Throw Back Thursday

There are times 

when it's fun to look in the past

and smile.

Perfect hair required being 

tethered to a hose.

No backpacks

to carry your books home from school.

Listening to the top tunes

on your own transistor radio.

Recently, Barb at Fun With Barb, hosted a 

swap with Churn Dash blocks.

It's a great little block that can

be sewn with any style of fabric

and set together in a variety of ways.

I thought I'd share today on

Throw back Thursday a Churn Dash quilt 

I made in 1989.

It's still one of  my favorites.

 6" blocks set on point

with a  alternating indigo blue square.

Back then I hand quilted everything

and generally used a solid for the backing.

Fabric styles have a changed a bit too.

VIP fabrics were very popular.

Jinny Beyer fabrics 

were a major change from the small

calico prints you could still find.

Country blues and mauves,

 definitely a popular color scheme.

If you've quilted for a few decades like me,

you might even recognize a print or two.

It's fun once in awhile to look

back and see how styles, tends, and ideas

have changed.

Can't wait to start playing with some new

Churn Dash blocks soon.

Hmmmm....

I have a set of vintage blocks too.

What to work on next!?!

Until Next Time-

Kyle

What's Your Approach?

Question: How do you eat an elephant?

(internet image)

Answer: One bite at a time.

We've all heard this saying before.

We know it's an effective way to tackle big complicated projects.

It's taking the approach of small bites or goals

to eventually accomplish the task.

The problem I see with eating one elephant

at a time is that the elephant can become a boring meal,

stale, and never be finished.

I've always taken the approach in quilt making

to eat multiple elephants at a time.

Working on a variety of projects simultaneously,

 keeps me from getting tired of that one thing.

There are times when one project just 

tastes better than another.

I've been enjoying 3 elephants recently,

one old, one new, and one 

that I've wanted to hang out with for a long time.

I'm continuing to embroider and learn new stitches

from Sue Spargo's book Creative Stitching

It's her free pattern Instastitch.

I've been sewing churn dash blocks

as part of a block swap coordinated by Barb

of Fun with Barb.

This is another great way to eat an elephant.

Team up with others and work together

on the same goal.

Here are the blocks I'll be exchanging for

66 different ones.

The third project is one that's 

been waiting for me since 2009.

It was a free download from 

Becky Goldsmih and Linda Jenkins of

Piece O' Cake Designs.

I have tried to find the link, but
haven't had any luck.

It's a simple red and green applique
stitched on 18" backgrounds.  It's copied from an antique
quilt Linda found.

I'm taking the one bite approach
to this quilt.  Well, rather a two bite meal.
My plan is to do two blocks a month and
get the 12 blocks appliqued by August.
Leaving me plenty of time to finish before Christmas.
I think this way will keep me motivated doing the same
block 12 times and then have a
wonderful quilt for the holidays.

So what is the best way to eat an elephant?
One elephant, one bite at a time or
an elephant buffet?

I think it's up to you.

Until Next Time-

Kyle