Yesterday I finally sewed 5 blue String blocks as a start for my Blue blocks for June’s RSC colour. I chose this block because my blue strings were handy and I had 5 phone book papers already cut to size.
Earlier in the week I continued with my green scraps- Twinkler blocks, Bear Paws and Wonky Star blocks.
My last actual sewing took place on 30th April. Since then we have had two short breaks away, celebrating John’s 80th birthday at the beginning of May and my 75th birthday at the end of May, and fitted in two large sections of decorating, the first between the two holidays and secondly, after the second. We are pleased with everything we had done but of course that meant a lot of moving things from room to room and then afterwards cleaning everything and putting it back. Almost back to rights now but still a few odds and ends to put back. I have taken the opportunity to look at everything very carefully, deciding whether we really love that vase, book etc enough to keep it. As a result I have made a couple of trips to the Charity shop with donations. My Word for the year is “Consider”, so I have Considered everything I have been sorting out. Pleased with the amount of things I have let go.
At the beginning of May I went through my stash, pulling out green scraps for RSC’s Green month. Well, they just sat in my sewing room until yesterday when I eventually found time and space (my sewing room became one of our dumping grounds during the decorations) to sit at my machine and sew. I cut out a few Bear Paw blocks in the 2 chosen sizes and then started sewing the smaller ones. As I have said many times on my blog, I have a Spacial Awareness problem, and I find Bear Paws difficult to orientate. Well, yesterday was even worse, because I was so out of practice. A lot of mistakes, a lot of seam ripping went on but I eventually made 4 blocks.
By that time I had had enough of Bear Paws so I made some strippy blocks as I had a few ready cut newspaper foundations ready to use. I made 10 and I’m pleased with them. Mindless sewing, what a therapy!
I cut some of my pink scraps and chunks into 4.5” squares and alternated them with some of my more “girly” Crumb blocks, making columns which I sewed into pairs, alternating with 2” strips of a pink fabric which has a pattern of little white snails. It measures 40” square and will eventually be donated as a Linus Project quilt. I have enough of the snail fabric for the backing and binding.
I’ve also been making some pink RSC blocks, Bear Paws with a 4.5” “pad” and some with a 3.5” “pad”.
The first one I made the HSTs incorrectly so, rather than waste them I made a Bear Paw block with a 4” pad. It can go with my orphan blocks!
I had enough strings to make 7 x 5.5” String blocks.
Linking up with Angela’s So Scrappy blog.
I have never made a Bear Paw block before. No idea why because I always thought they looked great. I think it might be because over the years I’ve probably looked up patterns on Google and found they need odd sized pieces, cut at 2.875”, for example. so I was put off trying.
I follow Cathy’s blog Sane, Crazy, Crumby Quilting and this year she finished a gorgeous turquoise, purple and white Bear Paw Quilt and since then has been making more Bear Paw blocks in all sorts of colours and fabrics. Well, of course they caught my eye and then my eyes positively gleamed when I read that she used 4.5” and 2.5” scraps. In my head I translated that as “squares” so I sorted out some yellow scraps ( still March yellow ) and kitted up 7 blocks. Sewed the first making the HSTs as I always do but when I came to join those to the square they were too short, so I had to swap out the 4.5” squares for smaller 3.5” ones. That worked, ending up with 5” Bear Paws. I’ve since kitted up a few more in the original size and I’ll make the HSTs by sewing 1/4” away from the diagonal and snipping of the bonus triangle corners.
Of course I’ve since learned that Cathy used 2.5” strips, using her Easy Angle ruler for quickness.
I do have one of those rulers so perhaps next week I’ll try that method for some Pink blocks.
Here are my original 7 Bear Paws and the one Ticky Tacky House I made.
And that was all the sewing I managed to do. On Monday I started a cold, Tuesday felt a bit better and went out to my Volunteering work but on Wednesday I felt dreadful and ended up in bed - still there. I was having these unbelievable bouts of coughing and yesterday morning I literally couldn’t breathe and we called the ambulance as I have several heart conditions and was afraid this wouldn’t be good for my heart. The two paramedics were fantastic, checked me over thoroughly with their battery of machines and decided I had a viral cough. So, no antibiotics, just time, before I start to feel better. Really frightening, but the things the guys suggested are helping and my husband has been great calming me down and helping to get my breathing under control when I’m having a bad coughing spell.
So, an odd week. A shame because our weather has been beautiful and that is due to change to cold again.
Linking up with Angela’s So Scrappy blog.
