heritage rejigger

 wouldn't you know it, I remember to start taking pictures halfway through a project?

 I decided that he way I had this project in one solid piece separated by lace was NOT going to work.
so I pulled it apart and started to fool around with it.

there was too much color in it, to leave it the way it was. to confusing to the eye as there was no place to " rest" and too much to take in at once.

so I auditioned a bunch of colors for the background.

black seemed to work best and as the only black velvet I could find, had some stretch to it, I used a muslin backing on or it would have distorted the moment I hung it on a wall! 

this is my "orts bag"  I had to experiment with the cuts so the first 1/2 yard or so was sacrificed to the sewing gods.

once I got the positioning right, it was easy.

making it square

 though that top middle one kept mis behaving. I kept either, cutting it wrong or sewing the bevel the wrong way in.
I ended up pulling thread on it at least a half dozen times!
 so how many of you use your tile floor to square up a big piece?

I sure comes in handy when I can't do it by ruler alone!

 Taa-Daa!

Isn't it lovely!  Now, there is a place for your eye to rest.  Also each block has it's own showcase and by skewing the blocks, you give it some movement as it's not all static squares on top of squares.

just for giggles here I am trying to get the best picture.

when inspiration takes you, you sew in your nightie too don't you?

Oh Boy! it's been a while since I posted last!


 I haven't abandoned the bloggersphere, I have just had other things to tend to.

you can see my desk is in it's usual state, a mess!

 My Garden has grown splendidly, hasn't it!




the view from my front porch is one of my favorites.


 lest you think i haven't been doing ANYTHING this summer rest assured





 the ORTs jar is being well used!



I may not be posting more than bits and bob's of my ongoing project as it has grown well beyond the original 4 panels into 9!

It's turning out rather better than i had imagined and I am even thinking of entering it in something, as I have just a vauge notion of the rules required in doing that i'm going to be circumspect in what i post about it for a while.

I have decided to dub it my heritage quilt and am working on the main blocks.

as I am a bit of a mutt I have a lot to work with!

I am also doing a bit of studying up on my, various and sundry nationalities, in hopes of getting a better handle on the ravening hordes, that make up my heritage.

As a result I am learning a great deal such as, scottish history is a disaster almost from start to finish, the Celts got farther than I thought and the vikings got everywhere!


we had a visit from my youngest, for a month, during the summer. which was lots of fun!
much here-ing and there-ing in and around seattle.

my son graduated army boot and was sent to fort hood instead of fort louis McCord.(BOO!)

my DD who lives with me was everywhere with friends who had a car for the summer.

I have detail pictures of Bayeux stitch that i have done for a part of the Norway block.
I was inspired by pierres papier sciseaux and her bayeux tapestry project. it's in french but she adds english translation for those who do not parle`.

as a matter of fact the only member of the family not busy was the cat, seen here lounging on the bed quilt started by my gramma and lately by my mom.  she barely moved for this picture and her only comment, was a rather peevish meow when the flash went off!

ORTS

 or as I like to call them, threads too short to use.












this array of beads struck me as interesting neat and tidy rainbow colors waiting to be used in some novel way.

I'm trying to look at things with a new perspective

instead of doing things in the same old way

what i'm working on now

sewing and coughing don't mix!

looks like a cqshop barfed on it!

Ok, so, walking pnumonia isn't fun, especially over a holliday!
I have been trying to plug along through a stuffy nose, shaky hands and coughing myself insideout.
my friends sewing and coughing don't mix!

ort's jar

half the time you loose your place and the other half you loose the needle, it's just badness.
I'll live, that prognosis is good, though I'm still coughing, it doesn't make me want to take a nap anymore!)

I got my FFT RR#16  block back and is it lovely!
I'm just going to add a thing or two and it will be perfecto!
I also worked on the changes Gerry suggested for the blue/brown block
(Isn't she the greatest!)

I added a fan to the yawning empty brown space and added a birds nest with two glass lampwork beads, I got in my monthly embellishments package from Eveningstar designs.

those are great if you need a random stash boost!
Carolyne sends out a selection of ribbons, lace, beads, silk ribbon, buttons, charms, silkies and all sorts of fun stuff!


it's totally random and a lovely little surprise in your mailbox once a month!

I get nothing for promoting BTW.
I just love her cqclubs and she is a lovely person to have gotten to know over the years.

we put up the tree this weekend and it looks fabulous like it does every year! it does need one more string of lights though, i ran out of them at the top of the tree so when they blink the whole top goes dark!
I started a stocking for my DD she requested I make her a new one this year, in apple greens with a turtle on it! so far so good!