Tag Archives: 60-degree diamonds

Black and White

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Stars, that is. They’re tiny star blocks, finishing at 2.25″ x 2.5″. The pieces are small, so the block is quick to stitch. I put these two blocks together in less than 45 minutes. Each seam is one needle load of stitches and it’s done. I think I may incorporate one red or gold star in the top at some point, just to have one splash of colour in the midst of the black and white.

They press like a dream. I finger press as I go, so it’s just a matter of one quick press and it’s done.

There are enough pieces in the envelopes in this box for quite a few of the black and white stars. On the weekend, I was talking to a friend about the number of boxes like this that I have with envelopes containing shapes ready to stitch. While there are a lot of them, each one contains the making of at least a small quilt and it’s great to have such choices, particularly when I’ve been working on a complex project and just want an easy stitch for an hour or so. I think of these as my quilt in a box projects. Over the next couple of posts I may be showing some of the other boxes.

A few years ago I really recognized the value of such quilt in a box projects when I had the flu. While I wasn’t too sick to stitch, cutting or printing my shapes would have been too much. Instead I was able to choose a project that was already kitted and just stitch.

Baxter has been spending more and more time on the windowsill. He is clearly enjoying Baxter TV. His tail is really starting to look like a classic Maine Coon plume of a tail and he has discovered that chasing it is fun.

A Few More Clams

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Clamshells seem to have been the focus this week.  I can’t get over how quickly I was able to add two more rows Thursday night.  They’re short rows but, with continuous stitching and hand piecing, they seemingly go  together in the blink of an eye!  I’m leaving the pressing until the end because of the amount of bias, but am finger pressing as I go.

Thursday I did the final pressing of Chintz Circles and its backing as it will be basted today.  I’m looking forward to starting the quilting.  With any luck, I’ll get at least half of it done this weekend.

Another one of the Seven Sisters blocks is finished.  Not pressed, as my wrist was really sore from pressing Chintz Circles and the backing.  Each one of blocks will be a different blue and I am undecided as to how large it will be, although I’m thinking a lap quilt.

I’m using 1″ diamonds with to make the stars.   There’s the opportunity for lots of continuous stitching in these as well, which is something I look for when stitching.  It will join the first one I finished a couple of years ago.

I’m terribly behind in replying to comments but will catch up this weekend.  Do you go back to blogs to see if your comment has been replied to directly on the blog rather than by e-mail?  I know that some bloggers respond that way and others don’t and am curious about opinions are on that subject.

Thursday was a beautiful day, lovely and sunny and warming up.  It looks as though our weekend will be wonderfully sunny and hot.

Smudge was very alert Thursday evening when posing for this photo.

Lester showing off his huge whiskers.

Indecision

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I keep looking at these and wondering where I want to go with them.

I love how this has turned out so far, but can’t decide on whether to add a bit more and turn it into another doll’s quilt or keep making more of these and turn it into a lap quilt.

Then there’s this:

It’s amazingly easy to stitch. I’m so tempted to keep going around and adding more to it and then perhaps have it as a lap quilt.

Both have been sitting for ages and are, in fact, being used as pieces for an Inklingo demo by another quilter this weekend. I think when they come back I’ll make a concerted effort to finish them off somehow or another.

In the meantime, I have been working on a Christmas gift for a friend made of diamonds and hexagons and other shapes and it’s turning out quite nicely. No pictures though, as I know she reads this.

Strippy shabby is quilted! I heard from the machine quilter this weekend and it’s finished! So it should be home sometime in the next couple of weeks. I guess I had better start getting the miles of binding ready . Perfect timing too — the evenings are getting cooler, so it will be quite nice to be sitting with that quilt draped over me as I put the binding on.

We are having gloriously warm fall weather — days in the low to mid 20s (Celsius) and nights in the low to mid teens. It’s absolutely perfect. I wish the entire year could be like this and we could pass on winter altogether. Next weekend (our Thanksgiving weekend) I think we will drive up a bit north of here to see the leaves as they are generally quite glorious.

Seven Sisters

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Using two different collections of Inklingo, I made these 2 Seven Sisters blocks to get a visual of just how much difference 1/4 inch would make in the various pieces.

The blue and white is the beginning of a blue and white Seven Sisters quilt that I will make using 1″ shapes. The orange and blue? Well, that’s undecided for now — I’m playing with the idea of doing maybe 6 more of these blocks, putting an applique border of some sort around them and that will be a small wall-hanging. One thing is for sure — finer fabrics, such as hand dyes or batiks are the best option for the smaller 3/4″ diamonds. The blue and orange fabrics are wonderful but are a bit thicker than a batik and made for a bit of a pressing adventure!

Inspiration!

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220 little 6-point stars and no idea what to do with them. Then, out of the blue, I decided to turn them into large diamonds of stars and make a large 6-point star. This will only use up 72 of the stars, but it’s a start. I’m thinking of using diamonds made of 1″ diamonds in one border and then perhaps making diamonds from hexagons in a second border. Sort of keep it all diamond-related, I suppose.

On the weekend I decided to try knitting again. I haven’t been able to knit for ages because of arthritis but I bought some Sea Silk and am going to try to make a lace stole/scarf from Victorian Lace Today. The yarn is very soft and has the most wonderful sheen. Tonight I’ll cast on and hope that I can knit for an hour or so every couple of nights. This will be a long-term project, doing one of my favourite things — knitting lace.

Smudge is very possessive about the caterpillar and pretty well always has it within his reach.