SPEAKING OF ZIG ZAGS....

. How about a zig zag border? I originally saw this as a paper pieced project, but heh I want to do this in my life time. Lets piece it. I started with two strip sets. I call the black fabric the background and the orange the zig. So I cut my black strips 2 1/2 inches and the orange 2 1/8 inches and created two strip sets with orange in the middle. Press each set in the same direction ( all rows pressed in same direction). Place one set on top of the other right sides together with seams opposed, that way they will nestle when sewn. Cut a 45 degree angle at the beginning of the strip. Measure 2 1/2 inches and cut. Continue cutting sets of 2 1/2 inch blocks keeping the 45 degree angle.. Pin the seam you want to sew and sew in sets of two. Set your seams then press to one side. Sew sets of two into sets of four. At this point I choose to trim my unit to 6 inches by cutting at the "v" of my black background. You may decide to have a narrower strip. Cutting is up to you. Continue adding units until you get the desired length of border. The cutting numbers are not in stone. Try your own measurements to get the width you want. YOU ARE IN CHARGE! I also have used this strip in the body of a quilt that is pieced in rows. It is very versatile. Any comments?????

BABY ZIG ZAG

Zig zag quilts are all over the Internet recently and I just happen to need another baby quilt and a "quick" class project. This one is straight off the freebie list on www.allpeoplequilt.com I really like the simplicity of the directions and just might have to do the adult version. Try it. You'll like it!

FIFTY SHADES OF GRAY...OR MORE

I'm in the mood for gray. It is peaceful,quiet and varied in lights, darks and mediums. It is in the  neutral category and has great texture properties.I have learned that nothing is black and white in life and there are always shades of gray ( even before the book). Gray reminds us of clouds, stone and ageing. Loving color, I could not resist adding a little spice in the border and again in my paper pieced strips ( courtesy of a new fabric marker by Sharpie called Stained). This 15 x 15 inch wall piece will also be a class project. So add some gray to your stash.

OPTIONS

I tell my grandchildren life is so much easier when you have options. You are in the position to make choices that work for you. The same can be said for learning different ways to construct a block. The blue quilt with the stripe is one of my favorites. I made it using the traditional cutting and piecing technique. I did enjoy it but, my time is short and I need to get a baby quilt done soon. So why not use the disappearing nine patch technique to get the same result? Keep in mind the direction of the stripe in row 1 and 3 and I will need to piece the stripe and small square on two sides but it still saves time. This technique is all over the Internet and YouTube so I won't repeat it here. Just remember ...keep learning. Its fun.

BLUE TESSELLATIONS

 This will be our first class project when we return in the fall. I found making the background all one color created a more contemporary quilt, and of course is faster. For those who do not know, a traditional tessellation would have another color in the background so that each block intersects with each other. Blue is my second favorite color. It is very calming, and reminds us of the ocean and the sky, both very calming to look at. While my background appears grey, it is black and white. Hopefully when I post the completed top with its border, you can see the crispness of the background. Did you know financial institutions use blue in their advertisements as it also represents stability and trust? Now those are two words I'm not sure I would associate with the banks of today. Happy Quilting!