It is cutting time again...

I spent the afternoon in the basement...Ironing pieces of shirts, and then cutting 6 1/2 inch squares!    I got the idea years ago to buy shirts from Good Will to make a quilt with.  At first it was just shirts that said loud and clear 'To Be Worn With Jeans'....I only bought them when on sale.  And I only bought sizes Large or larger. 

This is that quilt.  It is only tied...my older daughter wanted it when I made it.  It has been all over creation with her.  It is at least 21 years old...maybe a little older.  And still in use.  The shirts are all cotton shirts. 

This is one that we use...I have it put away right now, but w have used it for years.   It is from flannels shirts.

These are the same squares as in the first photo...just spread out a bit.  Yet you are still not seeing all the different flannels.  It will take a lot more squares than pictured here.   Yet I have not decided how big I want to make it...I want it big enough to cover up with in my chair or on the couch.  But I don't think I want a full sized.  But we shall see.  My quilts are never planned...they just evolve.

This and that

I made this little zippered bag today...it was an experiment in size and also I used a sew-in stabilizer rather than one that is first ironed in.

This looks like a completely different bag, but it is the same one. Just different lighting. In real life it is the color of the first photo.  I chose to show this second view to show that it stands up on its on.  That is why I use a stabilizer...to make the sides stiff enough to hold their form.  As is usual, it is a learning process in how I am going to make the next one.

*********************

This is my current read...The Man called Red:  An Autobiography of a Guide and Outfitter in Northern British Columbia...his memoirs start out with him growing up and becoming a cowboy to begin with. I am to the point where he has become a Forest Ranger.  I am only a bit past 1/4th of the book...so have a lot of adventures left to read.  I tend to like memoirs and autobiographies by people that are not famous...just the common man or woman.  This one is not exactly one that I can't put down, but it is well worth reading.

Treasures

I was down in the basement today and came across some treasures.  Just think how many people are alive today that does not remember wooden spools.   Lorelei will see mine--maybe.  But other than that she may never see any.  Unless at some point she decides she likes to look at antiques.

If it wasn't for destroying one of these,  I would make a toy that we used to make with them.  We would cut notches in the ends and run a rubberband through the hole.  on one end we would just use something to keep it from pulling through the hole.  On the other end we usually used a match stick.  and just run the end through the rubber band, or probably used a Lark's Head Knot...anyway, you could then 'wind it up' and set it on the table and the rubber band untwisting would propel it along. The match stick being longer than the diameter of the spool, would help keep the spool pressed against the table, or whatever you set it on and it would roll along.

I don't know why I did  not think to open this up and take photo of the needles...mom always liked betweens to quilt with.  She like a size 7 needle.

Used to various places would give a little pack of needles...

And somewhere there would be their name...these were always a nice bit of advertising to receive.