LET'S DO IT AGAIN!!

I have been using up random blocks from my leftovers drawer to make practice pieces for piecing and quilting.  I keep one near my sewing machine all the time.  It is a great way to test thread, stitch length, and tension.  When I finish I have a place mat that can be used for our daily meals.  Of course, they don't all match, but that is okay by me.

This is the last Maple Leaf block leftover from a set of step outs I did when teaching this class.

It has been used for practice for several months and today I have finished it off.

The binding came out of another drawer where I keep leftover remnants of binding I used for other projects.  I try to use the same width binding for all my projects and it makes it easier when I want to drag pieces out to use on a different piece.

I chose this plaid binding.  

I discovered that I had used it on one of the other place mats.

Take a look at the quilting techniques on these place mats.  They are not great work, but they served the purpose of me practicing and learning them so I could use them on my other pieces.

My favorite thread is Superior Threads Bottom Line in Shade 617 which is a taupe color and it goes with everything, even navy, black, and dark brown.  I use it for piecing and also for quilting.

 For projects that will be used and laundered a great deal, I usually add the binding by machine.  I think it is more serviceable and durable.

Okay, enough about the place mat, "Let's eat!"

-sandi

LEFTOVERS

I lived in the country when I was a girl and my mom was a stay-at- home mom.  She was also a great cook!!!  Even when our income was meager, she still managed to put together meals for us from leftovers.  Sometimes the leftovers were much better the second time around when she had added other ingredients to them and changed what they looked like the day before.

I have talked about the "drawer" in my sewing room that contains lots of leftovers.  Sometimes it is blocks, sometimes it is components of blocks, and sometimes it is simply scrap strips.

Here is what I found in the "drawer" the other day.

This is a leftover split 9-patch block made using batiks.

I looked around until I found a bin of leftover batik strips.

Then the fun began.

I decided to make a place mat with this block placed on point.

I could build it out by Quilt As You Go and Flip and Stitch.

The first thing I did was quilt this block.

Here is the way it looks on the back.

I thought this was pretty cool!!

Then I started adding strips to the four sides of the diamond.  I decided to reverse the value of the strips to the block.  Light against dark and dark against light.

Since I was using Stitch and Flip Method here, I did not need to add any more quilting.

I really like how it looks.  And on the back it looks pretty neat too.

I pulled some strips out of the bin and made the binding.

I decided to complete the binding on the machine to make it sturdier because this place mat will get a lot of washing.

Of course, there is only one of these, but I don't mind that every one's place mat is different at my house!!  After all, this was a practice piece for trying some straight-line quilting and using up some leftovers.

                                                     -sandi

WHAT HAPPENED IN JUNE

June has been a very busy month for my family and me.  We have had a high school graduation

The Birmingham Boys Choir Spring Concert

Fifth Grade Awards Day

And several days of visiting with our grandchildren.  Whew!! How wonderful and busy.

I have not accomplished very much in the way of quilting this month, but I will show what I have worked on and/or completed.

I completed the Auburn quilt for my grandson to take to college with him.  The pattern came from "Skip the Borders" written by Julie Herman.

My contribution to Sharon's block from our SLKS quilting buddies Round Robin.

This is a small (9" x 11") sketch piece for Modern Quilt Guild.  It is called "Roy G. Biv #1).  A larger piece will develop from this practice sketch piece.  All Kona Cottons.

The back of "Roy G. Biv #1". 

Another block finished in my Starry,
Starry Night BOM from scrappy Batiks.

Chattanooga Modern Quilt
Guild Sew-In Project for this
quarter was this cute little carry-
all pouch bag.




I always keep some practice pieces sandwiched together so I can check my quilting stitches, etc. before I use them on the "real" project.  When I finish, I make them into placemats.  This is a nice Maple Leaf orphan block worked into a mat.

 

This is Linda showing what she did for her row on my SLKS Round Robin this month.

It did not seem to me that I accomplished very much when I thought about the month, but when I look at this post, I feel better about what I have achieved.

Thanks for stopping by!!

                                -sandi