This 'squirrel' is not a squirrel at all!

Quilters have a name for a project that strikes our fancy and turns us away from everything we are working on. These "I must make this now" projects are "squirrels" - or various other names. I've been working on this one, which is not squirrels at all but five fine Dachshund dogs that used up a few of my scraps.

I did buy the background fabric after doing the design in EQ8, which told me I needed about a yard more then it really needed -- so it wasn't a scrap-buster because my stash became larger! Oh well, who is complaining. This light tan is just a joy to work with.

So are the pups! Fun to sew and put together. The head and tail sections are foundation paper-pieced and the middles are easy -- just had to find a bunch of scraps in each color range, cut the all the same size (2.5 x 5.5) and sew them together. A good test for my ability to do accurate 1/4" seams. Only the red and purple sets were a tad different, one slightly shorter and the other longer. An easy fix. I'll be putting a border all around to finish this top. Also found a pantograph of paw prints... no kidding. It will be used for the background. I'll stitch in the ditch around the dogs and haven't decided what to do with the rest. I do have eyes for these lovely mutts so will put them on before quilting it.

And I also found a backing fabric, brown and densely patterned with paw prints. How fun is that. At least if i botch up the quilting, it will not be noticed on the back. 😀

Just finish another top also, a panel for Basically Babies. I used the paw prints panto to quilt it, mainly to see if it was difficult. Not too much, so am more confident to put it in the Dachshund quilt on a plain background... still a bit scary though. No picture yet. Still have to put on the binding.

Hope everyone is well. Found out yesterday from the local newspaper that scientist have discovered that 30 minutes in the sun is 90% effective to destroy the Covid-19 virus. So less sewing and more gardening!

Progress report

Well, this one is done and ready to put in the mail... along with a couple of donations from a friend. The quilt is 39.5" x 36.5" so more of a lay/play than wrapping up the baby, however, the recipient is not yet a month old (tiny) and lives in a mild climate.

As for the stuffy (or is it spelled stuffie?), Stacey made him. He is about 8" high and totally washable. CUTE!  She texted me today to say she has something else to go with it... no clues though.

In this picture, he is sitting in front of Scott's king-size beach scene... which is nearly ready to sandwich on the longarm. I only know how I will quilt the leaves... so it might take awhile — and lots of prayer which has got me this far. I told Scott that as soon as it is done, I'm going to kill him. He just laughed, a suitable response. So far, nearly 200 hours. 

Progress Report on king-size landscape

Plugging away on this monster quilt — good thing my son is not a monster or he would not be getting this much 'love' and hard work! Here are some detail shots showing basting, pins, and one with the pattern pieces stuck on.  The quilting will make them.

 This part is about 8" wide from leaf tip to leaf tip.

 The palm leaves are freezer paper patterns,18-20" long to give an idea of scale. 

Each will be two shades/fabrics in various greens. 

I wasn't going to do coconuts but they nicely cover the ends of the leaves!

This is part of the 'jungle' at the bottom. 

The upper right leave is about12" long.

 

12 projects

From my list of 12 projects/ideas for 2016, my hubby picked number 3 for March. Years ago, I'd taught a few people how to make some basic blocks. My samples were blue and cream, all 12.5" square. I went to the storage box expecting to find 4-5 of them (poor memory) and found 17, a nice surprise! 

It took a few tries to arrange them and be satisfied, as there are two of some and one of others. I decided to put sashing between them and yellow squares in the space between sashings to pick up the yellow center in the log cabin block. The applique block (half of it shows on the left) will have to go on the back. 

This is what it looks like so far. The photo is a bit dull and blurry (I was talking to my son on the phone while taking the picture!) The bottom row has the sashing, which is not quite that bright in real life. It needs at least two borders. I'll likely quilt it with an all-over panto and donate it to the Canadian Quilts of Valour. It does not yet have a name.

More Hobbit blocks...

Two more Hobbit blocks. Hope my artistic license is not messing too much with the original colors!

This is slow going, not because these patches are impossibly difficult or small (well some of them are only 7" including the bottom one) but because I'm taking a course right now with a huge amount of reading. No time = the bane of most quilters?

Top is nearly finished...

This top is a large wall hanging, about 48 x 72, and for a nameless relative who I hope is not reading my blog! Anyway, the basics are done. It still needs a fence at the bottom of the lighthouse and a few other details, like bushes, maybe a few critters in the rocks. I'll put lots of grass and details in with thread as well.

 

The cherry tree on the right is now ready to be framed. I'll post a photo when that part is done and before my GD gets it. 

FLOOD Report: My sister got into her home to view the damage a week ago last Monday. She said it was "a mess" and was glad that the water wasn't too deep. Wednesday, she was allowed back in to clean up. (The reasons for this are long - like sink holes under the water, some open sewers, electricity still on in places, etc. with officials trying to keep people safe.) She lost her furnace, hot water tank, a pool table, two freezers, her frig (spoiled food) and some of her original art, plus many prints. Garage also had a foot of mud on the floor. A crew came in and by Friday (3 days later) it was "clean and sanitized" with power and water but no gas. She figures it will be months to repair/replace everything. Some folks have no family/friends to help, but there has been a huge outpouring of support. People are driving miles to go there and deliver supplies and food. A nearby Hutterite colony has fed hundreds of evacuees 3 meals a day for several weeks. Janet says there are so many God-things happening that she often weeps for joy... even in the overwhelming amount of need.

Cherry Tree Progress and Lighthouse Start

It is raining here today and we are glad. Our part of the world has been dry and dusty, with wildfires threatening several towns. 

Kali's Cherry Tree: So far the tree is nearly quilted. This was taken with overhead lights so is not as 'pink' as the picture on the right. It is densely stitched with a curly, loopy ribbon design. My hubby says it looks even more "like a bird could fly through it" which makes me happy! Next to quilt will be the grass and sky. This one has been my favorite for a long time, but when it is finished, it will be framed and given to our darling granddaughter. She is a very mature 20 year old who plans to treat it as a heirloom. That helps me to let it go!
 

Close-up of quilting on Japanese Cherry Tree

No name yet: This lighthouse is a new project (and I hope my DIL is not peeking). She knows it is started but does not know the subject matter, etc. The area below the 'floating" lighthouse will be rocks, grass and a cliff, so there is much piecing left to do. I also will be stitching lines for glass and railing etc. at the top of the lighthouse and putting at least one window in it. 

The sky is in strips using several "sky" fabrics, as is the water. I'm really happy with both so hope I can find just the right fabric for rocks and rugged-looking bottom part. The rocks are more like exposed layers of mountain and will come up over some of this water, especially near the lighthouse. They will extend to the bottom of the paper pattern it is pinned to. It is 48" x 72" and will go high on a living room wall stairway, very open to view from the loving room and the loft above it. 

Beginning of lighthouse quilt

Happy quilting...