Tuesday, November 8, 2022

Decisions............


I decided I'm done making these blocks so I finalized the layout.  I have decided a border made of chunks the length of the blocks x 4" wide will finish it.  The piece on the left is 3.5" wide and the 2 pieces at the top right are 4" wide.  I had to cut pieces to visualize how wide the border pieces could be.  I will need 24 pieces and I can get 4 out of a strip so I'll choose 6 fabrics and see if that is enough variety.  I'll choose one fabric for the 4 corner squares.


I took the cutaway parts of the strips from the last 15 blocks and made a crazy pieced block.  It is big enough to cut a 10.5" block from it.





Yesterday morning I finally quilted the mottled batiks 16 patch quilt that has been on the longarm for several days.




I used a grayed lavender thread and it blended in pretty well to every color.  I haven't trimmed the quilt yet because there are stacks of striped fabric on my worktable where I do the trimming.  After I cut the border pieces for the other quilt I'll be able to trim this one and get the binding sewn on.


One more day and I should have some fully opened blooms.  One is pale pink and the other is the champagne color.  This is 2 out of 11 plants that have buds.









The moon looked so pretty through the tree branches.  There was supposed to be a total eclipse between 2 and 5 a.m.  I'm not up at those hours so I'll have to wait for the news to tell me whether the sky was cloud free and if it was visible.

Thursday could be mid 70s and by Saturday we will be starting a week of 30s and 20s at night.  I think that will kill the rest of the plants and my porch pots will be done for the season.

10 comments:

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

I never plan to get up in the middle of the night to see an eclipse I guess I 'm not interested enough. I do love seeing all the quilts - the color is always so interesting.

patty a. said...

You have a lot of projects going on! I am very interested in seeing the border for the striped quilt. It is good to see the cacti blooming. On my way to work this morning, 6 a.m., the moon was very dark and a red/rust color.

Julierose said...

I really like that blue stripe as a border--really pretty...
We didn't stay up either; full moon lit up our deck so much you could probably read out there, though!!
I still haven't seen any cacti anywhere!! I may have to send online for some...
seems late to me...hugs, Julierose

MissPat said...

As luck would have it, a call of nature had me up at 4:45. the eclipse was just getting started. I went back to bed for about 30 minutes, then got up and watched it for maybe 30 minutes while my coffee brewed. I wouldn't have gotten up specifically to watch, though. Interesting, but not as dramatic as a solar eclipse. I like the crazy block that resulted from the leftover stripes.
Pat

Anonymous said...

I love that crazy pieced block. A quilt out of blocks like that would be fabulous.
deb

JustGail said...

I was up in the wee morning hours as usual, and remembered to take a peek at the moon. It was very pretty, but not so much that I stayed up to watch it.
I think I need to make a 16 patch. Simple yet so gorgeous. And a good use for some of those "what was I thinking" batiks I have.

Linda Swanekamp said...

The days are shorter but you are smack full of color. I bought a champagne cactus last week at Trader Joes. When it properly blooms, I will photo it.

JJM said...

I really like your decision for several different striped pieces for the border, anxiously await to see it. . . . And oh what a pretty block from scraps. . . . . A meandering quilting pattern always adds such a cozy look and feel, to your pieces.

Photos of your blossoms and last nights ‘neon’ moon, so lovely.

JJM

Anne Ibach said...

Love all the stripes, and that mottled 16 patch is so gorgeous!

But that crazy pieced block from teh stripes... IT'S SO COOL!!! And now I"m hoping for lots of stripe scraps!

Mystic Quilter said...

I wouldn't have thought of using the stripes for crazy block but wow they work beautifully. The thread is barely visible on the batik quilt and nice loose quilting, which I'm a great fan of.