Echoes of Summer

Echoes of Summer is what I chose to call this quilt.  The first picture is the EQ7 rendition and the second is the quilt I made from the pattern.  The third picture shows a corner close up.  I really like this quilt and I think it will be an excellent class to teach at work this fall.  I used the Easy Angle ruler to make the half-square triangles and that is something that people own but don't know how it use it.  I will demo the ruler and teach how to use it, and also show them the old way of making half-square triangles.  This is the same block repeated but turned in different directions.  I made my quilt four blocks wide by four blocks long.  Each block calls for four half-square triangles and five four-patches, for a total of 64 half-square triangles and 80 four-patches.  It takes a little time to get all the pieces done and then to put the blocks together and then place the blocks in rows going the right direction.  I thought it was fun to make.  I can see that by changing the colors (switching darks and lights) the quilt could look totally different.  I may need to do some experimenting with that.

What I'm working on

The past couple of days I have been working on a quilt I saw in a quilt book from the South Charleston library.  I couldn't find the exact block in EQ7 so I drew it up myself and added it.  I am calling the quilt "Echoes of Summer".  These are the components of the quilt.  I had to make 64 red/white half-square triangles and 80 blue/ white four-patches.  I elected to make the blues scrappy, but the red and white are the same throughout.  I may change the border to a pieced border but I have very little of this white left so that really limits me.  I may teach this quilt in a class at work in maybe October.  We already have the September schedule made so I guess I am working ahead.  This will be a small quilt, suitable for a baby quilt or wallhanging or maybe to throw over a table.  More blocks could be added to make it bigger but I can quilt this size myself.  I'll post pictures when it is finished.

I've been missing in action

Sorry I have completely neglected this blog.  What can I say, life gets in the way.  I just haven't been in the mood to write the blog lately.  I will attempt to do better.

I haven't been sewing much this summer.  I really slowed down in early spring, and it has continued all summer.  My sewing room is a wreck; it isn't much fun going in there to sew when I have to uncover the cutting table every time.  I have done some sewing, mostly when I'm at work or getting something ready to sew on at work.  I have made a couple of quilts but haven't finished anything.  I bought several patterns for clothes to make this summer but didn't touch them yet.  I've got to get back into it.

I was sitting in my car at the South Charleston library the other day when I noticed my odometer reading 70,707 miles.  That's pretty good for a car that is twelve and half years old.  I'd love to buy a new car but I just haven't found any car I like as well as my 2000 Mazda 626.  I think I'll keep it a while longer. 

We have really had some nice weather this year.  I love the hot summer days.  I sit out on the porch nearly every day no matter what the temperature is, but I particularly like it when it is hotter outside that it is inside.  I am so cold most of the time that the heat feels really good seeping into my bones. 

My kitties are doing well, except of course for Missy.  She is 17 1/2 years old now and no longer grooms herself or does anything except sleep and eat.  Poor little thing.  I give her extra treats and things.