Progress

If there is no struggle there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom and yet deprecate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground, they want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters. This struggle may be a moral one, or it may be a physical one, and it may be both moral and physical, but it must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. 

Frederick Douglass

This week has zoomed by!  I have been able to spend some time in the studio and made progress on several projects.  I have the top together for the grandson's quilt but it still is in need of borders.  "What shall I add?" is now the question.

I thought you might like to learn a little about the book I used for this quilt.  It is from, with a slight change, Angles with Ease by Heather Mulder Peterson.   You can read more about the book and see better pictures of the projects at her blog HERE and HERE.

In order to make the projects in this book you must also buy the Triangler Ruler that she designed.  Many of the projects in the book are based on cutting the triangles out of strip pieced units by aligning the lines on the ruler to get shapes like this one below.  The only other ways to make designs like these is to either use templates or paper piecing.

The change I made in the pattern was to make 8 blocks instead of the 7 pictured in the project below so my arrangement of blocks is different.

So here is what I have so far.  Like I said it's time for a border.  I could leave it off.  The book shows a small inner border followed by one made of squares.  

I could also just add one made of the the animal print below that I'm going to use for the backing.  What do you think?  I plan on using the stripe for binding.

Here is the setting for a larger quilt in the book made with the same block.  You can see better pictures from the book at Heather's blog.  Looks a whole lot different with the background changed.

This method does leave you with some scraps from cutting out the triangles.  Because I wanted to use 8 different pairs of fabrics I wound up with enough for 16 blocks.  I am about half way through making the other 8 blocks but I am putting 4 different fabrics in each block instead of 2.  I'll share pictures of them soon.

Scraps!

I don't know if I am up to making something else from the scraps or not.  Even though I like the fabrics 2 quilts out of them may be all I can handle.  There is a project in the book using the scraps from on of the projects.  It's the Calypso quilt at the bottom of the page above.  I may cut out the triangles and set them aside to deal with later.

I have enjoyed making these blocks and would recommend the book and the ruler. If kaleidoscope type quilt blocks intrigue you it is a good method to use.  The blocks have all bias edges so you do have to be careful and not stretch them at all.  I did not have any problems with them but I've made a number of quilts with bias edged blocks before.  I did not use spray starch but most of my fabrics were unwashed and nice and crisp.

I have a tip on how to avoid having mountains or valleys in the middle of blocks like this that I will be sharing soon.  

What would you do about the border?  Any ideas for the scraps?

Linking with:  Confessions of a Fabric Addict and Richard and Tanya Quilt and
                         Sew Many Ways and Let's Book It at Vroomans Quilts

What I'm Reading

Of all the diversions of life, there is none so proper to fill up its empty spaces as the reading of useful and entertaining authors. 

Joseph Addison

Judy over at Patchwork Times is starting a new linky party on Tuesdays called Whatcha Reading.  I'm not sure that I have mentioned here what a Bibliophile I am.  I've been an avid reader since grammar school.  For many years of my life I read nearly a book a day (this might explain why I was not an all A's student).  I have worked at public libraries twice in my life which did much in putting more books in my hands.

I am always amazed by people who never read books.  I don't read as many as I once did because I spend a lot of time reading blogs... that is still reading.  I have a Kindle that I got a little over a year ago for my birthday.  I have been listening to more books than I have read in paper for several years now.  I can sew and quilt while doing this and I don't get as tired although sometimes I find myself just listening and not sewing when the story is really interesting.  It does make me move around to change the CD about once and hour too.  My husband and I both listen to books in the car also.  It really makes the miles speed by on long trips or when stuck in traffic.

Several years ago I began writing down the titles and authors of all the books I read, in whatever form, each year.  Here is my totals for last year:

Bound Books - 7

Audio Books - 34

Kindle Books - 57

This doesn't include the numerous magazines which I read either.  I try to record everything but if I missed just a couple that puts the total at 100.  I was a little shocked that the bound book total was so low.  I know for a long time I read between 10 - 25 books a month.  When do I find time to do so much reading?  Well, let's just say I've never been addicted to housework. LOL

I've been totally amazed at how many books I've read on the Kindle.  I've downloaded around 500 and only paid for a couple.  If you know where to look you can get a nice variety for FREE!  Amy over at Blogging with Amy had the link that I use on Amazon.  If you type in Free eBooks or Kindle books you can pull up a list of some but this is the best list.  It is updated hourly so if you are using it it can change and the ones you had just looked at may be moved around a bit.  You can also select best fiction, non fiction or genres.  Here is the link: 

http://www.amazon.com Best-Sellers-Kindle-Store-eBooks

Now if you are thinking you don't have a Kindle, don't despair.  There is a free app that you can use on your computer and probably one for tablets, phones, etc.  Just look for it.  I try to go to the link about once a month.  This week I zapped about 50 new ones into my Kindle.

Now what have I been reading?  January has been a Reacher month for me and my husband.  We went to see the movie Jack Reacher.  We liked it although we agreed with the critics that Tom Cruise is about a foot short and a hundred pounds too light to be impressive as a fighter.

We both listened to 61 Hours and read the hardback Worth Dying For.  DH is about halfway through it and I read the whole thing Monday.  Did I mention I can read fast?  Lee Child is a prolific writer and holds your attention without boring you with details.  Some things are just left unexplained which adds to the mystery of who Reacher is.  If you like thrillers you will like his books but they may be a little too bloody for some.

Don't be thinking that I only read one genre, I enjoy many.  A few but not all of the genres I read are Fantasy, Sci Fi, Mystery, Love stories, and have found several Young Adult authors that I like.  One of them is Robin McKinley.  She, as well as several other authors, has been rewriting fairy tales.  This one is about Sleeping Beauty.  I've read a couple of her others too.  I'm just a few chapters into this one.  I'll have to let you know how I like it.

I also have about 4 or 5 that I'm reading on the Kindle.  Maybe I'll tell you about them next week.  There is a least one that I probably won't bother to finish.

So are you a reader?  What do you like and how do you read it?

I'll get back to quilting tomorrow.  I want to tell you about my January finishes.

Log Cabin Quilts

Celebrate the happiness that friends are always giving, make every day a holiday and celebrate just living!  

Amanda Bradley

I got an email from Eric Woolf the Online Media Coordinator for Fons and Porter magazine  http://www.fonsandporter.com  asking if I would be interested in doing a review of an ebook that they have put together.  I said sure!

My Watercolor Log Cabin

Log Cabin Quilts are easy to make and good for beginners too!  I have made several different ones over the years.  One of them is on my UFO List for this year. (No, I don't want to talk about that list or my lack of progress. LOL)  

Back to the ebook.  This book is full of colorful pictures and great information about making Log Cabin Quilts.  It also has some great size charts so if you are interested in making different size blocks from the ones featured it is easy to do.

Different kinds of Log Cabin blocks are covered: Traditional, Court House Steps and Chevron (Off Center).  Binding with piping and Trapunto Bobbin Work are also explained.

If you think you might want to make a Log Cabin quilt then this is an excellent FREE reference book for you to have.  You can download it here:   http://www.fonsandporter.com/landing/free-log-cabin-quilt-patterns   You will be asked for your email address and will be put on the Fons & Porter newsletter list.

If you haven't entered to giveaway on my previous post make sure you do this weekend.  I'll announce the WINNERS on Monday. 

The CHRISTMAS STOCKING HANG OUT Linky Party starts Monday.  I hope you will join in on the FUN!  I have some guest tutorials to share, hopefully some of my own too!  I'm also planning a few GIVEAWAYS for participants and followers.  In addition to celebrating the Holiday Season I am celebrating hitting 15,000 pageviews this weekend and having over 150 followers!!!  

I know this is really small compared to the stats the some of you have but I think it is nice to celebrate milestones in life.  This weekend my family is celebrating my youngest son's birthday and his completion of college.  This week we have been rudely reminded of how precious each day is with our loved ones.  So let's go out and enjoy today just because we can!

What are you going to celebrate or 

rejoice in this weekend?  

Please Share it in the comments.