Wyoming Breezes

Don’t Overthink It!  (from Facebook)

I was pleasantly surprised that Wyoming citizens visit public libraries so much. I’d be curious of the patrons’ average age. Does your state’s rating surprise you?  I use the library’s Libby app extensively throughout the year to listen to audiobooks. In the winter, I go to the library on Friday afternoons and work on a jigsaw puzzle or just browse the shelves.  The Laramie library also has knitting needles and crochet hooks to checkout, which I think is brilliant. Last year, they were offering free yarn, as well.

Park bench Optimist Park West Side of Laramie This unusual park bench is in a park on Laramie's West Side next to the playground equipment. It's quite unusual because it is also a recycling project. The shelter surrounding the bench is a part of a wind turbine blade.  I'm not a fan (no pun intended) of wind turbines because I think they are unsightly, and the components are difficult to dispose of once they are damaged or outlive their usefulness. They must be buried and will not disintegrate in the landfill. I was very surprised when it was announced that this new park bench was made from part of a turbine blade. Even though this one blade was made into a park bench, I'm sure there are hundreds, if not thousands, of others that are in landfills across the nation.

This pile of 3.5 inch fabric scraps may not look like much, but it took me two days to sew the neutral squares to the red and blue squares. The more I sewed, the more the piles didn't seem to shrink.  I chain pieced the squares together and when the last squares were used, I cut them apart into half-square triangles.  Inside the basket are 130 HSTs and in the foreground are another 130 HSTs ready to be trimmed and pressed. Look to the right of the basket in the top corner, and you'll see the piles of red HSTs ready to be trimmed, pressed and counted.  I'm unsure what I'm going to make with these HSTs, but I have some ideas for blocks. The HST are 3 inches unfinished, so will finish at 2.5 inches in a block.  So, you might be asking, "Is the 3.5 inch scrap bin empty?" Well, not exactly. I used all the cut 3.5 inch squares, but the bin still contains 3.5 inch strips. Those will likely be used for borders.  I'm also tackling the 4.5 inch square bin, so I'

flying geese units ready for another quilt Another scrappy Quilt of Valor is in the works: this quilt uses two colors of flying geese. The top should be finished by the end of the week unless life gets in the way. 

Let's Be Neighbors 60 x 72 inches Quilt of Valor #254 Let's Be Neighbors  was made using the Briar Rose pattern by England Street Quilts. I eliminated a lot of 2.5 inch scraps making this quilt.  I made the sixteen patches before I selected this pattern. If I were to use the pattern again, I would not use white fabric in the sixteen patches because some of the corners of the design melt into the background fabric; thus, distorting the design. Despite that error on my part, I like the pattern and this quilt. 

My next project uses four-patches - lots and lots of four-patches!  I’m still trying to bring the scrap bins under control. I managed to use some larger scraps to make a couple of quilts, but now I’m focused on the smaller ones -- 2.5” squares.  I made piles of four-patch units and then sewed them into eight-patches, and finally sixteen-patch blocks. I think I have enough for two, possibly even three quilts. Stay tuned . . .

Lady Liberty 58 x 71 inches Quilt of Valor #253 Lady Liberty  was made using Bevels, a pattern by  Mountainpeek Creations . I’ve used the pattern before, but the combination of fabrics and colors on this quilt really show off the design to its fullest.