Really, I know how to count. I make a cheat sheet for each of the quilts at the start to help plan things out and to let me know how many of each shape/print/book page I need to cut out.

The math is fairly straightforward: you take the number of a particular shape/print combo that is needed for each individual block and multiply that by the number of squares there are going to be in the quilt and you have the total that you need to cut. I even double check the math and count the piles of cut pieces multiple times before I start the process. Simple, right? Shouldn’t be any problems. Except it seems like I always end up short of at least one shape at the end of every quilt. For this one it’s the pink and red 2”x2” squares. I think over the course of making the quilt they migrate off to the place that odd socks go from the wash.

And of course I have no more of that print left so I had to do another full print for the 2 squares I was missing…. ARGH! But the main construction is done. Elsie (who will be covered when I do her quilt) and Warner have joined their siblings.   Warner was the baby and passed just a few weeks ago (See Last of a Generation post about Warner).

And now starts the whipstitching of the edges and then sewing the crocheted pineapple medallions on.  I only have a few medallions left to complete. And with only a few left to go I finally smartened up and got myself some better crochet hooks:

If you are ever planning to do any major crocheting, I highly recommend getting a set like this with the nice cushy grips. So much easier on the hands. And if you are ever wondering how much crochet thread it takes to make 27 pineapple medallions, it looks like it will be about 1.1. I need to head to JoAnn Fabric again this weekend.

I did take a break from all the crocheting – to do some crocheting!

A friend had her baby prematurely so I had to hurry up and make this one quick! It was actually rather nice to be working with the larger yarn and do be working a pattern (a granny square variation) that I’ve made dozens of times before that I can almost make with my eyes closed. Very meditative process, just slip into that muscle memory mode of repetitive motion and tune out. I could imagine my great-grandmother doing this at night after a long day of feeding and tending house for her family of ten.