Monday Mystery Link-Up and Design Wall Monday

Clue 2 was to make blue and neutral half square triangles.

While l was reading the clue, I started laughing!

Blue HSTs! 

I love them!!

Needless to say, my blue strip stash has now been almost depleted.

Good thing I just bought new blue yardage. 

In May, I finished Jamestown Landing. 

In August I used my Triangle Gathering blocks with neutral string blocks to make this top. 

I thought I'd be slick and use my brand new Go! die.

That bit me right in the keester!

The blades just made a mess of my fabric so

I got out my ruler and rotary cuter and cut the old way.

I was happily sewing along when I remembered I had a bunch already cut 

from the other quilts.

(Do you like my Dollar Store bin that I saved with red duct tape?)

I got that bin down and finished sewing those up.

I chose the ones I wanted and put the remaining ones in the bin labeled HSTs of this size.

Here is my final few ready to press and trim.

I've been using Chunky Churndash (Free pattern at Quiltville) 

as my leader/ender project 

and made a bit of progress on it this weekend.

Whenever I needed to take a break, 

I sewed a l/e seam.

Today I'm linking up with 

Quiltville-Monday Mystery Link-Up

and

Small Quilts and Doll Quilts Design Wall Monday.

Enjoy your day in Blogland. 

Design Wall Monday

 Last week after making my cute little piggie, 

I told myself to get busy and get the borders on this quilt! 

So for a change, I did what I was told.

😇

I have it all measured and labeled for batting and backing.

I even have the binding ready! 

This week's goal is to get this done.

On Wednesday we packed up for the beach.

We borrowed our son's tractor with a backhoe attachment 

to clear stumps and that horrid bamboo root ball. 

I say we like I worked. 

I did help a little but not like he did.

So I stayed out of the way and chased a squirrel.

I started this new crochet project called Crazy Patchwork.

(it's a freebie!)

I want to use up all my acrylic yarns but

I had to add 4 new colors to what I had.

I used up all I took with me except the yellow.

I still have some of it left to use with other colors.

It's fun to start something new and use up some of the old.

I spent some time watching old tv shows and saw this.

OMGosh, who would I find to pedal for me!

Thank goodness I don't have to.

It's nice to go, it's nice to come home-

to get ready to go again. 😍

I have to put my visiting around Blogland on hold until later tonight.

Check out the fabulous design walls linking to 

Small Quilts and Doll Quilts Design Wall Monday.

Design Wall Monday

It's been a busy busy week so not much sewing has happened.

I took some quiet time today to sit down at the machine.

Easy, quick piecing on this Triangle Gathering and Strings top.

I put the blocks into separate piles and reached over and picked up the top block.

No layout at all.

I have the fabric laying out to cut the borders.

This will be a nice cuddle on the couch quilt.

In the evenings, I've been basting diamonds for the Antique Star quilt.

I'm just going to baste and baste and baste. 

I did sew 1 star block together but I decided to wait on any more.

I pulled out a bunch more of my shirt fabric and need to cut more diamonds.

I love the soft feel of the recycled shirts. 

This is going to be a great quilt!

Check out fabulous design walls at

Small Quilts and Doll Quilts Design Wall Monday.

Design Wall Monday

I'm late, very late. I have a good reason.

It was hot here so on Thursday, we went to the beach.

Any excuse to go to the beach but this is the best one.

I finished up all the blocks that I was using for my leader/enders. 

These were the blocks for the Triangle Gathering quilt.

I mentioned last week that I had been thinking of doing Quiltville's Chunky Churndash.

It's one of Bonnie's free patterns.

I pulled out the strips I needed, sewed a while, cut a while.

I have several blocks kitted up ready for leader/enders while I work on the next project.

Ernie had volunteer to help our friend Bill put new windows in their house.

So he was gone for 2 days and I sewed on Wild & Goosey.

I forgot to take any pictures.

We took a drive last night because I wanted to see the sunset.

No sunset to be seen, it was soon socked in with fog

The across the street neighbors were putting a new roof on their house.

I was so nervous watching them up there. 

I felt it was my job to keep an eye on them.

So lots of knitting happened. 

This pair of socks was finished and the next pair started.

Today on the way home, I set a couple goals on these socks.

First was to get the ribbing finished before we got to the Rainier bridge.

I finished the last row as we crossed over into Oregon.

Then it was just plain knit, knit, knit.

Love Opal yarn. 

This colorway is Robin Hood.

I'm late to the party but I'm still linking up with

Small Quilts and Doll Quilts Design Wall Monday.

Design Wall Monday

We spent last week at the beach with family.

Loads of fun for 3 days and then it was very quiet.

So I pulled out Wild & Goosey and started sewing block parts together.

I need to take more scraps with me next time we go for more variety,

We came home Friday and on Saturday,

I set up my outside office.

I printed 2 more patterns so I bound the instructions and glued the sheets together.

Then traced and cut out for my size.

I started with Patterns for Pirates Grampa Cardigan.

I had gotten this fabric on the clearance table at JoAnn's.

I sewed it up that night and know where to make my adjustments.

It is a wearable muslin.

Very soft and drapey.

I need to topstitch and hem and I think I'll add patch pockets.

Sunday was hot so I hid in my sewing room for a while.

I love Doug Leko's new mini Simple Folded Corner ruler.

I got mine in the Quiltville store when I ordered some other things.

It was fun using it on these spools. 

I need to do some work on that red one.

It's not quite right.

Anyhooo, all the blocks for the 30s Saturday Sampler are finished.

Time to cut some sashing and cornerstones and a couple borders and the binding.

Another step closer to busting this UFO.

All the blocks I'm going to make for Triangle Gathering are complete.

This final one will be made into quarters for the 4 corner blocks for the outside border. 

I'm ready to lay these blocks out and sew this into a top.

Now I need a new leader/ender project.

I've been wanting to make another Chunky Churndash.

I made this one in 2007 so it's time to make another.

 I love a good plan. 

Check out great Design Wall Monday posts that are linked up to 

Small Quilts and Doll Quilts Design Wall Monday.

Design Wall Monday

I've been working on moving some UFOs forward.

Last week I showed you the square in a square blocks,

they are for a border for this quilt.

I worked on Castle Wall blocks this week.

I needed 3 more.

Instead of hand piecing these, 

I decided to try machine piecing.

I should have tried that after the 1st 3 blocks,

it took some time but was fun.

Then I started putting the rows together.

Pin, pin, pin.

Next I run out of bobbin thread after "sewing" almost a whole row.

Whoopsie!

Swear, pin, pin, swear, pin.

This project has been put back on the shelf until it's number is called.

Next UFO to work on is my Triangle Gathering quilt.

This is not on the UFO Challenge list so I need to work on it until it's complete.

I decided not to make all the blocks-only 21

and use 21 string blocks for the alternate blocks.

I sew on phone book pages,

tear off the paper, then trim to size and cut my triangles.

I use the Essential Triangle Tool to cut my triangles. 

WhaaLaa! My alternate block.

I love strings!!

It feels good to get some of the UFOs moving along.

Check out the great design walls linked to 

Small Quilts and Doll Quilts-Design Wall Monday.

Design Wall Monday

I've been watching Anina of Twiddletails on Instagram as she's sharing her Garden Party progress.

Soon I was chasing an old squirrel. 😎😎😎

I got mine out to lay out a few blocks just to see.

(I'm laying this one out straight instead of on point like my red one.)

I had planned to take this to our retreat that's coming up in a few week but

once I pulled it out, I just had to make a few blocks.

Soon I had my remaining 9 patches complete and started framing them.

I love setting up the next Triangle Gathering block for my leader/ender.

When I sew on my framing strips, I work in groups of 10.

Sew until one side is finished on all 10, 

grab a l/e to make progress on that block too.

Win, win!

Of course I had to make a Diamond Tile block from Bonnie's Addicted to Scraps column.

Are you sewing along?

Read her details here. 

I have a few more cut and ready to sew.

You all know I'm not starting any new projects, right?!?

Bahahaha

I'm headed over to have my morning coffee with Blogland friends at 

Small Quilts and Doll Quilts Design Wall Monday.

Enjoy your day~