Back in 2004/5, I adapted the Sawtooth Star for this quilt, using the scrappy double star for the “A” block, with the black/white plus assorted solid color single stars for the “B” block. I built in the single Irish Chain secondary pattern with the pieced corners.

But, I’ve always been bugged about losing the squares on point in the secondary pattern. I tried out a fabric from my closet, which while not perfect, showed me I needed to make the “B” block a double star as well. I found the perfect fabric a couple of days ago: voila!

Here are the last two stars for the time being. After my sewing machine gets back from its annual maintenance trip, I’ll go back to those projects abandoned back in early 2011 for zipper stuff. Stay tuned!

When you see the alternate block, you’ll understand why this project started on the list for my fourth book about bias covered curves. Time ran out, but Karla Rogers saved me by contributing a quilt with bias covered curve ladybugs for the whole circle chapter (thank you Karla!).

I planned from the beginning to use scraps with no predetermined color or value placement. Stars come forward, recede, jump out, disappear and more.

These blocks have become a kind of time machine, documenting the fabrics hanging around at any given period. Most of these fabrics come from the “lime green tomato red” group, with some from the “yellow” quilt, others from miscellaneous leftovers and I’ve snabbed a few new fabrics from the upcoming “Echino/Japanese plus” fabric collection.

I plan to have about 64 blocks total: 32 of these double sawtooth star blocks and 32 of the alternate block, which you haven’t seen yet. I have a long way to go with 16 blocks, but, pretty soon tomorrow will be yesterday and I’ll have a new batch of leftover fabrics to play with.

At Rick Steffen’s booth at the Wednesday Farmer’s Market in Bend, Oregon, I tasted a fresh roasted pepper while selecting baby Japanese eggplant. Wow- the simple delicious taste of fresh picked peppers, olive oil and salt is incredible. I could not walk away without a box of peppers (the name starts with a “‘p”…). I almost ate the whole batch by myself.

Corn from Groundwork Organics (also from the Valley) is so good- I could eat it morning, noon and night. I simmer it in an inch of water for just a few minutes, and serve it with Tuscany olive oil, fresh cracked pepper, and salt. Grilling in the husk (minus the strings) is also good, but I couldn’t wait to fire up the gas grill (no coals allowed here).

Heirloom cherry tomatoes with fresh picked lettuce (also from Groundwork Organics) added to my courses last night.

The final dinner course: David’s pepperoni pizza with whole grain crust, fresh mozzarella, Parmigiano Reggiano, pineapple and sausage. David’s tip of the day: slice up the pepperoni and microwave it on top of a lot of paper towels until barely crisp. You’ll be amazed by the amount of fat soaked into the paper towel and pleasantly surprised by the crisp pepperoni on your pizza without all that red grease.

Sometimes, we just have to try out fabric combinations and compare. When I first placed the rusty-orange squares in the outer four corners, I thought I loved it.

But I had to try another fabric. This greenish-brown fabric evoked an entirely different feeling. I dismissed the rusty-orange squares for this new fabric choice.

But then, this (grayed) pink fabric caught my heart. The previous block has that folksy Amish glowing feeling, while this block lights up with the pink. What to choose?

I decided on the pink. (The colors in the photos change with the different time of day and light in my sewing room…I apologize.) While I liked both, the scale tipped in favor of this combination.

Michael James, artist and quilter, talks about the “color conversation”. He tells the story of building fabric combinations as being similar to a baby growing up. At first, the fabrics babble. Then they start to speak a few words- later complete sentences. In the teen years, the fabrics start to talk back. As a young adult, the fabrics announce “enough”, and you are finished.

In her book, “Color: The Quilter’s Guide” by Christine Barnes, from 1997 (and still available), Christine gives a lot of examples of “good, better, best”. She talks about the importance of naming colors for building affinity for fabric combinations. For example, if I told you this block uses orange, green and purple OR sage, salmon, peach and gray orchid, which group of names looks more like the actual block? Which color names hit you over the head and which has personality?

I didn’t intend to put together a “triadic” color scheme. I just started combining fabrics and came upon these fabrics by playing around. If you want help with color schemes, Joen Wolfrom’s “3-in-1 Color Tool” (published by C&T Publishing) gives both technical information and color samples for playing around.

This “Double Sawtooth Star” project didn’t get finished in time to be included in my fourth book, “Easy Bias Covered Curves”. Since then, it’s languished. With my sewing machine needing maintenance, with my left shoulder sore from an injection, with my mind on vacation…I decided to play with my new batch of leftover fabrics.

I adapted two blocks for this project: the Double Sawtooth Star and the Moon and Stars blocks. The “Moon and Stars” block traditionally has an appliqued circle in the middle with plain squares on the outside corners. Of course, I am using my continuous bias loop to cover the circle (easy bias covered curves, you know!) and I added the pieced corners to create a new secondary pattern with a single Irish Chain.

I’m using scraps for this block, with no color or value placement plan. (I’ll show the second block next week.)

This sequence of photos shows how the look of the block changes, depending upon the fabrics. The “look” means how the shapes come forward or recede, how the style changes, how a feeling is evoked..or not.

Sunday Circles: It’s a conversation, but I get to have the last word.

This is a (modified) Marcy Tilton pattern (Vogue #8497) made with three cut-up knit garments. The “tie-die” knit used to be a dress that I made over 20 years ago. I just picked up the purple knit 3XL tee shirt, never worn, in a thrift store in Sisters last week. I salvaged the green trim from a tee shirt purchased last year at the Second Tern, a local thrift store.

Today I cleaned up my sewing room…ready for the next project. I’m going to rustle up those projects put aside a few months ago. If I wait too long, they’ll become official UFO’s!

A few years ago, I fell in love with the idea of cutting up old tee shirts to make something new. I saw a line of scarves and tops at Common Thread in Sisters, but none of the scarves hit my fancy and my favorite of the tee shirts was the wrong size. The idea sunk into the depths of the “back burner”.

But in the wake of the last 6 months, I decided to rustle up an old idea before diving in on the Krista Quilt again. After not sewing for awhile, I prefer to warm up the sewing muse on an expendable project- the tee shirts fit the criteria perfectly.

First, I cut the sleeves off of all my striped tee shirts. I cut a “Valentino” spiral to make a ruffle (see the movie, “Valentino The Last Emperor” to see what I mean…) out of an old golf shirt, along with the cuffs and collar ribbing. It all came together with this Sleeve Scarf! I love it!!!

Next, I found three shirts large enough to cut the pattern pieces of Vogue 7883. I put the facing on the outside (cut narrower), and added a bottom band on the sleeves. I love this too!!!

When baby squirrels run right up to a dog, and later, right up to the feet of a human, it’s more than a little creepy. Baby squirrels, even very young baby squirrels, or possibly especially baby squirrels, should be afraid of dogs and humans. Lucky for all of us, I picked up the dog before the dog behaved like dogs behave.

I watched the squirrels from the safety of the kitchen: they spent the day sleeping in squirrel fetal positions and rough housing. They did not look for food or enemies. Instead, they wobbled around like they belonged in the nest with mommy. By the way, where was the nest and mommy?

When I had to go outside, to move the water hose to the next tree, I armed myself with a broom and a pitcher of water. Each time they ran up to me asking “Are you my mommy?” (just like the children’s book). No, I’m most definitely not your mommy!

Then they started trying to get in the house. A call to the Nature Center assured me that if they had rabies, they wouldn’t be rough housing or sleeping. With rabies, they’d walk with a sideways list, more like squirrel zombies than young animals. While it sounded unusual for squirrels to run up to dogs and humans, it’s not rabies.

The next day, one of the squirrels had started running around the yard, while the other one is still hanging around hoping I’ll open the screen door and let him in.

All three of the tote bags shown in the “Zipper Mania with Wendy Hill” exhibit at the Sisters Library in Sisters, Oregon (until July 28, 2011) had fans that liked one or another better.

One couple fell in love with the “pink” tote bag. With the wife’s birthday coming up, the husband quietly convinced me to sell him the tote bag. I removed the pink tote at the end of quilt show week so he could pick it up at my house.

He accepted my offer to wrap it in fabric. I used a chunk of Aunt Grace reproduction fabric (leftover from Daisy Doodle) to make a sort of satchel. I attached the ribbon with a small red button, to create a decorative fan with a tie. The gold embossed label adds a final touch!

This tote bag will be loved!

What’s better than fresh roasted almonds, toasted just right?

Almonds with Chocolove 77% Dark chocolate, that’s what!

I just ordered my next case of Chocolove from Newport Market in Bend, Oregon. It should be ready for pick-up on Monday. The raw almonds come in the giant bag from Costco (where else do we buy giant bags of food?).

July 16: An apple a day is okay, but chocolate and almonds keeps the doctor away!