9 Kind of Blocks
Sewing has saved me this week. I find it calming, and when life gets to be a lot--and it has lately, I dodge into my sewing room at home for some therapy. To explain, I mainly longarm quilt in my studio, but I also come home to sew after work. If I have a quilt with an edge-to-edge going on the longarm, I can sew at work too, but often I'm engaged with other client work. At home I can do my own thing. It's more conducive to be creative when I'm not listening for an empty bobbin.
This room became a catch-all while I was on sabbatical, and I've been sorting it since Christmas. This week I had some major cleaning because I have a new piece of furniture coming tomorrow--my great-grandma's hutch! (She was Mennonite, and a quilter!) I'm not just excited--I'm giddy! I think I remember it in her bathroom. I would have been 4 or 5 then, and visited her frequently. It stood in a large room on their main floor which was converted to a bathroom. A claw-foot tub stood in the middle of the room, and a pedestal sink and toilet at the edge. My brother remembers the hutch later stored in the barn shed, and when that was torn down it wound up in my dad's workshop. That house is selling so it's coming to live with me tomorrow!
Today it rained nearly all day. I was so grateful! I sewed my little heart out to get through, though I felt a little cross-eyed. The multiple blocks for this project were very similar, and I had to pay attention. It was interesting to observe the different seam allowances needed to keep each block the correct size. As I sewed, I checked sizes with a ruler. There was a lot of ripping and adjusting to make sure things were fairly accurate. There will be a LOT of points in this quilt top, and it will be nice if most are not buried in the seam allowances, I reason.
Even so, at the end I trimmed them all. Piecing rows is so much easier when you know the blocks are square! Sadly one block needed to be completely remade as I got lost with my ruler, and trimmed it 1/4" too short. Ick. It happens.
Next time we talk I'll have at least part of this together, and maybe the room too. Keep your fingers crossed we move the old girl in one piece.
Come on, Doxie girls.
Let's go sew.
Linking up with~
2 comments:
Sewing is my therapy. Stitching pieces under the needle and making blocks that make quilts is re-energizing to me. I am thrilled beyond belief that you are still sewing and creating such beautiful work. You have been through a lot.
I LOVE that little tin tray you show. You mentioned something about using them for keeping track of your blocks and pressing? I'll have to go back and read that again. I love these vintage trays and actually have been looking for them myself. I love your style, Julie!
Post a Comment