Update on block by block,additions to the den, and a quick block

   
     It has taken me longer than expected on the block by block quilt.  It really seems like it is taking forever. I am just a busy mommy and housewife.  I really should never put myself on a time schedule for my quilts. I do it because it is exciting and fun. I don’t want that to change. Plus, it usually relaxes me to sew. All I’ve been thinking is that people are waiting on this quilt to be finished. To those of you who are, please be patient with me.  One of the corner pieces is just a little to small. Now, I need to get the  seam ripper and  reset it.  Boo…I was so ready to put those borders on that quilt. This block by block is a new process for me.  A couple times, I sewed the wrong side. I  mean, how in the world did it get turned around from the bed to the den. Frustrating. I take that seam out and fix it. Only to realize that I have sewn the binding strip right side up. You would think, I could catch these things. I know, it happens. I guess I can say that I am becoming a professional at the seam ripper. Ha! I can do that fast!   So, it is still in progress…
There’s always that one thing. Grr….
The above photo is taken of the longest seam. This is just a little tip for ya.  You can  that I rolled the  side that will be going to the right of the needle. I pinned to hold it in this  position. This will keep it from being to bulky while going under the throat of the machine.  My spare time is what I rely on to finish my quilting and work on …other sewing projects. Hehehe.. Here’s what I have been working on in the mean time.
     I got hubby to help with some projects on the Honey Do List. First, I wanted to condense the amount of things taking over the den. I really mean “taking over”! One of those things was the ironing board. So, he cut me a piece of particle board that was in the shop. We just measured the top of the cabinet. Which is more than 30 inches. I really wanted to have a bit more than 30 inches in width and enough length to cover the top of the shelves.

I cut a piece of fabric about 4 inches wider than the board. I laid it on the floor wrong side up.  Then,  I cut the  insul-bright to dimensions of the board and  placed the insul-bright silver heat resistant fabric shiny side down in the middle of the fabric. I cut two layers of cotton batting to dimensions of board and laid it on top of the insul-bright. Now, I placed the board on top of batting. At this point, I just tucked and safety pinned the corners. I can wash it I need to or change it out as I wish. I like the options. You could staple it down.
                                                                                 
I had a table that was being borrowed until I could get  a cutting table of my own. My hubby made the rolling cart about 5 years ago when we live in a super small house. It was 1000 square feet or something like that. 3/1 and the kitchen was a small square. 8*8 possibly. This has locking wheels too. I love that. Now, we have a much bigger house and a wonderfully spacious kitchen. So, why not repurpose here. The mat is 36*24. We made the cut about 6 inches wider so I could have some space to put tools and such on the top. It is just particle board. We didn’t have any hard board or plywood. I will fancy it up when I can catch a breath. Multipurpose!

    I also just wanted to check out the newest fabric that I got at Joanns on sale. I love a good sale. I mean, who doesn’t?  I love that place.
I got 1 yard of each. I have some red cotton that was leftover from Kenzie’s shirt.  I also used some off white. I didn’t care for that too much. So, I got a nice blue that will go better, instead.
Disappearing Nine Patch Block                       

                                                                                                        

I cut 1- red 4 inch block 4- 4 inch blocks of the large pattern flowers 3-4 inch blocks of the blue with the row of smaller flower border print. 1-4 inch square of the white with pattern.
      I didn’t actual take the pictures in the beginning of putting the block together. So, I will try typing through it. Just take the upper left corner flower print  and put it right sides together with middle block.  Sew the seam on the left side of the middle block. Open and press. Then take the flower print on the right and lay it right sides together on the middle block. This time, sewing seam on the right side of middle block. Open and press.  One all the rows are sewn in this method. You will have the first picture on the left.

 
Place top row onto middle row. Right sides together. Sew seam along the top edge from left to right.  Open and press. Shown below on left. I then, placed the bottom row right sides together and sewed seam along bottom edge of the middle section from right to left. I hope you got all that. I really sounds harder than it is to do.

Then, I cut right down the middle at 5 3/4  and then across at 5 3/4 without moving the fabric.
Now, you have your disappearing 9 patch. It’s  ready to be sewn back together forming a different pattern.


I haven’t decided yet which one I am going to stick with yet. I am leaning toward the middle photo. I really just wanted to see it. Immediate satisfaction.  I ended up using 2 squares to make a heating rice pad. My son got an earache. Poor baby.  I couldn’t find the ear drops, and I was out of sweet oil. I took two of the blocks and put them right sides together sewed a seam around the edges. I left an opening at the top. I poured about 1 1/2 cup of dry rice in the pocket. Then, I sewed it shut. Simple, and it worked!
This is it. You just put in microwave for 30 seconds til it gets warm. Make sure you move it around a bit to check that the inner rice grains aren’t to hot. I checked it on my skin, and it was a little hot when I took it out. I let it cool a bit before I put it on his ear. The next day, he was such a fan of  the rice pack. He’s a silly goose.
I just need to make some minor adjustments to the block by block quilt.  Now that the house and truck are clean. I can get some sewing done. Yay! Blog at you later.