that is 2 strips of darks, one light, one contrast and 2 lights.   Right now, I have 9 sets of 4 blocks and will likely make 3 more sets of 4, using the same order so it ends up rectangular.  Perhaps I'll mix all of these blocks just to see what happens visually.  It's funny, the blocks that I really didn't care for are the ones that ended up looking most interesting.  A few of them laid out 2 one way, and 2 the other.  These are made tube style, Bonnie Hunter method.  

Only too late I realized a "true" TATW would be a whole 'nuther plan.  That plan, yet to happen, is not something done as quickly as these blocks.  Below is a picture taken from Lissa Alexander's book, which I eventually purchased, "Sisterhood of Scraps", more like what I had in mind at first.  The  method in her book takes more organization and a different method of construction - live and learn. 

Here is a jigsaw puzzle finally FINISHED this morning!  Yeaaaaaaaa!  thank you Alice!!!   This lived on my table since before Christmas and was unexpectedly helpful with my frazzled concentration after my husband's passing.   I don't know if that would work for everyone, but it sure kept my brain together, one piece at a time.  One blogger told me she not only made up the same puzzle, but then she made the actual quilt which was beautifully done and quilted.  Wow - who knows what inspires us?  

Still kickin' at the New Year

I'm still here, working and sewing much of the time.  Hey, this home maintenance being completed by just ONE person takes a lot of time!  My spirits remain sorta OK, and I get lonesome, pretty much like everyone else.  A terrible anniversary is looming -  sad and scary but I will face it.  Time flew by so quickly, it is shocking.  I barely learn what day it is, and it's the next!  

During my blog lull, I have finished the quilting on this QOV, shown as a top previously.   

Love that striped binding!  Here's the back, much of it given to me by quilting friend Tina.

I've  finished this star top (70" x 81") made of a gazillion pieces, but it's together, batting cut to size, no backing yet.  My quilting friend Jody made one and I pestered her for instructions.  The parts are easy to make, but if you copy this one don't make blocks -- it is actually made with rows. It was called Starry something and shown in an old Quilters Newsletter, from a reader in New Zealand. Notice that "stars" are either with dark points, while others are light stars, an invitation to creativity!  The blocks are 3 in. 

My wall paper is down, thanks to help from quilting friend Lari, and purchase of a must-have steamer, definitely the solution to this horrid job.  

Only 2 partial walls had wallpaper, the rest is decent, but removal of wallpaper left expected damage that needs repair before painting.  I have the name of "the man" to call, but he's vacationing somewhere.  This all started with a shopping trip to the carpet store and the owner suggested I get the room painted first, but remove wallpaper before "first".  

Kitchen renovations are still holding, complicated by Covid issues.  My projects continue.  

And a recent pleasure with a million !!! pieces, was a gift from another quilty friend Alice.  This is one tricky challenge.  The finish is of a worn quilt, complete with the damaged binding, hanging on the line.  Too late, it dawned on me that my table will be tied up for a while!

I do not feel like a capable person unless I can have a long list of completed projects.  They were listed here, then I deleted them and began to wonder if I'm demented with my penchant for eternal jobs.  Wonder what a psychiatrist might suggest? 

I wish I had some inkling of what to do with the rest of my life, now as a widow.  There's a big blank road ahead of me and my GPS isn't working.  

Sunny Lanes, and Puzzle DONE

This block is called Sunny Lanes -  I LOVED the name (thinking about walking down the long farm lane to the mailbox as a little girl) and before planning (uh hemmmm) I just jumped in, thinking I'd use MORE fabric up with these larger pieces.  One finished block is 16 inches.  However, above are 2 x 2 blocks that make this nice design - 4 blocks across is just 64 inches - not quite large enough (I didn't want a border).  6 blocks will be too big, and 5 blocks, while the "right" size for what I wanted loses the design.  Oh great - I just didn't think!  My suggestions would be to make a 12 inch block if you make this one.

OK, I could do this alternate setting (above) with any number of blocks (forget the 2 x 2 blocks in upper right) , and I'm thinking 5 blocks x 6 blocks = 80 in. x 96 in.  -- sounds like a plan. No fabric was purchased for this project.   The "white" was various plain white fabrics and I was concerned it would be noticeable.  NOT - many times we worry too much (I did!) about things that don't amount to a hill of beans!  At this point, I am unable to tell one "white" from the other, and by the time it's quilted, all the whites will look exactly the same.

There's the DONE puzzle quilt.  See that "hole" along the top edge?  Oh great, one piece lost - how can that be??  We finally had to put it all back in the box, with one piece missing, took the leaf out of the table, moved the table back into position and there was the one lost piece, under one of the table legs.  8-))  This puzzle was a doozy, but it filled up the dreary long month of January.