350 Block Report 2019- January

A fresh start for 2019. 2018 wasn't my year, sewing time was hard to find for all sorts of reasons. Sometimes things don't quite work out how you think they will. So here is to a better sewing year. I found counting my blocks each month useful for a few of reasons but mostly for those months where I felt I haven't achieved anything. I can look back and say to myself- yes I had a lean month, you didn't reach the target but you did do this. It counts. It also helps me make some time to sew. I try and set generally small time slots aside, so I can sew. I do seem to work better when I have a schedule. Even if it is only 20-30 minutes I am often amazed how much better I feel after I have a little sewing session when I have had a bad day or busy day. Good for the mind, heart and soul. So let the counting begin.

This month's total is 14 blocks.
I put my Fire Island Hosta quilt together. The four quarter equal 2 plus 3 borders for a total of 5 for this project.

I started my Temperature Quilt so in theory there will be a block for each week of the year. So I have 4 blocks and my legend block completed for a total of 5.

 

One more pin cushion pictured here with the other one I did last year.

4 large coasters for my Black and white table runner. I haven't counted the table runner as the blocks were done a few years ago so they have been counted previously.

15 blocks for a upcoming workshop project. The sub blocks were made last year. I did get some sewing done, though not counted last year. It is nice to see them coming together and boosting my January total.

So January's total is 30 blocks.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

What Thread was I Using this Time?

To continue with my little series on what threads I am using. I have been working to finish my Tilda Club cushion project. If you haven't heard about Tilda Club, it is a bi monthly club featuring Tilda fabrics and it comes with a pattern and kit to make the project featured. January's pack is just about to arrive so there is still time to join in the fun for this year.  Click here to my website for more details or to sign up.

I was part way through this project, the piecing done and flowers were fused in place. I was ready to do the applique and finish the cushion. Anyone that knows me, knows I am not a big fan on applique and I am not a fan of seeing my stitches.  I like them to disappear, blend in with the fabric. Here I am using multi coloured fabrics and what colour would blend and disappear. There was only one choice for me and that is Aurfil's Invisible thread.

I don't use it a lot as I feel you need good light to work with it as it does disappear. I have sewn whole rows of quilting, not realising the thread had come out of the eye of the needle on the machine.
But for me this is my preferred thread for invisible applique stitching. Then you can use you preferred stitch, like the buttonhole stitch or a satin stitch or a blind hem stitch. even a zig zag works if you machine doesn't have the other stitches. Once the applique is finished I go back to my favourite 50wt for the assembling of the cushion.

Here is the cushion finished.

Now if my husband ask where his lounge cushion is, don't tell him that I borrowed it for a while. The inserts I have in the shop are too small.

I will get some the right size and retake my photo and return his cushion.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia.

My Temperature Quilt Part 4

Week 4 of my temperature quilt looks like this. I did consider using another colour for over 45 but I had already made my legend block. So I left it.

20-1-19- 34- Orange
21-1-19 -37.4 - Pink
22-1-19 - 40.1- Red
23-1-19 -43.4- Red
24-1-19 -48.8- Red
25-1-19 - 33.4 -Orange
26-1-19 - 31.5 - Orange

Now if you saw my quilt layout in my last post. Click here to check it out. I have three empty blocks, one at the start and 2 at the end. one of these spots would be a great place to put your legend. Down the track a few years, you can still see how the breakdown of temperatures work. The other idea I had was make it part of your label on the back of your quilt.
In my first empty block at the top I thought I would put the year here.You can applique it, machine or hand embroider it in. My option will be to hand embroider it as I am unable to machine it.  More on that in the next post.

The last block at the bottom will be home to my legend.
For my legend block I have 7 colours that represent my temperatures so this makes it easy. I can select one of each colour from my piles and sew them together. For a change I somehow made things easy for myself. If you are using a different amount you need to take your block length without the seam allowance and divide it by the number of colour to give you the size. eg my finished block size- 14" block length divide it by 7 = 2. This mean your blocks need to be cut  4 1/2" x2 1/2" including your seam allowance.

Here is my legend
9- 15 degrees Purple
16-20 degrees  Blue
21-25 degrees Green
26-30 degrees Yellow
31-35 degrees Orange
36-40 degrees Pink
40+ degrees Red

 Next time we will look at the sashing strips to join your blocks together as I think we will need to be sewing our blocks together regularly, so we don't have to mark them.  Though this is an option if you need it. We don't want to mess our weeks up now.
Until Next Time
Keep Stitching
Cynthia