Happy Labor Day!

I wonder how many quilters will actually be "laboring" in their sewing rooms today - especially those of us who spend most Mondays "laboring" in a job to support our habit! Spending time in my sewing room can hardly be called labor - unless you are talking about a labor of love.

Last night I finished the rest of the blocks for the current string top but I didn't get them sewn together. There was only a short time left before I had to head to bed so I decided to start sewing the strings into strata to use in cutting out either Chinese Coins blocks or "rail fence" type string blocks. Being the anal person that I am I pressed seam before I added another strip. I decided VERY quickly that I agree wholeheartedly with Elaine Adair, another blogger who's was creatively stitching up strings last spring. Elaine does all her strings on a paper foundation because she decided it was easier to do it that way than having to measure all those string pieces. It's also MUCH easier to iron all those narrow little pieces when they are attached to a piece of paper to hold the narrow seams in place. Ripping off the paper does take time, but so done measuring the strings and pressing all those little hard-to-hold seams. So I've cut up the rest of the phone book pages into 3 1/2" and 4 1/2" strips, and I'm looking forward to sewing long lines of strings as shown on Elaines blog above. Check out several of her May posts to see all the wonderful things she's done with her strings.

Now on to something I've been meaning to blog about for awhile. My name was the last one that Finn drew out of the "hat" when she was giving away things to celebrate her 1000th post. I eagerly watched the mailbox to see just what Finn chose for me. What delightful fun to open the package after it arrived and pull out the treasures one by one! Some wonderful vintage fabrics from the 30's-50's, including a piece with delightful nursery animals. An old block from wonderful blue and red vintage fabric that will make a marvelous pillow. Some vintage "that green" from the 30's that someone marked with several kitties and one doggie. They are quite large, so I'm guessing the features are to be embroidered before cutting them out, backing them with another fabric, and stuffing them to make a large pillow toy. I'll probably to that to the dog and one of the kitties, and use the rest of the green in a quilt with my 30's reproductions. Once again, thank you so much Finn! You are a sweetheart!