Sewing a modular quilt.......

Designing a modular quilt is one thing; sewing it is figuring out the puzzle.  There will only be one partial seam to sew on this one to be able to assemble it.  I changed one square from yesterday's photo, the dark red in the left upper module.  It was more blue and green in the piece yesterday so I looked through the stack of pieces and found one that was more red, for better balance of colors.  I also chose a first border from a piece of Vicki's gradation fabric.

I worked on a couple other things from my list too, but I have to admit I spent quite a bit of time reading "The Help".  Quite a few of you said you have already read it and enjoyed it too.  Today I will have to limit my reading time and do more sewing.  Sunday, a day of rest will be a good reading day.

A lazy day......

I have lists of things I should be doing but instead I'm playing with modules cut from Vicki Welsh's hand dyed fabrics.  I will let it stay on the design wall for a couple days before I sew it.  I wasn't sure if 2 spirals should be in the same piece but I think I like it.  The modules are all multiples of 3" (6", 9",12").  It will only be 30" x 39" as it is now.

I did mow the grass and started reading "The Help" so I did accomplish one task and had some relaxing reading time.  Now today I need to get busy and check a few things off my list.

Diamonds with borders.......

Don't expect to see this quilt finished any time soon.  I can see it will be my go to project when I want to sew but don't have anything else ready to sew.  I was still dealing with the fatigue after a headache so I ran errands yesterday and then sewed a few borders on diamonds.

I found this little LED light with a twisty extension on it at Walgreen's on sale for $4.  I know there is a fancy pricey bright light you can put on a machine but I needed them on 3 machines and this one fit my budget.  I just wrapped the extension around the handle of the sewing machine and then twisted the light to illuminate the area to the right of the presser foot.

A lot of the newer machines have light in the area to the right of the needle but this machine is about 18 years old, the same age as my other two machines.  We found out on Monday that these little lights got dimmer the longer they were on (like a half hour or more) so the plan is to turn it off when I will be away from the machine for more than 5 minutes.  The lights recovered after being turned off for awhile.  The little batteries will cost about 25 cents each if I buy in bulk and there are 3 in each light.  It is a nice low cost alternative for me.

Headache........

I got up with a horrible headache yesterday (storms coming) but knew I had to show up at the QOV meeting to do a demo.  I left shortly afterward and came home.  The headache didn't go away until 5:30 so needless to say, I did nothing yesterday.

A post without a photo just won't do though so I took a photo of the backing fabric I found on sale for my 2 antique H quilts.

Storms did roll through last night and we got some rain and a drop in temperature.  A nice day predicted for today.

Look at this nail!!!

This is the 'little' nail my brother took out of my tire.  It was in there head first with the point sticking out of the tire.

The art quilters came yesterday and one of them made a Jelly Roll Race quilt.  I love the orange spacers in this combination of colors.  It is hot off the sewing machine here, not even pressed yet.

Today is Quilts of Valor (QOV) day in Batavia, IL.  After company left yesterday I pressed the seams on a bunch of strips we sewed last month and put 3 kits together.  It is supposed to be another scorcher today and then a front coming through late in the day and maybe a little rain.

Do you want to win..

Laura at Artfabric blog is having a giveway for the Accuquilt Baby GO and some dies.  Check it out and leave a comment if you want to be in the drawing.

Kansas Dugout....

I have always like the Kansas Dugout block.  It is sometimes used as a signature block.  My grandpa lived in Kansas and we visited him when I was 8 years old.  Maybe that is the connection for me.  This page is from "Continuing On #4 1/2" by Mary Ellen Hopkins, part of her Connecting Up series.

When I saw the die was available for my Studio die cutter, I had to have it.  It will pair up with 3" finished triangles to finish the block, and yes I have that die too, 6 in a row for fast cutting.  I have no idea what fabric I will use for the triangles.

Here is a quilt with this block and plain squares, so simple but neat.  This one is from "Connectors Collection #4 11/12" by Mary Ellen Hopkins.  There are several others in the book that use this block.  It also makes a nice border block.

Today the art quilters are coming.  It is going to be scorching hot again.  I have a nail in one of the rear tires on my van so my brother is going to fix it for me later in the afternoon.  I hope I don't have any emergencies to have to leave home before then.  I found the low tire when it was time to pick up supper for Dad last night so my brother brought the portable air compressor over and we got through the evening.  Dad was in rare humor last night talking in rhymes.  We just listen to him and humor him because not a lot of it makes any sense.  He seemed happy though which is a good thing.  Sometimes he seems to be off in another zone and has very little to say to us when we visit.  Knock on wood we haven't been to the emergency room for 7 months!!