This top was also a kit that I cut years ago. I'd even pieced all the sashes and nine patches, so more than half the work was done. The pattern is called Show Off by Becky of Quilting Twins. She used 9 1/2" squares but I think mine were 7 1/2". That way I could use more of the slightly smaller pieces of shirts.

Jo Jramer quilted a blue one that her daughter Kelli made, and it's beautiful. It's a very easy and striking pattern that shows off the fabric, which is how it got it's name I suppose. It's good for doing in stages too. I cut it all out, large squares first and then the shirting strips for the sashing and the ninepatches. Later I pieced all the sashing, in another session the nine patches. Then I packed it away, knowing that it wouldn't take me long to get it in one piece.

It certainly chewed up a lot of shirts that I wanted to be rid of, and the remainder of my shirt fabric  stash is much more manageable now.

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I started some Jack in the Pulpit blocks years ago, 2013 to be exact, gulp. How can they be nearly eleven years old? I don't understand how time just seems to disappear like that.

 I had fun choosing different fabrics for a fairly muted look, because I didn't want a high contrast between the shirting backgrounds and the coloured portion of the pattern. But when I came to find a sashing fabric anything dark just overwhelmed the blocks and medium fabrics were too wishy washy, so I moved on to something else. Every now and then I'd pull them out, have a play, get discouraged and pack them away again.

 Last year in a bout of complaining to Keryn about my lack of success she suggested this fabric, which is actually a brown print that reads as a warm grey...

Hmmm, maybe....And before I knew it I'd set them all together. We agreed on a large border print to go around it and then life intervened and the bundle sat and sat. I kept thinking how easy it would be to finish the top, now that the decisions were all made, but unless I actually sew the borders on it won't get finished. Duh!!

So the next time you see this it will be sporting a wide floral border and I can tick it off the list. (Fingers crossed)

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 I cant believe how much time has passed since I last blogged. I keep thinking life is going to slow down and become 'normal', but perhaps I just better accept this is the 'new normal.' Looking after the grand daughters for half the week, school drop off and pickup and supervising other activities  while son John is at work, plus my own duties at home and helping other family members. I've been watering two gardens in our summer while Keryn is away and working when I'm able.

So when I tested positive for covid I was actually quite relieved. I stayed home for a week, not even getting in the car once, and it was blissful. I had a cough and a runny nose and a really sore throat, but I didn't have any of the brain fog or tiredness I had the first time. I was able to get  projects done that I'd put off for years.  I went through and filled bags of stuff to take to goodwill, as well as organised the whole kitchen. It felt great to be able to concentrate on my own plans, and gave me a glimpse of what life could be in the future. I won't always have so many nana duties and there are other things I have to learn to say no to more often.

I took a good look at my sewing room too, and realised that I have far too many kits all packaged up on the shelves. Most of them are  cut out, and then they get stacked up and put away for 'later.' What is the point if I never get to stitch them? I say I need them in case I can't cut for a project, then  there will always be pieces ready to sew. Hmm, but if I haven't touched them for years, are they all necessary?

So I pulled one container of pieces for a plaid cross quilt, cut from salvaged shirts and made that my sewing for the week. It didn't quite clear out the container, which was a bit disappointing, but this top used most of the pieces. 

The blocks were cut from 3 1/2" strips,  firstly squares and then 1 1/2" strips to separate them. They were so easy to piece that the top was finished in no time, including a border that was attached as I sewed the blocks together. I love doing the borders like this, it takes all the agonising out of the decisions.

I also achieved a lot of leader ender sewing, making tiny nine patches and finishing some little log cabin blocks.I even allowed myself to sew during the day, something I never let myself do. 

I seem to think I should be doing other things, chores and the garden or work during the day, so the time at the machine was  particularly delightful that week. Im hoping there will be more of it in the future.

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