ScrapHappy Saturday 12

Plans change in a hurry.  The house was sold and I dared to leave a sewing mess out from the Tiny Tuesday block.  Then we got a call that the offer had fallen through.  Apparently the very nice couple that was moving from Colorado isn't coming to Florida after all.  So our house is back on the market again!  We had a showing yesterday and two more for today.  I think that is pretty good given that the listing had been removed or changed to contingent from all the listing services.  So no sewing for me today!  We'll be off working on the new house instead.  

Thanks so much for all the good wishes!  I'm still so excited about the change and sure that it will all work out in the end.  Things usually do.

   

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Tardy Tiny Tuesday #12

I know it is Wednesday.  Its been a week!  Today it stormed.  There was driving rain and hail.  It was quite dramatic as the kids rushed from class to class getting drenched.  I was inspired to make an umbrella block in response.  I wanted to make an applique umbrella, but the only fabric I could find in my freakishly tidy sewing room was the green string bag.  I am so happy that we have an offer on the  house and can stop pretending that we live in a model home.  Perfection is exhausting!

In any case, here is a string umbrella block for you all.

 Find a scrap of paper and trim it to about 5.5 inches.  Draw a line from corner to corner along each diagonal and cut the square in half along one of those drawn lines.

 In addition to the paper you will need an assortment of green strings, a strip of black fabric from 1 to 1.5 inches wide, and two triangles of white fabric about 4 inches along the short side

 Center the black strip along the center line on one piece of paper. I had a strip that was 1.5 inches, but I wish I had used something a bit narrower.

 Place the triangle right sides together on top of the block strip.  Before you sew, check to see if the fabric will cover the paper when it is sewn in place.  Sew the white triangle to the black strip using the phone book paper as a foundation.

 Open up that side and repeat with side 2.  Press the half square triangle and trim the top edge so that it is even with the paper.  Set this aside for a moment.

 Now grab the other triangle and use it a base to make a half string block.  Press each strip before adding the next.

 Continue to add strips until you reach the tip of the triangle.  Use a slightly wider strip at the end or a triangle if you have one handy.

 Make sure that you have completely covered the paper.  Trim the bottom edge of the fabric even with the paper

 Place both triangles right sides together along the hypotenuse making sure to match up the center points.

 Press the center seam open or toward the less bulky side of the block.

 Trim the completed block to 5 inches.

This block will be set on the diagonal which will leave the umbrella upright and ready to protect you from an unexpected spring shower.  

What day is it?

On Monday we closed on our new house!

Here is the view from our new balcony.

Then on Tuesday we accepted an offer on our old house.  In all of that excitement, I forgot about everything!  At the end of February I looked ahead and made a mental note that I had guest designers for most of March, but I didn’t remember to touch base or firm up those plans.  I am so sorry for neglecting Tiny Tuesday this week!  I will take a look at what can be done.

Here is a photo of our new kitchen.  It is the "before".

It is still too early for an "after" shot.  I do have during though.  All the walls and ceilings on the main floor are a very dark gold.  So far we have gotten a good start on the primer.  I think we are going to change it out to a nice shade of beige toned grey called balboa mist.  I have many paint chips to play with and spent too many hours over spring break studying different color combinations.  

ScrapHappy Saturday #11

I'm off for a quick few days of vacation but will be back tomorrow.  I hope that everyone is enjoying green.


   

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Tiny Tuesday #11 - Owl Block

Sally has made another adorable animal block for us this morning.  

ScrapHappy Saturday 10

Another not quite sewing day.  Garage sale this morning followed by showing at 12:30 and open house from 1 to 4.  Sewing to follow though, as this will be spring break.  Hope you are all enjoying green!

   

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Tiny Tuesday #11

Wonky Log Cabin

 First, collect your supplies.  I like to use paper foundations for log cabins.  I have a handy supply of phone books I've been saving.  I'm not at all sure they will make them for much longer.  Any paper will work, you can sew them without a foundation.  In addition to the 5 inch square you will need a variety of strings in both light and dark green.  If you can't make the contrast work well enough with just green, you can also use a combination of both dark and neutral.  These were all dug out of my string bin which collects any long bits of fabric between 1 and 2 inches in width.  Some are straight, but most are angled bits left over from squaring of fabric for rotary cutting.

 Traditional log cabins have a center of either yellow or red to represent the fire that was the center of the home.  Because we are working in a monochromatic themew, I've chosen to use green instead.  Find a roughly square bit of green somewhere between 1.5 and 2 inches to start.  You can use a dab of glue stick to hold it in place temporarily or just put it in the middle and hope for the best.  Use a somewhat jaunty angle to start the block off feeling "wonky"

 Start with a lighter color of fabric and dig for a bit at least as long as the center square.  Feel free to roughly cut a size you need from a longer string.  Sew with a quarter inch seam.

 Press the log open and trim the right edge so that it is even with the center square.

 Continuing on with the light colors, find a slightly longer string to fit on the right hand edge.  Sew this one down as well.

 Press open and trim again,  You will continue on with a clockwise rotation.

 After two light logs, you will add two dark logs and then repeat until the foundation is covered.

 You should get closer and closer to the edges as you continue to add your logs in a clockwise rotation.

 When you get closer to the edges, consider using wider or angled strips of fabric.  I happened to have some leftover Dresden Plate wedges, but just use whatever you have on hand.  The wider strips will just minimize seams along the outside edge.

 Keep going until you have completely cover the paper foundation.

Trim your block back to 5 inches unfinished.  This will be 4.5 in the framed block.  This block will be set straight, showing off the jaunty angle.  

Not Quite a Quilt

 My dear husband is usually morally opposed to throw pillows.  I managed to convince him that pops of color are necessary when staging a house for resale.  I am quite the expert now you see, after watching over a dozen episodes of the house doctor.  So blue is the accent color is the master bedroom, it goes with the quilt.  Bonnie Hunter's Roll Roll, Cotton Boll I do believe.  I had two pillows, but design is supposed to be done in odd numbers.  See how much I've learned from Netflix? 

While the open house was going on yesterday, I found myself out and about killing time.  Joann's was near the deli where I was enjoying lunch, and so I found some brightly colored fabric on clearance.  I really hated the brown pillows that came with the couches.  Honestly, I think that they came with the last couches, not with these. 

See how much happier they will look?  I've got them sewn up, it is just a matter of stuffing the pillows inside and then hand stitching the last side closed.  I think I've run out of home improvement shows to watch on Netflix.  Maybe I will enjoy a movie while I sew.  

I'm afraid to get all my sewing supplies out again, but I don't have Tuesday's block done.  If I am smart, I will whip up the next three weeks in one shot.  After that we will (hopefully) have closed on the new place and I can start setting up my sewing space.  Kurt is anxious to start painting, but honestly, my fabric is important too.  Turns out that switching houses is exhausting.  

ScrapHappy Saturday 9

Does this look like a room ready for serious sewing?  Sadly, it is a room looking ready for an open house this afternoon.  Until that is done I'm not allowed to make a mess.  I'll enjoy all of your wonderful green creations instead

   

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Tiny Tuesday #10

Jo Butterfield is our guest designer this week.  She has a block called multiply which works nicely with tiny little squares.  This one will be set on the diagonal.  Here is a PDF in case you are saving files for later.  Thanks Jo!

ScrapHappy Saturday 8

Another weekend of cleaning instead of sewing.  Alas, my yellow plans have been waylaid by getting the house ready to put on the market.  Hopefully though, I'll be sewing soon with a view of the ocean.  It is time then to move on to a new color, and I am happy to announce that March will be green.  So tidy up the yellow and go grab some green
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