One More Pillow Cover...

Did you sign up for my giveaway?  See the previous post.

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I have written time (and time again) that I cannot do 'random'.  Did you miss those posts?  See them here and here and here and here...you get the idea, right?

Well, I DID it!  And, I think I am okay with it.  

I had some small strips laying around from the pillow covers I already made, so I cut them into 2" squares and started laying them out.  Well, that can take forever for me.  So, I gathered them all up and dumped them next to Naomi Janome...telling myself that I was going to put the cover together in a RANDOM way. 

And, I did.  YAY!  I think I am okay with it.  

Okay, truth be told, those 4 white squares that are in a row did bother me, but I decided to leave them as they are...especially since I noticed that the 8 prints in a row right next to them didn't bother me.  ~grin~  I think I did 'random' okay. 

I am done making pillow covers.  With these fabrics, anyway.  I have not decided which of them will make it to the finish line, but I'll start with my faves...get them quilted and the backings made.  Then, I need to buy a few pillow forms...I am looking forward to seeing them together on my sofa!  

On to more projects!  

Hope your day is good.


  


"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Seeing Double...

I spent a little bit of time yesterday afternoon working on my Double Hourglass quilt.  I have a difficult time with random...I may have mentioned this before.  However, I recently read a post on Amanda Jean's blog about how she does random which gave me some hope.  Read it here.  Thank you, Amanda Jean!

I had 64 blocks to use for this quilt...a lap quilt with 8 rows of 8.  I paired up two blocks that I deliberately chose...blocks I liked together.  Next, I put together two pairs of blocks...again choosing pairs I liked together.  I then had 16 strips of 4 blocks.  I laid them out on my bed...somewhat randomly at first.  I say somewhat, because this fabric collection, 'Fig and Plum', has 3 fabrics with dots...I needed to pay attention to where those blocks were.
 
Here's my first layout:

 

(Click on the image to see the individual blocks better.)  I must say that I am almost happy with this layout.  There is one place where two blocks of the same color and the same print are diagonal from each other.  However, since they are smack dab in the center of the quilt, I just may leave them where they are.  There are two other places that I may address...we shall see.   Because you know how it goes once you start moving pieces around...move one and then you need to move another...and another...and on and on.  

It will be at least a few days before I get back to this.  In the meantime, I have some knitting and sewing to do.

Have a great day!

  

   

    

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Random...Is There Such A Thing?

Apparently not.  For me, at least.  I tell you...I just cannot do random.  I couldn't when I was hooking rugs and I cannot when I am quilting.  argh!!  What's up with that?

So.  Here's the scoop.  Lotta Jansdotter fabrics Echo and Bella.  Love the colors...they play well together.  I decided I wanted to do a simple patchwork quilt.  I had twenty 10" squares of the Echo fabrics, 5 Kona cotton solids and then added in 2 more Kona cotton solids and seven of the Bella fabrics.  I cut 182 five inch squares to make the quilt top 13 squares across and 13 squares down with some left over for a strip on the back.  Okay...so random.  I thought I would just put all the squares in a bag and pull them out and sew together.  Truly random.  Just wouldn't put two of the same print/solid next to each other.  Not so easy as it may sound.  I did okay with the rows...but when I started putting the rows together, I did not like what I had done.  For one thing, there are some darks and some lights and I did want them somewhat evenly distributed throughout the quilt top.  I ended up reverse sewing about half of what I had done and started over.  Felt like I made this two times.  ~sigh~

Anyway.  Here is the quilt top...not quite how I wanted it, but certainly better than my first attempt...

I had a wonderful birthday last weekend...thank you to all of you for the well-wishes.  I received a few more cards and gifts this past week...gotta love an extended celebration, hey?

Here's a special gift that arrived in yesterday's mail...

Sister Julie made this...she buys chicken stuff for my kitchen.  Including the frame, this measures 15" square.  I know - having done counted cross stitch for several years - how much time and effort went into this...she did a great job!  The colors are so much more than this photo shows...very soft rich colors. 
 

I am in the process of reading, "The Third Bullet" by Stephen Hunter.  It's a Bob Lee Swagger book (remember "Shooter"...same character).  This story involves the assassination of John F. Kennedy, so is based on fact, but it is so much more than that.  Though the book is very technical in parts, I believe that those details are what makes the book all the more interesting.  WOW!  This guy really can write!  A storyteller at the top of his game, in my opinion. 

Work is becoming very stressful for me.  Not sure how this can be good.  Perhaps retirement will come sooner than I originally planned!  I wouldn't mind that at all. 

I hope you are having a great weekend! 



"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11