Saturday, December 4, 2021

A Pieceful Week

 Welcome to Treadlestitches!

How was your week?  Mine was peaceful and pieceful.

The Two-Step top is done!  Elmo is helping me show it on Baby Buddy's bed.

It was so much fun to make.   The "game" is to pair up scraps that blend together.  Most of mine don't really, but check out the Daniel Tiger block.  His tail is from a Tigger print.

The pattern is called Two Step, and was designed by Amanda Jean Nyberg.  It's in the book Scrap School:  12 All-New Designs From Amazing Quilters.  The quilt in the book is a lot larger.  Mine measures 40 in. x 44 in.

Lately it seems like I'm concentrating either on quilting or piecing, never both in the same week.  This week was a piecing week.  Above I'm putting together the blocks of my 2020 quilt.  Each strip represents a day.  When you get down to it, this is really a string quilt.

String quilts have been on my mind lately, so when I saw these blocks at our guild's silent auction, an idea clicked, and I was lucky enough to win them.  The maker was our Lovely Laverne so I knew they would be pieced and pressed perfectly.

Another guild member, Nancy P., Queen of Scraps, has been showing us different ways to make string quilts.  Using her idea, I cut these blocks up, and sewed red strips on either side.

Here's what they look like now.  I'm going to sew all the small blocks into 4s and then set them together.

Another handy item from the auction--this little light!  Treadles don't come with lights, of course.  Before electricity was common, most people placed their treadles near a sunny window, and I've done that too.  But a light right on the work, especially at night or on a gloomy day is a big help.  It's battery operated, and is resting on the pressure knob, well away from the take-up lever.  Plus, it's purple!

The highlight of our week was going to Little Buddy's Christmas play.  It was called A Country Kind of Christmas (hence the bandanas), and he was a very serious little shepherd.  Baby Buddy went with us and enjoyed it too, especially the singing and the clapping after each number.

Later, Little Buddy helped us decorate for Christmas.  His style is simple--mash everything together, and add a dinosaur.  "But he's green!" he insisted, when I mildly objected to a T Rex next to the Christmas tree.  He also assured me that the dino was friendly and wouldn't harm anyone.  So okay then I guess.  All are welcome.

Guess who loves leftover cranberry sauce?

As we go through this busy holiday season, I'm trying to stay focused on what's really important--love, laughter, and family.  I hope you have plenty this week, and every week!

Cheers for reading,

Sylvia@Treadlestitches

Linking up with:

Angela at So Scrappy
Cynthia at Oh Scrap










16 comments:

  1. Love your two-step quilt, and those little faces-- how adorable!

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  2. Oh my gosh, your grands are so cute! Don’t you wish sometimes that we could freeze time? Love your Two Step quilt and the string blocks. So many ideas, so little time!,

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    1. Thanks, Cathy! It's hard to let them grow up! I'm just treasuring the days we have.

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  3. I do think your Two-Step quilt has the perfect blocks to achieve that blending look! And the string blocks with red sashing are wonderful, too. I haven't tried red for a sashing color yet, but I sure want to. Dinosaurs deserve to celebrate Christmas, too - and won't the villagers get a big surprise when they look out their windows?!

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    1. Thanks, Diann! I'm picturing villagers screaming and getting the pitch forks and torches! Then maybe they'll calm down and all sing carols together, dino and all.

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  4. I always enjoy reading about how your weeks is going, what with stitching and grandchildren you certainly keep busy. Love the Two Step, I've never come across that before. Amanda Jean always had such interesting quilting ideas, and I used to love her linky party

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    1. Thanks, Jenny! I miss crazy mom too. Just glad she's still quilting and designing.

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  5. ROFL!!! "But he's green!" Be sure to thank Little Buddy for the good laugh, Sylvia. LOVE your Two-Step quilt top!! Have fun with those String blocks, too.

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    1. Thanks, Joyful! I may have trouble keeping more dinosaurs out of the decorations. A LOT of them are green!

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  6. Out of the mouths of babes. . .he's green!!! What a memory! That two step is a great pattern and I too love strings. . .especially when red is involved!

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    1. Hi, Terry! Red really brightens up those old scraps, doesn't it?

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  7. very cute quilt and baby buddy, I like the string quilt idea

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    1. Thanks, maggie! I think string quilts are some of the best kind of quilts--more scraps!

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  8. Your two step is just adorable!
    and I like the Queen of the Scraps idea.

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    1. Thanks, Alycia! I have a feeling there are lots of queens of scraps in the quilting world. Maybe it's less a monarchy and more a title bestowed by grateful followers?

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Thanks for reading! Post a comment--I want to know what you think!