My last “sewing” for 2017 has been done! I spent a few hours “cleaning up” and “putting away” a lot of mess in my sewing room. I cleaned off my cutting table and put a lot of stuff away. I cleared off my “work table” and made room for a project.
Once that was done, I pulled out my pattern book and box of fabric and basket of blocks for Grandma’s Kitchen – by Pat Sloan.
I stopped working on these in mid October before I left on a trip for a month. These are the first 16 blocks(not in pattern order).
I needed to pick up at block 17 and hopefully finish up at block 25; plus make all the setting blocks. (That is going to take a week or two).
But before I could even begin to sew I had to figure out the layout with the various size blocks and how I was going to “balance” the colors throughout the rest of the quilt. What I decided to do is lay the blocks out, as the pattern indicated, and do a little “coloring” so I could plan the future blocks. (LOTS OF PLANNING still needs to happen!)
Once the planning for the next 2 blocks was done, I got busy and made block 16, and pulled the fabrics for block 17. I think it did help to do a bit of coloring, because I could better understand as I colored in the blocks, where there needed to be more of a particular color. I know I need to get a little more pink and purple and orange into the quilt. I am trying to decide how to do those filler blocks and make sense of them too. I made a decision on the fabric for the “spool block” too. I want to use one of the stripe fabrics I have for the middle of the spool. (While I was sorting piles of fabric, my husband was watching, and figured out what I was up to and provided a bit of his color sense to what I was doing. I find his opinion most helpful).
Meanwhile, my design wall has been full for the last 6 months and I need to get going to get the borders on my Talkin’ Turkey!
That is all it needs. (The blocks and rows and columns are all sewn together, and the borders are made, ready to attach!) I need to free up my design wall!!
I decided that I will “stop again” after block 17, and clear the work table and get those borders on, so I can get the Grandma’s Kitchen blocks up on the design wall! Priorities. 🙂 (It is so much easier to sit back and ponder the layout on the wall than on a flat surface) (I told the hubby I need another design wall…..capable of holding a king size quilt! I just don’t have a spot for it. Wondering if anybody “layers” their design wall and puts more that one quilt on it at a time?? Hmmmmm)
Following all that contemplation and coloring, I did finally do a little sewing – the last for 2017.
I present block 16 for now…..more to follow in 2018!
Happy New Year everyone!
Stitching Grandma 
I love the blocks, the colors, the patterns of each block. Good job! Both you and Carolyn have such a good sense of color.
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Thanks. I enjoyed working with these 1930’s reproduction fabrics. Each block kind of talks to me.
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I really love the 1930s repro fabrics. It’s going to be an amazing quilt. I also love the Talkin’ Turkeys top. You do such beautiful work.
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Thank you Lillian. I’m not certain how soon I will be finished with with, but I feel like progress has been made. I was at an event in the fall and got to see some real feed sacks up close. I love using them.
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They all look so pretty! 🙂
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I have layered 2 quilts on my design wall. Just be sure the first layer is securely pinned. The way my wall is set up, it sticks out from the wall a little because it’s hung from a rod, so I am able to clip on the small plastic squeeze clamps one can get at the hardware store. I use them to hang heavy completed quilts from rather than using pins. I can also clamp a second layer of fleece over the first easily.
Another idea for a secondary design wall I have recently implemented is by using 2 of those foam insulation boards like Cheryl Lynch had for us at her class. I covered each one with fleece stretched tight and used large t-pins along the edges and back to hold it in place.
I just push them together leaning against the closet in my sewing room to use. Just stick the pins straight into the board. Great for doing a layout. They can be turned on their sides and stored against a wall. You probably have room to lean yours up against your existing design wall. The beauty of using these is they are easy to move out of the way if you want to go back to your other quilt.
Can’t wait to see your completed projects.
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Great ideas! Room is something seriously lacking presently. USED to have room but not any more! Thinking about Cheryl ‘ s board as a quick solution. Temperature is big problem this week. Room was 44 degrees last evening. We are in the depth of winter!
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