A fungly flimsey before its time....

As I've been making my fungly blocks, using the Jacks on Six block pattern, I keep being told my choices are fun, but not ugly. So I keep looking for uglier fabric to use. I haven't been very successful in that search. And then I realized why!! Many of them have already become a fungly quilt using a different block. It all began about a year plus ago....
 I decided to make a snuggle quilt using the "unloved" and "oh my gosh that's ugly" fabrics that lingered at my house. Betsy hates to be left out and happily supplied a bunch of 6" squares of her 'uglies'.
 And you know, of course, that I can never play exactly by the rules, even when they are MY rules...LOL. So I cut a few 'focus' or 'interst' type fabrics in 5" squares and tucked them into the mix also. And they are all directional, so the quilt has a definite top and bottom, unless you want polka dancing pics standing on their heads *VBS*
 Coming soon a peek at the backing I made on Tuesday. Lets just say I had some fairly(?)bright oranges and blues I wanted to move along.
I have just one side of Haileys quilt to finish, and in true Finn fashion, I just HAD to start quiting the hourglasses. I have all the vertical lines quilted, and will be moving on to the horizontal lines a bit later *VBS* We have 6 more quilters joining us in the UFO challenge, and I'll get those names added yet today. How's everyone doing? Are you off and running?? I am *VBS*, and I know for sure that Clare has finished on of hers! You'll be seeing quite a few new names and blogs to check out as the list continues to grow.

Who's the laziest cat......

in the neighborhood...the laziest cat in the neighborhood...??? I think probably Ebby is the grand champion of them all! She's added a new wrinkle to her daily routine. Today it was very pronounced. She saunters to the middle of the room, flops down(not graceful at ALL!) and proceeds to "just lay there and go to sleep". She has also adopted the 'corpse pose' recently,flat on her back, all 4 paws in the air, tail straight out and then watches over the top of her head....LOL. She does keep me entertained!! As I was blog hopping earlier this week, I noticed that Tonya had listed some of us "fungly" makers....and...she didn't think the blocks were as "fungly" as they could have been. I decided to see if I could accomplish MORE ugly and MORE fun.
 You'd think adding Aunt Gracies would do it,but no...not so much!
 Maybe the witches undies paired with 1950'spink carnations fabric,but no... not so much!
 As a last resort(or maybe not) these wild ghosts and very ugly candy corn fabric that had been a birthday gift. And then, really UGLY green(from Granny Lyn) with Mr. B's cats...hey, I think I've got it!!!!

Minor miracle and other nonsense...

I am definitely NOT a magician. I'm far too clumsy for one thing. Life is kind of one big OPPS! with me *VBS* But none the less, a minor miracle took place at Finn's house yesterday. And I'm going to waste your time telling you about it because its a rare occurance. Since the 'stitching bug' has grabbed me, I have to admit I needed something to stitch on while watching Survivor Thursday night. I remembered that there was a lonely utility Strip Twist with quilting done except for one side. So I grabbed it and stuck it in my half hoop just as Survivor was starting. All that it needed was the border on one side. I was using big stitch and black perle cotton. Well, Survivor was turned out to be a double episode..2 hours. The side got finished...wow! Now it needs trimming and a binding. Believe it or not(pardon me Ripley!) I made a scrap binding Friday morning and sewed it on. In the afternoon, I sat down to watch CNN and fret over my pension and social security as the government slogged onward towards oblivion. I stitched on the newly applied binding. By this time I've already broken several of my best time ever time records *VBS* And here is the result, as of 10 p.m. last evening, binding was finished. I tossed the new quilt onto the chair next to me. It was adopted immediately! The picture is from today, but the miracle happened yesterday, when, in a 24 hour period I finished quilting, made binding, applied it and got it sewn down...amazing!! Of course this is NOT going to be a trend. All the sitting and stitching got me to thinking about bindings in general. Normally(read in previous years, many of them)I cut the binding when I cut borders. I almost always match the binding to the border because I don't want a 'break' as you look at the quilt. Keeping the binding inconspicious lets me appreciate the 'break' between the main part of the quilt and the border, or borders. That's still the rule for me, except when that wild maverick streak pops up. A few years back I decided to bind a utility type quilt with a scrappy binding. Meaning I used whatever I found in my 1.5" strip bin. And I loved the look. I use that method more frequently now. Obviously I used it on the Strip Twist that Ebby is enjoying.
 Here it is on the Hourglass quilt finished this past week. When faced with binding this one, and all its odd fabric(read fungly)choices, I decided to take the scrap binding one step further and use the OLDEST(most tready)stuff in my bin, and there is quite a bit of it!. A strange thing happens when you are sewing together random lengths of 1.5" strips. You can't tell when you have enough, so you just keep adding them. When I bound the Hourglass, there was a HUGE length left which I threw back into the bin. Yesterday I added more to the other end, but as fate would have it, started with the previous end and never did get to the newly added. Mow it's back in the bin waiting for another quilt.
 And it isn't just the fungly utility type quilts that I attack when the mood hits me. This is a really lovely star quilt, with lots of nice fine hand quilting. It got the scrappy treatment also a couple of years ago. The fabrics for the blocks had come a 5" charm swap, and then we had to make a quilt using only one additional light and one additional dark. I did a modified Sawtooth Star, as you can see. Modified in that I didn't have 3" squares to split for my star points, I had to work with the 2.5" squares I got from my 5" square. It's do-able.
So there you are...one minor miracle and another peek at my maverick nature.
I told you a week or so ago, that when I am cutting scraps now, I've abandoned the 1.5" size completely. I'm only cutting as small as 2" in squares in strips. I will continue to bind with 1.5" but will no longer keep a tub going for that size. This was prompted partly by my failing vision and clumsy hands. But whatever the reason, a shift took place in my thinking and I decided I may as well just sew up all the old, ugly, thready, small and whatever else 1.5" strips into binding. I've accomplished about 2/3s of that today. I dumped all my 1.5"stuff onto the table and began sorting. All the 1.5" squares are in a cool-whip tub for little 4 or 9 patches. The 3.5" X 1.5" are in a pile to make little fence rails, a few odd ones are set aside to finish up a 1.5" log cabin I have started, and everything else(IF it was truly a 1.5" strip is in a pile to sew as bindings.
I found my older strips were a scant 1.5". Those I tossed. I always used to work with Quilters Rule rulers(read black lines). Since I can no longer see those, I've gredually switched over to Omnigrid with yellow lines. It's amazing what sitting a table with a pretty good light and checking strip width reveals about your cutting. Please don't have a hissy fit over what I threw away. I'm a Scrap Queen after all, with more than 30 years of scraps behind me, the tossed stuff is less than a baggie, all total *VBS* AND I have a newly emptied Rubbermaid bin!!!

Friday's pieces.......

Its hard to believe the whole week has passed already, and it's Friday again. I've had a busy week, with lots of sewing and a fair amount of cleaning accomplished. I've taken this UFO to the next stage. The last two lattices were added and the outer border. I was prepared to set it aside, bit DD#1 decided she likes this one better than the newly begun October baby quilt top...so, onward to get this one tied and bound I guess...sigh.
  While blog hopping earlier this week, I came across Libby, making little checkerboard quilts from her scrap basket. For me, that's like putting a piece of cheese in front of a mouse! I had a little baggie from Gypsy Quilter San. The triangles were all in the baggie, cut but unsewn. I couldn't resist having a little "Libby-style" play time. This little quilt is about 6" X 7". I'll do a quick baste and have it for one of my teddy bears or a little doll *VBS*.
 When I posted the Odd Fellows All quilt earlier this week as UFO #2, I mentioned it had been an "ongoing" project. Quilt Pixie picked up on that statement and idea. So I thought I'd elaborate a bit more about my method. When asked what kind of quilter I am, I would have to reply "a scrappy, but traditional quilter". It was so in the beginning and over the 30 years, it hasn't changed. Most of the time that means I don't follow a set of directions or specific pattern to reach an outcome. I make some of those kind of quilts, such as Bonnie's Orange Crush quilt, or the new Tobacco Road. Mostly I end up choosing a "block" I like, such as log cabin, bow tie, flying geese, or the fungly block 'Jacks on six'.
 Once I've chosen a block to make, its just a matter of making lots of that block from all sorts of scrap fabric(mostly). I pull from stash as needed, mostly for backing or borders. What I do next is establish a ziplock(and eventually a rubbermaid) for that quilt-to--be. Then as I cut scraps, I cut specifically for THAT quilt as well. I have alot of scraps, and as I whip them into useable shapes and form, I was cutting bigger scraps into a 6" square to become hourglass blocks. It's an on going process. What's in the last two pictures, are the "process". I'm cutting for the fungly blocks, a pile of left over 3.5" HST that will wander into an orphan quilt in works, the 3" 4 patches for Tobacco Road and a stack of odds and ends(3" squares)that will become a Disappearing 9 patch eventually. Because I have all the time in the world, I can cut for as many as I've a mind to. If your sewing time is more limited, you might want(like Quilt Pixie) to simple cut for ONE other quilt top *VBS*

Finding F.U.N. in fungly....

I needed to go back to Tonya's blog and re-read the boundries for the Fungly Challenge. I'm so happy I did, as I had forgotten one important point.  I think it was one of the last statements..."think I-Spy or novelty prints"! Remembering that Liberated me even further...as you can see! *VBS*
 And I'm still pulling odds and ends from my stash, looking for the unusual combinations.
 Making these blocks is such fun. I've been spliting 4" squares for the HST's and when I press them, that's the only pressing I do until the end. Normally I would press the seams at the intersections before I joined the upper row to the middle row, etc....but I'm not doing that this time, and it does throw things a bit wonkier! Not sure how many blocks I have so far. Time to count them.
It's been wonderful being home more the past two days *VBS* Jean is doing quite well now, with regards to her hip. It seems odd to me that altho the hip was a secondary part of the bone graft, it is what has caused the more problems.
I've gotten the "Whatever" blocks set with lattice and am adding borders today. I will try to get a backing made today also. Feels good to be rolling again!

My First "Finish" and some fungly fun....

I did it! I did it! I did it! My first UFO to bite the dust! I sewed those blocks together with lattice, made a backing and got it tied, labeled and bound! Hurray!!!  It all snuggley and quite white, but I'm sure Hailey will be warm this winter *VBS* I get to see her for the first time tomorrow and give her the new quilt *VBS*
  A peek at the backing(flannel) provided by her Auntie. Yes, it's funny little worm like thingies, but I'm choosing to call them "glow bugs"!
 And for your entertainment today, another fungly first *VBS* Click on the picture to enlarge and check out the antics in that upper right corner....geeeeeeez! A very strange Halloween print this one! Definitely fits the "ugly" part. Tomatoes compliments of my dear friend Dee, of Thea Quilts.
 And last, but not least, a peek at part of the backing on the Hourglass quilt. It's almost a quilt now. The quilting is done, the binding is sewn on, and I have about half of the hand stitching done too!!!Go Finn Go!!

Bits and Pieces...

a little of this and a little of that *VBS* Over the past week I have gotten another strippy top together. Still haven't gotten it pressed or a backing made, but soon. Beyond this, in the sewing room, I'm back at work on the Jacks over Six blocks for Tonya and Bonnie's Fungly Challenge.
 The little basket I started for the crochet with fabric post, is finished and currently holding the pins from a nearly finished quilt.
 Last weeks mail brought me this charming little heart, cut from an older Double Wedding Ring quilt. My friend, Julie, of Julie K Quilts, sent it to me. She had found it at a local quilt show. Local means Texas *VBS* Thank you so much Julie, I will be creating sort of a collage and using this nice recycled round maple frame. It just happens to have a curved glass and I've been wanting to use it for something special.
I had a lovely Easter with friend Jean and her family. The weather was clear but cool, and no snow, thank goodness. Thank you all for the nice Easter wishes *VBS*

NYE UFO Challenge update....

wow...are we off to a good start on the UFOs of Blogland!! The number to finish has climbed to 202, with 44 of us just slaving away on them! I saw this a.m. that the August post(regarding the challenge) has slipped over into the archives. Soooo...you can still join us if you've a mind to, but PLEASE leave that information on the newest post. I scooted back to August and good thing I did, I found 5 more quilters and 26 more UFOs to be added *VBS*(very big smile). I've been busy with the latest project, the baby quilt for October, but that never stops me from playing around.I simply can't resist more fungly fun!! This halloween fabric cracks me up! Lucky me...I have a whole yard of it!
And of course something abit more traditional...right?
Last but not least, aiming for really UGLY...did I make it????

Play Day....

No friends or family came calling today, and Ebby chose to sleep. But that didn't stop me from playtime. Luckily I play well alone *VBS* The little pile of 3.5" X 1.5" strips turned into this today. I randomly matched lt. to dark(mostly)and made 36 fence rail units. That left exactly 4 small strips that didn't get used. Yesterdays cutting is paying off today!
 To quote Gwen Marston "You can never have too many small quilts", and I can use a new table topper. This is the fungly stash I busted as backing *VBS* Remember I mentioned the 'half hoop' I used to finish up the Strip Twist borders?
 Well here it is. It's an odd looking thing. A friend brought 3 back from a CO quilt show back in the 1980s. I was lucky enough to recieve one. I've never seen others and wonder if there are many of them around anymore? Anyone know? The coming of Q Snap frames may have edged them out.
 Here it is open. You open it, pin the edge of the border to the fabric strip(I use staight pins mostly) and then ease the upper half of the arc down over the main part of the quilt. Using one of these does require frequent hoop moves, but with borders most everything require moving the quilt along as you go. I think I could just as easily use this for the main part of todays little quilt. All a piece has to be is big enough for the hoop to catch and hold it.
I hope everyone who's doing the New Years Eve UFO countdown is doing well and having fun. I'm seeing lots and lots of new blogs that I would NEVER have found otherwise*VBS* I hope everyone is having fun while they participate.

Checking in....

 with some progress to report for a change! As I mentioned in my last posting, I've got a tale to tell. A Tale of Two Containers. Funny how things work sometimes. Background information, I usually store projects in the shoe box size Rubbermaid containers. The 9 patch blocks in this top are from one such container. The sad part(or maybe mindblowing) is that they are made from the siggy blocks exchanged for the Y2K quilts. I was unable to decided what to do with them, so I sewed them into 9 patches with some of their 2.5" square neighbors. And thus they have sat since 1998, that's the oldest date on one of them...yikes! The setting blocks is a 6.5" version of Tonya and Bonnie's Fungly quilts....2 yrs ago..maybe? Ya! Time for something to happen to both of those containers with blocks in them. The Muse struck and I decided to "combine" them. It's 36" square and I will be adding a 6" border and using the last 4 siggy blocks as cornerstone. About time, right???
 For whatever reason, getting that "Container" project lauched, lit my fire! The Halloween quilt is now pieced. Not very exciting, but the grandkids won't mind, it's fun! A backing happens today.
 And a very quick "Cowboys" quilt, ala Strippy method. I cut what cowboy and related fabrics I had into 3.5" strips and this one is now just about a twin size, a backing and some quick machine quilting and it's outta here!
 
And while I was on my sewing jag, I took a few minutes to pin, machine quilt and add a binding to this elderly project. It's all ready for someone, and one less on my endless list. Lots of rain, rain, rain here in the Valley. Our small local river is in "flood" mode, and growing worse daily as the water from up north comes thundering down. Heard that some places in MN got 10" from this latest storm. Luckily I'm high and dry. It was dicey earlier this week, as all the units got new roof shingles. Mine was begun and finished on Monday, just in time for the rain Monday night. They shingled in rain off and on Tuesday and Wednesday, and wrapped up amid a shower late Wednesday afternoon...just in time for yesterdays all day DOWN POUR!!

Rain, rain...go away...

bother me some other day! Happy Oct. 6th everyone *VBS* It's my birthday week! Or, if I were my oldest DD, I could say "birthday month". The presents began early and I don't mind at all. This lovely book of Wisconsin quilts and a hefty helping of Orphan blocks flew in last week from my sweet friend Julie, in TX. Thank you Julie, I absolutely LOVE everything *VBS* Please note that last Sunday's little fence rail quilt is finished and bound! I finished it up on Friday.
 (Oppps...this picture goes with the next paragraph, and is my gift from Betsy.)And from my sweet DD#2, her DH and Baby L, a "bring it" dinner and this fun volume. They were here for a visit on Saturday. Baby L. is just beginning to crawl, and continues to be a very smiley boy! I love it. The house felt so empty when they left...sigh.
 (This paragraph goes with the picture above...sorry!!)Betsy got into the birthday action early also. She drove me for an opthomolgist appt. on Tuesday and gave me my birthday present. She was in Philly a couple of weeks back and got to see the NEW Gee's Bend exhibit making the rounds of museums. She was in awe of the quilts, including newer quilts being done by the next generation of Gee's Bend quilters. The book it totally AWESOME, and can't help but inspire you. What came across to me, loud and clean is that these quilts begin with a desire to make a quilt. And mostly with what is "at hand", not a pre cut "kit", nor a "in the hang bag" envelope, or even a quilt book. They begin with their scraps(usually odds and ends, plue old clothing)and piece in what Magpie Sue calls the "intutitive" style. Not even specifically a "block" such as the Jacks over Six we used for our Fungly Challenge. The apporach is to "build a quilt" like you would build a house, from "parts". I love it. It's like an echoing refrain similar to what the Orphan Train refain sounds like...."build a quilt, build a quilt, build a quilt".
 And of course, I had to...and Sunday afternoon, which are very, very long at my house, was the perfect time for another "Play Day". Some of these are elderly orphans, pieced back in the 1980's with my Peaky and Spike template set. And some of them are Julie's Orphans *VBS* The question now is "wil it get bigger?", or "Is it finished?". I honestly don't know the answer to either question...what do you think???