It was a very Sew-y Monday!
Yes. These.
They sort of got pushed to the back burner when some other deadline items took precedence. Autumn things. Soon to be released things.
And yesterday during a turn of events (Meaning I was missing a block from the project I was currently assembling behind the scenes – and it was bound to be 7 miles away at the cabin.) I grabbed my little set of cut and kitted up blocks and began to just sew..
While I love making quilts where all of the blocks are in the same determined color families – each looking just like the other – There is a time when I really love a project where even through the block itself is the same, each block becomes a project in itself - each with different fabrics in different color combinations.
I know this doesn’t surprise you about me at all – it’s what floats my boat the most.
When I started pulling for this project I had only a couple of loose guidelines I had given myself -
2. Use all (or most) of each strip so no short strips go back into the drawers.
So far so good! Most strips have been able to give me enough to be used as either fabric A or fabric B in a block, and some strips that are full width of fabric have been sufficient to do fabric A in one block, and fabric B in a second block. Nothing left over for the strip drawers, sometimes the occasional square can be trimmed the from end and those placed in the squares boxes by size as well.
My strip drawers need some breathing space, and this is how I’m working it!
Some blocks are unlikely fabric pairings -
Just the way I like them!
In my world I never keep “fabric lines” together, preferring to pair them with something from a different line, designer, and manufacturer. No predictability here!
You can see that there are several Kaffe strips here – some of those big florals coming from Jelly Roll strips have been harder to use in projects as how do you determine what color that fabric is?
Take the star in the upper left for example. That floral is all from the same strip. Each diamond came out different. It is what it is. And best of all, that strip is gone!
I love big florals for backings or borders – but in my scrappy quilts with small pieces, the effect of a large floral can get lost.
Monday was also a great day for some machine cleaning!
Oy! You can tell the amount of sewing that has been going on by how fluffy my feed dogs are! (No shaming please – I’m sharing this in all honesty. I don’t need any “I can’t believe you let it get that bad!” type of comments.)
It’s easy to let things go a bit overboard when a machine is running so well and you are under the gun.
But yesterday – was the day to tackle two of my 301s and they are now purring like a pair of proverbial kittens.
If you, like me, have been so caught up in the making that you haven’t de-fuzzed your feed dogs in a while, maybe today is the day?
And you won’t get any shame from me if your feed dogs look a bit like this. It’s a sign that you have been filling your days with abundant creativity. Keep it up!
And YES! This is still happening!
Yesterday was day 4 since I started the “Hand quilt for an hour!” challenge to myself.
That’s about 4 hours of hand quilting and I can see the progress.
I took Sunday off – and some weekends I may not get to this at all, but when I can, I am determined to stitch on this quilt for one hour a day.
And when the center is complete – I’m going to have to decide what to quilt in those big, wide open muslin spaces.
Happy Feet!
Let me start by saying that I have never spent so much on a pair of socks in my life.
But as I am aging, I’ve been experiencing more foot pain than I ever have in my life.
I am on my feet A LOT. And while I don’t have neuropathy or plantar fasciitis, I have tired arches. By the end of the day they just ache, and I can hardly wait to get off of my feet and put them up.
On recommendation, I purchased the OrthoSleeve WC4 Wellness Socks and have been wearing them the past few days.
It’s like a hug for my arches! These things are amazing.
During the cooler months I do wear high end running shoes with great arch support, but in the summer I’ve gotten all fancy free in flip flops and sandals with little to no support at all, and I’m pretty sure that is what is causing my discomfort where my feet are concerned.
I am swearing by these socks so much that I have added them to the Personal Favorites category of the Quiltville Amazon Affiliate Store. They are $11.99 a pair and come in ankle length and crew length, both white and black. Men’s and Women’s sizes. I take a medium.
I have tried arch bands with the ball thing that is supposed to help. I have tried expensive arch supports in my shoes. I have tried Dr Scholl’s everything. I have tried other “supprt” socks that leave your toes bare and I hate how that feels.
These just simply feel great. If your feet are feeling a bit like mine, give these a try.
6 more kitted and ready to roll!
The zippered selvage pouch was a gift, and I love it for transporting my block kits. So much cuter than a plain zip-lock bag!
I’ll be ready to sew some more, but that missing block has also been retrieved and THAT project may be first today.
This is how things are looking here today!
It’s currently softly raining with temps in the high 50s when i woke this morning. It is feeling like fall!
The goldenrod is even looking a bit tired – things are still very green, but are more the yellow greens of fall, instead of the bright verdant green of summer.
I’ve noticed early falling leaves fluttering down – just a few here, and a few more there.
Those grey clouds almost match the grey of the pavement as I drove on down the road from where I stopped to take this photo.
Are you noticing how the seasons are changing where you are?
There are just a few days left to participate. Click to THAT POST and enter! And while you are there, check out the other sites listed and visit them for more places to enter to win!
I will be drawing for our winner here on the 18th.
And if you are as excited about the Quilter’s Project Planner as I am (Along with Love Your Creative Space which is encouraging me all along my organizing journey!) you can find both titles in the New and Books categories of the Quiltville Store.
Quilter’s Project Planner is expected to arrive this week, and I will start shipping them out as soon as they land on my door step.
Quiltville Quote of the Day -
Maple Star quilt found in North Carolina.
Do you feel that way too?
Have a wonderful Tuesday, everyone.
(Ground beef is thawing in the fridge for Taco Tuesday tonight!)
Oh darlin', I had manufactured the most magnificent felt pads you've ever seen. That was February! I've sewn so much this year, I've cleaned my machines 3X each! I have 2 here at home and 1 at the cabin. The cabin machine gets the worst of it!
ReplyDeleteAs a retired Orthopedic OR RN, I advocate for a pair of in-house Birkenstock Arizona sandals. They are the most recommended shoe by foot/ankle surgeons. I keep mine under my Long-arm and wear them anytime I'm going to stand a lot! (we don't wear shoes in the house hence, the in-house only pair).
Happy Tuesday my quilting friend!
totally agree with the Birks. That and some Alegria slip on mules. I never go barefoot, flip flops or even slippers for more than a few minutes. Also a nurse, 44 years on my feet have taken a toll, the arthritis is miserable. House only.
DeleteGround beef in the fridge for Taco Tuesday here too! As for your feed dogs, they actually look good considering the amount of sewing you are doing! I am always amazed at how much fluff gets in there when I have only been sewing a couple of hours. But the machines will tell you when they want to be cleaned, and you listen to your machines.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info about the socks. I'm on my feet all day also and suffer from plantar fasciitis, I haven't tried socks but I will, so far just resting my feet for 10 min every couple hours helps. We have some fall colors showing up on our trees but they are barely seen thru the smoke from the Oregon fires. We are hopeful that some rain will bring relief later in the week.
ReplyDeleteBonnie have you tried Vionic shoes? There sandals are amazing. I wear their flip flops all the time. Have plantar fasciitis and they have saved my feet. Try them, they relieve the pain. Love your Blog too!!!!
ReplyDeleteMy podiatrist recommended Vionic shoes and sandals. I have some Vionic slippers that I wear around the house. I have to have something on my feet; otherwise I accidentally kick things and hurt myself!
DeleteI love my Vionic flip flops and slip-ons and slippers. I have high arches along with many other foot problems and they work great for me.
DeleteSome super fun fabric combos in your Nearly Lemoyne blocks. I'm the same way - when I have a block w 2-3 prints, I like to come up with slightly odd combos. Sometimes there's a little bit of deliberate 'clashing' or they compliment each other in an unexpected or less-obvious way. Pairing up unlikely combos is half the fun! Your blocks look awesome.
ReplyDeleteI love my 301s ! The best machines ever but when the fabric doesn’t want to feed- yup, it gets nasty in there and cleaning the bobbin case doesn’t do it! Glad I’m not the only one!
ReplyDeleteThanks for reminding me it is Taco Tuesday! Before I was "retired" my sweet husband would go to our favorite Taco John's, get the tacos and be in a booth waiting for me. I had just 45 minutes for lunch and he had an hour so we would have lunch together. It truly is the little things in life that create sweet memories. Thank you so much for your daily blogs!
ReplyDeleteMy previous machine was sealed with virtually no place to clean out. (Not sure how that worked but I used it for 30 years and don't remember ever cleaning the inside.) So now I don't remember to clean out my current machine.
ReplyDeleteWhat brand was it?
DeleteI highly recommend Aravon sandals. I live in my sandals - year round - and these have built in arch support. You can still enjoy wearing sandals and have happy feet. I've joked with my podiatrist about flip flops and high heels paying for his kids' college. He laughed then told me not to wear them. Hope this suggestion helps.
ReplyDeleteThose felt pads in the feed dogs...so glad I'm not the only one who has them!! I'm much better at keeping my longarm clean then my sewing machine, but my longarm is pickier about being cleaned! Love your Almost Lemoyne blocks!! I want to know what you are going to do with the center of the strings you cut out from behind your appliques!!!
ReplyDeletemy summer sandals are by SAS...san antonio shoemaker...pricey but super support and comfort....last pair wore out after 6 years so new ones on board this summer...worth every stinkin' penny....
ReplyDeleteHi Bonnie, Check out Orthofeet.com. Their shoes and socks are amazing. I have foot damage from an accident and I'm also a diabetic. Their slippers and shoes have worked wonders with my feet.
ReplyDeleteI love your 'scrappy' attitude. I love to just grab whatever and put it in my blocks. to me that is what scrappy means, not a mixture of a certain line. I have a lot of fabric from various eras and have learned from you to mix it up - it makes me happy and isn't that what life is all about. thanks!!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm also at that age where my feet ache. During the cooler months, when out of the house, I also wear sneakers with good arch support. I have Vionic slippers that I wear in the house during the cooler months. During the warmer months I wear the Vionic sandals. I never go without wearing one of the above shoes while I'm awake.
ReplyDeleteI have "tired, worn out, arch issues", too. I love my flip-flops one they are my go-to footwear, but this year, for whatever reason, my feet just hurt all the time. My husband had a pair of Crocs and I started wearing those & loved them. Of course, they were a bit large, but wore them anyway. Finally, he urged me to get my own pair. I ordered online from Amazon and my feet couldn't be happier!:). I wear them ALL the time, the go-to shoe!
ReplyDeletelove Birkenstocks for great support!
ReplyDeleteBonnie, you need to do my time saving trick with ground beef! I buy a large package (think Costco) and I cook the whole thing with chopped onions. Then I bag it and seal it in 2 cup portions. Easy to thaw in the microwave and saves a step at dinner time. I do always have a package or two of raw also, in case we have purgers. Or sometimes I divide that Costco package and have a freezer bag of patties, a small meatloaf ready to cook, and then brown up the rest.
ReplyDeleteMy podiatrist recommended Fitt Flops. I love them and they are cute too.
ReplyDeleteI have "falling arches" too. I went to the Podiatrist and he suggested shoes by Hoka ona ona (think Hawaiian) or more often called Hokas. He said that they were designed by some Orthopedic surgeons and Podiatrists. I bought a pair and they are wonderful. I could walk and stand a lot longer. I have since heard that nurses and doctors, and runners have endorsed them. As they say, "they ain't cheap." This is just a suggestion for another brand to try. We are all different and what works for one person does not necessarily work for another. I do, however, "feel" your foot pain. :-)
ReplyDeleteLove your nearly Lemoyne blocks, great way of using those odd strips of big flowers.
ReplyDeleteYou’ve reminded me and today I will clean my machine I’m sure mine will look just like yours lol.
Have a wonderful day, and so pleased you’ve found something to help your feet aching feet are the worst.
Stay safe
Love and quilty hugs
I second the Vionic sandals recommendation. I wear their flip flops all summer and their slippers in the winter. They have saved my feet. QVC has a great selection and they'll send them right to your door.
ReplyDeleteI know the pain of expensive socks very well. I work in retail (35 years now) and I have to wear compression socks. The ones I get run $17-$20 per pair. They take 10 minutes to put on in the morning but are so worth it when I don't have the excruciating pain in my feet and legs from edema at the end of the day.
ReplyDeleteI found that turmeric with black pepper was the only thing that work for the pain from plantar fasciitis. It helps with any type of inflammation. The black pepper ups the effectiveness of the turmeric and best of all turmeric has no negative side effects.
ReplyDeleteI notice in your hand quilting that you don’t have your lines marked. Do you just hand quilt the lines as you go, placing them as you wish, or do you follow a design?
ReplyDeleteI highly recommend Vionic, The Walking Company, or Oofos flip flops. Take care of those feet, they need to last you a long time!
ReplyDeleteLove this posting - thanks for the information about the socks. Thought I'd beaten the plantar fasciitis, but the pain has returned. My fault - wasn't wearing my tennies as much as I should. I will increase my turmeric capsules & be attentive with wearing tennies, and it will soon heal. Can't recommend turmeric enough (has to have black pepper in it). I was walking with a cane for quite a while due to osteoarthritis in my knees and hips. Not any more. Had to go off it for 2 weeks a couple years ago when I had to have surgery (surgeon required it), and I realized just HOW much it makes a difference. It's a seasoning, it won't hurt you and WOW does it ever help! Makes a big difference with carpal tunnel, too (that and the glove on Amazon that my hubs & I both wear on our right hand only so we can't move the hand & it can rest/heal). Deb E
ReplyDeleteLive and learn....I am a newbie quilter and I sewed several of your Nearly LeMoyne blocks but alas - being a newbie I don't have much of a stash so I used "coordinated" prints from the same line. They have no charm.., so I will use them as a practice block for my free motion quilting. I learn so much from your blog!
ReplyDeleteI wear cute Crocs sandals/flip flops during the summer due to foot pain. Not great arch support but more cushion for the feet so my arch pain is gone. Love your new quilts. Can't wait to see the autumn one.
ReplyDeleteI too have feet issues as I get older. I bought a pair of HOKA running shoes - like walking on clouds. I walk 3-4 miles daily and my feet have not hurt since I bought them. They are pricey but worth every penny. And Oofos makes some comfy flip flops. Again, a little more money but like walking on pillows. Esp. good on hardwood and tile floors.
ReplyDeleteAfter 4 months of physical therapy for Plantar Fascitis and daily wrapping of my heels, the orthopedic doc said, "BIRKENSTOCKS! Wear them ALL of the time." When I went to have my custom orthotics made, he advised me to NEVER be without your Birkenstocks (even for a quick potty trip in the middle of the night). Your feet will begin to heal during the night and when you get up to hit the bathroom, you break all of those healing fibers. NO MORE BAREFOOT!!!!
ReplyDeleteGuess how many pair of Birkenstocks I own????? Every color imaginable.
They are usually a reasonable price on e-bay once you know your size and width.
Thanks for the reminder to clean&lub my machine. Seeing your little fuzz bunny means a happy stack of blocks,very pretty too. I love your blogs&utube videos, foubd them while recovering from double lumpectomies both girls had ca. I thank the Lord first for the healing and for you,your gifts of gab & quilting saved my sanity when i could just lay on the couch w icepacks under each arm. Thank you 🤗
ReplyDeleteIf you will stretch each foot forward then back it will do wonders for heel pain and foot pain. I went to a podiatrist for over a year and he was wanting to do surgery when I read a very small article in a magazine to stretch your feet. It worked for me. I do this about twice a month after I go to bed. I am glad to get the sock and shoe advise.
ReplyDeletePOWERSTEP arch supports made a big difference for me after working over 37 years on cement factory floors. No more feeling like my arches were falling or feeling like I was stepping on needles when I stood up. POWERSTEP arch supports are pricey but well worth it.
ReplyDelete