Thanks to Miss Penny, I made 8 blocks tonight.
 

Miss Penny tonight showed me how to use the Altos, and showed me other options for creating strips to make my first quilt. Sweetheart thank you so much. It was so nice to be close to you and learning some of the wonderful skills you have developed in all those years of sewing. Folks it was so satisfying to do this tonight, and the time absolutely flew for me. Aside from an occasional smoke break (yes I smoke so nana nana boo boo. Tobacco put me through college) and a cup of coffee that kept getting cool on me, I worked through until done with the eight. There's so much satisfaction when corners meet precisely as they usually did when a block was finished. I confess I spent a bit of time admiring the results of my work, and spanking myself emotionally when I saw a mistake. But so begins my journey into the wonderful world of fabric art......which is just how I see quilting. Light's not very good or I would proudly post a photo of my minor accomplishment tonight. Oh. For those interested, our beautiful 201K hand crank performed flawlessly. I didn't know you could finish a seam, go off the material some and not get a knot in the thread when you lift the presser foot and pull your material away to cut the ends. Cool. So cool. Don

Sounds like you are having a blast. Can't wait to see your blocks. Have fun.

It is amazing how satisfying it is in finishing blocks. Congratulations on getting your first ones done. We wish you the joy of many more.

Sounds like you are off to a great start. Please post pictures as we all would like to admire your handiwork.
BTW, I sometimes take a minute to admire my own completed blocks! It's also great to have the right tools.

Sewing for as long as I have I still get excited too when my seams match up and the points turn out perfect. Congrats on your progress!

Now you are on a roll! I'm glad you are enjoying the process. Be sure to post pics!

Hi, I just want to tell you, you are "poetical" in your way of telling us what you have done. You are Very good at it.

Sounds like you have a great mentor. That makes all the difference in the world. Don't beat yourself up over one little mistake...call it a design innovation.

Sounds like you are having a great time with your project!! Time flies when we love what we are doing :)

Sounds like you had a good time and learned and acomplished good stuff.
P.S. I'm gonna start smoking when I turn 70 or when it becomes illegal, which ever comes first!
peace

You worked on a tobacco farm? I got married the first time to get away from .66 acre of tobacco. (actually I thought it was for love @@) That is a year round job. Takes all the fun holidays away, too.

Thank you all for the kind thoughts. The willingness to encourage those traveling your earlier footsteps is a sign of true kindness. Last night I perceived all of 30 minutes in a 4 hour session while enjoying time with our Altos and 201K again. Time flew and I found myself wishing the clock could run slower so as to allow me more satisfying moments of sewing strips. I even enjoyed the pressing of strips and its immediate gratification. Probably the pressing served some some deep-seated desire to bring order to a chaotic miniature landscape of fabric. Hmmm. Don

The joy of quilting! From what you've written, you have gained lots of knowledge, keep up the good work, hope to see some pics of your work too.

Oh Don, I see a blog in your future! You are indeed poetic and delightful to read. Please let us know when you start one so we can be your first followers! Hugs and smiles and ty for sharing your joy of quilting with us!

Welcome to our world. How wonderful you and Miss Penny are sharing a great adventure. We are all our own worst/best critics, but just remember "the galloping horse" concept. Looking forward to seeing photos of your work.

Just curious...what is an Altos? Sounds like you had a good sew day. I love those days when it all goes right and you never run out of bobbin thread without noticing...I had my share of coffee gone cold in the cup cause I am just having too much fun.

I was wondering what Altos are. Love it when thinks go together fast.

So fun! Sounds like you are bitten badly. Keep going.

The closest tool I can relate to an Altos is a draftsman's table. A large board, perhaps 18 inches tall by 25 inches long, it has an extruded aluminum clamping straightedge along the bottom, and a formed plastic straightedge perpendicular to it on one side. A proprietary t-square of sorts made of clear plastic or polycarbonate attaches to these straightedges and serves as a moveable baseline and cutting support edge.Great for making 90 degree cuts. Alternatively, you can use (as do I) another manufacturer's quilting template to brace along the straightedges and make a rotary cut along the edge. Pretty nifty setup. We found one used and grabbed it. Don

"How many hobbies am I allowed in one life?" I ponder. Let's see......quilting......collecting vintage Coleman lanterns....leather crafting holsters for ......guns and shooting..... when we aren't in the garden......or the wood shop. Gracious. I wonder from a biological perspective if the same single biting bug infects us with all fascinations and pursuits, or if there's a different little stinker carrying each germ, if you will. If the latter is the case, I hope the Bass Boat Bug stays in our neighbors yard...Don

Don, good job. Could you take a picture and post it of your altos? Thanks in advance

Sewcrazygram asked what I was thinkin about the altos which brings to mind when the ex and I parted ways I sort of hid his L shaped ruler in my things because I used it in sewing. I am thinking that somany things that were made for men us ladies can use and make our quilting so much easier. WTG Tall on finishing the blocks you did. We look forward to many more and all the pics that gowith thm. WTG Miss Penny!!!

Here's a link to an Altos explanation

http://quiltcut.com/

Don

I bought one of those the first year I started quilting and only ever used it as a cutting board (a really expensive cutting board). It was a shame not to get all the intended use out of it, so sold it at a quilt shop yard sale -- maybe you got it?