String Quilt

I love the look of this quilt!
I ended up making enough blocks to make the center of this top
56 x 70".  I plan to add an accent border of red and an outer border about 6 inches wide.  I hope to find something in my stash that will work. Maybe a light blue or creamy yellow print.
I followed a pattern found in Liberated String Quilts by Gwen Marston which I borrowed from a friend.
There are lots of great string quilts in this book.

First Peony of Season

Kathy found this peony hiding under a Knockout rose bush.  I think it's called Buckeye Beauty.

I  planted it several years ago and it rarely has more than one blossom.

I guess I should find a better place for it but I sure hate to disturb it again.  I really need to do a lot of weeding in this bed.  Perhaps this coming week as most everything has sprouted esp. the weeds!

Catfish Bait

 The weather is warming up and it will soon be time to fish for catfish.  All you need to make some greaat catfish bait is a package of hot dogs, strawberry Kool-Aid, some garlic and a jar. Cut the hot dogs into slices, add to jar with Kool-Aid and about 8 large cloves of chopped garlic. Cover with water and put into the fridge for a couple of weeks.  You are ready to catch catfish!

Back to Those Strings

Remember that basket of strings from a couple of weeks ago?  I have been sewing like a crazy woman! Making strips sets about 6 inches wide, pressing the seams and cutting them into triangles.  Of course, I got bored and cut a few more strings to keep it interesting!

 Sew two triangles together with a red strip inserted in center.  

 Then trim again and carefully (all the edges are on the bias) sew the squares into X blocks.  So far I love the way they look.   This pattern is shown in a Gwen Marston book. Not sure which one.

At Their Peak!

These white Formosa type azaleas outside our bedroom window are in full bloom.  We planted them about 40 years ago when we built the house. They have been pruned many times and are about  five feet tall.  About 15 years ago one double pink plant appeared the midst of all the white ones (each year I say I'm going to take it out but I just don't have the heart). 
We had  just returned home  from the lake and as I opened the window, their sweet fragrance just poured into the room.  Yes, the best things in life are free.

Paper Piecing

It was very cool when we were at the lake last Friday and Saturday.  So it was a perfect opportunity for me to work on this wall hanging.  I am scheduled to teach paper piecing at Ladybug in May and this is the pattern Joyce picked for me to use.  I need to add some button centers then get it quilted.  This pattern was in American Patchwork and Quilting in 2008.

Yellow Crosses

    I really enjoyed making the blocks for this quilt.  I started with 6" squares and inserted 1.5" strips in various shades of cream, yellow and a very light green.  Simply  quilted in wavy lines with a light yellow flannel print for the backing.  The quilt is 38 x 44".

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A Little Progress......

 I got up early this morning and finished quilting this Animal Preprint quilt before Bible Study at 10.  Then John and I went to Raleigh to do errands and pick up the food for Wednesday Lenten Supper at church and table decorations for the Community Lenten Lunch (also on Wednesday).  Tonight, I sewed the binding on.  I just love the coordinating print on the back.  It is 34 x 44".  I'll wash it tomorrow and call it finished.

Scraps and Strings

 Thursday Connie and Cathy came over.  Connie brought a spider web quilt that she is working on and some of her books with string quilts in them.  We all liked one in the Gwen Marston book sooooo---- we dumped out my bag of scraps and sorted through them picking out the light colored ones. Then I ironed, and they cut them into usable strings. They plan on going through their scraps for the same types of fabric.  We will combine them and sew the strip units next time we get together.  Sounds like a plan.

Cathy did such a great job getting the rest of my scraps organized that I decided to sew some blocks with them after my sister and BIL left to go back to NYS on Monday.

The first group I made had small starting squares and they got really small after I trimmed them.

For the second group I used 3 to 4 inch squares  in the corner.  And they were much easier to sew.

The pile of scraps seems hardly diminished at all.

Today I went by the local quilt shop to pick out some fabrics for a paper pieced wall hanging that I will be teaching in May.  That was fun.

Tomorrow is cooking at church for our Evening Lenten Program.  We will make Chicken Pot Pie, Green Beans, Fruit Salad and Layer Cakes for Dessert.