Monday, August 22, 2011

You've Got Mail!



Isn't it amazing how old fashioned snail mail can brighten your day?  Today started yucky. Actually, it started last night. I woke up around 3:00 AM to the sound of LOUD hail hitting our house.




My husband's car was  tucked snugly into our 1 car garage. Mine was left to fend off the weather on her own.  I got up and stood on the front porch and watched helplessly as hail the size of ping pong balls pummeled my car. (Picture the Captain Kangaroo show!) The morning sun revealed several LARGE dents. Fortunately, the windows were not cracked or broken. This is the second time this summer my  car has been hailed on. We hadn't even had a chance to fix the last round of hail dents and now there are more. And, to top everything off...I have been fighting a migraine since Sunday.  Grumpy quilter! 


That's the back story. At noon, the mailman drives by and leaves a lovely squishy package in our box and it's for me!! My blogger friend, Kris, from Lavender Quilt & Other Fineries had mailed me a bunch of 1 inch paper hexies! I can start on making flowers for a swap she told me about. It's called 1 Inch Hexagon Swap.  Each month different people are paired to swap one inch hexie flowers. Jane has the list neatly organized as to who has what preferences. I've chosen 1930's repro's with a solid center.  My first swap partner is clear in the United Kingdom!  I know in this age of airplanes and internet, the world is a small place. But I am still really pumped that a little ole flower that I am making will be traveling all the way across the ocean!! 
Maybe this handsome guy will be taking it?!
So, thank-you, thank-you, thank-you Kris for getting me out of my funk and back on track!! 


In other news, last weekend, as I organized the closet in my sewing room I came across these:


A Mess of un-ironed, vintage Apple Core blocks

Neatly ironed. 
 They are vintage apple core blocks I had bought many years ago and never done anything with them. At the time, I think I hoped to use the fabric for making other vintage mini or doll quilts, but it never happened. As I looked over the fabric, I was discouraged by how thin it is. It was as though the person who had carefully pieced the blocks had maybe used old  worn clothes/fabric and it is now thin and faded. I decided to iron/starch them any way and see what I could do with it. 
I like her set-up. Ironing while sitting down! Easier on the back! And dig the dress & blouse. I always iron in a dress and blouse. Don't you?


As I was "piecefully" ironing...an idea hit me! I decided to use a foundation pattern, which could support the thin fabrics. From there, my mind said: Why not a string quilt? Just slice the ironed pieces into various widths and sew them onto muslin foundations! YES! A plan was born!! It won't be a very big quilt...probably wall size. But I like the idea of using the vintage fabric to create a new design. What do you think? 


I need to get busy...I have two hexie flowers to finish  this week! One for my August swap and one for my One Flower Wednesday posting.  Guess what I am going to do tonight and tomorrow!! Happily sitting and hand sewing!! 


Sewin' pieces bit by bit,
Deb

5 comments:

  1. Good luck with the 1" hexies - I love them! They are relatively easy and portable and if you are sewing them while talking or watching TV you get through heaps in no time. When sewing any quilt by hand, my trick is to focus on enjoying the process rather than worrying about how long it will probably take!

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  2. Sure hope your migraine disappears soon.
    I look forward to swapping with you one day in the hexie swap :)

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  3. June Cleaver wore pearls to breakfast (which absolutely gave my dad apoplexy!) I SO enjoy your blog - missed you while you were gone! :-) Bobbi

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  4. It was raining hard, we didn't get any hail that night. You are funny, the hexies sound fun and you will send yours to UK. I am going to the UK in October. Going on vacation to visit my sister in CO.
    Have a great week.

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  5. Welcome to the Inchy Swap! Once you start making hexie flowers, you con't be able to stop. I started making one each Wednesday, and now I try to make one each day! I'll actually have enough for my quilt before long.

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