Design Wall Monday (a day late) - Status of Log Cabin Blocks

A new favorite word recently seems to be "putzing."

We're empty nesters, and we've transitioned quite nicely into the empty-nest household.  Don't get me wrong! NATURALLY we DO love our girlies, specially when they come home... but we always have roughly a bazillion irons in the fire to keep us busy.  For example, currently, the hubster has been spending hours and hours in the kitchen processing a few pigs he and a buddy butchered up on Sunday; these are a couple that he's been raising since September.  He has a long night ahead of him yet, too.  Oy.

So, I ventured to the quilting loft, and sifted about.  T'was time to get a beat on the status of the classic Log Cabin blocks that seem to have been around for quiiiite some time.  A quick search on the blog says these have been around since at least 2014.  Whoo-hooo, how's THAT for a UFO?  (WIP??) lol

Twenty-six 10" blocks are completely finished, and twenty-two are nearing completion after just a couple more colored strips are added to the edges.  Forty-eight might just cut it;  this would result in a 6x8 layout; 60" x 80" before borders... yup.  Seems like that'll be a plan of action.

So, although they aren't actually up on the design wall YET, tis good a day as any to be linking up with Small Quilts & Doll Quilts for Design Wall Monday. 

And my day job update -- there are certainly days where life is GRAND in the mathematically-delicious world of education!  Today was a good day; in EVERY class! Amazing mathematical-minded cherubs are definitely in the making.  

Pre-Calculus example of determining roots of polynomials.  
(no nightmares allowed, people!) - ha

It's definitely what they say:  "Do what you love and love what you do!"

Happy Tuesday.  Hoping your day was amazingly awesome as well.

Running action today: Hill workout

Design Wall Monday and a day of putterings

The design wall was hung in its new location Sunday afternoon, along the full wall of the newly tidied guest bedroom.  A pile of blocks had been waiting for this moment and were organized straight away this morning.  No pattern is being followed for these, but they are a pairing that seem to play nicely together.
HOWEVER, I'm not sold on those large 3.5" plain white units.  I feel like I've cheated! 
So.... perhaps change them out....????? 

 --->>???

I suppose some fancy quilting could spice up all that white space down the line...?  It'll percolate for a bit yet before I completely decide since the neutral string blocks for Dawn's Early Light are flowing nicely through the machine, for now anyway.

Was already piecing away shortly after 7:00 this morning before I thought to document the time.  Just how long do fifteen 3.5" strings blocks take to piece?...

... 'bout 45 minutes.

At that point, the day of un-scheduled puttering took off.

I needed to shower.  #1.  
Then I needed to run to town to pick up some chick food for our newest hatchlings. #2.

And instead of using shredded paper, I contemplated using straw, but knew I needed some down in the garden yet, so.... off to the garden I went to putter.  #3.

Which evolved into a full-blown tilling endeavor after walking the paths for any final tomato and bean 'volunteers.'  #4.

Grow Baby, Grow!

It's not much to look at right now, BUT... having checked the garden's unplanned items off my list today, I'll be freed up completely for piecing and sewing and more piecing tomorrow!

After a quick late-lunch sandwich, I headed back to the sewing loft for another hour (or so) of piecing (#5) with one of my favorite background-noise shows: Grey's Anatomy, until Paul arrived home at 4:00.  The Log Cabin blocks (UFO #2) have been turned into the current leader-ender project.

We strolled the garden together and both 'grrr'd' at the potato bugs we spied.  So, he started picking the bugs off while I began weeding some of the corn rows (#6).

By 5:00, we broke for a quick bite before heading to town to catch some youth softball games (#7).  

Daughter's of the BB coach, 6th and 4th grade.

And rolled back home in time to catch the 400M Men's final race.  

I love these days that 'just happen,' and are productively full.  And while waiting for these photos to upload, I had a hankering for something SWEET!  Being one who has never tried a cookie-in-a-cup recipe before, I gave it a whirl.  I don't even know what (or how) I thought of it.

Cookie in a cup recipe

Not amazing, but hit the spot all the same.

Tomorrow -- quilting!  Yup.  That's the ticket, I think.
Happy Monday :)

Head over to Small Quilts and Doll Quilts to link up to Design Wall Mondays.

UFOs #1 & #2 - OMIGosh & Scrappy Log Cabin

"Welcome back, Amy.  So, any lingering UFOs?"
 -- to which she laughed, and laughed!
Oh goodness golly, I'm not even SURE what I have hiding away in UFO status.  So, as a start...

OMIGOSH!  This project has lingered... and lingered... and lingered.  Generally speaking, it's been the ongoing on-and-off leader-ender project next to the machine for years (assuming units have been prepped), with my earliest mention of it back in an October, 2012 post.  It recently has been given the forefront of my attention whenever I actually happened to have found time in the previous year in my sewing space.  Today, the final units were trimmed...

... and some of the piecing began.

No down-sizing of this bad boy, either.  I've officially labeled with as UFO #1 with solid plans on making it my next finish!  #ChallengeAccepted

Additionally, amidst my sewing-room transition, I blew the dust off of this hidden bin of scraps (literally!).  I actually recall loosely when these were collected and cut; YEARS ago ... maybe 2008-ish?  I'm thinking that when the OMIGosh quilt sees a finish, these'll be next up.  There were a bunch of completed blocks in the bucket with some scribbled love-notes and prepped units; officially identified as UFO #2 for now.

 #BabySteps

RSC14; Fall life; apples; chickens getting older -- the good stuff :)

Angela's (SoScrappy) got the right idea choosing orange to be the color for September...

Mother nature is giving us reds and oranges and even some eggplant purples to enjoy as the days are starting to get cooler (and the nights even colder!)

Despite the cooling temps, the garden (slowly) continues to produce lil teaser crops of tomatoes so that I can make up half-batches of spaghetti sauce each weekend.

Sadly, the colder temps haven't killed the ragweed pollen yet.  Last Sunday, I opened up a brand new box of kleenex, and by that afternoon, only about 1/5 of it remained.  Ugh.  I wasn't a pleasant person to be around.

Regardless, the day was a super productive one.  Apples consumed us all day.... 

Candace was the first to sample the 2014 apple juice...

Cailtyn and Candace were a dynamo team with the foodmill, making apple sauce from the remains of the apple juicing session.

And yesterday, with 3 bags of apples STILL left from last weekend's preserving, I gave a new recipe a try:  Amish Apple Pie filling......

Ummmmmm..... can you say Y.U.M.!?!?  Definitely a winner winner :)  Now, I just need to learn how to make pie crust...

Truly, one positive about the cooler (but not COLD!) temps is the increased time we've spent in the hot tub.  Last Saturday at 8AM, with temps only at 37 degrees, we relaxed in the 102 degree water for about 20 minutes before tackling the corn crop harvest.

And just when chicken life finally has calmed down, we decide to make one final move before the snow starts flying.   The 10 "teenagers" (who SHOULD be laying eggs ANY day now!!!!), received some new coop-mates this morning...

The 10 chicks, who are no longer chicks, have been moved in to their new digs;  the New Coop.  Cassie and I watched the interaction between the two flocks for about half hour without too much excitement.  We are fairly certain the 10 chicks consist of 5 roosters and 5 hens;  the biggest rooster (the white/black speckled one closest to the waterer in the picture) doesn't have much fear of the pullets/teenagers.  He marched right over to the feeder, and amazingly....the pullets didn't bother him either.  There were only minor lil' scuffles between the chickens so far;  for the most part, each 'flock' is staying with their peers. Eventually, I'm fairly certain the 20 of them will all play nicely together.  Although----with 5 roosters....... we may need to problem solve.  But, that'll be a thought for another day.

"Shorty" here keeps sprouting and turning into an AMAZING young lady.  Fall life is keeping us all on our toes;  volleyball games, schoolwork, housework, garden work.... there isn't much down-time, certainly.  Cass has become such a wonderful helper!!!!!

And then there are odds-n-ends in the quilting, sewing and crocheting world that fill the tiny lil' moments of free time...

Scrappy Log Cabin blocks 

Red Heart's Prairie Star

I actually have an entire afternoon ahead of "downtime!"  I could sew, but don't think I'm gonna.  I could crochet....but same thought of not really wanting to.  

Truly, instead, I think I'm going to get a few plans in place for school lessons this week.  Considering I don't even know what I have on the agenda for tomorrow for my Algebra 2 class, I think some computer/school work time is my best option :)

Happy Sunday everyone.

Cabin time, quilting style

I haven't done much (any?) blogging on the harvesting/preserving of the goodies from our garden this year.  Since we've been home from vacation, beans, peas, peppers and cucumbers have been most of our harvests.  This morning was the last of our bean harvesting;  we have reached our lot :)

The corn JUST became ripe, and we enjoyed our first meal of 'corn only' for lunch today.

Then, I started losing steam.  1:00 hit, and I was glad the beans and cucumbers were done;  picked and preserved.  I mentioned tackling the carrots to Cassie and Paul this AM, but.......... nope.  Not today.  They can wait a few more days.

Instead, I hopped on FB to see what everyone was up to.

Have you seen those "Which ________ are you?" quizzes?  Be it, superhero, color, Sci-Fi, ......

Today, it was Which quilt block are you?

Log cabin!  That was truly the little bit of kick I needed to get motivated to head downstairs for a few hours of some simple, relaxing piecing.

I've had this tote of fabrics cut since.... 2008 (?) for log cabin blocks.  

I had about 9 blocks of each style pieced that are shown in this picture.  Observe... do you see the slight difference between the block piles?

These (with a 1" finished center) were actually the second version of my quilt block that I pieced way back in 2010.

I think THESE 2" centers go back to..... 2008?  Goodness, I really don't know.

BUT, notice what had me hung up?  Due to the 2" (finished) square in the center, I wasn't able to leave this as a 9" (finished) block, {the size I wanted} because the darks weren't balanced with the neutrals.  I mean, I COULD have left them like this;  they did look okay on the design wall with the slight off--center-balanceness.  But I didn't.

I made up 10 new blocks, burning through some of the scraps from those that had already been cut in the tote, and then started to cut some new scrap fabrics in order to increase the blocks by 2 more edges, having them finish at 10".  

5:00 rolled around, and I was feeling the afternoon "I need to eat" slowsies.  Therefore, the remaining partially completed stack will wait for my next sewing & cutting-scraps session.

My GBP (Green Bay Packer) leader-ender piles are growing...

Upstairs, the girls were have a moment of "getting along," playing a game of checkers.

It's crazy that I spent so much time away from the blog this summer, but.... I think that time away really was just needed.   Denise and Pamela wrote me such simple, but MUCH NEEDED, 'missed you' comments on my post yesterday.  I wanted to reply, ladies, but both of you have your settings set to "no-reply."  I am super super appreciative of your kind words.   Lori, I've wanted to respond to your comments lately, too...but you also have a "no-reply" setting.  THANKS for the cheers and the scrubbie tutorial :)

And to all my readers...

There are those of you who have become true friends, even those we've never met face-to-face.  I truly am thankful for many advances in technology in order for this amazingness to occur. :)

Happy Friday

If you'd like to be FB friends---leave me a comment; don't be afraid to ask.  I promise I won't think you're stalker material! :)  I post to FB far more than here (especially lately!) 

Scraps decluttered; Too Good to Cut progress; Stash report for THREE WEEKS

How does a mess like this go uncleaned for soooooo long?????? I started the day (Saturday) with sewing on the mind, but.....I was COMPELLED and MOTIVATED to clean up and organize this mess. Who was *I* to ignore the urge!?!?!?!!? I'm SURE you all have a mess like this on the edge of your cutting table, right??? The "collection spot" for all those little ends that aren't big enough for the current project, but too big to toss into the "crumb collection"......yeah, yeah.....

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh.............Now THIS makes me want to dig right back in....nothing like a clean, BIG area for cutting........AND LOOK!!!! I found my purple-handled scissors!!!!! Yipeeeee! Most of the scraps were cut into 1.5" logs for my scrappy log cabins.....
remember those?
I have 19 blocks completed; pictured are the blocks I did up the first day of this WIP.... I'm feeling inspired enough to dive back into those blocks!!!! Oh......there needs to be more time in this life for quilting!

When I eventually sat at my machine, I did make some more progress on my Too Good to Cut Challenge blocks....
This fabric line is so flowerly and "light"----glad I finally took the plunge to cut into them, but.....eh....I'm really not a frilly girl. What was I thinking when I bought these fabs?

Okay----onto the stash reports.....
Golly! I haven't reported in three weeks....

Stash Report: May 17 - 23
Used this week: .472 yards
Purchased this week: 0 yards
Used-to-date 2010: 122.105 yards
Purchased-to-date 2010: 131.75 yards
Net used: -9.645 yards

Stash Report: May 24 - 31
Used this week: 3.090 yards
Purchased this week: 0 yards
Used-to-date 2010: 125.195 yards
Purchased-to-date 2010: 131.75 yards
Net used: -6.555 yards

Stash Report: June 1 - 6
Used this week: .817 yards
Purchased this week: 0 yards
Used-to-date 2010: 126.012 yards
Purchased-to-date 2010: 131.75 yards
Net used: -5.738 yards

Still in the RED, but I'm close to being in the BLACK!

Okay.....I'm up early this AM. I'm off to get started :0)

Quiltathon - Pineapple Blossoms, Scrappy Log Cabins, Paintbox, Carolina Christmas, March BOM... whew!

Not that it's a biggy, but ....
THIS IS MY 350th post! 50 more posts and you can expect a goodie-of-a-giveaway! Four is my favorite number, so 400 SURE should be worth something, huh??....

Anyway....how'd I do on my goals, you wonder????
Take a peek....

Goal #1 - Ten more Pineapple Blossom - CHECK.
(And bonus triangle pinwheels.)

Goal #2 - Ten more Scrappy Log Cabins - CHECK.

Goal #3 - Sew together Paintbox blocks - CHECK.
(I even threw on one small border.)

Goal #5 - Work on March BOM - CHECK.
All three blocks have been sewn together; now just to find time to type up the directions. How d'ya like the size of the one HST??? 1" FINISHED! HA!
As mentioned in the caption, I also took 30 minutes (or so) to press the HST's from Carolina Christmas's part #4. Before leaving the machine, I partially began sewing the Broken Dishes units; those are on the agenda to be finished up for tomorrow.

Goal #4 was the only one I didn't tackle today, but I really should make it my main goal for tomorrow. A finish would be nice. :0)

My mom picked up this collection of (mostly) C'mas fabrics at her local Goodwill for a couple of dollars....

And tonight, Cassie surprised ALL of us with Valentine's bags full of goodies. Caitlyn and Candace each got some candy and a V'day t-shirt, "Dad" got some silly high-flying saucer something-er-others, and **I** got this LOVELY V'day fabric. How thoughtful!!!!! (She went shopping with G'ma yesterday) ;0)

So, one more day of weekend for me tomorrow; looking forward to another day of sewing! :0)
Happy Sunday everyone.