Happy Friday!
Today’s quotation comes from Tuck Everlasting, by Natalie Babbitt, and it is a description from “the homely little house beside the pond,” and the busy sewing spot of one of its occupants:
“...patches and scraps of bright cloth; half-completed quilts and braided rugs; a bag of cotton batting with wisps of its contents, like snow, drifting into cracks and corners; the arms of the sofa webbed with strands of thread and dangerous with needles…”
I love this quotation and think of it often when I am sewing! When I hand sew at night, I invariably stick my needle in the arm of the chair, while I fetch some thread or move my hoop. Of course, I don’t leave it there, and I should probably get a needle minder, but “the homely little house beside the pond,” really holds a lot of charm for me. I think the house’s “eddies of dust” and “the silver cobwebs” speak to the importance of priorities...yes, read the book, and you will see what I mean.
I have been feverishly trying to keep my priorities in strict order this week, and I think I have accomplished a lot. I finished another quilt and two pillows...I will share those on Instagram soon. I also completed all of my 8” half square triangles for the Anniversary Quilt...for both quilts! Don’t worry if you haven’t finished your squares yet...we are all working through this at our own pace, so no need to rush or feel hurried!
Kona Meringue and Kona Geranium with my scrappy fabric squares.
I cut 16 9 ⅜” squares of each solid fabric and 32 9 ⅜” squares from my scrappy fabric. I started by cutting four 9 ⅜” strips from each solid fabric. (By the way, I am using Kona Meringue and Kona Geranium for my solid fabrics for my two quilts, and I am in love with both!) Then I cut four 9 ⅜” squares from each strip.
When I cut my scrappy fabrics I decided to stack and whack them. I stacked them to cut the strips I needed and then to cut the squares. I specially picked these scrappy fabrics for these larger half square triangles because I like the patterns, and I remember the quilts I made with them. The fabrics will also be the first ones I cut for my smaller half square triangles, and then I will supplement with other fabrics in my stash, too. We have a lot of 4” half square triangles to cut, so I think variety will be good.
Stacking fabrics to make cutting easier! 9 3/8” strips ready to cut into 9 3/8” squares.
After I cut my squares, I stacked them, marked them, sewed them, pressed them to the darker fabric, and then I trimmed each square to 8.5”. I used my 9.5” square to trim each one. I just lined the square up on the 8.5” mark, making sure the diagonal line matched the diagonal in the half square triangle. Then I trimmed and trimmed! Whew! Don’t forget there is a tutorial for half square triangles in the June 5, 2020 blog if you need it.
All of my finished 8.5” squares…now on to the 4.5” squares!
Don’t feel like you have to do everything at once, though. You can break the process up for yourself, and you only have 32 squares to make! I am making two quilts, which is why I made 64.
I would love to see your work...leave me a comment or send me a DM on Instagram. Or post something to Instagram and tag me!
Sending Quilting Love,
Ginger
Coming Next Week: Progress Check in...hopefully some 4” half square triangles and maybe a few words about how versatile half square triangles are!
I am Reading: Elantris by Brandon Sanderson and Man in the Blue Scarf: On Sitting for a Portrait by Lucien Freud by Martin Gayford, and Emma by Jane Austin. I read more of the same poetry this week, but I think I am craving some Middle English...a little Chaucer maybe...hmm...yes. I’ll let you know what I read next week! I’m thinking a visit with Dorigen and Arveragus in “The Franklin’s Tale” is needed... those black rocks...I love to read it aloud. Have I told you I love the smell of books, yet? Well I do...love the smell of books. My copy of Emma is a copy from 1957 that I bought at Reader’s Corner in Raleigh, and it smells just like that book shop. My Elantris copy is new, and it has that beautiful newsprint smell. My Chaucer book has a lovely smell, too. Yes, smell is a part of my love of reading, and yes, I am aware how weird I am. But I am also unashamed to admit that I have taught my boys to be weird about book smells, too!