Still no rain. Maybe today…
And I’ve spent the better part of the last two days reviewing my Medicare Advantage plan and comparing it to others that might be better for me. That switch will be made tomorrow morning at 8 am! Whew!
But, I’ve also had a lot of sewing time in the past week, which has been fun. Here’s my design wall right now:
These are blocks from Tara Faughnan’s online class where she gives us a block a month with which we can play and explore. The first was “Zipper,” and the second one Serpentine. You can certainly see that I have been playing,
When I started the class I pulled a large fabric palette from my stash, thinking that there might be a way to combine blocks into an improv quilt. And that may or may not happen. Here’s the palette–separated into warm and cool colors–and with attention to dark, medium, and light values:
I’ve already had to replace some of the fabrics with bigger pieces I’ve ordered online. LOL. That’s how that goes.
Maybe an improv quilt can happen. Maybe not. I am also playing with combining the classic 2-color big blocks with scrappy ones. And I made a few extra scrappy blocks to have better color placement choices. Each block has a warm and cool combo.
And, last night I cut out a 2-color lime green block, which means I’ll have to make another one–probably in Kona Thistle, the medium purple/lavender.
A new block will come December 1, and that should tell me if any kind of improv quilt is possible. If not, I’ll make Zipper a wall hanging and see what happens with Serpentine.
Meanwhile, “Red Positivity” is on the longarm.
This quilt is right at the edge of a length I can do on my Innova–which is 10 feet long. It’s right at 90 inches. And as it is going well, I’ll now confess that I sewed my finger on the longarm the first go-round with this quilt–something I have never done in 12+ years of having a longarm. I sewed right through the nail and out the other side on my left hand index finger. (No worries, it has completely healed now with no sign of any damage.)
I was struggling with a very bad wide-back fabric that must have been the end of a bolt. It was just wrenched out of all of my ability to make it lie true–and that effort took off about 20 inches of the length. (I ripped 1 inch on the top and bottom to get a straight-of-grain line, and by the far end 10 inches came off the top and the bottom.) And I had to shorten the side-to-side width to fit my frame. By now, the extra strip I was going to sew to the batting didn’t seem needed. BUT, by the time I basted down the sides, the batting was way too narrow, leaving me only about 3 inches on the right side near the bottom as the batting wasn’t straight either. By then I was tired and should have just…stopped. Instead, I sewed my finger and then stopped.
So, for a while, I was gun shy about putting this quilt on the longarm, even with a new backing and a new batting. But this week, I ironed everything and began again, having removed all the basting stitches from the first effort.
All is good now, and the quilt (knock on wood) is looking beautiful. Perhaps I’ll finish it today. I have the binding for it all cut and ready to go.
I’m nearing the end of hand-quilting Traverse, but will have a few more weeks of night-time sewing. I have the big “Bonanza” binding to sew down–followed by “Red Positivity” and the little unnamed quilt top of 1-inch squares, which will go on the longarm next. After these quilt bindings, I’ll start to hand quilt “Happy,” formerly known as “the quilt from hell.”
And I’m cutting into the 1020-1930s fabrics to make blocks for a quilt. The extra fabric to fill out colors is here, washed, and ready to go.
I now have fabric in orange, blue, red, and pink.
So, my quilty plate is quite full. As is usual.
Louisa Enright's Blog 
You were having so much fun – until! Yikes, that must have hurt like hell! I always cringe watching people sew on youtube, it seems they must be SO close to that needle. I’m sorry that happened to you but will take it as a warning to be careful! I’m glad it’s healed now. Your design wall is fun to see! I’ve got to get one made, I’m using the back of the door of my sewing room. Not very big but still fun to see things stuck up there. It’s so nice today here in MA, I’m going out to help my husband rake leaves. Jan in MA
ANY design wall helps. The design wall was easy. It is just that those thick (2-inch) insulation panels you can find in a big hardware store–not expensive either. Son Bryan nailed them to the wall with long nails and those round plastic guards that surround the nail head and spread out the tension around the nail head–and protect so I can’t put a pin in that small area. Then I just covered the whole thing with 108-wide flannel and pinned it down tight at the edges. I have also see people use those panels not attached–just covered and leaning against a wall. What is good is that you can pin into them. Cotton sticks to flannel up to a point, but a draft can dislodge things. I bought a rake yesterday for the small amount of leaves I’ll have from the new little Crepe Myrtle. They have not fallen yet. Have a great Thanksgiving!
Several years ago when I worked at a fabric shop, we would always tear the extra wide fabric for a true straight of grain. They were never wound straight on the bolt. Now, when I buy the fabric, if they just cut it, I always get at least a quarter yard more and true it up myself. It’s so frustrating when things aren’t straight and you run short. I’ve stitched my fingernail once. Really scared me but no damage done. Whew! Am extra careful now. I’ve enjoyed your blog for quite a while but haven’t commented until now.
Tina W in Oregon
Thanks so much for commenting. And thanks for reading the blog. I’m so glad you are enjoying it. I was going to let it go when I moved from Maine to SC, but Maine friends wanted me to write about this new region. So… And I do like hearing from people all over the US. The blog is a window to others in that way–for me mostly. But maybe for others too. Yesterday that quilt I struggled with and sewed my finger over came off the longarm!!! So, yeah.
Oh man, I cringed when I read you sewed all the way through your finger! Oh boy! I have sewed into a finger I think,,,3 times! It was a not paying attention thing 😂😂 I love the quilt in your long arm! I don’t have one and I’m ok with bringing my tops to the wonderful girls in Dell Rapids! You design walk is really colorful!
I was ‘patiently waiting for the delft blue fabric’ and got the dreaded message…no longer available but could be here in undetermined time. Blah! Ugh! Plan b.
Your meals all look so inviting. Yum.
We ran errands today and got stuff for thanksgiving. 20 people. I get a little nervous with the food allergies, but I think I have a plan. I worry about what the turkey and ham have been brined or injected with, so I will bring a pound of hamburger so two guys can have hamburger. Last year, son and daughter in law raised 4 turkeys and we were treated with an awesome meal! It totally spoiled us! Our daughter and son in law are hosting but I feel like I need to furnish the meat……mama bear? Heehee
Take care and have a great weekend. P.s. we want rain too.
I’ve had a lot of luck googling the fabric I want in general and having some hits–particularly from Etsy shops. Maybe try for your blue fabric? Sounds like you will have a big family Thanksgiving gathering. Have fun! And thanks for commenting. I love to hear what others are doing out there in the world.