Meanwhile, back at the Studio .....

Ah, LIFE does have a habit of becoming very, very busy, doesn't it?

Thankfully, for me, it has been a good kind of "busy" lately :*)  I've been working on lots of different projects in between running in and out, here, there and everywhere!

The project on my Design Wall right now is Scrappy Nines (Pat Wys).  Although I have quite a few alternate blocks to fill in yet, you can at least get a general idea of how the design will look.  I think the stripes and plaids of the recycled shirts is going to look amazing!!!  (go HERE if you want to read more about that).

I'm keeping these pieces all laid out on my sewing table so I can work on it as any block of time becomes available - and it is working marvelously!  I zipped right through all the little nine-patches which are the basic building blocks for the actual blocks themselves.  Then I put nose to grindstone and completed all 15 of the main blocks - whew!!!

Then I started on the alternate blocks - only 10 more to go!

Can anyone tell me what I was thinking when I cut these pieces?  These are LEFTOVER!!!

Yep, that's a lot of pieces extra!  Wow.  Just Wow.  And to think that I had a backache for a week because of all the cutting I "had" to do for this quilt ... looks like the joke was on me, right?

I rushed through the cutting for this because it was for a class, and I think what might have happened is that I cut the same amount of pieces from the lights as I did for the darks - but I had twice as many light shirts as I did darks.  Duh!!!  One more piece of evidence that Math is definitely not my strong point LOL!!!

Actually, I'm thinking I may use these leftovers to add a pieced border to this quilt and make it bigger.  In my rush to get this project ready for class, I also never stopped to look at the finished size.... 66-1/2" x 78-1/2" .... only a lap-size.  I'd really like for this to be a queen if possible so I can use it on the guest bed when gentlemen come visiting.  Or as a possible gift?  I already have several gentlemen who are begging me to let them have this quilt =^..^=

Before I go, I'd like to announce the winner of the Cozy Afternoon Giveaway from last week (see original post HERE) ....

The winner is Bobbie, who blogs over at From This to That - check out her fun blog HERE!  I love her blog name - Bobballuiah :*D  Bobbie said .....

Teresa - your blocks are a delight! I couldn't think of a fun comment so went in search of some cat fun : A group of cats is referred to as a "clowder" or a "glaring".

*It is illegal to let your cat run loose in Denver Colorado, United States.unless it has a taillight.
*Fights between cats and dogs are prohibited in Barber, North Carolina, United States.
*It is illegal for anyone to give lighted cigars to dogs, cats, and other domesticated animal kept as pets in Zion Illinois, United States.
*Riddle: Is it hard to spot a leopard? Answer: No, they come that way!
*Riddle: What kind of cats like to go bowling? Answer: Alley cats!
*Riddle: What kind of kitten works for the Red Cross? Answer: A first-aid Kit.

Now, how could I resist choosing such a fun comment as the winner?  I know a few of you found it pretty hilarious too :*)  Congratulations to Bobbie who will receive a wonderful set of digital patterns from Cozy Afternoon designer Jacquelynne Steves!

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

=^..^=

Scrappy Nines - Finally!

A few weeks ago, Pat Wys and Nancy Mahoney were the keynote speakers/teachers at our bi-annual TVQA Spring Seminar.  The first night, Pat sat right next to me at our table, and I was totally starstruck!!!

I've been following Pat's blog, Silver Thimble Talk, for years, and when she released her book Spotlight on Neutrals - Quilts and More for Any Decor in 2011, I had to have it!

I know - you all think I only care about playing with those bright, bold colors, right?  Well, yes, that's true usually.  But the visual impact of Scrappy Nines, the cover quilt on this book, sucked me right in - I just love that intense contrast in design.  I bought it almost before it came off the presses!

Yep, a first edition :)

Pat told us in class that this book sold out of the first publication almost immediately and went into the second printing quickly.  The first edition can be identified by a typo on page 23 - squares that are supposed to be cut 7-1/4" are given as 5-1/4" - yikes!  That's a BIG difference!!!

So a word to the wise .... if you have this book,

go check it now to be sure you have the right measurements in there :*)

This is one of those projects that I fell in love with and couldn't wait to start .... and then I never started it.  Four. Years. Ago.  Ever happen to you?  Yeh, I thought I was the only one. *wink*  It actually took Pat coming to teach classes for me to get fired up and start pulling it together.

I do remember that one of the problems I had with starting was that I had decided to use only recycled men's shirts.  I actually have quite a few shirts that I've picked up at thrift stores and Goodwill already stashed for quilts, but it took a while to gather enough to have a good variety of neutral fabrics. This is one box of recycled shirts that I have disassembled and stored, ready for use....

.... there are a few recycled dresses in there as well :)  A few of these shirts made it into my version of Scrappy Nines.

Neatly cut up into squares and rectangles.  And before you begin to think, "well, how cool is that?", I just want to let you know that this took FOREVER!!!!

Cutting precise pieces out of such irregular sections of fabric was difficult and time consuming...

I was constantly trying to maneuver to make sure I made the best use of whatever size section I had to work with.  Some shirts were Xtra Lge, long-sleeved and provided plenty of fabric, but others were smaller or short-sleeved, so I had to really work to get all the pieces needed out of them.

First I had to cut strips from each shirt for making the nine-patches - I used my Sizzix cutting  machine for the strips and that part went very quickly.  Here they are all bagged up and ready for class ....

I need 168 nine-patches for the quilt - 

It's a start, right?

Actually, I now have 120 of them made :*)  I went on a retreat the week after class and spent two days sewing strips together, cutting them into little tiny sections, and then sewing them back together into adorable little nine-patches!  It's a tough job, you know, but someone's got to do it.....

So, here are the two blocks I managed to get done in class ....

Don't you just love this???

By the way, I did try to keep lines straight but sometimes it was just impossible.

And here is how they look together ....

Now that I've finally started on this quilt, I'm determined to work on it until it is done!  I set up a work station in my studio totally dedicated to Scrappy Nines alone, and I can sit down to sew on it for a few stolen minutes here and there, or for an entire afternoon - whatever I have available each day.  Hopefully, I'll have a finished top to show you before too much longer :*)

I'm linking up with Sharon over at Vrooman's Quilts this month for Let's Book It! - so happy to finally have the opportunity to join up in this fun linky party!!!  And interestingly enough, Sharon pulled the same book from her shelf to work on this month.... they say great minds think alike, don't they?

Hugs & Blessings!

Teresa

=^..^=