Monday, September 7, 2009

The Ripper strikes again…….

Yesterday I shut myself in the sweat room while the rain fell outside…..nothing like sewing on a wet dreary Sunday.  While I sewed, I read a book.  Yes, I sat at my sewing machine and sewed AND I read a book.  Pretty clever, aren’t I!  Actually the book is on CD- you can sign them out of the local library and they are REALLY good.  Makes me think of the days before TV when everyone listened to stories on the radio…(and no that was BEFORE my time).  So there I was sewing away while listening to a who-done-it on a CD with the rain coming down outside…delicious!  Try it, you’ll like it!

P1020692 So what was I sewing while I was reading….Well, I finished the baby quilt top.  I added a row on top and bottom to give it more length.  To add another row of the blocks would have made it too big so this seemed to be a good solution.  Now I just need to quilt it…but first….onto the shirts….

P1020682 P1020683 I love these sting quilts- so colourful and easy to make and a great way to use up scraps of fabric.  I will definitely be making more of these!P1020684Remember those 99cent shirts that I bought at the Thrift Shop yesterday?  Well they were calling my name….”Paulette….cut me up”….no it wasn’t the CD although there was a slasher in that story too….

Aren’t the blocks beautiful!  They are so geometric….some more than others.  Size sure matters here.  An XL shirt produces 6 squares where a small makes only 3….so don’t let anyone tell you size doesn’t matter!  You get more bang for your buck….when the shirt’s big.

P1020685 P1020686 P1020687

These two are my favourites.  Very pretty and VERY easy and I got to use my new triangular ruler which made it even easier.P1020688

I have three more shirts to cut up…before I square up the blocks and sew them together.  This is a fun project!

But the sweat room looks like….a crime scene…almost like a murder was committed –ripped remnants of shirts all over the floor…whew no blood….hey be careful with that rotary cutter….!!! Hey put that cutter down….no, no, NOOOOOOOOO….
Yeah, yeah…. I guess I should stick to music…..

It’s a good thing- Jessica over at Happy Together put together a tutorial on how to make large quilted letters.  Loved them!  I can see them on a child’s quilt spelling out his/her name, or A B C or cat, dog etc.  Too cute.  Thanks for doing that Jessica!  Make sure you check her blog out…you’ll be Happy Together….

Lynette over at  Lynette Anderson Designs  is sharing her two step method  on how to do the blanket stitch so that the thread won’t slip under or over the fabric being appliquéd.  Check out her post- I must try it as my stitching looks like the picture of what you DON’T want to see…alas…the story of my life….

So have a marvelous Monday and Happy Quilting to all!  Oh, yeah….have a wonderful Labour Day –hope you get to labour over a quilt…..

7 comments:

  1. Great shirt blocks. Those stripes are amazing.

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  2. The shirt blocks are very interesting, I am sure they will make a lovely quilt. When will the top be ready, tomorrow???

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  3. What a great use of old shirts- I love how the stripes converge together. It sounds like you had a glorious time making your blocks.
    I look forward to seeing it all put together.
    Warmest regards,
    Anna

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  4. Love the string quilt, love the shirt blocks, love your blog!

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  5. What a beautiful quilt the string quilt is very nice as will be the shirt one.
    I have music or radio playing when i am sewing a lot of the time it nice to have background music on & not just hearing the sewing machine
    Hugs Janice

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  6. Audio books is a fabulous invetion! I too love listening to a book while sewing (or doing the dishes, or what ever *lol*).

    That baby quilt turned out wonderful! I love the stripy sections at the top and bottom!

    Your shirt blocks are looking very interesting! I look forward to seeing this project develop further!

    Hope you're having a great day!
    Hugs and stitches

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  7. Your baby quilt is just scrummy! And I love your shirt blocks bet they never looked sooo good when they were worn as shirts...lol! Not, that I don't think your hubby will not have looked good in them,I hasten to add, I sure he looked very good, just maybe the shirts look better cut up...have I dug myself into a massive pit now? Think I'll give up now before I make it any worse! Hugs Wendy x

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