Scrappy Harvest At The Cabin Stitch-Along

I'm so excited - I'm almost ready to begin stitching.  I've been getting all my ducks in a row for this project [because they have to be lined up just right] and have cut almost all my strips.  I just have this much left to cut....



And then I'll begin stitching.  That pile has some large pieces in it which I won't cut up completely.

So - I started getting my ducks in formation by setting up my design wall again.



Which meant rearranging the entire room, sigh.  This is a 4x8 foot piece of insulation board, very lightweight, and I covered it with a flannel sheet.  I like it because I can stick pins in it, but it also holds the blocks without pins.  For a project this big, I need it.

I also picked up a bargain at Walmart.  I've been seeing people using wooden tv trays for small ironing boards, to set next to your sewing machine so you can press your blocks as you go - and Walmart had one for a little over $8.  I got a $4 ironing board cover, and stretched it over the tray, folded it under and pinned it in place.  I could have made a custom cover but I'm lazy and I'd rather be quilting.



Oh my goodness I love it.

Then, I went to google images and printed off a picture of the order in which to sew my logs.  I'll do a quick tutorial when I make my first one, but this will help me keep those ducks in order.



Jean from All Points of the Compass is going to be joining me, her strips will be 2.5 inches, as they're leftovers from another quilt.  My strips are two inches, which means I'll need more of them.



How many?  I have no idea.  This project uses scraps, you can make it as big or as small as you want.  Make a potholder, or a bed quilt.  It just depends on how many scraps you have.

I'm not cutting my strips to length before I add them - I'll trim them as I stitch them.

As far as how big to make the blocks, I'm thinking 8" - I still have to draw up the house block and see if it will fit.  I don't want the house pieces too tiny.  I won't be doing sashing.  The applique will be done on backgrounds of log cabin blocks, that are done in all neutrals - not the normal red center, light side dark side style.   You can choose to leave it out if you wish.

This really is a stitch-along, I don't have a firm plan in place, I'm doing it just for fun and because I want to.  I'd love to have you join in - no rules but plenty of encouragement!

So - for now, get your scraps, start cutting, and print off a diagram of how the block goes together.  There are tons of them on google.  I'll do one myself very soon.  Ready, set, SCRAP!!!


Jocelyn from Canadian Needle Nana, could you please email me at allieoopsdesigns at gmail dot com?  I can't get in touch with you and I'd like to.

Mending.

Finally!  This cold has really knocked me for a loop.  I'm not congested anymore, hardly coughing, but apparently I coughed so hard and so long that I damaged my voice box - my voice is coming back very slowly.  My family doesn't mind.

Monday I got some interesting news, and decided I needed to get out of the house - so mum and I went out to eat.  She says "hi" and dinner was yum.



I haven't been doing much, not even reading blogs.  However, Jenny convinced me to try Instagram - and now I'm hooked.  Very fun.  Jenny made my Loaves and Fishes pattern, want to see?  I LOVE what she did with it!  That girl blesses me so much.

Did you see the super blood moon/lunar eclipse the other night?  I was watching it out my sewing room window, but it was so cloudy - then suddenly the clouds parted and I got to see it!  It was beautiful, wish I had a camera that would really capture it.  This shot was through the window - too darn cold to go outside.

Let's see what else is new - I've started a new project!  A long-term project.  And it involves piecing, yikes.  

See all that fabric on the ironing board?  What do you mean, what ironing board?  Well, I started cutting and cutting and cutting into it - all 2" strips.  I'm starting a log cabin quilt!

I'm not sure why my red squares look kind of pink there.  Anyway, I'm using up all kinds of scraps, this is going to be so much fun.  I seem to have way more darks than lights, so I hope I can balance it out ok.  There's going to be three applique blocks too, and tons of autumn leaves in the borders.

One thing I'm learning already on this quilt.  I always thought I was a terrible piecer - my points never match.  Which is strange, because my very first quilt was perfectly pieced.  But I used a cardboard template, and cut the pieces out with scissors, and hand-pieced.  I thought my sewing skills had deteriorated, but now I'm thinking it might be my cutting!

For some reason, my ruler slides when I cut, no matter how hard I hold it down.  I noticed it when I was cutting out my red squares.  My ruler has little sandpaper dots on it, that I put there....

But I used them on the top side, because if you move your ruler with them down, you end up  moving the fabric too.  Today I tried putting them on the fabric side, and they worked like they were supposed to - perfect cuts!

I just have to be careful when I'm laying the ruler down to measure my cuts, so I don't move the fabric.

The name of this quilt will be Scrappy Harvest at the Cabin.  I'm intending to bust as many autumn-colored scraps as I can - and I'm using the biggest variety of fabrics ever!  Batiks, animal prints, homespuns - everything but brights, and blues.  If anyone would be interested in scrapping along with me, maybe I could do a stitch-a-long.....the applique patterns would be freebies.  Mine will be bed-sized, and depending on how many scraps I have [tons] I may make an extra one for a Christmas gift.  Let me know if you'd like to join me, ok?  I know there are tons of stitch-a-longs out there already, but hey, what's one more.  LOL!

Ok, must get busy....these scraps won't cut themselves, you know....

One More...

...for the Christmas Box, yay!  As sick as I've been, I've managed to finish another mug rug for my brother.  Dream Cruise Number Two, the '62 Corvette Mug Rug....



Available in my Craftsy shop as an instant download.



And boy am I SICK of having to edit Flickr's code on my photos now.  I've been with Flickr since 2006, I have over 3,000 photos there, most of which are linked to my blog...I don't want to find a different photo site.  But having to edit the code on every single photo....grrrrr.  Makes me CRAZY.  [As if I needed a reason, lol.....]

Off to find something else to stitch...and maybe take a nap...and blow my nose a few thousand times, ugh....

The Day After [Random Rambling]

Yesterday was a holiday here in the States, and I hope it was a happy one for all my state-side friends.  I felt like I was back in Texas, it was so hot here.  And speaking of Texas, I have to show you what Billie gave me while I was there....



the sweetest fabric, such yummy colors of floss, and the most darling little floss holders!  We were laughing trying to figure out how to hang them, and hey Billie - I figured it out!



I have this great antique double lamp that sits next to me while I stitch, and the bunnies hang there perfectly!  Now I can cut my floss lengths and not get them tangled up.  How cool is that!

I realized last night that I've been a bad blogger - I uploaded my Caboose pattern to Craftsy and forgot to blog about it.  It's in the shop now.



That pattern has been on my mind for over 20 years, I'm glad to have it done.  Hubby doesn't even do model trains anymore....sigh.  That's ok, I like it.

I pretty much stayed inside all weekend, drawing, not doing much else - like I said, it was h o t.  And the bees - egads!  We have an apple tree that overhangs the driveway, and as we drive in and out we hit the branches - apples fall everywhere - and then we smoosh them with the car.  The bees are very grateful.  They like driveway applesauce.  But trying to get in the car without an extra passenger is getting to be impossible.  Sometimes I feel like I'm in a Hitchcock movie, just trying to go get groceries....

Oh I know what I wanted to tell you - Jenny is going to be starting a free stitch-along on her blog, it is just the cutest thing!!!

It's a six-week stitch-along, starting September 14th, don't miss it!  Isn't that clever?  I think I'll have to make more than one!

Ok, coffee is gone, time for more - and I guess I'd better get back to the drawing board, literally....see you soon!

Back At It.

I've been very, very slow in getting back to stitching after our Texas trip.  I'm not sure why - or exactly how I've been filling my days, except for cleaning - but I'm finally getting back to it.



I finished writing a new pattern tonight, just waiting on the photoshoot tomorrow, please oh please let the sun come out.  This is a design that's been in my head for over 20 years!  I'm so glad to get it out and un-clutter my brain a bit.

And do you remember this?



I had started quilting it, hated it, threw it out and last night I re-drew it as a stitchery.  Oh the bliss - I love it much better.



One thing I have been doing over the past couple of weeks, is thinking about my little design business.  Re-defining my goals, solidifying what I want to make - and I've come to the conclusion that what I really love is hand embroidery.  Taking a drawing and seeing it come to life with needle and floss is my greatest love.  I also love coloring it in with crayon, so you'll see more of that!  I still do love applique, and I'm sure there are more applique quilts in my future, but embroidery is my passion.  It feels good to finally acknowledge that, to see myself a little more clearly.

I've also been able to get around and visit you all a bit - what fun that was!!!  I'm not planning any more trips in the near future, so I'm sure I'll be around a bit more and won't get another 500 posts stacked up in my reader - lol!

See you soon!

A New Free Design

I may have mentioned last post that my favorite highlight from the trip was meeting Billie and Mick, of Billie Bee's blog.  I wanted to bring her a gift, so I drew a frame design and added a portion of my favorite bible verse.



And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.  Isaiah 58:11

I've uploaded the design to my craftsy shop as a free download.



I hope it blesses you.
Love,
Allie