Beginning to cut.............

After finding enough choices for the border rectangles on the floral quilt, I had to press all of the fabrics.  I got pieces cut from 9 of the fabrics.  I have 26 pieces here and I need 36.  I will be over-cutting so that I have plenty of choices when I do the layout of them on the perimeter.  I'm going to use mostly dark fabrics so the integrated border will show up slightly as a frame.  

Since I wasn't ready to sew the top yet, I finished knitting another dishcloth last night.  This is a newer color that I hadn't used yet.  I buy the Super Size balls of yarn and I can get 3 dishcloths from one ball.

Today is predicted to be 51 degrees.  A week from today 21 is predicted for a high.  I will need to do a walk around my yard and gardens today and see if there is anything else I need to take care of.  I will probably cut down the Annabelle Hydrangea by my back picture window.  I will leave the one in front of the house as is and cut it down in the spring.  The Zinfin Doll Hydrangea will get pruned in late winter/early spring.

An idea......................

Since this quilt is going to end up so small I had been thinking about a border.  Yesterday I came up with the idea of a pieced border like I have done on other quilts.  The pieces will be cut 3.5" x 6.5" out of a variety of floral fabrics.  I will piece them at the same time as the quarter square triangle blocks (webbing) so I didn't get anything sewn together yesterday.  I'll start cutting today.

I got 2 quilts back yesterday so I have some trimming to do and a search for a binding fabric for the neutral color batik 16 patch.  I'm going to use the leftover backing fabric for the confetti quilt binding.

We had snow Thursday and now 50s predicted for Sunday and Monday.  Below freezing weather is going to start next Friday so I think our warm days will be over.  

 

First layout of QST blocks................

My son and daughter in law came over yesterday and gave me my belated birthday present, help cleaning the garage.  What would have taken me a week and lots of indecision got done in 3 hours.  They also brought beef/barley soup and I baked some beer bread.

Last night, even though I was tired I decided to get all 80 blocks up on the design wall.  Half of the blocks have a dotted triangle and 3 florals, the other half have 4 floral triangles.  I alternated the 2 kinds of blocks which resulted in the dotted triangles all being in a vertical position. I see 2 light and one dark pinwheel as it is now. I have options.  1. Sew it just as it is and be done with it.  2.  Exchange block positions and create some dotted pinwheels.  3.  Play a little more and create more light pinwheels.

This quilt is one to be enjoyed close up, not one that has a focal point.  It just makes me happy to see all of the floral fabrics together.

20 additional blocks.....................

Last night was a productive time.  I got 20 more blocks sewn for a total of 80 blocks now.  With an 8 x 10 layout the quilt would measure 48" x 60".

Here are the other 60 blocks.  I can start working on the layout of the quilt now.

We're supposed to get our first snowfall today but the temperature will probably go high enough in the afternoon to melt all of it.  I brought my pots of Begonias and Geraniums into the garage.  I also pulled the 2 Geraniums from the pots on the porch steps and will keep them in the garage over the winter.

 

15 of 60 blocks................

Last night I sewed all of the rest of the quarter square triangle blocks that I had ready.  This is one of each of four blocks alike.  They are only 6" blocks so 60 blocks would only make a quilt 36" x 60".

I pressed all 60 blocks.

I had a bag of odds and ends of floral fabrics so I went through it and pulled several that are big enough to cut the quarter square triangles.  All of these are pressed now so I can do some cutting today.

I have been showing photos of the cacti by the east picture window but now I have some blooming by the west picture window.  The pale pink is one of my favorite plants.

The pale pink on the left here is from the same plant.  It is a piece that broke off a few years ago and I rooted it.  A couple of the buds are opening on it too.

I have another small champagne color one that is blooming over by the east window.  I love my indoor winter garden.  I say that every year..............

 

4 more..................

There are 16 more blocks sewn, 4 alike of 4 different combinations of fabric.  I searched for more fabrics to cut while I did laundry yesterday morning.

I also cut more of the 2" finished triangles from the waste fabric.  Now I wish I knew what I did with the first stack.  I know I had them upstairs when I took a photo of them a few days ago and then I carried them to the basement to look for a small storage box.  I didn't find a box but.....where did I put the triangles?

Rain most of the day yesterday and more overnight.  I'll check the rain gauge when it all stops. 

Finally.......some sewing...............

There are 4 blocks alike of each combination of 4 quarter square triangles.

I put one of each of the combinations that are already sewn up on the design wall.  I was sure I was going to get more sewn in 2 hours but just 24 blocks are done.  

I spent the morning yesterday outside finishing the tomato plant clean up.  It took a long time to cut all of the long branches off the SunGold tomato plant.  They were about 6-8 feet long and tangled with each other.  I couldn't believe the size of the roots on that tomato plant.  I have all of the cages stacked for the winter, all of the tall stakes in the corner of my yard tool closet.  There are lots of tomatoes that fell to the ground in the raised bed so I'm hoping there will be some volunteer plants again next year.