Block #3, Key Hole Block

I'm still chugging along on Pat Sloan's Grandma's Kitchen Sew Along.  Of course, it's only been three weeks.  lol  I usually do pretty good on starting things and then something in my life happens and it all gets pushed on the back burner.  But this is only one block a week and so far life has been calmer.  It's much easier to keep up then with the Bonnie Hunter mysteries.  For me anyway.

This block is called Key Holder. 

I had a long dry spell without going to a quilt shop so a while back I decided to take two quilts to be longarm quilted.  I had made some money selling some things on craigslist so I figured, what the heck.  I wanted to check some UFOs off my list and this should help.  

I went to the Orange Quilt Bee and saw a class for a mini sampler out of Civil War Repro fabrics and the blocks can be anywhere from 3-6 inches. I haven't taken a class in a long time so I signed up.  It was fun and I had a good time, met some nice ladies and the teacher was great.  The first thing she had me do was make two nine patches to work on accuracy.  I needed to slow down a bit and with the help from the teacher, my blocks measured exactly 3 1/2".

After I set up at the class, I found out it wasn't actually for the entire sampler. *disappointment*  But it's not a total loss.  I picked a block off the sampler and we drew it up.  I used the Eleanor Burns method and ruler to make the flying geese.

I laughed that this little itty bitty block and my two little nine patches took almost three hours.  Learning takes time.  But look at those points!!  And this block measured a perfect 3 1/2" too.  :)

I'm enjoying being back in my sewing room. I got to move into our 400 sq. ft. room addition a few months ago and it's been a long process.  I am a clutter gal by nature and have lived in this house for over 33 years. It means there have been a lot of things that got put in boxes that don't necessarily have a place to go now.  It means sorting and purging.  And because I don't always want to do it (cuz I'd rather be playing with fabric!) there have been a few boxes stacked up waiting for me to sort them out.  I have three left and decided this is the week to get through them!  I did one today and have piles all over the cutting table.  lol  Tomorrow is another day!

Block #2 done!

I got more sewing done!  Woohoo.  Block #2 in the Pat Sloan mystery is called Honey Bun.  I think I would've liked the block a little better if I would've used the floral as the wider pieces and the plaid as the thinner ones but I like the fabric enough that I'm going to leave it.  I think this will be a cheery one.  :)

Here are block 1 & 2 on the design wall.  I think mystery projects are fun.  You have the anticipation of what's to come...like Christmas morning.

That's it for this week.  Maybe I'll try and clean up the sewing room and take some pics of my new space.

Grandma's Kitchen Sew Along by Pat Sloan

Ever since grandbabies and Facebook, I kind of ditched my blog.  But...I realized that my blog was a date book or journal of sorts.  Dates I don't remember, when projects were completed, etc.  So here I am...and I'm going to attempt to keep blogging, if only for me and no visitors.  ;)

Now if anyone has no business starting a project it's me!  But this one called my name.  Pat Sloan is doing a "sew along" called Grandma's Kitchen.  Sharing memories of sitting at Grandma's kitchen table and reminiscing.  I thought about using 30's reproductions fabrics because it just screams for them but I don't have a wall big enough for a quilt so I decided to use something that could be a throw or bed topper.

Most of my fabrics are Holly Holderman.  From the stash, just sitting and waiting for a project.  They are all sitting in a little bin and I will use up what I can each month when there is a new clue.

I bought a new ruler when I saw Bonnie Hunter use it.  I have so many rulers but this one is really awesome.  Not only can you cut off the corners and dog ears, it's got great lines for checking your piecing sizes.  Love it!  It's called Simple Folded Corners by Doug Leko.  I bought it directly from his site.

That's it for my first blog post in over TWO YEARS!!!!  :D

Happy Sewing!