Better than a Get Well card....

 ..in my book!
When I was recovering after surgery Jean of Life in my Happy Place, sent this pattern booklet to me! She had planned a trip to the publishers outlet store and I had asked her to look for some books. Well they did not have that book but sweet Jean picked this up for me by the same artist, Kim Diehl, and mailed to me!
I have Kim's Simple Comforts and Simple Graces. Did the 40% off sale with a % off total order at Joann's for those. Still have not found the other books I wanted....yet!

 It is called Country Whig Rose. So pretty and in my country color favs.
 

 If I make it as published will be 42" X 42" wall hanging or table topper.
Finished blocks are 12" X 12" . I could do a runner for my sofa chest or wash stands.
Will see what I decide!

So what did I do? Pulled some fabrics and have them in my quilt basket to cut and prepare my blocks!
Thank you Jeanie Gal! You are a sweetie!!
Here is Jean's other fun blog where she shares her creative talents!

Waste ?

 I was chatting with a gal at a shop about using my Accuquilt Go! Cutter to make some appliques for a project I am working on. She has decided she does not want one because there is so much waste with it.
Well I think 'waste' is what ya make it!
You can learn to use the cutter in less wasteful ways.
I do not use it for all my fabric cutting as I still use the rotary cutter and my rules too!
 
For this project I needed stars. So I pressed my Heat n Bond light on to strips of fabrics I planed to use.
Cut out the big stars I needed.

 Here are some leftovers.

  So with the left overs from those I cut the smaller ones too!

 So with more leftovers I pulled out the small flower dies to cut flower shapes and some centers that will be bittersweet berries on a border. The half flower parts work well behind  other parts so do not toss those either!

 As you can see I am well on my way to many other projects just from each star square scrap!

I did save some for using in other ways such as in windows in my houses or larger circles for flower centers.

As I said at the get go the amount of waste is of your own choosing. You can toss those bits or make them work for you. If you take the time to figure out the best placement of the fabric you will have much less waste. I enjoy using the Go! to my advantage for some things I have a tough time cutting out with my sick jointed fingers! So wherever I can get that extra helping hand I do it!

I will say that the only draw back on the Go!cuts is that I can not use the Pat Sloan Do-nut method with the Heat N Bond. Which keeps the applique soft in middle.

As with any tool we use as we go along we find better ways to use it.
So I hope this has helped some see you can make that fine inch sq. go a bit further that the one star!

Lovely Mini Quilt

 I was honored to win this rule, Fit to be Quarter by Open Gate Quilts last year on Monique 's Blog!

 Also in the package was this sweet mini quilt kit to make using the rule.

 The instructions were very easy to understand and the rule is awesome at squaring up the 2 inch parts!
You can use this rule for rectangles and square up larger size blocks as well. It is a nice tool to have when no matter how careful you are your pieces are not perfect. Just trim them up a bit and you are good to go!
You can check out how to use it here. Also available are other rulers.
 

 All those little jewels! So pretty!

 All done and this is the pretty backing. I quilted it simply around the seams and the middle .

Have hung it from the shelf in our living room. I worked on this project after I finished up my Cotton Boll squares. Now  I need to get that runner sandwiched and quilted now that I have the thread to use!

I have been cleaning out a few scraps and cutting into useable pieces. Doing this using my Go! I have made up two quilt kits! Will share those later!

We are still warm here and humid. 
Really the temps are around 89/90 but the humidity makes it feel warmer.
We need rain badly.  Seems folks all around us get plenty, us not so much. Our well has not recovered as it should from the two leaks we had in pipe. So just being careful of how we use water.
We are going to get a few estimates on a deep well. Plus plumber says a few of the copper pipes need replacing! Always some thing!

Need to pick the figs, grapes and more blueberries. Will just juice the grapes to make jelly later and freeze the blueberries. We eat the figs. Used to make preserves but if we do will be only a couple jars. We just do not use as much of  the jams and jellies as we used too.

Still doing my home PT and functions for the new knee. Do have pain still and some swelling.
After a day of standing cutting and sitting sewing it will be a bit sore and cranky!;-)
Go back to surgeon next week.

So best get to it round here! I have some stars I need to cut out!!!;-)

Back in the...."seam" again!

Yes I could have said groove but would not have been 'sew' cute!
I am enjoying sitting at my machine again. Do have to move around a bit.
Can not sit too long or stand too long, cutting or  pressing.
So I am like a yo yo... up and down!
I finished up the knee/leg PT in town. I am on my own now to do the PT at home.
Hope to begin walking again as soon as this heat ever lets up!
It is August though so do not see that happening anytime soon.
I am so ready for FALL!

Was going through some of my project bags and came across these applique cotton boll blocks I had cut and prepped  a few years back.

 This is a very old pattern from at least 1980's. May have come out of an old Quilt Magazine. Just not sure. I did tweak it a bit to work for my plan. I made my Mama a ruffled pillow with it way back when and had planned a a lap throw at some point! Did not happen.
I decided to use 3 of these blocks. Needed two pieced ones to make up a runner.
Choose Bonnie Hunter's 2010 mystery quilt block, Roll Cotton Boll Roll. I think this quilt pattern now available in her new book.

 Had enough of the original fabrics to use too! Old Cranston  and Marcus Brothers prints. Bought either at Cloth World or Piece goods! Both of which no longer exist.

 Pieces up on my new design wall. Yes that is some Bunny Hill Tisket Tasket blocks there too. Just a wee bit more hand work and I will have them ready to sew into a top too!

 Had the blocks finished. Was waiting on some thread I had ordered from Superior Threads to arrive.
A silk one for the creamy cotton parts to applique with and also quilt. Have one called Pine Cone to use on the cotton husk part. They arrived yesterday!

Yes that is an extra one..called Flower Pot. Just so Fallish and they were on sale!;-)
So will be busy soon on this Cotton Boll Runner.
I did begin another smallish project waiting on the thread. More later.
Feels good to be doing what I love again!