The state of things

Life has been a jumble of incidents lately, lots of things to attend to and not much worthy of a blog post.  We've had a dreadful flu season this year, the grandkids have been laid low for months with various ailments.  Tonsillitis, bronchitis, viral colds, gastro, we've had the works.  Of course they shared their germs with me,and I'm still battling a chest infection that has held on for a month now. Everyone has a lingering cough that makes us sound like a tribe of seals barking; I'm ready for a bit of sunshine and good health.

When not nursing sick children I've been randomly working on projects in my sewing room. It's been very aimless; I do a few hours on one thing, then change to another, just going where I want and doing what I please. I've moved a whole heap of things along, but nothing is near completion. I'm not going to even worry about that until I feel a lot better, but any progress is better than none.

Ages ago I saved this online photo, I have no idea where it came from.  I liked the idea of the dark backgrounds of the blocks, even if I wasn't sold on the red sashing.

 I started a few blocks, then packed it away in a box without any sort of documentation. When I discovered it again I'd forgotten all the measurements, so I had to make a few new test blocks so I could write a note to Future Me about the directions needed.

I sorted that out fairly quickly, but then I started worrying about the setting fabric.  This pink was OK, but I'm not convinced. I do like this dark beige print though, but I can't decide which I like better.  

Back in the box for this project, while I work on other random things.

I realised that this blue and green star kit had sat on my shelf untouched for far too long, since January last year in fact. 

I made 15 of the blocks, then started auditioning sashing fabrics.  I know I could go ahead and make all the blocks before I needed to decide, but it was niggling at me.  What if I had nothing suitable in the stash?  I needed to know so I could plan a shopping trip.  

Luckily I found something in the backing stash that would work, so I cut a couple strips so that I'd remember my decision, then packed all that away too.

My leader-enders were the little 4" scrap chain blocks, and at some stage I got a bee in my bonnet about them, and cut up a pile of scraps to kit the remaining blocks I needed. There's 45 blocks in that box, though it doesn't look it.

 This project has been hanging around since October last year, I guess it was designed to be a long term leader-ender, but I would like to see it in one piece. I have 240 blocks made, 88 sewn into sets of 4.

The end is in sight, and I know that I could make a concerted effort and have all the blocks done in a few nights, but other things are demanding attention. 

The Autumn Sisters blocks are finished, and the sashing cut, and several border choices awaiting a decision. I could finish that in a long night of sewing, but I don't know if I want to struggle with a big bulky quilt.  Maybe I'll just sew it into rows and put it aside.  I'm really in a funny mood.

I cut up more scraps for my new leader-ender, the Double 4-patch. 

I've only been sewing a few here and there, but already there are a third of the blocks needed for a decent size quilt. This one is just growing of it's own accord.  I need to find some more 3.5" squares, but until I do the 4-patches can just accumulate.

I spent whole days just putting fabric away, so my room is a lot tidier. I'll tidy away the fabrics from the Scrap Chain and Autumn Sisters, and then the decks will be clear for me to start working on something else. I have no idea whether I'll work on an existing project, or start something new; that's a decision for another day, but I'm pleased with all the progress I've made so far.