hoping for a gold

 Are you finding the notes of the Olympics intro song running through your head?  Are you hoping they will broadcast at least one more tug-at-the-heartstrings story of an Olympic athlete?  Are you imagining how much that gold medal might weigh when you wear it around your own neck?  Are you cringing whenever those downhill skiers race around the curves and down the cliffs?  Do your knees hurt after watching the mogul skiers?

Then we are kindred spirits!

Some good couch time for a few nights of competition, and time to get back to my English Paper Piecing!  Looks like my sis has the same idea! 
Here is a section of a larger star nearly done, just that last row on the right to be attached and then the 1st of 8 star points will be done!  The diagram on the paper in the picture shows half of the final goal.  Now that I have gotten through one section, I think I can keep building some momentum and put some more pieces together.

I have all of the diamonds cut out, stacked, labeled and tucked into a box.  I do need some more diamond papers, even though I could theoretically take out a bunch of the pieces I have used from this star point, I think I am going to leave them in place to keep wrinkles at bay.

I have ordered these from paperpieces.com, and will order a bigger pack next time.  My plan is to use this as one of several monthly projects for an English Paper Piecing group that I want to organize at Bear Patch.  I have a couple other projects already done, each with a different shape.  If I get one or 2 more prepared, I will feel like I am ready to roll out the new group with the next batch of class offerings.  Here's another possibility--

 I introduced this project to you last December.  It has grown a little, and I have a few more pieces prepped and ready to add, just not sure what it's going to become yet!

Last week I was spent a very nice day with my little guy, Ian.  He really likes to mimic whatever he sees going on, and he learned how to use the tape measure that day.  Many things were measured!  He thought it was fun to have the tape measure clipped onto his waistband, so he could keep it with him at all times!  There have been carpenters in his basement working on some remodeling, so he is very curious about tools, etc.  With a new baby brother coming along next month, a lot of things are happening to accommodate the new addition.  So exciting!

 

P.S.--I can see that my mini ironing board is showing a lot of scorching!  I tried to camouflage it by placing that sheet of paper on the worst area, but I don't think I was very successful!  Time for a wash, or maybe even a new one?

one more time for these blocks

While cleaning off some shelves in my "resource room", otherwise known as the sewing room overflow area, I re-discovered a little bag of antique quilt blocks.  I think these came from a garage sale, but I am not at all sure of their origin.  There weren't enough to make a whole quilt, so I don't know if the maker had stopped before completion of a larger project, or maybe had these as left-overs?  I have no idea who made them, where they were made, or for what purpose.  But I do know that the fabrics look very much like those of the 1930's-40's, and were intriguing to me.  But they weren't made with a lot of care nor attention to detail, probably more of a utilitarian approach.  Well, I decided to see what I could make of them.

I carefully took them apart, removing all those little teeny hand stitches.  I decided that all of the white fabric was pretty decrepit, so chose not to keep it.  I am not going for museum quality here, so adding some 21st century fabric is not a deal-breaker.  

Then I gave all the little pieces a spa treatment!  A soak in a bubble bath and rinsed clean, then laying out on a nice soft towel to catch some rays.  Followed by a quick steam with the iron, and finally a little haircut to remove all the frayed edges.

 Next, I will use some little diamond paper pieces and English Paper Piecing to make them all fit together neatly again.

These are 1" on each edge, and probably just the right size for the little bits of fabric that I have to work with.  Some of those little bits are actually made of even bittier bits, seamed together to make a piece big enough for the pattern.

I am thinking I might also try to expand them by mixing in more solids in coordinating colors in additional stars, and/or using a solid in every other star point.  That would make twice as many blocks right off the bat, and get me much further towards a size that would be worth working on.
Stay tuned for the suspenseful outcome of this one!