Tiny Turtle

I've taken the plunge.  I cut apart paper pieces Thursday night.

I worked on the littlest turtle first.  I figure he'll be the most difficult since some of the pieces are so small.  If I could get him assembled properly, then the rest should be easier.  Plus, if I totally botched something with the smallest turtle, there's plenty of fabric to redo. 

Orrery Scrap Bowl

Before I put away my zig-zag machine I made a little coil bowl.  This is from the skinny scraps of my sister's quilt.  These scraps were too small to sew together as strings, but too long to toss out.  I hate chucking out fabric.

(My latest bag of scrap is getting a second life as colorful bedding for someone's pet rats.)

I Like Thursday: Exploring and Playing

Caught up with a friend over the weekend.  We got a chance walk at Coggshall park in Fitchburg.  It was too icy to tempt some of the trails, but we walked around part of the pond.  I'm looking forward to visiting in the spring.

Cleanup and Startup

Printing on freezer paper is always an adventure.  Sometimes it prints, sometimes it jams and shreds.  I printed several of them before the printer started eating all the sheets.  Ironing a strip of paper at the top (the sheet on the far right) fixes that problem.  But that means I need to stop and iron in between cutting freezer paper and printing.  More work, but more reliable results.  I printed each turtle (or parts of turtles) three times, so I can cut all the individual freezer paper templates I need to assemble the whole turtle.  I am hoping to cut them apart and start ironing them to the fabric this week.

I Like Thursday: Sunlight and Scraps

I liked the afternoon sunlight through the trees and on the snow.  So pretty!

Attended the Snow Ball on Saturday. So many happy, dancing people.  I did about half a week's steps all in a single afternoon.  Oof.

My mother visited Sunday.  My sister and nephew came over for dinner (that she prepared and we cooked).  A great way to spend the evening (with relatively little fuss).

I was amused at my nephew's reaction as I recited the different kinds of cookies he could have for dessert, especially when I agreed he could try them all.  I didn't realize I had five different kinds in the freezer!

Applique Pattern

My next project is an applique quilting kit: a wall hanging of appliqued sea turtles.  I have not seen what this looks like in person, and the photo on the kit is too small to make out details.  The instructions seem to describe that the shell is one piece (and it kind of looks that way in the photo).  But the pattern clearly multiple pieces for the shell.  I like the look of separate pieces (but wow! they get pretty small with the little turtle).

First up, I need to copy and cut template pieces.  There's enough fabric to cut individual shell pieces, just not the way the instructions describe (another reason I suspect it's one big shell).  A lot will be too small to zig-zag stitch the raw edges, so I'm likely to straight stitch instead (alas, no blanket stitch on my Singer Graduate). 

The fabric is all batiks, all pretty colors.  This will be an interesting project - something new for me to try.

I Like Thursday: Snow and Baking

January is flying by.

Attended a Game Day last weekend.  It had snowed the night before, just enough to make everything pretty but shallow enough to hike easily.

Curvy Strings

Made some more curvy string blocks.  Not sure how I want to put them together?  Line up the waves?  Separate them with sashes?  Try to combine colors?  Or maybe totally random.  So many choices!

The inspiration for these blocks was a set of paintings.  I have enough fabric for a few more blocks like these and then I think I may do some blocks that are more like the paintings. 

I'm winding down my scrappy projects.  I will be pulling out my Singer Graduate to zig-zag some frankenstein batting, then checking what decorative stitches it has for my upcoming applique project (which has hit some snags due to confusing instructions/pattern). 

Plenty to keep me busy!