Retreat

Backing and batting for Linus quilts ready for retreat in January

Linus stocktake

There is stuff everywhere! I have sorted and consolidated-TWENTY Linus flimsies are ready for quilting, all from orphan blocks. I have four more to piece. Some of them are here, follow the link to my Linus page for all of them!  @LinusQuiltsNorthSussex

 

Roundup

 

I made a big push to complete the 1" square king size. 

I decided to border it in black and white.

When your  1 1/2" finished leader ender triangles look enormous........................!

I only have ONE border to sew on and the top is done. 

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I ironed a bit more of the stash of strings, but got bored before I trimmed them, it can wait for a wet winter afternoon

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I put together a few blocks for ocean waves, as the dump draw for sewn hsts was full

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I had a week sitting two dogs and two cats. I didn't get many hexies done, as you can see, all four thought I was there to provide a lap!   Love those four though! 

Progress is good, just have the edges to square off now.  

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Not much progress on the gansey inspired jacket, though I have started on a sleeve

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I finished a seaweed scarf for a gift

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I finished grandpuppy Archie's blankie made from shirt parts and batting scraps, double thick, quickly quilted. 

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 Two more placemats bound and borders sewn to two garlic knots Linus quilts

Thats it!

This week

 

 I have been ironing the stash of strips and strings that were sewing up in three batches over the last year. That's a 64 litre bin under that pile! I have another refuse sack full, probably about the same.

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 These are  ironed, only the trimming to do.....

I am cutting some as standard 4" for a scrappy piano key border

The rest are various widths. I think there will be enough for at least four king sized quilts, with yards of piano key border!

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I have decided to use the 1 1/2 " finished leader ender triangles to make Bonnie's Ocean Waves 

Some way to go!  

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A little more of the 1 " postage stamp quilt ...... I am saving two of every set, for a future project.

 

This is about 1/3 complete

Noah with his new quilt

All tucked up! I made this with the leftover blocks from his parents wedding quilt: this one was machine quilted, his parents king took nearly three years to do by hand, way overdue!

Use it or bin it 2

 I have been knitting. This will be a long jacket, made in one piece: I have borrowed the construction method from gansey knitting. No pattern! I have put it away until it's colder as sitting with this on my lap is like a double knitted blanket! 

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 I have about 250 scrappy nine patches sewn up, I used half of them to make this 'I Spy' dancing nine patch, perfect border fabric bought at a bargain price! Yet to be quilted.....

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Leftover blocks from 'Sisters Square dance': a table runner, twelve table mats and an occasional table cover/mugrug.  Just four finished and bound so far. 

 The original: 

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Still chugging away at the random leader ender 1 1/2" finished triangles.

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Twelve Linus quilts and 10 blankets are ready to go. Mum knitted the blanket strips and  my daughter in law and I crocheted them up.

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 I sewed up hundreds more pairs of 3" finished triangles, ready for .....something! All that pressing, all those dog ears to clip! 

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Some more quilters tinsel made with stitch and flip clippings!

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Garlic Knots: I just could not like this pattern, I would have thought this regular chain piecing project would be fun.  Nope. Tried several variations: I may come back to it in brighter colours someday; meanwhile, the blocks will be put to use, two Linus flimsies. I like the stitch and flip corners for sure and I think I like it better set on point. The contrast between the dark knots and white background it too much.

An ugly, to be put down to experience!

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 Mum gave me her 201k, bought at a boot sale 20 years ago for £16, model from 1950s. 

Oiled, up and running: very clean inside, unmarked paintwork, outside needs some attention. 

The 2 x 3 1/2" brick bin wasn't getting touched, so I sewed them all together to see how she runs: VERY fast and very quiet! I have a Bonnie pattern in mind for these. 

 I also raided the 2" and 3 1/2" squares to make these blocks, very scrappy. Love how they turned out! 

 I had an incident with this little blighter, chasing it round for 5 minutes! 

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Then I tackled the crumb bin, making  strips for the next crumb quilt, mostly from mis-shaped triangles. Must get a bulb!

Then the strip bin: these will be cut down to 10" inches  after pressing. I made a serious mess! 

I also started on the 1" strip bin, use it or bin it! This is work in progress. 

This is the quilt I made with crumbs and strips last time: Eclipse 1. I gifted it as a surprise to a sick colleague and his wife a few weeks ago, with instructions to spread it in the garden and stay until he recovered!

Some serious mindless sewing done in the last two weeks to take my mind of real life for a bit, I am so grateful for this hobby! 

By the way, I have a rotten camera on my phone!