Sunday, March 05, 2006

Not much sewing at all going on this week. Just to put the icing on the cake of a week that was already going bad, our air conditioner went out. I know, all you girls up north can just laugh your heads off as you deal with snow and ice. But down here it's HOT! I live in a mobile home. When it's shut up all day coming home at night is like walking into an oven. If I open every door and window and turn on all the ceiling fans it's cooling off to around 80 by the time we go to bed! Needless to say I haven't been sleeping very well so on top of everything else have had a bit of a headache all week.

Anyway, I haven't done anything in the sewing room all week. So this weekend I decided to play again. I haven't been doing much sewing but I've been cutting a few kits for future projects and sewing a sample block of each. I don't know if I told you before but I'm making an extra block for all the tops I make this year. At the end of the year I'll put them all together in a sampler quilt. For the few quilts I can't make an extra block I'm saving some of the scraps and will use those fabrics as fillers.

This Bento Boxes will be for my almost 9 year old niece, Abbie. The majority of the fabrics I got last summer in a group of FQs that I get each month. I like getting these groups as they make me work with colors/prints that I might not normally buy. These I did like but I doubt I would have bought them on my own. I had to add a half dozen FQs from my stash to fill out the collection but was pleased with the group I ended up with. I think Abbie will be too. It's "girlie" but grown-up enough for a little girl who thinks she's big. :-) The little pile of scraps at the side is all that's left of 16 FQs. I will have to buy something for the borders as I don't have anything suitable. But the majority of this quilt will come from my stash. This is my current leaders/enders project as the way this block is constructed makes it really good for that.

BTW, it's not all pink/green/black. It also has a good bit of yellow-orange and purple mixed in.

This is another quilt inspired by Mama's stash and will be for my other brother. Mama's favorite block was the Bear's Paw. For years she talked about the red, black and gray Bear's Paw she was going to make. Another surprise as those were NOT colors she normally liked to work with. In fact she avoided black like the plague because she was alergic to the black dye in most black fabrics. Her hands and arms would break out like crazy wherever it touched her.

The grays will all be from her stash. The reds she didn't have very many of so I'm adding some of mine to get enough. The black and white are from my stash as is the gray to the left that will be the final border. Each block will have gray paws with red claws and a black square in the center. It will be sashed with black then finished with a very narrow red border and a wider gray one. I'm REALLY liking the way this one is coming out! But then that's no surprise as red and black are my favorite colors. :-)

Now funny story about me making this quilt. I was in a Bear's Paw Block swap a few years ago. We were a newly formed group and this was our first swap. Most of us had so much trouble with all those HSTs that we swore we'd never make another Bear's Paw as far as we lived! It wasn't so much making the HSTs as it was in making sure they were all pointed in the proper direction. I know I ripped and resewed a whole bunch of them and so did most of the other girls.

So here I am making another Bear's Paw quilt. And there's plenty of Mama's grays and my reds to make another one just like it for myself. And I'm even considering doing it! LOL!

15 comments:

Mary Johnson said...

I'm liking both quilts - can't wait to see more of them. One of these day's I'm making a bear paw quilt too but I'm going to *cheat* and make the version that just has the paws - no sashing.

Laurie said...

Great quilts Nancy! And I love the idea of making an extra block and making a sampler! Your brother will treasure that special bear paw quilt!
Hugs
Laurie

Vicky said...

Great blocks that will turn into beautiful quilts! I've got a Bento Box up there waiting to be cut. I'm planning a cutting weekend in a few weeks. Hope to get five or six quilts cut out and ready to sew on a moment's notice. Also have a bear's paw that just needs final border - but it's not very good at all. I tried to piece it one-handed and must have accidentally moved my needle over - I'm going to call it Manicured Bear's Paw as all the points are missng! LOL!

Unknown said...

I really like your idea of making the year's end sampler. Good way of 'filing' the memories away.

Patty said...

Sorry about the
air conditioner : (
It looks like it will be warm again today. Had the windows open all night and never was cold.
Both blocks are very pretty.
Try to stay cool, maybe hose the roof off a couple times, it actually works some.

Laurie Ann said...

I've been eyeing that Bento Box pattern and I like what you've done with it. Your brother will love the b/w/r bear paw. Beautiful! I didn't read anything offensive in your Mav/fabric collection post. You're doing fine just epressing yourself on your own blog! :)

The Calico Cat said...

I love the "brand" of fabric that you are using for the bento boxes - "Lakehouse" or something ike that! That pink is going to be in my pink & brown qult. I have used their neutral as a background for pieced stars & appliqued cats - I can go on.... (I love the pearly effect & the feel of the fabric)

Evelyn aka Starfishy said...

Looks like the start of another 2 great quilts (or 3 if you decide to make a Bear's Paw for yourself). The Bear's Paw arrangement is striking.

I hope your AC is fixed soon.

Cheers!

Evelyn

Cher said...

more fun-great quilts Nancy-and what a neat idea to make that extra block and come up with a "free" quilt at the end? and memories too. I do enjoy that pattern bear paws...maybe one day

Passionate Quilter said...

I like your "new" Bear Paw Nancy--guess what I dug up? Yep..a picture of that "other" Bear Paw!! heehee Actually it turned out quite nice considering it was quite a challenge for some. I am posting it on my blog right now! And yes, yours is in there! I have the label to prove it.

Love your Bento Box too--I made one using the Lakehouse fabrics too!

Debra Dee said...

I am sure you make Moma proud. Your bear paw is very pleasing.

The Bento Boxes are so bright and cheerful, I really like them a great deal. I'm going to add that pattern to my list of things to make in the future.

Pam said...

As soon as this remodeling is over I am going to dig through my Momma's stash and pull a few pieces to work with...I think it will be good for her to see her stash getting used as well as it will be good for me to use it!

Finn said...

Hi Nancy, love the bear paw..not sure this post is going to land, as Blogger seems to be in a playful mood today..won't load and the reload unexpectly...LOL

The black, red and gray are very striking. I think it's going to be a beautiful quilt...Hugs, Finn

Kay said...

I love Bento Box. This will be a great quilt.

Anonymous said...

I really like the bento box pattern but haven't been able to find it anywhere. I sketched it out and made some blocks but made the first block a quarter of what it should have been and so it was a rather wonky block. I think I have it now but wonder if you would share the width of your strips. Thank you.
A novice.