Quilting Change of Plans

I have decided to wait on putting together my Jewel Frames quilt. A friend of mine planted some doubt in my mind about the size, so I’m going to wait until I have a new queen size bed. When will that be? Good question. I need a new mattress and box springs, and I’m going to move up to a queen size bed and will need to buy a new bed frame.

So I’ve changed plans.

I still have my second Ruffled Feathers quilt to make. I’m still planning on doing it, I’m just not ready to dig in yet. I also have a couple ideas for other quilts I’m ruminating on and firming up plans and I’m waiting for some fabric to arrive. More to come on these as my ideas firm up.

So I was feeling like sewing tonight and thought about the Jacob’s Ladder, AKA Jewel Box quilt. So I found a tutorial from Jordan Fabrics and remembered that I had some charm packs of off white fabric and batiks. So I decided to dig in and try a few blocks.

OMG! These blocks are so wonky! I did square up the half square triangles, so they’re not bad. But those four patches are a mess!

One of the quilts I’m thinking of making is from a fun collection of light and bright Kaffe fabrics and I thought this pattern would be fun. But I’m going to increase the size of the blocks and allow enough extra so I can square up the four patches. Or, if I make the four patches big enough, I might not need to square them up.

This quilt is really simple to make. It’s made with just HSTs and four patches. Here’s the one block that you make over and over again.

Good grief! So Wonky!!!

I don’t remember why I purchased these charm packs of off white fabric. I’ve had them for years. I do remember why I bought the batik charm packs, but lost enthusiasm for that project long ago. So this is a good use for both.

I got absolutely no sewing done over the weekend. Instead, I met my brother and sister in law in Cottage Grove, Oregon, for a long walk along the Row (pronounced like cow) River trail. We met in Cottage grove because it’s almost exactly half way between my place in Portland and my brother’s place outside Coquille, Oregon near Bandon, which is on the coast. We each had a two-drive to get there.

I hadn’t seen my bro and SIL since February. They had come up to visit with me in mid February. And then the pandemic hit. My brother is the middle of five kids. I am the youngest. You’re not supposed to have a favorite sibling… but he is mine. And I just love my SIL. One of the best things about moving to Oregon 10 years ago is that I’m so much closer to these two.

We walked four miles up the trail, and then four miles back. The trail is 14 miles long, one way. The weather was absolutely perfect and we started out early enough that we had the trail almost all to ourselves except for the last couple of miles when we started to see occasional bike riders.

Of course I took the dogs and they had a fantastic time. We all stayed well socially distanced and carried masks with us in case we needed them. It was so odd to see B&A them and not hug them. They are big time serious and enthusiastic huggers.

After our hike we drove down the canyon to a little park and sat down and had lunch. While there a girl walked by with an Airedale. My only dog as a child was an Airedale and I’ve been attracted to them ever since. It felt so familiar to put my hands on that dog. Haven’t felt that curly hair for a long time.

I filled out my ballot this evening. Oregon is only vote by mail, so I was able to sit down at my computer and do some research about the several initiatives as I filled out my ballot. It really is a fantastic way to be able to vote. I hope that after the election more states implement voting by mail. It’s such a great way to make it easier for all citizens to vote.

I have plenty of time to mail my ballot this year, but I’m going to drop it in a ballot box instead just to be extra sure that it is submitted in time. I haven’t missed voting in an election since I was 18! I take my right to vote very seriously.