First Stitches

Actually, there are several firsts! First sewing of 2024. First sewing from Florida. First blog from our work-in-progress house. You must keep that last one in mind as you see the sewing room and my makeshift set-up.

Not wanting to set the machine up on the kitchen table and spread the mess around the house, I thought a rather ingenious table could be made from an ironing board lowered to table height. This worked perfectly well, too. I positioned it with my back to the closet and am (sorta') facing toward the door. The pic below is from across the room diagonally, basically in front of that shelf you see above.

In addition to being my sewing space, this room will be our guest room, so you see a corner of the bed. I have no other useful furniture in the room. The previous owner left the bed, the 2 bookshelves, the ironing board and a small chair which I am using while sewing. 

It still needs so much, but most of our efforts this first winter are being put toward bigger, more important tasks - new water heater, new door to utility room, furniture for the family room. I am chomping at the bit to buy all the stuff right now. 

It's hard being patient.

Back to sewing ... Last post I referenced the major sewing plan these next three months - mostly creating units for future projects. I have spent a couple of years being very diligent about organizing scraps, and it looks as if I've had some modicum of success!  I brought with me all the scraps that I'd cut into these specific sizes: 

• 1.5" squares and strips
• 2" squares and strips
• 2.5" squares and strips

I had a boatload of them! It completely filled a large tote. Without a doubt, I have more than enough to keep me busy through March.

My first accomplishment: 19 blue and beige 4-patch blocks made with 2.5" squares. It sure seems like I should try to make one more so that I will have an even 20, but I will have to come across more beige, because that's what made me stop. I have several more blue squares, so we shall see what develops.

I have promised myself that whatever will eventually be made with these units will be scrappy, so I am not allowing myself to get all fussy about everything matching or being exactly a certain number - that sort of thinking will only slow me down. Scrap quilts must be allowed to develop. No overthinking!

Humble as it is, that's my beginning for 2024. Let's see where it takes me.

Happy Quilting, Friends!