And there was FINALLY some macbine time around here!
Those pumpkins with the black background?
It was time to turn them into something and I had an idea of what I wanted to do, and I set in to playing.
I don’t often have a full project worked out in front of me like a map to go by. Sometimes I just play and think and try and do and see what I can come up with, and work out any kinks along the way.
If I were going to set them the way I wanted to….with bottoms facing towards the center in mirror image, there was going to be a big blank spot down the center of the table runner ---and it needed something. But what? And how wide?
At first I thought 4 patches…that’s an easy guess for me, because I will throw 4 patches into just about everything I can. 4 patches hold a lot of sparkle for me and they are quick and easy. But the scale was important here, and they were dwarfed by the size of the pumpkins and not making enough of a statement on their own.
9 patches? Well, that left the problem of the end of the row being different than the beginning of the row because of the size. And it also meant two kinds of strip sets.
What about 16 patch???
In the lay out phase, Sadie keeping watch!
What do you think, Sadie??
I LIKE IT!!
I am going to take it home, quilt it up and bind it in a cute orange stripe. It’s big enough. Borders will take it from table RUNNER to table CLOTH and I don’t want that. I’m calling it DONE!
Only ONE kind of strip set!
These are left over parts..yeah, I got carried away!
Building the checkerboard was easy with strip set sewing. And building my variety was even quicker by placing one strip set right sides together with a second strip set and cutting them into already matched pairs, ready to sew, seams nested and ready to go! I’m sure I’ll find a place for these left overs. Such fun greens!
And if you think that this is ONE solid black as the background for the pumpkins? Think again. These blocks were started when I was working on the quilts for String Fling. IO had enough quilts, ran out of time, and put this one on the back burner. This many years later do you think I could find the SAME solid black to finish them? Nope. But I got close, and there are a few slightly different ones in there that just add some texture and some variety to the stark black background. It will quilt up just fine. Only you and I will ever know. And I like this “make do” way of getting a job done.
Now on to the others!
The grey ones up on the design wall!
I need more of these. I’m going for lap size. That is SMALL for me! Ha! Some more string piecing has to happen, and I’ve got greys up here with me to cut the backgrounds, some dark some light. I’m striving to keep this from looking like an obvious dark/light checkerboard. I want it to look random. And there may be more 16 patches as the border. Again, playing as I go and designing on the fly.
I’m considering submitting the table runner to Quiltmaker for an issue next fall. It will be out in pattern form that way just in time for you to make it NEXT YEAR. Then it and the lap quilt version can be saved for the sequel to String Fling down the line.
I LOVE to sew “WITH” the seasons, meaning I want to be sewing autumn in AUTUMN, not in Spring to try to beat the market. I don’t want to be sewing Christmas in July. I want to be sewing spring in MARCH, not in September. It keeps me grounded and enjoying each holiday and season in real time instead of always feeling that I’m 6 months ahead of where real life is.
This happened last night!
I finished long side #3 and am on the home stretch in finishing the last side of binding. I always save the short side for last, don’t you? Then I’ll stitch down the label and hanging sleeve and this one will be DONE DONE DONE!
We watched a couple of DVR’d episodes of BULL last night. I like it so far. I still see bigs of Dinozo charm coming through, and it makes me smile.
This is happening today.
There is a stairwell that needs a coat of paint as one of the “fix-it” things that has to be done before we put the cabin on the market. IOt still hurts my heart a bit, but I’m looking forward to the future. And we will leave this place far better than we found it.
This morning we are headed off mountain to go see Rick & Mona’s new place. I’m looking forward to it. And I’m sure Sadie and Beanie will have a grand time running their new 5 acres.
Changes happen. And often the right thing can’t come along until you let the wrong one go. And friends will always be friends no matter where we are. Because PEOPLE matter more than dwellings.
Quiltville Quote of the Day!
Vintage string quilt found in Kentucky.
Have an absolutely, positively wonderfully creative Sunday, everyone!
22 comments:
Love the way you cheerfully adapted to the scraps and pieces to come up with such a cute table runner! And the same with the changing circumstances at the cabin! We have to be ready to change and grow and not be stuck and unhappy! Hope you have great rest of the weekend!
Getting to know you through your blog and FB pages has been a joy! Thank you for bringing fun and positive days in the midst of this ugly election year!
Wow, the cabin is going on the market! that is a big change and keeping a positive outlook on the selling can help. Have fun painting the stairs. I really love the pumpkin quilt made with all those luscious grays. So lovely, cant wait for the pattern to become available to us all.
When I saw your first 2 strips of pumpkins laid out on your table, I thought the table was wood-look fabric. I thought, how cute- pumpkins on a fence.
How wide do you cut your sleeve for a quilt back? What do you use to hang them? Thank you.
Dancing Pumpkins! That is super cute, Bonnie, I'm sure the magazine would love to have it. :D
I started following you just about the time you found your cabin on the mountain. I remember your excitement at the thought of your retreat. My wish is that you sell quickly and find your next quiltvilla. I can't wait to celebrate with you.
Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!!! And you are right, people matter, not things. Have a great day.
I just got back from Paducah, Kentucky. One of the things that I got to participate in was a nighttime black light tour of the Museum's Holdings. Wow. We could see all kinds of things on the vintage quilts. Even though they looked as though they were only a two color, two fabric quilt, for instance blue and white, the black light revealed that there were really several kinds of blue and two kinds of white in the quilt. But they matched so incredibly close, that with the naked eye you could not tell this. So your black fabrics someday may be examined under black light and reveal your secret. Loving all your pumpkin-y goodness. And I am certain you will find a forever cabin in the mountains.
I love the runner. Green checks brighten it up so much. I know what you mean about having to do seasonal project out of season. To me makes it harder to enjoy. HOA's, I have been in some that are so knit-picky, it is ridiculous, right now ours isn't too bad, & the dues are reasonable, but..... We are looking to sell our place too and find a no HOA place to live, or even live in our RV for a while. At least that is the dream.
The runner is perfect and so much fun. I love it. Can't wait to see it as a pattern. Good luck on the new cabin hunt. Maybe there's something next to Mona's, or she'll sell you half her acres? lol. Have a wonderful day, and thanks so much for all the positive quotes.
Do you know what that string block is called? I'd never seen it before, but, last week I got 2 pillows made from an old, shredded quilt, using that block.
I like the table runner. When you move, you'll keep your old friends, but, you might gain some new friends, too. Good luck selling.
LOVE, Love, love BOTH of those pumpkin projects. SEW cute!!!
That pumpkin table runner is just *adorable*!!!!! Love the movement.
Gina in Missouri
I like the Pumpkins dancing. The green/black checkerboard parts look like leftovers from the Grand Illusion. Glad you got to play in the Season. I'm not a fan of the Ghost-y scary part of Halloween... That vintage Quilt, is it a double drunkards path?
Love the table runner - great choice of color. You come up with such great patterns. Glad you are getting a bit of a break from your hectic schedule.
I have enjoyed reading about your cabin the ups and downs of repairs and making it yours. I do think it's a good move for your friends to have more space so their grandchild(ren) will have room to run when they visit and it sounds like they will still be close enough for you to visit each other also.
Wow wow what an opportunity you have to be able to find a place where you can have your own retreats with your friends. After having a cabin with different levels and dealing with difficult driving conditions and just the cabin stuff you have learned over the years puts you in a much better spot to shop for your next place .
I hope you are able to enjoy your current cabin while watching for your next place
I am shocked you are selling the cabin, you built it up so much in your heart, you loved it. You also put in a lot of repairs. I know changes are meant to open your life, but this one just hurts me to not see you and Sadie going thru the forrest, and almost smelling the land and flowers, thru your pictures.
Aka kingcooper0001@aol.com
Bonnie: I love how the table runner turned out! The 16 patches down the middle are just right! I like the green, too. I am looking forward to when we can get a pattern. I like the way the Gray pumpkins are looking also! I am sad you are selling the cabin, but I am sure the Lord has something better in mind for you, also. You just don't know what it is yet.
Donna
Kasilof, AK
Can't wait for new mystery!!!
Good luck selling your mountain cabin. Have you buried your St. Christopher statute upside down under your For Sale sign? It worked for my sister.
I love how that little brown dog watches you... so happy you're home, so glad to be able to walk in the hills with you...her face and gaze... so pretty. She's glad mama is home! Table runner is a winner... <3 Cats
HOA's are potentially prickly so moving on can be a good thing. We've had bad experiences with them in the past, and are now in a new neighborhood with an HOA requiring trash collection and no goats. That's it. Ha! I can live with that one! Love the string pumpkins. . .am seeing string Christmas ornaments in my future. . .maybe?? Many hugs and thanks to you.
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