courthouse steps

When the 1 1/2 inch strip drawer needs taming, it is time to make a log cabin.
8 inch finished block made from 2 1/2 inch cut center, rounds cut from 1 1/2 inch strips at 2 1/2, 4 1/2, 6 1/2, and 8 1/2.
I have 40 blocks made, 40 more to go.

quilted and bound

Serendipity snakes with the 2 inch scrap strips.
I quilted this myself with the walking foot.
Bound with four leftover binding scraps.
46 by 59 inches.

S quilt

Seth loved the H quilt I made for my mother, and I recalled Wanda Hansen, in showing how she came up with her H pattern based it on Kaffe's S pattern--so, I went back to the beginning.
I love the secondary design of the backgrounds.
Blocks finish 7 1/2 inches.
Background: two rectangles 6 1/2 inches by 2 inches
Print: three rectangles 8 inches by 2 inches, two squares 2 by 2 inches

Need to make a pile more blocks.

serendipity snakes

There is a method of sewing up strips that I've done for quite a while that is showing up on the web as a way to use purchased strips.
I have taught this as the "snake" method of patchwork.
I use this method to clean up a pile of neglected strips, usually the ones that I leave behind because they are not inspiring me.
Take a pile of strips and sew them together to make a long (very long) snake. (I use straight edge piecing as I think it has a more primitive look--I see many people mitering.)
Take the head of the snake and the tail of the snake and sew them together along the sides to make a snake two strips wide. (You will need to cut the fold that occurs at the new tail of the snake. It may twist in your sewing--that is ok, just cut it before you get to the end to untangle it.)
Again, take the head and the tail and sew them together to make a snake 4 strips wide.
Repeat to 8; repeat to 16, repeat to 32, etc. You can stop at any number and use the panel as fabric and cut it to what you want.
This delightful top came from my two inch light strips drawer. Again, short pieces I had passed over many times come together with serendipity to make something wonderful.
Click serendipity snakes label below to some other examples of my use of this method.

Japan 1989

in which teacher gifts are prepared and a fire-breathing elephant is displayed

Papier-mâché by Seth.

Knitting by Lynn

trees bearing fruit

And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing. Ezekiel 47:12
Seth's school is going to be part of a consolidated school next year and the PTO asked me to help the students make a commemorative quilt for this final year as an independent school.
I chose the verse from Ezekiel for inspiration and sketched out a plan.
My friend Mary Pellauer generously offered her Shiva iridescent paint sticks. I used Kona Cotton solid in Celery for the panels and batiks from my shelves for the setting pieces.
Another mother  helped me organize the children--which made me realize that teaching college age is a lot easier that elementary children.
Each tree drawing is a jewel. I love how the age groups change in how they write their names and depict their trees. I was glad there were redbuds and pear and apple trees along the block all in full bloom. I had the children look out the window to see that all trees are not green.
Suzette Fisher did the quilting and I finished the binding this morning. We put it up in the school entrance and it was a delight to watch the children find their trees.

a thirteen year old celebrates Mother's Day

made with flowers from our yard

hanging chads

I have been enjoying the results of the rather mindless sewing of these little blocks based on one by Judy Laquidera of Patchwork Times. http://www.patchworktimes.com/2011/05/03/brown-quilt-finished/
I am making my blocks much smaller (I think her original is 9 inches), and LOTS of them. I switched the square to the left top to add a bit of tension.
I am pleased with how it is coming along and can’t get over how much it looks like the punch card ballots we used here in Cook County for many years. They are similar to the cards in Florida that led to the infamous “hanging chad” problem with the 2000 election recount. I hesitate to use “Hanging Chad” for the name of the quilt, being the originator of the block has a son named Chad. I guess it is better than naming it “Pregnant Chad”, another problem they had in Florida.
Judy says go ahead and we just won't tell Chad.

bordello bargello quilted

I had this top on hand when a neighbor asked for a donation for a fundraiser for his political campaign. (He won! I have an alderman on the block!)

Another neighbor bought it at the silent auction so it stays on LeClaire.
Suzette Fisher quilted it beautifully.
And, I found a great backing fabric.
Find how to make this quilt on Bonnie Hunter's quiltville.
(Oh, and the spell check Bordello Bargello name is particularly apt as we have had a influx of "massage parlors" in the neighborhood and will be on my list of topics to bring to the attention of our new alderman.)

16 patch top

I love how this top came together. I flipped a few of the blocks around as the quiltmaker did in the antique piece.

second H quilt

The second H quilt, this one for my niece Hannah (love those palindrome names).
I need to get it bound for her high school graduation.

housework elevated

I have a day home today and am trying to pull together several half-started cleaning projects. To keep me going, I have Brahm's A German Requium on loud enough to follow me around the house (and probably as far as the neighbors too).
Several years ago, when he was our seminary intern, Greg Sabetta (now pastor of Edgebrook Community Church/UCC--check out a service if you are nearby!) led a six week  lenten study on the Requium. He brought in history and music theory along with scripture and what was going on in Brahms world to give us a deeper understanding of the message of the piece.
Ever since I have made a point of making the Requium part of my lenten journey. My old tape finally gave way (along with our tape deck) and I got a new CD this year of Solti's 1979 CSO recording.
Thank you, Greg, for enriching my life.

sixteen patches

I am pleased with how the 16 patches are coming along.

little blocks

Judy over at Patchwork Times posted a block she is making in browns and golds. I don't know how large she is making her blocks, but I am making some that are finishing at 4 inches.
For a block: Dark--two 2 1/2 inch squares and two 1 1/2 inch by 2 1/2 inch rectangles. Light--two 1 1/2 inch by 2 1/2 inch rectangles. Press to the square.

I'm sewing together four blocks so the 8 inch larger blocks make it easier to put up on the design wall. Watch for more blocks.

engagement photographs 1984

We celebrate our 27th wedding anniversary on St Patricks Day.
Did I know what I was getting into?

Oh, yes, I did.

three months late

I am finally finishing my mother's birthday quilt. Just have the sleeve left to tack down.
There are 81 blocks for Henrietta's 81st birthday.
It is a fun quilt. Thanks again to Wanda Hansen at Exuberant Color for posting her pattern.
Watch for the other H quilt for Hannah soon.

red quilt show

I so wanted to go to the Armory Show in New York. Over at
Repro Quilts Taryn is helping those of us who are missing the show enjoy red and white quilts of the blogasphere. I included my red cross quilt.

quilters

My mother's quilt guild (Sioux Prairie Quilters, from Sioux County, Iowa) made props for the play Quilters back in 1985. They have rented out the quilts to productions all over the country for the past 26 years. This and next weekend, they are in use by Elmhurst College. My sister Janna and I went to see the play tonight.
Mom made all the vining around the center and the border. It is hand quilted in each section, then machine stabilized. It is huge--I believe the quilt measures 14 by 14 feet. It is showing wear, but that is part of its history now too.

fairy quilt

A quilt for a friend's school fundraiser. The fairy is a bit wonky, but still cute.
(((ADDED: The quilt brought in $50 towards college scholarships for Chicago Public School students.)))