Still searching......................

I'm still having fun looking for UFOs so I haven't sewn anything for several days.  The first few days of a new month are usually pretty low key for me.

The Farm Girl Vintage quilt was started in October 2015 and I think the last time I worked on it was in December of 2019.  This post was probably the last time I put the blocks up on the design wall and I made a few more after that, more little chicks and a sewing machine.

When I started making it I thought I would have plenty of the background fabric but now I'm not sure I do.  The white background matches Kona Snow pretty well so there may be a few blocks with it in them.  There are lots of different size blocks so there will be filler blocks to make it all fit together.  I think this is the year to finish this one.

When I took my empty spools to the basement to put them in the BIG bag, I thought maybe you would like to see how many spools I've emptied since mid-2002.  I went to a workshop in June 2002 and when I was talking to another student, we were talking about empty spools.  I was telling her I had a lot of them and she said her little girls would love to have them to play with.  I sent her all I had and this is the collection since then.  I was told this plastic wasn't one of the kinds that they recycle so they live in this bag. 

I have these batik strip pieced groups with little bulldog clips holding all of the ones the same width together.  Back in this post from close to 10 years ago, I was trimming them to widest width each had available.

I had these 3 crazy pieced blocks in the same drawer with the strips and I know I want to work them into whatever I make. I also want to use some plain batik strips in the project.  My problem here is this will be a project that takes quite a while on the design wall which means I can't put anything else up there for a length of time.  In the winter with shorter daylight I work more in my main floor studio and less time in the basement where the rest of the design walls are.

Since I'm doing these posts with UFOs all in one week, I will have an easy time going back to review the projects and decide which one I'll work on next.  I didn't get the batting cut yesterday so I want to get that done today.

Fun day, lots accomplished.........

My friends and I had a fun day yesterday.  I worked on several things.  One of them was another 12" block for my Farm Girl Vintage quilt.  The needle needs to be embroidered on it yet.  I have some embroidery on a few other blocks so I'll probably do them all at the same time.

I sewed the sashing strips onto the left and bottom edges so this star quilt would be ready to sew together.

In the evening I sewed it all together while watching 2 TV shows.  I hope to get it pressed today.  I have chosen a border fabric so maybe I will get that cut too.

Here we go again!  This little piece of cactus that broke off of a plant has been in this cup for over 3 years and has bloomed every year.  The cup is all lime encrusted because we have such hard water here.  I only add water to the cup about once a month and the cactus piece has a huge root ball on it.  Every year I say I going to plant it but I never seem to get around to it.

My granddaughter started a blog about fitness and nutrition a few days ago.  If you would like some tips for healthier living check it out here.

Sewing blocks............

I worked on my kits for several hours and then decided to sew a few blocks.  I made the bottom 2 star blocks but they aren't pressed yet so they look a little crooked.  I have lots more solid triangles cut, just need to cut prints now.

I now have two 6" hole in the barn door a/k/a churn dash blocks made for my Farm Girl Vintage quilt.  I plan to make more of these.

More binding, a little sewing............

I have all of one short side and half of one long side of the binding hand stitched.  This fabric is a lot easier to stitch through than the batiks that I use so often.

I finally sewed the cross seams last night on this postage stamp block and noticed the poor frog lost his head into the seam allowance.  I also made one of the 6" hole in the barn door a/k/a churn dash blocks for my Farm Girl Vintage quilt.

We had rain off an on for a good portion of the day yesterday and we really needed it.

Still working on kits...........

I cut the 42 pink, red and burgundy fabrics for the 24 kits.  This photo shows 132 squares so far.

I continue with a mock up to see what is missing as I continue cutting.

This is all of the left over end pieces so far.  I have several little bags full of the leftovers from previous kits I have cut.

I will be sending the skinny little leftovers from die cutting to a friend who needs them for a project.

I gathered and pressed the fabrics for the 6" hole in the barn door a/k/a churn dash blocks for the Farm Girl Vintage quilt but didn't get around to cutting them.

Still beautiful cooler less humid weather here.  It's almost chilly as I sit here typing.  I just checked the weather on the phone and it says it is 56 degrees so I guess that is why it might be called chilly.

3 little chicks

I finished sewing the 2 new chicks to go with the first one that has the heart.  I decided the other 2 just needed a patch of flowers.  They will go up on the design wall with the rest of the Farm Girl Vintage blocks today.  They are supposed to have embroidered legs.

I ended up reading for a few hours yesterday afternoon.  I was so close to the end of this book that I just had to finish it.  It was really good.  Now I will read another by this author next.

The milkweed in the front garden already has flowers forming.  This seems kind of early since the plants are only about 2 feet tall.

The name of this one always escapes me and I have both lavender and white blooming in the same flower bed.

6 blocks sewn...........

I put all of my blocks for the Farm Girl
Vintage quilt up on the double design wall.  The 2 new blocks are in there, the ones with blue in them (4 colors plus background in both blocks).  I still haven't determined a layout and will continue making blocks.  I had 2 more baby chick blocks partially cut so they will be next and then at least 2 more strawberries.

I also sewed four more zipper blocks to go with the first two I showed last Tuesday.

My Coleus plants are really growing fast, especially the lime green outlined leaf variety.

The first Cup of Gold Evening Primrose have bloomed.  There are buds on lots more of them and I have them in several places.

A little sewing........

I only got 4 quarters of one Farm Girl Vintage block sewn and all of the little triangle squares for the second block.  I will create more parts for the second block before I turn on the iron.

I went to a bridal shower yesterday afternoon and there was a take home cookie for everyone.  Hydrangeas were the theme on the napkins for the party so the cookies had a hydrangea design painted on the frosting and the date of the wedding included. That was an unexpected treat.

Just cutting, no sewing............

When my friends were here yesterday I decided to pull out the Farm Girl Vintage quilt book and see what blocks I want to make next.  It is a slow tedious task cutting for these blocks but I got 2 cut out.  Lots of decisions which fabrics to use for the blocks.

I also got some 2" strips of solids cut to go with some of the print strips I pulled out earlier this week.  These are for the framed 9 patch and zipper blocks I showed on Tuesday.

My son called and invited me out to his house last night for salmon cooked on the grill so there was no sewing in the evening either.  It was what I call a social day (and a fun day!)

Farm Girl Vintage update.........

While my friends were here yesterday I worked on my Farm Girl blocks.  I made a second strawberry and the 2 bowls and wooden spoon near the bottom on the left side.

I also got two more baby chicks cut out.  I still have to cut the heart fabric for both blocks.

In the early evening I decided to mow the lawn while we had a nice cool breeze from the north.  I doubt the grass will grow much this week since we haven't had rain for awhile and none predicted until Friday night.

Food blocks...........

One of my friends brought a die for me to use yesterday morning so I did some cutting.  Then after lunch I worked on a couple blocks for Farm Girl Vintage quilt.  I made my pumpkin with strips instead of squares and made it one row taller.  Since there are some other blocks that aren't 6" or 12" I figured it wouldn't make any difference it this one is 2" taller.

The other block is Peas and Carrots.  It is probably the fastest block I have made so far for this quilt.  If you want to see some of my other blocks I have a Farm girl quilt label in the Label list on the right sidebar for all posts pertaining to this quilt.

One more block............

I pulled out my Farm Girl Vintage blocks while my friends were here yesterday and made one more block, the large sunflower.  I still want to make 2 more little chicks and piece in some legs on the sheep instead of the embroidery they are calling for.  I haven't decided on a layout yet; that will come after I made another 10 or more blocks.

Last night I opened the new roll of batting and cut pieces for 2 quilts.  This will be the next one I do.  I have the back partially pieced for the one that comes after this one.  I think I will cut 2 more pieces of batting before I put the roll of batting in the fruit cellar storage area.

Playing with friends and sewing machines...............

My two friends came over yesterday and I worked on the sunflower blocks for the Farm Girl Vintage quilt.  I had 2 done earlier and the tall stem done.  I made one more stem and leaves and 2 blooms yesterday.  They are slow and tedious.

I made a final decision on the fabrics for the last three of the large X blocks.  See this post for the blocks that are done.

2 blocks.............

I sewed a second 
block last night.  I sewed the triangle sections for the next 2 blocks too.

I finished the tractor block and added a few of the other blocks to the design wall so you can see the size of the block in comparison.  It still needs hand embroidery of the steering wheel.  Several other blocks are waiting for hand embroidery too so I'll probably do them all at the same time. 

Yesterday was another beautiful fall day.  I trimmed the last Goldmound Spirea and then decided to mow the grass.  I knew I wouldn't be able to do it today because I have sewing circle at church this afternoon.  Last night I cut out some preemie layettes for our project. 

One block down, 11 to go.............

I made one block for the quilt I showed yesterday and this is before trimming.

This is after trimming the corners but it came out a bit larger than it is supposed to so I'll have to carefully trim it making sure I keep the striped pieces directly in the center of each side.

I also started sewing tractor parts for the Farm Girl Vintage quilt.  This block is 16" x 20" and the other blocks in the quilt are 12" and 6" finished sizes.  I'm thinking about making one of the barns too and I think it is 14".  I am planning on making my own layout, not following the book.

Farm Girl quilt progress............

I like to work on my the Farm Girl quilt blocks when my 2 friends come to sew.  The blocks take so long to make and it is great to have conversation while doing them.  I got the two sunflower blocks done.  They are 6" x 12".  I also modified the pattern slightly and made a double tall stem and leaves for which I still need to make the flower block.  I have one more set of the short leaf block all cut and ready to sew.  I will do the next 2 flowers when they come next time.

Here is a closer view of the block.  Those little connector corners on the leaves are tiny little 1" squares sewn diagonally.  I want to make at least one 12" sunflower block and maybe won't need the stem and leaves if I position it above the small flowers like it is in the background behind them.

I sewed a bunch more of the pink strip sets on Sunday and got them pressed yesterday.  I'll start slicing them soon so I can make more blocks.  I have one more batch of strip sets to make.

2 more farm girl blocks.........

My 2 quilting friends came over yesterday and I decided I would work on some more of the Farm Girl Quilt blocks.  I made the 2 cherry blocks in the top center......3 hours.
I think I need to make the big tractor block next and some of the flower blocks.


 

Then I cut the leaf parts of a stem and leaf block and made enough for 5 blocks or maybe I will double stack two of these for a taller stem since they will be sunflowers......another hour.

Then in one hour last night I made all of these blocks.  You can probably guess which ones I enjoyed the most.  I really dislike all of those connector corner squares sewn on almost every part of the Farm Girl blocks.  They are so fiddly to do it right and it takes forever to cut all of the little pieces for each block out of several different fabrics.  As much as I like the quilt I don't have the patience to spend hours on one 6" block.

21 blocks...........

Here is the "1" from the 21 blocks.  It is a six inch block for the Farm Girl Vintage quilt.

Red and purple are two colors that are hard to photograph accurately.  They are much more saturated color than they look here.  This is 10 blocks and there is another pile of the 10 duplicates.  I have just 5 more combinations to do and then I can go to the design wall.  I need to cut one more strip of each color.  The other 4 are already sewn in sets of 2 strips.