Yesterday I woke up with a long list of things I had hoped to get to. I’ve had all of Memorial Day weekend with no plans and it’s been BLISS. I’ve had plenty to do so it’s a not a “sit and watch Netflix” kind of weekend but a planting and painting kind of weekend. I did decide on Sunday morning before I got all dirty with dirt or paint that I should take a second and do something in the sewing room. Yes, it’s still not all back in place yet.
It’s been so long since I’ve done much sewing that I didn’t remember what I was working on…..sad I know. I did have a pile of things that needed to go back into the UFO cabinet. On top of the pile was this…
It’s been quite awhile since I’ve touched it so I reviewed the note (because of course I made it bigger) and didn’t know how much bigger I made it. For those of you who don’t know, this is Bricks in the Barnyard. It’s a Bonnie Hunter pattern found in her book Scraps and Shirttails II.
The original in the book was mostly made with recycled shirt fabrics….Mine isn’t. I had an overflowing bucket of 2 1/2″ scraps that needed attention so many went into these blocks. The original quilt needed 80 blocks in an 8 x 10 setting. I decided on a 12 x 12 setting so I needed to make 64 blocks more..that’s close to DOUBLE more blocks.
The pattern suggests sewing it together in rows. I’ve learned that I really prefer sewing quilts together in shorter rows and then into quadrants. I’m not dealing with the heavy long rows that way. Of course this method isn’t for everyone for it’s one I like. The colors in the photo are a little dull compared to what it looks like in real life.
That means the center of the quilt is 1/4 of the way sewn together. YAHOO!!
I did get the string blocks that I finished last week squared up and the papers pulled.
That means I now have 18 of the 48 string blocks done that I need.
You can find me back here next week. I am guessing that a lot of sewing will no have been done. We have the big sale at White Barns this weekend and we are still not ready. I’m loving it so far. Hopefully we’ll have a successful sale and make it all worth while.
Hi Jo
I received my Yo Yo Pillow yesterday that you offered through the recent auction you held on your blog for your readers. I love it! It is so delicate looking & just beautiful! I appreciate how quickly you shipped it to me, also. Thank you very much,
Penny in CA
so glad you are getting some time to sew for yourself! I love keeping up with you and seeing what you are doing. Not enough sewing has been happening here either due to Quiltville Inn — but it is all so exciting! Enjoy your Memorial Day!
I made 42 string blocks this past week…first string quilt! My daughter wanted me to finish her quilt, which is all hourglass blocks and gorgeous, so she could take it to camp. NO WAY that quilt will go to camp. So, I have a ton of scraps and I agreed to make her a camp quilt with scraps. I used black solids and prints for the centers then random colors from there. Lots of fun! the blocks are done and ready to sew together.
I bought a new Husqvarna machine, and to test it out I finished a string block top for a comfort quilt. The foot pedal made my calf a little sore, but the start/stop button and cutting out two other projects made my trigger thumb soreSo now a couple of days off so they can rest.
I also made Bricks in the Barnyard and I made mine bigger. It really is a wonderful pattern and yours is coming along nicely. I making lots of hour glass units right now for new quilt that I started a year ago, lol
I’ve also made Bricks in the Barnyard. I changed the border to be made with 4-patches since I thought the braided border was ‘too busy.’ I like my variation.
I worked on Sunny Lanes by Pat Speth. I am going to do this as a quilt as you go project, due to my long armer focusing on her retail business. This will be a charity quilt for our local cancer center and she does the quilting free for it. I am not complaining, it’s a blessing in disguise because it’s getting me out of my comfort zone of depending on someone else to quilt my quilts and improving on my skills.
Enjoy reading your blog about your quilting, daycare, farm/town life and now your new venture into vintage resale.
I also sew my quilt tops together in quadrants or sections. I find it works much better for me. Easier to handle and I find it easier to match seams and distribute any fullness in shorter lengths.
I love how your bricks in the barnyard is turning out. It’s on my to-do list.
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I linked Saturday’s stitching, because I haven’t posted today’s yet. Both of your projects are such wonderful colorful scraps. I put big quilts in quadrants, too, though small ones I usually do Eleanor Burns flag style.
I DID sew away this weekend and made a DRESS! As awful as the heat was, it was nice to have an excuse to stay inside and enjoy the AC.