Fabric manufacturers are always looking for ways to make more sales. Someone came up with the idea of selling fabric in pre-cut widths, saving the quilter a time consuming first step. You can get fabric in 5 inch and 10 inch squares, in fat eights (9X22), in fat quarters (18×22), and half yard cuts of collections. They have also come up with what they call “Jelly Rolls,” which are strips 2 1/2 inches wide across the width of the fabric, which is between 42 and 44 inches. Manufacturers will put together strips from an entire collection, typically forty strips or so.
I’d heard about Jelly Roll quilts. There are quite a number of books available with ways to use these strips. One way is to sew the strips end to end, and then sew the lengths together. You can find video on-line of women racing to sew these strips into quilts.
Here’s a link to show you how a Jelly Roll quilt is made:
I was working on a project for Scraps on a Mission and cut two of these strips from every black and white fabric we had. There were a LOT of these fabrics left over once the project was finished, so we started looking for ways to use them. We created two small lap quilts, one with turquoise and one with lime green, and I think there will be one more of these quilts to use the last of the fabrics.
This is the quilt with lime green strips:
Monthly Archives: June 2012
One woman donated fabric with sharp contrasts, and this is an example of how they have been used.
Another Scraps Quilt
I couldn’t resist these “kid’s” fabrics, so I made up four kits. They’ll be going to the pediatric division of our local hospital.
Scraps on a Mission Quilts
This is one of the quilts that has been made from donated fabric by Scraps on a Mission.
Afternoon Apathy
I’m suffering from afternoon apathy. I have a long list of chores that need to be done, and none of them are particularly calling to me:
Dishes
Laundry
Ironing
Packing
Sorting through boxes of my Mother’s things,
Fixing dinner
And sewing.
Of them all, sewing appeals to me the most, but it’s not far from dinner. I could stay here and dither, but I think I’m going to follow Nike’s advice and JUST DO IT! Dishes first, I think, and then maybe the rest of it will all unravel.
Blogging
Has blogging become a thing of the past? I made an entry yesterday and then started scrolling through my list of links to bloggers, and was astounded to find that most of them have decided not to blog, or are on hiatus while they consider quitting!
In truth, I haven’t given my all to blogging for some time. I was rarely here the last few years of my mother’s life, and I didn’t return to it immediately after she passed away, but I had always assumed that all of my favorite bloggers had kept the flame.
I wonder if I need to make it a goal to get others to resume blogging. Or, is the rest of the world addicted to Twitter and Facebook and MySpace and GooglePlus?
I frequently feel out of step with the world. I’m so glad that doesn’t bug me any more! *G*
Cooking classes
I need to find some cooking classes that will help me prepare simple but well seasoned food!
I know how to cook the basic American menu, but I’m very tired of everything tasting the same. I don’t exactly know what taste I’m looking for, but I want more interesting food without having to spend the entire day in the kitchen.
Dear Husband doesn’t mind crockpot meals. On occasion, I’m willing to use them, especially when we have so many activities there isn’t time to prepare a good meal. But, there are some meals where everything shouldn’t be blended together. I don’t enjoy veggies that have been cooked together all day long, so that you can’t tell what kind of veggie you’re eating. Crockpots are good for baked beans, or for slow cooking soup all day long.
My appetite has been missing for the last week or so. I find I’m just beginning to think about planning meals, and eating something more than chicken and rice soup. No casseroles for a while, I think
I’m so glad that it’s time for the Farmers Markets to be up and running. I’ll miss the one this weekend, but you can be sure I’ll be out there next week, raring to go!
Give me your best summer meal idea, won’t you?