QUILT DESIGN FUN

I've been having fun out in my quilt studio today. In April I will be teaching a simple quilt block with the potential for creating a different result for each quilter. The fun starts after all 48 blocks of this little block are completed and ready to be sewn together as a small quilt or wall hanging. I am using left over fabric from my stash to make a "Scrappy Quilt" Our grandmothers made lots of Scrap quilts from left over fabric or worn out shirts, dresses and remnant fabrics. I put my blocks on my design wall and started to twist and turn the blocks to see how I would finally sew them all together. These are some of the possibilities that I quickly discovered.

I would probably call this look Corn Rows since it reminds me of a field of corn.

Don't know what to call this, but do you see the two different diagonal designs that occurred as I decided to alternate the blocks going straight across from the top to the bottom. surprised me to back up and see how it ended up. I really thought I was not really going to have luck with how I had twisted and turned each block.

Here the design is squared on the quilt and I might call it "Sunshine and Shadows" As I worked the blocks I saw this design happening almost right away.

If before I took the picture I had seen that I missed turning one of the blocks I would have fixed it and you would have not been blessed to see what quilters sometimes call a God block. That's a concession to the awareness that only God is perfect and doesn't make mistakes. Many a quilt has been finished, quilted and on the bed before someone (often Hubby) notices the mistake.

Like an optical illusion when you look at this design do you see the pinwheels or the wedges with blocks. When I stepped back I first saw the pinwheels and then the second design popped into sight and now that is pretty much what I see all the time.

I may end up putting the quilt together this way. I might call it Flower Garden, but it also reminds me of a Log Cabin layout called Courthouse Square. All in all it was a lot of fun to play with my fabric blocks and I'm not sure that there are not some more possibilities left for me to find.

I can't wait to see what designs the quilt guild gals find for their quilts when we do the class in April.

STROLL WITH THE MUSE

When I stepped out on the back deck to greet the new day I was struck by the crisscrossing of so many jet contrails in the early morning sky. The sun seemed to be rising on it's journey across the sky and I marveled at the human race joining the sun to travel through the the heavens. Who knew that Icarus had the right idea, he just overstepped his bounds and made the sun angry. (Of course, the sun knew that Icarus would learn the secret that it is the earth that moves, not Sol.)

Today with a new understanding we soar into the edge of space and fill the sky with voyages unimagined just a blink of universal time ago. Before I ran for my camera I was filled with wonder and a sense of gratitude that I am here to ponder the miracle of life and all that has come before to give me this day.

This is the day the Lord has made, rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalms 118:24

NO THANKS, WE'LL STAY INSIDE

" Aw, Ma, we told you-----

No thanks, we'll stay inside."

CATS BEAT THE WINTER BLAHS

This morning when I opened the back door GiGi took one look and decided to forgo her usual mole hunt and visit with the local critters.
Let GiGi continue the story.

Well when all else fails sister is available for a romp. Okay KiKi are you up for a little wrestling match. You want to get it started?

Aw, come on. I'm really bored and believe me you don't want to go outside today. Let's rock and roll.
Now this is what I call letting the good times roll.

Now I'll attack.
This is such a good way to get the kinks out and get the exercise we always get when we run and hunt.

Well, that was fun, but Ki called it quits and I'm going to have to stretch out and nap for a while.