Blogging Lessons

Today's new chore challenge has been adding things to my blog.  I have learned how to add blog buttons to the side of my posts.  Many thanks to Karen from Sew Many Ways for her insightful and detailed tutorials on blogging.  I, personally, am SO grateful for her knowledge and sharing.  My hope is that even seasoned bloggers are able to glean some helpful hints from her.

Oh yeah, discovered the little error corrector, ah, strikethrough button.  Gotta love that little gadget too. 

I've more than reached the end of my productive time today.  Off for some well needed zzzzzzzzzzz's.

Midnight Flight

Well, it has certainly been awhile since I've been to my own blog!! LOL, I get thoroughly engrossed in reading other blogs and then feel like I really must move on to getting something productive done. Read ~ step away from the computer!! I have started yet another new project - Bonnie Hunter's Midnight Flight. This block is found in Quiltmaker's 100 blocks - Winter 2011, volume 4. You can see pictures of Bonnie's finish project on her site Quiltville's Quips & Snips. Did I read her whole post before leaping into this project - NO. Should I have? - YES! Each block contains a total of 88 pieces - yep, I said EIGHTY-EIGHT! Good grief!
  

Here are my first two blocks - I must say that I am totally in love with them. This has been the start of a rather daunting project. Searching for scraps in my controlled color combination has spurred on a cleaning/purging/sorting of all my fabric bins. I'm planning a bed size quilt which I'm thinking will be 56 blocks. That means there will be 4928 pieces in the blocks alone. Bonnie has shown hers with a pieced border. At this rate, I don't know if I'll persevere and do that also. Since it is such a slow process for me, by the time I am done, the pattern may well be in her book. She has said that it will be published, I believe, in 2014. Honestly, each block creates 16 "bonus" half-square triangles which may well become my borders. That, of course, means the border will be black/white. Not sure that will trip my trigger when the time comes.... but I am a long way from having to worry about that!
 

Yesterday brought yet another spring snow, so darling hubby drove me to town to shop. While there, we took a whirl through Wal-Mart and purchased some new plastic tote containers. I've been working on becoming more organized. The search for pink and lime green fabrics has enabled me to start sorting my stash again. I know of two brand new quilters that will be happy to have some of the fabrics in my stash. I've more than a few "what was I thinking" fabrics which I have discovered. I certainly hope they will love them. If not, I'm sure there is a group of charity quilters that will love to have them. Honestly, I just can't bring myself to do a totally scrappy quilt. It is, however, on my list and someday I will have to force myself to do one. I seriously love the look of them, but can't quite get myself to agree that anything/everything goes!!

Well, back to the projects at hand. I've made a complete and total mess of my stash area ~ oh yeah, and have ONE more block almost pieced together. Since I don't have an established scrap system, I have been finding and cutting as I go along. I will be quite happy when all the cutting has been completed and I can simply create my blocks. I shamlessly asked my quiltly friends if they had any black/white/hot pink/lime fabric scraps they might like to donate to me. My first two blocks had a fair amount of repeat fabrics in them. Not exactly my notion of "scrap quilt". The more variety, the better. I also ordered some charm packs, a strip collection and some layer cakes from Keepsake Quilting. You would think this girl has a lack of supplies, LOL. Seriously not the case, but I wanted variety, and I wanted it FAST!

Special notes to self: indulging in "green beer" (aka Bud Lite Lime), wine or Margarita's while making these blocks is not the brightest idea. While a seam ripper is a good tool to have, it isn't one of my most favorite tools. I've done almost as much ripping out and resewing as I have straight sewing... and pins, yes, another wonderful tool, but one I seldom use. I know folks who pin everything! Personally, I don't like the little buggers, but I have found them to be of more than a little value whilst constructing these blocks. Old dogs, new tricks... go figure.

Here's wishing you all a happy and productive Sunday!!