February Project

102 blocks in seven color ways!

 Remember this?  It has become this:

February project 72" x 72" just needs quilting.

Love all the colors!  This is sort of a charm quit in that each block is made from a different fabric.  What's going to happen to this one?  I have officially run out of room to store all the quilts I'm making so I will have to list some on etsy soon. 

Everybody who sees my quilts says "You could sell these!"  The thing about selling quilts is that you can't really make a profit -- you either charge for materials only or you charge for labor only but not both.  For instance, I spent maybe 10 hours on this and seven yards of fabric (not to mention thread and overhead).  So here's the calculation if I pay myself minimum wage:  (10 * $7.65 = $76.50 labor) + (7 * $10/yd fabric = $70) + batting $12 + thread $3 + overhead $10 = $171.50 minus the listing fee, etsy fee, shipping costs and tax.  So, basically, I would have to round up to $200 to recoup my costs.   And this assumes supplies are all on sale 50% off.  So, where's the profit?  Good thing I'm doing this for recreation.

And good thing I love doing it!  What's up for March?  Not sure yet but it will be something new.  "Ta" and have a swell day!  xoxo

January's Quilt

What started out as random scrap threadsaver pinwheels.

January's finish is technically a UFO because it started with a small basket of scrappy threadsaver half-square triangles with which I created pinwheels.  I needed way more than were in the basket, so 3/4 of this is new sewing.  I have so many scraps . . . boxes and boxes of triangles, strips, squares, and baskets of odd little shapes and strings . . . there just will never be an end to these scrappy quilts.  I'm not buying new fabric and I'm not joining any block of the month clubs.  And I've always felt that buying a quilt kit is somehow cheating.  You don't really learn how to work with color and be actively creative, in my opinion.

If at first you don't succeed!  Although this is not entirely without merit.

 When I first started this project, I wanted the blocks to be arranged as per the photo, but apparently I wasn't paying attention and sewed them together differently.  This isn't what I wanted so I ripped seams and started all over again.  Nevertheless, the "fail" arrangement is not bad.  I kinda like it!

February's project:  blocks laid out on the back of January's project.

And now I am working on February's project, for which I had to make 100 blocks.  This is new; not a UFO.  Made from 2" rectangles, there was no complicated cutting or sewing and I think I must have used three different types of muslin.  There are no fabric repeats in the blocks so this is actually a "charm" quilt.  I love to use as many of my fabrics as possible (and I have plenty)!  By the way, the blocks and graphic are laid out on the January project's backing.  Love this fabric which I'm sure I purchased back in the 70's.  You can always tell vintage fabrics because they don't have those double rows of punctures on the selvages.

Hope you all have an excellent February.  We are having a bathroom remodel and it is always a trauma to be invaded every day.  But I have found that being in my basement sewing room is a wonderful respite from the noise and dust and travails.  The guys doing the work couldn't be nicer, quieter, more considerate and we really like what they're doing.  Another reason for all the indoor activity is so much snow!!  Seems like every Thursday and Friday we are having some type of wintry precipitation:  ice or sleet or snow.  That's getting old, I tell ya!  Be well!