Welcome to Treadlestitches! I'm so glad you came to visit.
Yep, these are small potatoes, all right! My grandson aka Little Buddy helped me harvest these from a galvanized tub on the back porch. We found a few even tinier ones, and we set those out for the squirrels. Because squirrels are always dear to a quilter's heart, aren't they?
I grow these mostly for fun, but I will clean them up and roast them in the oven with carrots and onions and maybe even sweet potatoes.
I had heard people call things "small potatoes" all my life, but I actually went and looked it up. The expression "small potatoes" originated in the 19th Century, and means insignificant. That just about sums up my sewing this week.
After finishing my red blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, I had some big plans for quilting. They did not happen. Time was not my friend. But I did start another baby quilt for Jack's Basket, blocks seen above.
Somehow, there is always time to start a new project! I based this one on a quilt from this fabulous book:
No Scrap Left Behind by Amanda Jean Nyberg. (If you love scraps, this book is for you!)
The quilt in the book is called Ring Me, and is on pages 102-106. As you can see, my block is not exactly the same as Amanda Jean's. I often buy books for inspiration, not just great patterns, and this one delivers. I will probably set it differently, too, but without the book I might never have gotten started.
So far, just a few tiny blocks were cut and pressed. Then I went to the virtual quilt show I mentioned last week (find my post on that HERE), and watched a video with quilt teacher and shop owner (and Wisconsin quilter) Judy Gauthier, author of Rainbow Quilts for Scrap Lovers (and two more books in the series).
I could hardly wait to get out my scraps and make this test block.
Can you believe this block is made from squares? Judy shows you how to cut them and sew the pieces back together. I couldn't believe this method made a block that is so easy, and actually lays flat!
The pattern is called Blended Hexagons, and is on pages 43-49. Judy's quilt is very modern, and absolutely beautiful. Now I'm thinking about a whole quilt like this, but made from 1930s fabrics. I think I might know a way to make mine without set in seams.
The last thing I made was a pair of baby sweat pants. They're a little too big for my youngest grandson right now, but he keeps on growing so they'll eventually fit. It's been a long time since I made clothes of any kind, and I had to reorganize my patterns. It is absolutely impossible, at least for me, to get the pattern pieces folded back into the pattern envelope, so I put them all in gallon sized zip lock bags with the pattern envelope on top. Now maybe I can find what I'm looking for.
Although my sewing this week was pretty insignificant, the week was still a good one.
What with one thing and another, time just keeps speeding ahead. I can hardly believe this is the last weekend of September, and that it is already officially fall! We are enjoying the lovely weather here, and trying to store up the sunshine for the coming winter months. Sort of like squirrels!
In the week ahead, I'm wishing you sunshine and sewing time, or just any time doing what you love.
Cheers for reading,
Sylvia@Treadlestitches
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Squirrels are definitely dear to my heart - the ones in my yard and the ones in my sewing room, too! I really love those "Ring Me" blocks, Sylvia! I borrowed that book from the library and loved every quilt in it. I should borrow it again! Your potatoes and raspberries look yummy, too!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Diann! Gotta love squirrels (and potatoes and raspberries)!
DeleteVery cute block and quilt top (and your grandson).
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lynn!
DeleteThat Ring me quilt is so pretty and love your version of it! Sounds like you had a good week enjoying life.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Deb! Life is good, even when there's not much sewing happening.
DeleteOh but your *small potatoes* of a week is very inspiring!! you have a lot of great projects going on!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Alycia! I like how open you are about sometimes not having time to sew. We all have other things (or people or animals) to take care of!
DeleteI love your bright Ring Me blocks! While it is fresh and pretty with the white centers, the happy colors are more practical and pack more punch :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Louise! I love Amanda Jean's quilt, but for me, the more bright color the better!
DeleteThere are bits of red in your version of Ring Me, Sylvia. Totally works for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge! :o))
ReplyDeleteEverything is better with red scraps, even tiny ones!
DeleteSometimes a week calls for more small potatoes and big berries with buddies than sewing. I like your version of Ring Me far better than the one in the book. And any quilt in 30s fabrics is a good idea if you ask me.
ReplyDeleteI have a real thing for the 30s fabrics, maybe because the first quilts I fell in love with were antiques from that time period.
DeleteYour small potatoes look delicious! Those little red potatoes are my favorite; here in S. Louisiana, we throw them in the boiling pot with seafood and seasonings, and mix the cooked potatoes with butter and shredded cheese - Yum! Your take on "Ring Me" will make a fun baby quilt - great idea!
ReplyDeleteOoh, sounds delicious! We took a family trip to Louisiana years ago, but never got to a shrimp boil.
DeleteI really enjoyed seeing your version of Ring Me, I own that book and love it! But sometimes I get stuck at the original! I have no vision! I can’t see it in other colors or adaptions, so thanks for showing yours!
ReplyDeleteMy garden was pathetic this year! In fact, garden might be a stretch! Only 2 tomatoes in buckets! If I do it next year, I’ll definitely start early. Our growing season is short here in NE Wyoming!
Fun post!
Thanks, grammajudyb! Every year, I start the garden with great intentions, but fall down on the follow through. Probably because I'd rather sew? But any garden is better than no garden at all.
DeleteWhat a happy little quilt for Jack's Baskets. I did not recognize it as Ring Me until you showed the photo in the book. I like how your colorful centers make it a block perfect for a little kiddo.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Janine Marie! I love all the kid type fabrics. It just makes me happy to sew with them.
DeleteNow I am very intrigued by how that hexagon goes together. I really like that block. Your little quilt top is pretty cute too. Thanks for sharing with Oh Scrap!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cynthia! And thanks as always for Oh Scrap. It is such a good thing in this crazy year to catch up with what other quilters are doing. Especially you!
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