Design Wall and QOV Blocks

My design wall is going to be empty after today.  Finished piecing the dark colorway of the HST QOV quilt and it's waiting for a border.  I wasn't going to put a border on this one, but the size is a bit small in the width. A small red border will make it wider and finish it off nicely, I think.

3rd QOV for HST Log Blocks

Check out more design walls at Patchwork Times.

While on the subject of QOV,  I'd like to show more blocks that have come in for the block drive. I'm accepting blocks until the end of December, so you still have plenty of time to make a few.  Later this week I'll post pictures and show some of the prizes that have been donated for the block drive. They include Glide threads, patterns, kits, $50 gift certificate and more.

From Jeanne C. - MO

From STL Modern Quilt Guild - MO

Check out the fun fabrics in the modern blocks -  newsprint in the neutrals and great textured fabrics.  Can't you just see a veteran trying to read these on his quilt while it's wrapped around him watching TV on a cold afternoon?  I imagine most veterans have not been to a fabric store, so have no idea of the types of fabrics available to us quilters these days. 

Linda A. - MO

Thank you all for participating in the QOV-Eastern Missouri Block Drive.  These are great scrap busting blocks and so easy to do. We hope to make a bunch of quilts from these blocks to thank our veterans and let them know we appreciate all they have done for us.  

You can read the original post HERE and thanks to Jan of The Colorful Fabricholic and Alycia of Alycia Quilts, for asking me participate in the block drive.  A step by step tutorial is HERE.   You can send blocks to me at the address below.  

Thank you.

QOV-Eastern MO BLOCK DRIVE 
2627 Bates Rd.
O'Fallon, MO 63368.  

Stash Report and QOV Tops

I've been busy sewing and quilting this week. My sewing consisted of finishing another QOV top with the HST blocks. This was set in a flying geese pattern that was on my design wall.  I found an appropriate fabric in the stash for the border. It has USA printed in red scattered on the blue background.  Since I already counted the blocks, I can only count the border fabric as used this week.

Then because I am a little crazy, I started another one with the dark strips added to the colored triangle side.  You know, those scraps multiply at night if you don't use them when you have a chance.! Also, I wanted to try another setting to show what can be done with this versatile block. Here is what the design wall looked like yesterday.  Now all the blocks are made and I'm just putting them into rows today.  That is at least 5 more yards of fabric out of the stash.

Stash Report -Oct. 30

Fabric Added since last report - 0

Fabric Added YTD - 4.5 yards

Fabric Used since last reported -  7 yds 

Fabric Used in 2016 YTD -  76.86  yards

Linking up with Judy at Patchwork Times.  Check out what others have done with their stashes this week.  

On the Needles - Oct. 21

This week there are two starts on my sock needles.  The first are the short socks that I started with worsted yarn and my first using the Magic Loop method.  I finished one sock the first week and am working on the second one.  I love how fast they are progressing with the little time I have devoted to them.  I will probably use these as my sleep socks when the snow and freezing temperatures hit us this winter.  Can't wait to try them out and see how warm my toes will be. lol

But, I just couldn't help myself, I HAD to cast on another pair using my favorite dpns. These are going to be another pair of Scrappy Frankensocks with the bag of scraps Carol gave me.  It's like doing a mystery quilt, you don't know exactly how it's going to turn out until after you add the next small ball of beautiful yarn and knit a few rounds to watch the design come to life.  Fun, fun.

What's on your needles this cool, brisk Fall morning?

Linking up with Judy's OTN. 

Stash Report - Oct. 16, 2016

It's been so long since I've been able to report any fabric used from my stash, that sewing the blocks on my design wall into a top for QOV felt good.. To keep myself motivated,  I'm going to count the fabric used at this point,  This coming week I hope to find a border fabric lurking in my shelves to finish it.

Fabric Report -Oct. 16

Fabric Added since last report - 0

Fabric Added YTD - 4.5 yards

Fabric Used since last report - 5 yds

Fabric Used in 2016 YTD -  69.86  yards

To see more reports, check out Judy's Patchwork Times. 

DWM and QOV Update

On my design wall this morning are my QOV blocks for a second quilt from my scraps using the HST log block.  They are so easy that I just can't quit making them.  After I get this top sewed together, I will to do one more from my scraps in the dark colorway.  By that time I should have plenty of blocks from the block drive to work with.  Keep those blocks coming.  The finished quilts will make our veterans happy and keep me busy during the cold weather putting them together.

I've noticed recently that there are new followers to my blog.  WELCOME to you and I hope you come back and check to see what is going on at Dar's Patchwork Garden. We are in the midst of a block drive for Eastern Missouri Quilts of Valor and I'd love for you to join in. There will be prizes for participating with 4 or more blocks donated.   If  you want to see my original post, you can check it out HERE and thanks to Jan and Alycia, the step by step tutorial is HERE.   Any blocks for my drive can be sent to the address below.

QOV-Eastern MO BLOCK DRIVE 
2627 Bates Rd.
O'Fallon, MO 63368.  

This beautiful top came in from Mary C for our Eastern Missouri QOV  last week week.  She used her scraps and said she still has more.  Nice job, Mary.  Thanks for your generosity and taking the time to piece such a lovely quilt. Maybe a female veteran will be the lucky recipient of this beauty. 

If you want to see more design walls, just check out Judy's Patchwork Times. 

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On and Off The Needles - Friday

Hooray.  I finally finished my first pair of Scrappy Patchwork socks, or as Carol would say, her Frankensocks!   They are so full of happy colors and will make my feet happy in cold weather.  Now to get started on another pair and see what colorful surprises will happen with the next pair. These are fun to make.  If you have leftover small swatches of yarn, give it a try.  It's very liberating, especially if you make a mistake, no one will know. lol

I have always wanted to learn the Magic Loop method of sock knitting, so I've started a pair of short socks with worsted weight yarn.  The pattern calls for Size #5 needles and with the heavy yarn, it should go a lot faster.  So far they are going pretty smoothly.  I'm thinking the heels may be where I will have any problems, IF I'm not careful. 

What's on your needles this beautiful Fall day?  Have you discovered any new techniques or patterns that you've been wanting to try.   Stop by Judy's Patchwork Times to see more knitting fun.