100 Blocks DONE!

 I have been slowly over the past several weeks working on my 1 inch strips to make a small log cabin block. ( 5 inch unfinished)

And today, they are all completed.  I would chain 3 or 4 at a time. This would allow changing colors if the random color on the stack did not match the block. I did not always agree on some of the light fabrics that were in the selection. Sometimes, I would use the back of the fabric instead, because it was lighter. 

A week ago I did a search of how I would set the 100 blocks into a top.  I ended up really liking Gretchen's Barn Raising setting from her 2019 tab of completed quilts. ( Gretchen Little Corner)

I just discovered my first post on them was from October 14 of this year even. I really stuck with it to remember how I squared up each log as I added it.  My mini ruler was a perfect assistant. 

Center as I laid they out. I needed for all dark squares for the center of the star. 

And all 100 blocks:

It will only be 45 inches square when finished. 

And here is what is left of the original precut box.

I could make a few extra... but I am DONE making the blocks. 

I now have them all paired up for webbing and putting it together on retreat next month. 

Here and gone!

 More trips have been happening: 

Last week, I first went to Detroit to see my daughter.  The weather was nice and the trip was so beautiful with the fall foliage. It was truly lovely to repeatedly see a copse of trees with a rainbow of crimson, gold, rust and greens of every shade.  Sometimes it seemed like they were leaning over the fences greeting me as if to say, " Hey!  Look at me, too!"

We spent time in Ann Arbor browsing different shops. I picked up a few Christmas presents.  The next day we toured Edsel and Eleanor Ford's residence in St. Claire Shores.  It is on the lake and has beautiful grounds.  The house was built for them and is just incredible. I thought 50 to 75 year old antiques were good.  No, they had a Ming vase 4000 years old as well as many, many others  several hundred years old.

Edsel was not born into a wealthy home as Henry Ford did not get into his automobile production in his 40s. That was something I did not know.  I have been to Greenfield Village and the museum before. So I was somewhat familiar with what Henry had done.

This was garage. Oh my the cars...

It was short but just great to spend time with my daughter. 

Then I left for my hometown, Shelby, Ohio for a birthday party of old friends in my childhood. My BFF and I were born a day apart and our mothers shared the hospital room. So I had so much fun seeing him again

I also spent time visiting my old Victorian house I grew up in. The tears flowed as I saw the property and even met the owner who showed me the kitchen renovation. Such stories were recalled and shared.  The ghost, Levi, whom my mother saw when we lived there,  is still present and pulling tricks. And not scary at all. Even the owner in between now and my era was familiar with him.

On the way, I stopped in Galion, Ohio for a cross stitch shop which is housed in the hardware store. husband and wife  as well as their daughter work together. Of course, I purchased  a few patterns and some canvas and floss.

On the trip back I got caught in 2 snow squalls...I gripped the steering wheel and refused to change lanes for fear of ending in the ditch like so many others.

I have been home for 2 days, sewing away on my mini log cabins.  I now have 76 of them completed. Hooray!

Tomorrow I leave for Indianapolis to see my sister and mother while my husband attends a percussion convention.   

Hand stitching for now. 

Another quilt top

 Several years ago, I started a rainbow scrap quilt with primary colors. And the project stalled with 5 colors completed. I don't even remember where the inspiration came from.  

So on my quest to reduce the number of unfinished projects, I pulled the box out and found 40 completed blocks.  I had black and white pieces fabrics with some already the right size. It is basically a potato chip block with cut dimensions of all pieces 2 1/2 by 4 1/2 inches and only 1 round of color. 

I made another round of dark blue blocks  4 with white centers and 4 with black centers bringing the total to 48 blocks. I laid them out and assembled them into a top. And VOILA, a quilt top  finished.  

This will be a donation quilt.

Additionally, I am now up to 57 mini log cabin blocks. I hate to stop them for fear I lose my strategy of chain piecing and precision work. Over half way to 100.  Good progress.

Pineapple progress and finish

 For the past 3 days I have sat at the machine slowly and carefully quilting my pineapple top. 

I first laid it out and used quilt basting spray to adhere all the layers making sure to get it flat and secure.  I was careful for this step as the last one ended up with puckering from the walking foot. 

I did not use it this time and planned to do straight lines per this suggestion.

I used my regular 1/4 inch foot and used a card as a guideline to keep my lines straight. It also helped to keep the fabric flat. 

The downfall with this was repeatedly turning the quilt to get the shapes as shown.

After much body contortions to twist and turn the layers 360 degrees under the needle, I saw a pattern that was much easier.

And so the quilting was finished by first going horizontal and then vertical. 

I was so pleased with myself to use my geometry and see patterns within patterns. 

I selected a bright colorful fabric for binding to pull all the colors together and am sewing the binding down by hand in front of the tv.

DONE!  HOORAY!