So, yeah. This happened today.

I felt like such a grown-up adult today. I was awake and ready to go by 8:00 this morning and it was my day off! I had a plan to check a few more items off my spring break to-do list and as I'm realizing there isn't enough time in the day to do all of things that I would like to do. 

The first stop was the farmer's market to get strawberries for the second annual spring break jam session. A tradition that started last year when my mom came to visit and one that I want to continue because of memories, love, and deliciousness. 

I thought there was something quietly beautiful about the berry tops in the sink. As I cut the berries this morning, I thought of my grandfather. 

One time while peeling and preparing apples for applesauce, grandpa picked up an apple, looking at it closely and said "Here it is, the one I've been looking for." As a small child, I was astonished, how could he know that apple was the one, and what was so special about it? 

"Why were you looking for that apple?" I asked. "It's the last one" he replied. 

The whole process would have been quite lonely if it hadn't been for my intrepid kitchen helper, Mr.Potato Head. He was in charge of making sure all of the jelly jars were in tip top condition.

The berries are beginning to boil. The first of two batches to be made. 

Mr. Potato Head holds his wand high, admiring the hard work.

After jammin' in the kitchen for a bit. I decided it was time to cut into my coveted quilt expo fabric. It seemed fitting with the strawberry day that I was having to work with stunning strawberry colors in fabric.

I hung them in a tree. Why? Why not?

I followed the method that I was practicing yesterday with some scrap stripes. The scrap stripes are a very even, reliable, predictable stripe. The new fabric has the look of a batik, and perhaps that was the way it was made. I was told that it was hand painted. There are certain irregularities in color from one selvage of the fabric to the other that create really nice variety in the little blocks. 

Barni approves of both projects for the day. He would also like to Live a Colorful Life and randomly join the Let's Bee Social party at Sew Fresh Quilts that I was invited to. I'm not sure that pets are allowed though, so he'll have to sit this one out.

Spring Break Projects

Another great day of worry free Spring Break is coming to close. While it may be 'worry free,' I still have a to-do list that feels like a mile long. All of the projects that I have been working on and posting about are fun, but I have listed them as goals to accomplish during this time away from school.

First up is a modified pineapple block for the WERQ Bee. The host for the month of April is Mr. Waldo Bluestone you can view his Instagram here.  He put together some really great directions for us to follow about how to make the blocks. Here is what I created with his directions. I think this block would be a cinch to cut for production piecing. I'll try to paraphrase for you. 

First I cut the fabrics: 2 squares are 3 1/2", and 1 each of 4", 5", 6" and 8". We are cutting ours so that the smallest square is the darkest and the largest square is the lightest with a gradient of colors between the two. *update This method works great, but may not be a precise as I would like. There may be some trimming and finesse needed*

 

On the back of all of the squares except the darkest color mark an 'X' with pencil. I used my ruler to draw the lines from one corner to the other being careful not to stretch the fabric as I drew the line across the grain of the fabric. 

Sew the two 3 1/2" squares, right sides together with a 1/4" seam around the entire square. This was the strangest thing to do. I couldn't imagine what I was going to do with two pieces that were completely stitched together! 

Here it is all sewn together. I found that I could stitch around the edge of the square and when my needle went into the pencil line, I could keep the needle in the down position and then just turn the square to keep the 1/4" seam.

Here is where it gets interesting. You pinch the fabric right on one of the pencil lines and make a small snip with scissors and then cut along the lines. Open and press the seams and you have a square within a square! I was so excited that this worked, and that it was so easy. 

I trimmed off the little triangle bits that hang off on each side and was ready to sew the next largest square on in the same manner. The picture on the right above shows the original square all trimmed and placing the next square on top. Just repeat these steps until all the squares have been used up. If you're like me, you'll be sad when you've gone through all of the squares. I really wanted to just keep adding to this block. As Mr. Bluestone mentioned there is one square that you cut the 'X' and press it and find that it is just a bit too big for the next solid square, I just trimmed that one down a little bit and was ready to go. This made a great 10" block.

I'm thinking this block would be easy to save scraps for, just save squares in all of the sizes that you'll need and stitch them together when ever you have a nice cache of them.

Another item that I've been working on is trying to decide what to do with this fantastic fabric I bought at the Quilt Expo in Lakeland. I originally thought I could use it in the graphic block that I made before, but I think there are just too many colors for this to be successful. 

I did some experimenting tonight to see how the stripes could be put together. I used scraps of other stripes because I'm afraid to cut into my other prized fabric. 

I made up some HST's (Half Square Triangles). I cut 5" squares and put two of them together. Then I drew a line down the middle with some tailors chalk. I sewed a 1/4" inch away from the line on both sides and cut on the line afterwards. Press the seams open and there are perfect mitered stripes. I think those bright colors will make a great variety of these blocks and I can play with an arrangement later. 

Now to just round out my evening and hop around the blog world a bit. Fortunately I found the Fabric Tuesday linky party at Quilt Story. That's where I'm going to start tonight! I will end at My Quilt Infatuation's Needle and Thread Thursday.