Jacobs Ladder blocks....

I made 3 this week for a total of 20 of these 12 inch JL blocks! I was thinking 30 of these blocks for a 5x6 setting (60x72). Do you think that is big enough for a raffle quilt? I was thinking a snuggle throw quilt... what do you think. Will that be big enough?

Hmmm... I'll also have to play around with the blocks and see what setting I'll put these blocks into. Lots of decisions but I have another month or two until I need to decide!

I hope to get back into the sewing room today after a break yesterday. My MIL (Grandma!) took the kids for the day so I could finish unpacking the 20 or so boxes that were still in the play room from our move a few months ago. I was able to get through them, 2 trips to the recycle place with boxes and paper and then I made a car loaded trip to Good Will while DH went to pick up the kids. Then it was home for me to start making dinner..... I needed to use up some potato's in the pantry so it was.... potato leek soup (minus the leeks.. I used onion instead) and some popovers. Yummy! I think that will be lunch for me today with a nice salad. Happy sewing to you all.

Jacobs Ladder blocks....

I think I forgot to do one last week.... so I made 2 so far this week. I might make a few more later this week... they are nice quick little blocks to make and I love seeing progress. I believe I have 14 blocks completed and that fifteenth one still needs some picking out and fixing. I think I can make a few more blocks before I need to cut some more green fabrics and make more HST's. I've got the 4 patches working as leaders and enders. Works great except when I am working on the midget blocks... which tend to be paper pieced.

Jacobs Ladder blocks....

I am doing pretty good on these blocks and soon will have enough for the quilt I'll donate to my friend next June. I noticed my HST's are getting low so I'll need to make some more next weekend..... when I can really dig into that closet and not have to worry about putting the room back together for company the next day. Here are the two I made last weekend. Do you notice something different?



Yup, I have one HST turned the wrong way... something to fix this weekend.

I just love seeing the progress with little bits of time taken here and there. This is what I have so far....

A weekend off....

Kind of. Back from another week away for training. Two weeks down and two to go. We do get this coming week off, so I hope to get a few things done or started on in the sewing room while I am home. I also have to work 2 days in a store as part of the training so that takes away 2 days there and there is Thanksgiving this week too. I'm hosting so a bit of time will go into cooking and cleaning as well. All in all.... a busy week at home for me.

I did manage to finish the binding for the Star Struck quilt. I just need to make the label, attach it and print out some pics of the kids and send this up to Vermont to it's new owner. I hope she likes it and thinks of the kids when she sees it.


I also did 2 more of the JL blocks last week and 2 today but didn't get a chance to write it up. I now have 8 of these blocks done and hope to make two more later this week. I have the 4 patches and HST's all set so this is easy sewing right now for the next 4 or 5 blocks I think.
These are the 2 from last week,
the two today

and all 8 of my blocks so far.

My goals this week are to get two quilts quilted and the bindings on so I can finish them while I am away at training again. I found the box of warm and natural batting and have the backings made already. Just need to pin and quilt... and maybe make one of the bindings.
I'd also like to get some of the creams cut for Em's quilt and get started on that. At least one Midget block done.... hope for two though. Of course... put out a few more of the JL blocks as well... all the parts are done so that one should be easy. I also need 4 more crumb blocks to be up to my 42 for the inside.... I think I can do that today as well. Of course... Bonnie Hunter has a mystery that started yesterday over at Quiltville.com.... I really want to do that too, but think I'll just have to print out those directions for the next couple of weeks. Maybe it will be a Christmas week mystery for me?
There. That's my goals for the week...... lets see how I do!

Jacobs Ladder Week 2

I was able to sew a bunch more of the HST's and the four patches and now have 4 of these pretty blocks put together.



I am estimating that I need 30 blocks for a set of 5x6. At 12 inches a block that should be a good sized lap quilt I think. I had enough HST's cut to make 11 blocks... so I'll need to raid the stash again and cut some more fabrics when I get home next weekend.

Jacobs Ladder..... some blocks!

Well, I've been busy working on my to do list from my last post. The 5 hours of training is done and all tests taken (big thanks to MIL for taking the kids yesterday so I could get that done). Since they had timers on the page...and sometimes only one little paragraph on the page.... I sewed some 2 patches and 4 patches and trimmed down those HST's... (I did the 4 inch squares and made 2 matching HST's). Today I put these two blocks together.

I am enjoying this process and think this will be donated to my friend Kelly for next June's 'Lacing up for Cancer' quilt for her to raffle off.

During the last 'class' I opened my midget box of civil war fabrics and pulled some fabrics for blocks 9, 10 and 12 while waiting for the timer to go off so I could turn the page. If I ever get a 30-60 minute block of time I think I'll put one of them together for next Tuesday's 'Tiny Tuesday'.

Oh no... I really need to do some more of the crumb blocks too.... but for now the kids finally settled down (1 hour after put down for naps and one huge booboo on a finger that I need to check once AT wakes up (he was under his bed and pushing the slats up with his feet and a finger that is a little swollen when it got smushed....but I think he was able to move it.) The joys of parent hood.

The next post.... I'll let you know what the kids did with Grandma and Papa yesterday in preparation for tomorrow!

November... how the time just fly's

Yikes, so long since the last post. Life just gets in the way sometimes. I had a quick trip up to Vermont to visit and then drive the second car down weekend before last.... good thing I didn't wait as they got a bit of snow up that way this weekend. I had a good visit with my siblings and families while there and brought Mom back with me! She was a trooper and we got down here in 2 days of driving time... 22 hours driving and probably around 28 hours in the car those two days. What a way to spend a weekend! She was able to come down and see the house and kids and headed back last Thursday to the snow covered ground in Vermont.

While there, I visited a cute quilt shop in Barre/Montpelier called A Quilters Garden and picked up a few FQ's of 30's prints.

Still have not found the ones I know I have somewhere in this house.... I'm sure I'll find them once I finish putting my sewing room in order. While gone, I had emptied out my closet of boxes and hubby installed a few shelves for me. Of course... that is the spare room so once Mom decided to come down with me... he got to throw all the boxes back into the closet and see about getting something for her to sleep on while down here. I was able to finally get in there last Friday and empty some boxes of fabrics and put them on their new shelves. Sill lots to do in there.... but lots of other things have to get done this week before my training starts next week.

On thing I decided to join is the Jacobs Ladder quilt along. I decided to do scrappy in green and creams. Since it is scrappy.... I need to have lots of patches and HST's sewn together before I can assemble a block. Having the greens out and on a shelf is much easier than pawing through a box of fabric. This is the stack I have so far.


I did try the 3.5 inch strips and the specialty ruler to cut them.. but it seems my seam allowance is off and they are too small. I need to pick those seams out and try again to get the correct size units.

I also had some quick sewing to do for Halloween. I got a bit of brown leather looking fabric to make a vest for AT's costume. I have never sewn anything but straight line for quilts...so this was an experience. I just took some packing paper and his shirt and came up with a back and two sides. Since it is just for play... I didn't do a liner. I think it came out pretty good for my first attempt. He made a cute pirate and will get more use out of it as a cow boy and sheriff in the future. That is one versatile garment! The good part, I have enough fabric to make another one for Em.
Here they are in costume last night.


Off to finish dinner... and see if I can get a few things finished this week. My list:
Do the rest of the 5+ hours of on-line training and the test before class next Monday. (Grandma is kid sitting tomorrow so I can get this done!)
Quilt the Star Struck quilt for C and get the binding put on so I can finish it next week while away. (need to unpin, re-iron everything, repin and quilt. Binding is made already)
Cut the creams for Emily's quilt so that log cabin can start construction.
Make more 2 patches, 4 patches and HST's for the JLQA.
Make a midget block (maybe tonight since it is Tuesday?) to keep that project going.
Clean and organize the 4th bedroom/sewing room for MIL (who is a neat freak... yikes!)
Wish me luck.. I'm going to need it!