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Here's a pic of a quilt I was commissioned to make in December full of children's drawings. Never took a shot of it completed. Attractive dryer vent to the left.



As promised, here are half-squares the way that annoys me the least. These get boring after awhile and doing them this way makes it tolerable for me. I need 300 of these for the quilt I'm currently working on....

First slice bias strips wide enough to go point to point on the desired finished square measurement, plus 1/2" (two 1/4" seam allowances)



Next place the strips right sides together...



Sew 1/4" seam down one side...



Keep adding strips to each side, until you've created a nice hunk of stripped fabric. Press your seam allowances as you desire. In this case, toward the dark fabric...



I am using a 6" square here. My desired unfinished size of the squares is 3". Align the diagonal line on your seam line (the ditch)...



And again...



Cut the two sides along the top of your ruler...



Keep doing this on your stripped piece of fabric until you get a stack of these...



Turn the stack around...



Align your freshly cut edge with the edge of your square and again aligning the diagonal line of the ruler along your stitched seam...



And there you have it. A perfect non-wonky patch!



On other notes, last week was my first week of being a college student again. Had a few technology issues (taking quizzes online), which will hopefully be worked out before my next math quiz on Tuesday. I'm okay with the actual school work, but computer things not working makes me crazy. I took one quiz 5 times and I still don't know if it went through with answers in it or not. I already had to write a paper and have another big one due on 2/8. I haven't picked a topic yet, which needs to be done early this week.

Thank heaven for youth. I've been moaning about my missing camera for nearly a month now. Went into the office this morning and mentioned that the camera was still missing. One of our highly observent staffers (Bryan) said, "That camera's been in one of the camera cases (video camera) for a long time. Here ya go. I figured Len (DH) wanted it in there for some reason." He was referring to my husband who has been saying, "I don't know where that camera is." Anyway, it's been found and now I can get my blogging back to normal. Sheesh.



Here is the beginning of the Perkiomen Valley quilt I started. It's going to take 100 of these split-9's. Pressing is a key issue with these bad boys. The best way I've found yet is to sew them into three rows, press the seam allowances within the row toward the split patch, sew the rows together and then press those seams open.

When I get to doing the split patches, I'll show my 2 methods. I haven't decided which one I like best. Actually, there is a third way, but there is no way I'm piecing together 2 half-square triangles, or using templates of any kind. Ick. If it can't be done with a ruler and rotary cutter, I don't do it.

We have a missing camera somewhere in either this house or the studio. I am so frustrated, I could scream.

Anyway...On the quilt front. I am working on a quilt to sell at Kutztown Festival. Why sell quilts? Well, generally I don't. I donate many, but don't actually create to sell. However, I've always wanted to do Kutztown Festival. So, I will give it a try. The pattern is called Perkiomen Valley. It is a variation of split 9-patch. During the 1st half of the 20th century, there was a bit of a fad in the area I grew up in (Perkiomen Valley/Collegeville), where many of the ladies were making these split 9's. Another name for the design is called "Road to Collegeville". So, I've always wanted to make one of these buggers, just to say I did it. There are 100 blocks of nine patches each. I am using up light and dark fabrics I have on hand. A conglomeration of batiks, traditional, tone on tones, yada, yada. I've been cutting 3" squares of lights and darks, and piecing together the light/dark half square triangles.

If I had my camera, I could show you the 2 ways I do it (the half squares, that is).

Of special note here...if you ever get to see a trunk show by Gerald Roy, make sure you do it. He has a wonderful collection of Perkiomen Valley quilts and tops in the Pilgrim/Roy Collection. I tried to buy a Perkiomen Valley top in Ebay a couple of months ago. I stopped bidding at $450 (Sheesh! For a top!)

The camera is missing so I can't show you my little accomplishments for the holiday. I finished 2 36" square wall hangings for a non profit group. They were left over blocks from a commission I had done for them in December. I just couldn't see the "orphan" blocks sitting in a drawer somewhere, or worse getting thrown out or something. I just have to iron on the label and call them to pick them up.

This week will be tidying up after the holiday. I haven't touched "real" work, although I did some quilting and knitting...and ate too much. So now it's back to make some positive changes in the old girl. My credo for this year is "Balance". Trying to budget my daily time on this planet so that I can get in all of the elements that make me feel complete and whole. Working at my art, working with DH in the biz, helping the kids find their way in the world, volunteer work.

But alas, it all comes down to planning and discipline. One of my goals is to do 30 minutes of some kind of "exercise" 6 days a week. So I start today.