Strings and Things

 Welcome to Treadlestitches!  Thanks for stopping by!

Look, it's an outside photo!  And the ground is almost snow-free!  Could this be Wisconsin in February?  We're having a nice little thaw.  The high today was 47 degrees F, and that dripping sound is ice and snow melting off everything.

I did not even wear a coat when I went outside to take these pictures.  I did zip up my sweatshirt, though.  And I wasn't out very long lol.

I love string quilts!  Even though I make a huge mess in the sewing room when I work on one.  These blocks were part a Rainbow Scrap Challenge project from 2024.  I'm slowly working my way through the RSC blocks.

Do you see those wild blocks above?  One month I made string blocks just from multicolor fabrics.  They might even be a little too wild for me.  I had a hard time deciding what to do with them.  In the future, I think I will mix the multicolor strips in with plainer strips for more of a balance in any given block.  I do love all those multis though.  There are so many fun fabrics in there.

Lizzy tested out the quilt before I got it bound.  It has her seal of approval for naps in the sunshine.

Check out this summery border!  Flip flops and swim suits, bucket hats and the summer sun.

The back is this aqua print with aqua and purple dragonflies.  The solid lavender fabric was still on the cutting table from binding last week's bright hopes quilt, so it was an easy choice for this binding as well.  The quilt is 39 in. x 45 in., and will be donated locally.

As usual, I'm digging into my scraps to make green blocks for the RSC color of the month.  First are my Dawn Chorus blocks (above and below).  The green pieces are 2.5 in. wide, which is one of the strip widths I keep on hand in my "parts department".  I did have to cut a few more strips from the big scraps to get enough variety.

The light strips are only 1.5 in. wide, and I don't keep them in stock.  It's been helpful to have my light fabrics more accessible, including the scraps so I can grab them and cut them up.  If I happen to have a full strip I can cut enough for two of the quarter sections of the block, and save the extra set for another month.

 

I got a second set of RSC blocks done ahead, which must be some kind of miracle.  These are the ones I've been calling Half Log Cabin.  It has belatedly occurred to me that this set and Dawn Chorus are both log cabin variations.  I guess I just wanted to do more log cabins this year.  Both of these are going to use up lots of 2.5 in. strips, which is a good thing.  That drawer is REALLY full.

This Wednesday I joined some of the awesome ladies from our guild to work on charity projects.  I don't know why I can't remember to take pictures at any events.  Maybe I get too wrapped up in what's going on?  Anyway, we were making book pillows, like the one above.  Last year a local group requested some of these, and our guild ended making at least 100 of them.  My friend The Amazing Colleen had a whole box of kits cut out for more, so we sewed them up.  I made this one after I got home.

When we give them away, they have a pillow form inside, and we add a book in the front pocket.  The handle is so kids can carry them around.  They are made so that the pillow form can be taken out for washing.

The book I put in the pocket is one of my grandson Buddy's favorites from when he was little.  It's the classic story of Corduroy the bear, by Don Freeman.

In Progress

I'm still working on the farm quilt as a leader/ender project (see last week's post) with 6 blocks left to go.  The small top I was working on got moved to flimsy stage (hurray!) so this set of Little Bricks blocks is next.  

The box on the left contains my Little Bricks pieces, which are rectangles 2.5 in. x 3.5 in.  I was hoping to use up a lot of these this year.  So far I have pieced 3 small tops from them, plus these blocks.  And the box is still full.  What kind of magic is this?

Valentines Day is tomorrow! Buddy and Little Guy (and their mom) came over after school yesterday and we sent them home with candy and cards and hugs.  Today their big brother stopped by after work for his.  We sent a box of treats to Kenosha for our grandkids Mr. H and Miss E.  Then we gifted each other chocolate and cupcakes.  Oh, dear, I feel a diet heading my way.

Happy Valentines Day to all who celebrate! And have a very happy weekend!  I know I will have a good day tomorrow:  I'm going to a quilt show!

Thanks for reading,

Sylvia@Treadlestitches

Linking up with:

Alycia at Finished or Not Finished Friday

Angela at So Scrappy

Cynthia at Oh Scrap