Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Leftovers! Quilt

Val over at Val's Quilting Studio asked us to share what's on our design wall this week. My design wall is a bargain bin window curtain hung on a rod with leftover seam binding. (I thought I could hang it with the grommets, but it was too wavy.) I keep meaning to get some clips, but I just never get around to it. I basted some quilt batting to the curtain with big hand stitches. I've been meaning to stitch lines to make a nice grid, but I just never get around to it. (Is there a theme here?) Oh well, the curtain wall works fine for me, and I can take it down quickly when I need to use the guest room.

So here's what's on it this week:



The squares are leftovers of the Old Fashion Values top I was working on last week with just a few pieces thrown in from my stash. Do you see where two sashing strips fell off before I took the picture? I didn't even notice them until I posted this. There will be sashing strips going the other way, too, and a strip around the outer edge. This quilt will be donated with its partner when I'm done. I'm hoping it will appeal to a man who doesn't care for florals. But now that I'm looking at this picture, I might rearrange the squares with the values more in mind. I have an idea. Stay tuned. Oh, and there's another funny little story attached to these charms. I can't tell you about it yet, but I will next week. 

Meanwhile the great closet clean-up continues. I can't even bring myself to take a picture. I took out the bookcase so my husband could paint it. I've been calling him Eldin the Painter after a sit-com character on the Murphy Brown show in the '80's and '90's who worked for years on a never-ending house painting project. Of course, I had to pile up all the stuff from the bookcase. (I know. I need to sort it.) Then I decided to have him paint a small chest, so all the stuff from that is piled up, too. Someone did comment recently that it gets worse before it gets better when you reorganize your sewing space, and boy, does it ever!. I have managed to sort some files out, so that's good. I also ordered some pretty storage bins, so I'm slowly getting there. Oh, and Eldin has painted my piano stool turned sewing stool, but I'll wait to show that until I get a new cushion cover made. 

Meanwhile, spring has sprung. 



And remember those silly ducks I mentioned awhile back that were thinking of building a nest by our neighbor's pool? Well, they did eventually build a nest in another neighbor's yard behind us. Eleven eggs!


Unfortunately, the nest was raided the other night, and we have found the eggs scattered around our two yards. Such is spring in the animal kingdom. But what pretty eggs! New paint color name idea: Mallard Egg Green.

And on that cheery thought, I'll get this posted on Val's site as well as Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social. I hope you are enjoying your design wall, or curtain or floor or whatever this week. 

5 comments:

Val's Quilting Studio said...

I love your creative design wall idea!! I chuckle at your Murphy Brown reference...wasn't that the funniest show! Arg...I'm always sad at the whims of nature :( Thanks for sharing your Spring going ons.

Bernie Kringel said...

You are so lucky to have your very own Eldin! I can easily relate - one project leads to another which leads to another. It is going to be wonderful when you are all done and your sewing area is fresh and organized!
We have the same situation as you with the eggs. The Canadian geese are forever laying eggs and losing them to the critters that are around. The ones that hatch are adorable and I love watching them follow their parents around.

I had a heck of a time laying out the blocks for the Stepping Stones quilt yesterday. I will share it with a post soon. It was comical. I have a small design wall (cardboard covered with flannel and tacked to my wall) but if I need to layout a larger project it goes on the floor or the bed. Oh well, can't have everything!

Bernie Kringel said...

....and I am so glad you have a bit of color in the yard now. Welcome Spring!

Lara B. said...

Eldin... oh my we used to love that show Janine. To this day, when someone blows their nose really hard, we do like Murphy's boss Miles did, when he said "Oh dear, there goes the part of my brain that does long division."

Your leftovers quilt is going to look great! Isn't is amazing how you notice so much more in a photo than you do standing right in front of it? I love the versatility of your design wall too!

Claire said...

Design floor, design bed--it all works! Isn't is interesting how much easier it is to see value issues in a photograph, even if you don't shift to black and white? claire aka knitnkwilt