Starting On Grad Quilts

A combination of rough weather on the way

and feeling rough myself after yesterday's yard work

is going to keep me inside today...I hope.

Once I'm outside it's hard to stop.

With 3 acres there's always something that needs attention

and, in nice weather, I love it--no matter how hard the work.

Must be some farm girl still in me.

So last week, after my fun trip up to Missouri Star,

 I made a trial run on the block for the quilt.  

Having fully understood the assembly, the author's idea of a 1/4"

seam allowance and then achieving the correct finished block size, I....

You thought I was going to say "made a bunch of blocks" right?

Nope.

My days lately have been a combo of:

(after my morning coffee routine)

work outside, force myself in to the sewing room for a little rest

and then head back out in the late afternoon till dinner.

It's weird for me to break the days up like this but it has

become a necessity.  I prefer to work on something till it's done but

I guess I'll get used to it eventually.  

All part of my "slow down" New Year's resolution.

A little rambling today.

Back to fabric, quilts, sewing and such.

This grad is headed to K-State but I'm not sure I've ever seen

him wear purple--and I've known him most of his life.

I don't want the quilt to scream "I'm a freshman!" by putting

actual K-State fabric in it nor did I want it to have so much

purple that he wouldn't be able to use it years later.

So here's my chosen "palette".

(The gray plaid is the backing.)

This guy is rather close to our hearts--he's been a good friend of my son's

since kindergarten and his parents have been close friends of ours

for almost as long.  He likes the outdoors and is an Eagle Scout.

So.....mountains maybe?

Bonnie Hunter's Delectable Mountains Instructions

I think--I hope!--the delectable mountain pattern is something he

will like.  I've chosen to go with the above instructions though I'll

be altering it to fit a dorm twin XL bed.  I have no idea if he'll

use it in his dorm room but it will be an option at least.

I did get some HST's and just a handful of blocks made
over the next few days.  Not a full on "jump in"
but a "dip the toes in the water" kind of start.
The HST's are big--trimmed to 8" squares.
Each block in this case is a "half" of a mountain and measures 6.5" x 8".

The construction is easy--half square triangles cut into strips

and re-arranged.  Just what the doctor ordered.
Maybe today  I'll "jump in the pool".

And speaking of, maybe we'll open our pool up this weekend!