THOSE PESKY 2" SQUARES

I Wonder What Is In This Box?

This box contains a rather obscene amount of 2" squares.  These were samples sent to me through a mail order shop in Sydney during the period 1994 to about 2000.  They came along with your parcel, or if you went to the shop they were given to you if you lived in the country.  Sometimes they weren't 2" squares.

In 1999, I was made redundant from the bank and found the whole experience very stressing and could not concentrate on anything very time consuming.  What was this person going to do?  Why, sit and play with these squares.  I put them into colour groups and made some nine patches and four patches.  They then needed to be made into something,

On Point Nine and Four patch quilt.

These two quilts are the first I attempted.  They aren't particularly original, but I didn't follow a set pattern, just put them together after playing around with graph paper and pencil.  ( I've been sewing on a machine since I was 7 and made my first quilt in 1977).

My second option.

This little quilt (20" x 25") is made from the ones that weren't 2".  I cut them all to 2" x 1 1/2" and then sashed  it. Didn't seem quite right, so I appliqued the birdhouse and then it seemed finished.

Not sure how I came up with this design, but the graph book was  out again , and this just seemed to happen.  I  started to quilt it on my old long-arm, that wasn't stitch regulated or computerised.  It has not very good feathers in the diamond green middle and simple pattern in the border.  I started to do the squares on my Bernina and have now unpicked that as it was bunching up too much.  I'll just quilt in the ditch on about every third row, then bind it.

This sampler is an adaptation from a Doreen Speckman book shown below.  I am thinking of quilting it in an allover pattern, as it seems very busy and I don't think anything special will show up well.  What do my "quilting buddies" think?  I am open to suggestions.

Book, (picture of Lace Circles is on page 61)


This afternoon I made a Raspberry Blondie, but I've not tried it yet.  A new slice from a supermarket freebie mag.  I will put some yoghurt on tonight.

After following Lucie the Happy Quilter's blog, I have been inspired to start finishing some of my WIP's,
Below is an apron I cut out many years ago after making many as presents for family and friends.  This one only needed me to make some bias binding, so last week it was all done and I wore it today in the kitchen.
I've also pulled some smaller projects that I will hopefully make a start on over the coming winter months.
I am also going to make a dent in my own stack of "flimsies".
There is already some backing on "Bubs", my long arm machine and may be tomorrow I will take a photo  of the top when it is ready to go.  I'm still contemplating what I will do on my Grandson's quilt.

These photos were supposed to be better than my last lot, as we purchased a new camera during the week, but I think I'll be on a steep learning curve.  It is an SLR and I've only had  a small digital one up till now, so here's hoping they will get better with time.

Well, that is my Saturday nearly done.  I will keep sewing the binding on the baby quilt tonight, while waiting for hubby to come home, after a long Saturday shift.
May post a couple more photos late tomorrow.
Have a nice weekend ladies.
Susan.